Forgotten Island

Alright Dreamworks you're not out of the game yet.

I admittedly didn't quite know what to expect from Forgotten Island even with seeing the trailer once or twice, it just looked like an entertaining very beautiful animated film and I was down to see it. What I got instead was a pretty damn good family film with kind of a monumental message for young kids and while the emotional tale laid before me didn't sucker punch me in the feels I not only respected it but admired it. The story follows two young girls who grow up together brought up on tales of a magical land when on their last night before the upheaval of college, they're thrown into this wild world and essentially it almost turns into a kid version of The Hangover as they desperately try to piece together what exactly happened so they can get back home. The film is centered entirely on this friendship between Jo and Raissa which could mean that the film is either made or break based on that, but I think they handled it great! You see a progression with them not just from spaz kids to young adults but how they see each other, how they affect each other's lives, how they are human and make mistakes that hurt one another, and that's a pretty big thing for an animated film. Gabriella Wilson better known as artist HER plays Jo who frankly could have my whole heart and I'd never ask for it back, she's so full of energy and kind of a unapologetic dork that is the more rebellious and outspoken of the group. While Liza Soberano as Raissa starts out more as the introspective nerd who is the voice of reason aa Jo gradually gets her to come out of her shell and be herself, so they got an opposites attract thing going on and it really works. Both performances are about as sturdy as durasteel, you get these characters, you like seeing them hang out, you feel for them when they speak from the heart, and I think it's wonderful. But! And oh my is this the biggest but! What pushes it so above and beyond at least in terms of the writing is the messages woven throughout regarding memory, friendship, life, and how nothing lasts forever is kinda jaw dropping. To be maybe depressingly real with you guys, I don't have a very good memory. I'm bad with names, I can't remember what I did three days ago, there's entire years of my life I just can't recall. So when the prospect of our main characters potentially losing treasured moments, the importance the film projects on not only holding onto memories but making more, the most basest of fact that memories shape your life...it was difficult not to appreciate it. I mean to a old bastard like me that's huge but to a kid, you know a single digit child watching this that could be astronomical, something that could stay with them for decades. It kinda steals your breath away. And yeah, sometimes the movie kinda ping pongs with tone and mood, not to a damaging status but certainly noticeable, but even then it doesn't diminish what the film is conveying. The animation is un-friggin'-believable, it made me just think holy fuckaroli we have come a long ass way since Toy Story. The colors, the motion, the heavily anime inspired reactions and art style at times, like goddamn this movie is gorgeous! Might even be the best animated film I've seen in a good while from here in the West to be fair, like sweet babeh jeezus! It's pretty damn funny too, it probably speaks to my early 2000s humor and soul but most of the jokes got a good laugh out of me! It can have a moment but it's not afraid to get wild and offbeat either. So the story is rock solid, the performances are great, the production is reaching the heavens, and whatever grumbles I might have with it can be looked past. I can see this being a influential and timeless story decades in the future for this generation and I can indeed recommend it. I give it 3 stars, 8/10, and ohhhh next week is where the fun truly begins on this show!

The Odyssey

The one time I read the damn book and I have to say the movie was better!

I mean as an adaptation for one of the oldest written stories in human history it's actually pretty solid! They didn't change too much and trimmed quite a bit of fat found in the tale, and as Christopher Nolan is wont to do the movie does a lot of flashback storytelling as we follow the king of Ithaca after the sacking of Troy desperately trying to get back home as he encounters mythical beings and even when he returns home his fight is not over. I don't really have to tell you if it's a good movie, even with examples such as Tenet from Nolan you can surely expect quality and good if not great plots and yeah the movie may be 3 hours long but it just feels appropriate and you do get invested. Hell I was getting pumped up, tense, and even reflective while watching the film! The big main story beats they stick to are all memorable and engaging, from a suspenseful encounter with a cylcops, to a surprisingly grotesque example of body horror, to just the terrible nature of war it all landed expertly. The only real detachment I had with the movie is the cast, now that is not at all damning the performances themselves if anything they actually do really friggin' good. HOWEVER I did see more the actor and not the character which is odd because this isn't exactly the first star studded cast I've seen in cinema history but I just saw Anne Hathaway I didn't see Queen Penelope, I didn't see Calypso I saw Charlize Theron, I didn't see Telemachus I saw Tom Holland, and the only person who rised above was Matt Damon for reasons I can't even quantify. But like I said all the performances are rock solid and the drama of the story was so good it really didn't take much for me to be immersed in the film. The sets, costuming, all those wonderful practical details which I love so much are on top form as I suspected them to be! The music truly hammers home the suspense and unease, it gets the heart pumping and your nerves on edge, so well done Ludwig Göransson! Damn good cinematography (in other breaking news the sun will rise and the sun will set), the scope of crowds and the sea was just right, and even if you're not familiar with the book you can grasp the events unfolding. I say see it just to witness the fall of Troy, that was the highlight of the film in every respect and it truly felt momentous because that is a piece of history countless people have heard about but I have never seen it visualized. Ever! It just feels suitably epic for an epic tale and while I won't say it's the best film of the whole year I'd be a lying sack of shit if I said I didn't greatly appreciate and enjoy it. Even if this was the first and last time I ever watched this film I can safely say I was very happy to see it. 4 stars, 8.5/10, and this may be the last review of the month unless madness strikes hard and fast but this entire show is a literal odyssey, a long and eventful journey and it isn't quite over yet.

Clash Of The Titans

Can you believe this shit?

11 damn years and we're just NOW talking Clash Of The Titans! It's probably been almost 20 years since I last saw this movie and very much like Jason And The Argonauts the legacy of the film is still prevalent in my mind. This was Ray Harryhausen's final bow in the film industry but what a fantastic finale to a lifetime of incredible work, and the fact you can actually see a lot of the models and figures from this movie even today is a gift from the heavens. Hell I almost want to say this was the last bow of true mythical fantasy epics in the year of our lord 1981, and it does tell a sprawling big story that no doubt takes maaaaany elements of greek mythology into account. Following Perseus demigod son of Zeus who wishes to take the hand of the princess Andromeda, is tasked with several trials not only to win her love but save her from a terrible fate. That is the bare bones plot when you get right down to it, but the movie takes a good bit of time setting up this world and fleshes it out constantly with mythological creatures and battles, from a prince cursed and deformed by the gods, to the fabled Kraken, to the still quite horrifying Medusa, and still more to see. I heard Ray was not thrilled with his work and wanted to fine tune the film stock to make it look better but didn't have the time, yet I still wholeheartedly say the stop motion effects are great! In any capacity it's a marvel to look at and I have zero issue saying everything to the buildup of Medusa is so eerie and dreadfilled, from the surprisingly creepy appearance of Charon the ferryman to the dilapidated temple to the actual appearance of Medusa is a gold mine of suspense and horror. Undoubtedly the highlight of the entire film for my money. But even beyond that seeing Pegasus, giant scorpions, the deformed monster Calibos who by the by looks spectacular to the point where I honestly don't even see an actor under the prosthesis, even the robotic owl Bubo which some people deride but I find charming only adds to the magic of the film. I feel the gods themselves were much better handled here than in The Argonauts, in no small part due to the cast I mean flippin' Sir Laurence Olivier as Zeus is pitch goddamn perfect in this movie, Maggie Smith as spurned goddess Thetis works great with the plot, Ursula Andress as Aphrodite is stellar casting in my opinion, and how they interact with the story feels more engaging. Of course love goes to our mortal cast as well, Harry Hamlin though not as compelling as Todd Armstrong has a solid look and still does a good job throughout being an archetypal hero, Judi Bowker while not having a great deal of material to work with is still a welcome presence and I think you can tell she was enjoying her time on set, again I'd like to shoutout Neil McCarthy as Calibos and even though he's really only the antagonist for the first act is such a trooper for going through such extensive makeup and prosthetics plus being a good villain gets him brownie points in the end, and I'll be damned if I still don't treasure seeing Burgess Meredith in any role and even as a supporting character he still not only commits but is wonderful to watch. It's a classic in it's own right and deserves the love, not perfect but damn good enough to where you don't mind. It is a shame that such a technical marvel was the last of it's kind, I am a big advocate for practical effects and always been a fan of stop motion and while the craft hasn't become obsolete it breaks my heart knowing we'll never reach such heights again. It does make me curious how much real, well...anything will be showcased in The Odyssey, knowing Christopher Nolan is a true hands on director who loves to do stuff without much computer wizardy gives me hope that the sword wielding epics aren't truly dead and gone. If you are any kind of fan of monsters, old school effects, mythological stories, or just imaginative adventures this is a movie you must see. I give it 3.5 stars, 8/10, and boy do we have an event to attend on Friday my friends.

Jason & The Argonauts

I almost want to say this is the first time I've seen this.

Oh I absolutely knew of it growing up and the stop motion effects by Ray Harryhausen, but I truly believe this is my first watch through. So how was it? Pretty solid I gotta say, this is one of the earliest greek epics that I'm aware of concerning a young man with a quest to reclaim a homeland and slay a tyrant who is given a near impossible task from the gods to obtain a golden fleece to aid his revenge. What's interesting is this is a tale that literally predates The Odyssey so it made since to showcase it this week, and it honestly bears some similarities with the hero making a long journey with several courageous men, the gods on Olympus treating the heroes just like pawns in chess to see who wins, and encountering fabled mythical creatures. Now obviously when most people refer to this movie it is indeed for the stop motion effects, but it is a very good movie on it's own that should be watched. That being said the effects by Harryhausen are still great and show good variety ranging from giant metal statue Talos, to a hydra, to flying harpy's, and of course sword wielding skeletons which is still just as rad as it was in 1963. I was a bit surprised to learn this was not a great financial success for Columbia when it was first released despite good reviews, and only through the passage of time has it gotten reappraised and considered a classic of the fantasy genre. I think Todd Armstrong is a damn good lead as Jason, a stalwart hero with conviction and wisdom that carries the film just as well as the stopmotion effects. Honor Blackman as Hera was a treat to see and really it doesn't seem that much of a stretch to see her as a goddess, as she aids Jason on his quest while in somewhat friendly competition with Zeus. Though not on the crew for long I gotta say Nigel Green as Hercules was a major highlight, I can't fully explain why but his physicality and warm demeanor made me wish he stuck around to end credits and I'll be damned to think of a better live action Hercules in anything! For a movie roughly an hour and forty-five minutes long it certainly doesn't feel like it, keeping a good brisk pace that's easy to follow and has a charm to it that not many newer movies could have. And I think that's the reason why it's a classic of the genre. It has this old Hollywood charm to it, from the way it's shot, to the actors in it, how the special effects are showcased, it fits the ancient tale because it feels like someone is retelling it at that point in time. So all in all I give it 3 stars, 7/10, and next time we get to a movie that I honestly can't believe I haven't talked about yet.

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.

The Mandalorian & Grogu

We have never been more back!

To the uninitiated it has been a fat minute since new Star Wars has hit cinema screens, but to me it's just another Tuesday. But what did I think about the slightly basic titled The Mandalorian & Grogu? Now this might shock you but, I really loved it! Is it the most insanely awesome Star Wars movie I've ever seen? No, but the stakes feel appropriate for the jump from series to film even though it actually feels more in tune with season 1 Mandalorian while still keeping all the additions of the other seasons and even beyond the show in terms of time and lore. The plot while very centered on Din and Grogu going through links to capture imperial warlords gets a bit sidetracked with the gangster siblings of Jabba but it forms a coherent and even emotional tale that may not be the most dazzling pulse pounding grandiose story of say the main 9 saga films, but it works in it's own way. The main draw to the film really is the relationship and dynamic of Din and Grogu, no matter how many references and extended characters that us mega fans know by heart. And I hate to say it with every fibre of my being but I think they're setting up the eventual demise of Din, slowly and ever so slightly but it could happen sooner than later. Papa Pedro is committed as always and still really good but I can understand his possible thinking that he can't do this forever and it toys with that in the movie. Of course Grogu is still our sweet baby but shows remarkable capability and not only did he comprise my favorite scene of the entire movie but got me on the absolute cusp of shedding tears. A Star Wars movie has never quite hit me like this and it must be noted. Kind of an inverted duet with Sigourney Weaver and Jeremy Allen White, I thought we would see Rotta barely at all after a certain point and get more Colonel Ward but we stick with Rotta for a good bit and I gotta tell you man, never have I ever been so keen and down with a Hutt in my existence! He was rad as hell and not to mention the mind trip of seeing that little slug baby all grown up after the 2008 Clone Wars movie. Of course I'm a mark for Anzellans, Embo, dragon snakes, and Dejarik creatures so I was having a field day and every little nod and reference I caught was a treat. I think people kinda forget how deeply self referrential Star Wars truly is, I dare say it's at least half of the backbone of the entire franchise and the other half being combining so much culture and classic tales of fantasy and fiction to create something new. It's a very enjoyable fun movie that screams escapsim, with appropriately excellent special effects, a fantastic score by Ludwig Göransson that in my opinion eclipses the series soundtrack and stands toe to toe with the memorability of the John Williams score, a good bit of humor but never afraid to take it slow or serious, and makes me incredibly interested what could come of season four of the series. Just check your expectations at the door and have fun, it's a damn good time to be a Star Wars fan like every other day of the year and I'll be extremely happy to add this to the DVD shelf when that special day comes. This is indeed the way. 3.5 stars, 8.5/10, I'm a happy camper.

Super Mario Galaxy Movie

Well I'll be damned.

I liked it way better than the first! Pretty much every aspect has been improved and the lore has been expanded, the hallmarks of any good sequel are present here. So the story goes after Princess Rosalina has been captured our plumbing brothers and the princess in another castle set out to free her while Bowser reconnects with his son in dastardly deeds. That's the base story but trust me you get a lot of cool stuff along with it. I feel the animators are just showing off in this, if you thought the first film was beatific and colorful to the max throw in the cosmic aspect and it's peaked at a whole other level in my opinion. Performance wise from our original roster they all do great and I'm happy Luigi gets more to do, and I was quite invested in Bowser's storyline, and as for our new arrivals I knew Brie Larson was gonna rock it as Rosalina and Donald Glover was a unique choice for Yoshi but welcome just the same. The plot moves just as brisk as the first and never ever gets boring with maybe not as much easter eggs you can shake a stick at but some surprise reveals that more than make up for it. In fact one particular reveal nearly pushed me to scream in the theater, as they are my main choice in the Super Smash Bros. games. But I like all the nods to Super Mario Bros. 2, or should I really say Doki Doki Panic for those who are initiated and getting to see stuff I'm actually surprised wasn't in the first. It's a very fun and I'd easily say funnier movie as well, with an easy to grasp plot, damn good animation, and come what may if they decide to do a third they will have my attention. I give it 3 stars, 8/10, and I really gotta check the upcoming releases for this month and see what else might strike my fancy.

In Retrospect: The Super Mario Bros. Movie

Considering how well they handled tbis movie I guess I can look forward to the Galaxy Movie.

Hands up, I haven't seen this movie since opening day so all this time has done some good on the reappraisal front. Shit I'm thrilled they took their sweet ass time before releasing the Super Mario Galaxy Movie and not trying to rush anything! All the minor quibbles I had with the soundtrack selections, the worldbuilding, and the lack of Luigi has softened and I do still stand by it being a good if not even great movie. The part that struck me hardest on rewatch is the soundtrack, dear lord the plethora of level music beautifully crafted into an orchestral score is only rivaled by the amount of easter eggs prevalent. I mean when you have a video game series as acclaimed as Mario and a company like Nintendo with unrivaled rich history you'll get plenty of nods and shoutouts. Another aspect that made me appreciate this movie so much is despite the star studded cast you kinda forget they're voicing these characters, a lot of animated projects want you to pay attention to the fact it is the celebrity, like Robin Williams in Aladdin who pretty much was the bedrock for all celebrity voice acting since, rather than have the celebrity slip seamlessly into the part. I kinda forgot who voiced Peach until I had to look it up, Chris Pratt you do just roll with, even with Charlie Day and Jack Black who definitely are more recognizable voices never break the immersion. Good job director! It still looks outstanding I can tell you that much, despite my predilection for obsidian I do truly appreciate color in life, and it's rarely on better form than here. Of course it's a joy to see such fabled locales from the games be rendered in picture-esque beauty but in all aspects the animation truly shines. Kinda makes you wonder why they never did it this way earlier, in fact I'm still in the minority I feel when I say I would love more animated adaptations of video games on the big screen. We just need more animation fucking period to be brutally real with you here, I don't know what the stigma has been against this medium for decades at this point but not everything has to be live action. I swear. I had a good time watching it, I'll bump up the score to an 8/10, I'm endlessly interested to see what all will go down in the next one tomorrow so stay tuned!

Predator Badlands

Okay that pretty much was what I was expecting!

I wasn't aware of a new Predator movie in the works til' I saw the trailer about 2 months ago, and considering last time I talked about this series was 2018 it's high time to see something new. And my God what an extraordinarily simple yet good story with a young inexperienced warrior named Dek who after some family drama takes up a hunt for a legendary indestructible beast, and while on a planet where it seems every aspect is meant to kill and maim he runs across a synthetic chatterbox named Thia who of course is on the planet for Weyland-Yutani purposes as they make a unlikely duo. What I vastly enjoy so much about it is because it's such a simple story, with not that extensive of a cast, and you get a fair bit of the the Yautja culture present with subtitles galore (Huzzah!), anybody can watch it knowing next to nothing about this series and still very much enjoy it! It's unapologetically sci-fi with a fair bit of cheese and silliness as is hard baked into the very genre, it's got a very good sense of humor, the action is shot well, the environments are unique as well as all the strange creatures, the director certainly had a distinct vision for what he wanted to do and in my opinion succeded! But I'm honestly not sure how it will perform, most movies I can view as sure fire hits or flagging bombs with relative ease but this is such an intricately different beast to where either it's gonna do decent and become a fan favorite over time...or just be too short and then become a fan favorite over time. It very much worked for me in all it's facets and is a fun science fiction adventure that I wouldn't mind seeing again! So sure fire recommendation in my book and I hope it gets some love cause they did do a very good job with it. 3 stars, 7.5/10 from me, and the monster mash isn't over yet!

The Most Dangerous Game

Out of the silent era and into good ol' RKO.

From the same producers of King Kong and shot on many of the same sets comes an adaptation of a short story, concerning a shipwrecked hunter who finds himself entangled in the sick game of a russian master of hunting and sport who is tasked with surviving for one night to obtain freedom off the island or become just another attraction in a trophy room. For a movie that barely clocks in at one hour it does a surprisingly good job not only taking enough time to set up the story, the villain, and the stakes but deliver on a nonstop 20 odd minute chase scene through the jungle that must have been exhilarating in 1932. I have no qualms saying Leslie Bank, in his first motion picture role I might add, is the reason and the highlight to watch this movie. The man doesn't even have to act he just looks so sinister, and yet can potray this charming and very affable host before the facade falls and you see just how commited he is to enacting this horrid game. Joel McCrea is a fine albeit basic leading man who has the know how to lay traps and use the terrain to his advantage, and it is interesting to watch more a clash of minds in the wilderness rather than brute strength. Fay Wray, icon that she is barely has to do a damn thing and yet still remains a highlight and it's wild to think she was filming King Kong the exact same damn time as this. Boy, movies are NOT made like that anymore. The sets are very well constructed, from the Count's fortress and grisly trophy room to the dense foliage and misty swamp of the jungle, for a lower budgeted movie it still looks quite nice. Now I know the concept of using humans as prey isn't entirely new to storytelling but it's a solid story, that somehow slipped into the realm of the public domain but you can easily find a good quality version even on Youtube and it is worth a watch for film fans or even people who want to see one of the early examples of a thriller and not a horror film. I love talking old black and white movies and to bring more attention to them, so this was a no brainer to review. A quite good movie but hopefully we end on an even higher note. 3 stars, 7/10, I'll be seeing you next time.

The Lost World (1925)

Welcome to the 100th anniversary of the first dinosaur movie.

I truly feel that The Lost World is one of the most important and monumental films ever created. Really break this down with me, we can view a film a century old and silent films are a rare breed considering the vast majority are lost, this is the film that showcased Willis O'Brien and his craft of stop motion effects that would inspire generations to come like Ray Harryhausen and Phil Tippet, you get to see how the world viewed dinosaurs 100 years before in terms of appearance and behavior that still has left an impact to this very day in cinema, and the author himself of the original story Sir Arthur Conan Doyle not only was able to see the film and enjoyed it but the filmmakers got the man himself to introduce the picture. That retinue alone should make this one of the greatest films ever made, and I'm happy to say that. Even as a lover of silent cinema this film intrigued me, shocked me, made me laugh, and get very emotionally invested throughout. Now I did a wee bit of research concerning the runtime and I found there's an hour version and a hundred minute version, I picked the latter which is not only available on the Youtubes but is showcased in high definition with the proper color tinting so that's the one I strongly recommend. The story involves a reporter who hears claims of an explorer who encountered the ancient terrible lizards in the Amazon, and joins the expedition not only for the story but also to aid a young lady to find her father. What follows is a high scale adventure evading ravenous dinosaurs, trekking through caves and jungle, and as old Hollywood is wont to do find romance in the process. Despite the reporter named Ed being the main focus I truly feel the real main character is the young girl Paula played by Bessie Stone. Nowwww am I slightly smitten by this little lady? Yes! But that is not coloring my perception of the film, she wants to find her father who got marooned there, she has a romance with Ed, she's easily the best damn character in the movie emotionally, this truly is her show. That and I was having several meltdowns over how frick fraking pretty she is, oh my God! I gotta move on. I quite liked the professor who originally stumbled across the dinosaur laden land played by Wallace Beery, he almost has this burly crazy haired look like he got abandoned on that lost world and his rageful outbursts against reporters just cracked me up. I actually really appreciate the different protagonists that make up this expedition, you got the everyman reporter, the sweet charming lady, the game hunter, the experienced leader of the party, and the more academic centered professor. All the characters work very nicely together and despite the obvious lack of sound have good chemistry on screen, and this is one of the few instances where I wish I could hear their voices. The scope of the production is nothing short of stellar, from the lavishly dressed buildings of civilization, to the dense foliage of the jungle, from the painted backdrops to the really real fire scorched landscapes this is a damn well made movie and we haven't even got to the dinosaurs yet! How the hell am I gonna talk about all of this and not take an Age to put it all down? Holy moly guacamole these dinosaurs are the bee's knees! The design of their shape, the texture of their hides, the fact they fuggin' BREATHE, this is too amazing for words. I revelled in every second and wondered in awe how they even got some of these shots, this is a groundbreaking piece of cinema that truly had no equal for years, maybe even decades to come depending on who you ask. It's so timeless and yet classic, it was kinda scary at a certain point and my God this movie is gory as shit which really shocked me! Like it doesn't shy away from what carnivores do to herbivores, and most of the scientific information was spot on for 1925! Interesting choice to go for an Allosaurus instead of a vastly more popular Tyrannosaurus Rex, but the inclusion of Brachiosaurus, Triceratops, Pterodactyl, and a Stegosaurus lends itself quite nicely to the variety. I feel the movie is entertaining enough to where you're not just waiting for the stopmotion creatures to appear, but man are they still a highlight all these years later! So damn influential, so damn amazing, I know 5 year old me would treasure this movie if I saw it back then. Really only negative I could throw at it is I'm pretty sure, like 109% sure, we have a heavily unfortunate case of blackface for one character and yeah I know it's the 1920s it ain't gonna perfectly congeal with 2025 ethics, but it still sucks. So that'll knock the final score down but this is still a truly great movie that I feel like a total ass for waiting three decades of life to finally watch it! 4 stars, 9/10, and we're jumping ahead to the sound era of the 30s next time!

Skeleton Crew

I'm late to the party, don't yell!

Lord knows we needed some fun and fancy free Star Wars, and boy howdy did Skeleton Crew hit so many buttons for me! Taking a concept as simple as four kids find a derelict spaceship and get whisked off into an adventure in a galaxy far far away, and giving so so much more than that. I'm honestly stumped where to begin so let's talk cast. Ravi Cabot-Conyers as Wim could not encapsulize a loving Star Wars fan in the universe of Star Wars more if he tried, wanting some adventure in his life and obsessed with tales of the Jedi, his bubbly persona and comedic timing are a joy to watch throughout. Ryan Kiera Armstrong as tomboy rebel Fern is pretty badass assuming the role of captain of the ship and carries a no nonsense attitude that serves the crew well on their adventures, if Wim is the heart Fern is the brain. Kyriana Kratter as tech savvy KB while not getting an abundance of personalized screen time has a killer design, and honestly owns the most emotional scene of the whole show in my humble opinion, and yes she is baby girl and an ace pilot! You know if you've been around long enough on this show how I often say I see certain characters and can imagine my future daughter to be exactly like them? Sirs, madames, and all you wonderful in-betweens on this planet...I have a son. His name is Neel (After Neil Armstrong?), and I'm trying not to be an emotional mess right now. Robert Timothy Smith you are friggin' Star Wars ROYALTY in my eyes! That's my son, that's my boy! So sweet, so thoughtful, effortlessly adorable, charming, and amazing. I would be here for the rest of my life telling you how proud I am and how much I love my little blue elephant son. I would kill for Wim and Fern, I would burn planets for KB, but I would end dimensions for Neel, I won't hear a besmirching remark or pithy comment on any of them. Jude Law as a pirate captain with more names than Sauron himself, but I'll stick to Jod is a right bastard in this show as any pirate should be, and to have an actor with range as broad as Jude Law I knew I was gonna get a really fun good performance and he is absolutely fascinating to watch in this from beginning to end. Wild to think Nick Frost took almost a decade to get into Star Wars since Simon Pegg got in right off the bat in 2015, but contender for best droid in the galaxy SM-33 is quite a stamp to have, and yes I do just call him Smee. Endlessly entertaining, absolute king, made me feel justified saying 'Aye' for the last few years, 10/10! But obviously we get more characters thrown in so I'll highlight some standouts real quick. Brutus, holy great balls of fire that is character design genius having a legacy alien, Shistavanen, been around since 1977, as a pirate with flintlock blasters are you–

Lucasfilm you never needed to go that hard. Kh'ymm wise owl lady, sign me the hell up I'm so here for her and her aesthetic! Pokkit, we got a Disney Princess up in here y'all so thank you Kelly Macdonald for being in this universe, granted you kinda scare me but a scottish accent can make me do crazy things, need more of her. Also shoutout to Jaleel White, stellar to have you aboard as well! In fact all the visual designs and worldbuilding to a galaxy that has a lot already going for it is marvellously handled, ship designs, worlds, use of aliens, lore about the Old Republic hello there! And they don't even really cherrypick elements from the past though occasional nods to stuff like Force Unleashed and Knights Of The Old Republic make a nerd like me happy, they craft a lot of new stuff and I loooooove when Star Wars is new stuff never before seen! Even a pretty decent mystery involving the kid's homeplanet had my interest but was far from my focus. They wanted to make a damn good show and whether or not this is the end or if it comes back for round two, I'm fairly happy with it all! In fact my only source of contention is the ending and that's simply because it was too short, we had climax and falling action but precisely zero on resolution and I felt there were loose ends to tie up. Is my son gonna get his girlfriend or not?? Answer me Lucasfilm you cowardly cutlass! I mean if a show barely over 4 hours total can get me that invested and wanting to know as much as possible, clearly it did something right! This was so much fun, taking a lot of Amblin magic, with ample love of 80s cinema a lá Goonies and such, and weaving it into a storied franchise is not only impressive but very succesful. You don't even really need to know all that much about Star Wars to enjoy it and understand it which my God that's handy! Love the story, love the style, love the characters, love the adventure, Jesus fish Andor is gonna wreck me isn't it? We got some months before that but mother of all that is good and precious it's gonna hit like a burial brick. Until that bombshell I give this series 4 stars, 8.5/10!

The Goonies

I know, I know, took almost a decade to finally get around to Goonies. I was kinda surprised too!

It's funny, I was never heavily nostalgic for The Goonies and while I have seen the movie many many years ago probably before I was even a teen, it still holds up remarkably well! Set in a seaside town a group of friends in an attempt to save their homes from being torn down find a treasure map and against all logic or reason decide to go for it, surpassing traps and capture from a band of criminals hot on their heels for mass amount of booty. Yo-ho! For a movie just a notch over 1½ hours even I was surprised how much time they set everything up before the hunt begins, a good 20 to 25 minutes as a matter of fact which I get! We got a lot of characters here and while they are far from deep are immensely charming and memorable and I could talk about every single cast member truth be told because of how good the performances are and how I really couldn't dream of anyone else playing these kids and it kinda breaks my heart I can't delve into everyone in great detail, so I'll shoutout my faves. Sean Astin my man, I love you my man, has such an innocence and wonder about him at all this stuff even in the midst of a death defying task, easily the heart of the group. Of course I have to shoutout our king Ke Huy Quan, I believe this was right on the cusp of Temple Of Doom and his hair brained gadgets and wild persona was a sheer blast to watch and lowkey honestly has the best look out of all the characters bar none! Jeff Cohen need I really say more, asode from Sloth is the face of this movie in the popular culture and I have to admit he got the most laughs out of me very easily, and I strongly relate to a foodaholic that doesn't want trouble. John Matuszak even though he's not in the movie all that much, Sloth is a beast all of his own and despite the impressive prosthetics showcases a lot of love and fun and you wouldn't have to ask me twice to share some rocky road with him. I have no friggin' clue how they got Robert Davi to be in this because he is a man of intensity and awesome in his acting but it was nothing short of great to see him here. The production is absolutely top notch without a shadow of a doubt, LOTS of intricate and well designed sets, simple but good stunts, and a scale that even the main cast were blown away by when it came to, I shit you not, a fully built pirate ship! Sure there is some blue screen effects but my God this movie has some polish on it that is sorely missing from cinema today! And I guess the saying of "Brevity is the soul of wit" shines through here because it is a simple story with simple characters, but the writing and humor is so good you don't need an inch more than what is presented on screen. The humor often comes out of left field but got good strong laughs out of me at points throughout the film. It's just highly entertaining and no wonder people look at it so fondly and have became big fans of it! Anybody can watch it, anybody can love it, really and truly everyone on that crew deserves the praise. Great cast, solid director, a simple but engaging story, culminating in a film that has stood the test of time admirably. 3.5 stars, 8/10! Ooooh did someone say pirates in space tomorrow? Cause that's all I need!

Flight Of The Navigator

Kinda breaking tradition for our usual lineup with a new Star Wars show but it's worth it.

Been a hot ass minute since we did a Disney live action movie, and a good one at that with the 1986 cult film Flight Of The Navigator. The first thing I gotta say is I was aware of the story albeit briefly so I kinda knew what I was getting into, but say you either walked into the cinemas or caught this on TV with zero idea what it's about. It's a pretty serious in tone movie about a boy in 1978 who awakens in the year 1986 with no memory of what happened and yet looks exactly the same he did when he went missing, and pretty soon a discovery is made of an object not of human design. That's kind of a scary concept and at certain points it was undeniably eerie to the point where I was getting goosebumps. It's a bit of a slow burn movie but because of that we get time with our main character David seeing just how confused and perplexed he is as we the audience are as the puzzle comes together, and it's fascinatingly not a movie with any kind of antagonistic force in play so you really can just sink into this situation. The effects are pretty good for the time with a truly unique alien design at play that as the more you see it the more interesting it gets. Eventually it sheds it's mystery robe and becomes a true fantasy fulfilling film and yeah it goes on for a bit but it's cool and I dig it so no major marks against it! Though I gotta say this might be the only movie I know of that was made in the 80s and references the 80s, from New Coke to music videos, from Twisted Sister to The Price Is Right, that really never happens in cinema from that time period. More often the case is the movie itself is the time capsule. But I gotta admit it had my interest, it was fun, I like seeing faces of actors like Paul Reubens, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Veronica Cartwright which were surprises to me! It's far from even on the live action side of Disney's catalogue, a great movie but I think you can get into it. If nothing else the film is proof you can be a Disney movie and still say and I am quoting here: shit, goddamn, and retard. It was a wildly different time my friends! 2.5 stars, 7/10, more 80s goodness coming your way tomorrow.

In Retrospect: Sonic The Hedgehog 2

Alright I've made a bit of peace with it.

See this is really why I do these In Retrospects and honestly it's been a hot ass minute since the last one but it was time to watch Sonic 2 again. Yeahhh it still kinda has a tangent issue even if it's a relatively small one, but the plot does keep moving and while the human characters aside from Robotnik could have been written and utilized differently, they don't ruin the movie. The Hawaii stuff no doubt was compared to the Canto Bight scenes from Last Jedi, but like that sequence it isn't terribly long and isn't boring either. The dynamic between Sonic and Tails is really nice, the fragile alliance with Eggman and Knuckles is interesting to watch, the eventual shift with Knuckles makes sense and I like the fact he has the personality of an honorable warrior. Let's just be on the level right here right now, this is a movie for kids and that's exactly what they delivered so I can make a fuss or simply acknowledge that despite my big kid heart it doesn't all work for me and that's fine. I mean yeah, Jim and Idris are still undoubtedly the highlights of the film but that's not a besmirch on Ben and Colleen who still commit fully to the roles! I'll be interested to see if Sonic gets a bit of a character arc in the 3rd movie to go from a fully comedic hero to having a severe sense of seriousness that can be seen progressing film to film. I don't really want to trash talk the effects, because they're not bad at all but it is easy to see the strings as it were, but how else would they have implemented the game's art direction otherwise? We get to see so many nods to the games shown faithfully and with love, so I couldn't possibly give it good grief. Loved seeing the Chaos Emerald and super saiyan Sonic (Try saying that 3 times fast!), the various Robotnik robo-transports, a flat out Sega Genesis instruction manual, that's great stuff! One minor quibble that I just can't let go is, if you take the time and more importantly the money to buy the rights for songs why in the holy love of fuck are we just playing 30 seconds of it?? Just play the damn song! I want Robotnik's world domination playlist you sum'bitch, if frick fraking Walk by Pantera is track #1 you damn well better give me more! And yes I fully headcanon Eggman is a thrash metal kind of guy. Odd thing to bitch about but I go on weird tangents myself, so game recognize game. It's a decent video game movie and that's all I really needed from it. Will Shadow, my favorite Sonic character by the by, elevate this series and could we have a banger of a film hit this Friday? I'd be a happy camper if that was the case! So I'll bump up the score a notch to 2.5 stars, 6.5/10! And apologies in advance for not getting a review out for the Knuckles series, I do not have every streaming platform under the sun and frankly never will so I'll see you later on this week.

Over The Garden Wall

I don't know what I just watched. I loved it though!

What even in the hell is this? It might be the strangest show I've ever known and if you've stuck around long enough with me I have seen some weird shit man. It's the most barebones synopsis in the world but the progression and details of the story are the interesting parts, two brothers Wirt and Greg are lost in the woods and have to find their way back home. Simple and easy to understand....annnnd then we meet pumpkin people, frogs attending a swanky party on a paddle steamer, and some eldritch horror known only as The Beast. What the actual fuck have I been doing with my life?? Yeah I'm late to the party on this one big time with the mini-series being broadcasted back in 2014 so hey 10 year anniversary woohoo, but it's always been on the outskirts of my radar and on Halloween no less this year Cartoon Network played it in full. 10 episodes, pretty much ten minutes each, so feature film length by the skin of it's teeth. Granted I knew precisely zilch about it other than it was pretty damn good from various people throughout the years. I barely know where to start but all I'll say is I'm kinda pissed at myself not watching this in senior year of high school. You know how I always talk about that "exquisite fall atmosphere", well this is the gold standard that probably will never be matched again, this is the autumn of my dreams with grey skies, colorful leaves, and old trails to wander. Visuals alone, 20/10! But I greatly enjoyed the odyssey these two brothers went on, it's offbeat entirely but still has a certain charm about it that makes you not want to put it down until it's done. Wirt is a much older kid in high school with all the growing maturity, logic, and even depression that sets in around that time, and Elijah Wood who I didn't even recognize until end credits popped up does a very good job giving a lot of character to a very white bread protagonist. Collin Dean as Greg is my highlight of the whole show catalyzing exactly what young kids are like, they are friggin' little oddballs with no sense of focus or tact and it's marvellous how real it feels, hilarious and endearing to watch. Melanie Lynskye as Beatrice a talking bluebird that acts as a guide through the woods actually had a very good backstory that gets revealed later and her sassy attitude was a joy to watch, nothing super deep but effortlessly engrossing. It was wild to hear Christopher Lloyd as a returning character of the Woodsman, he does fine work with the material but there clearly is more to this guy's past than the show lets on and while you wish to know more wraps everything up in a nice bow. And last bit far far from least as the Beast we have Samuel Ramey, who creeped the ever living shit out of me from first appearance to last appearance tapping into that fear of unearthly glowing eyes, and although it doesn't honestly have that much screentime or do that much the way the world reacts around it is what gives it presence and gravity. In fact there were a few moments in this show where for just a single solitary second fear gripped my heart, it can be horrific even for adults and definitely scary to younger kids but the show has a good balance. The fantasy element is high and the best way I can sum it all up is there's a shot of a wooden boat on a lake with a fish sitting in it with a lure cast into the water, undeniably distinct and imaginative and when coupled with the atmosphere and scenery you have yourself an unforgettable thing. It's even kind of a musical somehow? There's a good few vocal performances that range from silly made up kid songs to stunning soaring serenades, and it wouldn't surprise me for a second if there indeed was a soundtrack available online. I'm almost speechless at this, I will go out of my way to buy this show and you can bet your ass it is going to be a staple of October viewing for years to come. Simplicity goes a long way, anyone can watch it and enjoy it whether it's immersed fully or just leisurly viewing, admittedly if you're a lover of fun and fancy free entertainment this is gonna hit more your stride but I still say watch it and make up your own mind. It could do something for you. I walked into the unknown as much as Wirt and Greg did but coming out on the other side made me realize how amazing the trip was. 4 stars easily, 9.5/10, and now comes the part where the seasons relieve me of the joy of autumn and non-christmasy things but why should that stop me from denying the holiday cheer?

Oz The Great And Powerful

I have notes.

Yes the Oz adaptation precisely zero people have talked about for over a decade now, so what did I think? I'll disclaimer this upfront, I don't think an origin for the Wizard is a bad idea really I don't, because it's been a question I'm sure many people have had and this is still during a time when prequels were frowned upon. It's really not bad crafting it's own mythos while taking a fair bit from the books and the 1939 film, with a circus magician getting whisked away in a twister and finds himself embroiled in a three way power struggle between witches as he is hailed as the Lisan al-Gaib despite multiple instances to the contrary. That's kind of an interesting premise seeing this conman get hip deep in this fantasy world between warring factions, and I do truly feel that while James Franco wasn't exactly a no brainer pick for Oz his charm and humor carried this film tremendously. He was a joy to watch and I appreciate the fact they don't go down some typical lame ass liar revealed trope, as he actually does let people peak behind the curtain to see his true self, it adds dynamic and even a sweet moment or two because of it. He's truly a great lead through and through. Also just need to shoutout Joey King as the China Girl, hands down my favorite character, would easily die for her, my heart and soul in this movie! This fairly hurts to say because we do have talented people on this cast, and it's not even that they did a bad job but it just missed something extra to make it come together. Rachel Weisz you rock, I'll never say a bad thing about your acting but I feel the script is at fault with most of the other characters not giving much for them to do cause she's one of the witches and has a semi-important role to play but the poor lady just has nothing to grasp onto. Michelle Williams as Glenda has a little bit to work off of, the dynamic with Oz and his lack of magic, the death of her father who was the last king of Ozdom, she at least has a direction to go in. And Mila Kunis as Theodora, this gets into spoilers but it's important to talk about, again not a first choice candidate to play the Wicked Witch but...oof. Okay I don't ever like doing this, I got nothing from her performance and feel this is where the writing took a horrid nose dive, essentially making one of the most iconic villains in cinema a spiteful ex-girlfriend who gets tricked into becoming the green skinned pyro thrower we know, and this is pure subjective taste by the way when I say her design was so not it looking more akin to The Mask than the Wicked Witch. Big letdown in my opinion overall for her character but you know what? It gave me a negative so I can walk into Wicked looking for a positive so even then it has a greater purpose. I was rather shocked to say the least knowing Sam Raimi directed this movie but I applaud him for wanting to put as much practical sets in as possible, it's a heavy ass CG movie because of the outlandish terrain of the world of Oz and indeed has moments of beauty to it yet I still strongly appreciate giving the actors something to work with. It also was made during that mini 3D craze so you get those certain shots that are noticeable but aren't completely egregious. And for a over 2 hour movie it doesn't feel that long yet simultaneously feels like it should be longer to get more connection to the characters which I feel is the Achille's heel of it all. The visuals are okay, the story has some intrigue, but I couldn't get completely invested. But hey, if something doesn't work for me it can work for someone! I liked seeing a different iteration of the land of Oz, I liked seeing James play this charming charlatan, the little China Girl is treasured and I will not hear slander against her or I will smite you, even the majority of the humor got me rolling! It's far from a waste even if not everything landed just right and it makes me all the more curious to see Wicked! Know next door to nothing about it aside from trailers, yet I'm walking in with an open mind. As for this I give it 2 stars, 6/10!

Agatha All Along

How the hell am I supposed to say no to Kathryn and Aubrey? I have an iron will, but even iron melts under enough heat.

Oooooh boy! Wow how in the world do I sum this up and all my myriad thoughts? Well, disclaimer up front I did not rewatch Wandavision, I did not read up on the finale of Wandavision, so we're walking into this sorta blind. We kinda kick off in the same fashion where Agatha is now Agnes, a police detective in the town of Westview and by the by I would gladly watch several seasons of that show within a show, before the facade is ripped away and Agatha is on a quest to get her groove back along with a ragtag coven of witches. I...barely know where to start. Deep slow breaths, maintain composure. You didn't have to sell me on this show beyond Kathryn and if you thought I was crushing before this, it is getting plain out of hand at this point! Whatever service or favor I did to get this show and the things therein, clearly I need to double down on my next sacrifice or favor because this could not have hit more of my buttons coincidentally. I do not need to tell you how good of an acting job she does, Agatha is kind of my role model in this and firmly exemplifies why I love villains. Total sassy smartass, out for herself, opportunistic, just flawless qualities. Dare I say, I'm smitten. Joe Locke is our young nàive witch in training William, sort of taken under Agatha's wing as he seeks The Witch's Road, a gauntlet task that offers any wish to the victor. He has a lot of charm and likability, a very good secondary lead that comes to a bigger role in the end. Then we have our coven comprising of four witches, each with a specific field of magic they are proficient in but have more character than just a role. Sasheer Zatama as Jennifer, a potions heavy witch with a negatively charged past with Agatha, a hard sell on the Road trip but comes in handy a good few times. Then we have Patti LuPone as Lilia, possesing a unique gift of divination but often remembers things the wrong way around, I really liked her backstory and the kindness but realism of her place in the world was a nice touch. Of course we need some muscle in a crew so enter Ali Ahn as Alice, bit more hardheaded and has a rough past with a proclivity for protection spells because of it, I almost felt there was a romance thing between her and William but then I remembered that boy be just 16 and I shot that down quick, I'm a sucker for a strong lady too. And oho Aubrey Plaza madwoman that she is, basically the antagonistic wild card thrown in the mix as Rio, that none of the others trust but have to rely on her earth magic, it's easily the most serious part I've ever seen her in and she does pretty solid work showing she can do dramatic parts but chooses not to. Respect. Actually now that I think about it, the series has a pretty good way of unfolding with 9 episodes (ooh scandalous breaking the rule of 8) each ranging from 30 to 45 minutes, and while the cliffhangers save for one aren't earth shattering it doesn't dawdle. We get Agatha back, she starts up her makeshift coven, and the vast majority is them travelling the winding road with challenges and personalities clashing. They really do not waste a minute of your time and don't even truly have to balance several plots and focuses more on the characters and their situations. That's grand! And the overall production and more importantly the style herein is what made me love it as much as I did, fully embellishing the witch imagery from contesting stereotypes to little nods in the background of witchy cinema from the past made it highly enjoyable to watch. There's even some artsy gorgeous shots at periods, with the love and care present in all aspects of the production. It engrossed me and how many times can I say that about Marvel? The humor, the situations, the characters, the story and themes gave me so much to enjoy. It's funny how I barely ever go out of my way to watch the MCU but all the stuff I do pick hasn't failed me yet from Doctor Strange, to She-Hulk, to Iron Man 1, to Agatha, I don't miss probably because I know my tastes. Very very happy to have watched this and though I doubt there will be a seaon two, this was a nice remedy for me in the post Halloween blues. I give it 3.5 stars, 8/10! And oh yes it is time again to visit Gotham, happy days!

The Rings Of Power (Season 2)

Elen síla lúmmen' omentielvo.

Soooo how long until that next season? Not that it ended on the cliffhanger to end all cliffhangers but I'm invested now gosh dang it! Is it an improvement on the first season? Well I certainly understand and enjoy the foundations set during the first season but seeing it be built upon did make the experience all the more better. And much like The Acolyte I was delving into the deep waters on social media every week finding great enjoyment in fans of this show, talking theories, praising characters, thirsting the hell over the Great Deceiver, good times! So barely a smidge of time has passed since the forging of the Three, with the elves of Lindon coming to terms with this new power, Celebrimbor forging the Seven with a less than altruistic hand, the dwarves having hardships all their own, Numenor in upheaval, and the Istar seeking answers in faraway lands. The escalation feels just right, we've gotten introduced to these characters so now we get to see them be put through the ringer (ba dum tss!) and go through some tribulations. Galadriel forgoes the tunnel vision warrior and seeks a bit of redemption involving her psycho ex-boyfriend, Morfydd is still bringing it maybe even more so than the last with plenty of intense eye acting to boot. Elrond has become very distrusting and shuns the usage of the Rings but honestly can you blame him over that debacle and a half cause I sure can't, with Robert showing a lot of the hits Elrond is taking and props to him for bringing further warrior credit to this character. Durin faces a crisis in Khazad-Dûm and grapples with parental figures, with Owain's performance and just the overall dwarf storyline honestly making my second favorite plot thread of this season. However number one probably with most other viewers goes straight to Charles and Charlie documenting the forging of more rings and the subsequent fall of Celebrimbor at the hands of the Lord of Gifts Annatar, I would be here all flip flapping week praising this storyline and these performances, a sheer mastercraft of acting in not just fantasy but fiction, giving so many shades of delicious devilry Charlie can dig deep into as Sauron proving the reveal was not just a one trick pony while Charles gives even at a certain point a Shakesperian style potrayal to a pivotal character in this lore. And for a brief moment let's talk Sam Hazeldine as our new Adar, I did enjoy the performance taking on the shape of a more angry and ruthless leader of the Uruks that undoubtedly is markedly different from his predecessor yet it still works well within the narrative and I did wonder if he would live to see another season. While I know the events to come for Numènor to see it all slowly come into place was infuriating but in the right way, with Cynthia, Lloyd, and Trystan delivering almost a straight up political drama in the midst of it all as a struggle for the throne is in effect. I'll admit though obviously there was a point to catching up with the Southlanders, and indeed Ismael, Maxim, and newcomer to the cast Nia have moments that stop it from being uninteresting or filler I know it's more stepping stones for season 3 type stuff. But bless them all the Harfoot storyline was the shortest of all the plot threads which I feel is a shame because I can dig that story and really like these characters, finally giving Daniel the room to stretch his wings and while I can argue against the ending of that segment Markella pulls through all the way still being a ray of sunshine along with Megan in this darker more serious season. I honestly love how the show wastes zero runtime on catching you up, a helpful recap exists but they throw you right into the fire blowing full steam ahead because you know the drill, if you stuck around for part one you're ready to strap the hell in and get seated. It really is a tremendous difference between watching each week and marathoning in one go, which is funny coming from me because technically I did both but having that downtime, that buildup of anticipation, when Thursday hits no matter what comes through that gate you will stand your ground. Oooooohhh boy did we get some, so much in fact it's overwhelming my memory core to name them all! Do I hear lightning in the distance? It's about that time. Opening sequence, holy balls of fire that was something I wanted to see since mentioned in season one and it didn't disappoint for a second! Seeing the rings in action, yes please. Unknown Dark Wizard, you have a fair bit of my intrigue and solid acting as well I'll say! Glüg nation I see you and respect you strongly. Ohh sweet heavens the Ents, the Eeeennnnts, to say I got emotional over trees would be an understatement dear friends. I know I live a Hobbit lifestyle and have far before I knew the words 'Hobbit' or 'Shire', but I can roll with the dwarves man I truly feel I could fit in well there. Disa you still own my heart. I really really want Annatar's robes and perhaps even a dark crown for...reasons. Totally not to woo lady elves. Which by the way Twitter you gotta chill, I haven't seen this much shameless crushing and degeneracy since well, Qimir. But are they wrong about the whole Haladriel thing or even the Oshamir thing? Nnnno! Friggin' Barrow-wights bro, absolutely stellar and terrifying, 10/10! Kemen you little shit I know guns aren't even a thing yet but I want someone to shoot your roman looking bitch boy ass down, or donated to the nearest temple [cough cough wink wink]. All the orc actors, absolute treasures and I will goddamn well clap! Bear McCreary you absolute madman I will listen to the entire soundtrack, starting with the obvious crown jewel of both seasons The Last Ballad Of Damrod, because how could I not. Big time props to whichever writer it was who first go around gave us the Elrond & Durin bromance and this go around gave us the manipulations of Sauron, which by the by I am so sorry if anyone has been through such toxic nonsense. That was the standout pieces of writing for me. And lastly, this is just my opinion so don't turn me into a sword pincushion, best adaptation of a character from page to screen hands down Old Tom Bombadil. I said what I said and I meant what I meant. Same amount of detail and even a larger scope, with a lot more love I think to the costumes with bevvies of elves, dwarves, and orcs present. The special effects and prosthetics are spot on and just overall technical wise it's an improvement in my book. There really was only two dislikes for this show so far, I don't know if they would be considered spoilers but I'll treat them as such anyway. The first which was polarizing for many fans, now do I get it? Yes. Do I understand why? Yes. Does that mean I have to like it? NOPE! The second I felt was just very slapdash writing and lacked proper reasoning as to why a party splits up, maybe I missed something I was in a teeny bit of a rush to get the show done before the other more boring work began so I will endeavor to watch it again but it just felt way off in left field. Otherwise another great season that come last episode made me a feverish mess trying to guess what would happen next, 4 stars easily, 9/10, and we finally get to the spooky goodness next week with a modern horror trilogy so until then. Namárië.

In Retrospect: The Rings Of Power (Season 1)

I'm not even done with season 2 and I can tell you the rewatch is worth it!

Granted almost every single aspect is like a knife twist in hindsight but still a damn good season. I mean for goodness sake if Charlie Vickers and his performance knowing what we know at the end ain't gonna do it for you, I really pity you. It's an eye opener no question about it, and having that foreknowledge of these characters, what they are about to go through, how much more we know about them improves an already strong season. 1st seasons are always setting that foundation to build upon, and while this is far from boring or tedious there was a reason they did this. Hell you could even argue season 2 is a slow burn but we gotta bide our time before we discuss that. Admittedly the dwarf storyline still holds much sway over my heart to this day and is still my favorite, no shock there I know with Rob and Owain putting the work in to make these characters not only come alive but feel like real people. I'll never shut up about them! Got a different read on Galadriel this time too, better understanding the flat out PTSD anger and tunnel vision that certainly didn't impede my enjoyment first time around, Morfydd still rocks and I will continue to say for any brain stem lacking mouth breathers out there that elves are not perfect and not above fault either, the truth hurts princess grow a wang and then sit on it. Adar is still #1 in my heart and while there will be notes on the character in the upcoming review I'll state right now that I really like both performances from Joseph Mawle and Sam Hazeldine, this is no slight against Sam but the emotions and vestiges of light that are seen in Adar are what made him the best character in my book. Still one of the most interesting and faceted original characters in modern fiction for my money. I just can't take my eyes off that norwegian black metal looking elf dude for a second. Also more props to Daniel Weyman as our totally unknown wizard, for a guy who only gets full sentence dialogue in the last flip flapping episode a lot of credit has to go to any actor that has to work with just body language primarily. And of course Sophia, my queen, my light, Disa I'd marry you myself if you weren't already taken even when you get mega Lady Macbeth near the end! I do appreciate also the balancing act of all the plot threads, true the Harfoot story is very much a side quest to the main Galadriel/Southlands stuff buuuut if we're being bold with honesty the whole forging of the Three kinda was last minute this season. Doesn't make it bad, it's just the truth. Mind you the level of detail and the practical effects utilized were a neverending treat to drink in, and ooh Amazon! Amazon! Why the hell are you not selling me merch and props and box sets Amazon! This is your show, I know the estate has to sign off on stuff, but come the fuck on Bridgette! You're sitting on a pile of treasure that would make a mithril vein look like two copper coins. Call me, I got ideas! I'm honestly thrilled to talk about the next season, and it's funny when I heard a Lord Of The Rings show was going to happen I was so feverishly against it until details came out about the setting taking place in the Second Age and I've been having a blast with it all. I've read The Silmarillion more times than I have The Lord Of The Rings so to see these events finally realized in some shape or form is a happy occasion. And I promise not to go apeshit and talk about everything come next review, I shall attempt to restrain myself. Until then my friends!