Andor: Season 2

I'm kinda pissed off I will not lie to you.

Now admittedly the vast majority of the first three episodes were really not doing anything for me (to the point I kinda wanted to quit to be brutally honest for a moment), but really after that whatever issues I might have with this season are down to I just didn't like the conclusion to the Imperial stuff. Shocking I know! But beyond that how does this second part to a technical quadrilogy if we go all the way to the end of A New Hope stack up? When it gets going it is slipping right back into the good stuff that you would expect and loved from the first season! If anything I can sum up this series as, all the pieces on the chessboard are making their final moves cause this does indeed end right before Rogue One begins so we see Cassian fully commit to the Yavin rebels, we see the final moments of Mon before leaving the Senate, Luthen really cutting it close to being discovered, and Dedra being shuffled to the right places at the right time. It never is as easy as I explain it and indeed there is a loooot to talk about maybe more than I have space for so let's discuss technicals first. Acting wise the calibre has not diminished if anything it's exceeded the first season, with the highlights going to Diego, Denise, Elizabeth Dulau who really comes into her own as Kleya, and of course light of my life Genevieve. It's very easy to forget you're not watching actors in a show that's all I'll say! The expansive sets, costumes, props, and visual effects are still top notch and I do truly hope we get so much more physical sets despite the Volume being a marvel of technology. The tone has truly gotten more grim and even real at certain points, which...even as a die hard Star Wars fan I never imagined I could truly say. There really is no way to gloss over or sugar coat it, seeing Ghorman and the massacre was striking, it was scary if even for just a second, if this show knows how to do anything it's calculate the rising tension and suspense to a staggering effect, and it hits as well as it does because we've seen this shit before on the news. Now of course Star Wars has always had some real world inspirational draw, this is not some modern spin take on it. To sum it up in one point, why were the Imperials mainly british and the rebels mainly american? It was a little world event in history, might have heard of it, it was called THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. But Jesus wept, it just hits so close to now and yes it is undoubtedly entertainment but you also have to acknowledge what the writers were trying to get across. I can forgive three goddamn episodes of Cassian being stuck doing nothing while being caught between two dipshit factions, because of all the better story elements that come in later. I honestly don't even know where to go from here, and the worst part is because my ass was so behind the times that I kinda was already hearing "spoilers" for lack of a better term and it did indeed damage my viewing pleasure and experience. I knew about Bix and all she was going through, I knew about Brasso, I knew about Dedra's outcome, I knew about Saw's questionable recreations, I even knew about the damn healer. So I really hate to say it but the score will suffer because of that. Do I still think it is a very well crafted and entertaining show? Yes! Will I most likely watch Rogue One after writing this? Yes! Was it as good as season one? That is an impossible question because I didn't know shit through season one until each episode came out, so it's already unfair but even then as a whole, I would say no. Life is unfair and mostly bullshit, but I'll get over it. I'm dying one day anyway and I still had several surprises in store for me, and there is always something to look forward to. Still pretty fucking bummed out anyway but emotions are the most fickle thing in existence. In like a years time this In Retrospect will quell any issues and I'll be all the happier for it. Reeealllyyy gonna piss off pretty much everybody, though unintentional I swear, when I say 3 stars, 8/10, I'm willing to have my opinion changed. But not today.

Cyrano

It's been a hot minute since I've seen a movie like this.

I am more concerned less of my own opinion and instead how much exposure this movie will get. This might be the most difficult sell of the year, it's a romance movie wrapped in a period piece with synchronized dancing segments and people expressing their feelings through the power of their voice. It's a musical. Not only that but it does take a super flowery, nary a drop of cynicism or pessimism, classical take on love. So the story is a love triangle between a young lady named Roxanne, a soldier named Christian, and the captain of the guard the eponymous Cyrano. Cyrano has always admired Roxanne from afar but she professes her love to Christian in true love at first sight fashion, and she orders Cyrano to look after him and to make him write her letters. But our Christian has no merit with words so Cyrano writes for him. Basic romance stuff, but done I felt very very well. Maybe it's just the theater kid in me but I was rolling with this movie incredibly well. The setting in France with the buildings, fashion, and cinematography look expertly crafted and beautiful to boot. I thought our main cast of players did a cracking good job with the material juggling drama, romance, and even a good bit of comedy in it and I have to admit the singing was pretty good as well. I didn't really know Peter Dinklage could sing but I was happily surprised and thought he did quite well, but Haley Bennett was the shining star in terms of vocals. Again, my opinion means little because of the particular movie it is. Musicals are hard sellers, but the sheer fact that in 2022 a movie comes along with musical numbers, theatrical drama, and truly old fashioned stances on romance is something that I must admire. Not many people would direct and star in such motion pictures, but they did it adamantly and sincerely. For that it has my respect. And shocker I with great ease was pulling Phantom connections, the most prominent one was a chinese iteration of the Phantom called Song At Midnight, where a similar plot development occurs. A "disfigured" man adores a woman from afar and uses a handsome man to speak through to win her affection, it's almost beat for beat. But honestly, Cyrano is a movie with ample heart, great craftsmanship, and no doubt will have a strong fanbase with drama and theater going folk. I dare even say it could fish an Oscar next year. 4 stars, 8/10.

Captain Marvel

Well that was average.

I really haven't heard a single good thing about Captain Marvel ever. I seriously expected this to be a bottom of the barrel Marvel movie, worse than Guardians 2 but truthfully it was okay. It has problems sure but it ain't trash either. So we meet up with Carol Danvers on an alien world where she essentially works as a special forces soldier battling an enemy constantly infiltrating and usurping control of worlds. After being captured and interrogated, memories awaken of a life before the one she remembers and she very quickly crashes on Earth searching for answers as to who she is. Now I will completely admit this is by no means a bad story, with better writing this could be a very emotional and powerful story about a woman who has been lied to her entire life and through circumstances very slowly unearths memories of who she really is and her subsequent vengeance on those who have lied to her and made her a living weapon. That would be a rad story, but we only get bits of it in this movie and it doesn't have an emotional punch to it. I've heard many people say oh Captain Marvel has no arc or development, oh she's too overpowered to the point where there is no tension in the fight scenes, and yes you are correct but how is that different from most other Marvel characters? True some heroes did have arcs in a single movie but a lot of them had to have 2 or 3 movies to complete an arc, and Brie Larson isn't terrible in this movie. I found she had very good screen chemistry with Sam Jackson, and while she didn't have much of a reaction to her past, there are hints of a personality to her character. I personally blame the script more than the actor. And what's this whole, there's no tension to the fights shit? Name one Marvel movie where there was tension in a fight scene beyond Infinity War. Go ahead. I got time. The fights are for spectacle not for story purposes, save for perhaps Civil War but even then there's not much tension. I wasn't expecting someone to bite the bullet in ANY Marvel movie except Infinity War. To be perfectly honest I hated one part of the movie, just one! The ending was a bit forced. Like really forced. Like are you kidding me kind of forced. Beyond that I didn't care much. This Marvel movie burnout has set in pretty much from Captain America, so I was just so not caring for the most part. There were a handful of things I liked, Nick Fury is awesome in this movie granted it's a different take from how we usually see him but Sam made it highly enjoyable, I kinda liked the soundtrack it had good energy and was catchy at points, I actually didn't mind the whole enemy twist thing and the standoff between Brie Larson and Jude Law really got a cute laugh out of me. I thought it was funny and kinda great. And yeah this movie is taking place in 1995, so I get my nostalgia but thanks for rubbing salt in my wounds with the Blockbuster you buncha' jackasses. But I was really expecting a very hamfisted, heavy handed, totally pandering elements in this movie with how much people were bitching about it. But honestly, I didn't see anything. No agenda pushing bullshit, no cringey lines, no women superior men inferior nonsense. I found the montage of her constantly falling down and picking herself back up to be a good message for every single human being on the face of the planet, and I could kinda see a moment or two when young girls might look up to Captain Marvel. Hero worship is no bad thing in my eyes. So it was a very middle of the road movie which could be argued is the worst crime of all. With a bad movie there's at least something to rant and rave about, and with a good movie there's plenty to talk about what you liked or loved. But with middle of the road movies they kinda just get forgotten, I'm really not expecting this movie to stick in my mind. It's an introduction movie before we see her in Endgame, that's the purpose of the film. So maybe that's why it feels not so well written, they just needed to quickly do like a character introduction/recap before they appear in a big event movie. It's a skip for sure but it's harmless. 2 stars, 5/10.

BONUS: In Retrospect: Ready Player One

I totally forgot about it coming out!

And now I get to pause on every excruciating frame of film and nerd the hell out! Life is pretty good right now. And the movie still holds up and is still pretty awesome! Noticed some more cool stuff, appreciated the story and excellent effects, and of course had fun. I mean it's kinda hard for a massive geek like me to not enjoy a movie such as this, and the inner cinema snob in me is pleased too. I see you Citizen Kane reference, and any film that pays tribute to Stanley Kubrick is clearly a masterpiece of cinema. So even I cannot say even nitpicky things about this movie. It's just that good! And you can feel the love, and passion, and admiration for film, games, and music from that special period of time in the 1980s. It was a whole new fronteir back then, and despite the slight cold war worries, a pretty excellent time to be alive. I myself have a great love for that era and wish I could have lived through it. And the good news is I can still buy Tab in 2029! But the true message of the movie speaks volumes to me, and reality IS the only place you can get a decent meal, so I am going to make some hot pockets and play Nintendo because I'm just in that special mood today.

Ready Player One

You know this movie was made solely for the pause button.

Ready Player one is a grand adventure in both the past and future of technology, gaming, and all things pop culture. The story follows a man named Wade who lives in the future of 2045, where the world practically lives in a virtual reality world known as the Oasis where a quest for the only easter egg in the virtual world is pursued by our hero, which will give him complete control over the Oasis. He is helped by his virtual friends to stop a corporation from controlling the Oasis and basically making it an EA game. Sad but true. Oh, and of course I got every reference I set my eyes on, but I know I need to see it....4 more times before I catch em' all. And yes, I did have my geek out moments and my WTF moments due to the sheer awesomeness of it all. But even when you strip away the references and easter eggs, the film still stands on it's own. This is a terrific film, not just because it was almost tailor made for me, but it tells a good story with a good message and has good characters. Hell the movie feels like a 80s movie, plot, characters, and effects feel part of that era. I love how the Oasis looks and how the players within it look, though mind you our main hero reminded me a bit too much of that dumbass little jagoff from Final Fantasy 13. Not a good start, but it passed and the visuals are incredibly well done. I was surprised to find the book was written only 7 years ago, for some reason I thought it was written in the late 90s but knowing that the movie makes more since and I do genuinely want to read the book! It's a very good film that I think will endure and better with each viewing, and of course I'm going to buy it. Two problems though, they bring up coins in the game world and you can buy items and power ups with the coins and yet someone mentions they put all their real world money into the game to win even more. So do the coins transfer as real cash in the real world or is the currency around the world coins? They never explain that. Second, shame on you movie for no Tron references. I thought it was a lightcycle you see in the trailer during that race but it's the bike from Akira. Why no Tron references? At least none I could see! But the sure show a Colecvision. Does anybody even know what a Colecovision is besides me?? You couldn't thrown in the poster or see an identity disc defeat an enemy? Come on man! I know Tron was an underground movie in 1982 but come on! If the Pork Chop Express can make a cameo, you can throw in a Tron reference! That pisses me off, but screw it the movie is great, I loved the geekyness and I no doubt will go see it again soon. I do hope all this 80s throwback stuff revives a classic arcade. If so, I got first game and I'll see you guys there.

Darkest Hour

And so we come full circle.

Darkest Hour chronicles the first 19 days of Prime Minister Winston Churchill as he tries to deal with the Dunkirk rescue as we saw, constant appeals to surrender to Germany, and trying to maintain his reputation and the security of The United Kingdom. It is a very good movie to say the least and I've never seen Winston in much, so to learn more about his term and an almost impossible victory which he helped achieve was a treat. Gary Oldman really got him down, like I even need to say that! Gary Oldman can play any part and make it different from his last. I believe he was nominated for a Golden Globe for this performance and I can see why! He is not an invicible figure, he has a hard time trying to sort out the problems, there is a lot of discussion about their situation but it's never boring because if you're like me and don't know much about his service it is very engaging. And I do think that it brings a lot more weight to the movie Dunkirk, because you see the effort that got those men off the beach and back home. The film is visually striking and has one of the best openings to a war movie I've ever seen, so the film looks great. Supporting cast, especially with Lily James is great, she brings such emotion and tact to the role, plus I just love seeing Ben Mendelsohn again it's good to know he still holds a seat of high power in an empire after Tarkin took the Death Star away. If war films or drama pieces on historical figures are your cup of tea, I do suggest you see Darkest Hour. I didn't think much of it when I saw the trailer but I'm very happy I saw it. Next week though, I think we will fall down the familiar rabbit hole of more cult movies so until then KBO.