The Acolyte: Season 1

Ho mah gawd!!

Fwack that was a ride! Okay, well, let's do this shall we. The Acolyte easily was the most look forward to series that Lucasfilm had in the pipeline, and while it wasn't the 100% dark side story perspective I wanted I still got a really damn good show. Set in the still charting era of the High Republic 100 years before The Phantom Menace, a rogue assassin is targeting Jedi knights and we slowly unravel all the pieces to this mystery over the course of 8 episodes approximately 45 minutes a piece. It's not exactly a traditional murder mystery of a whodunit, if anything the mystery is more of a puzzle coming together as we learn the assassin is a twin of a failed padawan learner named Osha and one of the targets is her master Sol, so it's all connected in some way or another as we progress through the story. We get breadcrumbs, revelations, a few surprising twists I must say, and yes I am fully calling it now this is a season finale and not a series finale because of how it ends and man was I on the edge of my seat waiting for the final shot to occur during that. No spoilers in this corner of the galaxy but even I was a bit amazed they went so far. And I'll level with you straight up this is the first Star Wars series that I was really throwing myself into the social media pool of it all, seeing artwork, people giving theories, proclaiming their loyalty to the Yord Horde, all that grand stuff week after week as we all sat huddled in anticipation for the next episode. And as with all things light there must be a dark, I won't get bogged down with it but all I can say is, you dumb ****s need better representation in this court because your arguments are the epitome of moot. Now of course I'm an easy sell, I'm hardcore Sar Wars all day every day, been making minute progress in the High Republic novels, but anyone can watch it and enjoy it without catching the easter eggs and what might seem innocuous details which are actually pretty big news for us nerds. The premise is really good and the episodes gain a lot when you watch it a second time around, the characters have already gotten absurd amounts of love and it wouldn't surprise me at all if they're already making con appearences and will be popular around October, productions and visuals easy 10/10, the choreography at times is absurdly well done and I humbly feel it did outdo duel of the fates, and all the new stuff we either get to see realized in live action or are introduced to here is cool as hell. Let's talk characters! Amandla Stenberg, never have I ever in Star Wars history crushed this hard or this quick, you are a treasure and my God do you get to show true range by playing twins Osha and Mae. Wow girl you were good and the fact you're a fan like us makes it so much sweeter. Lee Jung-jae masterful at playing Sol, easily top 3 Jedi for me ever, I've never seen a more emotional Jedi and I am firmly in the Sol Patrol myself, I could spend the rest of this damn review worshipping the ground he walks on and I am dead serious. 20/10! Manny Jacinto wild card you are my guy but what a treat to see him first in this role as Qimir, and some of you filthy people need therapy just saying, and very much like Lee I'm gonna hunt down some of his other work for sure. Charlie Barnett and Dafne Keen, welcome additions to the Jedi Order and boy did they impact this fandom something fierce while also having standout moments of their own! Shoutout to Jodie Turner-Smith, I love me some space witches in my Star Wars and that's some mom goals for me plus that design was impeccable! The series kinda knocked it outta the park with this casting. Also I want a PIP, I really really want a PIP droid to carry around with me everywhere. Galaxy's Edge hook me up! I'm still reeling a bit from the ending so I'm trying to focus but my mind is so scatterbrained I feel a lightning round is in order to just center myself. Breathe. Bazil is best boy, Cortosis making a comeback is awesome, Selkath spotted this is not a drill, episode 5 is jaw dropping and the best of the series, really want that cortosis helmet as well, light whip needed more time but friggin' sick it made the leap to live action after so long, witches who use the power of song in their magicks don't mind if I do keep it coming, also wanted more Wookiee Jedi in my life but hey I'll take it, lightsaber crystal bleeding hoo hoo mama you know what I like, stellar creature designs and animatronics, gorgeous scenery, and I literally did a spit take when (*CENSORED*) turned up. Is there anything I do not like? One thing, but I can get over it. We get a character who turns babyface at a point and it felt just a bit too quick for my liking, if they planted the seed and as the episodes progressed we watch it grow and bloom I wouldn't mind so much but again I at least understand the character motivation behind it so it's a whatever point. Apparently people got uppity about Carrie-Anne Moss not being prevalent but I haven't seen...any of her filmogrpahy now that I think about it so I was absent on that party. All I have left to say is Leslye thanks for taking up this project, you know how to gut punch like a champ, and made me question aspects of storytelling I never questioned before in Star Wars you're brutal and I love you for it. Satisfactory and entertaining I think, ballsy at times for sure, and I'll give it 3.5 stars, 8/10! Try review bombing that dipshits. 

In Retrospect: Logan

I know, friggin' finally! Only took 8 years!

This is a hard ass movie to watch. Not because of the gore or the language, but I mean Jesus Christ guys this movie is depressing. Is it still a great movie? Absolutely, but by God you are sober when those credits roll. I have to admit I did not buy the blu-ray where you could watch the movie in black and white, but honestly I can just turn off the color on my tv so I know I can do it one day. But anyway, yeah. It's very fascinating going from the first X-Men movie with Logan being this wise ass, hard hitting, nigh invincible, SOB to this very broken down, very tired, slowly dying old man. I mean yeah, he still throws down and is awesome but it's painful to watch. I mean the poor guy looks like he's going to collapse just from taking a few steps and he gets all kinds of jacked up in this movie. I mean Hugh Jackman man, dude's already so lovable and just 8 different flavors of amazing, it's very hard to watch him in this movie because of how attached we've become in like what is it now, 10 years? I still can't get over that! I almost argue it's way harder watching Charles, because he's 90 years old, his mind is breaking down due to dementia, he has seizures which end up killing people. It's just a sad, sad movie to watch because of how much of a fundamental low point this movie is for these two beloved characters. And I think everyone should see this movie! This is a great character movie, I'm so proud to own it, the characters are great, the acting is what sells this movie, Dafne Keen is a walking death machine and yet I still want to squeeze her cause of how sweet she is, it's a heartbreaking conclusion to the character of Wolverine, and actually makes me want to read stories about him. I think that is the true intention of a comic book film, to get people interested in the original source material, for them to become die hard fans of a character. And you know what? I want to read Wolverine comics, because he's a great character, I'm going to miss Hugh, I love Hugh, he did perfect justice to the character, and this is his shining moment in film history. Oh sure, you could argue other movies, but this is a character he's been doing for 10 long years. So that means you get good performances and great character building because it's all done by the same guy. I miss you Hugh, we all do. I'd tell you to buy it but quite honestly, with how long it took me to get to this review you've probably already watched it about 10 times and don't even need me to ramble on so I'll just quit while I'm ahead. Tomorrow, we got another In Retrospect and I can say I am stoked for it. It's high time we get back to Angel Grove.

Logan

Screw The Shack, if you want a movie that highlights life, family, the sense of home, and the importance of helping people just go see Logan.

This is a damn good movie, highly deserving of the R rating it has, but still a good movie. Now granted I haven't seen every X-Men movie, so some things were lost on me but never once did it ruin my enjoyment of the film. So Logan has been living with Charles Xavier for several years, and they are soon in contact with another mutant named Laurel, we don't know too much about her but we learn more as the movie goes on and I thought she was awesome. She's a beast on the battlefield, and some might argue your tolerance and enjoyment of this movie hinges on this one girl, but I don't think so. She fits right in. But of course, bad guys are on her trail so Logan and the Professor need to get her to safety before she is used as a weapon against mutants and non-mutants alike. What really shocked me about the movie was not the stellar gore and action scenes but rather the more quiet moments, when Logan and Charles travel with this girl it almost seems like a family movie, it has that real heart and emotion to it and just for that alone gets two big thumbs up from me, but then you add layer after layer of story, character, action, drama, and just pure emotion that really does have you leave the theater satisfied and yet very melancholy too. Very good movie, despite the utter and not in any way possible good joke of having Deadpool at the beginning before the movie really begins. Oh God, if you left that out we wouldn't miss anything! But no! Use the Superman theme and have Ryan Reynold's ass on the screen. Just the right introduction to a surprisingly good drama with one of the best comic book characters of all time. Good job Marvel. Where's the alcohol?