Spider-Man: Brand New Day

 

Spider-Man, Spider-Man

Does whatever a spider can...

sing with me, people!

Spins a web, any size

Catches thieves just like flies

Look out!

Here comes the Spider-Man...

That’s right. The temperatures are sizzling as is this weekend's box office with the newest Marvel release, Spider-Man: Brand New Day. It’s been 5 years since the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home and a forgotten Peter Parker is facing new challenges of isolation and living full-time as Spider-Man.

The long and short of it? 

Spider-Man: Brand New Day is the most vulnerable, mature, heartfelt, and emotionally mature Tom Holland led Spidey film to date. I for far from one, the theaters are packed, and all for it. 

Exciting action, kickass soundtrack, great cinematography and direction, spot on pacing, great CGI mixed fantastically with practical stunts this film delivers. Better still, the stripped down, rolled back, raw character moments/development grab you by the throat and deliver hard hit after hard hit in the best manner possible.  The internal and external battles going on in this film are balanced perfectly.

Solid writing and engaging plot. 

Lots of breadcrumbing as to what’s next in the MCU that actually adds to the film rather than detract. Great chemistry with our regular players as to be expected, happily enhanced by the new. I only had one pet peeve with a particular character that’s once again being shoved down our throats, but that’s a most definite “me” issue, for reasons. 

There’s also a certain amount of predictability, but again I think that’s a “me” issue I’ve had my entire movie viewing life. Still, it doesn’t take away from the overall enjoyment of the film which is always a good thing.

With a runtime of 2 hours 25 minutes Spider-Man: Brand New Day is an excellent way to beat the summer heat and spend an afternoon in someone else’s air-conditioned comfort.  It goes back to the character’s roots but is also a very fresh and entertaining take. Visually stunning, emotionally impactful, thoroughly entertaining from start to finish. 

And yes, there is a very small teaser after the final credit rolls that hints at what’s next.

I’m giving Spider-Man: Brand New Day a 9.5.

#SpidermanBrandNewDay

The Odyssey

 

Keeping it short and sweet for this review, unlike the 2-hour 52-minute runtime for the highly anticipated Christopher Nolan film, The Odyssey.  

Amazing sets, stunning visuals, theater shaking audio, sweeping battle scenes, good pacing, strong performances, gorgeous cinematography, and so on and so forth. This film has it all as Nolan puts his spin on this epic tale.  

From start to finish The Odyssey remains engaging. So much so that I never “felt” the length of the and simply enjoyed what unfolded before my eyes. Yes, there are some changes made to the story, especially the ending that I don’t find add to the story, but that didn’t keep me from the overall enjoyment of the film. A sentiment one of my seat mates shared having watched the film the day before and enjoying it so much he returned today for a second viewing.

The all-star casting did turn out to be a bit of a distraction for me in that I was became overly aware of the actors themselves and other characters they’re known for which pulled me out of the film in certain scenes. Perhaps it's just a "me" thing, still, by and large the casting works.

The Odyssey is indeed epic and if you can carve out the time well worth seeing on the biggest screen where it’s playing near you.

I’m giving The Odyssey a solid 8.5.

#TheOdyssey

Moana 2026

 

The temperatures continue to soar, it’s hotter than h-e double hockey sticks, the week drained me, and I was ready to venture out to my local theater once again to bask in the freezing cold of my local movie theater to reset and relax. This week I took in the live-action version of Disney’s 2016 hit, Moana. I loved the original animated film for the last decade and went in hoping against hope that they nailed this one too. With snacks successfully smuggled, favorite crew member caught up with (haven’t seen her in ages and was worried she had passed) I settled in and awaited the Disney magic...

...and for me I’m still waiting.

Moana (2026) is a faithful copy and paste recreation of the original film with a few tweaks here and there including a couple new songs giving it an expanded runtime of 1 hour 55 minutes which somehow manages to fall flat. The musical numbers thrill and shine (I’ve had the soundtrack stuck in my head for the last 24 hours) but everything else just lays there needing something more, much like that monstrosity of a wig Dwayne Johnson wears. No, unlike the original Sonic, they didn’t bother to fix that Beyonce wig from the trailer and when it wasn’t wet or pulled back it was as distracting as you’d think.

I’m not sure what it is, but there’s just something missing in this version. The characters, particularly Gramma Tala lack spice. The emotional depth, nuance, sly wickedness just isn’t present, and I felt every moment of it. 

The CGI is a hit and miss affair with random visuals not working and others being absolutely stunning. Te Ka is definitely one of the film’s highlights and is even scarier than in the animated version. 

Moana (2026) is technically a fine film, but the heart, humor, energy, and soul of Moana (2016) fis missing and save for the musical numbers where the film really “pops” had me longing for another rewatch of the original. Yet another film I won’t categorize as “bad” per se, but it’s certainly a cheaper imitation of the original that left me feeling film listless. A sentiment shared by the kids in the audience I watched with.

There’s nothing fresh about the story, the characters, and even the new music doesn’t add enough to justify venturing out in the heat to see this one on the big screen. You don’t even get a bonus end credit scene this go ‘round. Smacks of a money grab more than anything else.

Moana (2026) gets a disappointed 5.5 from me.

#Moana2026

Minions & Monsters

 

Greeting once again from the depths of the recently vacated movie theater. This week’s film outing had me take in the latest offering from Illumination, Minions & Monsters.  This time around the little yellow guys are adventuring through 1920's Hollywood led by a new foursome, besties James and Henry, their buddy Ed, and (eyeroll/sneer) Dick. This third standalone Minion film varies from the two previous ones by splitting the focus between finding the Minions next “Big Boss” and delivering a love letter to Hollywood and the film industry.

Minions & Monsters delivers a pretty standard film that’s widely enjoyable but also a bit of a mixed bag. The pacing is rough. The subplot with Dort is more of a lazy plot device and excuse for more gags than a necessity. It feels more like a distraction and gets tiresome. The first third to half of the film definitely falls under the been there seen that formula that’s wearing a bit thin and isn’t as charming and engaging as it was in the 2015s Minions, so the film feels flat. 

For me, things became more engaging upon arrival in Hollywood, by not from the story itself, but the homages and referential material. Being a film nerd with some film history knowledge I enjoyed seeing all the references, parodies, tributes, and recreations of classic scenes from Buster Keaton to Citizen Kane, and the “workings” of the studio system shown. I’m not sure how much kids in general or adults that catch them will get out of these things though.

By the halfway mark, Minions & Monsters finds its footing and starts hitting its chaotic stride. Being halfway through however, means that there’s little time to develop characters and events feel rushed. There are some seriously missing elements as a result that keep M&M from being as solid as a film that I hopped. Everything is too surface level.

Overall, Minions & Monsters feels rushed. Messy, underdeveloped plot and characters. Wonky pacing. It isn't one of the franchise's best or most memorable adventures, nor it’s worse. The creative premise and let’s face it the lovable Minions in general still made it enjoyable. I respect that this film was trying to be a love letter to Hollywood and filmmaking in general, I just wished it had lived up to its full potential in doing so.

I’m going to give Minions & Monsters a 6.

#MinionsandMonsters

Supergirl

 

Movie Review: Supergirl

A new week another new movie release. This time it comes in the form of DC’s latest superhero entry, Supergirl starring Milly Alcock of House of the Dragon fame.

Truth bomb.

I’ve never been a fan of any of the limited iterations of Supergirl that I’ve seen. So, why did I even bother going? I asked myself that very question as I got a last-minute ticket. Morbid curiosity I suppose. I figured, what the hell, I had a freebie ticket to use, the time, and I actually enjoyed James Gunn’s Superman reboot. So, once again I ventured out to the movie theater, open minded to see what geeky delights awaited me.

(Record scratch)

And that’s where I hit the wall.

Hard.

I’m sure Supergirl is going to make bank. I’m sure it will garner a sequel. I’m sure there are plenty of people out there who will watch and really enjoy it. I’m just not one of them. I just couldn’t get into it and felt zero connection/interest to anything that unfolded on the screen. 

It very well may be that my lack of comic book knowledge/lore is the problem and that’s why I just couldn’t get into this one. While there’s nothing inherently bad overall, Supergirl was too random for me to sink my teeth into as it were. 

An unestablished character who made a random cameo in a previous film is doing her best Emo drunken sorority sister impression on some random planet, begrudgingly teams up with some random kid from some random family that had an unfortunate encounter with some random baddies over some random highly regarded weaponry and they seek revenge/a cure. More random planets are visited. Random unestablished/underdeveloped characters are met along the way, randomly living/dying/facilitating to a predictable end.

Supergirl comes across as superhero meets Star Wars meets Mad Max Fury Road with a dash of The Princess Bride/Game of Thrones/Kill Bill thrown in for good measure. The end result left me...I’m not sure what to call it. I wasn’t apathetic so much as disengaged? Disinterested? Detached? Some mixture of all three? Ultimately, I simply didn’t care.

I didn’t care about the action, the story, and certainly not any of the characters. 

Even the soundtrack did nothing for me. 

Not having any credit scenes to latch onto and sense of what's ahead?  Didn't care beyond wasting time not getting to the bathroom sooner (those small drinks aren't that small). Hell, now that I think about it, I actually didn't really look at the credits as so much "sit" through them and that's not me at all.

For a movie running a mere hour forty-seven minutes Supergirl felt so much longer sitting there. In a large theater that was 3/4 full it was dead quiet the entire film. No talking, no laughing, nothing. Zero audience energy or vibe as if I was the only one there, without the thrill of having a theater completely to myself. It was kind of unnerving.

I feel like technically the movie is fine/solid but for whatever reason it did nothing for me beyond get me out of the house for a couple of hours to enjoy someone else’s AC on an 110° day and snacks I shouldn't have been eating.

So, if you made it this far, I apologize but I’m gonna have to disappoint and file Supergirl as one of those rare films I can’t even begin to rate. I didn’t get anything out of it one way or another beyond a successful inaugural run of my new snack hoodie and time out of the house.  

If you do check this one out, please drop some comments to let me know your thoughts, impressions, and tell me what I’m missing on this one. It's really bothering me how much this one just washed over me leaving no impression.

Supergirl get a N/A rating from me.

#Supergirl

Toy Story 5

 

It’s been 30 years, yes, 30, since Pixar took the world by storm with the original Toy Story the first fully digitally animated film. This week, Disney/Pixar returned to the franchise and released its fourth sequel, Toy Story 5. 

Normally, I’d be waiting with bated breath to check this one out, but really not liking the fourth film I went into this one with a great deal of apprehension and only a modicum of hope for a better viewer experience. Something I was seriously doubting when the woman next to me only stopped talking when the movie began because texting and scrolling through her phone was her new priority. 

Absolutely fitting given the tech takeover theme of the movie. She totally missed that part by the way.

Anywho. 

Moving on.

Overall, at the end of the day, I found Toy Story 5 more enjoyable film than Toy Story 4 but it’s still a pale comparison to 1 - 3. TS5, is a course correction for certain. There’s a concerted attempt to recapture the spirit, themes, relationships, and heart of the first three films while still building on those introduced in the fourth. The effort is a bit of a mixed bad but succeeds more than it fails.

The first third of the film is a bit mid and while nostalgia carries you through the story lays there and I found myself waiting for something to really cling to and get me invested. Thankfully the film slowly but surely gets better and more engaging around the halfway mark and finished fairly strong.

Unlike any of the previous films, Toy Story 5 switches focus and is all about Jessie reducing everyone else to supporting characters. While it’s comforting to see so many aspects of Jessie’s story retold, it feels a bit unnecessary to rehash so much from such a well-developed character and doesn’t leave much room for more growth. 

In fact, once again, most of the characters are done dirty having lost the growth they’ve gained in previous films, getting glossed over, underutilized, or rendered inconsequential in order to drive the plot in a lazy, contrived, instead of organic way. 

One of the driving tenets of Pixar over the years which has made many of their films so beloved was the basic story above all storytelling. First and foremost, everything served the story, moved it forward, was true to the characters. Toy Story 5 feels like someone missed or ignored that memo. Lots of scenes/aspects of the film are fun, cute, enjoyable individually, but really don’t serve the film in its entirety beyond easy plot devices or something fun, cute, and enjoyable yet irrelevant to the story.

I think that’s the biggest issue for this film across the board. There isn’t much here that we haven’t seen and felt in previous films that was done with better execution, heart, and emotion.

Toy Story 5 is a beautifully animated, visually stunning, hit and miss humorous, muddle that will make you smile, overall entertains, but will have you wanting to rewatch the original trilogy more than anything else. It's not a bad film, but it's one that definitely makes me wish they'd had stopped the sequels when they originally intended and that they don't feel the need to make any more.

I’ve been flip flopping on rating this one for over 24 hours now and am still largely undecided. However, I don't want to put any more thought into it so I’m giving Toy Story 5 an unsettled 6.5 - 7. Probably a higher rating than I should, but I’m going with emotion over reason today.

#ToyStory5

Disclosure Day

Movie Review: Disclosure Day

Temperatures are starting to rise not only ushering in the need to take refuge indoors but anticipation of this summer’s movie offerings. This week Steven Spielberg returns to his sci-fi roots with Disclosure Day a film touted to be closer to truth than fiction by the man himself. 

Unlike E.T. and Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Disclosure Day is more of a rejection of traditional “sci-fi” films in that the question isn’t are we alone in the universe but whether the truth of that answer belongs to everyone and would that knowledge finally unite humanity and repair our broken society or destroy it once and for all.

Disclosure Day unfolds like an X-File. Question upon question from the onset, many slowly answered over the film’s two-hour twenty-five-minute runtime, others glossed over, and a few left unaddressed and open for thought and debate. This alone will no doubt make this film divisive and unsatisfactory for some viewers. 

I for one don’t count myself among them.

Yes, I spent a good chunk of the film asking myself what the hell was going on. Who’s this? Who are they? Are these the “bad” guys of the “good” guys? Who should I trust? Why? And so on and so forth. I enjoyed trying to “piece” together the story and enjoyed the discovery of where things were going. 

The questioning is everything in this film for both the characters and the audience. So, if you aren't one to enjoy not being spoon fed a narrative every step of the way, you're not going to enjoy this one. You have to do a bit of work for this one and things are open ended.

There are nicely placed references, familiar tropes, humor, thrilling action, another sweeping/moving John Williams score that's subtle but enhances, quality visual effects, gorgeous cinematography, first-rate acting and characterization.

Speaking of acting and characterization. 

Emily Blunt. 

Wow does this woman deliver the goods. A chef’s kiss performance from start to finish. She’s definitely the glue that holds this film together and elevates it to new heights. Colin Firth and Colman Domingo bring the gravitas in their powerhouse performances that makes their game of chess shine bright. Eve Hewson, Josh O'Connor, and Henry Lloyd-Hughes keep things grounded and engaging.  

Disclosure Day is unique in approach, dropping us into the film in the middle of the third act, continuing on as a sustained chase through to the end, forcing the audience to try to catch up. It’s entertaining, well-paced, thought provoking, unsettling, imaginative, artistic, and grounded. It challenges the viewer in the best way possible and is a worthy opus to Spielberg’s extraterrestrial exploration.

I enjoyed Disclosure Day and it gets a solid 8.5 - 9 from me.

#DisclosureDay

The Mandalorian and Grogu

 

The first new Star Wars movie since 2019s The Rise of Skywalker has hit the big screen causing me to emerge from the shadows of real life and hit the theater to take it in. This time around the galaxy far, far away continues the story of the show and the latest adventure of Pedro Pascal’s Mandalorian and his apprentice/son Grogu, aka “Baby Yoda”, as they help stamp out the remains of the fallen Galactic Empire.

The Mandalorian and Grogu plays it safe and doesn’t try to reinvent the Star Wars wheel. Sticking close to the familiar and proven in what’s basically a two-hour and twelve-minute extended episode of the popular Disney show.  Proving to be a smart move on writers Dave Filoni, Noah Kloor, and writer/director Jon Favreau’s part as they’ve delivered a solid, entertaining, fun, humorous, and heartfelt addition to the Star Wars franchise. 

Beautiful cinematography. Stellar set designs. Plenty of action-packed sequences balanced with character moments/development. All the great special/visual effects/animatronics we’ve come to expect, a soaring score by Ludwig Göransson, and creatures both old and new galore make TM&G a film Star Wars fans will enjoy, and the simple straightforward storyline allows accessibility to the less hardcore movie goer to enjoy.

Interesting and fun new characters are introduced and open up future possibilities. Not gonna lie, while a little disappointed that Sigourney Weaver didn’t figure more prominently in the film. Love her Colonel Ward and hope this is a character that returns. Familiar characters ground this film in the “old school” feel. The tone is lighter, the pacing well executed, a thoroughly enjoyable watch from start to finish.

While The Mandalorian and Grogu doesn’t add much to the overall Star Wars lore, I really didn't care. It’s a highly entertaining film that brings thrills, joy, humor, heart, and a spark of hope for the future. I had a smile on my face and happiness in my heart the entire time. In my book, that makes it a good addition to the overall franchise and a stand-alone film worthy of a trip to the theater to view on the big screen as intended. 

I’m giving The Mandalorian and Grogu an 8.5 and hope this is just the beginning of more films to come. This is the way.

#TheMandalorianAndGrogu

The Devil Wears Prada 2

 

Movie Review: The Devil Wears Prada 2

I’m fashionably late with my emergence from real life with my impromptu trip to my local theater. Once again answering the call to gird my loins to catch up with Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep) and the rest of the Runway gang (Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, and Stanley Tucci) after a twenty-year absence in The Devil Wears Prada 2.  I’m no fashion maven, never have been, never will be but I adored the original film and had high hopes that this long-awaited sequel would be given the justice it deserves.

I’m thrilled to report that I was not disappointed.

David Frankel’s direction is spot on. The costuming and set design rich, textured, and lavish. Editing and pacing make for an enjoyable 1 hour 59-minute viewing experience that’s never boring and keeps you fully engaged.

Writers Aline Brosh McKenna and Lauren Weisberger have taken a very smart approach in this film in bringing the characters/backdrop we love up to date with the current times we’re living in and the trials and tribulations of culture, politics, and sensibilities. Giving us a sequel that’s truly a sequel, not simply a bigger more expensive rehash of what’s come before.

The characters of the original cast once again deliver across the board. Wonderful chemistry, witty dialogue, biting wit, warmth, and emotion all on full display wrapped in gorgeous trappings. 

Fun callbacks blend nicely with new characters and situations. Cameos galore and there’s even a nice little story twist at the end.

Some will be no doubt be upset that Streep’s Miranda has been cobbled somewhat in her blatant toxicity due to “modern sensibilities” but watching her try to navigate the PC landscape is a joy to behold. 

The Devil Wears Prada 2 is nostalgic yet fresh and opens up and expands the world of the original film in a way that feels accessible and relatable to everyone. It’s fun but less fantastical, grounded in reality and resonates accordingly. It doesn't recreate the magic of the original, it redefines it. That works for me, and it’s well worth a trip to the theater to see on the big screen. 

The Devil Wears Prada 2 gets a 9 from me and a sincere hope for a third film. 

That’s all.

#DevilWearsPrada2

Hoppers

 

Woo chile! 

It has been a minute. 

Three months into the new year and I've only now hit the movie theater for the first time in the new year. This week I ventured out to check out the newest original Disney/Pixar film Hoppers. The story about a 19-year-old animal loving student who hijacks experimental technology to download her consciousness into a robotic beaver. So, basically Avatar in animated Disney/Pixar form. Too cute and promising to pass up I headed to my local theater to check it out.

Hoppers clocks in with a good runtime of an hour forty-four minutes. While it starts a little slow, the stunning realistic visuals keep you engaged while you wait for the rest of the film to catch up. I never got bored or restless, just anxious for the story to gain traction. Once the story kicked it paid off in the form of a fun, emotional, and entertaining ride. 

Great creativity, vibrant colors and details leapt off the screen. The animation doesn't disappoint. Solid voice casting that brings the bluntness and brutality that is the harsh circle of life inherent to nature alive with humor and charm that keeps things “family friendly” but realistic.

There’s good messaging even if it can be a bit heavy handed in its delivery. Solid soundtrack and strong characterization. 

I admit the main character of Mabel played by Piper Curda challenged me throughout the film. She pissed me off a number of times and had me disliking her greatly at others. That’s one of the things that actually elevates the film for me. The complexity of her character and the ensuing roller coaster ride makes this one of the stronger, more emotional, and engaging animated films of late. Not to be outshone, Bobby Moynihan's King George is a perfect foil. 

Hoppers is entertaining, emotional, humorous, thoughtful, and well worth a look. It’s familiar in theme (e.g. Avatar/Over the Hedge) yet still feels fresh. The surprise villain origin story is epic in its simplicity. The charm and warmth will make you happy you took the initiative to see this one on the big screen. If you do, be warned there is a single post credit sequence that wraps things up nicely so pace your fluid intake, so you don’t miss it. 

I’m giving Hoppers an 8. 5.

#Hoppers

Avatar: Fire and Ash

 

Greetings from the movie theater depths once again. We’re in the wanning throws of the holidays, the year is quickly coming to an end, and I used my last freebie to take in my final film of the year. This week I polished off 2025 with James Cameron’s third installment in his Avatar franchise, Avatar: Fire and Ash.

While I’ve been a fan of the Avatar movies since seeing the original's opening weekend in 2009 (damn, I’m old) I admit that I’ve always found these films a bit basic and lacking in the actual stories themselves. I suffer from the ability to see/figure out the unfolding of most films (down to actual dialogue) from the jump more often than not and these haven’t been the exception. Enjoyable, yet highly predictable. However, Avatar: Fire and Ash really stands out for me as the best film yet.

As expected, the cinematography, visuals, SFX are stunning. The colors, textures are next level and in 3D really pull you into the world of Pandora like never before. Even with only a three-year gap between Fire and Ash and Way of Water the improvements in technology and technique are stunningly evident. Alone making it worthwhile to make a trip to the theater to see on the big screen as intended. 

Better still is Cameron really hitting his stride this go round in every aspect of the story telling. I wasn't painfully aware of where the story was going and was able to just sit back and enjoy the ride.

For 3 hours and 17 minutes I wasn’t just transported to Pandora, I was fully engaged and invested in the lives of the Sully family like never before. AFA picks up shortly after 2022s Avatar: The of Water dealing with the fallout from those events (be caught up on this one prior to seeing this). While there’s plenty of thrilling action, the characters take center stage with the focus on their relationships, emotions, and conflicts. The quieter moments' drive the film like never before.  

Avatar: Fire and Ash is a much deeper, much richer, much more impactful and devastating film in the best way possible. There are twists and turns, callbacks, returning favorites, hard hitting dialogue, and intriguing new characters. Everything and everyone (even the kids) work in harmony bringing the story alive. Characterization is king and had me glued to the screen from start to finish with more than a few verbal utterances along the way. Fire and Ash is a more personal and memorable film that’s elevated by the high-tech aspects instead of sacrificed for them. Cameron’s world-building has hit its stride, and it pays serious dividends.

 Avatar: Fire and Ash is bold, brash, and a cinematic statement. You’re immediately pulled into an immersive experience filled with vision and heart. It’s darker and more mature. Perfectly balanced between spectacle and substance. This is what the franchise has been missing but building towards and I’m all for it. 

Easily the best film of the franchise for me.

 Avatar: Fire and Ash finishes off the 2025film year with a 10 from me. 

#AvatarFireandAsh

Zootopia 2

Back in 2016, Disney delighted audiences with the animated hit Zootopia. Nine years later they’ve released the sequel Zootopia 2 just in time for the holiday season. Loving the original and wanting to hit the theaters before they’re overrun with young kids on break, I headed to my fave theater to see if the return of two of the three original writers/directors Jared Bush and Byron Howard and the bulk of the main cast could catch lightning in a bottle once again.

Lightning does indeed strike twice here but isn’t as finely targeted. 

Zootopia 2 is fun and enjoyable for sure overall, but I found myself struggling a bit to get into it for the first third of the film. The story doesn't grab you from the jump and struggles to find its footing figuring out how to expand the relationship between Judy and Nick and the world of Zootopia itself.  The story falls flat here. The pacing of the front third of the film is frankly clunky. The characters don’t completely mesh, the writers seem lost on how to get the ball rolling, incorporate the new with the original and it’s more of challenge to sink your teeth into and be invested in the story. 

Some of the new notable actors lending their voice talents in addition to the original cast members are Patrick Warburton, David Strathairn, Ke Huy Quan, Andy Samberg, Macaulay Culkin, Quinta Brunson, Fortune Feimster, and Danny Trejo just to name a few. All great in their own right, however, this may be where Z2 goes off the rails a bit. Having the same running time of an hour forty-eight minutes but adding so many voices both figuratively and literally becomes unwieldy. You feel cheated with some characters and underwhelmed with others.

Fortunately, once Zootopia 2 does find its footing and starts firing on all cylinders the ride does pay off in the back 2/3 of the film.

Tons of pop culture references. Great animation with attention to detail and eye-popping color. Nice world building. Solid soundtrack. Action and humor.

Zootopia 2 works well as a sequel and is definitely worth a viewing. The storytelling isn’t as strong as the original and the emotional weight/core of the film is more lackluster; it does pay off in the end. And yes, there is a small bonus scene after the final credits roll so stick around for that. It's another nice throwback as well as gives an idea where the franchise will go next.

Zootopia 2 gets a 6.5 from me.

#Zootopia2

Wicked: For Good

Oh chile, it’s been a minute for sure.

But as the 2025 movie season winds to a close and the film studios take advantage of the holidays being upon us, I once again found myself heading to my local movie theater. This time around it was to take in the Wicked: for Good the second half of last years’ movie version of Wicked. Given that I wasn’t one of the many completely blown away by the first film (I did enjoy it but was also disappointed) I went in more out of curiosity in how things were going to tie together with both the first half of the film and the original Wizard of Oz than anything else. So, with free ticket in hand, snacks successfully smuggled and surprised by the mostly empty parking lot and just under half full theater I took in the first matinee of the day.

Again, let me take a moment to mention I’ve never had the pleasure of seeing the stage production of Wicked, so I went into Wicked: for Good with no knowledge of what would happen in part two, only suppositions, of what was going to unfold. I enjoyed Wicked: for Good: slightly more than Wicked.

WfG’s darker tonal shift definitely spoke to me more. This probably says more about me than the actual film. One of the sticking points for me the first time around was Ariana Grande’s performance not resonating with me. She came off to me as rather artificial/shallow and I never really got into it when she was on the screen. An issue I didn’t have here. Yay! The depth I felt was lacking is present and I wasn't distracted or disinterested this go 'round. Ditto for Jonathan Bailey. Jeff Goldblum’s wizard being more integral also brought joy. Once again, Cynthia Erivo slays and delivers a riveting performance across the board.

Another pro this time around is the films’ running time of 2 hours 17 minutes. Without the bloat I didn’t feel the film dragged unnecessarily with padded fluff to justify the splitting the movie in two. The pacing felt good and I never lost interest or got restless. It was easier to remain invested in the story from start to finish. The music soared and delivered. There are apparently two new added songs, but I can't tell you what they are. Nice callbacks to the first film make for nice connective tissue. The sets and costuming dazzle.

A few things remain that I have questions about/feel got glossed over (mainly with Tin Man and Cowardly Lion) and I still feel a bit of a disconnect, but all told I enjoyed Wicked: for Good and feel it was worth the trip to the theater to see.

Wicked: for Good gets an 8 from me.

#WickedForGood

The Long Walk

 

I hit the theater early this week to check out The Long Walk based on the 1979 Bachman book (Stephen King) of the same title. I read this story back in high school one summer after visiting my sister on vacation. It really messed me up for weeks. It also helped cement my status as a lifelong Stephen King fan. Going into this one I was both really excited and quite nervous. Hoping that director Francis Lawrence (The Hunger Games franchise) along with writers JT Mollner and King himself would successfully encapsulate the story in this big screen adaptation and do it the justice it deserves.

Let me start by saying if you haven’t read the book or are already familiar with the story, fair warning: this movie is not for the squeamish or faint of heart. The Long Walk is one of King's most disturbing stories set in a dystopian near-future America ravaged by totalitarianism.  It’s bleak, brutal, intense, and graphic AF.  Like the book this film doesn’t pull its punches. You don’t so much as enjoy the story as endure it over its hour forty-eight-minute runtime.  The physical and psychological toll the competition takes on the participants becomes yours, step by grueling step and man it’s a rough. 

Even having read the book, knowing what to expect, this film stressed me to my limits and had me flinching, agonizing, dreading with anticipation, shocked and shook. The timing, brutality, and blocking of every ticket punch plays out masterfully.

The Long Walk is about as far from a summer popcorn movie as you can get. 

The harsh exploration of these young men's desperation, trying to cling on to life in hope of a better and more fulfilling existence on the other side of the finish line, and the knowledge that such a life may not be possible is grim. The atmosphere hangs heavy seeing people at their ugliest and most desperate.  Yet the fleeting bonds of friendship, brotherhood, and laughter make these personal, intimate stories of everyday people grappling with questions about mortality, religion, and what makes life worth living bearable. 

The cast is phenomenal. 

Other than Mark Hamill I had no idea who any of the actors are, save for a passing “he looks vaguely familiar” for Ben Wang (Karate Kid Legends). But after this movie, call me a fan of each one with Cooper Hoffman (son of Philip Seymour Hoffman) as Ray/#47 and David Jonsson Peter/#23 topping the list. They absolutely dazzle in their performances, and their chemistry is electric.  Garrett Wareing /Stebbins #38, Tut Nyuot/Arthur #6, Charlie Plummer/Barkovitch #5, and Joshua Odjick/Collie Parker #48, wow. Just wow. Amazing performances all.  

Strong direction. Great pacing, editing, and cinematography. The makeup and effects people worked their movie magic. 

The Long Walk is a relentless, tension filled, anxiety producing gut punch, misery that explores why we bother getting up each morning. To survive? To push others forward? To have a purpose? Because that’s all we know how to do? It’s bleak, harsh, emotional, cruel, and beautiful much like life itself. You laugh, you cry, you love and you lose. 

All in all, The Long Walk follows the book until it doesn’t but still delivers an amazing film worth watching, even with the Hollywoodification. I'm not sure I'd have been able to walk out of the theater if they stuck with the book. It may have been one blow too many.

I can’t say I loved, enjoyed, or was entertained by The Long Walk in a traditional sense because it’s not that kind of film. It's engaging for certain. Never boring. And damn good, I’m glad I went, it lived up to the original source material, and I’m more than satisfied with the end product. 

The Long Walk gets a 10 from me.

#TheLongWalk

Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale

 

Keeping this one short and sweet.

This week I headed out for a solo movie night to check out the early release of Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale.  While a rather late viewing for me since I normally take in a matinee, I was happy to see a good size and engaged crowd.  This is one of those films I was both looking forward to and dreading at the same time due to the absence of the late Dame Maggie Smith. While definitely felt, I’m happy to report writer Julian Fellowes and director Simon Curtis once again deliver the Downton experience I was hoping.

Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale lands us in 1930 and once again Mary (Michelle Dockery) is facing a public scandal and the family faces financial troubles, while both upstairs and downstairs grapple societal change and moving into the future.  Nothing new for anyone familiar with the series and the films but that’s a large part of why this film works.

The Grand Finale is comfort food for the soul, steeped in nostalgia and the familiar. Returning to Downton is a safe hug I didn’t realize I needed. All the main actors and characters return, bringing all the wit, charm, humor, and heartfelt emotions the series and franchise is known for. 

I hated on Mary and her BS (she always gets on my damn nerves). Reveled in Edith’s coming into her own like a house on fire. Cheered Tom (Allen Leech) being the voice of reason and laying the smack down on Hugh Bonneville’s Lord Grantham. Delighted in Lady Merton’s (Penelope Wilton) dogged determination to push the bounds of propriety in the new world order. Maggie Smith's Dowager Countess while gone is certainly not forgotten and her presence not only remains but is beautifully honored. 

And so on and so forth.

Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale is a beautifully written and directed two-hour 3-minute love letter to and from the crew to the fans. A simple story expertly distilled in focus on characters, relationships, and their interplay.  A perfect ending and goodbye for all that’s come before, with enough wiggle room for a new future. I laughed, I cried, I left completely satisfied. 

Be sure to stick around for the first few minutes of the closing credits.

Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale gets a 10 from me.

##downtonabbeygrandfinale

The Roses

 

As August draws to a close so does the 2025 summer movie season. As I wait for the break in this relentless heat, I once again sought refuge in the cool confines of my local movie theater to check out this weeks’ latest release, The Roses. While being inspired by the 1981 novel by Warren Adler, The Roses is neither a direct remake or reboot of the 1989's The War of the Roses dark comedy classic starring Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner. This time around we have Olivia Colman and Benedict Cumberbatch facing off as Ivy and Theo Rose.

The Roses while still a dark comedy is also tonally a different in its focus and approach. Over its hour forty-five-minute runtime this love story turned cautionary tale takes you from the initial “meet cute” through to the explosive end of a relationship highlighting how competition and unspoken resentments slowly erode the facade of a picture-perfect couple to no one's surprise but their own.  It’s a raw, powerful, heartfelt/heart breaking, whip smart, charming, delightful ride. 

Colman and Cumberbatch are perfectly cast/matched with undeniable chemistry and energy. These two British powerhouses deliver magical performances that I could and wanted to watch all day. The repressed sensibility of British humor combines well with the “American” humor highlighted through Kate McKinnon and Andy Samberg. The only disappointment for me on the American front is Allison Janney not getting a bigger part to play. Janney kills with what she's given, but I wanted so much more. 

Beautiful cinematography, great direction, good pacing, stellar dialogue, mature comedy that can be a bit raunchy at times (be warned if you have an issue with that), good soundtrack that will definitely get Happy Together stuck in your head for a few hours. I also want to give a shout out to the costume department for the creations they came up with for Colman’s character. They really helped tell her story.

The Roses retains an element of the absurd but feels more grounded and relatable than The War of the Roses. The character development, motivations, and lives are richer and actually made me like this film even more.  It’s definitely worth seeing in the theaters if you have a chance. I sound this one highly enjoyable.

The Roses gets a 10 from me.

#TheRoses

Nobody 2

 

I once again braved the outside world and ventured out of the house to check out a new film release. This week I opted to see Nobody 2. I failed to see the original Nobody when it came out in 2021 for reasons I can’t recall now. Only seeing it about a year to a year and a half ago but loved it enough to want to see the sequel on the big screen this time around. 

I’m glad I made the trip.

Nobody 2 picks up four years after events in the original as Hutch Mansell is still dealing with the fallout from his actions. And he’s tired. Really tired and just wants to take a vacation and make memories with his family. Unfortunately for him (and the entire Mansell clan) but lucky for us viewers, that simple, relatable attempt goes horribly wrong. Think John Wick on summer vacation.

If you enjoyed the original film, you’re in for a treat. Nobody 2 doesn’t aim to reinvent the wheel. In fact, it leans into the original formula. Hard. And it works beautifully. It’s one of those rare sequels that unabashedly takes from the original, expands upon it in a manner that’s both ‘more of the same” yet entertainingly “fresh”.   

Much to my delight all the key characters from the original film return. The added bonus of John Ortiz, Colin Hanks, and an unrecognizable Sharon Stone add to the chaos, mayhem, and body count in spades. 

Solid direction. Great soundtrack. Awesome well-choreographed action-packed fight sequences. 

With a run time of only an hour twenty-nine-minute Nobody 2 packs in all the over-the-top desperation, violence, action, and humor possible against the heartfelt backdrop of family into such a tiny package perfectly. 

Nobody 2 simply put it just plain fun and entertaining from beginning to end. A summer popcorn flick that’s simple, but not basic. Pure mindless, brutal escapism at its best. A sequel that’s as good as if not better than the original. They did this one right.

Nobody 2 gets a 10 from me.

#nobody2

The Naked Gun (2025)

 

A new month and another trip to my local movie theater to check out one of this week’s newest release, The Naked Gun (2025).  Based on the beloved 1982 television series Police Squad that spawned the trilogy of late 80s early 90s films starring Leslie Nielsen as Lt. Frank Drebin, The Naked Gun (2025) looks to bring this brand of ridiculous over the top comedy to a newer generation. Having grown up watch the series and the films with my dad, I’d been stoked to see what kind of spin writer/director Akiva Schaffer, writers Dan Gregor and Doug Mand, and producer Seth MacFarlane would put on the franchise.

Without a doubt the best part of The Naked Gun (2025) is casting Liam Neeson as Frank Drebin, Jr. He leans into the role and is the perfect actor to inherit/inhabit the legacy established by Nielsen. The surrounding cast of Pamela Anderson, Paul Walter Hauser, Danny Huston, and CCH Pounder also came to gamely play. I wish that Kevin Durand was better utilized, but what we were given works so I’m not too upset about that.

As for the rest of the film, I hate to say I was left underwhelmed. 

All the pieces are there but they just don’t quite fit together and deliver the movie experience it should, or I hoped for. The script is fine, borrows from Kingsman Secret Service. Good music. Solid direction. Fun cameos, and the expected gags in a Naked Gun film.

The real problems, however, start with the pacing. With a running time of an hour twenty-five minutes The Naked Gun (2025) feels much longer. And that’s due to the largest problem I had with the film. 

The humor. 

I have a pretty great and broad sense of humor but in this comedy only about fifty to sixty percent of the jokes land. And of those there’s only a handful of laugh-out-loud moments sprinkled among the slightly amused to appreciative chuckle moments. When the humor lands, it slaps hard, but it’s not nearly enough to overcome the prevailing flatness this comedy delivers. 

A real let down for sure. I wanted a consistent comedy at the least and a laugh riot at best. Instead, I got a glimpse of what could’ve been.  There are little sparks of greatness but no real fire. A shiny example of “close, but no cigar.” 

It pains me to say for me The Naked Gun (2025) is a big swing that unfortunately misses.

The Naked Gun (2025) gets a paltry 5.5 from me.

#theNakedGun

The Fantastic Four: First Steps

The summer movie releases continue to chug along and this week I headed to the theater to check out the latest Marvel release, The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Why? I honestly don’t know.

I think the 2005 Fantastic Four film is trash, 2007s The Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, doubly so, and didn’t even waste my time seeing the 2015 Miles Teller led Fantastic Four. And no, I never watched the cartoon or read the comics. My interest/enthusiasm in this iteration has been lacking to say the least. Still, it’s hot and I figured an hour fifty-five minutes under someone else’s AC was worth a trip to the theater to check it out.

And here’s where I officially and respectfully tap out in giving a review.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps is easily the best film version of this group of Marvel superheroes. A thousand times better than that 2005 mess.

Great retro sets and costumes. A solid script. Good actors/acting (truth bomb - Joseph Quinn’s younger, Dollar Tree, Robert Downey Jr. look kept messing with me and taking me out of the film). Good musical score, direction, action, and visuals.

It’s an entertaining film.

I’m not upset I went.

I just really didn’t care about any of it.

These characters simply do nothing for me for whatever reason. I’m not sure what it is but I never got past being apathetic about everything as it unfolded on the screen. There’s just something about this group that I've once again failed to connect with. No doubt it's a "me" thing for whatever reason. As such I’m not comfortable giving an opinion on whether or not you should give this one a gander at the theater. There’s definitely a lot there for folks to like and enjoy if you're considering going but I don't feel comfortable encouraging or discouraging you either way.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps gets a shoulder shrug from me. If you check it out, let me know what you think and how you feel about it. And yes, there are 2 end credits scenes. The first sets up next steps and the second is a splash of nostalgia.

#FantasticFourFirstSteps

Superman (2025)

This weeks’ new movie release had me returning to the realm of superheroes to see Superman (2025). For me going to see this one was more out of curiosity to see what new CEO of DC Studios James Gunn came up with in his first outing than a deep seeded interest in the actual film. The last few DC movies under the previous head left me underwhelmed to put it kindly. In order to keep myself open-minded for this one I made a concerted effort to avoid everything related going in except for a gander at the first couple of trailers.

As always, I preface the following review with my standard non-comic book reader disclaimer. My Superman knowledge/experience is limited to my exposure to Saturday morning cartoons, Christopher Reeves’ films and beyond, Smallville, sans the final season (one of these days I’ve gotta finish that series), and what’s included in Superman (2025). I’m well aware that I’m missing some major context as a result, so my take is going to probably differ vastly from that of someone like my comic book guru Ruben. Sorry buddy, but you’re gonna have to educate me on the error of my ways, yet again.

Anywho, I went in with the bar set pretty low as far as expectations. Namely that Nick Hoult to slay as Lex Luthor and not to be totally pissed I ventured out in 110+ degree heat to watch this on the big screen.

Down to the proverbial tacks of brass, while there are some things I personally have issues with (too nitpicky perhaps) when all was said and done, I really enjoyed Superman (2025).  It’s easily the best and most entertaining DC film to come out the chute for a while. Admittedly that’s been a pretty low bar for me and it’s early in the process, but Gunn has raised it exponentially. Delivering not only a solid film but a solid foundation to build upon for DC moving forward under his leadership.

Superman (2025) is ambitious and doesn’t mess around. Foregoing the standard origin story, this 2-hour 9-minute ride (complete with 2 end credit scenes which honestly you can take or leave depending on how your bladder holds up) pops off with minimal preamble and never looks back. While nice to get things moving, and largely paying off, having more context/development of where we are in the overall story would’ve served this reboot well. The presumption that we are familiar with this version of the characters/story I don’t completely love it, but I don’t completely hate either. You're joining in mid conversation.

Doing things this way also undercuts the development of a number of characters and the seeds being sown for not only this film but future projects across the DCU as well.  There’s A LOT packed in here and the feeling of being underdeveloped carried some frustration with me, especially with the cast.

So many great actors, Wendell Pierce, Skyler Gisondo, Frank Grillo, Nathan Fillion (bad rug aside), Maria Gabriele de Faria, and Isabela Merced (the screaming got old really quick) did what they could but there were just too many characters and not enough time to devote to fleshing them out as much as I’d like. Edi Gathegi’s Mr. Terrific being a rarer exception. Loved every moment of screen time he got, had me wanting even more, and I wouldn’t be upset to have a spinoff. Definitely want to see and learn more about his character.

The casting of David Corenswet as the new Superman is a solid choice though honestly, I really had no idea who he was going in. Apparently, I saw him in Twisters but it ain’t ringing no bells. Whatever. I bought him as Clark/Superman and he and Rachel Brosnahan’s Lois have good chemistry and play off each other well. I can stand a bit more “fire” from her Lois, but again, I’m being nitpicky. Corenswet’s portrayal is easily one of the most human depictions of Superman. It’s a shift that won’t appeal to everyone as all the weaknesses and vulnerabilities are on full display, but it works.

Nick Hoult absolutely slays and doesn't disappoint. Yas! His manipulative, dangerous, and terrifyingly intelligent take on Lex Luthor is everything I hoped for and more. If I’m honest between Hoult and Gathegi I’m good and everyone else is a welcome but just an added bonus. Great casting all around. Bonus surprise cameos both physically and vocally.

Superman (2025) has good pacing, direction, a solid script that reflects the current times without being overly heavy handed with the messaging so you can still enjoy the film. Lots of action, wit, heart, and charm. Heavy CGI, which is to be expected, but it’s largely well done and visually stunning. I only experienced a couple of eye-rolling induced moments, but they were few and far between. There are some subtle nods to Donner’s ‘78 Superman including one William Reeve (Christopher’s son) making an appearance.

Vibrant and alive, falling between the hopeful/optimistic and the darker versions sits Gunn’s Superman (2025). It’s scope and ambition soars on many levels while coming up short on others. Still overall the world building for this franchise in particular and the DCU in general looks promising.  When all was said and done and I’d mulled over everything, I can’t deny I was pleasantly surprised how entertaining and how much fun I had watching Superman (2025). It’s familiar yet new, predictable, yet surprising. I left the theater feeling satisfied and wasn’t pissed I left the house in extreme heat to see it in the theater.

Superman (2025) gets an 8.5 from me.

#superman2025