Sup people of the internet, today I come back from the depths of the earth to blog on my birthday again and just let you know about some of the random stuff that’s gone on today. 🙂
So yeah I’ve blogged on my birthday for the last 4 years, but this year is a little different, as this the first year I’ve actually been at work during my birthday. Besides when I worked/volunteered at college back in 2010/2011, I’ve never been employed during the day of my birthday as I was usually in college or university so I was still technically free to do whatever I wanted, but today was very different and felt very off. And while my work shift wasn’t too bad, it wasn’t too fun to be at work when I prefer to be free and lazy. So I just got home not too long ago and with the time I had before work I’ve had around only 2-3 hours of my birthday to enjoy in peace which SUCKS, but I guess this is what real/normal life is like for people.
Beyond my work-based blues, turning 26 years old feels a little significant. Besides the fact that more of my mates keep calling me old, I’m feeling a little different, like I’m changing in terms of my outlook on life and personality. Now make no mistake, I’m not gonna become some super mature adult or stop all of my childish antics, but I do think that my new age along with 2016, this year will be a pretty significant year of change and if everything goes according to plan, some pretty crazy stuff will be going down in a cool way so look forward to that later on in the year!
So to conclude I’m still mentally alive which is good so I’m gonna continue to watch Cheaters on TV and go through the years worth of Facebook birthday notifications and enjoy the 38 minutes I have left of my birthday. Until next time, stay groovy peeps! 😀
Howdy people of the internet, today I’m finally getting around to reviewing Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Now I saw this film during the midnight screening yesterday and I’ve been meaning to talk about it since then, but I’ve had work. But I’m free now and after having some time to think about it I think I’m ready to pass judgement.Oh and before we begin I’m just gonna state right now that I’m throwing the rating system out of the window for this review because it would be irrelevant and troublesome.
The story can be described as the following:
“Fearing the actions of Superman are left unchecked, Batman takes on the man of steel, while the world wrestles with what kind of hero it really needs. With Batman and Superman fighting each other, a new threat, Doomsday, is created by Lex Luthor. It’s up to Superman and Batman to set aside their differences along with Wonder Woman to stop Lex Luthor and Doomsday from destroying Metropolis.”
Annoyingly the film’s story starts out well connecting to the events of Man of Steel, but after that things get a little messy. This film had a lot to do especially when it came to introducing us to what’s taken place since MoS, showing us the public’s view on Superman and his actions, why Bruce Wayne has come into play and showing other key elements that place in the main and sub plots. But not too long after the film began the problems arose, what became immediately noticeable to me was the fact that there was a multiple things happening with at once with the story, but not all of it was relevant or engaging, plus some of the editing was strange as we cut to a from several things that messed with the film’s pacing and coherency. We also have plot points that go nowhere or are failed to be properly explained and a lack of proper character motivations lead to some questionable choices as the film progresses. The film jumps all over the place with flashbacks, visions, dreams and current day stuff and it ranged from being interesting to downright annoying as they would show up when up least expected them to. As for being a “Batman vs Superman” film it did some of those elements well with could drama and set up, but some of the motivations and story elements that lead up to their major confrontation felt convoluted and out of character for each of these characters (especially when you compare them to the comics). And the “Dawn of Justice” aspects of the film with the connections to the future DC films was certainly interesting and some of it got me hyped to see some of these solo films, it’s too bad that their place felt random and shoehorned into the film. Oh and I don’t think I can talk about this film without mentioned the length, dear god I felt the length of this film, so much happens, but believe me if certain plot points had been streamlined or taken out altogether this film would have been so much better for it.
As for the cast they were pretty good, though some people were really wasted or did not well at all. Let’s start with Ben Affleck as Bruce Wayne/Batman. Easily the best part of the film was Affleck as Batman, this man was able to capture the duality of the character well and just the delivery of his dialogue to his facial expression just made me love him. And can I just say that this is the most badass Batman we’ve ever had? This dude in a monster! Batman rolls around like the boogeyman brutally taking people out, he’s scary as hell and you don’t want to mess with him, and while I don’t entirely agree with his characterization (because he’s more like Wolverine or the Punisher), I can’t deny that this version of the Dark Knight was kick ass. Henry Cavill was fine as Kal-El/Clark Kent/Superman, but I had hoped for more. Superman is interesting here because he’s got a lot of stuff to deal with him saving people, having the world both love and hate him and trying to sustain a relationship with Lois too. I feel bad for Cavill as he is a good Superman, but he’s given such uninteresting material to work with and he’s a bit plain and dull. Amy Adams as Lois Lane was a character I didn’t really like in the last film and in this film I think she may have gotten worse. Lois has her own little sub plot which wasn’t all that interesting, she made a lot of stupid decisions, was the damsel in distress again and I still don’t buy the relationship between her and Superman.
Oh and then there’s Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor… Just gonna say it now, he is as bad as you feared. Okay to his credit there were moments, small moments where the guy was actually pretty smart and dangerous, but those glimmers of hope were squashed by Eisenberg’s silly and cooky mannerisms, the guy is just strange and hardly a threat. Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman was surprisingly good, I mean the acting was amazing, however, the characters was a lot more interesting than I expected and this film has made me want to see the new solo film in 2017. Diane Lane as Martha Kent was fine, but was more a backseat character until the story required her to show up and Laurence Fishburne as Perry White was decent as well but his appearance in this film has no significance on the main story. Jeremy Irons as Alfred Pennyworth was awesome, every time he was around he was insightful, funny and delightful, I just wish there had been more scenes with him in the film. And finally Holly Hunter as fine as Senator June Finch but her character didn’t add up to much in the grand scheme of things.
When it comes to the presentation it was pretty cool. As with most Zack Snyder films the action is pretty hardcore with very crazy and intricate cinematography and visual effects which were put to good use in a lot of action sequences for sure. Though some of the action wasn’t as well-choreographed as I’d hoped considering that this was moment to be major confrontation between Batman and Superman. But I will say the best material was the Batman material, his fights were so insanely hardcore, well-made and man this is the best material we’ve ever gotten in live-action. The film score provided by Hans Zimmer and Junkie XL was a mixed bag, whenever the soundtrack was playing in the background I could tell the difference between Zimmer and XL’s style with Zimmer being a little more classical and XL’s style being a little more aggressive and electronic in sound which felt a little out of place at times. But I will say that the Wonder Woman theme that played during her scenes was pretty cool.
In conclusion Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice was a mixed back. Not since Man of Steel have I been this divided about whether I liked a film or not. On the one hand the film gave me what I wanted and it certainly had moments of badassery and drama, but at the same time the film never became more than it could have been and a lot of the problems I knew I’d have with the film were realised. I could talk about this film for days but I don’t think you’ll stick around for that haha, I recommend BvS to everyone just so you can form your own opinion on it as everyone’s views will be different as it has been shown to be online so far, this film wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t great either.
So what do you think of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice? Did you love it, hate it or fall somewhere in between like me? Whatever your thoughts are be sure to drop them in the comments below and I’ll see ya on the next review. Laters! 😀
Howdy ladies and gents, and welcome to What I’m Currently Watching where I give you a tiny update on what TV-based stuff I’m watching and give mini reviews/impressions on them. This is the 22nd week and after some time away I’m here to talk about Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Star Wars Rebels specifically because that’s all I’ll probably have to watch this week because of work. With that out of the way let’s talk about some TV! 😀 Oh and careful for spoilers and bad language below…
Agents of SHIELD (Season 3) “Parting Shot”
Why Agents of S.H.I.L.E.D.? Why? You got me all emotional and I never feel that way in this show, until now. I have to admit that when AoS returned I wasn’t all that hyped and was still getting over the conclusion of Agent Carter, and while the last two episodes have been decent enough, the engagement and momentum that the show had running up to Christmas last year was gone, so I haven’t felt as compelled to watch as I’ve been with The Flash, Arrow or Grimm, but this week they delivered one of the most memorable episodes ages, and while that was primarily due to latter half of the episode’s story and plans for a future Marvel TV show, it was definitely one for the fans. This episode had some pretty solid story material with Gideon Malick, some interesting fight sequences with the shadow Inhuman dude, and political elements that again relate to some issues that may be brought up in Civil War.
But this episode was very focused on Bobbi and Hunter, and as the episode progressed I just knew from the interrogation scenes and the flashbacks involving their conversations and certain plot points, that this going to be set up for Marvel’s Most Wanted. When that show was announced it felt inevitable that Bobbi and Hunter wouldn’t be able to do both shows and would probably have to be written out of AoS, and I think the fans have been curious and cautious to see when this event would take place and sure enough with Bobbi killing the Inhuman politician and Lance looking suspicious by association there wasn’t going to be a good outcome for these two unless they quit and went off the grid. It was painful to see Coulson try to convince them to stay only for Bobbi to confirm that what we already knew, that they had to leave and Coulson had no power to help, which lead to the final scene at the bar… Christ. Just seeing the team silently watching from afar as the waitress brought drinks over, I really started to feel the gravity of the situation. Seeing everyone salute Bobbi and Hunter was a beautiful and truly heartfelt sendoff for not on the S.H.I.E.L.D. team but also the fans who’ve gone so attached. But I think Mac’s face said it all and how he didn’t drink and just kept looking at them like “I can’t do it, I’m not ready to let you go yet.” That got me right in my soul. That was probably the most emotional moment in the history of this show. Annoyingly Nick Blood and Adrianne Palicki have become one of the strongest aspects of the show with their contributions since the early side of season 2, they feel like family and the fact that they’re gone to make way for another TV just feels wrong, I mean who knows if Most Wanted will be successful or not? But regardless of that AoS really started to work as a more engaging show because of these two and now that they’re gone it’s gonna be hard to fill that void.
Star Wars Rebels (Season 2) “The Mystery of Chopper Base”
This week’s episode of Rebels was pretty solid. After what could be described as one the worst episode of the season last week with “The Forgotten Droid” we’re finally back on track with the Ghost team trying to set up a base for the rebels, monsters lurking around in he shadows and the prospect of Kanan and Ezra leaving the Hera and the others to take on the Inquisitors. The episode was about foreshadowing and letting the audience know that next episode will have some serious stuff going down and things may not be the same going ahead into season 3. Just small character moments like conversations between Kanan and Hera or Zeb and Ezra chilling and listening to rock music (which was really bizarre in the world of Star Wars by the way), these were the elements that let you know With Ezra and Kanan training and getting better, you know it’s only a matter of time until they have to put their skills to use to take on the bad guys along with Asoka, and it was fun to see these two training, but also just seeing those small moments with Ezra questioning Kanan about being his enemy or trying to use his Force ability to connect with the monsters only to fail, all the signs point to him going bad or at least getting more invested in the Dark Side. I also really enjoyed Hera in this episode, here we discovered that she realised the importance of Kanan and Ezra’s mission, but also how their need to leave will break up the family dynamic that they’ve formed, and potentially miss Kanan too. While this show’s never outright showed a love interest between Hera and Kanan its subtly been hinted at shown since Rebels started, and with the both of them holding each other during the sunset, it confirms to me more so than before that there must be some romantic elements between these two and I want to see that explored some more. The only issues I have with this episode was that no one addressed the female pilot that got taken out by the monster and why she pretty much died but Rex was kept alive, and the appearance of Chopper (I seriously don’t care for that droid). Overall a fine episode and I’m now ready for the doubled length season finale next week, bring on Vader! 😀
Well that’s what I’ve been watching. So have you seen or plan to watch any of these shows? If you have any thoughts be sure to drop a comment below and let me know what TV shows you’re currently watching too. Until next time, laters! 😀
Howdy ladies and gents, after all the waiting and waiting and WAITING, we’re here in 2016 and Marvel’s Daredevil season 2 and I’m here to review it. I adored the first season and made mention of that in my review, and after an epic binge over the course of Saturday from midnight to nightfall, I binged the hell out of this show coz I’m crazy and I’m an addict. So how does the second season of Daredevil fared? Well read on and find out! (Oh and careful for spoilers from Daredevil season 1, though I can’t imagine why you’d be reading this if you weren’t aware of transpired last season)
So what’s the story for this season? Well Matt Murdock is still a blind lawyer by day and continues to fight crime at night as Daredevil and things seem to be going well after the incarnation of Wilson Fisk, however new challenges come in the form of the dangerous Frank Castle/ Punisher, and Matt’s ex-girlfriend Elektra Natchios, things get a lot more complicated as Hell’s Kitchen becomes home to all new levels of crime and chaos.
From the beginning things kick off pretty quickly as you’re filled in with what’s transpired since last season and then get introduced to the new plot elements and characters that will inhabit this world for the forseeable future. This season is all about morality, the value of life, relationships past and present, and when you take the law into your own hands, how far is too far? And with those themes comes new layers of darkness, psychological issues and sensuality through the storytelling and character moments that’s so incredibly dramatic, engaging and heart racing. This season also gets into some thought-provoking areas when covering the Punisher and Daredevil’s different ideologies and brings up questions like: Is the criminal justice system enough? Where does one draw line? Is it right to take a human life? And if one crime is worse than another does that person deserve death or a shot at redemption? We really get into the mind space of what it means to have rules and whether they should be abided by or not when they don’t work, and seeing both sides of the argument really adds some perspective not only to this part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but also for superhero adaptations in general.
I would also say that this season is better with its pacing and storytelling resulting in more consistent and satisfying episodes than before which just made me want to jump on the next episode immediately. Another aspect of note would be legal material. More so than last season, the lawyering is at the forefront and there’s a lot more conversations dealing with the law and how it works, the research, evidence and how it can help and hinder certain cases, and court room drama too which is very good and full of suspense and tension. Nelson and Murdock are really put through their paces and have interesting new hurdles to overcome and it is really well written and captivating stuff. Oh and the references to the comics, last season and Jessica Jones were awesome, it was nice world building too. And that’s all the stuff I can tell you, believe me there’s so much I want to share about this show, but it’d be giving away too much good material, suffice to say that there are plenty of surprises and moments that’ll frigging blow your mind! XD
Episode highlights include:
Bang
New York’s Finest (personal favourite)
Penny and Dime (personal favourite)
Kinbaku (personal favourite)
Semper Fidelis
Guilty as Sin (personal favourite)
Seven Minutes in Heaven (personal favourite)
The Dark at the End of the Tunnel
Cold Day in Hell’s Kitchen
When it comes to the cast, the returning members all do such great job as they’ve settled into their roles but have also gained additional layers too, while the new players do really well to change things up and yet stay relevant to the main plot. Firstly there’s Charlie Cox who is once again wonderful as Matt Murdock/Daredevil. He’s still very smart, courageous and cool, but he’s still flawed and has issues with his duality as a superhero and lawyer that make his life a lot more complicated and the way it unfolds is such a whirlwind of emotions, and Cox handles his material so well. I also believe this season also dives a little deeper into the mind of Matt; what drives him to do what he does as Daredevil and how it affects the people around him. Elden Henson also steps up his game as Franklin “Foggy” Nelson, this season he’s in a more interesting place not only because of the legal material he has to deal with but also the lies and complexities that come with being friends with Matt and hiding his secret. Deborah Ann Woll does a fantastic job as Karen Page too, unlike last season she had her uses but was primarily a background character, here she’s a lot more pro-active, has her own agendas and her efforts are quintessential to this season’s story and characters.
The newcomers are just as important, so let’s start with the man who nearly steals the whole show, Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle/Punisher. This is how you do the Punisher justice. Prior to this series both Thomas Jane and Ray Stevenson have portrayed this character in 2004 and 2008, and while both of them had elements of the character done right, neither of them had the full package, but Bernthal has it. Here we have a man on a warpath, who is calculated, strategic, driven and scary as hell, but behind all his exterior there’s a tragic story that almost justifies his actions and makes him human/relatable. Bernthal really has a good lock on what makes the Punisher so engaging to watch whether he’s fighting, shooting or giving speeches, this man is like a hurricane of different things, he moves like the T-800 and yet has a depth to him that’s beyond your average killer. And then there’s Élodie Yung who is so sexy and deadly as Elektra Natchios, Jesus Christ! This woman is perceptive, smart, vivacious, playful and all sorts of trouble, and the backstory she has with Matt is one of most intriguing, fun, destructive and sensual relationships I’ve seen in quite some time. Their relationship in one of passion and toxicity and just seeing how things unfolded in the past and present was incredibly satisfying thanks to some incredible chemistry from Cox and Yung. I also enjoyed the appearances from Michelle Hurd as Samantha Reyes and Stephen Rider as Blake Tower who added an intriguing new dynamic to legal side of things.
And finally there’s some of my favourite returning characters too. Rosario Dawson once again shines as Claire Temple offering her services both as a nurse and counsel for the good guys was great, Royce Johnson also returns as Brett Mahoney and it’s so awesome to see more of him in this season, and of course the cast wouldn’t be complete without Scott Glenn as Stick who is just as rude, sarcastic, funny and hardcore as ever. There are also some other returning faces but I’ll let you discover those on your own. 😀
As for the presentation, it is just as good as ever. Visually the show’s received a bit more of budget for new locations more intricate camera movements, better lighting, more digital and practical effects and more detailed make-up as I think the show’s a little more violent than before. Just like last year the action is badass with some beautiful fight choreography, gun fights, explosions and the introduction of ninjas just made everything better. Also John Paesano returns again to craft the soundtrack and it is fairly dramatic, emotionally gripping and awesome.
So are there any problems with this season, well yes there is. This will really depend on the individual, but for me there were certain storylines that didn’t pay off in the way that I’d hoped, and you could argue that Vincent D’Onofrio’s Wilson Fisk left such a major impression on fans last season, that this season definitely a little empty without him being the primary focus of Daredevil’s missions. Plus while most characters get moments to shine, certain people (me included) will be disappointed with the amount of screen time and specific character arcs that they’ve gotten.
In conclusion season 2 of Marvel’s Daredevil is absolutely fabulous, I cannot praise it enough. While it may sound like I’m just a biased fanboy, if you really looked at this season as a whole, it takes the foundation of first season and improves on it in every way with such incredible attention to detail with the story, character development, action sequences and expanding this world’s mythology. I think your appreciation for this show will depend on what you want from this season and whether you loved the first one or not, but in my mind this is easily the best TV-based superhero material available. I’m already hyped for season 3 and I’ll probably be sure to watch this season again very soon. 😀
Rating: 9/10 (Even more fun than the first season)
So have you seen season 2 of Marvel’s Daredevil and is so what do you think of it? Did it meet or exceed your expectations? And I’m also curious to know which did you prefer, season 1 or 2? Please leave your comments below and I’ll see ya on the next review, laters. 🙂
Howdy people of the internet, I return to you today with an interesting review as I am going to talk about the first episode released for the 2016 version of The Powerpuff Girls! Now I remember when this show was announced, saw that the primary voice cast besides Tom Kenny was changing and even saw one of the clips released online for this show a little while ago, but I was a little skeptical mainly due to my nostalgia for the old series. But I just saw the first episode and I thought I’d share my quick thoughts on it.
What is apparent from the beginning is that this is a different interpretation to the 90’s show much the way that you have the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles from the late 1980’s and the 2012 version, both shows are very different from each, but still retain the core elements that you like and associate with said show. The Powerpuff Girls (2016) is like a modern re-imagining of the classic show, you still have your three main heroines having fun and beating up bad guys, but the world they inhabit, the dialogue and situations definitely feel more modern than anything else.
For what its worth I did really enjoy “Man Up” it was a simple yet effective episode to bring the PPG back into the public consciousness. It was mainly focused on Buttercup and her anger issues and how she should adopt a calm attitude through meditation. The sense of humour was nice too, it had good timing and felt appropriate. While this episode worked on its own, I think why I liked it was because I have the prior knowledge of this show and it’s characters, so when I saw the characters bring up Buttercup’s anger it was great because it was done in a way that I don’t believe has been done before and it was effective because it felt in-line with what’s comes before. I was worried I wouldn’t like this new cartoon because the original voice actresses were gone, but luckily Amanda Leighton, Kristen Li, and Natalie Palamides do pretty well as Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup, their interaction and solo performances are good, and in small cases I could hear that they sounded like the original voices too.
Oh and Man-Boy, bloody hell. That dude was frigging crazy and while his personality and motivations were standard fare, I did enjoy how strange, cocky and obnoxious he was. Visually the show’s nice, it feels like it fits in with the likes of Steven Universe and Adventure Time with the style of animation, art style and line thickness. The colour scheme is vivid and attractive and the animation doesn’t come across as lazy and that’s always a good thing. And for those who haven’t seen this show before I think that they’ll enjoy it, it has the same kind of zany, charismatic and funny aspects that make some of the current Cartoon Network shows so popular.
Now when it comes to the fans and how they’ll enjoy this show, that’ll be completely down to your specific preference and how open you are to change. There are a lot of differences and things certain aspects missing from the original show (most notably *SPOILERS* the new intro and ending songs), and I can see diehard fans complaining like hell. But if “Man Up” is any indication of what what’s coming for this new version of the PPG then I’m game.
So have you seen the first episode of The Powerpuff Girls (2016) and if so what did you think of it? Were you accepting of the changes or did the episode not do anything for you? Be sure to comment below and let me know and I’ll see ya on the next review laters! 😀
Howdy ladies and gents, and welcome to post #21 on What I’m Currently Watching where I give you a tiny update on what TV-based stuff I’m watching and give mini reviews/impressions on them. Last week I was having a crazy binge session with The Grinder and I thought I’d make that the focus and talk about this crazy show. With that out of the way let’s crack on!
The Grinder is one of the final shows from IGN’s 2015 Fall TV Preview that I’ve yet to watch but since I needed something comedic and shorter than the 44 minutes I decided to start this show and from the first episode I was hooked. For those uninformed the premise involves Dean Sanderson, an actor who played the lawyer Mitch Grinder on the long-running hit show, The Grinder. However once the show ends Dean finds himself struggling to know what to do with himself next, so he eventually decides to move in with his brother, who an actual lawyer and use his TV knowledge and apply it in real life situations. And so the main concept of the show is seeing Dean try to use his “knowledge” of the law in real life and how it doesn’t always work to the great frustration of his brother who just wants things done the proper way and keeps getting disrupted.
What I love about this show is the humour, it’s self-awareness and it’s ridiculous. There are things that should work in real life or make any sense (especially when it comes to The Grinder TV show), but writers and actors find a way to make it work. Since when could an actor who played a lawyer become an actual lawyer without any proper education or training? Well this show answers that question and them some. So the show follows the day-to-day happenings of Dean and how his actions effect not only himself but his family, co-workers and so on with positive and negative effects. But when the show’s not following Dean, there is a heavy focus on his brother Stewart, who not only has to deal with the fact that he’s the brother of a famous actor but he also has a life dedicated to the practice of law and when Dean comes into play with his bravado and casual approach to serious matters involving the law. I really enjoy how the show knows how silly it is and uses that to its advantage to create some very inventive, smart and over-the-top humour which got me laughing out loud from the first few episodes especially. But beyond the humour there is some heart and character progression that keeps things from getting repetitive and some of the new elements incorporated into the show change the dynamic every so often which means that there’s always something new to learn or time for other characters or stories to be covered.
But the main reason the show works is due to Rob Lowe as Dean Sanderson, Dean is abrasive, delusional and overly dramatic, but he’s also very cool, tenacious, sensitive and hilarious, and that’s only thanks to the various scenes we get to see from his acting on his former TV show, but also because Rob Lowe is a comedic badass. Since Parks and Rec, Lowe has become one of my favourite people to watch in TV and film and he is just as charismatic and charming as ever, and his timing for jokes is literally on-point. Fred Savage is no slouch as he does a great job Stewart Sanderson, while he can be a bit too much of a negative Nancy, he’s one of the few people that applies logic to a situation when everyone else has thrown it out of the window, plus it’s just great when he questions a lot of Dean’s actions and the stuff that goes on in The Grinder TV show. Also Mary Elizabeth Ellis who I’ve mainly seen in It’s Always in Philadelphia has a lot more to do in this show as Debbie Sanderson, she’s Stewart’s wife and while she initially doesn’t do much beyond being a generic wife, she does get some development and prominence as the show progresses. Natalie Morales as Claire Lacoste is fun at times because of her mellow attitude and complete uninterest in Dean, but a lot of times she’s really mean and unlikable and there’s not been much good development for her. Hana Hayes and Connor Kalopsis are just delightful as Lizzie and Ethan Sanderson, they have many cheeky, memorable and hilarious moments and good chemistry with Dean and their parents too. And while William Devane as Dean Sanderson, Sr. is mainly there just to say funny lines, it wouldn’t feel right without him being around. Steve Little is just so silly and yet funny as Todd, Timothy Olyphant is very engaging and humourous as the fictionalized version of himself, and Maya Rudolph has been wonderful in her appearances as Jillian.
In conclusion The Grinder is such a funny and random show with a unique concept, great acting and kick ass humour, that it would be impossible for me not to recommend it enough. The season’s not even over yet and I’ve enjoyed the show immensely and thanks to Rob Lowe especially I will continue to watch until this adventure ends. 🙂 So have you seen The Grinder and if so what do you think? Whatever your thoughts are be sure to comment below and I’ll se ya on the next TV review, laters! 😀
Howdy ladies and gents, time for a new film review and today I’m finally getting around to talking about the latest film from Disney; Zootopia (aka Zootropolis for us over here in the UK). I’ve been looking forward to this film for a while since I heard a lot of good things about the footage shown at D23 last year, and thanks to Cineworld and their early Unlimited screenings I’ve gotten to see the film a little earlier than its eventually release a few weeks from now.
So the story goes down like this:
“In a world where animals have adapted to the world like humans, Judy Hopps is bunny who has dreamed of being a police officer since she was young and when she finally reaches her goal things don’t initially turn out the way she’d hoped. However when a big case comes her way, she must form an unlikely alliance with a crafty fox named Nick Wilde to uncover the mystery of her case and prove herself as a true enforcer of the law.”
Zootopia’s story represents Disney at it’s best with a tale that was familiar, yet fun, hilarious and heartwarming. One of my favourite aspects of this film was that it was able to strike that balance between being funny and serious, the sense of humour and timing of the jokes whether they’re physical or verbal, they’re done here so well. When the film wasn’t being light and funny, it did touch upon themes of prejudice, discrimination and stereotypes, and it was handled with such realism and felt very relevant to present times. This story felt like classic Disney with all the standard codes and conventions you’d expect with certain character and story beats, but with some modernization that made the film feel even fresher than previous Disney films especially with the use of technology and dialogue. I was surprised by how much this film got me emotionally, there were some absolutely delightful and joyful moments in this film, but then there were some super emotional and heartbreaking moments that resonated with some of my life experiences that reminded me of why I love Disney films so much.
The cast was all great in their roles. Ginnifer Goodwin was incredible as Officer Judy Hopps, this character was so tenacious, upbeat and relatable that she was easy to root for and I loved her backstory and journey throughout the film. And Jason Bateman was also awesome as Nick Wilde, Nick was cool, slick and had a way with words, but beyond his external demeanour was a much deeper character who was just as relatable as Judy. Together Judy and Nick had some wonderful chemistry and some of their more dramatic scenes together were some of my favourite parts of the film. Idris Elba was badass as Chief Bogo, this guy was really good and Elba really excelled in this role where you could feel his charm, intensity and personality through this character even though you couldn’t see his face. J.K. Simmons was great as Mayor Leodore Lionheart, much like Elba, Simmons’ voice added an extra layer of awesomeness to the character and made them more engaging. Jenny Slate did was a wonderful job as she was both cute and funny as Dawn Bellwether, Tommy Chong and Octavia Spencer were good as Yax and Mrs. Otterton, and Nate Torrence was just lovely as Officer Benjamin Clawhauser, because he was so bubbly and funny. Shakira was also fun as Gazelle, Bonnie Hunt and Don Lake were great as Bonnie and Stu Hopps, Alan Tudyk had some great moments as Duke Weaselton, Maurice LaMarche did very well as Mr. Big and Raymond S. Persi had some of the best moments as Flash.
Oh and the presentation was AMAZING! I don’t know how Disney have kept doing it, but with one of their new films come out, they find a way to up themselves when it comes to the visual side of things with insanely good CGI and art direction. This film’s locations, lighting and weather effects looked so real that if you took the animals out of the equation it would look pretty close to a live-action film. And speaking of the animals of them were uniquely crafted little such great attention to detail with the hair, facial and body movements, and I liked how the animators were able to make these humanoid characters retain all of their animal-like qualities. And the film score by Michael Giacchino was very nice and the song “Try Everything” by Shakira was really catchy too.
At the end of the day with Zootopia, Disney are still teaching life lessons and providing audiences young and old with entertaining material which is topical, lighthearted, emotional and funny. I cannot recommend this film enough as it may be my favourite Disney film in recent memory and I can’t wait to see it again.
Rating: 8.5/10
So have you seen or are you going to watch Zootopia? Whatever your thoughts are be sure to drop them in the comments below and I’ll see ya on the next review, laters! 😀
Howdy ladies and gentlemen, time for another trailer review and today I’m finally getting around to talking about the second trailer for Captain America: Civil War. Now I loved the first trailer and was hyped to see the new one a few days ago, but trust that when it came out I was at work and had to wait until around 11pm which was horrible. I would have reviewed this trailer much sooner but again work has kept me at bay for the last few days, but now I’m finally free to talk about this trailer and wouldn’t you know, it’s pretty damn awesome! 😀
Check out the trailer below:
So first impressions after seeing the trailer, “Forget today, forget tomorrow, maybe even forget my birthday. Get me to the release date of Civil War because I need this film in my system now!”
Just like the last trailer what I love about the footage we get here is that this film at the center of all the action and chaos really feels like a personal story which is focused on the characters. Once again we have Steven Rogers and Tony Stark on opposing sides and the trailer further illustrates their points of view and why each of them is right or wrong depending who you side with. And just like before this trailer includes that tone, where things are serious, it feels like there are pretty big stakes as not only the heroes with be beating the crap out of each other, but with the attack on the United Nations, the return of Thunderbolt Ross and Black Panther’s involvement, it seems like there will a great deal of ramifications felt all over the place.
A lot happened in this trailer so I’ll just highlight a few things:
Highlighting the events of the past: Having Thunderbolt Ross show some of the heroes the destruction that laid in their wake after New York, Washington DC and Sokovia was really great as it showed just how much damage they’d unknowingly caused and was also a way to communicate to the audience that even in the MCU for the victories there were sacrifices and the heroes have to be made accountable, seeing Scarlet Witch’s reaction to Sokovia and having Steve telling Ross to stop showing the video was a beautiful moment.
MORE BLACK PANTHER: Jesus, I fucking love this character and I haven’t even heard him speak or do anything besides run, jump, slice Bucky’s motorcycle, have a quick fight with Bucky and get shot at with bullets from a helicopter, but that doesn’t matter, what does matter is that the Panther is a frigging badass and I just can’t wait to see how Chadwick Boseman kills it in this role. The Panther has an elegance and ferocity to him that just makes him look so dangerous and cool and I seriously want to see him kick some ass around about now.
Ant-Man on the move: This was a fairly brief moment but when Hawkeye shot the arrow and Ant-Man rode it and then leapt jumped onto Iron Man’s armour that was just frigging kick ass. More Ant-Man love is welcome.
Scarlet Witch overpowers Vision?: This was another blink and you’ll miss it moment, but seeing Scarlet Witch use her powers to bring Vision to his knees was very interesting and pretty much gave us a confirmation that the almighty Vision does have competition in the powers department.
Cool lines of dialogue!: “You just started a war!”, “This job, we try to safe as many people as we can. Sometimes that doesn’t me everybody. But you don’t give up.”, “I’m not the one who needs to watch their back.”, “I was wrong about you, the whole world was wrong about you.” and “I could do this do this all day.” (great callback to The First Avenger) I can see myself quoting this film for a while in the future.
But let’s talk about that Spidey reveal. I actually had it ruined for me while I was scanning ComicBookMovie.com and it was used in a few thumbnails and I was like “That’s not the new Spidey suit is it?” But sure enough, I watched the trailer, saw Tony shout “Underoos!” And bam, my boy just webs Cap’s hands together, steals his shield and drops in like a badass sporting a slightly modified version of the classic suit with moving eye lenses! Now I have to say I wasn’t too keen on his look at first mainly because it looked so CG heavy and felt like it didn’t look very realistic, though now that I’ve seen the trailer a few more times I’ve definitely warmed to the suit and in the images released there’s actually been so notable levels of detail seen in the suit that weren’t visible in the trailer probably because of the YouTube video compression.
I really like the suit, it’s classic, but updated with a few stripes on the arms and legs, but it’s those eyes that got me immediately. At first I thought this film was pulling a Deadpool and decided to animate them just because that’s how they were in the comics, but when you listen, you could actually hear a mechanical sound at the lenses got smaller which made me certain that this suit would be part mechanical and possibly made by Tony Stark because Spidey couldn’t make something like this on his own given his age and current freshness in the MCU. Either way I’m down with this new version of Spidey, I just hope the suit looks more realistic in the film.
In conclusion the second trailer for Captain America: Civil War has just amplified my excitement so much. All this glorious footage just makes me giddy for not only this film, but the future of the MCU going forward with the storylines and characters who make it out of this thing alive. This film looks so good I can’t imagine it failing, I mean it has to be great right? However I am reminded constantly in the back of my mind about Age of Ultron and how my hype technically ruined that film so I’m being cautious, but damn it’s hard not to be insanely hyped with all this good stuff Marvel’s doing at the moment.
So have you seen the second official trailer for Civil War and if so what did you think of it? Are you more or less excited than before? Please sound off your thoughts in the comments below ane I’ll see ya on the next post, laters! 😀
Good day to you ladies and gents people, sorry for the lack of reviews as of recent but I’ve been busy with my new job, so my schedule’s been SO out of wack, but I’m back again to do a single paragraph review and it will be on the classic Beverly Hills Cop. This is one of my favourite 80’s films and since I hadn’t seen it in a few years I decided to check it out again. So without further ado here we go:
After Beverly Hills Cop, what can be said about this film that hasn’t been said already? It is a frigging awesome film and is one of the best examples of action comedy being done right. I love how this film is mainly about the main character, Axel Foley going on an adventure to figure out the murder of his best friend, but it is layered with humour, action, drama, conspiracy, drugs and other elements that culminate in one hell of a ride that’s super entertaining from start to finish. Straight from the beginning the film’s hilarious, the dialogue is so well-written with some great jokes and physical comedy, and thanks to the cast they really make these jokes pop. And speaking of the cast, let’s talk about Eddie Murphy as Axel Foley, damn, talk about a force of nature. Foley is wise-cracking, no-nonsense and hilarious dude, but he’s also very smart and creative and has a serious side when needed, and Murphy is pretty much in his element as he rides this perfect line between being a hilarious smart-ass and a likeable/relatable hero. John Ashton and Judge Reinhold are also brilliant as Sergeant John Taggart and Detective Billy Rosewood, these two have great chemistry and comedic timing as the officers tasked with stopping and then eventually helped out Foley. Ashton’s rough and ready style was nicely balanced but Reinhold’s lighthearted and silly approach. Steven Berkoff made for a really fun and captivating villain as Victor Maitland. Lisa Eilbacher also does well as Jenny Summers as she was not just a throwaway character, and was not only quintessential to the plot, but also had great amount of charisma and screen time too. Ronny Cox is also really good as Lieutenant Andrew Bogomil, Gil Hill has some of my favourite moments as Inspector Douglas Todd, and even Damon Wayans’ quick appearance is frigging awesome as well. Also, this film also has one of the most delightful and positive-feeling soundtracks I’ve come across in any film I’ve ever seen, the music selection is absolutely of its time period with such energetic, upbeat and fun 80’s song choices, but it is really about the gorgeous “Axel F” jam crafted by Harold Faltermeyer, and while one could argue that the song is overused during the course of the film, but I can’t get enough (much like “Danger Zone” from Top Gun). In the end Beverly Hills Cop is just a lot of fun and miss the simplicity of films like this especially when it comes to the blending of action and comedy, and the feel-good 80’s time period. If you haven’t seen this I would recommend it 100%. 😀
So that was my review, have you seen Beverly Hills Cop and if so what did you think of it? Please leave your comments below and I’ll see ya on the next review, laters! 😀
Howdy ladies and gents, and welcome to What I’m Currently Watching where I give you a tiny update on what TV-based stuff I’m watching and give mini reviews/impressions on them. This is the 20th week and after a week off I’m back to talk about some TV stuff again. With that out of the way let’s talk about some TV! 😀 Oh and careful for spoilers and bad language below…
Agent Carter (Season 2) “Hollywood Ending”
So after 10 episodes we’ve come to the end of season 2 of Agent Carter with “Hollywood Ending”and it was pretty good, if a little predictable and disappointing considering the build up towards this finale, and while the show was technically given an ending, it was still left open for the possibility of a third season (though that may not happen due to Hayley Atwell’s commitment to ABC’s Conviction). So what happened? So Wilkes blew up and got rid of the Zero Matter, but Whitney took it all and then became obsessed with creating another machine, seeing her all crazy and corrupt was interesting, but it sort of got rid of the more charming and charismatic side of her that I liked. And it was also surprising to see how much Joseph Manfredi cared for Whitney, how he’d noticed that she’d changed and went to Howard Stark and Carter for help. Also seeing the return of Howard Stark was awesome, whether he was flirting with Rose, arguing about the name of a machine or complaining about mustard, Dominic Cooper was a delight, but it was great to have him along with Wilkes and Samberly to help create Whitney’s machine to draw her out and then use the gamma cannon to rid Whitney of her powers and send the Zero Matter back to the other dimension. While I didn’t think anyone would die, I was a little worried for Sousa when he almost got sucked away into that portal. At the end of the day things worked out, Whitney was sent to a mental asylum (that was creepy), Thompson was shot and Peggy’s file was taken (that dude is dead right?), and Peggy got convinced by Jarvis to stick around in LA and finally kissed Sousa! I know this was predictable but it had to happen, these two had been doing that “will they or won’t they?” thing for too long. Though I wonder: 1) Are they officially a thing? 2) If so where does that leave Wilkes? Was he just forgotten by Peggy or what? And 3) I wonder who’s decision it was for Peggy to finally hook up with Sousa, was it because he’d almost died recently or was it because of their history of being potential lovers since last season? Either way this season may not have been for everyone, but with the exception of this final episode, I’d say season 2 has been a lot of fun and I can only hope for more in the future.
DC’s Legends of Tomorrow Episodes 1-6
So during the week I had a chance to finally catch up with this show and I have to say that I’m liking it so far, I wouldn’t call it must-watch TV but it’s certainly far from being boring. Having Rip Hunter assemble his ragtag team of heroes has been fun to watch considering each other their individual backgrounds and character traits. Just like when I watched The Avengers or Guardians of the Galaxy it took a while for these characters to get used to each other, they argued and fought each other, but eventually come to trust, confide and rely on each other and its been fun seeing the different groups and pairings interact. My favourites so far would be Captain Cold and Heat Wave, those two are criminals through and through and have a wonderful dynamic, but it’s also been interesting to see how these adventures have changed their perspectives on what they want out of life and how they treat each other. Oh and how smooth is Wentworth Miller? That dude, damn. I also am enjoying seeing more of Sara Lance and Ray Palmer as well, and seeing the further development of the bond between Professor Stein and Jefferson Jackson has been great too. Oh and Rip Hunter while I wasn’t too keen on him in the first two episodes has grown on me. The only people I haven’t cared for are Kendra and Carter (Hawkgirl and Hawkman), they never really caught my interest in the crossover episodes and they’re not too interesting now. Once Carter died I was like “Thank god!” That dude was so BORING. And it doesn’t help that Kendra seems to have no charisma and constantly moans about being a barista before all this.
Oh and the action falls in the Arrow category of things where it can be pretty cool and well-choreographed in certain sequences, and then not look all that good in others with questionable fight choreography, camera shots and visual effects. I don’t mean to sound snobby, I just have a very specific set of needs when it comes to action in my superhero shows. My only concerns about the show at this current point in time would be: 1) How much time travelling will they do before the novelty wears off? And 2) How many times can they go through time and mess up/fail at their missions before things become repetitive? Basically I want the show to stay fresh and find new and interesting ways to keep my interest with the time travel elements, but I don’t know how far they can go considering that even with the first six episodes I feel like by the time the season’s over I would have been a little tired of all this stuff, but hey I could be wrong, guess we’ll wait and see what happens.
Star Wars Rebels (Season 2) “Homecoming”
This week’s episode of Rebels, wow, talk about a 180! While the last few episodes have been great for character development, I really enjoy the power struggle between the light and dark side of the force with the Jedi, lightsaber fights and the mythology, and this was some really got stuff, best material in ages. we got to see the Inquisitors, return to the Jedi temple from season 1 and got an inside look into the mind space of our lightsaber-wielding heroes at this current point in time. And how about that opening? SO COOL! Straight into an action sequence with Kanan and Ezra fighting the Fifth Brother and Seventh Sister in mortal combat, it was fast, furious and intense, and just when the heroes look like they’re in a pitch Ezra was able to help them escape using his Force abilities, and it was cool that this episode again addressed Ezra’s growing power, his subtle arrogance and Kanan’s doubts about being able not only protect him but save him from the Dark Side. I really enjoyed the return of the Lothal Jedi temple and seeing Kanan with his intense battle with the Jedi guard, Ezra and his conversation with Yoda, and Ahsoka dealing with her inner turmoil relating to Anakin and the truth of what he’s become (totally confirming that she’s at least been aware about who Darth Vader really is), that was all great stuff, especially Ahsoka’s stuff and Kanan’s material, the hell saw the Grand Inquisitor being behind the mask of that guard? Even the Inquisitors were shocked, and then to show Vader towards the end, glorious. The season’s finally starting to ramp up and deliver on the promise of the footage we had hoped for during the trailer that was released weeks ago. I’m hyped! 😀
Well that’s what I’ve been watching. So have you seen or plan to watch any of these shows? If you have any thoughts be sure to drop a comment below and let me know what TV shows you’re currently watching too. Until next time, laters! 😀
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