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Showing posts from 2017

Doctor Who - 2017 Christmas Special - Twice Upon a Time - Review

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Well, here we go again. Doctor Who Christmas specials have been a tradition since 2005. Regenerations at Christmas have happened more often than not as well. This time we got both. The Twelfth Doctor teamed up with the First Doctor in both of their final adventures. Continue reading to see how it played out, and beware there will be spoilers if you haven't watched it yet!

Bright - Review

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Will Smith and Sci-Fi are usually a winning combination. Men in Black and Independence Day were huge blockbusters. Will Smith is one of the most bankable stars in Hollywood history. Him being the star of Netflix's biggest budget should be an easy no-brainer win for the streaming service giant! Continue reading to see how Bright played out. There are some spoilers throughout!

Star Wars: The Last Jedi - Review

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The biggest movie event of the year has finally happened. The next chapter in the Star Wars saga is here and it is divisive to say the least. The Last Jedi is one of the most unique chapters in the entire series, for better or for worse. Continue reading to see my thoughts on the movie itself and my response to the criticism. There will be MASSIVE SPOILERS throughout. Do not read unless you have seen the movie!

Psych: The Movie - Review

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Psych is one of my favorite television shows ever. On the other hand, "Reunion TV Movies" are not. But I was very excited for this, because in this dark world we could all use a little more of Shawn and Gus's antics. That is what we got with Psych: The Movie which is a fun, flimsy journey full of fan-service. Continue reading to see more about Psych: The Movie but beware of spoilers!

Arrowverse Roundup - Midseason Finales - Week 9 Review

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The midseason finales are here! The Arrowverse is taking a hiatus for the holidays so they should all end on an explosive note that leaves fates up in the air. For the most part they did that. But some were forced, some didn't need happen, and others were frustrating. After the highest of highs were achieved on the Crisis on Earth-X crossover , the finales were a bit disappointing in some aspects. Continue reading to see all of my thoughts on the four episodes, and as always beware of spoilers if you haven't watched the episodes yet! You can see all of this season's reviews right here .

Arrowverse Roundup - Week 8 - Crisis on Earth-X - Review

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"Nazis? I hate Nazis!" Not only is that the basis on which everyone should live their life, but it was also the plot of Crisis on Earth-X - the biggest and best Arrowverse crossover yet! Continue reading to see my thoughts on the crossover. The post will be structured the same, divided into four parts based off of the show "banner" they aired under. There are spoilers for Crisis on Earth-X below, so read at your own risk! You can see all of this season's reviews right here .

Arrowverse Roundup - Week 7 Review

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This week, the Arrowverse had some big moments, and also advanced some story lines that could possibly play into the crossover which happens next. As always there were highs and lows, but for the most part all four episodes were stronger than than they've been. There will be spoilers that follow for the episodes. You can see all of this season's reviews right here .

Coco - Review

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Pixar has been the quintessential player in the animation game since 1995. Toy Story broke the mold - it was a children's story that didn't have to dumb things down. It spoke to all ages, and didn't have to resort to nothing but fart jokes to get kids to laugh. Pixar's newest venture, Coco , gets back to Pixar's basics and shows what the brand can be when they aren't trying to sell toys through their Cars franchise. Continue reading to see my thoughts on Coco . There will be minor spoilers throughout.

The Punisher - Season 1 - Review

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Netflix and Marvel have had a long and fruitful relationship. That relationship is coming to an end in 2019 when Disney pulls all of their properties off of other services and starts their own streaming service. The relationship has had some bumpy moments but a highlight was the introduction of Jon Bernthal's take on Frank Castle from Daredevil Season 2. His own solo spinoff just aired on Netflix. Continue reading to see how it stacked up against its colleagues.  There will be spoilers throughout. 

Justice League - Review

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When I was a kid I never would have believed that I would have seen all of my favorite superheroes in a live action movie on the big screen. A Justice League movie should be a reason to celebrate! Well, a Justice League movie did come out, and while it was laced with fun moments, those moments were engulfed in a cocoon of problems that really brought the film down a few notches. Continue reading to see more thoughts on Justice League but beware of spoilers!

Arrowverse Roundup - Week 6 Review

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This week was an odd one. The crossover shooting schedule bled into other episodes and had an impact on the stories. There was humor, heart, and spectacle as per the Arrowverse bible, but there were many flaws that could have been avoided with better planning. There were some great character moments though, and when Arrowverse character moments are good, they're great! Click below to see my breakdown of all four episodes that aired this week, and as always there will be spoilers for the episodes that aired. You can see all of this season's reviews right here .

Arrowverse Roundup - Week 5 Review

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This week in the Arrowverse was filled with flaws and big character moments. They weren't the strongest of the season, but they all had something worthwhile in them. We also saw some familiar faces, and some regulars do some strange things. As usual, there will spoilers for this week's episodes. Don't read unless you've seen them already. You can see all of this season's reviews right here .

Thor: Ragnarok - Review

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The Thor franchise has always been the step child of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Iron Man and Captain America have consistently overshadowed it. It was still a marketable and popular franchise, but it never really could carve out a path for itself...until now. Thor: Ragnarok is the brain child of Taika Waititi, who makes strange and weird films like What We Do in the Shadows and Hunt for the Wilderpeople. The Thor films have always had an underlying weirdness to them, and Waititi put it in the forefront. Continue reading to see how Thor: Ragnarok stacks up against its colleagues in the MCU. There will be SPOILERS throughout, so don't read unless you've seen the movie.

Arrowverse Roundup - Week 4 Review

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This week in the Arrowverse, we had Gods, babies, humor, "frenemies" and technobabble! There were some tonal shifts, some new important characters and elements introduced, and some new journeys for old characters to go on. We had a full slate this week, with all four shows airing, and they ran the gamut of storytelling. You can see all of this season's reviews right here , and like always there will be spoilers for the episodes that aired this week.

Stranger Things - Season 2 - Review

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One of the biggest phenomena to ever hit Netflix was a little show called Stranger Things . A year later, it is one of the most talked about shows in television history and has cemented itself in the pop culture lexicon forever. Season 2 is here, and if it was just almost as good as the first season, it would have pleased people. So continue reading to see how season 2 stacked up against its predecessor.  There will be SPOILERS ahead. Do not read if you haven't watched yet.

Arrowverse Roundup - Week 3 Review

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Week 3. The appetizers are finished. It is time to get to the main course, the meat and potatoes of it all. Momentum has been gained, it is now full steam ahead. Let's hope none of the shows this week make us want to jump off the moving train. You can see all of this season's reviews right here . As always, there will be spoilers for this week's episode throughout.

Arrowverse Roundup - Week 2 Review

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The ball is officially rolling now, and all 4 shows are gaining momentum. While the premieres were uneven, they got the intended job done for the most part. If you want to read the reviews from week 1, click here . Or just continue reading to see the reviews for the episodes of Supergirl, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, and Arrow that aired this week. There will be spoilers if you haven't seen the episodes yet.

The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected) - Review

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It is not a rare thing to see an Adam Sandler film on Netflix. He has a very lucrative deal with them that both parties are very happy with. But to see Adam Sandler in movie like The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected) is a rarity, and more than that, it is a delightful treat. Read on to see some thoughts on one of Netflix's newest original films. Some minor spoilers will follow.

Arrowverse Roundup - Week 1 Review

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This will be a new recurring feature where I review all four live action DC superhero shows that air on The CW. I will add Black Lightning to this feature once it has aired.  This week is the premiere for all 4 shows: Supergirl, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, and Arrow. There will be spoilers for the episodes if you haven't seen them yet.

Blade Runner 2049 - Review

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Denis Villeneuve is one of the best visionary filmmakers working today. His film Arrival was one of the best cinematic achievements of the 21st century and earned him a lifetime fan. When he was announced to do the sequel to one of the most stunningly beautiful films of the 80's, I was very excited. So, Blade Runner 2049 has arrived. Continue reading to see how it stacks up.

Kingsman: The Golden Circle - Review

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Matthew Vaughn has made some incredibly fun films. Between X-Men: First Class , Kick-Ass, and the first Kingsman movie, he knows how to craft fun, coherent, albeit wacky narratives than keep audiences entertained. So with Kingsman: The Golden Circle being released it was of note on my calendar of my movies for the year. It definitely had the wackiness of the first (but in overdrive) and that was about it. Continue reading to see more of my thoughts. Minor spoilers will follow.

First They Killed My Father - Review

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Another month, another Netflix Original Movie. This one is different than any that has been released before it. First They Killed My Father is the haunting true story of a 5 year old girl named Loung Ung in Cambodia during the Vietnam War. Angelina Jolie directed this, and you can tell the passion she has for getting this story told. Read on to see my complete review. (Minor spoilers ahead).

J.J. Abrams to Write and Direct Star Wars Episode IX

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The prodigal son has returned. J.J. Abrams will let nothing stand in his way. He will finish what he started. That’s right; J.J. Abrams will write and direct Star Wars Episode IX . I expected as much, he was one of the 11 directors I thought could do it. But if you really think about it, it is kind of surprising. Continue reading to see why.

11 People Who Should Direct Star Wars Episode IX

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This seems to happen entirely too often now, but there is another Star Wars movie without its original director. To be honest, I was not sold on it to begin with and now they need to essentially start over. Since  Episode IX  will mark the 11th  Star Wars  movie, I have compiled a list below of 11 Directors who I think should be given the reigns.

What Happened to Monday - Review

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Netflix is on a role with original movies lately. Their most recent one is a sci-fi thriller starring Noomi Rapace as seven different siblings. I love that smaller movies that normally wouldn't get a big audience now have more outlets to be seen from. Continue reading to see how What Happened to Monday did as a tail-end summer movie.

The Defenders - Season 1 - Review

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The Defenders is Netflix's crowning achievement of their Marvel properties. They made their own mini-shared universe with each of the main characters having their own show before meeting up here. There were some highs and lows on the journey to get here, but it has finally arrived. Continue reading to see my thoughts on the first season of The Defenders but beware of spoilers!

Logan Lucky - Review

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When Steven Soderbergh announced he was retiring, it was a sad day for film fans. He is a wonderful director who did the Ocean's trilogy and Magic Mike . He always gave scripts the flare and pizzazz they deserved and made them come to life on screen. So when he backtracked on his retirement and decided to do another heist movie, Logan Lucky was born and the world is a better place for it. Continue reading to see my thoughts on the anti- Ocean's Eleven . Minor spoilers follow.

Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi Standalone Movie - Story Ideas

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There will be several contradictions in this first paragraph, but let me explain. I’ll start by saying that I am always in the bag for any Star Wars Story. Having said that, Lucasfilm is playing it too safe; they have such a rich universe to explore, and everything they have done has spanned only about 60 years or so. They seem to be scared to do anything before The Phantom Menace . A Knights of the Old Republic era saga of movies (or even a television series) is rich for storytelling. Let’s see some new characters and stories very far away from the Skywalkers and everything surrounding them. However, the one existing character that was an absolute no-brainer to have a standalone movie for is Obi-Wan Kenobi. Read on to see my thoughts on what a Kenobi movie could, and should, be.

The Dark Tower - Review

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The Dark Tower has been in the lexicon of pop culture for a long time. It has been ripe for a movie adaptation for just as long. For die hard Stephen King fans, this was a very anticipated movie. People like me, who had never read the books but was just looking for an entertaining movie, were intrigued by the star power and sci-fi aspects. So how did it stack up? Read below to find out.

The Incredible Jessica James - Review

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Netflix has been on a roll when it comes to original films lately. They have been making some great choices at film festivals, and investing in great relatively unknown talent. The Incredible Jessica James joins the ranks of Okja and War Machine . Keep on reading to see how The Incredible Jessica James stacks up in a stellar movie season.

Dunkirk - Review

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Every time Christopher Nolan makes a movie it is something of an event. They're automatically must see movies, and it is worth seeking out the biggest screen possible in which to view them. Nolan is a versatile filmmaker, doing everything from fantasy to sci-fi to superhero to history epics. Dunkirk is the latest in the genius storytelling maven's repertoire. Read on to see how it was. (Slight spoilers ahead)

The Big Sick - Review

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I try to be open to all genres because I just plain old love storytelling, so if the story is good, it supersedes genres. "Romantic comedies" never really grab me; not because of the subject matter - love stories can be some of the most powerful story telling ever. But most of them are generic, plain, formulaic, predictable, and easy. The Big Sick is none of those things. It is an absolutely delightful story that doesn't deserve the stigma of "romantic comedy". It is a heartfelt, heartwarming, awkward, funny, sad, sweet, real, and true story that has something for everyone to enjoy. Read on to see more thoughts on one of the biggest surprise hits of the year! (Warning: Slight spoilers ahead).

War For The Planet of the Apes - Review

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There are very few movies that get me "edge of my seat" nervous. The new Planet of the Apes movies are in those few movies. I am way more attached to some CGI apes than I actually should be. But it is because of the amazing storytelling that enthralls me. I was nervous about the newest chapter, mainly because everything set up in the previous two films were going to come to a head and I had to get mentally prepared for it. Continue reading to see how War For the Planet of the Apes shaped up against its two predecessors, and the other summer blockbusters it competes against. 

Spider-Man: Homecoming - Review

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Spider-Man: Homecoming is the entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe that no one thought would ever happen. Licensing rights and deals with other studios made it impossible, or so we thought. So for this movie to exist at all is a prize, for it to be as good as it was is an absolute triumph. Read on to see more thoughts on this bonus entry into the MCU!

Doctor Who - Episode 10.12 - The Doctor Falls - Review

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Another season of Doctor Who has come and gone. This week marked the end of the last season Steven Moffat will write, and the second to last episode he will ever do. Read on to see more in depth thoughts on "The Doctor Falls". There will be spoilers below.

Movie Midterm - My Favorite Movies of the First Half of 2017

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Well, here we are entering July with half of 2017 over and done with. It’s been an interesting year to say the least, and amid the madness there have been some great movies released this year. We still have six months left for even better things to come out, but let’s pause to recap my favorite movies of the first half of the year.

Baby Driver - Review

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A lot of people complain that there is nothing "original" at the movies anymore. Everything is based off of a book or a comic; or it is a sequel, prequel, spinoff, reboot or remake. But those things can be very good, and even if they are not, when they continue to make money (like the Transformers franchise), they will never stop being made. So when a real original film comes around from one of the most creative and talented filmmakers working today, everyone should get on their knees and thank the Movie Gods that it exists. Baby Driver from Edgar Wright is that movie, and it is a fantastic and worthwhile adventure to see on the big screen! Read on to get some in depth thoughts on Wright's newest flick.

Okja - Review

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Okja is a new Netflix Original Film by visionary filmmaker Bong Joon-ho ( Snowpiercer). It premiered on today and first impressions gave me a feeling that it was like nothing I've ever seen before. Well I was correct. Okja was a wonderfully heartfelt film that deserves to be seen by everyone with a Netflix subscription. Read on to see some more in depth thoughts.

Doctor Who - Episode 10.11 - World Enough and Time - Review

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Well here we are. Every Doctor Who fan can attest to the feeling you get on finale week. We are so happy its here, because it is usually always the best, but also a bit sad because we know the season is almost over and we will have a very long time for another season. Sometimes, its more than a year. This was the start of the finale. We still have next week, but boy did Steven Moffat kick it off with a bang! Warning: Do NOT read on if you haven't seen the episode. It will contain SPOILERS that are better left discovered by watching!

Doctor Who - Episode 10.10 - The Eaters of Light - Review

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This week marked the first time a writer from the Classic Series returned to write an episode. Rona Munro went 28 years between episodes. So continue reading below to find out how her return went.

Doctor Who - Episode 10.09 - Empress of Mars - Review

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I'll be honest right up front - I am not a big fan of Mark Gatiss's episodes of Doctor Who . He has written 9 of them, and I have only really liked 3 of them. However, every time he writes a new one I hope to like it. I enjoyed the Ice Warriors in Classic Who, but didn't like the last episode Gatiss wrote with them ("Cold War"). So I didn't know what to expect going in, but wanted to like it.

Doctor Who - Episode 10.08 - The Lie of the Land - Review

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This week's episode of Doctor Who was the conclusion of the Monk trilogy and marked the beginning of the tail end of the season. Toby Whithouse got the honor of finishing it. The episode was a very topical, poignant sweet and wonderful episode and most definitely on par with the rest of the stellar season. (Spoilers ahead).

Wonder Woman - Review

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Wonder Woman checked a lot of long overdue boxes. This was the first female led superhero directed by a woman. It is the first female superhero movie in any of the "shared universes" being established, and it is the first one that looked promising. ( Catwoman and Elektra looked terrible before they came out.) So keep on reading if you want to know if Wonder Woman lived up to that promise.

Baywatch - Review

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In a world where everything is remade and rebooted - rebooting Baywatch was inevitable. But in a world where fantastic reboots like 21 Jump Street exists, there was no reason for this movie to be this lazy and unfunny. Spoilers follow, but trust me the opening credits of the film spoils the only surprises that are in this movie.

Doctor Who - Episode 10.07 - The Pyramid at the End of the World - Review

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This week's Doctor Who was standard mid-season episode. But standard for Doctor Who is good! It is what many clamor for. Look at the recipe, use the ingredients, bake as directed. (Spoilers follow)

War Machine - Review

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Other than the crippling fear of dying from nuclear war any day now, it is an amazing time to be alive. We can get new big budget movies on any device you own that has an internet connection. One of those movies is War Machine starring Brad Pitt that premiered exclusively on Netflix. (Minor Spoilers ahead).

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales - Review

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Movies love holiday weekends. People love going to see movies on holiday weekends. Movies opening on holiday weekends tend to make money. This year the latest (and apparently last) entry into the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise was released. Disney managed to unfurl Johnny Depp, dust him off and suit him as the character he is most beloved for. But was it worth it? Or was memory better than experience?  Caution: Some light spoilers ahead.

My Life: A Star Wars Story

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Forty years ago, on May 25, 1977 something happened that would change the world. It changed the entirety of pop culture and (directly or indirectly) would affect every movie that came out after it. Forty years ago, Star Wars was released for the first time.

Doctor Who - Episode 10.06 - Extremis - Review

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This week's episode marks part one of a three parter and the first episode written by Steven Moffat since the premiere. Click the jump to read my review of "Extremis" and how it held up to the other stellar episodes that have aired this season. (Spoilers ahead).

Alien: Covenant - Review

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Ridley Scott's new entry into the horror franchise he created comes in the form of Alien: Covenant - a film that has an identity crisis. Read on to see my thoughts on the latest chapter of the only horror franchise I care about.