Well, everyone, today, we review a film that is part of a fantasy film franchise trilogy that was just released over twenty years ago. This time however, though Peter Jackson was not the director of this film in the Lord Of The Rings lore, he was said to be involved in it somehow, and some way. Oh, and that’s not all. Instead of this Lord Of The Rings being live-action, new film director Kenji Kamiyama decided to give this film the animation treatment, making it anime to be specific. So now, let’s discuss this latest installment in the Lord Of The Rings series, the one, and only Lord Of The Rings: The War Of The Rohirrim!

Plot: Set nearly 200 years before the War Of The Ring, an older tale occurred in Middle Earth in which a tragic event would spark war between King Helm Hammerhand (Brian Cox), the King Of Rohan, and Wulf (Luke Pasqualino), the leader of a tribe called the Dunlendings. Was Rohan saved by Helm, his children, and the rest of his kingdom, or did Wulf successfully conquer that kingdom in the end?

Well, now that we have this film included in the Hobbit, and Lord Of The Rings movie franchise, the question now remains, did it honor the legacy of the newer Lord Of The Rings from more than twenty years ago? Well, in more ways than one, very much so. First of all, despite the fact that there may have been some scenes that might not have worked as well, be it in animation, or live-action for a Lord Of The Rings kind of film, Lord Of The Rings: The War Of The Rohirrim does a fantastic job of accomplishing that task. Director Kenji Kamiyama, despite being the one to direct this new film instead of Peter Jackson, really did seem to understand how the Lord Of The Rings was suppose to work, and work well. I mean yes, because this film had an anime type of animation, this film can have the feel of an overall feel of an anime film, including those of the Studio Ghibli film library. Nevertheless, from start to finish, you can also tell that this film could have easily been made into live-action, and the storyline would have still worked in more ways than not. Yeah, with the more mature storyline, as well as how violent this movie is (and not to mention that this film has a PG-13 rating), this film, like the other films, is most definitely more for teens, and adults. In other words, this is an animated film that is NOT for kids. Speaking of the animation, it was amazing to see how well the animation worked, even for a film that was built on anime. I mean even if you have everything that comes with an anime film, whether it’s the movements of the characters, the way that the mouth of any character moves when a character speaks, you name it, there are also a few times in this movie, when the animation seems to be smoother, whether it’s certain monster creatures attacking, grass blowing in the wind, and scenes like those. As a result, some of the animation can feel Americanized at times. Next, there are also the characters. Let me tell you, most of them are really great. And emphasis on most of them! For one, Freca, despite only being in the film for a little bit, was a very well developed one. Same goes for Wulf, Freca’s son, who served as the villain for this movie. Oh, speaking of villains, that’s another rather interesting aspect of this new Lord Of The Rings film, the fact that this time around, the villain doesn’t have any magical powers, does not serve as a sorcerer, or any of those things like most of the villains in previous Lord Of The Rings movies. That is with the exception of the villains from at least the Hobbit prequel trilogy. Anyway, the other characters, like main hero Helm Hammerhand, his daughter, Princess Hera, Hera’s brothers Hama, and Haleth, her cousin Frealaf, and characters like them, are really well done too. As for the storyline, and the world building, that was also really well done. What’s more is that there are ways in which this film sets things up for the events that would later take place in the Lord Of The Rings trilogy. This most notably includes a surprising appearance of a character from the original Lord Of The Rings trilogy, as well as a couple minor characters, and mention of another main character from the original trilogy. Honestly, you can tell that Kamiyama, despite having his own style of directing, and writing stories, was willing to honor the works of Tolkien’s books, and Peter Jackson’s film version of the story as much as possible. Because of this, it is tragic that a lot of people didn’t seem willing to give this film a chance. And yeah, it’s too bad, because people will most definitely be surprised by how well done things are in this film, be it the relationship between Hera, and Wulf, including the whole thing of friends turned to enemies, Helm’s relationship with his family, and subjects, the betrayal of other former friends to the main heroes, and a great many of the action, and battles that occur in this film. Oh, and one other thing! Did I forget to mention Eowyn, who was the daughter of King Theodin in Two Towers, and Return Of The King, narrates this film? That was a nice touch to this film too. Additionally, there was also the score in this film. Even though the score is composed by a different person instead of Howard Shore, Stephen Gallagher, in this case, he surprisingly does well with making it sound familiar with Shore’s score from the original trilogy. Once again, it just comes to show much respect, and honor that the filmmakers tried to give to the original Lord Of The Rings trilogy. Finally, for positive aspects, this film does well with teaching great lessons about humbleness, learning to not be eager to have power, and other lessons like those.

With all that said, does this film hit all the right marks like the original trilogy did? Well, not quite! Don’t get me wrong, it hit a lot of the right ones. However, there were a couple areas in which the film fell slightly short. For one, Hera did seem to be almost a little too perfect. Yes, she did have humble attitude, and did portray one, or two times when she seemed to have struggles. However, in more ways than not, she did seem to be a little too perfect, like a Mary Sue type of character. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the Mary Sue term, feel free to look it up. Again, Hera doesn’t quite fall into that category, but, yeah, she can come fairly close. The other final thing is that Wulf, he was a fantastic villain for the most part. However, his character, in terms of how he was handled with things like his arc, and things like that, could have probably been handled a little better.

And that’s my review for Lord Of The Rings: The War Of The Rohirrim. Even if a couple of the characters could have been handled a little better, this Lord Of The Rings film, overall, does well with honoring, and respecting the work of the live-action trilogy. What’s more is that does well with setting up events that would later occur in the Lord Of The Rings trilogy. Because of all this, it’s a shame that this Lord Of The Rings film wasn’t more popular, and we may not see more Lord Of The Rings films with the anime style after this. Oh well! Well, for those of you that are open to seeing Lord Of The Rings: The War Of The Rohirrim, definitely go see it if you haven’t, and/or if it’s still playing at a theater near you! I can guarantee you will enjoy it more than you think!

Final Rating: 9/10 ⭐️

Everyone, today, we review the third installment in the Sonic The Hedgehog movie franchise. Without further ado, let’s discuss the third film, simply titled Sonic The Hedgehog 3!

Plot: When Geraldine (Jim Carrey), the grandfather of Ivanho Robotnik/Dr. Eggman (also Jim Carrey), and his assistant, Shadow the Hedgehog (Keanu Reeves) make plans to use a special weapon that could destroy all of Earth, it is to Sonic the Hedgehog (Ben Schwartz), and teammates Knuckles (Idris Elba), and Tails (Colleen O’Shaughnessey) to stop them, even if it means making an alliance with old enemies.

Well, I will say that this was a good sequel. First of all, Sonic the Hedgehog, and his team, are well developed this time around. Honestly, with all that they go through throughout the course of this film, they set a great example of what it means to truly work together instead of just alone. That’s another thing! Sonic The Hedgehog 3 does a really great job of providing some really powerful lessons about teamwork, learning to be better instead of bitter when difficult times come around, and other valuable lessons like those. Anyway, there are also some really great lines, and some very excellent jokes. What’s even more is that even if some of the old characters from the first two films do not seem to play quite as much of a role this time around, their individual roles still prove vital in this newer film. This sequel also does well with handling any relationships in this film, whether it’s Sonic’s relationship with Knuckles, and Tails, or even his relationship with Tom, and Maddie, Ivan’s relationship with his grandfather, Gerald, and especially the relationship between newcomer Shadow, and human female Marie. It definitely helps build Shadow’s character throughout the course of this film. Speaking of Shadow, can we take a moment to say how cool it is that he’s voiced by Keanu Reeves of all people? I mean to see that actor go from playing mostly hero roles to now playing, more specifically voicing, a villain? Yeah, pretty interesting change for the role type, wouldn’t you say? Lastly, it was also great to see how Shadow was handled throughout this film. It was also cool to see Jim Carrey playing two roles with grandfather, and grandson for the older Robotnik characters. And Ben Schwartz as Sonic, Idris Elba as Knuckles, and so on, they were all really great in their respective roles too. And the score, wow, definitely awesome, especially when it makes nods to some of the Sonic The Hedgehog video games! Additionally, there is some really, really great action in this film. For those who like a fun action film even in a family, I’m sure both kids, and adults alike will enjoy any action scenes that help make this film have a potential adult appeal. This most definitely seems to be the case with the climax. I won’t give away what happens in the climax of this third film, but let’s just say it may yet be one of the most memorable ones, and almost has a feel like that of sci-fi films like Independence Day, Armageddon, the animated sci-fi film Titan A.E., and films like those.

Honestly, if there were any flaws with Sonic The Hedgehog 3, it would be that Gerald Robotnik probably could have been written, and handled a little better than he was in the end. He was still a great villain. Still, he could have maybe been handled better.

And that’s my review for Sonic The Hedgehog 3. Truth be told, though it probably could have been released at any other time of the year, I can see why the filmmakers chose Christmas time, of all times, to do so. Truly, Sonic The Hedgehog 3 is likely just as good, maybe even an improvement upon its two predecessors. The relationships are well established, especially Shadow’s, and Maria’s, the acting is superb, the story is surprisingly amazing, the action is most likely out of this world, and it is an overall film that deserves to be watched during the Christmas Break, and shortly after. If you haven’t seen this sequel, but have seen the first two, I highly recommend that you do. You’ll probably be surprised by how much of an improvement it may yet be upon the first two films. So go see it, and see what you think!

Final Rating: 9.5/10 ⭐️

Well, everyone, today, we review Disney’s latest animated feature. Oh, but this time, it is a sequel, one to one of Disney’s biggest hits that was just released 8 years ago. Not only that, but it was originally a planned TV show that turned into a movie, likely due to the previous two Disney films, Strange World (2022), and Wish (2023) not performing so well at the box office. With that said, let’s discuss Moana 2, shall we?

Plot: Three years after the events of the first film, Moana (Auli’i Cravalho) has a vision, given to her by one of her ancestors, in which she is told to bring up an island by the name of Motufetu, an island that connects other islands, but was sunk by a storm god named Nalo (Tofiga Fepulea’i) a while back. With the help of her old demigod friend, Maui (Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson), and some newer friends, will Moana be able to raise up the island, and connect the islands, and their people once, and for all?

Well, with all the big box office numbers that this sequel to the 2016 hit has been making, does Moana 2 live up to the miraculous hype? Well, yes, and no! Here’s the thing! Moana 2 is a good sequel. I’ll give it that. However, there are some things that keep it from being a really great sequel. First of all, there were a couple plot holes this time around. Normally, that wouldn’t be the case, but there were some scenes that, let’s just say were strange, and didn’t exactly make sense, especially when it came to making certain connections with the first film. Additionally, some of the animation felt like something out of maybe a video game, or something like that. Not all of the animation was like that. It was mainly some dark scenes, and maybe even some lighting on some of the newer characters. I wish I could maybe better describe it, but that’s all I’ll say in that regard for now. Finally, there are the songs. Oh, don’t get me wrong, some of them are good, like “Beyond”, and “Can I Get A Chee Hoo”. Aside from those, not a lot of them seemed to have the same impact as say songs from the first film like “How Far I’ll Go”, or “Shiny”, or “Song Of The Ancestors”, for example, and don’t quite live up to their full potential as a result.

With all those said, was this film still good? Yes! I mean for a sequel that was originally supposed to serve as a string of episodes of a now scrapped TV show, it’s actually not so bad. Some of the newer characters were good, and you can really see growth in Moana, as well as other characters from the first movie. There were also some really interesting twists this time around as well. That is especially one that occurs near the end of this sequel. And, again, for the music, there are at least a couple songs as well. I’m not sure if the absence of Lin-Manuel Miranda kept this sequel from having almost as fantastic music as the first film, or something else. Oh well, either way! Additionally, it was nice to have another fun adventure with Moana, and the gang. I mean considering that this was originally supposed to be a series for Disney+, and then got scrapped into a movie, they did fairly well with making it into a movie. In fact, probably a little better than say when Disney had a similar problem with Atlantis: The Lost Empire, but turned part of that scrapped series into a direct-to-video sequel. There were also some very comedic moments in this film from characters like Hei Hei, and others. Even Maui, and a few additional characters, had some hilarious moments as well. Speaking of the characters, main, or side ones, Pua the Pig gets to join on this new venture with Moana, and the gang this time around. I mean since we didn’t get to see him much in the first film, that is one improvement for this sequel. As for the animation, though some of it may not have been the best, when it’s good, it’s really, really good. Finally, Moana 2 teaches some great lessons in teamwork, love, and compassion, and more.

And that’s my review for Moana 2. Even if not the best sequel, it still wasn’t so bad for what we got. Well, that is especially considering the background behind this sequel. Despite this sequel not quite being one of the best, or being as good as its predecessor, other than us getting more of side character Pua this time around, this sequel is still very good. It still has some good animation, characters with great singing voices, and the voice work behind them, and more. Oh, and make sure that you stay for a mid-credits scene in this film. You won’t want to miss it. Why? Well, let’s just say that you’ll find it surprising. Now, with this Disney film out of the way, will Mufasa: The Lion King end things on a fairly high note for Disney as well? We shall see!

Final Rating: 8.5/10

Well, everyone, today, we are going to be doing movie reviewing in a way that I don’t normally do, but thought I’d try it this time around, and probably should have tried with the Hobbit trilogy. Oh well! Anyway, let’s now discuss the Lord Of The Rings trilogy that consists of The Fellowship Of The Ring (2001), The Two Towers (2002), and The Return Of The King (2003)!

Plot for Fellowship Of The Ring: In the mythical land of Middle-Earth, in the land of Mordor, the dark lord, Sauron forges a ring in the fires of Mount Doom, and attempts to use it to dominate over other magical rings of that world, and over all Middle-Earth overall. However, an alliance of men, and elves that resist the rings power, and march upon Mordor to fight Sauron, and his army. Though Sauron is vanquished, Isildur, the son of the king of Gondor, takes the ring for himself, instead of casting it in the fires of Mt. Doom, and destroying evil. For the next 2500/3000 years, the ring ends up in the hands of creatures like Gollum (Andy Serkis), and then in the hands of a hobbit named Bilbo Baggins (Ian Holm). Sometime after this, Bilbo, his nephew, Frodo (Elijah Wood), and a company of others are summoned to the elf kingdom of Rivendell). King Elrond (Hugo Weaving) then summons them, and tells them that the ring must be taken to Mordor once, and for all. Frodo then agrees to the difficult task, and is accompanied by Gandalf the wizard (Ian McKellen), Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen), Boromir (Sean Bean), Gimli the dwarf (John Rhys-Davies), and hobbits Sam, Pippin, and Merry (Sean Astin, Billy Boyd, and Dominic Monaghan respectively). Now, they must make the hard journey from Rivendell to Mordor.

So, unlike The Hobbit, I never got the chance to read any of the Lord Of The Rings books. So, in the reviews of these films, I will not be making any comparisons to the books. Also, my reviews of these films will probable shorter ones this time around. That all being said, what are the pros, or cons of The Fellowship Of The Ring?

Well, for the pros, the film, first of all, has an excellent score by Howard Shore. Throughout the course of this movie, his score has a way of making get more emotional, feel more excitement, feel suspense even more, and things like that. I’m actually thrilled to hear that Fellowship Of The Ring won an Oscar for Best Original Score, along with likely other Oscar awards as well. Then, there’s the characters. Frodo, Gandalf, Samwise Gamge, Aragorn, they are all really well developed within around three hours. Oh, and there’s also Gimli the dwarf, who helps provide comic relief for this film. Definite thanks to the filmmakers for the comic relief element mostly with Gimli. Additionally, the script was also well-written, well-paced, and also had some really funny lines from some additional characters as well. But overall, what makes Lord Of The Rings really well done is the pacing of the story. Yes, I’m sure there were much more incredible amounts of details in the books. However, what really makes this film, and even the other two films shine is the incredible amount of symbolism in this Lord Of The Rings series. I’m sure you can tell that Peter Jackson wanted to respect J.R.R. Tolkien’s work as much as possible. Why? Because a great amount of symbolism, particularly with the whole nature of good versus evil, is just incredibly well done here. Again, probably done better in the books. Even so, for what we got here, and for how much may have likely been condensed, it was definitely well done. What’s more is that the relationships are even well handled. Even when there is a point when a character gets sucked into evil, and temporarily betrays another one, it’s just great how this film even shows that if we allow it, we can get sucked into evil, making bad choices, of course feel guilty from time to time, and more.

Honestly, if there was one thing that maybe could have been included in this film is the whole deal with the Orcs. I know that a character in this movie briefly mentioned that Orcs were once Elves. So, if that was the case, and/or even if the book elaborated on that more, this film probably could have kept, and incorporated that element into this first film. Yeah, maybe that would have added an extra 15-20 minutes. But you know what, films like Titanic were a little over three hours. So, why not make this film, and maybe even the other two films do so as well, even before we had the extended editions of the Lord Of The Rings films, you know?

And that’s at least my review for The Fellowship Of The Ring. The film is full of suspense, comedy, great fantasy, excellent world building of Middle-Earth. Though maybe some things could have likely been elaborated on a little more, for what we got, Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring is an excellent film overall. If you haven’t seen this movie, then all the more reason to see it, and see what you think!

Final Rating 9/10 ⭐️

And now for my review of Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers!

Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers Plot: In this second installment, Frodo (Elijah Wood), and Samwise Gamge (Sean Astin) continue their journey to Mordor after getting separated from the rest of their company, and now being accompanied by Gollum. Meanwhile, Pippin (Billy Boyd), and Merry (Dominic Monaghan) escape from the orcs that captured them, then run into a company of talking trees, along with Gandalf (Ian McKellen) reuniting with Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas (Viggo Mortensen, John Rhys-Davies, and Orlando Bloom), to help King Theoden of Rohan (Bernard Hill) reclaim a kingdom by the name of Helm’s Deep).

Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers is definitely a good film. What’s even more is that this second installment is more action-packed this time around. At the same time, we see great development with not only the old characters, but also the newer ones as well. Theoden was a great leader, along with his daughter, Eowyn, who cares about her father, and ends up having a liking for Aragorn. Even villains like Grima were crafty as well. What makes the characters stand out even more is there being symbolic moments with some of them, whether it’s certain moments with Gandalf, Gollum dealing with inner conflict with himself, and more. Also, this is the second of three films, there could be times when this Lord Of The Rings like a bit of a drag. However, the action scenes, and any scenes that help develop the story, characters, and more help make up for that. And then, of course, there’s Howard Shore’s score. Why he didn’t even get a nomination for his score, or even win an Oscar for that year, I’m not sure. Still, that should have been the case, especially with how his score is composed near the end. Speaking of the beginning, and endings, I will say that you may yet find yourself surprised by how the very beginning of this film is set up as well. However, it is also a great setup for certain events that occur throughout the rest of this second film. I also heard that some things that weren’t in the book were added to this film. Of those things that I heard about, I will say those were rather interesting to hear about, especially a subplot that was included during the climax of this film. The conflicts that occur near the end, like the one at Isengard, and the awesome battle for Helm’s Deep, those were all really well done as well. Still, I will say that what also makes this really great is the script. This is especially the case with some of speeches that some of the characters make near the end, most notably a speech that Sam makes to Frodo that let’s just say could be one of the most powerful speeches spoken, and that would ring true even today. Finally, messages that include not giving up hope, even when it may seem easy to do so were really great as well.

And that’s my review for Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers. For a film that may feel a little more action-packed, it is done really well. The characters are still well developed, the story does well with moving along for the most part, and there are some really great lines as well. If you liked The Fellowship Of The Ring, then hopefully you will like The Two Towers just as much, if not more so. So again, see it, and see what you think!

Final Rating: 9.5/10 ⭐️

Plot of The Return Of The King: As Frodo, Sam, and Gollum get every step closer to Mordor to destroy the Ring, Sauron vamps things up by sending an army of Orcs, and other evil creatures to places like Minas Tirith, and other areas to destroy all that is good in Middle Earth. But can Gandalf, Aragorn, and the gang stop them? And will Frodo, Sam, and Gollum finally destroy the One Ring in the fires of Mount Doom in Mordor once, and for all?

Well, for the final installment, Peter Jackson went hard, and all in with this one. And boy, does it show! Not only did Jackson do well with the story, but also Howard Shore with the score, the people that made the visuals, and so much more. The CGI even on the monsters, and Orcs are really good even by today’s standards. Yes, this film may have been a little more violent this time around. Still, that’s expected, especially considering how much things vamp up this final time around. But what’s even more interesting is how symbolic this film was, maybe even more so than in say the first two installments. I mean with this film showing how people can be easily brainwashed into betraying others, how not everyone can be trusted, the fact that anyone can get enticed into so easily, learning to let go when necessary, and so much more. Oh, and another thing! I did think it was interesting that unlike the first two films, not only was there a song playing during the end credits, but you also had some of the characters singing on different occasions over the course of this film as well. And what’s even more is that you get a sense of different emotions as well. I mean you feel truly sad at points, happy at others, and more. Finally, as for the ending, I won’t say what happens, but let’s just say that it’s bittersweet, and a real tear-jerker

And that’s my review for Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King. Though it might have taken some liberties from the book, it does well with remaining faithful to its source material, and keeping a lot of symbolisms that were put in the book in the first place. And what’s more is that you may find yourself getting a little more enjoyment from this one than the previous two films. If you haven’t seen Lord Of The Rings: Return Of The King, or the previous two films, do so ASAP, especially if you’re a fantasy buff, or want a story that’s truly exciting, has richness in it, and more. So yeah, see it, and see what you think!

Final Rating 10/10 ⭐️

Well, everyone, I hope you all enjoyed me reviewing this film, along with the other two films, and the Hobbit trilogy. Now, will Lord Of The Rings: The War Of The Rohirrim be almost, if not quite as good as this trilogy? We shall see!

Today, we review a film from Universal Pictures that was based on a popular musical that has had a long run for a long while. Not to mention that it is the origin story of the Wicked Witch Of The West, and The Good Witch Of The East. Starring Ariana Grande-Butera, Cynthia Erivo, and a few other people, the movie is Wicked.

Plot: The movie tells the origin story of how Elphaba Thropp (aka the future Wicked Witch Of The West, and played by Cynthia Erivo), and Glinda (aka The Good Witch Of The East, and played by Ariana Grande-Butera) each came to be on the path to each of their choices that they decided to make in the end.

Well, even though it is only the first of two parts of this musical (the second film comes out next year), this first part was still very good. First of all, the music was very top notch. Still, some of the highlights included songs like “I’m Not That Girl”, “Popular”, and even “Defying Gravity”. Even the other songs that I didn’t mention were very good, and you’ll probably find yourself humming, and singing even after this movie is over, especially since most of them are from the original Wicked musical that this film is based on. Oh, and did I forget to mention that Stephen Schwartz, who is known for helping out with music from films like Godspell, and The Prince Of Egypt, also did the songs for the original musical, and for this film itself? Having him at the helm of the music was most likely a very well done choice. Also, the way that the film was setup was very good, and has a very good fantasy feel to it. What’s even more is that the storyline, and a lot of the CGI, especially with the animals, seems to make Wicked: Part One make the film have a Harry Potter, or Fantastic Beasts type of vibe. I guess that’s not that surprising, since this is one of those where we have fantasy sorcery included in this film. With all that said, did we really need this film divided into two parts? Well, maybe, maybe not. Then again, the original play was divided into Act One, and then Act Two. This film was also around 2.5 to 3 hours. So, the fact that Universal Pictures, and the filmmakers involved decided to go this route probably does make sense. And hey, at least this film wasn’t divided into three parts, with one of those films having a little ton much comedic nonsense, and dragging a little too much at times (talking to you, Hobbit three part film series). In this case, it probably does make sense dividing it into three parts. For one, again, the songs help make this movie even better. They even help develop the characters even more. Putting the songs aside, having at least the first part helps make room to develop the characters very well. I’m sure that when Part Two is released next year, the characters will be developed even better. This film does show that some people do end being even more complex than we realize. Anyway, the world building of Oz was also really great. The designs, the trains, the clothing, and more, also really great. The characters were also really great, be it Glinda, Elphaba, Fiyero, Nessarose, you name it, they were all really great characters. Some of them had really great lines that helped make this film very funny at times. Finally, this film can help teach some very good lessons like how you can’t always trust people that come in your life, and how not all decisions are the right ones.

The only issue that one could likely have with Wicked is that some of character development, and some of the story could feel a little confusing at times. That is especially near the end of the film. But then again, that may be the case for those who have at least seen the film, but not the musical. So, maybe it might make more sense if you see both? You got me!

And that’s my review for Wicked: Part One. Though some elements of the film might feel a little confusing at times, the movie is overall really great. Truthfully, with movies like this, Moana 2, Gladiator 2, and more getting released over the course of the Thanksgiving, and Christmas holiday season, we may yet have one of the better years of films being released, as 2024 comes to a close. Wicked: Part One is obviously in this lineup. This film has heart, there’s comedy, likable characters, some of the most top notch songs that you can think of, and more that help make this film very good. If you haven’t seen Wicked:Part One, I highly recommend it. I can guarantee that this will especially be one of those times that you’ll be glad that you got out of the house to venture to the movie theater to see a movie. So yeah, see this film, and see what you think!

Final Rating: 9.5/10 ⭐️

P.S. So, even though it’s shortly after my 700th film review, I’ve decided to still try this new rating. That is since, well, I’ve heard that this rating system might be a little better than the letter grading system. I might go back to that sometime in the future. But we’ll see! Anyway, just thought you all should know!

And now, it’s time for Gladiator 2, the sequel to a classic historical action film that was released 24 years ago, soon to be 25 come next year, Gladiator. Now, let’s discuss its sequel, Gladiator 2.

Plot: Sixteen years after the events of the first film, Lucius Aurelius (aka Hanno, and played by Paul Mescal), and grandson of former emperor Marcus Aurelius, is a farmer with his wife, Arishat (Yuval Gonen) in the Northern African kingdom of Numidia. But one day, Roman General Acacius (Pedro Pascal) conquers that part of the land, kills Arishat, and takes Lucius as a gladiator prisoner by orders of corrupt twin emperors Geta, and Caracalla (Fred Hechinger, and Joseph Quinn). Now, as a gladiator, will Lucius ever reconnect with his mother, Lucilla (Connie Nielsen)? And will he, and his gladiators help revive a dream that former gladiator Maximus once had for Rome?

So, was this film as good as the first one? Well, not quite. It’s still good, but it likely could have been a little better. First of all, some of the writing for the film could have maybe been tweaked here and there. I mean especially with at least some of the character development, it could have been done better. Also, Lucius was most likely a little too big of a jerk at times. I mean some of those instances I could see where he was coming from. However, he might have gone a little overboard. Some of the villains might have had a little bit of a too nice persona at points too, especially Denzel Washington playing Macrinus. Finally, there were also some scenes that might have been a little too bloody, and gory even for an R-rated film.

But with all that said, what does make Gladiator 2 work? Well, even though this sequel wasn’t exactly needed, especially since we hardly see any of the same cast this time around, the story, though clunky in places, was overall very good. It definitely showed how the people of Rome were hardly ever willing to back down in a fight, and were willing to go all in. I’m sure that many of you heard the saying “Rome ruled the world!”, yes? Well, here’s a film that demonstrated just that. As for the majority of characters that were not mentioned in the last paragraph, they were also really good. You can really sense when a person is truly trying to do what’s good, and right, and when others are just downright corrupt, and evil. What’s even more is that not only can you see the physical battles going on in this film, but you can also sense any spiritual battles going on over the course of this film as well. Next, there are the action sequences. Now, again, some of them might have been a little too gory, even for an R-rated film. Still, even if that might have been the case at times, it doesn’t change that a lot of them were also still very well choreographed as well. Probably one of the best action sequences that this film could have had was maybe the climax of this film. The reason being is because of how neither the heroes nor the villains were willing to go down without an actual fight. The way that it was handled was excellent.

And that’s my review for Gladiator 2. Though it may not be quite on the classic level, like it’s 2000 predecessor, Gladiator is still fun, action-packed, has some really great acting, more often than not, and has a very good score. Granted, it was more violent than it most likely needed to be. And yes, some of the acting could have maybe been a little better. Some characters also could have felt a little underdeveloped at times. Despite these flaws, Gladiator 2 is still an overall fun time, even if it doesn’t quite live up to the 2000 film. Even so, definitely go see the film when you have the chance. I can guarantee that you’ll still enjoy it regardless.

Final Grade: B+

And now, we shall come to the conclusion of the Hobbit trilogy, this third one, which will be reaching its ten-year anniversary this year. So now, let’s dive into The Hobbit: The Battle Of Five Armies.

Plot: After Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage), his dwarf clan, and Bilbo (Martin Freeman) have reclaimed the dwarf kingdom in the Lonely Mountain, as well as Smaug the dragon (Benedict Cumberbatch) getting defeated by Bard (Luke Evans), the new leader of Lake Town, Thorin, and company, with the help of the citizens of Lake Town, and other dwarf clans, must face a new threat, as Azog the Defiler (Manu Bennett) summons his Orc army, and other creatures of Mordor to try to rid the Lonely Mountain of the dwarves. It is up to Thorin, and the gang to defeat Azog once and for all.

Well, what is there to say for this Hobbit film? Well, first of all, this was most definitely one of the strongest, along with likely the second Hobbit film. Again, did we need three parts for The Hobbit? Probably not! Still, what we got in this third film was awesome. Starting with the characters, we got the following:

Smaug the dragon: We see this very briefly in the beginning of this film. For those of you who have seen this film, you know why. For the time he has in this film, he still has his devious, and cunning nature, and will try to do anything to discourage others from getting done what needs to be done.

Azog the Defiler: Wow, what a menacing Orc villain, especially for a character that didn’t even possess magic powers. He’s sneaky, and clearly would not give up on his hatred for the dwarves, or anything, or anyone that served a good cause.

Bard the Bowman: What’s not to like about Bard? He’s always willing to do what’s right, and is always willing to lend a helping hand to those in need. And another thing! How could you not appreciate that he was willing to step up, and be a leader, after the citizens of his town suffered greatly from what Smaug the dragon did to their town? Also, after rewatching this film recently, something that I think a lot of people can appreciate about his character is that he won’t repay evil for evil, but to be willing to repay evil with good, even when certain cruel characters may deserve just punishment, so to speak. Also, how could you not care for his kids?

Alfred Lickspittle: Oh man, what a coward this guy was. He was also very greedy, and, unlike Bard, cared only for riches, rather than other people. Tragic!

Gandalf the Grey: He is most definitely a great voice of reason. He definitely has great words of wisdom, and will do whatever it takes to avoid war of any kind.

Tauriel & Legolas: Both were willing to do what’s right, even if it sometimes meant having to go against orders of elf leader Thranduil.

Thranduil: Not exactly the best elf leader, but you could probably tell that he was trying to do what he thought best especially for his kind.

Bilbo Baggins: Bilbo most definitely cared about the dwarves, but also could sense that Thorin Oakenshield was not being the best leader. One of the more impressive things about him for this third installment was that he was willing to defy orders from characters like Thorin in order to save him, and his dwarf clan, and Bard, and the others for going to war with each other. He was also willing to do whatever it took to help, and save the lives of others that needed it.

Thorin Oakenshield & the Dwarves: Thorin had a really great character arc throughout this third film. Also, I loved the symbolism that occurred as his character progressed throughout this movie. Still, at least you know that deep down, he had a good heart that needed to hopefully resurface at some point. And at least the other dwarves had more of a conscience than him at least at first.

As for the other aspects, there’s Howard Shore’s score. Man, did he do a great job. In fact, though maybe not quite on the level of say Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King, it was still very good, and helped carry the emotions of this film. The battle scenes were surprisingly phenomenal as well, from Lake Town’s battle with Smaug, the battle that involved the dwarves, Bard, Gandalf, and their armies against Azog, and the Orcs near the end, and more. Additionally, it was great how Peter Jackson did his best to keep as much of the spiritual, and symbolic elements of the Hobbit book incorporated in this film, and in the previous two Hobbit movies. From the lessons of doing what’s right, to letting the love or riches corrupt you, and more, there are probably more lessons that can be taken from this film. Finally, the ending can potentially make you feel bittersweet, happy at the same time, and maybe some other feelings as well.

And that’s my review for The Hobbit: The Battle Of Five Armies. Overall, even if we didn’t need three films, maybe two at most, The Hobbit: The Battles Of Five Armies was an excellent way to end this film series. It also may have served as an excellent setup for the Lord Of The Rings trilogy. It has excellent actions, great visuals, has very emotional moments at times, and is one that you will overall be glad that you saw. Definitely give this film, and the previous Hobbit films a chance when you can. The first may not be as good as the second, or third films. Still, for what we got, definitely worth checking out. So yeah, see it, and see what you think!

Final Grade: A+

Well, everyone, today, we will take a mini break from The Hobbit, and Lord Of The Rings film series for a bit. In its place, we shall talk about a film that was apparently directed by Dallas Jenkins, who has also been directing The Chosen TV series. Presenting his recently theatrically released film debut, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever!

Plot: Grace Bradley, and the staff at her church, have helped direct a Christmas pageant at their local church for quite a few years. But when the one main female that organizes it gets injured, Grace has no choice but to step up to the plate, and direct the pageant for the first time in her life. That plan doesn’t bode well at first, as six siblings, known as the Herdman children, and who are big time troublemakers, leave Grace no choice but to have them be included in different parts in the pageant. Through the process, the question remains, will the Herdman kids remain the same troublemakers by the end, or might the pageant help change each of their lives, and their hearts?

Well, first of all, Dallas Jenkins, along with film companies Lionsgate, and Kingdom Story Company, help create a really well-crafted film. This film ends up having some Christian values incorporated in, while taking some very realistic approaches in life, and making it work really well for this film. The acting, and characters are also really well developed, well-thought out, and have some really good depth to each of them. Also, having Dan Haseltine, a former member of Christian band Jars Of Clay, compose music in this film, that was super cool. Additionally, it is also amazing to have a Christmas film that is not only very heartwarming, but also very uplifting, and is overall a film that should hopefully become a newer Christmas classic film for people to enjoy around Thanksgiving, and Christmas every year. Honestly, with the world that we live in especially as of recently, it would seem as The Best Christmas Pageant Ever is a holiday film that is needed. The movie also helps people see possibilities of the first Christmas from a newer angle. What makes this film even better is that this movie does well with portraying the fact that there are people in life that call themselves Christians, while acting judgmental, hypocritical, and overall high, and mighty, while there are other Christian people that do a better job of showing love, grace, compassion, and mercy to others as Jesus would. And you know what? That is something that makes this film worth seeing even more. Why? Well, because that is an aspect that has become really common particularly in today’s day, and age. Because of this, this is most definitely a film that could help Christians examine themselves, and hearts. Hopefully, should quite a few non-Christian people give this film a chance, they will also somehow feel drawn into the Christian faith. Finally, after seeing this film, you will most likely leave with a smile on your face, and be glad that you saw this film in the end.

And that’s my review for The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. The characters are very real, and the movie is overall a film that is bound to be heart touching to all who see this film. Truly, it is a movie that needs to be seen on the big screen before being seen possibly a second time, or more, on video. Dallas Jenkins truly made a great film that ought to become a Christmas, and Christian classic? Let’s hope, and pray that The Best Christmas Pageant Ever won’t be forgotten, and out back on the shelf as the years go by. So yes, go see this film, and I can guarantee you’ll be glad you did!

Final Grade: A+

And now, onto The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug!

Plot: After Bilbo (Martin Sheen), Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage), Gandalf (Ian McKellen), and the dwarves have faced perilous battles with Orcs, including the Orc leader, Azog the Defiler (Manu Bennett), in the first film, along with other dangerous creatures, they now continue to face threats not only from Orcs, but also encounters with other creatures, and an overall perilous journey, as they continue their journey to the dwarf kingdom of the Lonely Mountain. Did they make it, and reclaim it back from Smaug the dragon (Benedict Cumberbatch)?

So, did this second film improve from the first movie? Well, in quite a few ways, yes, it did. There may have been one, or two issues. Aside from that, this film was really, really good. First of all, the filmmakers raised the stakes for things such as suspense, more depth to the characters, and more. Even Howard Shore improved vastly with his musical score for this second Hobbit installment. Also, nearly every single character was fleshed out lore this time around, especially ones like Gandalf, Thorin, Bilbo, villains like Azog the defiler, and even newer characters that we get introduced to this time like Tauriel, or even characters like Legolas (yes, we get to see him in this film, just as we saw the elf leader, Elrond or Rivendell in Rhe Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey). Oh, and it was also great to see Bard, who is played by Luke Evans, in this film as well. But probably one of the most notable characters is Smaug the dragon, who is well voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch. I mean even though he doesn’t show up until near the end of this movie, every moment that he’s in makes The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug much more memorable. In fact, if you liked villains from the Lord Of The Rings trilogy like the Orcs, Sméagol, or Sauron, you’re most definitely bound to like, and love to hate Smaug the dragon as well. He’s menacing, cunning, persistent in his greed for treasure, and will not hesitate to stop anyone that might try to get in his way. In addition to all of this, there were scenes that were surprisingly really well choreographed, most notably a scene that involves Bilbo, and the dwarves each floating in a barrel downstream. I won’t spoil how that happens, or how that whole sequence plays out. However, I will say that that sequence, along with scenes like the dwarves, and Bilbo dealing with Smaug in the Lonely Mountain, were very well played out, and well crafted. Truthfully, in this film, and even the first, and maybe even third films, you can tell that Peter Jackson was trying to remain as faithful to the source material as possible. Did he take some liberties? Most likely! But still, he did well with trying to depict scenes from the Hobbit book as much as possible. And yeah, it shows. Additionally, both this movie, and the first film have seemed to serve as reminders of why preventing evil from rising, and running amok is important. One other thing to mention is that there were a couple interesting twists in this film as well.

Honestly, if there was one thing that could have maybe been taken out of this film, it might have e been the love relationship between Kili the dwarf, and Tauriel the elf. Don’t get me wrong! It’s nice to add things from time to time. And yeah, it was great to have a relationship between a male, and female incorporated this time around. At the same time, one can’t help but wonder if maybe this time around, that might have bogged this movie from moving it’s story along a little more, and maybe even just having this film get divided into just two parts (again a problem that the first film seemed to have more so), you know? 

And that’s my review for The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug. It is most definitely a vast improvement from The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. The characters are fleshed out more, twists are great, and lessons from this film are great. Honestly, after seeing this film, you’ll most likely find yourself more excited to see how things wrap up in the third, and final Hobbit film. Even if you might not have been a fan of the first Hobbit film, still give this one a chance anyway since, the first one was still very good, and, two, you’ll likely be surprised by how much better The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug is. Again, see this film, and see what you think!

And now, onto The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug!

Plot: After Bilbo (Martin Sheen), Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage), Gandalf (Ian McKellen), and the dwarves have faced perilous battles with Orcs, including the Orc leader, Azog the Defiler (Manu Bennett), in the first film, along with other dangerous creatures, they now continue to face threats not only from Orcs, but also encounters with other creatures, and an overall perilous journey, as they continue their journey to the dwarf kingdom of the Lonely Mountain. Did they make it, and reclaim it back from Smaug the dragon (Benedict Cumberbatch)?

Plot: After Bilbo (Martin Sheen), Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage), Gandalf (Ian McKellen), and the dwarves have faced perilous battles with Orcs, including the Orc leader, Azog the Defiler (Manu Bennett), in the first film, along with other dangerous creatures, they now continue to face threats not only from Orcs, but also encounters with other creatures, and an overall perilous journey, as they continue their journey to the dwarf kingdom of the Lonely Mountain. Did they make it, and reclaim it back from Smaug the dragon (Benedict Cumberbatch)?

Plot: After Bilbo (Martin Sheen), Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage), Gandalf (Ian McKellen), and the dwarves have faced perilous battles with Orcs, including the Orc leader, Azog the Defiler (Manu Bennett), in the first film, along with other dangerous creatures, they now continue to face threats not only from Orcs, but also encounters with other creatures, and an overall perilous journey, as they continue their journey to the dwarf kingdom of the Lonely Mountain. Did they make it, and reclaim it back from Smaug the dragon (Benedict Cumberbatch)?

So, did this second film improve from the first movie? Well, in quite a few ways, yes, it did. There may have been one, or two issues. Aside from that, this film was really, really good. First of all, the filmmakers raised the stakes for things such as suspense, more depth to the characters, and more. Even Howard Shore improved vastly with his musical score for this second Hobbit installment. Also, nearly every single character was fleshed out lore this time around, especially ones like Gandalf, Thorin, Bilbo, villains like Azog the defiler, and even newer characters that we get introduced to this time like Tauriel, or even characters like Legolas (yes, we get to see him in this film, just as we saw the elf leader, Elrond or Rivendell in Rhe Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey). Oh, and it was also great to see Bard, who is played by Luke Evans, in this film as well. But probably one of the most notable characters is Smaug the dragon, who is well voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch. I mean even though he doesn’t show up until near the end of this movie, every moment that he’s in makes The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug much more memorable. In fact, if you liked villains from the Lord Of The Rings trilogy like the Orcs, Sméagol, or Sauron, you’re most definitely bound to like, and love to hate Smaug the dragon as well. He’s menacing, cunning, persistent in his greed for treasure, and will not hesitate to stop anyone that might try to get in his way. In addition to all of this, there were scenes that were surprisingly really well choreographed, most notably a scene that involves Bilbo, and the dwarves each floating in a barrel downstream. I won’t spoil how that happens, or how that whole sequence plays out. However, I will say that that sequence, along with scenes like the dwarves, and Bilbo dealing with Smaug in the Lonely Mountain, were very well played out, and well crafted. Truthfully, in this film, and even the first, and maybe even third films, you can tell that Peter Jackson was trying to remain as faithful to the source material as possible. Did he take some liberties? Most likely! But still, he did well with trying to depict scenes from the Hobbit book as much as possible. And yeah, it shows. Additionally, both this movie, and the first film have seemed to serve as reminders of why preventing evil from rising, and running amok is important. One other thing to mention is that there were a couple interesting twists in this film as well.

Honestly, if there was one thing that could have maybe been taken out of this film, it might have e been the love relationship between Kili the dwarf, and Tauriel the elf. Don’t get me wrong! It’s nice to add things from time to time. And yeah, it was great to have a relationship between a male, and female incorporated this time around. At the same time, one can’t help but wonder if maybe this time around, that might have bogged this movie from moving it’s story along a little more, and maybe even just having this film get divided into just two parts (again a problem that the first film seemed to have more so), you know?

And that’s my review for The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug. It is most definitely a vast improvement from The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. The characters are fleshed out more, twists are great, and lessons from this film are great. Honestly, after seeing this film, you’ll most likely find yourself more excited to see how things wrap up in the third, and final Hobbit film. Even if you might not have been a fan of the first Hobbit film, still give this one a chance anyway since, the first one was still very good, and, two, you’ll likely be surprised by how much better The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug is. Again, see this film, and see what you think!