And now, everyone, today, we review a film that was based on true events. It is the one, and only, The Unbreakable Boy!
Plot: The movie revolves around a boy named Austin LeRette (Jacob Laval), who is on the Autism spectrum, and has a brittle bone disease. In spite of conditions like these, can people like his father (Zachary Levi), and stepmother (Meghan Fahy), and the rest of his family, and friends help him succeed in life?
Wow, what a remarkable movie! First of all, to have a chance to journey with Austin, and his family is really remarkable in this case. I mean with the hardships that Austin had to face due to both his autism, as well as the frequent hospital visits as a result of him having the condition of Osteogenesis Imperfecta, but him continuing to have joy in the midst of all of that, wow, I think most of us could learn something from Austin, and the rest of his family. Additionally, though it may be a family film, there are quite a few heavy moments in this film as well. In fact, there are some moments that might fly over those of younger kids. And that’s okay, those kids can ask about those when they’re older. The characters are also really well done. I was surprised by how much Austin himself really stood out in this film. And what’s more is how having autism can have both its negatives, and positives at the same time. Then, of course, there’s the acting. I mean Zachary Levi as Scott, Austin’s dad, he may have a very similar personality to other characters that Levi may play in other films like Shazam, or even Flynn in Tangled. At the same time, however, Levi also knows how to have a more somber, and serious side for any moments that require that as well. However, probationer of the biggest standouts of this film is how the son, Austin, still remains joyful, and hardly ever cares about what anyone thinks of him. Not to mention that Austin will show love, and compassion to those who may not deserve it. Honestly, for those of us that haven’t seen this film yet, that is one of the reasons that everyone needs to see this film. Truth be told, this film will probably help others gain a better perspective on people, and life overall. For reasons such as these, the characters, and the story overall are really well developed.
And that’s my review for The Unbreakable Boy. The movie, overall, helps teach great lessons on love, and compassion for others, faith, and other good qualities that we need more films about. Truth be told, it is films like this one that need to gain more in popularity than films like Captain America: Brave New World. No offense to superhero franchises, or even franchises that have come out over the past month, but solo films like this need to have the spotlight more so by other people as well. If you want to see a film in which the main character, and his family had to overcome so many impossible odds in life, then The Unbreakable Boy is truly a must see. It’s guaranteed that people that see this movie will most definitely take some valuable lessons after watching it. Hard to believe!?! Well, then definitely see for yourself then!
Ladies, and gentlemen, today, we review the latest installment in the Paddington film series. It is the one, and only Paddington In Peru.
Plot: When Paddington Bear/Brown (Ben Winshaw) receives a letter from the Reverend Mother in Peru (Olivia Colman) that his aunt Lucy (Imelda Staunton) is missing in action, it is up to Paddington, and his family to head to Peru, and find her.
Well, this third installment in the Paddington franchise is definitely a fun outing. Paddington In Peru does well with balancing comedy, serious moments, and heart overall. One thing that I’m sure some will find surprising about this sequel is that the actress that played Mrs. Brown, Sally Hawkins, was replaced by Emily Mortimer this time around. Rumor has it that she felt that her time as playing that character had come to an end. Whether or not that was actually true, you got me. Anyway, Paddington In Peru does most definitely up the stakes in quite a few ways compared to the previous two films. There’s action! There’s danger! And, of course, there is excitement aplenty to be found here. Oh, and did I forget to mention that Antonio Banderas gets to play one of the villains in this film? Okay, the character that he plays isn’t exactly so much a villain, as he is more of an antihero type of character. As for who the real villain is, well, let’s just say that you may, or may not be surprised by who that turns out to be. And that, my friends, brings us to the storyline. Well, it could potentially feel a little cliche on the surface. At the same time, however, let’s also say that you also may be surprised by the ways that the story is handled in the end. I mean from some of the action sequences, to the climax itself, it is interesting the way that certain events unfold as this story progresses. Oh, and did I forget that this film has some very interesting twists as well, especially one, or two, that occur near end of this film? How interesting, especially for a family film, eh? One other thing that I would like to mention, for positives, is that the ending seems to be very surprising. Honestly, the one negative that I can think of is that the ending might have felt a little rushed. Thankfully, not by much, but still.
And that’s my review for Paddington In Peru. If you haven’t seen this sequel, I highly recommend that you. It may not quite be the masterpiece that the first film is, but definitely better than the second installment. Plus, it has the right amount of things going on. I would say that if you are interested in a sequel that at least is better than the second film, please give this one a chance. You’ll most likely love it for its humor, heartwarming moments, the action, and all else that makes this sequel really enjoyable.
Plot: When Paddington Bear (Ben Winshaw) gets framed for the theft of a special pop-up book, it is up to his adoptive family to find the real culprit, and get him out of jail.
So, is this sequel as good as the first Paddington film? Well, let me put it to you all this way! Paddington 2 may have some elements in this film that people will probably find better here than in the first movie. However, overall, though the sequel is definitely really good, is not quite on par with the first one. First of all, there was a character from the first film that, though he seemed to have a good arc in the first movie, that seemed to go out the window in this second movie, as he seemed a little too quick to jump to conclusions, most notably when he was wrongly judged Paddington Bear on certain actions. In addition to that, what was with some of the main characters going to consult a fortune teller at a special carnival event that was taking place? I mean yeah, I do at least get that it was a way to help move the story along. Still, I’m not sure that it was the best way to do so. So there you have that!
But now, let’s discuss the positives in Paddington 2. Well, for one, it was an interesting premise to see Paddington framed for a crime, but doing the best that he can to make the most of it while in jail. There was also a lot of creativity to this sequel as well. It also did well with showing how characters like Paddington can be a little gullible, and naive about the world around them. Seeing as even adults have been guilty of that from time to time, it was good to see that portrayed here in this film. And, like I said before, there are at least some elements that may have made this sequel somewhat superior. For one, there’s the villain. The one from the first film seemed a little one note, and not all too interesting as a result. In this sequel, however, this one, who was played by Hugh Jackman, was a much more interesting character. I mean he was fun, charismatic, and had so many other great qualities to go along with his character, especially for a villain. Paddington’s relationship with his family was developed even stronger this time around as well. Oh, and if you want a really good sequel, not only do the things that I just mentioned make it great, but there is a surprise at the very end as well. I won’t say what happens, but let’s just say that it’s because of moments like it, and certain other moments in this sequel as well, that I wouldn’t be surprised if at least some people considered Paddington 2 superior to it’s predecessor. Finally, make sure that you stay during part of the end credits. You’ll be glad that you did, as an additional scene occurs during the rolling of the credits.
And that’s my review for Paddington 2. Though maybe not overall on par with the first film, there are moments that people may like the second film even a little better. Either way, because this sequel is still really good, it’s worth seeing. The score is nice, the villain is excellent, the characters are overall really great, and there are some nice surprises here and there. It is for these reasons that I highly suggest that you see Paddington 2. I can guarantee that you’ll be glad that you did in the end.
Well, everyone, today, in honor of a third Paddington film being released here very soon, we go through the first two films, starting with this one. So, here you go, the one, and only Paddington!
Plot: When an unknown species of bear comes to London, England from Peru, following the death of his uncle, he finds a human family that consists of the parents, and their son, and daughter, and decide to keep him for the time being. Now, will the family be able to find him a proper home, or will Paddington their new family companion in the end?
Well, as I’m sure many of us know, a lot of live-action family films that have had humans, and talking animals in them have been hit, or miss. Well, in the case of this film, Paddington, it is most definitely a hit. What we have here is a film with plenty of heart, soul, and humor. Paddington is a very heartwarming film. I mean one of the main things to love about the film is, first of all, how much they capture the life of places like Peru, and London, the two places that this film take place in, especially the latter one. Second of all, Paddington also does great with showing how change, whether it’s having a new child, getting adopted, or whatever else, can change a person’s life, more so for the better. Additionally, as mentioned before, there is such a great deal of comedy in this film. Honestly, the kinds of funny scenes that occur throughout this film, they are so genius. I mean no crude humor, no crude remarks, or anything else that could make the humor dirty, and/or crude. Considering that even in family films, filmmakers have had a tendency to put the more dirty kind of humor in, it is most definitely nice to see that films like Paddington didn’t have to rely on that, and/or have to force comedy in period. And what’s more is that even if Paddington may be technically be in the category of children’s entertainment, the film does have a lot even for teens, and adults to enjoy as well. Honestly, it’s one of those family live-action family films that, like films such as Stuart Little, and maybe even ones like the more recent Lyle, Lyle Crocodile, for instance, might go on to be such a heartwarming film with heart, and story, that could go on to potentially be a classic in the future, if not now. In addition to all of this, the acting is great. I mean you got High Bonneville, Sally Hawkins, Madeleine Harris, Samuel Joslin, Peter Capaldi, and even Nicole Kidman in this film. Still, it is Ben Winshaw, who voices Paddington himself, that really steals the show. As for the story itself, well, though it may be simple, it is also surprisingly creative. That is another aspect that makes Paddington worthwhile. What’s more is that the way that the beginning, and even other scenes are structured in this film is really creative, and well-done overall as well. Finally, Paddington is great at teaching valuable lessons such as the true meaning of family, that you don’t always know what you got until it’s gone, that having a family can change a person, even for the better, and lessons like those.
And that’s my review for Paddington. Truly, it is a live-action family film that works well. Honestly, if more studios made more movies like it, instead of making animated films that are full-on computer-animated all the time, we may get have a better balance of the types of family films in that regard. Paddington has well-developed characters, a story that’s well-structured, great comedy, and more that make this movie worth your while. Definitely see Paddington if you have yet to. You’ll definitely enjoy this film one way, or the other.
Ladies, and gentlemen, today, we review a film that the Lion King nerd in me had long been anticipating since it was first announced back in September 2022. It is a Disney film that serves as both a sequel, and prequel to the 2019 remake of the classic 1994 Disney animated film. Oh, and it is also a Disney film to be released in December of this past year, the very first one to get a release in such a month since 2018’s Mary Poppins Returns. So now, let’s discuss the one, and only film, Mufasa: The Lion King.
Plot: Rafiki (John Kani) recounts to Kiara (Blue Ivy Carter), the daughter of Simba (Donald Glover), and Nala (Beyoncé Knowles Carter), some rather key events in the life of her grandfather, Mufasa (Braelyn, and Brielle Rankins as young Mufasa, and Aaron Pierre as adult Mufasa), from his relationship with Taka/Scar (Theo Somolu as cub Taka/Scar, and Kelvin Harrison Jr. as adult Taka/Scar), how he became King of the Pride Lands, and more.
Okay, first of all, I will say this, I’m glad that Disney decided to honor James Earl Jones by having a line of his from the original Lion King movie included in this film. Wow, what a great way to honor his legacy, since he played one of the most iconic roles in The Lion King in the character of Mufasa. With that said, did we need this sequel/prequel to the remake, and/or the original Lion King? Well, not necessarily. But was it good for what it was? Well, in more ways than not, yes. First of all, the visuals were most definitely spectacular, especially when it came to sunrises, and sunsets, and the scenery of any beautiful lush paradise that was portrayed in this film. Second, there was the relationship between Mufasa, and Taka, and any other relation he had in this film, be it with his biological parents, and adoptive parents, and, of course, his relationship with Sarabi. I will say that Obasi, and Eshe, the latter who especially was the one to take Mufasa in after he, let’s just say, went through really tough circumstances in the beginning of the film, seemed to be very much like gorilla parents Kerchak, and Kala from Disney’s Tarzan. Anyway, nearly all of the relationships that Mufasa has are well-established, aside from the one with Obasi, that is. Additionally, there is the deal of some elements being taken from both a New Age, and potential Christian perspective. This is where I’m sure some people, especially Christians will feel ambivalent about this film, and those elements of this film, especially with the whole thing with Milele. I mean, on the one hand, the whole deal with Milele can feel like a rough New Age element. On the other hand, the whole thing with some believing that it either exists, or it doesn’t, is a very good parallel to real life with some people believing that Heaven exists, and others believing that it may not. So, as a result, some people will likely have mixed feelings with that, along with other aspects included in this film. Next, there are the songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda. Well, I will say that even though not all of them will leave an impact like say the original songs of The Lion King did, be it “Just Can’t Wait To Be King”, “Be Prepared”, “Hakuna Matata”, and songs like those, there were some very fun songs in this new Lion King film. I know a lot of people seem to love “I’ve Always Wanted A Brother”. And yeah, it’s a good song, along with “We Go Together”, “Tell Me It’s You” (which seems to have the feel of songs like The Lion King’s “Can You Feel The Love Tonight”, or even a song like “Rewrite The Stars” from The Greatest Showman), and maybe even “Brother Betrayed”. The other few songs in this film, like “Ngomso”, “Milele”, and “Bye-Bye”, they were alright. Speaking of music, the score was also very good. Dave Metzger, and Nicholas Britell did the score this time around. Let me tell you, they did do great writing their own score. However, they also did well with making nods to the score of the original Lion King film, and making it work very well. Oh, and the voice acting was really great too. I mean Aaron Pierre, who voiced Mufasa, Jo doubt he had some big shoes to fill in this film. Still, for the performance he gave, he did well. Same can be said about Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Taka/Scar, Tiffany Boone as Sarabi, John Kani as Rafiki, and even Mads Mikkelsen as Kiros, who was the leader of a pride of white, and served as the villain of this film. Oh, and did I forget to mention that Keith David, and Anika Noni Rose also were in this film, voicing Mufasa’s biological parents, Masego, and Afia? Yeah, seeing them come back in another Disney film 15 years after voicing other characters in the 2009 Disney film, The Princess & The Frog, that was a very welcome treat. One other thing that I will say that people will be impressed by how humble Mufasa is throughout this film, whether it’s sacrificing for others, including his attempts to sacrifice his own happiness for those he cares about, even when it may blow in his face, and more. It’s also impressive that Mufasa will do his best to stand up for what’s right. Finally, how could you not appreciate having Kiara, Simba, and Nala’s daughter, included in this film?
With all of these good things that I mentioned, are there cons to Mufasa: The Lion King? Well, yes, there are a few, actually. First of all, there’s the deal with not all of these songs being memorable. Yes, a majority of them were good. But I’m not sure that some of them were needed. Additionally, there were a couple plot holes in this film as well. Also, as I mentioned before, the film may a little bit too much of New Age stuff. Yes, that may have been the case for the original Lion King. Still, it seemed maybe a little more so this time around. Also, why did the villains end up being white lions, and lionesses this time around? Okay, don’t get me wrong, it was nice that some people might learn of a new species of lion this time around, especially if maybe you were a young kid. Still, considering the political climate that America especially has been experiencing in recent years, it kind of makes you wonder, was the white lion species a reference to say the old anime show, Kimba The White Lion, or did Disney intend to include subtle racism in this film? I don’t know, it just didn’t seem like having white lions as the villains was the best idea, you know? But hey, just a thought! Additionally, even if most of the relationships in this film were done very well, there were a few, like the one with Mufasa, and his stepfather, Obasi, that could have maybe been handled better. Speaking of Obasi, even if he did have one, or two redeeming qualities, overall, he was definitely not the best role model for a father, especially not to his biological son, Taka/Scar. There were also one, or two questions that could have been answered, but seemed to be left just the opposite way. Finally, some of the beginning did seem to drag before we got to the main meat of the story.
And that’s my review for Mufasa: The Lion King. Well, even if we didn’t necessarily need this film, this was definitely a very good film. Still, in some ways, it may have felt obvious that Disney was trying to rush to get this film released sometime during the year that the original Lion King film had reached its 30th anniversary. Honestly, had Disney not been trying so hard to do so, gone through one, or two rewrites, and maybe waited another year, or two, Mufasa: The Lion King might have likely been a better film than it was in the end. As it is, it’s still good. It just could have been better. Even so, definitely do still make it a point to see it if you’re a fan of The Lion King, love Disney, are a big movie buff period, or something like that, still make a point to see Mufasa: The Lion King. I can guarantee that you’ll still enjoy it.
Everyone, today, we review the latest film that was released by the Christian film, and TV company, Angel Studios. Released around Christmas time, the film is Homestead.
Plot: After a nuclear bomb is detonated in Los Angeles, a group of evacuees evacuate to a safe haven called Homestead in the mountains of California. As the group encounters threats, and some other dangers in the process, the owner, and the refugees must wonder if they can stay safe there, or if they have to go somewhere else.
So, how was this latest film from Angel Studios? Well, for the most part, really good. It was definitely great to see a film that showed how to learn to survive during a time when a nuclear bomb goes off, or some such scenario like that. Next, the acting was excellent. One most noteworthy role was Neal McDonough as Ian Ross, the head of the fictional Homestead in the mountains in this film. Additionally, there are the characters in this film. Man, a great majority of them are very interesting. I mean you have characters that range from ones that think things from a mostly logical point of view, as well as those that see things from both a logical, but also faith-based point of view as well. Most of the characters themselves were very interesting as well. This movie also does well with tackling some interesting issues like when to make the right decisions, experiencing forgiveness, having faith that miracles, and the impossible can happen from time to time, and more. And yes, though a serious movie more often than not, Homestead does have some comedic moments here and there as well. And what’s more this may yet be one of the more mature films that Angel Studios has seemed to have, besides maybe Sound Of Freedom.
That all being said, this was a film from Angel Studios that did have a few issues as well. First of all, some of the beginning did seem to drag for maybe around the first 20-25 minutes, if not more. There was morning that, but Homestead might have focused on one too many characters at times. Yes, a lot of them were very well developed, make no mistake about that! However, there were others that probably could have been fleshed out a little more.
And that’s my review for Homestead. If you haven’t seen this faith-based film yet, I suggest you do. Honestly, though a lot of Christians are probably going to enjoy this movie, I wouldn’t be surprised if even some non-Christians found the items I listed, or other reasons to enjoy this film as well. It’s well-done, thought-provoking, and has other really great qualities that make it enjoyable. So, definitely go see it, if you haven’t, yet. I’m sure you’ll definitely enjoy it.
Ladies, and gentlemen, on Christmas Day of this past year, we received yet another movie biopic of a musical artist like with Bohemian Rhapsody, and Rocket Man, which were about Queen, and Elton John respectively. This time, we got one that revolves around the one, and only Bob Dylan. So now, let’s discuss the film about him, A Complete Unknown.
Plot: The film revolves around Bob Dylan (portrayed by Timothee Chalamet), and how he rose to fame in the music industry.
Well, even though this film, like some of the other previous biopics, had some sad, and depressing moments at times, A Complete Unknown did seem to feel more uplifting this time around. I mean, come on, this is a biopic about someone who made big hits like “Serve Somebody”, for crying out loud. And if you don’t remember how that song goes, well, just go, and listen to it. Anyway, I will also say that this movie did great with showing a lot of Bob Dylan’s life. Again, I won’t say much about that, so that more people will want to see this film. Anyway, this movie does a great job portraying Bob Dylan’s life, from some of the music that he began writing, his, let’s just say, interesting love life, his struggles, and more. Also, there was also the casting. Wow, the casting was awesome, with Elle Fanning, Monica Barbaro, Boyd Holbrook, and Timothee Chalamet as the main character himself, Bob Dylan. Man, seeing him cast as Bob Dylan was most definitely genius. I mean seeing him in more serious films like the action Dune series, as well as letting himself be in more fairly lighthearted roles like the character of Wonka in last year’s Wonka, and now this film where he sings once again, wow, that is actually cool, wouldn’t you say? There is also some really great comedy at unexpected moments in this film too. Honestly, the one thing that definitely could have made this film a little better would be that A Complete Unknown probably could have benefited a little more by showing more of Bob Dylan’s childhood before he became an adult, and became a famous name in the music industry.
And that’s my review for A Complete Unknown. If you haven’t seen this film, I would highly recommend that you do. I think that people who have enjoyed movies with Timothee Chalamet will love this film, as will those who love biopics with music, and enjoy comedies, and people like them. This film is also more of a fun biopic film than some of the previous ones that we’ve had in recent years. All said, definitely see A Complete Unknown, if you haven’t yet. Definitely guaranteed that you’ll enjoy it!
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!
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!
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!
Matthew’s Animated & Live-Action Movie Reviews 