Jesse Sinclair

Probably the best MCU show since Falcon & the Winter Soldier. What makes AAA work is that it clearly has an uncompromised creative vision. Everyone was on the same page, and they went for it hard. Where so many of the recent MCU properties have felt built by commitee, this one is made with love. Does that mean you will like? Not guaranteed, no. It's extremely campy, and very Halloween (I mean Halloween, not horror, they aren't the same). It's silly, got some spooky fun moments, but it's not going to scare anyone. Think of the children's Halloween movies you grew up on like the 90's Addams Family or Hocus Pocus. That vibe. If that's the vibe you are into, you'll love it. And if not, well, maybe not so much. But that's such a good thing! They made this on a lower budget (finally). It doesn't have to be everything to everyone to succeed. It just needs to find its audience. Also it's gay as hell, and I love that.

A smart, fun, fiendishly gory movie that delivers exactly what it wanted to. If you liked the trailer, you'll like the movie, and while I wouldn't say the movie has any twists, per se, it also puts enough of a spin on the formula that it feels fresh. All of the cast are great (seriously, everyone seems to have loved their role) but Alisha Weir steals all of her scenes with the premiere and most fun role. If she's this good as a child she is going to be earning Oscars in less than a decade.

A staggering return to form for the franchise that gets back to the series roots as both allegory and cautionary tale. While the CGI is far from perfect, it manages to look better than most modern blockbusters at a fraction of the price. More importantly, the film hits hard on both a visceral and emotional level, selling the devastation on a personal level, and not just as spectacle (though the spectacle is quite incredible). However, if you are looking for non-stop action in the vein of Godzilla VS Kong, recalibrate your expectations before going in. This is not an adventure movie. It is much slower, going back to the originals roots as a disaster film, where the hurricane/volcano/tornado/etc is replaced with a towering nuclear monster. If you go in with those expectations, you'll love the film, but it is slower paced. I found that made the action sequences, though fewer, much more impactful. I know the phrase "less is more" is often damning with faint praise, but it works here. You have time to breathe between the big events and see their impact on the characters (who I found likeable, believable, and memorable). Overall, one of my favourite Godzilla films.

Wakanda Forever is a different movie than it's forebearer. Of course, it has to be. I don't know what plans they had before Boseman's passing, but they clearly threw them all out afterwards. Where grief was one of many threads in Black Panther, it is nearly the whole tapestry here. What results is a raw, powerful, film that is less fun than the previous, but even more emotionally powerful. Wakanda Forever is less optimistic than the first, more pragmatic in terms of tone. Letitia Wright turns in an incredible performance as Shuri, and Angela Basset's Queen Ramonda continues to shine. Both seem to be drawing on the very real loss of Chadwick Boseman to fuel their characters. In many ways this elevates the film, but in one way it harms it. When the act three extravaganza begins, it's hard to care. The emotional lives of the characters are infinitely more compelling than the spectacle can ever be. This isn't to say the spectacle is bad. It's not. The fights are well choreographed, and the art direction is beautiful, but I did find myself wanting to just get them over with and get back to the character stuff.

A smart, fast-paced little horror movie that knows exactly what it wants to be. The movie is confident enough in itself, and it's audience, that it never bogs down with exposition or unecessary lore dumps, instead trusting its audience to follow along and leave questions that never needed answering alone. Where other recent creature features have bogged themselves down trying to justify the existence of the monster (LIFE comes to mind), UNDERWATER instead opts to simply provide the monsters as a fait accompli. There is no attempt to even explain the monsters existence. The answer doesn't matter. There are monsters from the deep and the characters just have to deal with that. Kristen Stewart turns in a tense, excellent, performance as character who is both extremely damaged and fragile, and paradoxically tough as nails. It really works, and sells her as someone who would survive in such a situation. The supporting cast are all talented, and it avoids the majority of cliches horror movies can fall into. If you are a fan of creature features and just want an entertaining ride with some goods thrills and chills, UNDERWATER is definitely for you.

SPOILER-FREE REVIEW: ☆☆☆☆+ (4.5/5) This show is not a reboot. It is a complete reimagining of She-Ra for a new generation. Frankly, the original wasn't that good (neither was He-Man). This new She-Ra is, however, freaking amazing! The animation is gloriously beautiful. It has a painterly elegance to the backgrounds, and a smooth flow to the motions that just doesn't read in still images. I really enjoyed it, but aesthetics are highly subjective so your mileage may vary. I really like the majority of the redesigns, though admittedly I REALLY dislike She-Ra's 'skorts'. Could she not have just had pants? The original She-Ra character designs were all very similar, looking more like pallete swaps than distinct characters. The new ones, however, are wonderfully diverse and unique. From Entrapta's work clothes (complete with grease stain) to Perfuma's art nouveau inspired dress you won't be getting the characters mixed up this time around! The character motivations are all solidly relatable, especially among the villains, which is a breath of fresh air among children's media. Even when you disagree with what the villains are doing you will understand where they are coming from. This is especially important since the evil Horde can seem comically underpowered compared to the heroes (admittedly a flaw the original shared as well). In fact, if the show has one major flaw it's that the emotional drive of the show is so strong, and the tension so entirely driven by relationship dynamics, that the actual story of the Horde versus the Rebellion is a B-plot at best, perhaps even a C-plot. Lastly, the show is brilliantly and unapologetically queer and diverse. For me this is a huge selling feature. I have three nieces and one nephew. I want them to grow up with representation normallizing diversity in all it's forms. The carefree and positive way this show presents such diversity, acting as if the broader sociatal conversation around these things isn't even happening, is unbelievably refreshing. All in all, a fantastic show for both those with children, and adults who just know how to indulge the child inside them.