Solaman Huq

I appreciate this take, as it allows us to see a “just starting” Batman, a Batman out of his element, a Batman overwhelmed and processing his trauma. A Batman who seeks salvation through his deeds. It allows you to stay grounded and with the character and his development, which is something that is somewhat lost on other portrayals. There is more loving things to say about everyone else’s portrayal, but I want to focus on Robert Patterson because it’s of the doubt in how well he’d do.

Really bummed out that the series is canceled. Really compelling plot and acting. but at times…I get it. I just watched season 2 episode 3 and it felt like there was an A and a B crew working on each piece. Fight choreography would be cliche and senseless for one scene, then in the other the camera work is spot on and compelling. One scene Kaz steals the show with a rueful one liner, the next scene I am watching Alina dialogue her way through 3 huge plot points over 4 sentences. But while the execution is sloppy at times, there is enough in the show to love that I am still invested and find myself back in it.

Not sure why this movie did so poorly in box office. Yeah sure there is some suspension of disbelief but it's a fun and charming movie. It takes very serious subjects in a very charming feel good way. Pacing is good, plot flows naturally, and certainly worth the cozy evening in bed.

Not a Movie for Nastalgia. So what went well? The visuals are stunning. These scenes are amazingly detailed and lifelike. They were also able to add a lot of weight to the scenes. The lions felt "heavy" unlike the original. They also did a great job with smash cuts. Nala's ambush in the Jungle spooked me, and Scar's "kill him" in the gorge felt terrifying. The musical composition is creative. The opening theme was wonderfully redone and the song as simba chased down the Sahara was energizing. Some of the casting was good. I enjoyed Donald Glover as Simba, and seth Rogan played into the character of Pumba well. So...went went not so well? Look, the original cast brought a lot to their characters. The sinister devious demeanor of scar is empty without Jeremy Irons (and be ready to be dissapointed because "be prepared" seems a little less than, if you ask me). Rafiki has none of his whimsy and charm without the voice of Robert Guillaume and his wry cackling laugh. And I want my Whoopie Goldberg back as Shenzi, please. But worse still, is that the cgi acts more of a prison for the emotion of the current cast. This scar does not lurk and shift like the original, this Rafiki does not amble and jive like the old, this Shenzi does not leer or smirk like the animation's. The CGI is stiff, and the cast cannot play into stiff. Lastly, the magic of a lot of moments are lost because the movie fails to capture the visual composition of the original; the stampede being the worst offender. At the very least they caught the opening flood well, but where is the close up zoom to Simba's face, capturing his horror? Why isnt Mufasa helplessly drowning in the stampede? I dont see the shot of mufasa's legs flicking against the wall, or the angled perspective against the wall, emphasizing the peril of his climb. Im missing the shot of scar's paws releasing Mufasa's; a stunning, direct visual of betrayal. Instead we have a lengthy sequence of him speaking, releasing and striking That visually emphasizes nothing. The CGI, while impressive, anchored itself too much in realism and robbed the movie of what made it dearly beloved, the emotion. And the cast, while great, just couldn't salvage what the animation broke.

Listen guys. Ryan Reynolds is a Pokemon. Imagine Deadpool but cuter softer and kind friendly. It's a kid movie that caters to the nostalgia of a twenty something like myself. Plus, there is a surprisingly small amount of plotholes that would take an adult like myself out of the experience.