Takavada Chiura

I'm usually thorough at reading reviews before watching a movie. This is one of the rare times I actually regretted reading so many reviews prior. Not that it ruined the ending or took anything away from Swan Song. Being forewarned about how a film will make you experience goosebumps kind of ruined the pleasant surprise of watching a well-written production. Nonetheless, the goosebump ending is worth your time, I strongly recommend it. Definitely gained a deeper appreciation for time and life. The best part is how Frank Ocean songs are seamlessly blended.

An accurate satirical depiction of modern times. A presidential administration more concerned about their rich friends than human civilization. Mainstream media which prioritizes entertainment over actual journalism. Political climate so polarized, even the truth and scientific facts ignite further divisiveness. Don't look up is able to address "ordinary Joe" frustrations, just listen to the science man *face palm COVID-19 masks and vaccinations*. I'm glad I was able to watch this from the comfort of my bed as opposed to a cinema because I gained an appreciation for how well-researched the writing is as I googled astronomy terms like "ephemeris" at every opportunity. The writing is sound, an all-star cast which doesn't disappoint. Timothée Chalamet who plays Yule delivers an all-time great prayer worthy of an end of the world scene, leaving the audience and cast at ease. Even the jokes were well-thought out and not your predictable dry sense of humor. The "why did the general charge them for free snacks" running joke was a personal favorite. I'm honestly finding it difficult to find any flaws with this movie. I could see myself bumping this 4 stars to a 5 stars after a re-watch.

Screenplay is phenomenal and the plot has an appropriate depth for a kid's movie. Only negatives I can think of; LeBron isn't lead actor material (maybe just yet). Director seemed to overlook this while shooting the family-centered scenes. Where LeBron really excelled was bouncing his dialogues off seasoned veterans like Don Cheadle and Bugs. We've seen from the film "Trainwreck" LeBron is already a much better actor than Michael Jordan. The editing team could've done a better job on that small matter. If I'm being super picky maybe we deserved a game-winning block since that's LeBron's signature play. Outside that, I had a really pleasant time watching this movie. The CGI and music combination can only be described as euphoric. Movie embraced its corniness and dry humor. Even got a chuckle out of me with the expected Michael B. Jordan cameo. Eernie Johnson and Lil Rel "basketball commentary" was undoubtedly the movie's unsung hero. Daffy Duck referring to Al G Rhythm (Don Cheadle) as a "son of a glitch" is probably my favorite line. Innuendo jokes about LeBron's super team building skills are more endearing than you would expect. Goon squad characters even brought their own fun and uniqueness for each member (in particular Chronos/Dame was an epic character) unlike the original Space Jam Monster squad. The film's digital conscious theme is so appropriate for a 2021 release. You've got Porky Pig rapping, Tweety Bird dunking, Granny out-dueling father time and LeBron James being trolled by Bugs Bunny, what more could you ask for? Ending is logical and leaves you feeling warm, what more can you ask for? In conclusion, "Space Jam: A New Legacy" is a vibe.

Extremely well-grounded story lines on a realistic political climate, nothing over the top. The characters are used effectively to convey dark humor and subtle wackiness. Selena evolves from a flimsy vice-president with somewhat good intentions into a narcissistic politician more concerned about power and her legacy, less intrigued by enacting actual change (yes, intended pun). Ironically Meyer is a terrible mother (no compassion skills whatsoever) from a wealthy background (making her oblivious to a lot of things) with a failed marriage to a con-artist (poor judge of character), yet we trust her to run a country for working class people. Meyer surrounds herself with an equally incompetent office to exacerbate her shortcomings as a leader. Her team creates such a toxic work environment even the most 'upstanding' of politicians like Tom James comes down to her level and indulges in crude and unbecoming political antics. This a well-executed theme throughout the show, as politicians constantly put their needs above those of the office, routinely sacrificing basic human rights to advance their own Geo-political positions. American general population is not absolved of fault as their Islamophobic, xenophobic, homophobic, racist and sexist views tend to feed this chaotic decision making. Attacking relevant political themes makes for a phenomenal watch. The only negative with the show is the gradual degrading of certain characters in an attempt to provide shock value and comic relief. Over the 7 seasons Mike transforms from a lazy and under qualified staff member into a plain idiot. Jonah is reduced from a disrespected/disliked individual with well-timed offensive outbursts into a man child with the social skills of a 5-year old. Consequently, certain dialogues and events become predictable unlike in previous seasons. Refreshingly pleasant and selfless office holders such as Laura Montez, Richard Splett and Kemi Talbot leave the audience with a glimmer of hope in politicians, to the satirical effect that only minorities make great modern day presidents.