K. G.

TL;DR - I recommend watching Murderbot, even to fans of the book. I was apprehensive about this show from the start - the book series is my favorite and the trailer looked pretty unfaithful and lame. I'm glad to have been proven wrong. The show is actually pretty great - it's fairly faithful and entertaining, and even funny. [I'm sorry, but this review is going to contain a lot of comparisons to the book - it's really unavoidable] To be clear, I think they kept the big picture of the story the same, and also some tiny details; like, they even ripped some lines straight from the book, which was awesome. But, they did make significant changes, and not always for the better... though there were actually some improvements over the book. Generally, on the plus side, they really added more depth of characterization to the main cast, which I think all of Preservation's team benefitted from, if not equally (in the book most of the characters tended to blend together and not have much character of their own until later books, and I found them difficult to tell apart). On the neutral side: they removed a couple characters (which I do agree was necessary). And, on the negative side: they tweaked Murderbot's characterization and portrayal in a way that I think was overall a downgrade from the book. Plot-wise, the changes were also a mixed bag - like, they obviously had to add stuff to pad the runtime, and while the worldbuilding stuff was generally a great addition to the book's lore, some of the actual plot beats weren't as cleanly or cleverly executed as in the book. Casting-wise, I think they did a phenomenal job. All of the actors were just *chef's kiss* perfect, but I think Mensah's actor really stood out as a particularly faithful choice. Gurathin's actor was also great and his character definitely benefitted the most from the writer's additions. And while Skarsgard wasn't *my* Murderbot, I still think he captured the essence of the character and did a great job in the role. Also, one just straight-up positive addition to the story was the inclusion and use of the in-universe television shows. Sanctuary Moon was absolutely cheesy and perfect. And having multiple characters either catch the references, or have references to their own favorite shows just felt realistic and was often pretty funny too.

I watched it with my elderly parents, and we all enjoyed it. There are so many family friendly / children's movies that are poorly made and an absolute snooze fest for adults. This is not one of them. The Wild Robot is one of the rare, well-made movies that I think will appeal to adults just as much as (if not even more than) their kids. Like, there's solid humor and a heartwarming storyline centered around both parenting and growing up and leaving the nest. It's worth a watch even if you don't have kids.

3.5 Stars, rounded up. The movie had a strong start and finish, with some genuinely funny bits of humor, heartwarming moments, and catchy music. Plus the acting, casting, makeup, wardrobe, set design, etc. was all on point. Like most family friendly movies, there are some more adult jokes that will go straight over kids' heads but which worked, and I think will land for adults. The writing was overall solid: the mystery at the start hooked me, and I didn't see the twist(s) concerning Barbie until they happened. Meanwhile, the writers did a good job of building up dread concerning Ken, and the direction his story was taking and what would come from it. Usually I enjoy fish out of water stories, but here those were my least favorite bits. Really, the entire middle of the movie sort of felt like it dragged - an unfortunately common problem I have with most stories. Here, I could see how all the middle pieces were necessary, but I personally just wasn't a fan. There were also important messages that everyone could stand to learn from, but the writing and delivery was rather uninspiring and forced... like, I get that sometimes you have to (or want to) be blunt and clear with your message, but those moments in the movie stuck out like a sore thumb and I think they could've been done better. The messaging itself was also more... "Feminism 101" than anything deep and nuanced, and had so much "Capitalism good" baked into it, it might as well have been an actual commercial *for capitalism*. Still, if someone has made it into the 21st century without knowing anything about feminism, then I guess this wouldn't be a terrible way to get their feet wet. On a similar note: there was one moment that threw me right out of the movie. The CEO claiming that he cared about kids and wouldn't sacrifice them for profit was hands-down the least believable part of the story and hit me in the face like a giant cognitive dissonance fish.

Strong start and end with a middle that felt like it dragged on just a bit too long. There were a few stand-out songs and moments peppered throughout the movie, but quite a few more songs that were just kinda meh. I think all the characters were well acted and perfectly cast. Also, this is just a pretty movie overall - the costuming and set designs especially stood out. In all, it was a good movie that was far better than the trailers made it seem, and I was surprised by how much I liked it despite not being terribly fond of musicals.

I was going to give this 4 stars, but then I saw some lady whining about "the gay agenda" and decided to be generous. Anyway, I wasn't sure if I'd like the show at first. But while the first couple episodes were kinda forgettable, the last three absolutely were *not*. I think I was hooked at "The Ballad of the Witches' Road" (which is such an earworm and the scene was a bit funny ngl), but the great acting, interesting premise, and well executed story kept me engaged. There were also a couple twists that were also well done, which I do find rare. Plus the costuming and special effects were awesome. Usually media whose target audience is women tends to fall in the romance genre, which I am perpetually disappointed by. Shows like this and Birds of Prey are such a welcome breath of fresh air. In short: this was the perfect show for spooky season (well, perfect for me) - more campy than true horror, with good acting, engaging characters, and a cool story.

The first couple episodes were interesting, but the twist at the end of act one fully caught my attention and ensured it would be impossible to look away. I've never really been one for tragedies, but I've also never regretted watching this show. The characters are flawed and the mistakes they make are understandable and painfully human. The logic of the story flows smoothly, directed by both the world and the characters, and I can't recall it truly feeling forced, or unnatural, or wrong. The action on display is also some of the best I've seen - it is not only creative and enjoyable to watch, but it furthers the story, and really showcases the characters. The writing delivered on some genuine twists that I didn't see coming until it was too late, and by the end of this show I'd stated delving into League of Legend lore (via its wiki and Youtube videos). The series isn't perfect, and there are definitely some weaker moments, but they're handily overshadowed by the show's stronger scenes, and overall it's an experience I strongly recommend.

It wasn't boring, and sometimes that's enough. 3.5 stars rounded down. YMMV - if you're a fan of the comic character and expect a faithful adaptation, you'll hate this movie. If you don't like or haven't read the comics, and you're just looking for an entertaining superhero-adjacent movie (and don't mind liberal cheesiness, and some dumb bits), then you'll stand a good chance of enjoying it. The best part of the movie was probably the casting - everyone fit their roles perfectly and did the best with what they were given. The worst part of this movie is that it was almost great - there were clearly some good (or at least interesting) pieces here, but they were always paved over in the stupidest way possible. The Catwoman costume, for instance - the first iteration was perfect, but then they had to go and do a 2.0 version which was "sexier" and both very, very dumb and generally offensive in all matters of taste and practicality. The second worst part of the movie was the strange and unnecessary old cat lady interlude... just everything about that scene. And her magic CGI cats too. **Spoilers (sorta)* They had an interesting setup for a villain which would've nicely complemented the movie's themes (ie. corporations knowingly harming people for profit), but nope! Twist, the final villain is just another woman who's afraid of growing old, who kills what should've been the actual final villain so that the movie can have a dramatic final battle. **** TL;DR - good movie to watch if you like the superhero genre, are not in the mood for thinking too hard, don't care about adaptation accuracy, and are willing to overlook some glaring flaws for a decently good time.

3.5 stars rounded down because 4 stars seemed too generous. I really didn't think I'd like this movie, seeing as I'm not a fan of Melissa McCarthy movies in general, but it surprisingly kept me entertained throughout, and is probably my favorite one of her movies. The beginning did a great job of setting up the world and makes you care about the main characters - I can't stress enough how much the opening carried the weight of the movie. There are some interesting ideas, even if they aren't pulled off well (the idea of some anomaly giving only terrible people superpowers is genuinely an interesting premise, but calling them "Miscreants" was just so dumb it kinda killed it for me). It also seemed like this setup would lead to more consequences than we see on screen - but trying to critically analyze the world / story was probably always going to be an exercise in frustration anyway. There are also some funny bits, even if it's never laugh out loud funny, and enough minor twists that the story doesn't grow boring. TL;DR - basically a less good Sky High. It's the sort of movie that's good for putting on when you're feeling tired or under the weather and don't want to think much.

Truly one of the worst anime I've ever watched. It runs along the same vein as Sword Art Online's bland, overpowered, boring protagonist - just pure wish fulfillment slop - but worse. Where I thought SAO's writing was threadbare (especially in it's characterization), here it is nonexistent. I have read fanfictions with better done isekai plots, and action. Oh boy, the action here. Yikes. You remember Shyamalan's Last Airbender movie? The scene with the earthbenders escaping? There was one "fight" in this anime that painfully reminded me of that scene - all build up, no payoff. And while that was the most egregious, the other fight scenes weren't executed with any more finesse. The stakes felt superficial at best, they didn't truly challenge the protagonist, and they were just... boring. The writers also seemed determined to lampshade all of shounen's absolute worst tropes... immediately before falling face first into them. No subversions, inversions, witty commentary, or anything remotely clever. I have no idea how this utter waste of my time and few remaining braincells has anything above a 3/10 stars on any serious reviewing platform. And that's being generous because it had potential in its first couple episodes. Needless to say, I will be avoiding everything written by this author in the future.

All around it's a good time for the whole family. The animation's pretty, the character designs are unique and cool, the characters all come across like they're supposed to, and the world and story are all interesting. Plus there's quite a bit of humor, and most of it even lands. I'd even say it has a good message, but I think it stumbled a bit at the very end, which ended up muddying it.