The Mandalorian season 2 review

 

Happy new year eve. Review coming soon.

The second season of The Mandalorian is a triumph, mixing in elements from the original trilogy and cartoons to push the franchise forward. Cinematic visuals and top tier performances have brought Star Wars back to high pedigree.

10/10

Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)

Merry Christmas. Review coming soon.

Wonder Woman 1984 has noble ideas and great performances, but it buckles under the weight of its own ambitions with a runtime that it too long, problematic story holes, pacing issues, and underwhelming action sequences.

5/10

American Pie Presents: Girls' Rules (2020)

The fact that Eugene Levy didn't even appear in this one was already a bad sign. The director, Mike Elliott is known for direct to DVD movies, especially sequels, so the writing was on the wall there. The previous American Pie Presents: films aren't particularly good, but there was still an attempt to make something despite the lower budget. This film feels like a quota had to be met given that the last one of these sequels was produced in 2009.

The film runs at 95 minutes, and there really isn't that much of a story here so the review will follow the lead of the film and will be quick. The film follows sex curious Annie with her friends Stephanie Stifler, the badass of the group who just needs a good guy, Kayla, the wild control freak who doesn't trust her boyfriend who dumps her, and Michelle, the smart one with a collection of sex toys who masturbates to John F Kennedy speeches on their final year of high school. To  come to terms of what they are missing romantically, they make a pact to see their desires come true for MORP, a backward prom. Think Sadie Hawkins.

The forced feminist message that has been complained about in several female-centric films as of late is dialed up to 11 here, and yet it completely misses its point by having the main girl group lust after the same guy. This is something a male would imagine, so in that respect, it is an American Pie film. If a comedy film just wants to be what it is and not be about anything, that is just fine. I enjoy movies like that. The problem is this film is not funny at all. Several unfunny gags are repeated and the dialogue of many lines comes off as wooden. The set up for the opening scene is rushed and obvious.

It is a lazy and a watered-down installment of the franchise that I question the R rating. The opposite sex version of American Pie has a lot to prove to justify its existence, and this film just was not up to the task, despite the hard work the actors are putting into it. Maybe for a female version of American pie, you have women write and direct it. Just a thought. Booksmart (2019) received acclaim for a reason.

American Pie Presents: Girls' Rules is both cringey and generic with nothing there. It has a good case for being one of the worst films of the year.

1/10

The Boys - "What I Know"

This episode did not disappoint. With a movie like running time, the finale unexpectedly wrapped up a lot more than I expected as shows like this tend to have more questions than answers in their finales, so this episode was also a breath of fresh air in that regard.

After the congress hearing blew up in flames, Compound V is in high demand. The Boys don't stew in their loss for too long, planning to simply kill all members of the 7 as best they can, regardless of any consequences. Hughie and Annie decide to go in a different less destructive route and attempt to convince Maeve to testify, but she predictably refuses. Her passive behavior is still dominant in Elena's absence. Her outlook on the world is bleak, feeling that nothing will ever change, so there is no point in getting involved. Leaving her at her home, Hughie and Annie discuss their mothers, and we learn that Hughie's mother isn't dead, but left the family when he was 6. For fear of losing people, he attaches himself to them like glue, hence his attachment to both Butcher and Annie this season. Their sweet moment is interrupted by A-Train, who appears in the back of the car.

Stan Edgar has a meeting with Adana, and with Shockwave's death last episode, a spot on the 7 is vacant. Adana attempts to put both A-Train and The Deep, but Edgar is only willing to take one due to optics. Not taking this lying down, A-Train takes action and breaks into the church's files. He finds details surrounding  Stormfront's origins. Taking the enemy of my enemy is my friend's approach, he gives the file to Hughie and Annie to not only get back into the 7 but to call it even with Hughie after last season. It's nice that even though A-Train has selfish reasons for doing this, he agrees that the nazi has got to go.

While this is happening, Becca has escaped from the compound, and finds Butcher, asking for his help in saving Ryan. With Becca in their hideout, The Boys see a softer side to Butcher, and with them smiling when the two kiss, it is a testament to the cast chemistry that makes the moment as funny as it is. To find the boy, Butcher asks for help from an unexpected source: Stan Edgar. Edgar being a black man and working with Stormfront has been a lingering question, and it is answered. While he admits to having problems with her, complaining about it is a white man's luxury. Beyond that, his motivations are for Vought to thrive. However, he is willing to deal with Butcher to get Ryan back, as the boy is their back up plan to deal with Homelander if he gets out of control. Butcher's condition is that he gets Becca to himself. This behavior tracks and I was sitting them wondering what could go wrong with his plan.

Ryan finds himself growing close to Homelander, finally seeing him as his father in an emotional moment in the cabin where we see a genuinely heartwarming moment with Homelander where we see a "what if" scenario. What if he was the image the world sees him as and he received love in his youth? Just a shame. This follows with a training moment while Homelander tries to teach him to use his laser vision. To help him get there, Stormfront uses the opportunity to begin spreading her poison in him, saying that white people are being attacked because of what they look like. The moment is terrifying as adults have proven to have a huge impact on kids, both in real life and especially on this show. Even Homelander looks concerned. She luckily doesn't get too far, as she rushes to Vought quickly. The news that she is a nazi has been leaked by The Boys, and the reaction is swift. The Boys, having arrived use the opportunity to lure away Homelander with a piercing noise and secure Ryan. 

In an unexpected moment, Butcher changes his plan and tells Becca the truth of his deal with Edgar. Butcher willing to let Becca go to secure Ryan's future is an emotional moment between the couple. Even The Boys are surprised. Mother's Milk drives away with Becca and Ryan, but Stormfront returns at the wrong moment and ruins the plan. Butcher leads the two of them away while the rest of the team face Stormfront. The team struggles to fight her as she has proven to be a formidable threat. The tides change when Maeve appears. Having seen the news that she is a nazi, it is the spark needed to get Maeve to have her heroic moment, and it is epic. There is something so cathartic in seeing Stormfront get beaten up. The "Girls get it done" moment is earned and satisfying. The Boys just look on in awe.

Stormfront unfortunately escapes and catches up to Butcher, Becca, and Ryan. After knocking down Butcher, Becca manages to stab Stormfront in the eye, mirroring what happened to Stormfront in the comics. She then proceeds to choke Becca, and the moment of emotional distress unlocks Ryan's laser vision. Afterward, Stormfront is severely messed up, even by the show's standards. Her hair is brunt off, and she is missing her arms and legs. Is she dead? Who knows with this show. She was still conscious, speaking in German. The Vought press conference near the end of the episode has Homelander saying she is in an undisclosed location, and I can't see a reason why Vought would want to lie about her being dead or not. Killing a nazi would definitely be good press for them. I can't see people in a rush to want her back as Aya Cash only had a one-season contract, but she was so compelling as the main villain. I hate her but enjoyed watching her.

Unfortunately, it isn't a clean win. Ryan accidentally also hit his mother, and Becca dies. In her final moments, she forgives Ryan and begs Butcher not to let her death change Ryan, and to make sure that it isn't his fault. Karl Urban is so good in the moments quickly after Becca's death. With everything we know about him, with his look of pure anger, the audience isn't quite sure what will happen in that moment once he picks up his crowbar, but his love for his wife shines through. He is finally able to look at Ryan as Becca's son rather than Homelander's evil spawn. Butcher's story arc this season has been for the battle of his soul. With Becca alive at the start of the season, some of his savage behavior became subdued after she didn't run with him in episode 4. His motivation for the series going forward has changed, and it is exciting to see what happens going forward as his newly completed arc has ben top tier.

Homelander arrives and is devastated that Stormfront has been roughed up. He demands that Ryan return to him, but Maeve shuts it down, threatening to release the video of the failed plane rescue if he touches Butcher and Ryan, continues to chase Starlight, or interferes with her relationship with Elena. In a tense moment with no dialogue, he agrees. Homelander's psyche is in question after everything because he lost, probably for the first time ever. We last see him masturbating over the city like a madman. Eric Kripke had that moment from the first season cut, but it is back for this episode. I have to say that it is much more effective here. Ryan is sent off with protection so Vought never finds him, and Butcher is approached by Mallory to continue to team with government funding.

For the dark stories this show tells in a cynical view on life, it ends on a slighter more hopeful tone. Starlight and A-Train are back in the seven, Kimiko and Frenchie celebrate their victory by going dancing, Mother's Milk reunites with his family, and Hughie and Annie get back together. That said, with the main story arcs wrapped up, the episode doesn't end there. I believed initially that the church of the collective would have a larger role to play in the 3rd season, but it looks like I may be wrong, seeing as the head of the church is dead, and they have cast out the deep. During a phone call with Congresswoman Newman, Adana tells her he has a lot more dirt on supes and is willing to give them to her for a price. She seemingly agrees to it. He is about to drink a Fresca in victory when his head blows up. It is revealed that Newman is a supe, and she is the one responsible for blowing up heads. It is a twist that I certainly did not see coming. Why she has killed the people she has is a remaining question, and what's going to happen to Hughie who goes to work for her is another.

I applaud the writing staff for paying tribute to the original comics but going their own way. If you happen to read them, curious about what could happen for season 3, I don't think it will help you. Butcher is different enough from his comic counterpart that the show will not end the same way the comics did, and it is really exciting. Personally, I think that the show has eclipsed past the original comics.

"What I Know" concludes the second season of The Boys on a satisfying note, wrapping up a majority of the storylines successful with well written and performed emotion heft while establishing interesting story threads for season 3 with a shocking twist.

10/10

The Boys - "Butcher, Baker, Candlestick Maker"

This episode was mind...blowing. I'll see myself out, and for real, the ending had me shook as if it would do anything else. The penultimate episode of the season and the stakes have been considerably raised. Beyond that, the relationships between the characters and their parental figures are explored, as well as the effects on them.

The opening for this episode was chilling. Back in episode 4, Stormfront referred to her fans are her angry soldiers. A fan of hers finds himself becoming radicalized by Stormfront’s ceaseless fearmongering, white-supremacist language, and supe-terrorist conspiracy theories in all of her media appearances. It results in this man shooing and murdering a clerk who he suspects is a supe terrorist because he thought he saw a flicker in his eyes. The song that was twisted for this scene was "What a Wonderful World", and it is shockingly effective. It also highlights the impact of the main characters has on the civilians of this world. 

Following last week, Lamplighter has agreed to testify in front of congress to help take down Vought. The Boys are working with both Grace Mallory and congresswoman Neuman, who has popped up all throughout the season openly going against Vought, demanding hearings. They decide to get more dirt against Vought and approach the former CSO Jonah Vogelbaum. I believed that after the first season, the character was dead, but it seems that Homelander just put him in a chair. He is responsible for Homelander's creation and was his father figure. He regrets his actions, but he is fine living with his guilt in his mansion and refuses to help the boys. 

Butcher is set up to meet with his estranged father, played by John Noble. The nerd in me appreciated the Lord Of The Rings reunion. We learn from their intense conversation that his dad was abusive, and Billy, Butcher's brother had committed suicide. His dad bad mouths Billy and it leads Butcher to attack him. Nothing happens, but he is shocked that his dad is unrepentant and is proud of making Butcher tough, damn everything else. Why Butcher is the way he is is clear: the impact of his father. John Noble is just good casting.

The theme continues when Butcher meets with Vogelbaum himself. We learn that Homelander as a child was sweet, but Vogelbaum did what he felt he needed to to make him tougher. Butcher threatens to kill Vogelbaum's family if he doesn't testify, and that is the end of it.

Annie gets captured by Vought, having followed by Vought. Eric Kripke admitted in an interview that he regrets killing off Lamplighter because Shawn Ashmore killed it, and I can't help but agree. After Homelander exposes Annie as a traitor, Hughie convinces Lamplighter to help him save her. He made a convincing argument for Team Cuckold, seeing as how Lamplighter wanted to spend his day watching superhero porn in the daytime. Comic fans may have noticed that Jack from Jupiter made an appearance, in a gang bang porno. Anyway, they make it to Vought but go to the conference room instead. Lamplighter has been acting rather despondent for the whole episode, but suicide was the last thing I thought he was going to do. As he is lighting himself on fire, it created the perfect opportunity for Annie to escape, as her cell was retrofitted to counteract her powers.

Maeve finally got to do something heroic this season: Saving Annie from Black Noir. Following Elena watching the footage from the failed plane hijacking, Elena leaves, and Maeve is crushed. She copes with meaningless sex with strange men and vaping. As Annie tries to make her way out, Noir finds her, and they engage in a brutal fight. By fight, I mean beating. Annie gets some hits in, but Noir dominates. Then, Maeve enters and defeats Noir by putting an Almond Joy in his mouth as he is allergic. Almond Joys are getting just as much free press as Fresca is on this show.

I thought it was more of a cult, but this episode has me thinking that the church of the collective is more like Scientology. A-Train has joined so he can get back into the seven, but suspects weirdness when Alastair Adana, the leader of the church tells both him and The Dep to not talk to Eagle the Archer anymore as he "failed the program". There are then accusations about Eagle's sexual fetishes that leak on the news. I feel that the church will be expanded upon in the 3rd season, as there are many unknowns about them.

Homelander and Stormfront, after rallying their fans to support more supes and Compound V, go visit Becca and Ryan. Homelander isn't impressed with how Ryan is being raised, seeing it as him being a pussy, making Lego movies, and such. Lego The Blind Side looked pretty cool. He and Stormfront impress him by telling him about Homelander's movies. Becca finds herself losing Ryan by the episode's end when Homelander reveals to Ryan that they live in a compound. Becca argues that Ryan should stay with her as he needs a mother. Then Stormfront indicates that she will be the new mom, and the power couple flies away with him. This was a gripping moment, and I was eager that the scene cut away quickly as any moment with those two psychos are get horrible quickly.

The episode ends on quite the cliffhanger. In the congress hearing, before it starts, people's heads begin to blow up in the same manner as Raynor in the season premiere. You could certainly draw parallels between this and Batman V Superman. Vogelbaum is killed, along with several others, including Shockwave, A-Train's replacement. The Boys have suffered a big loss here with their plan once again crumbling in front of them. What to do, what to do.

"Butcher, Baker, Candlestick Maker" ramps up the tension to 11, moving each storyline successfully forward, teasing an exciting conclusion to a sensational season.

9.5/10

The Boys - "The Bloody Doors Off"

So... Stormfront is a Nazi. Racist was bad enough, but she is a straight-up nazi. As if audiences needed another reason to hate her. Jumping the gun a little bit here. Below, I go in a bit more depth but for my opening statement, I feel like I needed to acknowledge this first.

Following some snooping on Stormfront's computer, Annie discovers that something is happening at the Sage Grove treatment center. She brings this to The Boys after Frenchie removes Vought's chip implant in her body. Butcher and Annie finally team up in this one, and they hate each other. Butcher hates Supes and general, and Annie hasn't forgotten when he shot her last season. Seeing them work together was quite engaging, and they work together for one important purpose: saving Hughie. After he gets hit with Shrapnel, they rush to save his life. Another interesting tidbit: Annie is hardened. After she accidentally killed a man to take his car, she didn't self destruct or cry in a corner. She rationalized. It earned Butcher's respect, not that she wants it. The character has gotten great development, and I am all for Annie leaving behind that shiny superhero portrayal she plays for Vought. Seeing Butcher and Annie bond over the silly things Hughie does, like use child shampoo makes for nice levity, especially compared to the drama heavy storyline with the rest of the team.

We finally see why The Boys broke up in the first place from Frenchie's perspective. Hell, this is Frenchie's episode, and Tomer Kapon owns the spotlight. Jumping back and forth with the use of flashbacks, we see Frenchie with his lover Cherie, and his friend Jay. He originally joined The Boys to keep them out of prison. Later, Mallory orders him to follow Lamplighter after the team blackmails him. We know that he left his post, and Lamplighter torched Mallory's grandchildren, but now we know why he left. His friend Jay was suffering from an overdose. After saving his life, he rushed to go back to his post, but it was too late. To make it even worse, Jay, figuring Frenchie abandoned him left him and dies a few months later from another overdose.

All this is revealed when the team discovers that Lamplighter is working at the center, torching uncooperative team subjects. Rather than seeing vengeance being served, we see a team-up. Cindy, a test subject gets loose, and releases more subjects to cause absolute mayhem. Shawn Ashmore is a very underrated actor, so not only am I happy to see him play Lamplighter in an irony casting since he was Iceman, but he gave the character depth rather than him being clear cut evil. He is in torment for killing those kids, and it results in him covering for The Boys so Stormfront doesn't know that they were there and later meeting Mallory in the forest.

Frenchie comes to terms that saving Kimiko wouldn't solve his problems and she doesn't need to be saved. Now, Stormfront kills most of the escaped subjects, but there are a few standouts. Cindy, who is much stronger than she looks as she survived a direct blast from Stormfront, and Love Sausage, whos power is exactly what it sounds like. Seeing a CGI dick wrap itself around Mother's Milk's neck is something I will never forget. A fun easter egg for fans of the comic. I wasn't too sure they would put the character in the series.

Speaking of callbacks, the events of last season involving the plane crash come back here to haunt Maeve. The Deep provides her with a Go Pro from the crash in the sea, and Elena happens to stumble upon it. The video is damaging. This lights a bit of a spark in Maeve's storyline, but not much. The character in hindsight hasn't done much this season, but given how my complaints are seemingly addressed each week, I'll reserve my judgment for next week.

The endgame is revealed. Stormfront and Vought are trying to stabilize Compound V so an adult will be able to take it and get powers without dying. This is an effort to create an army of Supes so Vought can take back control of the culture as in Stormfront's eyes, the other races are beating them. By the episode's end, she reveals this to Homelander and her origins. She is over 100 years old, a nazi, the first successful superhuman experiment, and was married to Fredrick Vought. There is a moment after she dumps this on him that you don't know how he is going to take it, but he responds by kissing her while The Golden Girls theme song is playing. With these two closer than ever, this power couple is even more dangerous.

There is a fun cameo with Christopher Lennertz, the composer of the series. He raps a theme song for A Train, and I demand that it be made available to Spotify immediately.

"The Bloody Doors Off" fires on all cylinders with black humor and gory violence, but successfully ramps up the tension without being repetitive.
9/10

The Boys - "We Gotta Go Now"

Any show that disses what Joss Whedon did to Zack Snyder's Justice League is instantly my favourite. Writer Ellie Monahan is the episode's MVP. Her commentary of the way superhero films are created, and how corporations have thin unfelt inclusion hits the mark.

We open on a Zack Snyder like shot, with Queen Maeve and a hacker woman in a war-torn street. Through he dialogue is noticeably low quality and the pandering to the LGBTQ community obvious as if the writers of Supergirl were on set. It turns out that Vought is making their Justice League film: Dawn Of The Seven. Besides having to perform a noticeably weaker role in the film, Maeve also finds herself Vought's new diversity hire, with a massive campaign made behind her and her girlfriend Elena's relationship. The satire here should be a wake-up call. It is awkward and cringes in all the right ways. I like the direction that they are taking Maeve here. As the character suffers from burnout, she didn't have that much of an active role in season 1, nor the comics. Now, with the mission she placed upon herself to take down Homelander, she will take a more active role in the overall storyline. Her and The Deep haven't interacted, so it will be cool to see where that goes.

Anthony Starr was surprisingly hilarious in this episode. Sure, more unsettling moments, especially the scene at the protest, but he was a source of some of the biggest laughs. Homelander was filmed killing a Supe terrorist on video, but his laser vision ended up hitting an innocent, resulting in protests against him. Homelander's mental state during the protest scene was suspenseful and tense. The moment when he lasers the entire crowd is a fake-out, but with what has been established with him this season alone, I wouldn't have put it past him, so it gives the moment impact and weight.

A-Train, having been fired also finds that his storyline in the film has been altered to retire him. He attempts to resist it, but both Ashley and the director reject his ideas. In the end, to avoid losing his benefits, he submits and films his exit to Homelander. Actually, to add insult to injury, he films his goodbye in front of a Homelander stand-in. Jessie T Usher didn't waste his screen time here. He was great. Also, with what we know about Stormfront, the conversation between the two regarding Church was uncomfortable.

The Boys storyline will more dramatic than action-packed, but still interesting. For one, the team is still separate. Not a big deal, as The Seven have all been together a total of 4 times through the entire show so far. Just an observation. Butcher, still reeling from Becca choosing not to leave with him leaves the team to visit his aunt Judy, who is taking care of his dog, Terror. Terror in the comics had a habit of humping thins. Behind the scenes, the dog actor was a bit of a diva, and would not hump on command. Of course, the dog being as cute as he is is excused from any culpability. Hughie and MM (Mother's Milk) find him there. Black Noir is also there, having tracked Butcher from the Vought compound, and they rigged the house with explosions. They failed to do anything but destroy Judy's house. The team fights Noir face on, and it also failed. Butcher manages to keep them alive by threatening Vought with pictures revealing the secret of Ryan's existence. Mr.Edgar who is watching from a camera in Noir's suit calls off Noir in exchange for the photos never being released. At this moment, I realized two things. One, Butcher's lying on the spot was incredible. Two, Mr. Edgar is aware of everything that goes on in his company. As a black man, what is he doing with Stormfront?

The relationship between Hughie and Butcher is given more depth here. We learn that Butcher had a brother named Lenny who is like Hughie in a lot of ways. The older brother younger brother relationship had subtle yet tender moments. The chemistry of The Boys as a whole makes their team dynamic feel natural and believable. The history implied between Butcher and MM works because of this.

The episode benefits from a faster pace from last week's episode. The weakest part of of this episode is with Kimiko and Frenchie. Frenchie adoration with her was sweet in season 1, but his character has become defined by it. Kimiko, venting her anger has become a hitman, resulting in the week's grossing visual of ripping a man's face off. Was it because he thought Dear Evan Hansen was better than Hamilton? No, but I like to think so. This results in the two fighting in a church. This fails to create the effect the show wants it to as Kimiko is communicating in a language that Frenchie does not understand, so it is rendered useless.

The ending of this episode has me cringing. I thought Homelander and Stormfront would-be rivals, not lovers engaging in super-violent superhero sex. The sound effect during the oral portion is brief yet shocking. I expected the two of them to be rivals, but as lovers, their dynamic is much easier to invest in. Stormfront puts on a good face to disguise who she really is, so her plans for Homelander raise a lot of them. Also, the sex scene, while beautiful shot revealed that she is just as powerful as him, withstanding his laser blasts that are known to cut people in half. She is much more dangerous now with Homelander wrapped around her finger. Shawn Ambrose, best known as Terry Fox and Iceman from the X-Men franchise plays Lamplighter and had a brief cameo in this episode. He and Stormfront are working together. It has been a while since I read the comics, so I don't know his purpose, but the character was referenced last season as the reason The Boys broke up in the first place, so last week has me hyped.

Side note: 3 former castmembers from Timeless were in this episode. As a clockbuster fan, I loved this.

The Boys sets up new dynamics, providing more developed stories for The Supes, continuing the show's streak of satirical wit, and shocking moments. This is the show at its best. Kimiko and Frenchie's story is still weak though.
9/10

The Boys - Nothing Like It In The World

Love. The feeling of it can be ecstatic, but also brutally painful. Most of the characters this week experience some form of it. From the sweet and tender to the downright messed up and dysfunctional. Nevertheless, the stories all end up the same way for heroes and villains alike: poorly.

The show taking the time to slow down after the shocking events of the previous episode was a wise one. Hell, this episode has a running time of 68 minutes, and the gore was severely down. I mean, every episode in the first season had a messy murder. There is death in this one, but the blood is kept to a minimum here. Even Stormfront is kept in the background this time, while the groundwork is continued to be laid down as we learn more about her and her past, but the focus is on relationships: Hughie and Annie, Billy and Becca, Homelander and his ego, Frenchie and Kimiko, Maeve and Elena.

In the aftermath of last week, with Kenji set up as the murderer of all of Stormfront's victims, she continues to stoke the fires of public outrage with Kimiko steaming, watching her with revenge on her mind. The last thing she wanted to deal with was Frenchie kissing her. Frenchie, wracked with guilt is on a drug fuel bender. Seeing the error of this action as a selfish one when she is grieving, he makes up for it by stopping her from making a move on Stormfront at one of her rallies. There is no way she would walk away from that fight.

Mallory kicks off the other two storylines involving The Boys. Raynor has files involving a hero from the 70s of the name of Liberty. Mother's Milk and Hughie go off on a road trip to follow the lead, but Hughie brings Annie as well, feeling that she shouldn't be alone after Homelander assaulted her back at Vought HQ. This trio pairing was a fun one. Hughie and Annie as having fun singing to Billy Joel annoying MM is a classic road trip scenario. Hughie and Annie even hook up again, as if anyone is surprised, but this brief joy doesn't last long. They discover that Liberty was a racist superhero, who killed a black man for no reason other than he was black. Sound familiar? The timing of a storyline like this after this summer personally effected me as it will affect many other minorities. The icing on the cake? Liberty is actually Stormfront. To recap, Stormfront is the living embodiment of immortal, murderous racism that doesn’t age and has found a way to come back stronger in 2020. Damn. After the trip, Annie ends things with Hughie as the two of them together is too dangerous, and everyone is really just alone.

The other storyline is with Butcher given Becca's location, and he goes after her and sneaks into the compound where she is being held. Becca is a much stronger character than I thought she would be. The feelings between her and Butcher hasn't disappeared after all their time apart, and the two certainly attempt to make up for lost time with car sex. But reality sets in. She knows that Butcher will never accept Ryan, and she couldn't cope if he gets killed due to his vendetta with Homelander so she doesn't go with him. Karl Urban has been performing as a more emotionally vulnerable Butcher, and he is doing some great work here. I am curious how this setback will influence his actions for the second half of the season. Hughie and Frenchie too. Heartbreak all around.

To me, it seems that it will become quickly redundant when I tell you that Anthony Starr is doing excellent work again. His increasingly melting mental state is fascinating to watch. His unresolved mommy issues are fueled with Doppelganger morphing into Stillwell in a secret cabin in the woods for him. He also makes big moves regarding the seven, such as threatening Annie, kicking A-Train off the team, and outing Maeve on television. They tease a confrontation between him and Stormfront. It will be quite conflicting to vote for the winner of that fight.

"Nothing Like It in the World" wisely chooses to focus on the emotional and mental journeys of the ensemble, making it an impactful follow up after the previous episode while continuing to set the stage for the season's upcoming conflict.
8/10

The Babysitter: Killer Queen (2020)

The Babysitter was some much-needed escapism when it was first released. A horror film that played with tropes and didn't take itself too seriously. Sure, maybe it was a little stupid, but I had a blast watching it, so when they announced a sequel, I was excited. I am happy to report that the sequel delivers, and cleans up some story holes from the first. It is ridiculously rewatchable.

The film is set two years later. After surviving the night against Bee and her blood cult friends, Cole finds himself an outcast as no one believes him about the events of that night. His parents are considering putting him in a facility. To escape the pressures of high school, he accompanies his best friend and crush Melanie to a party in the canyon. Those plans are thrown out the window when the blood cult ( Max, Allison, Sonya, and John) return from the dead. Stuck in limbo, every two years they are allowed to roam the earth, and attempt to complete the blood ritual that they didn't finish.

Cole must once again survive the night, but he doesn't have to do it alone this time. He is aided with his new classmate and fellow outcast, Phoebe who has personal reasons for being in the canyon. While all this is happening, Cole and Melanie's parents are trying to find them. Well, Cole's parents are trying to find him. Melanie's dad wants his car back.

Its bonkers style is fully realized and embraced this time around, doubling down on its 80's influences. The comedy is at the forefront here, and the ensemble successfully balances it here. With its self-aware style, it gives you more of what to expect with the villains but briefly expanding on their backstories and motivations which was missing from the film. In the original, some of it fell flat and was scattershot. This was particularly surprising as four writers are credited to this film. When there are four or more writers, that is usually a warning sign. The kills got more creative, and with Cole's character being older and having experience, the character is much more active and surviving the night.

The twist with Melanie's character in the middle act ks so something that I am still on the fence about. I certainly didn't see it coming, but the change felt forced and didn't flow well. Respect to the filmmakers to sticking with it till the end, but I didn't like it. Honestly, most of the new villains fell flat in personality and how they were written, especially when they share the screen with the original villains. The scenes shared between Cole's dad and Melanie's dad annoyed me, but the parallels between them and how their kids turned out is some good perspective.

The climax somewhat disappointed me. Bee's character is back, making brief appearances throughout the film in flashbacks. Her involvement in this one to me felt shoehorned in, and I wish that they moved on from her character. How she is brought back and her interactions with the clut were straoght up sloppy. The plot holes around couldn't be ignored. Samara Weaving is great, but if you are going to include her again, give her more to do. The soundtrack, like the first one is killer, and only adds to the fun, keeping the story's kinetic energy up.

Judah Lewis and Jenna Ortega play off each other well and provide a good dynamic between them to serve as the heart of the film. The entire cast is having fun here, but the scene-stealer of both films is Andrew Bachelor (King Bach). He was the first cult member killed last time, and he last longer than the rest here. He is effortlessly hilarious and likable, even though he is evil. Another relationship in this film I liked was the dynamic between Cole and Max. Max is a psychotic killer who encourages Cole to stand up for himself and grow up, while still trying to kill him. His attachment to him is somewhat endearing.

If you are looking for a bloody good time, look no further. There is a tease for a potential third film, but unlike other potential franchises, this film stands on its own.

The Babysitter: Killer Queen is a sequel that improves upon the original, and is a hilarious silly gory ride with unexpected emotional heft.
8/10

Mulan (2020)

The trailers for this film bored me. The prospect of another live-action remake of one of Disney's animated films didn't excite me. I wasn't a huge fan of the original animated film. I enjoy it, but I don't love it, so I wasn't too terribly invested in another Mulan film. So it was no surprise that when I watched it, I was bored. This review is gonna be short and sweet because I have already spent more time than necessary with this film.

Set in Imperial China, the film is about Mulan who defies both the law and tradition by disguising herself as a man and taking her father's place in the army since the o ly man in her family is her old and weaken father. The soldiers are trained to save China from Bori Khan and his forces, who seek to overthrow the Emperor of China. So overall, the same story as before. A few changes here and there, but the foundation is the same.

Shifting from a musical to a fantasy epic was at least an inspired choice, rather than another direct remake. Its almost as if the filmmakers had a feeling that fans wouldn't be feeling that essentially shot for shot remake of The Lion King (2019). Mulan is a unique woman with elevated chi that allows her to have enhanced reflexes. She has had them since she was a child, and had a pretty good grasp of how to use it, and this continued into adulthood. So when she embraces it when she reveals her true identity, the moment falls. Had she denied and hide her gift, it would have been a more powerful moment, but it just wasn't. Maybe she should have cut off her hair like the original.

The parallels between Mulan and Xianniang, the shape-shifting witch is one of the only interesting things the film. The two of them are unique individuals with abilities that others consider taboo and are treated as outcasts. While this isn't fully explored to its potential, the story between the two of them is strong enough that it honed in on the fact that the main villain Bori Khan, felt flat. Honestly, the film didn't make his character or his motivations a priority so he is as generic as it gets.

Director Niki Caro invests a good deal of time creating interestingly shot action sequences. I did enjoy what she did with the camera. Having Donnie Yen doing his thing is always a plus. It did get to feel repetitive in a way, and overall, it wasn't as epic as it wanted to be. The final battle in fact felt quite small.

The lead actress is... dull. We spend 90% of the film following Liu Yifei's Mulan, but rooting for her to succeed and engaging with her journey was difficult. Lack of facial expressions, and emotional weight. Liu is at her most energetic during the fight scenes, but that's it. Maybe the screenplay doesn't give her much to work with, but great actors have done a lot more with a lot less. The performances all around in this film are passable. The ensemble of soldiers was plain while the original had several different unique personalities.

A shame that the film was released on Disney+, rather than in theaters, like many others, but I doubt it would have made its money back. The most expensive film directed by a female director at 200 million, we should have gotten a lot more. A beautiful looking mess.

Mulan sets itself apart enough from the original animation film, and edges towards a thrill ride with large scale battle sequences, but comes off as dull with a flat lead performance, thinly written characters, and unearned emotional catharsis.

3/10

The Boys Season 2 Premiere

Note: This review encompasses the first 3 episodes of the season as they were released on amazon prime at the same time. This is the next show I will be doing weekly.

If anyone requires their superhero fix, look no further than the second season of The Boys. Maybe its too early to say so, but this is one of my favorite shows, and on its current course, it may eclipse the original comics, of which I read and loved. Besides giving the original stories a modern update, especially in regards to its female characters, it recreates moments and stories from the original comics that OG fans can appreciate.

We pick up not long after the events of the first season. The Boys are the most wanted people in the world. Licking their wounds while in hiding, they still plan to take down Vought, the company behind The Seven. Hughie is getting help of double agent Annie/Starlight in retrieving compound V. Butcher, last season discovered that his wife is still alive, and has given birth to Homelander's son, and is determined to get her back. Homelander, after killing Stillwell is becoming increasingly unhinged, and while initially thinks he will finally be given free reign shockingly finds himself neutered by the arrival of Stormfront, the new member of the seven, and Mr. Edgar, the head of Vought.

This is just a smart show. The ideas its presents, the size of the cast, the length of episodes, and the money on the line, it has no choice but to be. Eric Kripke, the man behind other great shows, Supernatural, Timeless( A personal favourite), runs a tight ship, and the writer's room is firing on all cylinders this season. Its vision of superheroes in a heightened reality similar to ours is frighteningly accurate and resembles what the DCEU would look like if Zack Snyder could do whatever he wanted.

As this is the "we got money" season, the visuals received a huge bump. There is a sequence where the camera pans up on a building being destroyed from the inside that I loved. Sure, the exploding heads are just as gory and shocking as the first season(The season 2 opening scene alone starring Black Noir is a standout scene) but the scope feels bigger. Watching the series feels like watching a particularly long film rather than a television series. The second season honestly feels like the first season continued. The consistency is maintained without skipping a beat.

The massive ensemble cast is much more balanced in the first three episodes alone than in the previous season. Queen Maeve, Kimiko, The Deep, Frenchie, and Ashley are given more to do with their storylines. Kimiko's character in particular is given the respect she deserves this season. This mute character is given much more emotional depth and heart beyond the feral character from the original comics. She is independent from her connection with Frenchie and really does come into her own. Karen Fukuhara doesn't waste her increased screentime.

In fact, this show's treatment of female characters trumps the original comic any day of the week. Episode 2 actually takes shots at films and television shows who pat themselves on the pat with on the surface female representation. The slogan "Girls get it done", and the lazy feminism thrown at the female superheroes make for top-notch satirical humor, from Aya Cash especially.

The relationship between Hughie and Annie is still a strength for the series and provides sweet relief from the door events surrounding them. I do hope that the dynamic between them does shake up a bit because while the relationship between the two was a highlight last season, the storylines and events happening around them are proving to be much more engaging.

The entire cast is at the top of their game. The MVPs are Antony Starr, whose screen presence as Homelander alone especially is captivating. He is unnerving, terrifying, and creepy to watch. Karl Urban excels as Butcher, with his particular sense of profanity with the usage of the word "cunt" providing laughs. His scenes with Jack Quaid this season with their characters at odds are particularly fun. Aya Cash quickly establishes herself as a standout. Episode 3, especially near the end will shock if you don't know the character's history in the comics.

The way that episode 3 unfolds, it is no wonder why the show decided to switch to a weekly format. Fans will be discussing it. Honestly, I considered review bombing for the first time in my life because I prefer binging like last season, but frankly, this show is well worth the wait. The after-show with Aisha Tyler is worth a look as well.

The Boys have a triumphant return, continuing to tell stories with compelling characters old and new, and set up the stakes for an ambitious engrossing season.
10/10

The New Mutants (2020)

I never thought that I would get to write this review. Seriously, the first trailer for this film was released on October 2017, with the original release date in April 2018. We are in August 2020. Regardless of box office intake, which will be lower than expected projections back in April since several theatres are still closed, the development and delays of this film have earned it a place in cinema history. No reshoots, pickups or anything. The film was just a victim of bad timing.

Usually, if a film is delayed for so long, its because it is awful. Luckily, that is not the case here. I mean, Thank God that the iconic X-Men franchise ends with this rather than Dark Phoenix. The handing of the female characters alone makes it a superior film.

We open the film with Dani Moonstar, who is woken in the middle of the night by her father, who grabs her and runs. The reservation that they are living on is being destroyed by an unknown force, seemingly a tornado. After her father is brutally murder, Dani is knocked out and awakens in a hospital, run by Dr. Cecilia Reyes. From there, she is informed that she is a mutant, and she is to remain there until she can discover what her abilities are, and learn to control it.

She meets four fellow mutants: Sam Guthrie, a Southern boy who can go propel himself in the air, making him invulnerable, Illyana Rasputin, a Russian girl who can create portals and has magical capabilities, Roberto da Costa, a Brazilian boy who can light himself on fire, and Rahne Sinclir, a religious Scottish girl who can morph into a wolf. Throughout the film, we learn about their pasts and the trauma they have endured due to their abilities. The mandated therapy session that Reyes runs isn't taken seriously by the teens, and their trauma isn't revealed there. Instead, their stories come out from natural conversations between each other. The film follows the five of them working together to overcome both their guilt and their fears in order to survive strange events occurring at the hospital.

I appreciated the small cast, giving this film a more self-contained character-driven narrative, an element missing from the uneven ensemble presentation from the previous X-Men films. The 5 young mutants are distinct enough in personality and their abilities that you are invested in their development. In first act is devoted to Dani as she is the audience surrogate, but I like how it became more of an ensemble film in the second and third acts.

The romantic storyline between Dani and Rahne was one of those cute romances that you hope goes well. Personally, I'm not into romantic storylines in superhero films too much as they often feel forced, but a natural connection between the two is apparent when they first meet, due to the chemistry of Blu Hunt and Maisie Williams. The LGBTQA romance was brought up several times during promotion and I did like how it wasn't simply teased or hinted at, unlike other high profile films that use that queer bait. (Cough cough... The Rise Of Skywalker...)

I do wish the film was longer. The characters bond over their mutant experiences much too quickly for me. This is a bit easier to swallow due to the performances of the talented young cast, Anya Taylor Joy and Charlie Heaton in particular. The story is serviceable. It's pretty straightforward in the sense that there are no surprises. It meets the exact expectations, which was a tad disappointing as this certainly not a typical superhero film. One surprise I suppose is the X-Men connections, especially a flashback moment that references one past X-Men film in particular.

As the film was sold as a horror film, there wasn't much of it. The smiley men were certainly creepy, but I don't see myself having nightmares over it. Perhaps by now, I'm desensitized, but even jump scares, the film was light on. The visuals were top tier, especially regarding the abilities of Illyana and the Demon Bear, a given as it isn't an action-heavy film.

I do hope that this film gets a sequel. Personally, I think that this is director Josh Boone's best work, with his past experiences in the YA genre his greatest strength here, and I'd love to see more of these characters from these actors. I guess the ball is in Kevin Feige's court.

The New Mutants features a by the numbers superhero story with not enough horror elements, but it's elevated with intriguing characters, a unique tone, and cool visuals.
7.5/10

Tenet (2020)

Christopher Nolan makes films that are meant to be experienced in cinemas, at least for the first time, and Tenet is no exception. As my local theatre opened back up, seeing this film first just made sense. The trailers for this film looked incredible and presented itself as an original spy adventure. Beyond that and teasing the concept of inversion, the plot was virtually unknown. Love him or hate him, Nolan certainly knows how to intrigue an audience.

The film follows The Protagonist, a CIA agent. He goes undercover with Russian operatives to secure an object with a small team. After the item is recovered, the Russians realize that they have been duped, and torture him to reveal what he knows. He persists and manages to chew on a suicide pill. Except that it wasn't a suicide pill. He wakes up after a coma and finds out that the Russians found and killed his entire team, and had taken the mysterious object for themselves. From there, he is given only a word, "tenet", and a mission that will have a significant impact on the entire world.

He then learns the science behind inversion, and the capabilities, sending people and objects back in time. As the title Tenet is a palindrome, a word that is spelled the same way frontwards and backward, I thought that was quite clever. Materials from the future keep showing up in the present, hinting at an upcoming war, and The Protagonist is recruited to help prevent it due to his skill set. How inversion is presented to us is interesting. From the perspective of the characters and the audience, it is things moving backward. From cars on the highway to bullets reentering the gun before it is fired, effectively catching it. There is even a sequence where characters speak backward, and behind the scenes, this wasn't even a digital trick. The actors learned to speak and perform some action sequences backward.

Like Nolan's previous films, especially Inception or Interstellar, this is a film that requires your full attention. The concept of Inversion has a lot of rules that unfold throughout the narrative, and you do not dare take your eyes off the screen, or you will be lost. There are little moments throughout the film that get a callback that would make an audience member go "Wait. Didn't I see this before...Woah". It's all in the details. Anyway, with the mission clear, The Protagonist goes fo retrieve the several items that are required to prevent Armageddon.

The exposition does get a little heavy, especially in the middle act, and little things will be lost during a first time viewing, but it doesn't drag, and as written in the previous paragraph, the payoff makes it worth it in the final act. As big as the film is, the narrative is mostly focused. The concept that it presents us with, it has to be. Nolan has a lot of characters in this film but keeps the focus on The Protagonist.

There is an honest trailer from ScreenJunkies looking back at Nolan's first eight films. One constant is that the wife or girlfriend character is secretly evil. Two main female characters avoid that. One is Priya, the wife of an arms dealer who is presented from her introduction as morally grey. The other is Kat, the wife of Andrei Sator, a Russian oligarch who can somehow communicate with the future. Both are full characters that add creative value to the film. With Kat, in particular, we have an inside look at a dysfunctional loveless marriage that Nolan usually avoids. The closest we have gotten to this from Nolan is the relationship between Dom and his imaginary dead wife in Inception.

John David Washington serves as a charismatic leading man. The amount of swagger that he presents on screen, it is almost enough to make you forget that we are spending 2 and a half hours with him, and we never learn his name. While the film isn't humorous, as some critics may criticize the film for, though that was never Nolan's style, to begin with, The Protagonist does break the tension here and there with a comment that makes him feel like a real person, helping the audience root for him. That was important, as not being given a name could have made this some impersonal. Robert Pattinson's Neil serves as the heart of the film. The relationship and chemistry between his and Washington's characters were the most engrossing for me to watch, besides the massive action sequences of course.

The action set pieces are as thrilling as expected. With Nolan's insistence on practical effects, there is an epic nature to it. The highlight for me was the airport sequence, as teased in the trailers that involve crashing a massive plane.

Nolan's usual collaborator, Hanz Zimmer wasn't available to compose the score for this film, instead choosing to work on the upcoming Dune, which he described as a passion project. Instead, rising star Ludwig Goransson(The Mandolorian, Black Panther) composed the score and co-wrote the original song sung by Travis Scott played during the end credits. Yes, Christoper Nolan has a hip hop song played in his film. Honestly, it works. Nevertheless, Ludwig does great work here, and the way the music is used as if it was a natural extension. it is integral to the story. The use of breathing sounds will make sense with context, but nevertheless, it is highly effective.

I felt that the editing was a bit off during the first act. As long as this film is (150 minutes), there were some moments that I felt that the filmmakers were rushing. Other moments, the music was a bit loud that I had trouble hearing the actors.

Tenet is a thrilling epic spy adventure created with technical precision and elevated with brilliant performances and top tier directing.
8.5/10

The Tax Collector (2020)

David Ayer is a filmmaker that is generally mixed on. Opinions on him and his films tend to run either very hot or very cold depending on the film. I feel that his body of work is large enough that we can identify his style and the kind of elements he finds engaging: gritty crime, religious undertones, and gory shoot-out sequences.

I generally try to be positive, but this film is a mess. The negatives massively outweigh the positives. If the global pandemic hadn't occurred, I am sure that this film would still go straight to VOD. How bad is it? Well, in comparison, Suicide Squad (2016) had a plot that made sense. The weirdly cut trailer was the first warning that this film wouldn't be good.

We follow David Cuevas and his best friend Creeper who work for the crime lord Wizard who is currently in prison. They serve as tax collectors for the gangs of Los Angeles. While Creeper has fully imbraced to criminal lifestyle, enjoying killing without any compunction and prone to extreme violent acts, David has found more of a work-life balance, living comfortably with his wife Alexis and their two children. Its business as usual for the crime duo until a rising star Conejo, arrives and begins to collect his own taxes from the gangs. He offers David and Creeper roles in his new empire. Refusing to bow down to a new reign, a crime war is imminent.

The first thing I noticed that told me I wouldn't enjoy this was the choppy editing. The cuts from beginning to end were sudden and jarring. The cinematography is beautiful, with the world and style of Ayer's vision of LA beautifully captured.

Ayer is only in his element during the shootout sequences. As put on display in Suicide Squad(2016) and Bright (2017), they inject the film with energy and contain style with slow-motion shots as if Zack Snyder visited the set. Despite this, the climactic final battle was dull and badly captured. Seriously, the 30 million dollar budget must have been spent on catering. Shoestring short films have done better than this.

Shia Labeouf's onscreen presence is the film's greatest strength, and he is criminally underused. Had Creeper been the main character instead, the film would have been much more engaging, as his magnetic performances hint at an interesting back story that is never explored. All the characters in this film are underwritten and contain a lack of depth. Considering that Ayer broke out writing Training Day (2001), a film with fully realized complex characters with flexible morality, this is a jarring shift. If Tax Collector came before Training Day, I'd understand. Bobby Soto is the lead and his performance falls flat. With the lack of developed characters to either root for or against, the stakes are essentially nonexistent.

For a director of Ayer's caliber, this film was a massive letdown, and a decline from his previous much more engaging work. This genre is sone where his strengths lie, but it was written as if some ill-informed teen just wrote about every Latino stereotype he ever heard. I also can't get over the fact that Shia LaBeouf got a massive tattoo on his chest for the role and when you finally see it in the film, it is brief and he is covered in blood.

Ayer is a talented individual and I hope that his next film is much better than this. As this film was independently funded, he can't turn to blame over to studio interference.

The Tax Collector shows brief glimpses of a compelling crime drama but brutally falls short with incoherent storytelling, underwritten characters, and choppy editing.
3/10

Stargirl - Stars & STRIPE Part 1 and 2

The end of the first season is here! The return of STRIPE! JSA vs ISA! Etc, etc! The reason why I am reviewing the final two episodes together is that it is a two-parter, and the success of part 1 is reliant on part 2. I am happy that I kept up with this series, hopefully showcasing my resolve in keeping this blog active. For this review, rather than give an in-depth summary as I have done for the rest, I'll give the board strokes.

We catch up to the Whitmore/Dugan family, and immediately remember that unless you are in the Marvel universe, secret identities are very important. Courtney and Barbara are attacked at the house by Tigress as they are packing. The fight itself continues the top-notch choreography that this show is destined to be known for, but despite the intensity, Tigress loses the fight. The first time Tigress fought on screen, the battle ended in a stalemate when Pat showed up in his robot, but Tigress and Sportmaster definitely would have won. I get that with the cheesy nature of this show, it was a forgone conclusion, but seeing her training would have made her victory easier to swallow. Sure, Barbara helped out a little, but still.

Pat vs Sportsmaster was better. Mike is finally brought into the loop as Pat brings him to the auto shop to tell him the truth. From then, Sportsmaster attacks Pat and taunts him throughout the fight. Mike surprises him with a drill, letting Pat knock him out. This victory was acquired due to pure luck, so I wasn't taken out of it.

The heroes then gather at a remote cabin, which I got to say is interesting. A lot of superhero stories on screen has at least one story of heroes in a forest. From there, the character interactions between characters took the forefront of the episode. Yolanda is still thinking about Henry's death, but like the previous episode, it is not highlighted and is forgotten seconds later. It feels like the writers want us to just move on from the repercussions that come from a major character's death. Rick and Pat finally realize the code in Rick's father's journal, which contained a map of the underground tunnels so the team knows where to go. Ss far as season-long mysteries go, this was... eh. It drives the plot forward, but I finally hope that it would add some character development for Rick, perhaps help him grow closer to his parents or something like that.

Speaking of lost potential, Tigress kills The Fiddler, who was the school's principal. We never saw her in action, or really involved in the ISA's plot. The moment was played to shock us, but it fell flat. I mean, look above. I didn't even bother to learn her name.

Courtney, Yolanda, Rick, and Pat go to the tunnels, as Beth and Barbara go to Jordan's office and discover his master plan. While on the surface, his goal seems better for all mankind, he turns out to be a low-rent Thanos, and his mind control plan would end up killing millions. The Gambler, working the computers turns on the machine using Brainwave's abilities, which have grown in the wake of Henry's death, and all the adults in Blue Valley are frozen in place, including Morgan Stark's foster dad. Just joking, but Lexi Rabe, the young actress from Avengers: Endgame makes a significant appearance.

The team manages to free but Pat and Barbara from Brainwave's control. Before they reach the main machine, they come face to face with the ISA. The JSA vs ISA fight is exactly want you would expect. It is a massive scene to watch, the entire frame filled with so something to watch. While it is composed of solo one on one fights, there is a little teamwork throughout. Noteworthy moments included Cindy getting freed, and killing her dad, and the entire team ganging up on Jordan.

In an effort to turn the battle in their favor, Gambler sets Solomon Grundy loose. We finally see him in all his CGI glory. He reminded me of the Hulk's look in the 2008 film. Seeing Grundy vs STRIPE was dope. Soon, Grundy gets the upper hand and almost kills Pat before Rick steps in to get his revenge. Rick beats Grundy into submission and almost strikes the killing blow, but sees that Grundy is a mindless beast that only does as he is commanded. Despite his quest for vengeance, he lets Grundy go. This was a massive moment for Rick and sets a good foundation for him to become a better hero for season 2. Yolanda also gets a massive moment in Part 2 as well. After defeating several minions, she is about to take out the last one when he removes his mask and reveals himself to be Henry. While initially overjoyed, she realizes something isn't right and slashes his throat, and he dies. It is revealed to be Brainwave using a mind trick on her. Beforehand, she tried to sway Rick from killing anyone, and now she crossed that line. I know that given the way that the show was gone, we won't see how that affects her, but it was an interesting change between the two young heroes.

As Courtney destroys the mind control machine, Jordan returns to the office, kills Chuck inside Beth's goggles, and takes Barbara with him. At a clock tower, Pat goes to face him but is really the distraction as Courtney attacks. The two fall over the rail. Jordan seemingly shatters while Yolanda catches Courtney. As Jordan recovers and is about to go full Icicle, in a comedic moment, he is killed as a truck crashes into him. The driver? Mike. The character who I called the weak link is the one who got the kill the main villain.

So, yeah. The day saved. Gambler and Cindy getaway, making plans for season 2, while Sportsmaster and Tigress' fates remain unknown. Fast forward to Christmas. We finally find out what was inside Courtney's Christmas box. She presents it to Pat, saying that she was waiting to present it to him for a while. It is a "Best Dad Cup", which perfectly ends the story between the two. Their relationship was a great strength in the comics, and the show is no exception.

Overall, this season was a decent start. Little oversights in storytelling and lack of character development for some definitely hurt it. Perhaps next season, the ensemble is used more effectively. There are several superhero shows that have large casts that are used more effectively so I know that I am not being too harsh. There are fun teases for next season. Starman still being alive is a big one.

Stars and STRIPE part 1 and 2 concludes this season with good payoff and mostly resolves everything, and promises a potentially better second season. Hopefully, the overlooked talented cast gets a chance in the spotlight.
8/10

Season 1 overall:
7.5/10

Stargirl - Shining Knight

I'm thinking of retitling all of Stargirl's episodes. I would call this one "Rude Awakening". The moment many of us have been waiting for has come. It has been painfully clear that whoever Courtney's dad was, it was not Starman, and the truth would be a lot less magical. Halfway through this season's run, I went on to read the original comic and found that this episode was a direct adaptation of the final story arc in the Stars and stripes comic, which shouldn't be a surprise as Geoff Johns wrote it.

I am going to begin talking about our titular character. The janitor, Justin seeks to find Pat who he remembers as Stripesy. Unfortunately, his memories are severely damaged. When he arrives at Pat's auto shop, he mistakes him as The Dragon King at first, who is responsible for his mental state. He was made a janitor to shame him. Pat realizes that the ISA is planning a brainwashing. Beth and Rick are present with him in the auto shop, a duo that hasn't been developed at all. Their dynamic is set up to be an important relationship, but it isn't fleshed out any more than it has been this entire season,

On the villain side, Brainwave wastes no time in revealing Stargirl and STRIPE's true identities to Jordan. Jordan is reluctant as he has feelings for Barbara for some reason. Honestly, the two of them hasn't spent a lot of time together this season, this plot point is worthless, especially as Jordan throws it away and orders Brainwave to kill the entire family, even poor in the dark Mike, just to make sure no legacies are running around.

Now, I focus on this episode's strength: the emotional component. After discussing Harry Osborn's... oh sorry, Henry's death with Pat and Barbara, who is now fully in the loop, Courtney has a visitor: her real dad, Sam. At first, she refuses to believe it, but reality is often disappointing. She is crushed as she feels she got Henry killed for a childish mistake. She and Sam spend the day together getting to know each other, and by the end, she realizes that Sam is a jerk. The only reason he came to see her isn't to get to know her, but to get her locket that she wears all the time so he can sell it as a set with his. As he quickly goes out the door, she and Pat embrace as she knows that Pat is more of a father that Sam is. Brec delivered in this episode. The audience is given a little bit of catharsis when Pat knocks Sam down to the ground.

The whole ordeal leads to a lesson in self strength and not letting your parents define you. Courtney's self-doubt leads to the cosmic staff not working for her. By the end, she learns to believe in herself again, and the staff lights up again brighter than ever.

Once again, the massive ensemble continues to be a weakness here. After last week's shocking ending, Yolanda's response was something I was looking forward to, but save for a brief appearance in the cafeteria and student hall meeting, she is largely absent. Brainwave has proven himself to be a ruthless enemy, yet he tips off Courtney that he remembers who she is and that he is coming for her. A villain tipping off the hero isn't very smart, though one could argue that ego got the better of him. Justin's story is certainly interesting, and I'd love to watch his character in a fight to see his style.

Slowing down to focus on its dramatic heft, this week' Stargirl allows the core cast to stretch their acting skills, but once again fails to use its massive ensemble.
8/10

Stargirl - Brainwave Jr

This episode wasn't the season finale. Sure, this is an obvious fact, but major things occurred in this one that you would usually see in a somber season finale. Massive developments and revelations, changes in character dynamics. huge sequences, and a shocking ending that I certainly didn't see coming. After last week's disappointment, this was a great return to form.

If you haven't seen the episode yet at your time of reading this, spoiler alert. Sure, in my Stargirl reviews, I do write a general recap, but honestly, events kind of roll by the book in terms of telling a superhero story. This was a rare episode that shocked me.

If you feature the song "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" in anything, I'd probably like it. This is the song that is playing when Pat and Barb meet in a Blue Valley cafe. After that meet-cute, we immediately cut back to where we left off last week, with Barb discovering Pat and Courtney's secret. This revelation shakes up the family dynamic. Of course, poor Mike is left out in the cold, the only member of the family besides the dog that it is not in on the secret. With Courtney so convinced that Starman was her dad, Barb makes a move I have been waiting for since episode 1. She sends the real father an email and tells him that they need to take about Courtney.

Beyond that, she makes the right choice in recording a conversation between Jordan's inlaws when they visit her and Pat in her office and discover that Jordan has a machine that once turned on, will change everything. This is the "b" story, and I was actively engaged with it. It gave Barbara more to do and gave us a look at her relationship with Pat. Better late than never I suppose. Actually, the entire ensemble is used effectively here for once.

Henry, after having killed his father's sleazy lawyer last week (Which is pretty much ignored), finds that his father's memories of the past ten years are gone, and it leads to a soft moment between the two of them. I couldn't imagine Brainwave hugging anyone, much less his son. Henry goes on the continue watching his father's tapes, which is in the thousands. I was a kid when VHS was still used, and I'm pretty sure I didn't have up to one hundred, much less thousands. After watching a tape with his father describing his wife's death, Henry concludes that Jordan killed his mother, who also happened to be Starman's sister. Henry reaches out to Courtney while the cosmic staff has gone missing. The staff is as impulsive as Courtney and gets trapped by Jordan at the hospital while he takes Brainwave away to get his memories back. Courtney informs the team about everything, who isn't impressed with Courtney letting Henry join the team. Yolanda especially. She agrees to help, but tells Courtney whatever friendship they had is over.

The team is back in costume and back in the sewer system. Rick and Beth are paired together again. I hope their relationship is developed more if the writers continually want them paired together. Rick comes face to face with Grundy and attempts to break through the door that is holding him. Thankfully, he is unsuccessful, even with his super strength. The show recognizes that if Grundy himself is still behind those doors, this boy can't just punch his way in. Besides, we still haven't completely seen Grundy, so all the CGI money necessary to make him, they are probably saving for the finale.

Courtney, Yolanda, and Henry go in a separate direction. Henry attempts to make amends with her, buy Yolanda isn't having it. They make it the Dragon King's main lair, where a device is doing work on Brainwave to give him his memories back. Cindy, who is still locked up gives up the heroes right away, while desperately begging her father to let her out so she can "kill that bitch". I don't know why I found that funny, but I did. The battle scene here impressed as the others have. The scope here is great, especially in the wide shots. Henry using his powers in combat was fun to watch, as well as Courtney and Yolanda teaming up as they are the best fighters. A little dark to see some things, but luckily, the Cosmic Staff eventually joins the party.

A great comedic moment occurs when we finally see Dragon King's face under the mask. He looks like a low rent lizard. Both Courtney and Yolanda scream and immediately, the staff blasts him away. While winning the fight, it was mostly in vain because Brainwave regains his memory, and he is just as nasty as you remember him.

With Brainwave's memories back, he quickly establishes why he the shows best villain. As the young heroes attempt to escape, Henry tries to convince his father that people can still be good. But Brainwave is unmoved and reveals that he killed his wife himself, not Jordan. Henry attempts to fight him off, but his efforts are wasted against his most experienced father. Brainwave causes the roof to collapse. Moments left, he apologizes to Yolanda one more time and tells Courtney to still have faith in people. Then the roof collapses on top of him. End of episode.

Jake Austin Walker is clearly the episode's MVP. The past two episodes have given him the most the work with and stretch his acting muscles, and he leaves a mark as one of the show's most important memorable characters. Henry's journey was been a redemptive one, and it one where we have been wondering if he would follow in his father's footsteps and become a next-generation ISA member, seeing as he was introduced as a school bully. But no. He dies a hero. Of course, comic book shows have a tendency to bring people back and seeing as we didn't see a body, there could be a possible return, but for now, I believe he is dead.

The JSA seeing someone die like that in front of them, especially someone that they knew certainly helps raise the stakes, and gives them a clue what they are dealing with. How Henry's death will affect Yolanda next week is exciting drama I want to see. Frankly, I am tempted to skip out on my weekly reviews, and just wait for the final three episodes to be released, and I'll just binge them as a film, but probably not. I don't have the patience to wait like that.

Brainwave Jr is an explosive episode that is easily one of series best by effectively using its strengths, and sets up an exciting final act for the next three episodes.
9.5/10

Stargirl - Brainwave

Note: This week's review of Stargirl will be shorter than the previous weeks. A lot of what I have to say about this episode has been reflected beforehand by me, and I feel that repeating myself is counterproductive.

Perhaps besides the final episode, which will likely have the JSA vs ISA showdown we are all waiting for, I have been looking forward to this episode the most. Henry's storyline is the main focus, after being given the tease of his abilities since the second episode. Henry finds his father's video diaries, captured and placed on VHS tapes, and watches as Brainwave Sr develops his powers. When it starts, it is pretty light and fun. The song "Insane in the membrane" plays as VHS tapes float around the room. Then, it gets heavy. Brainwave sr reveals that the thoughts of several people he has read are dark and twisted, and arrives at the conclusion that mankind is horrible.

Courtney meanwhile tries to convince the team that Henry would make a good addition to the team, but Yolanda and Rick are not into it. The ISA fast track their plans to a week away after realizing that Henry's powers have awoken. This episode for the most part is a battle for Henry's soul. Yolanda suits up and threatens Henry at the hospital, but it doesn't have the intended effect that she may have wanted as Henry hears that she loved him.

I can respect how the show wanted to make his character's journey complex, especially compared to other characters, but as engaging as it is, I would have liked a bit more to work with. The character needs more lines. Most of the season, he is silent and looks sad. While this is the focus, this is an ensemble show. The rest of the episode felt flat. No action this week, but that is just fine. The problem is that everything else was slow-moving and much too brief. Rick and Beth are given a mission to look into the caves at the school and Cindy's house, and discover, that the town has a whole underground system when it was founded. Honestly, we could have filled in the blanks there. Find out about Rick's dad's journal. That would have been more interesting.

Of course, the episode ends with a fun cliffhanger to pull you in for next week, but I giving no points for that. Henry accidentally killing his dad's lawyer and then his dad waking up will be intriguing, I hope. Barbara finding out the truth will hopefully give her more to do. Maybe Cindy will do more than just being trapped in a cell annoying her dad. Who knows?

While Henry's storyline is engaging, the rest of the episode drags.
6.5/10

The Old Guard (2020)

Netflix for the win. This film is one of the only blockbusters we are getting this summer, and while the powers arent too flashy, this also counts as a superhero film. Based on the comic of the same name that I haven't read. 

Immortality is a curse more than it is a gift. Perhaps no one knows this more than Andy, leader of a group of immortal mercenaries who have unknowingly shaped the course of human history. From their perspectives, Andy is tired feeling that the impact has been too tiny to have been worth it. She reluctantly accepts a new job for her team, composed of Nicky, Booker, and Joe after being recruited by Copley, a former CIA agent to rescue kidnapped schoolgirls in the Sudan. Then, all of them get a flash of a new immortal: Nile, a soldier who is killed in battle and it suddenly brought back to life. They make a note to find her after the job.

However, it is a setup. Copley, who has been aware of who the team really is is working with Merrick, CEO of a pharmaceutical company. He wants to use the team as his test subjects to find a cure for cognitive decline. Obviously, it is not for altruistic reasons. They survive the attempt and set out to stop Merrick and recruit Nile.

From there, the film plays like a typical superhero movie. No big twists, but that's fine. The film knows what it is, though the villain felt lackluster. If Harry Melling had reprised his role as Dudley Dursley it would probably be a bit more engaging. His character was as generic as a Phase 1 marvel villain. The henchmen even more so. He was over the top and had no menacing screen presence so the threat didn't feel particularly high, given the amount of screentime devoted to showing that the team is well skilled in killing people. It helped a bit that the team could feel the pain of being shot and stabbed.

The action sequences were nice and clean. A few quick camera movements here and there, but you could generally see all that was happening. The actors performing their action scenes made it better. Still, by the end of it, none of the action sequences particularly stand out or are necessarily exciting, except for the final action scene involving one of the heroes going through a high story window with a bad guy and the camera follows them down to crash into a car. The music felt awkward to me. It didn't fit the tone the film was going for.

I will say that director Gina Prince-Bythewood isn't gratuitous, and each one of the action scenes is motivated by the narrative. Honestly, look at Gina's past filmography. With the exception of the Cloak and Dagger pilot, you wouldn't think she could do an action-heavy film, but it fits like a glove. There is a compelling story here, with the weight of immortality and loss, but it is hampered down due to its conventional nature.

I wanted to like this film more. Charlize Theron is one of those actors that can jump from genres seamlessly. At least the story has a beginning and an end. Sure, there is a sequel tease, but this is less concerned with setup than other big blockbusters would-be franchise starters. For the talent assembled behind and in front of the camera, I just expected more.

Storywise, It's a meh, and suffers from shockingly low energy and blandness despite all the action sequences, but The Old Guard benefits from slick directing and solid performances.

6/10

Stargirl - Shiv Part 2

As I write this, it was recently announced that Stargirl was renewed for a second season. As a fan, I'm excited to see more of these characters. As well, with most of these shows, the first seasons are known to end with cliffhangers. So on the off chance, this season ends on a cliffhanger, I am relieved that it will be resolved. At least when it is okay to film again.

Set immediately after last week's episode, Courtney is in the hospital. To provide her an alibi, Pat crashes his car into a light post. He sidelines Courtney to bedrest, and seeks to look into Cindy Burman, and find out who her parents are. He also plans to tell Barbara the truth, but Courtney begs him not to

Instead of relaxing and resting up, a cat and mouse game is played when Cindy shows up to the house the next day. The night before, Cindy proudly goes to her father and claims to have beaten Stargirl, but The Dragon King is not impressed. Cindy exposed herself, and since Stargirl isn't dead, she knows the location of the cave in the school and can come back with her allies. He now has to explain to the ISA her actions, and threatens to remove his hood if she doesn't behave. I am quite curious about his abilities. He is intelligent, as he is a bit of a mad scientist, having given Cindy her abilities when she was a child and plans to use The Wizard's body for whatever purpose, but I haven't seen his actual physical powers, nor the face behind the mask.

Courtney and Cindy each know who the other is, but neither knows how much the other knows. They keep up the charade under the pretense of hanging out, but they drop it at the end. The dynamic between the two actresses in this scene is great drama. I was getting Professor X and Magneto frienemies vibes. The script this week is certainly better than previous weeks and was a lot less cringy. Meanwhile, the rest of the JSA, mostly sidelined again go on a side mission to find out more about Cindy by sneaking into her house. Beth and Pat go inside under the guise of being father and daughter. While Pat talks to the stepmom, Beth sneaks around with her goggles. When she enters Cindy's room, she finds a photo of her dad and has Rick and Yolanda help her sneak out as Cindy returns home.

Henry is given a mostly silent storyline where he begins to discover who he and his family is. Beyond reading minds, he finds himself able to move things with his mind when looking for pain medicine. He finds his father's Brainwave costume, and finds a letter from The Dragon King, telling Brainwave that Cindy will monitor him.

A short rematch fight scene between Shiv and Stargirl occurs. It is not as technically impressive as last week, but it has its moments. When Stargirl crashes through the window while Cindy is looking at herself in the mirror, it was such a great shot. The fight makes its way onto the street when Henry arrives. He is overwhelmed with the two girls' thoughts, and mind pushes them. Cindy is then suddenly taken into the sewer by her father's minions as Henry flees, leaving Courtney in the street confused. A great tease for next week.

Jordan, the big bad went on a business trip with Barbara. The dinner goes fine enough, nothing too sinister. Nothing at all. They set this up last week, but Barbara hasn't been given a storyline. As a main cast member, this is disappointing. Supporting or guest cast, that would make sense. Later though, Jordan waits in the room of Mr. Riley, who was an executive at a chemical plant responsible for the death of Jordan's wife. With no effort, he kills him. This hints at what targets Jordan may hit with his plan.

The slow burn pacing has its good weeks and its bad weeks. Sometimes, the pacing can excite me for what's to come, but this week, it had me shaking my head. I know that this show airs on television, but I do wish that it took more advantage of it being on a streaming service during this season for episodes to be a bit longer like the pilot. While the JSA members each had an introduction episode, we still haven't spent much time with them. We are past the midway mark of the season, so this has the change fast.

Shiv, Part 2 continues to raise the stakes and begins to pay off storylines set off from the start. Still needs to work on being an ensemble and should speed some things up.
7.5/10

Stargirl - Shiv Part 1

Well, if you have been watching Stargirl for the past seven weeks, the moment we have all been eagerly anticipating has finally arrived: Courtney gets an ass-whooping. Sure, she lost to Sportmaster and Tigress last week, but she wasn't knocked out. Both she and her classmate Cindy deal with the thing that can ruin how people perceive you: ego.

After last week, the new JSA have a confident walk through the halls of the school. They are all in on this awesome secret, which is a nice moment before they crash into mean girl Cindy Burman. Cindy's demeanor isolates herself from her friends and her boyfriend Henry this week. Then, unexpectedly, she and Courtney find at least, some common ground to connect during class. They even make plans to hang out, though Courtney blows it by choosing instead to go to the dance with Icicle's son Cameron, who hasn't really been in the series so much that I actually care about this definitely doomed romance.

Courtney later ruins the JSA training session, taking charge and forgetting that she is on a team, making them annoyed with her. The group has turned around on Pat, but Courtney's ego makes her think that the rest of the group needs training, while she should be in the field, particularly looking into the school's principal, who she suspects to be The Fiddler. At the same time, Cindy demands that her father let her into the Injustice Society, claiming she is ready. The clever editing draws parallels between the two of them.

Meg Delacy is a fun villain to watch, especially when you consider that she is the first teenage villain. She has some sympathetic qualities in her performance, and yet, it doesn't undermine the fact that she is evil, and kills one of her father's minions without remorse. As this is a two-parter, I am happy the mean girl is being given depth. She slut-shamed Yolanda so she could date Henry not by choice, but because she was ordered to get close to him by her father. As she is the only child of the Injustice Society that is aware of their parent's secrets, her isolation from sharing the truth should make for good drama. The other Injustice kids, Cameron, Artemis, and Henry will be involved in the final conflict somehow. Whether or not they become villains is another story.

The parent/child relationships are clearly a priority for this series. For both the heroes and the villains. Cindy hints that when she was a child, she accidentally killed her mother with her powers, and her father has since raised her with the purpose of asserting control. What he does exactly with his daughter, minions, and wives is a question for another day. Mike, who has that paper route I weirdly remembered hints that he and Pat had live rougher than they let on to Courtney in a moment of jealously as she and Pat have been spending a lot of together "driving". What Barbara will be doing with Jordan on this work trip is curious. Her, along with the big bad is worrying. Well, at least Brainwave is still in a coma. Whatever the master plan is, it can't work without him, or at least if Henry has his powers too, there is a chance.

Speaking of Henry, his powers are becoming more dormant. He uses them to do what any kid would do with mind-reading powers: cheats on a math test. It seems that Henry's story is critically important as to whether or not the villains succeed, so I appreciate that Henry has been developed as such from the beginning.

Now, onto the battle. Cindy and Courtney come to blows in the school while Courtney looks for the principal. As Cindy doesn't wear a mask, this information will be used next week in a way that should be promising. The two girls fighting leads to an impressive one-shot sequence. Of course, as Cindy has been preparing for this, she wins. Before she strikes the killing blow, the janitor comes in for the save. With a sword. Hell yeah! Comic book readers know that this guy is Shining Knight. And he knows that Pat was Stripesy.

It now feels like the world building portion of the season is mostly over, and we can get right into the conflict of the season. I am eager to see the other villains show off their abilities. Still, this show needs to work on its dialogue. I mean, yikes. Jordan talking to his son about finding love is cringe. I hope Geoff Johns is writing again.

Shiv Part 1 provides depth to a character that was at risk at becoming one-note and continues to successfully ramp up the stakes.
8.5/10