Month: March 2023

John Wick: Chapter 4 is now out in theaters! It’s killing it at the box office and everyone seems to be loving it! This just seems to be a franchise that knows exactly what it’s audience wants and is able to deliver the action goods that they crave every single time. While we have yet to see what will come next after this glorious installment aside from the Ballerina spin-off with Ana De Armas which is expect to come out next year, we still have four very well-made and quality motion pictures to fall back on in the meantime. Just like I do when most movie franchises out there delivers a new entry, it’s time to rank them all from worst to best.

To be honest, choosing between these four movies is like picking your favorite child. You hold them all dearly and always make sure to make room for every single one of them that it’s hard to chose which one you like the most or least. This is one of the few franchises out there that no matter what someone’s ranking of it might be, I just can’t argue with it. I can totally see why someone might have my #4 at #1 or even #1 at #4. These movies are just so well done and gets everything it’s suppose to get right that ranking it alongside each other is quite tricky. If more franchises were as consistently good as John Wick is, we would have very little to complain about.

In case you couldn’t tell, I really enjoy every one of these movies. Just because I have one ranked lower than the others does NOT mean I dislike it. I just don’t like it as much as the other ones. Now that I’ve made that clear, let’s get to the rankings!

4.) John Wick: Chapter 2

Chapter 2 is able to raise the bar with it’s action, set pieces, cinematography, lore, and world building. It does a very good job of expanding the universe that John Wick himself is a part off and showcases just why he is viewed as the most deadly assassin in the world. Not to mention, it ends on one absolute banger of a cliffhanger that always gets me anxious to watch Chapter 3 immedaitely afterwards.

What holds it back slightly from the other movies is that it can get a bit too bogged down in the action, set pieces, lore, and world building that it loses focus on the central conflict that John Wick himself is going through. There are also times in the middle where the pacing is too slow for my liking that it makes me just want to get to the next big action scene.

Still, if a movie this action-packed and filled with intrigue is your least good movie in your franchise, you know you’ve done something right. Let’s also not forget it has Lawrence Fishburne with one of the greatest line deliveries in cinema history, “SOMEBODY, PLEASE GET THIS MAN A GUN!”

3.) John Wick: Chapter 3- Parabellum

I’ll admit that I did feel a bit cold on my first viewing of this but the more I’ve watched it, the more I’ve come to love it. The first 45 minutes of Chapter 3-Parabellum is absolutely exhilarating as we see John Wick on the run in some of the most breathtaking action set pieces this series has ever delivered. We also get Halle Berry as Sofia in one of the best extended cameos in recent memory. We even get a climax with John fighting against absurd fanboys of his that is so action-heavy and over-the-top that I can’t help but love it.

The one element that for me and I imagine caught others off guard is that this isn’t necessarily the end all be all that the film teases throughout the entire picture. It wasn’t until we get to the ending with the whole “gotcha” twist where Winston betrays John Wick to save his own skin that it’s revealed that this is another chapter and not necessarily the final one. This is also when the franchise seemed to fully embraced his over-the-top-ness and commit to being a live-action video game where John Wick is basically a superhero. That’s not a negative for me mind you but I imagine it could be a turn-off for others.

Even with all of that being said, this still works as an entertaining action flick and a logical character progression from John Wick. Seeing John himself grow even more balls of steel by going from being on the run to running straight towards his enemies really helps evaluate the character even further. Also, I liked a spin-off with Halle Berry now please!

2.) John Wick

Before the sequels would go even bigger, bolder, lore-heavy, and dive into traditional world building, John Wick was largely a smaller-scale self contained story about a hitman coming out of retirement to avenge the death of his dog, the last piece of his late wife that remained. It may be a rather straightforward and simplistic motivation but that’s all that’s needed. Because what matters most is that we get to see Keanu Reeves kicking ass once again and become even more of a badass than he ever did in The Matrix films.

With this being the original John Wick, this would end up introducing the fun tropes that would become a staple to this franchise. With elements such as the glorified action, awesome stunts, superb lighting and cinematography, an excellent supporting cast full of recognizable talent that all get their moment to shine, and of course, the awesome Keanu Reeves delivering cheesy one-liners in a direct but cool way. Not to mention, the nightclub fight is still one of my favorite action scenes in any movie.

While some might take issues with the simplistic plotting /characterization along with needing to tolerate corny puns and having to suspend your disbelief, anyone else that is able to accept the tropes that have become common with action movies while also wanting something fresh and new should think John Wick is right up their alley. It’s one of those movies that is able to deliver exactly what you would ever want in an action movie and even more.

1.) John Wick: Chapter 4

John Wick: Chapter 4 is an exceptional achievement of not just the John Wick franchise but for the action genre in general. Not since The Raid movies has there been a series of action films that dares to go as big, bold, and as over-the-top as this film does. Working perfectly as John Wick himself getting pushed beyond his reasonable measures along with director Chad Stahelski and crew of pushing themselves to make the most unbelievable and badass film imaginable. Even if Chapter 4 does bring a logical stopping point to John Wick’s story, it leaves plenty of room of other characters in the series to have their stories to continue if anyone wants to go that route.

Yes, the action has never been better choregraphed and executed than it has been here. Yes, the cinematography and pure scope have never looked and felt better than it does here. Yes, just about every noteworthy person in the cast get a moment to shine and scenes that stand out so well you can’t wait until someone uploads them to YouTube. Yes, the near three-hour runtime does not feel daunting in any way. However, what is most impressive of all is how it is able to wrap up the four-movie arc of John Wick in a way that just feels complete and right.

I’m not one that likes to claim when a movie is “perfect” but when it comes to John Wick: Chapter 4 and is able to deliver the goods with an absolute bullet point, it’s hard to bring up any flaws that bring the experience down. Even the cracks in the armor one might bring up may possible not be seen as cracks in the armor to another person but more of a upgrade to that armor. Nevertheless, no matter where this series goes next, I’m willing to stick with it until the end of the line. Bring on the Ballerina and maybe a spin-off with Donnie Yen and Halle Berry as well!

RIP, Lance Reddick! You will be forever missed!

How much John Wick is too much John Wick? That has to be the one question that everyone behind these movies has had to ask themselves after making each each new installment. As much fun as it is to watch Keanu Reeves kicking ass acting like he’s still one of the best action stars out there (He still is!), there comes a point where that will no longer be as impressive or exciting. Even though we will always cheers on the heroes to win every battle, none of that will mean a thing until someday they are able to win the war. Which was perhaps the one big fault of John Wick: Chapter 3- Parabellum, a movie that by design set itself up to be the concluding chapter of the story only to reveal itself towards the ending to being another big piece of a glorified puzzle. The same thing can’t be said for Chapter 4, a movie that takes all of the build up from the previous three movies and have it all pay off in a way that gives the complete sense of finality. Whether or not this will actually be the final chapter in the story of John Wick remains to be seen but if it is, then I can’t think of a more magnificent note to go out on.

Not only is John Wick: Chapter 4 perhaps the best movie in this franchise, it essentially joins the list of some of the best action movies ever made and perhaps the best action movie overall since Mad Max: Fury Road and Mission Impossible: Fallout. Yes, the action has never been better choregraphed and executed than it has been here. Yes, the cinematography and pure scope have never looked and felt better than it does here. Yes, just about every noteworthy person in the cast get a moment to shine and scenes that stand out so well you can’t wait until someone uploads them to YouTube. Yes, the near three-hour runtime does not feel daunting in any way. However, what is most impressive of all is how it is able to wrap up the four-movie arc of John Wick in a way that just feels complete and right.

Synopsis: Taking place sometime after the events of Chapter 3, John Wick (Keanu Reeves) is still hiding underground with Bowery King (Laurence Fishburne) as he prepares to take vengeance against the High Table. Once he is ready to head back into action, his first step is to go to Morocco and kill the Elder there, the only individual member above the High Table. Shortly after that deadly deed is done, the word gets outs quickly of the Elder’s death which makes the High Table realizes that John Wick is in fact still alive.

Due to his failures to kill the infamous assassin despite shooting him off of a rooftop, Winston Scott (Ian McShane) is excommunicated from the High Table by the senior member of the High Table known as Marquis Vincent de Gramont (Bill Skarsgard). By making his mission to stop John Wick once and for all, Vincent de Gramont hires a handful of highly trained assassins such as Caine (Donnie Yen) and the Tracker (Shamier Anderson) to exterminated the hitman along with promising a handsome wealthy award to anyone in the world who is successful in killing him.

With the price on his head being as large as it has ever been, John Wick must take the fight against the High Table while seeking out his most powerful allies across the globe. Will John finally gain the freedom that he and his wife would have wanted or will the number of assassins be too much for him and lead to his sudden defeat?

The character of John Wick himself has always been the one main component that makes this series stand out along with the other action-heavy franchises out there. Not just because we get to see Keanu Reeves kicking more ass than he did in all four Matrix movies combined but more because of the crystal clear reasons as to why he’s doing it. It adds the human nature and drama to the character that always ties into his intriguing yet tragic backstory. While all the John Wick movies have got that up to this point, I don’t think there has been a movie in the franchise to get that just as well as Chapter 4 does.

The main goal that always drive John Wick in this series is freedom. Not just the freedom of no longer having a bounty on his head but the freedom of not letting the ghost of his late great wife haunt him forever. No matter what the fate comes from his allies or even himself, John will always fight for his freedom to avenge his late great wife, his late great dog, and even his later great self. It doesn’t matter how many hits he takes or how many enemies he has to kill, John Wick is someone that simply will not stop until he gains his freedom. Not only because he has nothing or everything to lose but precisely because he has nothing and everything to lose at the same time. If there was any sort of doubt of that in any of the previous movies, then Chapter 4 proves that to be 100% the case.

John Wick himself takes more damage here than he does in any other movie to this point. Even if it’s not likely he would have survived at least a good portion of fights in rea life, he still finds a way to fight back due to his determination and dedication to his own goals. Sure, go ahead and push him down as many steps as you want or run him over with your car as many times as you can but he will eventually come back and kill you all the same. It’s only when his goal is complete that he will allow himself to lay down and rest until death arrives. The action has always been a standout in this franchise but it’s always been the simplistic but intriguing character study of John Wick himself that adds the extra icing on the cake.

That’s not to say the action scenes aren’t worth talking about because they absolutely are. I can’t recall a franchise in recent memory other than another certain one staring Tom Cruise which the people behind the movies are able to constantly top themselves in the action department. Just when you think they can’t go any bigger or better, Chad Stahelski and Keanu Reeves will always say to hold their beer.

The action in this film is absolutely spectacular all around. Every fight and gun scene is a standout in every sense of the word. They certainly required a significant amount of suspension of disbelief but that’s what makes it all of the more fun and memorable. There are plenty of great ones that stand out greatly such as the one with John riding a horse, one where John is driving a car, the one where John’s facing off against Killa, the one with John being armed with a freaking Dragon’s Breath shotgun, and the one that takes place in the museum where the characters played by Donnie Yen, Hiroyuki Sanada, and Rina Sawayana are giving their own badass moments. However, the scene that stands out the most, which will likely go down as one of the best action sequences in recent memory is the one taking place at the staircase.

That is the moment where the film’s overall action, stunts, choreography, and stakes are at it’s absolute best. This is the action scene that provides just about everything you could possibly want in any action scene. The right amount of excitement, tension, and badassery with whoever John goes up against. Once you think that sequence is all over, the film pulls the rug from underneath him and the audience. I can’t remember the last time an action sequence that got me and the audience I was with enthralled but also gasping in horror with what they had just witnessed. If it feels like I’m just scratching the surface when describing that scene, that’s because I don’t want to give too much away and believe it is worth experiencing for yourself.

Another thing that helps Chapter 4 raises the bar on the franchise is having some of the best side characters in the franchise played by a tremendous supporting cast. You could honestly seem almost every one of these characters being able to carry their own feature film and you might even be asking for one after seeing the movie. Some of the returning characters from the previous movies do make a welcome albeit brief return. Laurence Fishburne is just as much fun as Bowery and has just as much chemsity with Keanu Reeves as he always has. Ian McShane is still an enjoyable presence as Winston Scott whose character is given a bit more of an interesting direction here than the previous movies, even after his sudden turn towards the end of the last movie. And if you are wondering how Lance Reddick as Charon is handled shortly after the actor’s recent passing, you might be fairly disappointed and that’s all I will say about that.

However, it’s the new cast of characters we get that help make this movie shine even brighter. They don’t just simply exist to add more badass characters for the sake of it in this franchise but some of them even have their own intriguing stories and arcs that I wouldn’t being seen continued in future movies. Donnie Yen as Caine is marvelous and is able to stand out even better as being a blind badass than he did in Rogue One. Shamier Anderson as the Tracker manages to fit right into this universe and be more compelling than I think the original script originally had him has. Hiroyuki Sanada as Shimazu Koji is able to greatly carry his acting chops and marital experience from his international films to this movie with absolute ease. Rina Sawayama as Akira is giving a more brief role than I honestly wanted but she does make for a good first impression in her intital acting debut. Scott Adkins as Killa makes for one of the most intimating threats that John Wick has ever come across against in any one of these movies. Bill Skarsgard, while might not necessarily be the most scary bad guy in appearance, is arguably the most deadly main foe that John Wick himself has ever come across against as he is a man who wants to do everything in his power to end the man for good. And did I even mention Clancy Brown shows up here along with Natalia Tena playing John’s adoptive sister. Despite having such a massive cast, nearly every single important player is giving a moment to themselves.

If there’s another feature to these movies that don’t get nearly as much praise as it’s should is the way that it’s shot, lit, edited, and directed. Even for a simple action movie, there is as much love and effort put into them as you would expect for a movie trying to win a Best Picture. It’s clear that director Chad Stahelski and cinematographer Dan Laustsen wanted to make Chapter 4 the best looking and made John Wick movie to date and it shows perfectly on the big screen. There are so many shots in this movie that look so good that you will want plenty of posters of those exact shots. There’s plenty of gorgeous location shootings that it would fit greatly on a painting at a museum. Every single frame and shot is a genuine work of art in it’s own right.

The editing by Nathan Orloff is very well done whether it’s for an action scene or a scene where characters are talking. The score by Tyler Bates and Joel J. Richard is about as good as it has always been in this franchise. The stunt team, who I imagine have one of the toughest tasks of any big movie to date, do stellar work and certainly makes a strong case that the Academy MUST have an Oscar for the greatest stunts. It’s thoroughly entertaining and engaging throughout, it’s paced must better than you would expect for these kind of movies, and even the 169 minute long runtime feels earned without the experience becoming too tiring. This film has about all the love and care one could possibly hope for when it comes to the craftsmanship and filmmaking.

I do imagine that this movie will be written off by some as being too over-the-top, too unrealistic, and containing too many action scenes. Than in of itself is fair and everyone is entitled to their own opinion. However, if you were not expecting any of that, then why are you watching a John Wick movie? Why watch a movie that makes it very clear what it’s goals are and how they are willing to accomplish it but still complain about it? Not everything has to be realistic or make complete logic sense. Sometimes it’s okay to let known veterans such as Keanu Reeves kick ass as he approaches his 60s, letting him live in his own fantasy world as being the most deadly assassin in film history. Some might complain about that but for me, as long as it’s damn entertaining to watch, then bring it on.

If I had to give a grip, it mostly has to do with the way that Lance Reddick’s character is handled. It’s not necessarily the movie’s fault as the beloved actor died just one week before it was going to hit theaters and no one could have predicted his death would be so sudden but I would be lying if I said that last scene with him left quite a sour taste in my mouth and took me out for at least the next three to five minutes. Again, I’m not blaming anyone on the creative team of this but I imagine even they would have preferred to give the character a better conclusion than what he’s given if they could go back in time and do just that.

John Wick: Chapter 4 is an exceptional achievement of not just the John Wick franchise but for the action genre in general. Not since The Raid movies has there been a series of action films that dares to go as big, bold, and as over-the-top as this film does. Working perfectly as John Wick himself getting pushed beyond his reasonable measures along with director Chad Stahelski and crew of pushing themselves to make the most unbelievable and badass film imaginable. Even if Chapter 4 does bring a logical stopping point to John Wick’s story, it leaves plenty of room of other characters in the series to have their stories to continue if anyone wants to go that route.

I’m not one that likes to claim when a movie is “perfect” but when it comes to John Wick: Chapter 4 and is able to deliver the goods with an absolute bullet point, it’s hard to bring up any flaws that bring the experience down. Even the cracks in the armor one might bring up may possible not be seen as cracks in the armor to another person but more of a upgrade to that armor. Nevertheless, no matter where this series goes next, I’m willing to stick with it until the end of the line.

Let’s see what you got Ballerina!

Oh…and Tom Cruise with that Mission Impossible thing coming out in July!

Other comments:

• Yes, there is one post credit scene! Stay through the credits!

• As much as I am looking forward to Ana De Armas kicking more ass than she did in No Time To Die in Ballerina, I honestly think I would prefer to see a movie with Donnie Yin’s character. His character just seems so intriguing and his backstory seems more personal than even John Wick’s! Plus, we can use more Donnie Yin in our lives!

• I might do a separate spoiler post but whether or not I think they stand by that ending, my answer is Yes and No! I guess we’ll just have to wait and see!

• I will be doing a ranking of all of these movies soon so look out for that!

• Of course, RIP to the late great Lance Reddick! You will be forever missed!

It’s interesting to see Shazam! Fury of the Gods coming out around the same time as Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Not just in the sense that they both act as sequels that aim to go bigger, better, and wider scoped than it’s predecessors, which were mainly smaller scaled, lighthearted adventures. Or that both movies tend to put more emphasis on the main villains this time around that could factor into the future (or not). And of course, both movies have received a rotten rating on Rotten Tomatoes, scored less than an A- from Cinemascore, and on track to perform even less at the box office than their predecessors.

It’s safe to say that we now live in that time where critics and mainstream audiences don’t seem to be overly impressed with the superhero movie sub-genre anymore. Whether it’s because they’ve gotten worse or that everyone has seen just about everything it has to offer is up to you, but a comic book movie that’s just a simple B or B+ just doesn’t seem to get a free pass anymore. And just like with Quantumania, I’m baffled that out of all the recent superhero movies to come out, that and Fury of the Gods seems to be the one to have broken the camels back. Not just because neither properties have proven to be the most successful brand (at least financially) but because they really aren’t that bad.

To be sure, Fury of the Gods is certainly better than Quantumania and, if we are going by recent DC superhero movies, Black Adam. However, I would go as far to say that Fury of the Gods itself is a pretty solid sequel that gives you most of what you would expect a Shazam! sequel to consist of. No, it’s not as good as the original but I really don’t think it’s falls short by that much. If we’re going by some of these reviews, you would assume that Shazam 2! is to the original Shazam! what Mean Girls 2 was to the original Mean Girls. If anything a better comparison would be to that of Deadpool 2 and to some extent Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. In the sense, that both sequels deliver most of the same goods as the original and it all still works but lacks that freshness and “Wow!” factor that the original had. Back in 2017 and 2018, that seemed to be acceptable but five to six years later, I guess not.

Premise: Bestowed with the powers of the gods, Billy Batson (Zachary Levi/Asher Angel) and his fellow foster kids are still learning how to juggle teenage life with their adult superhero alter egos. When a vengeful trio of ancient gods arrives on Earth in search of the magic stolen from them long ago, Shazam and his allies get thrust into a battle for their superpowers, their lives, and the fate of the world.

(Yeah, I’m not going to go too deep into the description because the movie has already been out for a few days and don’t want to delay this review any further. Even so, I don’t think there’s a ton in this movie that you won’t be able to predict except for a cameo with a certain someone that WB apparently already spoiled in the TV spots. That honestly would have been cool to not know about going into the movie but oh well.)

The main thing that Shazam! Fury of the Gods makes sure to deliver is the one thing that was teased the most at the end of the first movie, which is the family of superheroes fighting alongside each other. There are certain ones that don’t get as much screen time as others (*cough* Eugene) or get as much time in their kid form (*cough* Billy Batson) but they are no doubt fun to watch whenever they are screen. Whenever they are dealing with their own personal family dynamics in their kid forms or their everyday superhero lives in their adult forms, it’s always engaging. While a big portion of that has to do with how lovable the characters themselves are, the one main factor to it as to do with how charming the cast themselves are.

The cast who were great in the first movie are still great here. To start off with the elephant in the room that is Zachary Levi, I think he’s still fine and enjoyable here. Yes, there are times throughout the movie where he comes close to developing the personality of a full-on man child and the less said about his anti-vax views the better but he still has a likable screen presence that it’s easy to ignore whenever you are watching the movie. The downside to so much screen time given to Shazam! strictly is that Ashel Angel gets much less time as Billy himself this time around. While putting more focus on the superhero family itself was definitely the right way to go, there’s not nearly enough of a balance between the kid and adult forms this time around as there probably should be.

As for the rest of the returning cast, they all fit quite well albeit in their kid or adult-like forms. The ones that shine the most is Jack Dylan Grazer as Freddy Freeman, Grace Caroline Currey as Mary, and Meagan Good and Faithe Herman as Darla Dudley. Graze in particular is the one that gets the most interaction with the other cast members outside of the family themselves and he’s steal about every scene he is in. His dynamics in particular with Djimoun Hounsou as the original Shazam! and the other new villains are major stand-outs. Hounsou himself gets more to do this time around and definitely is where the film’s biggest laughs comes from. The other returning members do good but don’t have as many standout moments as the ones already mention.

When it comes to the new additions, particularly from the antagonist side, that’s where the movie falters. While there is more focus on the villains this time around with the daughters of Atlas, there’s not much to their characters other than they are powerful goddesses that want revenge on Shazam! and his family. The actresses are all good in their roles with Rachel Zegler being a delightful presence as Anthea, Helena Mirren being a ton of fun as Hespera, and Lucy Liu chewing up the scenery every opportunity that she gets. If anything, it’s largely the entertaining performance from the actresses that helps add the non-existent depth to the characters they were playing. As being the mere bad guys/girls of the picture, they are functional but certainly not on the list of greatest villains in superhero movie history.

When it comes to carrying the heart, tone, and resonating family themes of the first one, the movie is able to do that quite well. It’s probably more “funny” than it should be but it does help make it for a very feel-good time. I still enjoy the lighthearted nature of the whole thing that felt reminisce to classic superhero flicks I grew up with such as Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man and Christopher Reeve’s Superman. I like how it puts a big focus on the majority of the family members on the verge of becoming fully grown adults. And man, does it ever feel nice to see superheroes act like actual superheroes by saving civilians every chance that they get.

If you are someone that was just looking to spend more time with this cast and characters for the sequel, then you should definitely get your money’s worth. So much so, that I would have a hard time imaging someone that thoroughly enjoyed the first movie won’t enjoy their time here. Everything that folks loved about the original is still presence here, even if it’s not as “fresh” as before.

That’s not to say the movie itself is perfect because it’s clearly not. The third act does evolve into the same CGI and action-heavy tropes that most superheroes movies have grown accustom too which goes on longer than it should, there are times where the green screen shots composite are quite obvious, and while there’s a certain cameo towards the end that was welcome, the way the character was implemented mostly came across as a glorified deus-ex machina. And as I’ve stated before, if you have become familiar with the majority of the beats of a typical superhero flick, you will likely see certain beats coming from a mile away.

While Shazam! Fury of the Gods certainly doesn’t break any new ground for the superhero sub-genre and doesn’t quite reach the heights of the first movie, it still makes for a solid albeit formulaic sequel. Director David F Sandberg is able to deliver the exact goods that he delivered in the original Shazam! had even if it’s not able to deliver much else that feels as fresh. It’s not groundbreaking by any means, but with movies that are this lighthearted, fun, and just has it’s own warm tone to it, I really find it hard to be overly critical off.

I can’t help but think that the negative reaction that this movie is receiving is not so much of the quality of the movie itself but with the either the feeling of superhero fatigue or the studio politics behind the DC movies itself. And there’s of course the obnoxious fans that have been whining over the fact that because this universe is about to get rebooted, that this movie is now “pointless” because it’s no longer “canon”. My response to all of that is who cares?

When reviewing any movie, judge the movie on it’s own merits and whether or not it works on it’s own terms. Don’t take out your frustration on the movie based off the genre/sub-genre it’s a part off because of your fatigue or because the folks behind these movies won’t have it as “canon” in the future. Sometimes it’s okay to allow yourself to be sucked into the movie going experience and enjoy the time you are having at the moment you are watching the movie without worrying about the aftermath of it. Only then will the world might be able to enjoy perfectly enjoyable movies like Shazam! Fury of the Gods once again. If that’s so wrong, then who in their rights minds would want to be right? Certainly not me!

Other comments:

• I wonder how in the world the foster parents couldn’t tell that Mary Marvel was the same person as Mary Bromfield when the took look EXACTLY alike. Guess it’s the same logic as no one figuring how that Clark Kent and Superman are the same person.

• Speaking of parents, I’m just gonna say that Marta Milans as Rosa Vasquez is a MILF. Just saying!

• I do like the way the film addresses a certain character’s sexuality. It’s quick but also funny and earnest at the same time.

• This is my baseball fandom speaking but I find it odd how even though the Phillies are mentioning on multiple occasions, that the movie never bothers to make a joke about there also being a Freddie Freeman in baseball and not just in this universe.

• I feel really bad for David S. Sandberg. Not only because of the film’s underperforming at the box office and the negative reviews but how the media is trying to twist his words on the movie like it always likes to do just to create their own narrative. I really hate that and it has to stop! Even if he’s no longer going to be a part of superhero movies, I wish the man all the best luck for whatever awaits him in the future, especially in horror!

Yesterday, Puerto Rico ended up pulling the most shocking upset of the World Baseball Classic thus far when they defeated Dominican Republic. However, the main storyline of the game was what came afterwards when Team Puerto Rico was celebrating their victory. During the team’s celebration on the field, New York Mets closer Edwin Diaz hurt his knee, having to be wheelchaired off the field. Today, it has been revealed that Diaz had torn his patellar. With him undergoing surgery, he is expected to be out for the entire season. You heard that right. Edwin Diaz, who is perhaps the most elite closer in Major League Baseball, is done for the year.

One thing that has to be made clear is that this was just a simple accident. This is the kind of thing that can happen to anyone at anytime. Whenever anyone wants to celebrate anything and act all crazy or excited because of it, that can always lead to an unintentional injury. Just ask the Brewers in 2021 after they lost one of their best relievers in Devin Williams because he messed up his hand during the teams’ division-clinching celebration. You would think the lesson here is to be more careful when you are goofing around so an incident like this doesn’t happen again in the near future, right? Well, not according to certain folks with a social media platform.

The main take way from many folks is that the World Baseball Classic is a dumb idea and needs to be banned entirely to avoid any possible injuries from big players. Never mind the fact that Diaz’s injury took place AFTER a game was played and not DURING it. We just have to accept that this injury could have never ever happened during a typical spring training game because……it just wouldn’t. While I can possibly understand a few reasons for people’s reasoning that the WBC should not be played from well-known players in the MLB, I can’t help put feel like people complaining about it is more about them trying to find a convenient scapegoat to cover up a player’s mistake rather than they actually believe that the WBC is a threat to a player’s safety.

Granted, this isn’t the first injury from someone during the WBC. A few days ago, Los Angeles Dodgers’s first baseman Freddie Freeman, had to leave a game due to a hamstring injury. Even then, it has been reported by Freeman himself that he doesn’t believe it to be a concern and can continue playing shortly. You could possible fault that one on the WBC if you want to. However, hamstring injuries can happen at any given moment. Whether you are playing an exhibition game, WBC game, a regular season game, or even just doing your daily exercise routines that you might end up pulling something. As much as you could put the fault on the WBC for that, you can also fault literally ANYTHING else for that.

Going back to Edwin Diaz, it is undeniably terrible what happen to him. No matter what team you are a fan of, you should not root for someone as talented as him to be gone for the whole season due to an injury that didn’t even happen during a live baseball game. However, it would be foolish to claim the WBC is the cause of this and not strictly because of a reckless action on the part of Diaz himself. He is after all a fully-grown adult who has responsibilities of his own to pitch the best and hardest he can for his team back in America. You can put as much blame on Diaz himself just as much as the WBC if you want to.

If we are going by that logic, then does that mean that we have to find every excuse when a player gets hurt during matters that are not on the ballfield. Remember when Fernando Tatis Jr. got knocked out for the beginning of last year due to a motorcycle accident. Are we just suppose to blame the company behind those motorcycles for that accident or for the Padres not having a team camp during the offseason which could have prevent that? How about when Aroldis Chapman crack his tooth and splits his lip when he felt down in his own home? Are we suppose to blame the house himself or could the Royals have just set up Spring Training beforehand which would have not allowed that to happen? Unless you are looking for the worst scapegoat imaginable, the fault should be on the players for not being careful enough and nothing else. That’s how I see Edwin Diaz in this situation.

And do I even need to bring up when Mariano Rivera tore his ACL shagging fly balls or when Kendrys Morales broke his ankle celebrating a grand slam?

Every player in any sports are well aware of the risks that can come when playing the sport that they love. There is always some kind of injury or freak accident that could due potential damage to their career. Regardless if it’s on the field or off of it, anything can happen at anytime. However, athletes chose to pursue the sport they want to play because they want the chance of a life changing opportunity. You think they would want to back out just because their scared of a certain injury that could derail them. If any star player acted in that mindset, they would never get to where they are today because they would have likely backed off of that amazing opportunity because of it.

When it comes to the WBC, if you take Mookie Betts’s and Mike Trout’s word for it, then I’m fairly certain that every player of any league is grateful to represent their country during this world-wide tournament. They known that there is likely a risk of an injury but they believe the risk is worth taking because there is a good chance they won’t get a chance like this ever again. While I can’t speak for the man himself, I’m sure Edwin Diaz would agree exactly with what I’m saying. He’s not so much thinking that he made a mistake in playing for Puerto Rico before the main season starts, he’s thinking of how much of an idiot he was for not being careful enough during the celebration on the field. And I really hope that’s what most folks are thinking off after this injury and not thinking it could have been avoided if the WBC wasn’t a thing.

Regardless, Edwin Diaz just underwent surgery to repair patellar tendon and will be out for the entire season. I wish Diaz himself a speedy recovery. May the trumpets be with you!

Another Scream movie is out and is proving to be a good hit at the box office in it’s first weekend. As a result, it’s time to rank all six Scream movies to come out!

While I’m sure people have their own personal opinions on them, I still believe that this is one of the most consistent horror franchises out there. Although nothing that has come after the original as been able to top it (*mild spoilers for my rankings*), this series has driven successfully from mostly good sequels which may not be as great as the original but it’s always do damn entertaining to watch them try!

Anyways, let’s rank them from worst to best!

6.) Scream 3

Scream 3 tends to get a bad rep for two reasons: for being the “funniest” of the Scream movies and the blood & violence being reduced following the Columbine High School massacre. While the later element is underwhelming, the former one actually fits quite well with the series. After all, this series has always tended to be spoofs of other horror movies along with providing meta/self-aware commentary on the horror genre and movies in general.

When the comedic elements are used when talking about trilogy capers, it’s hilarious. However, what makes the comedic element come across as tone deaf is when dives deep into the misogynic nature of Hollywood during a pre-#MeToo era time. And while that commentary is still more than relevant today (and that’s not even mentioning the fact that Harvey f***king Weinstein is the actual producer of this film), it doesn’t fit well at all and should certainly not be treated as a joke.

There’s also the reveal of Ghostface which is easily the worst killer reveal in the franchise. Not only does it come out of no where and is just plain ridiculous, it falls into the same trappings that the movie claims it’s avoiding since this twist help making this entry easily inferior to the first two and all of the other entries in this franchise thus far.

Despite it’s shortcomings, there’s still quite a bit to like about this one. When the humor hits, it hits quite well. The kills themselves despite being watered-down is still fun. And the original trio of Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox, and David Arquette are all always great to see together on-screen!

5.) Scream (2022)

This entry contains some of the bloodiest and most brutal kills in the whole series, the most likable new characters this series has had in a while, and has hands down the best and haunting opening sequence since the original! The meta commentary on “re-quels” and fandom is spot on and shows just how well this franchise has stood the test of time with what it’s trying to say with every entry that comes out at the right time!

Where it falters is the returning of the original characters which feels more forced and underwritten than ever before and feels like they’re here just because it’s a Scream movie and they gotta be involved in it somehow. There’s a lack of a personal conflict with Sidney and the rest of the legacy characters that makes their returns not as engaging as it could have been. And it also contains probably the most predictable killer reveal in the whole franchise, one that you will see coming from at least the second or third scene which that person is in.

An enjoyable outing in it’s own right and delivers what you want and expect out of a Scream sequel but it lacks the proper balance between old and new that some of the other sequels did so well!

4.) Scream VI

I basically flipped a coin between this one and the last one but because it’s more recent, I find myself siding with this one a tad more.

While the third act is worse than the previous one, I found everything up to that point to be just as engaging, if not more so. The new cast (especially Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega) equipped themselves admirably and don’t need the legacy characters themselves to carry it, the kills are still effective and satisfying, the returning cast involving Courtney Cox and Hayden Panettiere are better utilized here than the last movie, and it does give you a brighter sense of the future that lies ahead for these kind of franchises that actually dare to move forward without their main lead.

Next time however, I do hope the spoofs and meta commentary are more effective and it finds more of a fresh voice without needing to cling on it’s subtext surrounding legacy characters. Maybe play around with the multiverse concept or something. Even so, I had fun but you probably have to break the mold even further for VII so you don’t feel the fatigue.

3.) Scream 4

I still find this movie to be mistitled. It feels like this is the installment that should just be titled Scream instead of the newest one. It would fit perfectly as a title since this one is exclusively about reboots, remakes, and such. Like why have it be about that but still called it Scream 4? Beats me!

Aside from the questionable title, this is easily the second best Scream sequel for me. It tackles many of the similar themes that is presented with 2022 but does a better job of it. Going deeper into the themes of legacy, it’s commentary of reboots/remakes (so much so that there’s an argument to be made that this is the first real movie that can be described as a “requel”) and finding the right balance between the new and old cast than any of the sequels up to this point. The new teenagers themselves are easily some of the best of the series (especially Hayden Panettiere as Kirby Reed, who’s an easy fan favorite) and does a great at showcasing the social life of both teens and adults in the age of social media and smart phones.

This also has my favorite killer reveal of the whole series. It’s the most unpredictable and ridiculous reveal but yet also the most absolutely genius and smartest reveal imaginable. Unlike with 3, the reveal itself isn’t so ridiculous that it makes it unbelievable, it’s the casting of the killer that makes it remarkable. It was the last possible person I would imagine but the actor/actress is able to sell it so well that I never would have guessed it would have been them.

Similar to Halloween 2018, this just feels like an entry that could be the very first entry for someone and it may have just as the same impact as the original. It’s the only follow-up I feel makes for the perfect parallel to the very first Scream.

Seriously, though, you should have just called this one, Scream or Scream 2011 or something like that. It just doesn’t make sense for this one to be called Scream 4.

2.) Scream 2

How exactly do you follow-up one of the best original horror movies ever made that plays and subverts horror movie tropes people back then were grown accustom to, by playing and subvert tropes about horror sequels of course!

Part 2 does a better job than any of the sequels of standing as it’s own thing. It knows that it can’t match the original on it’s own merits so instead, it creates new merits of it’s own to match with. This second installment creates a sandbox all by itself offering enough of it’s own witty meta humor, unique scares, and bloody, badass kills to make this good enough to justify it’s own existence than most horror sequels out there.

It’s not quite as clever with playing by/breaking the rules of horror sequels as say the original was with playing by/breaking roles for original Horror classics but it does enough to make this sequel worthwhile.

And I haven’t talked a lot about it up to this point but man, is the music and the score in these movies quite something special!

1.) Scream

But yep, the original is still the best! This is one that absolute redefined the genre is was based on at the time that it came out and continues to do so to this very day!

This is one classic that it could come out today and you wouldn’t even notice the difference. All you have to do is remove a couple of pop culture references along with mixing in some new ones and you wouldn’t guess for a second that this came out the time it did with all it has to say about horror and movie making in general. The more things change, the more they stay the same!

It’s also plays perfect as a spoof than most movie out there. Unlike with most of it’s sequels, it’s able to make fun of the tropes and clichés that horror has grown accustom to without actually MAKING fun of it! It acknowledges the tropes and clichés for what it is and it’s importance but it’s more interest in being something completely different from that.

There’s not a single moment here that falls flat for me. Just about everything that it tries to accomplish works as good as it could! The twists, the turns, the reveals, the blood, the gore, the kills, the cast, the themes, the commentary, the score, and the best Screen queen herself, Neve Campbell! Everything here works so well that it’s actually scary and makes me want to scream!

It’s interesting how not only are we getting a new Scream movie just 15 months after the last one but it’s coming out just one week after Creed III. What I mean by that is that both of these movies serve as sequels to long-awaited franchises that could’ve been laid to rest many years ago but are somehow still going. However, both now have to figure out how to keep their respective franchises going without their main face of the franchise carrying it forward due to their sudden absences involving feuds with producers. While the circumstances surrounding Sylvester Stallone and Neve Campbell is deeply unfortunate, it might just work for the better for the Rocky and Scream franchises as they continue to grow and evolve. Especially in the sense that the previous installments left their stories off on a pretty favorable note and made for the right stopping point for their characters.

Now, that the main character of Sidney Prescott out of the picture (at least for now), it’s time to see what the new kids can do on their own without the parents. While we do see a few familiar faces returning such as Courtney Cox’s Gale Weathers and the welcome return of fan-favorite Hayden Panettiere’s Kirby Reed, there is now a main focus on a new group of young, energetic adults that the film describes as the “core four”. Can this core four pick up the momentum from the previous entries or is it time to laid it all to rest?

Plot Synopsis: Taking place several years since the events of Scream, the survivors of the previous film are now living on their own attending college in New York City. We have Sam Carpenter (Melissa Barrera) still trying to process the trauma of her prior Ghostface encounter, her sister Tara (Jenna Ortega) is trying to party her way through her troubles, and their friends (Jasmina Savoy-Brown) and Chad (Mason Gooding) are coping just fine as they focus on their own personal and love lifes.

Of course, things can’t remain too well for our new cast as there’s a new Ghostface on the loose once again. After a clever and subversive opening that does a perfect job of throwing off a potential suspect of the killer, Ghostface is back and whoever that is, plans for revenge against Sam and the ones she cares about. With the help of new police officer thrown into the mix with Wayne Bailey (Dermot Mulroney), Gale Weathers (Courtney Cox), and the return of the lone survivor of Woodsboro murders in Kirby Reed (Hayden Panettiiere), Sam, Tara, and their friends must find a way to stop Ghostface before it is able to accomplish their mission of vengeance.

The big question that everyone had for this movie was how this movie would address the absence of Sidney Prescott and if the movie would suffer because of it? To answer the first question, it is handwaved in the best and most meta way possible. To answer the second question, it doesn’t suffer whatsoever. While I can’t say for certain that this new core four will be as iconic as the main core three of the other Scream movies, I did find myself engaged with this group without feeling the need to cut to a legacy character every two minutes. As much as I enjoyed Neve Campbell’s return in last year’s Scream, you really got the sense that the writers really struggled in figuring out an organic way to include Sid in the story and give here a reason to be there other than because she’s been the main character for the past four movies. While there are certainly folks that will miss Campbell’s presence, I was more than fine with following the main characters we are given.

A good reason for this has to do with the energy that the younger actors bring to their characters and are able to shine much better than they did in the last movie. Melissa Barrera is given much more to do this time around as Sam Carpenter and is able to stand out well here without the forced connection to Sidney. Mason Gooding is fun as one of the love interests in Chad Meeks-Martin who even makes for a nice subversion of being the one lone male lead in a mostly female group (and I’m certainly speaking with experience). Jasmin Savoy Brown is as much of a riot as she was in the last one, if not more so, as Mindy Meeks-Martin. Dermot Mulroney as Wayne Bailey is basically a reskin version of David Arquette’s Dewey but he’s fine. Liana Liberato and Jack Champion as Quinn and Ethan makes for entertaining new additions and do get their own individuals moments to shine. Lastly, the main standout of the entire cast is no other than Jenna Ortega.

This should come as no surprise as Ortega herself is starting to emerge as the next big actress to watch for. Whether it’s as the next Scream queen with the likes of Jamie Lee Curtis and Neva Campbell or just as the next Hollywood star such as Florence Pugh or Jennifer Lawrence, this girl no doubt has a bright career ahead of her. Her best scenes are with her co-star Melissa Barrera who have good chemistry with one another and make for an engaging sister bond ship. It’s also helps that Jenna Ortega is roughly around the same age that Neva Campbell was when she first started this franchise, showing that this is a franchise where horror women are just born in.

With the other two legacy characters returning in Courtney Cox and Hayden Panettiere, they don’t shine as well as the newer cast or as they did in their other films but they still make for nice returns. It’s hard to get too deep into their characters as that would be flirting with spoilers but just like with the way the legacy characters were handle in the previous movie, I suspect it will either leave fans delighted or pissed off with no in between. They still do play more of a role here than the legacy characters in the previous movie did but the movie makes it fairly clear throughout that this is not strictly their story but that it belongs to the young blood.

The kills here are still as satisfying and effective as ever. The biggest standouts include the opening scene with Ghostface, which makes it easily the most under predictable and twisting opening of any of the Scream sequels, along with the one that takes at the climax that helps hide the obvious storytelling flaws with that third act. I wouldn’t go as far as to call it my favorite kills in the series or even that this is the franchise as it’s most bloodiest and goriest but the ingredients for effective stabbing and killing in this series is still here and still works. All these and more is what helps Scream VI stands out as another good sequel but not quite a great sequel.

What keeps VI from being one of the better Scream sequels mostly ranging from the meta commentary that the franchise is known for. This installment claims to be about when a successful series becomes it’s own money-hungry, never-ending franchise that the studios will try to milk until the cows go home but it never goes as far with it as you might hope. If anything, it feels more of a continuation of the commentary of the last one (and to some extent Scream 4) with the way franchises handles their legacy characters rather than what happens when you have to now move on from them. I was expecting more, “Oh you can’t kill that character off because they are needed for their own Disney Plus/HBO Max series or spin-off movie” rather than more of the “It’s okay to kill legacy characters off because they are now old and we have new characters to focus on” that the last movie already did. Despite a handful of moments that display that well, it’s doesn’t feel much of service to it’s commentary rather than just for the sake of throwing in more kills.

I’m also not fond of the direction of the third act. No spoilers of course, but you got the sense that the writers had no idea how to actually end it or have a really effective Ghostface reveal. As a result, you get a climax that ultimately feels like a cop-out and don’t stick as bluntly to it’s choices that it has made up to this point. While the kills were just as good as you would expected, it’s the resolution that left a sour taste in my mouth around the time the credits roll.

I would say I enjoyed Scream VI about as much as I did the last one. While the third act is worse than the previous one, I found everything up to that point to be just as engaging, if not more so. The new cast equipped themselves admirably and don’t need the legacy characters themselves to carry it, the kills are still effective and satisfying, the returning cast are better utilized here than the last movie, and it does give you a brighter sense of the future that lies ahead for these kind of franchises that actually dare to move forward without their main lead. Next time however, I do hope the spoofs and meta commentary are more effective which can places itself up with Scream 2 and 4 as the very best sequels in the franchise. Maybe play around with the multiverse concept or something. Even so, I had fun but you probably have to break the mold even further next time so you don’t feel the fatigue.

Other comments:

• Yes, there is a post credit scene! Stay for the credits!

• The first two cameos of the movie are probably my absolute favorites in the entire franchise. If you don’t know who they are, please don’t spoil yourself! It will only make it even more entertaining when you watch it.

• I’m not even joking on relating to being the only male in an all-female group. From babysitting kids during teacher’s meetings in high school to having a Spanish class where I was the only man in class, I would fit comfortably in Chad’s shoes.

• Okay, Chad is not the only male character of the group for the whole movie but he is for the majority of it. So, I can still relate.

• Hard to believe it’s already been about 15 months since I published my first movie review on this site with Scream (2022). Time sure does fly the older you get!

Another year, another handful of Best Picture nominees to talk about. I’m not gonna lie, I honestly had no idea the Oscars was coming this week mostly because the way that last year’s Oscars took place at the end of March as oppose to in the middle of it. I have no idea why the Academy Awards feels the need to always change the time stamps with each award show every year but here we go again. Not gonna waste any time and let’s get down to ranking!

10.) Elvis

Each year there comes at least one “WTF!” nomination for me and this year, that award for me goes to Elvis. I’ve already never been a fan of Baz Luhrmann (The Great Gatsby aside) so imagine the horror of having to suffer through 159 minutes of all the most Luhrmann’s tropes imaginable. Glorified aesthetics, pretentious imagery, virtually no substance, convoluted plotting, and actors that feel like they are in a completely different movie.

Austin Butler is fine as Elvis himself but even his Best Actor nomination is as much of a head scratcher as Rami Malek’s was in Bohemian Rhapsody. Not even Tom Hanks can help him or anyone in this bloated mess, feeling like a rejected character from the universe of Cloud Atlas. This just feels like a movie that was added in just for the sake of having a tenth entry for nominations and not because it was actually deserving of it.

9.) All Quiet On The Western Point

Every year or so, there comes a war movie that finds it’s way onto these nominations. Sometimes they are warranted such as Sam Mendes’s 1917 but other times, you get some like All Quiet On The Western Point. While certainly well-made and acted with a handful of standout moments, there’s not much here that leaves that big of an impact or differs itself from any other war movie. Not to mention, it pulls a Hacksaw Ridge where it claims to be an anti-war film that preaches pacifism only to contradict that message in favor of gloriously over-the-top gore and brutality.

Considering there always exists a better version of this movie with the original 1930 film along with a very well-written book that this movie is based on, there’s really no reason to watch this movie when other, better material exist. Not the worst war movie to ever be nominated but certainly one of the more forgettable.

8.) Triangle Of Sadness

Arguably the most “feel good” movie on this list, Triangle of Sadness walks a fine line between between grounded and plain absurdity. The cast are fun, the cinematography is top notch, and the first two thirds of it are intriguing enough. It’s once we get to the third act where the sluggish pacing and bloated runtime becomes apparent that the movie can help but limp itself onto the finish line.

This is one of those movies where the highs and lows practically balance each other out and it’s up to you to decide which end you find yourself leaning towards by the time the credits roll. While I lean somewhere in the middle, this does find itself on the lower half of the list because of it.

7.) Women Talking

Regardless of one can say about this movie, it certainly does live up to the title. Women Talking does indeed have a lot of women talking, along with Ben Wishaw on occasion. Even so, this is a solid watch overall which is carried by a bunch of talented ladies giving great performances who are giving compelling dialogue involving issues back then surrounding feminism and gender equality. I just wish I found a more emotional connect or it intrigued me the way Greta Gerwig’s Little Women did a few years back.

There’s certainly nothing problematic or even particularly bad about it, but it never rises above it’s basic and surface level when it feels like it’s trying to be anything but that. Still, Sarah Polley goes good work here with her cast and should be an intriguing name for the future

6.) Tar

I can’t say I’m in love with this one the way the rest of the world is. Yes, Cate Blanchett is amazing like always, it’s beautifully shot, the score is great, and the subject matter is tackling is certainly some that we need in this day and age. However, just like with a number of films on this list, the pacing and length really hinders the experience for me.

For a movie with this length and material in it, I was at least expecting something more creative in terms of it’s storytelling and structure instead of just something so basic and straight forward. If it was an hour shorter, this might have made it higher. But since it’s not, it’s just off of the upper half. It still has Cate Blanchett in it. And Cate Blanchett can make any movie good or watchable no matter what it is about.

5.) Avatar: The Way Of Water

The fact that this movie is THIS high on the list says more about the nominations this year rather than the quality of Avatar: The Way of Water itself. It’s really difficult for me to say whether or not this is better than the original as a whole or that it was worth the 13-year long wait. The stuff is better is better and the stuff that works does in fact work very well. I love exploring the worlds of Pandora and being able to witness this amazing imagery on the big screen while even find some of the family elements engaging. However, the things that don’t work such as the dialogue, plot points not being given a proper resolution, and not having a cohesive narrative still stick out like a sore thumb.

No doubt that James Cameron has a strange passion and love affair for Avatar and it’s world but I’m still not sure if I’m fully on board with it yet.  Just like the original, only time will tell. It’s only then that we’ll see whether or not if better is the new worse or worse is the new better.

4.) The Banshees Of Inisherin

This is probably the one entry on here I find myself right in between really liking it and absolutely adoring it. The performances from Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson are stellar, it’s shot extremely well, the score is outstanding, and it has the beating heart and soul throughout the feel that makes the whole thing feel genuine. It’s mostly the second half that didn’t grab me as much as the first half and the downer ending kinda felt like a betrayal to the movie that it was building itself up to be.

There’s still a lot of good stuff here and is something I can see myself watching again in the future. However, it’s the direction that it takes by the second half that perhaps makes this movie just short of an all-time classic. Regardless, it’s still worth a watch and one of the better nominations.

3.) The Fabelmans

This is Steven Spielberg’s newest coming-of-age feature that is a part autobiography and part fictional tale of Steven’s early years as a boy and as a filmmaker. While The Fabelmans is not the biggest or most aspiring film in his filmography, this is easily his most personal one. The one that feels like he has waited his entire career of making up to this point. The one that honestly feels like that everything has come full circle from in. The one that symbolically and thematically should be his final one or at least the beginning of an end to one of the most influential directors of all time.

Not only is this one of the best films of the year, it easily stands as one of the top-tier works of Spielberg and possibly my favorite film of his in the 21st century thus far. I’m sure many of you reading this will find that all to be hyperbolic but just like the film itself, I find it to be aspiring. I didn’t buy The Post or West Side Story as being worthy for being real best picture nominees but I totally buy this one.

2.) Top Gun: Maverick

I’ll admit a part of me does respect this movie more than I actually love it. Not just for what it has done at the box office (grossing over a shocking billion dollars worldwide) but what it does for these kind of sequels. However, I still love this movie all the same. You can say what you want about Tom Cruise as a person but he definitely knows his own reputation as an actor and will do whatever it takes to entertain his audience. Whether it’s Mission Impossible, Jack Reacher, or Top Gun, he still act as the best kind of action hero that anyone can except. Unlike other legacy sequels, this seems to give the notion that it’s titled main character can still be on top form with what he is still able to do even if he can’t seem to do anything else. He can still best the best at what he does even when it’s time to pass the baton to a new generation.

Sometimes it’s okay to let Tom Cruise be the Tom Cruise that audience knows and loves about him without the need for anything else. And if the 1.6 billion dollar signs at the box office has anything to say about it, I think mainstream audience would agree. This is the one I imagine the mainstream audiences will be rooting for and it’s easy to see why. However, there is just one movie I like a little more than this.

1.) Everything Everywhere All At Once

My favorite movie of last year is favorite of the best picture nominations! This is a movie that feels like existing at all seems like some sort of miracle. It’s proof that there are still movie directors out there that aren’t afraid to put their own stamp on filmmaking. It’s proof that creativity and surprise is still possible for movies out there. It’s proof that you can take a concept that is sure to get tiresome soon or later by can still make for something completely worthwhile. It’s as if the Daniels are taking a great look at the future of films and decided to make a movie with a familiar concept, not to simply mock or critique it, but show the best possible version of it without the need to neglect or devalue the ones that come before it or will after.

This still stands as one of the most creative, inventive films I’ve ever seen with some of the best execution of any idea or concept on film that I’ve ever seen. I love films that is able to give me an experience I’ve never had before and this excelled greatly at that. This was the best movie of 2022 and is the best of this year’s Best Picture nominations. This is Michelle Yeoh’s universe and we are all living in it. Also, Ke Huy Quan’s world as well. And Stepheanie Hsu.

Yesterday, Rocksteady announced that their newest game, Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League, will be delayed yet again until further notice. This is in response to the fan backlash over the recent gameplay footage shown along with wanting to add more polish to the game.

This new Suicide Squad game has been in development for quite a while now, making it the first Rocksteady console game since their successful Batman: Arkham series concluded in 2015 with Batman: Arkham Knight and their first overall game released since Batman: Arkham VR, which came out in 2016. After the Arkham series wrapped up, fans of Rocksteady have been waiting for years to see what the company had in store for their next game. There’s been speculations of a Batman Beyond game and even a Superman game that was in development until those ideas got scrapped in favor of a Suicide Squad game, one which would take place in that exact Arkham universe.

However, fans and gamers alike haven’t been all too thrilled what they seen so far. Because of that, Rocksteady have decided to push the game back further in the hopes of delivering a more quality product for everyone. While that’s all well and good, I don’t think any of that will matter unless the real obvious flaws that people have been complaining about are fixed. What are those flaws? Let me go over them!

Battle Passes

This has been a thing that many gaming companies have been trying to force on players for many years to try to squeeze as much money as they can out of their wallets. We live in a time that the prices for games are at an all-time high, which each new game costing $60 to $70 to play along with special editions costing even more than that. As much as one can claim that inflation might have something to do with that, it more has to do with how there are plenty of gamers that are willing to spend extra bucks on pre-order bonuses, exclusive content, and of course, battle passes to justify raising the prices. Because of that, companies have realized that they can easily take certain elements out of a game before release unless someone pays extra for it and they can get even more money from it. If you ask me, that has what led to gaming being more expensive than ever.

In the case of Kill The Justice League, it has been confirmed that the game will indeed have it’s own battle pass system. This will be a system that will be launched after the game’s release and contain only cosmetics. This battle pass system will earn the player new outfits, emotes, and other items to customize playable characters. Each battle pass will have free tiers of it’s own for free but will also have premium tiers that will be available with an optional in-game purchase. All of the battle pass items will reportedly be cosmetic and isn’t expect to impact the gameplay in any way.

While that last part I just mention is a sigh of relief, the rest of it seems yet again another attempt to get more money out of the players. I can’t speak what the actual premium tiers will be but if the way big games have gone in recent memory, there’s a big chance it’s nothing too special and could have easily been made free or be able to gain when you have enough XP points in the game to upgrade to get those tiers. What makes this more pointless is that it’s likely gonna be available for free another year or two down the line once the special or GOTY editions are released. For those who are smart, they will likely just wait until it’s made for free and the price had drop for the game. For everyone else, yet again, you are just falling for the same greedy trap that gaming companies have been setting up for many years.

Required Online Connection

It’s baffling how we are approaching the ten-year anniversary of when the Xbox One was revealed and companies are still repeating the same mistakes that Microsoft made with that console. One of the biggest controversies surrounding the Xbox One when it was announced was that it would require an online connection and it would require daily update or check-ins from Microsoft themselves. This clearly angered gamers everywhere as not everyone has access to the internet at all or even any times. So much so, that about a few weeks after E3 2013, Microsoft announced they were removing all of that due to the massive fan backlash over it. That should have been a lesson to gaming companies everywhere not to mess with gamers by trying to force things such as a required online connection. But yet, here we are again in 2023, with Rocksteady trying to force this matter with Kill The Justice League.

It has been confirmed by Rocksteady themselves that Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League will in fact require an online connection at all times. Regardless if you are playing in solo or co-op, you will need to have some sort of connection to the internet or online to be able to play the game in any way. I’m not gonna list all of the obvious reasons why this is dumb but if there is one main one, it’s that we now know that the game itself will likely only last or be supported for a limited amount of time. Just like many other games that require an online connection, there will come a point where the servers are shut down and the game will be deleted from existence. And even when the game is still being run, it will cause a slew of problems once there’s something wrong with the internet servers involving the Playstation 5, Xbox Series X, and the PC. Problems that could have been avoided if you could just let anyone want to play the main story whenever they want and for those who want to go online and play with others whenever they want.

This is yet again another example of a company basically asking themselves for trouble with required features that gamers clearly won’t like. I don’t know why companies are continuing this trend when there are plenty of examples of games that fall short because of it but here we go again. That’s not even mentioning that once the servers of the game shut down, Kevin Conroy’s final performance as Batman will be deleted from existence. Let that sink in for the rest of your day!

Is This Really In The Arkhamverse?

Expectations were always gonna be high with Rocksteady after their commercial and critical success of the Batman: Arkham series but those expectations would only grow once it was announced that their new Suicide Squad game, again their first overall game since the mid 2010s, would take place in that exact same universe as the Arkham games. That in of itself sets the expectation of not only the storyline of the Arkhamverse continuing and the expansion of that universe itself but that the game would play similar to those games except for more combat and guns thrown into the mix.

However, judging by the gameplay footage we’ve seen thus far, if you would have told me beforehand that this game is suppose to take place in the Arkhamverse, I and many others would not have believed you whatsoever. If anything this looks like it could take place in the same universe as the recent Gotham Knights game or the new Wonder Woman game that’s in the works than Arkham Asylum, Arkham City, Arkham Origins, and Arkham Knight. A change of tone, pace, and gameplay is fine but you have to be careful to not go too far out of that ballpark or else you are making something else entirely. For what we’ve seen thus far, Kill The Justice League is clearly going too far out of that ballpark.

From the looks of it, Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League seems to only take place in the Arkhamverse just for marketing purposes and the hopes that in of itself would boost sales. If it weren’t for the confirmation from Rocksteady themselves, I would have believe that Kill The Justice League would be as connected to the Arkhamverse as Crystal Dynamic’s Avengers would be connected to Insomniac’s Spider-Man, which is basically not all that much. I wasn’t asking for the new Suicide Squad game to be exactly like the Arkham games but I would have figured it would at least be something that would fit organically into that universe as oppose to feeling like some random puzzle piece that just doesn’t fit.

Can The Game Still Be Saved?

In the end, while delaying the game will certain prevent more bugs and glitches to the gameplay, none of that will mean anything unless these issues I just mentioned are resolved. I’m no gaming developer but I would assume removing all of those features will take plenty of time and the game would have to be pushed back another year because of it. I know Rocksteady and it’s fans don’t want to keep seeing this game get pushed back, especially since we are now approaching a decade since the release of their last main game, but those changes will have to be made to deliver a true experience worthy of it’s brand.

If Rocksteady is delaying it because of the criticism involving the battle passes, required online connection, and forced tie-ins to the Arkhamverse, then maybe there’s a chance that this game will be what Marvel’s Avengers, WB Games Montreal’s Gotham Knights, and EA’s Star Wars: Battlefront 2 should have been at the time of it’s release. Delivering a full quality game that includes all of the features that should have been included since Day One along with added DLC and bonus content that is ACTUALLY worth the extra few dollars. If they aren’t delaying it because of that, then none of that will matter at all and Rocksteady is clearly stalling out an inevitable fate of the game not meeting expectations critically or financially. As the old saying goes, you can polish a turd all you want and it’s still a turd.

Unless Rocksteady is able to get their heads out of their asses and avoid the mistakes of prior games in the past, then they are doing nothing but polishing a turd of it’s own. And I will have done my Batman: Arkham retrospectives for nothing. I guess no matter who wins here, everyone will lose. As a previous Batman movie villain once said, the world is cruel.

Creed III is now out in theaters. It’s quite astounding of how not only is the Rocky/Creed series still going, but that it’s still going strong. For a franchise that didn’t even need to be a franchise, it’s incredibly how strong and consistent they’ve been in quality. Despite this being a series that’s now up to nine movies, there’s only one or two that many would argue is actually bad with the rest ranging from pretty good to excellent. Just like I tend to do with most franchises whenever they get a new installment, it’s time to rank the Rocky/Creed franchise from worst to best.

9.) Rocky V

This is probably the only one that would qualified as bad but it does have interesting ideas of it’s own. Rocky V was meant to act as the finale of the franchise where he loses his money, trains a young stud who ultimately betrays him, and have one finale showdown…in an epic street fight. There’s always room to try new things in a series but when it’s intended to be the end of the story, then it’s best to just stick what worked before and not changes things up entirely. Not to mention, the way Rocky just chose to neglect his struggling son was just an absolute douche move. Thank goodness this didn’t actually end up being the end of the series because if it did, then it would have went out with an absolute whimper.

8.) Rocky IV

Easily the sloppiest and over-the-top movie in the series but it still kinda works. Rocky IV see Rocky meeting his match in the ring as the dreaded Ivan Drago made his way into the ring and killing his best friend, Apollo Creed in the process. That in of itself should make you think this is the darkest of the franchise but it’s anything but that. It’s silly and cartoon-like with top theatrics, constant montages, and even a high tech robot butler of all things. It’s still entertaining and the events transpiring here would have at least a solid pay off later on down the road but this is when you can tell the series was begin to fall victims of trying to go bigger and bolder.

7.) Rocky III

Possibly the biggest underdog story in a sea of movies about underdog story. Rocky III sees Rocky being stripped down from his prime and getting his ass beat in a way that he had never had before. However, like the old saying goes, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. While that can’t be said for his poor trainer in Mickey, Rocky is able to use that testament to train himself to take down his biggest rival yet up to this point in Mr. T. This was the point where the formula for the series would be as obvious as Rocky getting obliterated in his first go against the big man but man is it still so fun, effective, emotional, and resonant all the same.

6.) Creed III

Creed III was always gonna have to face the inevitable uphill battle that the series would have to fight against to see whether or not it can keep going without the man that started it all in Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky Balboa. Thankfully, Michael B Jordan proves he is up to the task to carry the baton forward in a respectful manner that makes Adonis Creed a compelling enough character to continue the Rocky tradition. While the movie does undeniably stick to the formula and traditions that the series is known for, it’s still able to feel fresh, unique, and satisfying all the same. Jonathan Majors proves he is the next big actor to watch out for and there is still room to go if they want to continue the series from here. The only thing keeping it from the top five is perhaps with how distinct it feels compared to the other movies in the franchise and could have used a stronger final fight. Regardless, it still rocks all the same.

5.) Rocky II

For a sequel to a movie that didn’t really need a sequel, Rocky II is about as good as it could possibly get. Not only does it help Rocky achieve the unfinished business he clearly had with the original where he went the distance with the champ but still lost, but it’s able to successfully tell the next “what’s next” chapter of a known sports athlete’s life without it being repetitive or stale. It provides the right balance between showing the importance of Rocky’s personal life and his life in the ring, Apollo Creed is a worthy friend/foe to Rocky, and it’s able to all feel genuine instead of cynical. The fact this is only #5 in the series goes to show how impressive in quality the franchise is as a whole.

4.) Creed II

On paper, Creed II sounded like the silliest idea for the series yet. You have baby boy Creed going up against baby boy Drago and it has to tie up the loose ends and emotional resonate of Rocky IV, a film as absurd and silly as this series can get. However, it all works out. Not just because of how well made it is, the intense, nerve racking fight scenes, and being able to deliver satisfying pay offs to these nagging loose ends, but how well it’s able to humanize the cartoon of a villain that was Drago along with his son. This could have easily fell into the category of a movie being shameless fan service but Stephen Caple Jr. is able to add the right amount of weight and meaning to where it all feels correct. It all just goes to show that just because you make something for the fans doesn’t mean you have to dumb everything down to make something worthwhile.

3.) Rocky Balboa

Before Top Gun: Maverick played with the idea that the one guy who was the very best at his job and still be the best if he pushed himself to do so, there was Rocky Balboa, which saw Sylvester Stallone returning to the Rocky series nearly two decades later to prove his worth once again. Sometimes it’s okay to let the man in the past be the same man for the future if he can still do the thing he’s best at. The Rocky movies at there core as always been about legacy and this was the first one in the series that seemed to put a great emphasis on it. Even if the set-up to the final confrontation is rather forced, this still makes for one of the most grounded and inspirational films in the Rocky canon.

2.) Creed

About a month before the age of legacy sequels kicked into full gear with Star Wars: The Force Awakens, there was Creed, which Ryan Coogler actually dared to take the Rocky franchise in a new direction by putting direct focus on the son of his old friend while Stallone himself acts as a secondary character. Easily one of the best movies to come out in 2015, this soft reboot is able to get everything right. It has the right amount of drama, right amount of emotion, right amount of fight scenes, right amount of legacy, right amount of inspiration, right amount focus on the villain, and just right amount of everything. Michael B Jordan is sensational as Adonis “Donnie” Creed and even Sylvester Stallone works just as well being a mentor figure as he was as the main boxer. In the era of legacy sequels, I still find this one to be the very best of the lot.

1.) Rocky

However, nothing has quite top the original Rocky. What can be said about this movie that hasn’t been said already? It’s basically perfect. What makes this traditional underdog story work so well is that it was written by Rocky himself in Sylvester Stallone, making it just as much an underdog story from behind the camera as it is in front of it. At it’s heart, this is not simply a movie about boxing, it’s a story about a man needing something to prove. And the fact that we are now movies in with this franchise, it was able to do all of that and more. Perfectly paced, acted, and written, Rocky is one of the definite motion pictures and one of the best crowd-pleasing films ever made.

Off all the installments in the Rocky/Creed franchise thus far, I don’t think there was one that was in a more unique position than Creed III. Not only because this is the first one to not have Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky in it but this seems to be the first one which actually dares to blaze it’s own path without having to carry the baggage of the legacy of Rocky Balboa that the series had been clinging onto. The first Creed was basically a modern update on the first Rocky while Creed II was a direct sequel to Rocky IV along with hitting the familiar but best beats from every Rocky sequel up to this point. Now that Rocky is able to rest comfortably knowing that his best friend’s death in the ring has been avenged along with Adonis no longer being a victim of living off his father’s glory, it’s time to take the series in his own unique direction. While there are certainly some impossible to avoid beats that this series is known for which the movie can’t help but follow, Creed III is able to succeed strongly as it’s own thing and proves that their are other stories to tell in this franchise even without Rocky Balboa himself.

Plot Synopsis: Taking place after the events of Creed II, Adnois “Donnie” Creed (Michael B. Jordan) is able to end his boxing career on top by winning in a rematch against “Pretty” Rick Conlan, the one and only opponent that Donnie had ever lost too. After one last victory, Creed has retired to take care of his wife Bianca (Tessa Thompson) and their deaf daughter Amara (Mila Davis-Kent).

Fast forward three years later and Donnie runs Delphi Boxing Academy with his prior coach Tony “Little Duke” Evers Jr. (Wood Harris) and helps promote young fighters like Felix “El Guerrero” Chavez (Jose Benavidez Jr.) in a match against well-known veterans such as Viktor Drago (Florian Munteanu). His personal life has become complicated as Bianca has become a producer after suffering from severe hearing problems, Amara has begun to follow in his footsteps of wanting to become a boxer, and his stepmother Mary Anne (Phylicia Rashad) is suffering from declining health whose days could be numbered. Things get even more complicated when Donnie’s old friend Damian “Diamond Dame” Anderson (Jonathan Majors) comes back into his life and requests for Donnie to help him builds towards a boxing career.

Because the two share a distinct past with one another and believing he owes his old pal a favor after he saved his life in an incident that got him arrested, Donnie agrees to help Dame train to become a professional boxer. As the process goes on with Dame’s turn to fame as a boxer, Donnie soon realizes that perhaps giving boxing lessons his friend who’s been in jail for quite some time might not have been the best idea. It’s then that Donnie must figure out how to keep Dame and his personal life in check or else it may result in having to return to the ring once again which might just jeopardize everything he has been building his whole life to.

To answer the obvious question that folks were wondering before this movie came out, Rocky Balboa is NOT in this movie. There is certainly a reference or two with him and he definitely still exists in this universe but there is no focus on him whatsoever in Creed III. That in of itself will undoubtedly be considered an absolute sin for the movie but if anything, it’s more of a selling point.

Rocky himself will always be a legend but he is not someone that Adonis Creed can count on forever. If he is to forge his own path, then he must learn how to live the life that his mentor once lived without his presence. While that’s not quite the central main conflict of the movie, that is no doubt the mindset that Michael B. Jordan had when realizing that Stallone himself wasn’t going to come back.

For those that were felt that the previous movie dialed back on the whole “passing the torch” premise of the original Creed by feeling the need to bring back familiar foes from Rocky’s past, they will likely find Part III to be more worthwhile. The personal conflicts that Donnie himself goes throughout the story all ties into his own past, present, and future without any tie backs or references to Rocky himself. These are his own family members and old pals that Donnie himself is forced to deal with. Whenever it involves boxing or having to take care of his loved ones, it is a problem that only he himself can solve.

And was there never a greater problem to solve than that of Jonathan Major’s Dame. While not dissimilar to that of in Rocky V where Rocky mentors his own fiery young boxer who ultimately turns on him, Dame represents Donnie trying to fix the remaining sins of his past. Because of the fact that Dame save Donnie’s life when they were kids and he have to face the consequences from it, Donnie feels like he owes his life and feels there’s no better way to repair him than to have his old pal get a taste of boxing glory. Of course, this regains the questions of whether or not Donnie is doing this because he believes Dame to be the next big thing or is he doing it because he owes Dame a favor? In that case, not only may he not find himself creating the next Rocky or Creed but possibly the next Drago. Despite Dame being once again a character that comes out of no where, it still is able to work well thanks to how it plays a role in Donnie wanting to move forward in his life while also trying to take care of any loose ends that might still need to be tied up.

This also helps because Jonathan Majors is absolutely great in the role as Dame. While we already got a taste of his acting chops in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania as Kang, Jordan is able to fully utilized Major’s ability and range as an actor here. He makes for a perfect mirror to Jordan’s Creed in the sense of wanting to become a fighter to prove himself while also for his own personal glory. Although we are clearly gonna see more of Majors down the line, I sure hope this isn’t the last time we see him paired with Jordan.

The rest of the performances are as reliably great as they have been for the previous two movies. Michael B Jordan once again proves he is the perfect man to be able to carry this franchise going forward without needing anyone else to back him up. Not only because of how Adonis Creed has become a fully fletched out character over the course of three movies but Jordan’s unique screen presence and depth he brings to the character. Tessa Thompson is as likable and charming as she has been in any other movie she’s been in and even gets more standout moments to herself here. Phylicia Rashad is as reliably great as always, Wood Harris is as likable as he usually is, young Mila Davis-Kent is able to shine well as Creed’s little deaf daughter who you can see a bit of Michael B Jordan in herself, and even Florian Munteanu and Tony Bellew make surprisingly welcome returns as the main antagonist from the previous two movies, so much so you won’t even bother to question why Creed is now supposed friends against someone from the family that’s responsible for his father’s death.

In terms of directing, Michael B Jordan shows he’s as just as much of a star behind the camera as he is in front of it. While there are a few scenes that do give the impression of a first-time together, this is a very well directed and put together movie with Jordan’s stamp clearly all over it. The boxing scenes are really well done, being able to play great tribute to traditional anime without it coming across as too over-the-top or devolving into self parody. It’s the way that the fight sequences are put together that make you feel each punch, the intensity of it all, and just the plain atmosphere of it. There is certainly room for improvement as there are times where certain scenes drag on longer than they should or end rather abruptly but for the most part, Michael B Jordan has a clear bright future ahead of him as a director.

Creed III was always gonna have to face the inevitable uphill battle that the series would have to fight against to see whether or not it can keep going without the man that started it all in Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky Balboa. Thankfully, Michael B Jordan proves he is up to the task to carry the baton forward in a respectful manner that makes Adonis Creed a compelling enough character to continue the Rocky tradition. While the movie does undeniably stick to the formula and traditions that the series is known for, it’s still able to feel fresh, unique, and satisfying all the same.

Much like the previous two movies, this does make for a satisfying end if they want to stop here but also leaves plenty of pathways to go with future movies if they want to continue on. However, after how satisfying of a trilogy the Creed movies have been along with the (mostly) consistently good quality of the Rocky franchise as a whole, I seen no reason not to welcome a Creed IV with opening arms. Creed III isn’t my favorite of the series or even the trilogy but it might just be the most important one thus far. It shows that just because a franchise can peak, doesn’t mean it can’t evolve into something else entirely. And if it can do just that with equally good results, then a franchise of any kind can last as long as it wants too.