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It would be quite strange to consider the new rebooted run of Planet of the Apes as “underrated”. After all, every ape flick that has come out since 2011 has been received with high praise from critics and audiences alike. But yet, despite all the love these films tend to get at the time of its release, they usually tend to get swept under the rug shortly after release. I don’t know if it’s just because these are the kind of films that just come and go with no ill will geared towards them or it’s just that everyone agrees these movies are good and then proceed to move on with it their lives but that has mostly been the case with every recent release of the Planet of the Apes franchise. It’s not so much underrated but more overlooked. There’s a different between those two words.
I bring this up because when it comes to Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, I think it’s about time we stop pushing these movies aside and just start accepting that the Planet of the Apes franchise is legit one of the best and most consistent film franchises out there. Despite Rupert Wyatt and Matt Reeves no longer being behind the camera and Caesar no longer being the main ape protagonist we follow, director Wes Ball is able to continue this rebooted series with grace with Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes in the best and most logical way possible.
The new apes we focus on are as likable and compelling as the apes in the last three movies, the action is thoroughly entertaining and thrilling throughout, the world building has never been more intriguing in these movies, and of course, the visuals and motion capture is completely off the charts and should be recognized greatly at the Academy Awards. It may not be quite as impressive from an emotional and depth stand point as Dawn or War or as the surprise/wow factor that Rise had but it’s able to stand strongly as it’s own engaging ape film while planting the seeds for what the future for the apes and humans can hold if the story shall continue.
Plot Synopsis: 300 years after the reign of Caesar, a young ape named Noa (Owen Teague) goes on a journey that will lead him to question everything he’s been taught about the past and make choices that will define a future for apes and humans alike.
The main strength that Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes has going for it is staying committed to its whole “back to basics” feel to it. It’s not interested in raising the stakes and topping the scales of Dawn or War, it’s not trying to reinvent the wheels like Rise, nor is it even trying to be the “real” ending to Caesar’s own trilogy. Despite this technically being the sequel to the last one, it has more interests in telling it’s own story and potentially blazing a path towards it’s own distinct future while acknowledging the impact that Caesar has had even 300 years later. Much like with Rise, there are plenty of hints of where to go from here if the series shall continue from here with the new characters we follow of Noa, Soona, Korina, Nova, and others. While the jury is still out whether or not this newest group can hold a candle to the likes of Caesar, Maurice, Koba, and others, the newest characters of Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes are compelling enough in their own right that their presence isn’t missed too much.
The main ape Noa in particular has an arc about carrying the right side to Caesar’s legacy while making sure to forge his own identity. Particular because it’s his actions throughout the film that can serve as a major turning point between the lives of the apes and human beings. Whether you see that as a metaphor of Kingdom being yet another legacyquel about newer fresh blood being passed the baton or just the main theme of evolution that has always been a staple for this series, it does work wonder and makes Noa all the more compelling to follow on screen.
Which could not make the antagonist as Proximus Caesar any better. Not only because he can be seen as another subtle metaphor of learning the “wrong” lessons from his ancestor and the overall lack of media literacy nowadays but also is a good contrast to Noa’s arc about being careful of his actions since it could potentially turn the tide between human and apes. I don’t know if Proximus is on the same level as Koba but he works perfectly as the antagonist of this movie, acting as a brilliant mirror to Noa and the legacy that Caesar himself has left beyond many generations later.
The performances remain as stellar as they usually are with these films! Owen Teague is able to fit in the big shoes he’s require to fill quite well as Noa, even if he can’t quite escape the shadow from Andy Serkis’s groundbreaking work in these films. Kevin Durand is able to make just as strong of impression as Proximus Caesar, going two for two this year, following Abigail. Peter Macon is able to add an extra bit of heart to the picture with Raka. It’s nice to have more female presence among the apes with Lydia Peckham’s Soona and Dichen Lachman’s Korina. And even if I’m not completely in love with everything done with Noa/May, Freya Allan fits the role very well and is quite believable in the action.
Speaking of action, they are just as well done and choregraphed as it usually is with these movies. Being able to get full advance out of the motion capture and move sets of the apes, the set pieces are completely thrilling throughout, with the final third delivering exactly on that action that is set up with the first two thirds of the film. The visuals are just as top notch as the previous movies, with plenty of beautiful cinematography and location shooting that helps enthralled the world building throughout the movie. The score is quite strong with not a single track feeling out of place. And it even has more of a sense of levity than the prior three films did, adding a bit of light of what might be considered a more calm tone than before.
If there is one major thing that holds Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes back from reaching the standards of it’s predecessors, it’s that sense of familiarity in terms of the characters and themes. It’s understandable in the sense that it has to update the status quo in this world but four movies in, you are able to recognize the bits throughout. From the new heads of the cast to the new prisoners set to the characters from both sides yet again questioning their place in this worlds, it makes the hitting beats from the previous films more noticeable than before. I’m not gonna say it’s a rehash of the last three films since it has enough of an identity of it’s own but it could have afford to step out of the shadow a little bet and tread less familiar ground.
I also would have like to see more of the human’s point of view with the limited human characters we have throughout, particularly Noa. Not that I needed a good chunk of a movie to centered around them but just enough time where it makes the actions that Noa makes in the last third of the movie feel more justified. Also, more of William H. Macy would have been nice as well.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is able to carry the momentum of this rebooted Apes movies by both paying great tribute to the Caesar trilogy while also expanding the world dominated by apes in fascinating ways. Time will tell if this film and the inevitable follow-ups will live up to the high standards of Rise, Dawn, and War but for what it’s worth, it’s good and compelling enough in it’s own right that it’s worth seeing where this franchise can go for here. Four movies into this reboots and apes continue to remain strong! Caesar would indeed be proud!
Other comments:
I have more faith in the live-action Legend of Zelda movie now but I still don’t get why that needs to be live-action, especially after the ANIMATED Super Mario Bros movie made a billion dollars last year. At least, it will look nice with great landscape shots!
The only real Elon Musk comparison I see with Proximus Caesar is the fact that he’s played by Kevin Durand, who legit looks like Elon Musk’s twin brother except he’s actually a good hearted person.
I honestly thought Raka was a 320 year old Maurice once we first saw him.
Also, please for the love of god, bring that character back that was supposedly killed off. I don’t care how or why, just bring them back because they are too precious and likable and shouldn’t be wasted like that. It may for a nice emotional moment in the film but please bring them back!
May the 4th be with you, everybody! There is nothing like annual Star Wars day, a day that celebrates the most iconic sci-fi franchise out there! Instead of putting my entire reputation in jeopardy by ranking the Star Wars movies, how about I put my reputation in jeopardy by ranking my top 10 favorite Star Wars games?
There has been a TON of Star Wars games released over the years! Everyone has their own personal favorite as does yours truly! And to celebrate May 4th, I’m gonna share my list of my top 10 personal favorite Star Wars games!
I will say that I have not played EVERY single Star Wars game out there! There might be some of your favorites that will not be on the list because I either have not played it or I just didn’t care much for it. That should be acknowledged right out of the gate!
Let’s get onto list making by starting with my honorable mentions:
Honorable Mentions:
Star Wars: Rogue Squadron
An arcade style flight action game that lets you control as Luke Skywalker in his X-Wing and lead the Rogue Squadron to defeating the empire. It’s always fun to take control over ships in a Star Wars game and be able to blast your way through enemies. There’s not much content outside of the 16 story missions but it was definitely enjoyable. I sure hope that Rogue Squadron movie that Patty Jenkins had in mind will eventually see the light of day.
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
One of the most controversial games in the series is one that I admittedly have fondness for. The idea of taking control of a force user that has unlimited power that wasn’t seen in any of the main Star Wars movies is a rather unique one for a Star Wars game. I did enjoy taking control of Starkiller and seeing him evolve over the course of the game. If it were less buggy and glitchy, this might have made it on the list. Also, Sam Witwer is the G.O.A.T.!
Star Wars: Jedi Alliance
The one game connected to The Clone War series that I enjoyed the most. Lightsaber Duels was too repetitive and wore out it’s welcome fast, Republic Heroes had INCREDIBLEY frustrating platforming and mindless combat, and Clone Wars Adventures had WAY too much locked content for a full experience. However, the Nintendo DS experience with Jedi Alliance was an enjoyable experience that took the best use of the portable device along with an intriguing story that dug deep into the lore of the Nightsisters. I might be one of the few on the planet that remembers this game but I have no shame in it whatsoever.
Star Wars: Elite Squadron
The Battlefront entry made exclusively for the PSP was one that felt completely made for the PSP. It was able to incorporate most of the things that made the previous Battlefront games so good while also putting it’s own spin on it to make it work for the PSP. Sure, the overall story might be silly with putting the focus on two “special” clone troopers who just so happens to be a part of EVERY turning point in the franchise but come on, you know it’s every Star Wars fan’s dream to be a hero in a galaxy far, far, away.
Star Wars: Battlefront II (2017)
At launch, Battlefront II was another disappointment from E.A., doubling down on everything people hated about them as a company along with shoving loot boxes and microtransactions down everyone’s throat. However, as the years went on and more content from all corners of the galaxy got added in, this is now a much fonder game to look back on. Had this been the game we got back in 2017, this could have made the list. Even so, this still has to be one of the better redemption stories in recent gaming history.
Now onto the main top 10!
10.) Star Wars Trilogy Arcade
Was there anyone out there that remembers playing the hell out of this game when they went to Chuck E. Cheese? I sure do! The Star Wars Trilogy Arcade game includes the three biggest battles from the original Star Wars trilogy: The Battle of Yavin 4, The Battle of Hoth, and The Battle for Endor! It puts you in the hands of the heroes from the first three films that needs to defeat the Galactic Empire and save the day! It’s an incredibly short but sweet experience that I would also go back to whenever I was at Chuck E. Cheese. If only they can re-release this on modern consoles!
9.) Star Wars: Battlefront (2004)
The original Star Wars: Battlefront was definitely a groundbreaking game for it’s time, setting the groundwork for this series that it’s follow-up would build greatly upon. The major downside is that it came out before Revenge of the Sith that makes the campaign disjointed and rather incomplete, introducing battles through the first fives movies and not the six yet. Even so, it’s still fun to roam and fight you way through the Clone Wars and Galactic Civil War, with everything that works here becoming even better in later games. Even if it is certainly date, there’s still plenty of variety and replay value that Star Wars: Battlefront provides.
8.) Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II- The Sith Lords
Knights of the Old Republic: The Sith Lords II was able to expand upon the gameplay and lore that the original provided with equally satisfying results. The main cast of characters are among the most compelling in any form of Star Wars media and the story it tells is easily one of the best in any Star Wars video games. The only downside is how rushed the ending segments are and the most accessible version of the game is lacking the Restored Content as DLC. Aside from those two flaws, this is still a very good game that offers the strong gameplay and storytelling that the original Knights of the Old Republic offered in ways that no other Star Wars media has.
7.) Star Wars Republic Commando
If you were to describe the Star Wars game that was the absolute definitive FPS experience, look no further than Republic Commando. This single-player, first-person shooter is among the most enjoyable Star Wars gaming experience to date. You get put in the hands of the Delta Squad of Clone Troopers in the form of Boss, Fixer, Scorch, and Sev, getting a deep look into the Clone Wars itself. And before The Clone Wars series, this was the first Star Wars property to provide unique characterization to the clone troopers and treat them as actual people rather than mindless drones. This is one that can cater to not just Star Wars fans but also fans of a good FPS! If you still have yet to play it, there’s a ported version of it that you can pick up on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
6.) Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order
After a skew of underwhelming Star Wars games in the hands of EA, Jedi Fallen Order was a pleasant surprise when it released back in 2019. This remaining one of the very best single-player Star Wars games, putting you in the hands of Jedi Knight Cal Kestis, who is forced to fight his way through Order 66 and the rise of the Empire. It also offers an incredibly compelling story with a cast of characters that are one of the best Star Wars groups ever (BD-1 is just everything!). While the gameplay might borrow too many elements from Soulsborne, it fits the experience completely as you hack and slash your way as a Jedi Knight with awesome force powers. Also, anytime Darth Vader goes into complete OP mode is just awesome!
5.) Star Wars: The Old Republic
BioWare’s second Star Wars game remains an absolute fan favorite for many and for good reason. The Old Republic is a highly ambitious MMO that expands upon that same ear greatly. There’s plenty of content that the game provides with many different ways for you to spend your hours during perhaps the most intriguing time period in the history of Star Wars. Some of the quests are quite standard and it does follow the same beats as most MMOs but with a Star Wars license on top it but this is still as good as this kind of Star Wars game can get. While it’s a shame we never got a third Knights of the Old Republic game, The Old Republic is more than satisfying enough on it’s own merits that it completely makes up for it.
4.) Star Wars: Jedi Survivor
Jedi Survivor was able to build upon it’s already impressive predecessor in just about every way it possibly could. It furthered the characters, it expanded upon the gameplay and universe, it moved at a faster frame rate, it took a step forward in terms of graphics, and it contained some of the best set pieces in any Star Wars video game! While it wasn’t as tight narratively as the first one and the worlds were a bit too big for some, Jedi Survivor was able to deliver more in terms of it’s gameplay, graphics, and presentation. It was one of my favorite games last year and I can not wait for the third entry of this series. If that delivers, then this series will stand strongly as top tier Star Wars media out there.
3.) Lego Star Wars Series
It’s near impossible for me to choose just one or two of these games so I decided to just include the whole series in general, except for Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens because I never played that one. Lego Star Wars will always have a special place in my heart. I played these games before I watched any of the Star Wars movies and man, was it just a fun, entertaining, and absolutely HILARIOUS way for me to get into this series. The gameplay involving the legos is unique, creative, and very enjoyable, it’s able to retell the events of the films and The Clone Wars series in ways that are both clever and super funny, and there is so much extras, unlockable content, and variety throughout that it will have you playing through these games for HOURS to DAYS on end! Regardless if you are a Star Wars fan or not, these are games I can recommend for just about anybody of any age.
2.) Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
No matter what way you look at, the original Knights of the Old Republic is an absolute triumph in terms of visuals, storytelling, and gameplay for both Star Wars and the RPG genre as a whole. It takes an extraordinary look at the Star Wars universe, far removed from any film in the Skywalker Saga. It added major depth to the lore, it fully immerse you in exploring this new corner of the galaxy with rich new additions, and being a Jedi has never been more satisfying in any Star Wars video game. That’s also not to mention the memorable locations and quests, intriguing story, and memorable characters to make the whole game feel as full as you could imagine! This might be the best Star Wars game from an objective standpoint but from a subjective standpoint, there’s one more that fully perfects by Star Wars gaming experience.
1.) Star Wars: Battlefront 2 (2005)
Star Wars: Battlefront 2 is the perfect Star Wars game! Not only does it build upon everything that the original Battlefront offered a year before and gives you even more but it is the one Star Wars game I can think of that is satisfying no matter who or what you are playing as. No matter if you are playing as a clone trooper, battle droid, rebel trooper, storm trooper, bounty hunter, smuggler, Jedi, or Sith, it is extremely satisfying to play. It offers the best areas of all six Star Wars movies up to that point, it includes most fan favorites characters to the roster such as Luke Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Darth Vader, Princess Leia, Boba Fett, Darth Maul, and so many more, the area and space battles are always intense and fun, the campaign is very compelling, and this has hands down the best multiplayer of any Star Wars game. It’s just a damn shame that the new remastered version is as bad as it is because with the perfect remastered, this could be seen as one of the best shooting games ever made. With the addition of online multiplayer and co-op along with some added bonus features, this could be even better. Even so, the original Star Wars: Battlefront 2 still remains a S-tier Star Wars experience and my personal favorite Star Wars game to date!
Hope you all enjoy this list and may the 4th be with you!
It’s now officially May which means it’s now officially summer movie season! The time of the year where the big blockbusters of the year are front and center in movie theaters everywhere now that the kids are out of school! Because of that, I figure I’d so something that I’ve yet to do on this blog, do a list of what I believe will be the top highest grossing films of the summer!
2023 was an absolute DISASTER at the box office during the summer time! That is largely due to the massive budgets from the majority of the big movies that came out that year along with just the overall inconsistent-to-poor quality of those big movies. And considering the fact there will likely be no Barbenheimer to save the summer, 2024 will likely be just as challenging for summer movies!
Even so, I think the 2024 summer movie season will give a big indication as to whether or not Hollywood is still recovering from the post-covid era of struggling to get people’s butts into theater seats or will this be the beginning of a resurrection for summer movies! We can only cross our fingers and hope for the best!
And considering I’ve been seeing multiple people put their own predictions of the top 10 biggest summer movies in terms of profit, why not throw my own hat in the ring and do my own list of this?! Keep in mind, these are the movies that I believe will be the highest grossing of the summer, not the ones that I desperately want to be at the very top. If that were the case, then Furiosa would at least be in the top 3 and Despicable Me 4 would be dead last on this list. This is list is not a matter of anticipating or movies I think will be objective the best, this is a list of the movies that I believe will be the most to least successful in terms of the top 10 movies of the summer.
Also, this is a ranking based on box office numbers worldwide and NOT domestic. That list would be harder and more complicated for me to judge. This is how I feel the box office numbers will hold for each film WORLDWIDE. Could I be dead wrong on every single one of these? Absolutely! But hey, it’s fun to be able to make predictions, right?!
Time to jump right in and put my predictions on what I believe will be the top 10 highest grossing films of the summer!
10.) Furiosa
Release Date: May 24th
Box Office Projection: $350 Million
Reason: I have all the faith in the world that George Miller will deliver with this film but I’m just not sure it’s one that most general audience will be interested in. Despite the massive praise that Mad Max: Fury Road got back in 2015, it only made a little over 380 million dollars worldwide, with a net loss somewhere between $20-$40 million. And considering this is basically a prequel spin-off surrounding a character from Fury Road but played by a completely different actress and with no Mad Max to be found in the marketing, that doesn’t inspire much confidence for Furiosa to top or even match that. I love to be proven wrong and the cult following of Fury Road will show up to this one but I wouldn’t be surprised if this ends up being the most frustrating Hollywood flop since last year Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning, especially with the rumored film budget being over 200 million dollars! Hopefully this prevails and we get more Mad Max films from George Miller with the time we still have with him!
9.) Bad Boys Ride or Die
Release Date: June 7th
Box Office Projection: $400 Million
Reason: This is likely the summer movie I’m the most curious to see how it performs. This is a sequel to a movie that was one of the last solid hits to come out before covid hit. If it’s able to hit all the right beats just like Bad Boys For Life did, then I can see this doing similar numbers to that and perhaps even top it. The only big question is whether or not everyone has forgiven Will Smith for slapping Chris Rock on stage yet?
8.) The Fall Guy
Release Date: May 3rd
Box Office Projection: $425 Million
Reason: The first big movie of the summer is set to arrive tomorrow and I think this will largely benefit from being that first big movie of the summer. It also helps that it’s an awfully good over-the-top action flick that puts the spotlight on stunt doubles. If the word of mouth is good enough this weekend, I can definitely see this being a genuine crowd pleaser and may even make more folks demand that the Academy act a stunt category to the Oscars. I seem to be higher on this movie than most folks that I’ve seen but I think The Fall Guy will do more than fine and dandy at the box office.
7.) A Quiet Place: Day One
Release Date: June 28th
Box Office Projection: 450 Million
Reason: Coming after the first two terrific installments, this is the one main horror franchise that has left the audience more intrigued to see what happens next. The only potential downside is that this acts as a prequel to those first two films with a completely different cast and director. The big looming questions is whether or not audiences love A Quiet Place for it’s memorable characters and recognizable actors or for it’s genuine scares, set pieces, and world building. If the quality for Day One is in the same ballpark as those first two Quiet Place movies, then I can certainly see it being in the same ballpark as the first two films in terms of box office results.
6.) If
Release Date: May 17th
Box Office Projection: $475 Million
Reason: There are two main factors here that will make If a good hit at the box office. First, it will be the biggest family friendly movie to come out in May (give or take The Garfield Movie) and will have enough time to stand out as that until Inside Out 2 and Despicable Me 4 come out. Secondly, it has the star power duo of Ryan Reynolds and John Krasinski. Those two factors alone are almost certain guarantee that this movie will do bank once it comes out in the next two weeks. It likely won’t be the biggest movie of the summer starring Mr. Blake Lively but it will definitely help for him to have a summer to remember.
5.) Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
Release Date: May 10th
Box Office Projection: $500 Million
Reason: The next big summer entry is set to come out in theaters next month and looks as if it will be as visually delighting and narratively compelling as it’s rebooted predecessors. Disney has been doing everything in their power to promote this film by showing off the elements that folks loved the most about the previous three films. That in of itself will guarantee a strong first weekend, especially since it’s avoiding Memorial Day competition with Furiosa and The Garfield Movie. Just like with A Quiet Place: Day One, the biggest challenge that Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes will have to overcome is make people just as invested in this new cast and crew as they were with the previous ones. If it does that, then this will likely be in the top 5 movies of the summer.
4.) Twisters
Release Date: July 19th
Box Office Projection: $600 Million
Reason: It might be a bold claim on the surface to predict this one making 600 million and being one of the biggest movies of the summer but hear me out. The original Twisters is adored by many, it has the star power of Glen Powell, coming off his great work in Top Gun: Maverick, and everyone just loves a good disaster flick. The trailers have been doing it’s best to sell audiences on exactly what they want to see out of a disaster movie and that alone will likely get plenty of folks into the theaters. I could be dead wrong in claiming this but even if this does get bad reviews, I don’t see that scaring away audiences because this is the definition of a “critic proof” movie. By that note, this will likely be the most successful “critic proof” movie since The Super Mario Bros Movie. Hopefully, the discourse over the Rotten Tomato score won’t be as insufferable.
3.) Inside Out 2
Release Date: June 14th
Box Office Projection: $750 Million
Reason: Disney has been in quite a slump as of late with their theatrically released films, especially in terms of animation. Despite all the flops released last year, Elemental had some staying power and made just enough to be guaranteed a profit, making that and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 the only Disney movies to NOT be considered a financial disappointment. And considering this is a sequel to one of the most beloved Pixar films in recent memory, Inside Out 2 will be able to do some of the best numbers with Disney Animation since 2019, especially if the reviews are stellar. The recent track record alone might prevent it from reaching the same success as the first one but if it delivers, Inside Out 2 should be able to be the most successful theatrically released Pixar film since Toy Story 4 and possibly even the most successful theatrically released Disney film overall since Frozen 2.
2.) Deadpool & Wolverine
Release Date: July 26th
Box Office Projection: $900 Million
Reason: Many folks have claimed this will be a guarantee billion dollar hit but I think everyone needs to come back to reality for a moment. After many big movies underperformed last year, including two MCU installments, we might need to pump the breaks on such bold claims. As much as Deadpool & Wolverine is one of the most anticipated movies of the year and will likely be one of the biggest movies of the summer, that’s won’t guarantee 7 digits as prior big Marvel movies did. The R-rating alone (A reminder that there has been only ONE film to ever make a billion dollars!) along with the inconsistent quality of recent Marvel movies/shows will likely prevent it from reaching that billion dollar mark, with audiences still needing more consistent quality Marvel flicks to be fully won back. The promise of seeing Huge Jackman as Wolverine once again in yellow spandex, the buddy-cop routine with him and Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool, and the absolute guarantee of multiple easter eggs, cameos, and fan service will make Deadpool & Wolverine one of the biggest movies of the summer almost certainly. When it comes to if it will be the first Marvel movie since Spider-Man: No Way Home to make a billion dollars, that more than remains to be seen in my eyes.
1.) Despicable Me 4
Release Date: July 3rd
Box Office Projection: $1.1 Billion
Reason: I don’t understand the appeal of these movies and I likely never will but one thing is certain though, this franchise certainly has an audience. Coming off a third entry that made a billion dollars and a second Minions movie that almost made a billion dollars, there is no reason to believe that Despicable Me 4 won’t be in that exact same territory in terms of box office success. Whether you like or hate them, Illumination Animation certainly knows how to get kids and families to theaters with their films and this will certainly be no exception. As I said before, the quality of any of these films is irrelevant and I highly doubt any kind of negative reviews will impact the box office results here. If I had to pick one big movie that is the saftest bet to make a billion dollars and be the highest grossing movie of the summer, it would be Despicable Me 4. I wish that was not the case but hey, there are plenty of folks out there that do. So, what do I now?
Other notes:
As for the other movies that got let off the list!
The Garfield Movie nearly came close to topping Furiosa the 10th spot but unless it’s able to make noise at Memorial Day, I can see this being shipped to digital really quickly. It might do enough for a profit but not Hotel Transylvania and Spider-Verse numbers.
Alien: Romulus looks like a return to traditional roots for the series in the form of Prey but it will likely have to pay for the sins of Prometheus and Alien: Covenant (Damn you, Ridley Scott!).
The Bikeriders seems fun but won’t leave much impact until it hits streaming service like it originally was suppose to.
Horizon: An American Saga could likely come and go depending on it’s quality.
And if the trailers for Borderlands is anything to go by, this will likely be one of the biggest bombs of the summer. Why, Eli Roth?! Just why?!
This was when SpongeBob SquarePants got truly as bad as folks claimed the show got after the first movie. While I still stand by my opinion that Seasons 4 and 5 weren’t the worst things in the world, these next three seasons I’m about to talk about is MORE than deserving a seat at the table. Okay, maybe that’s a little harsh. It’s not the worst thing ever but it’s undoubtedly SpongeBob’s roughest time throughout his history up to this point.
There are multiple different factors that played into the poor quality of these three seasons I’m about to talk about. Part of it is because most of the writers from the original three seasons were no longer present. Another part of it is because the writers of these three seasons likely tried to add their own style of humor and slapstick to the show that just fell flat. And of course, there’s that part that might be how the show has gone on for way too long and basically ran out of ideas. However, I do think the one main factor in all of this has to do with Nickelodeon and them relying SpongeBob SquarePants WAY too much to keep their network afloat!
Nickelodeon has been a controversial network for quite some time, ESPECIALLY in recent events (Dan Schneider is going straight to hell!). A big part of that has to do with their habit of expecting a new show to be a big grand hit RIGHT out of the gate and never looking back. When a new show doesn’t meet anything near those criteria, they tend to disregard it quite quickly.
So much so that they won’t even have the decency to air the rest of the episodes of a season but just dump it on their “back-up” network and letting that show go out with an absolute whimper. Or in the case of The Legend of Korra, they’ll just stop airing new episodes halfway through a season on TV and dump the rest of the show on their website. Yes, that really happened!
However, when a show does in fact become as big of a hit as they want, they go too far in the other direction and milk it until that cow is dry. And even then, they’ll just find another cow to milk.
There has been two shows throughout their history that has been the direct result of that: The Fairly Oddparents and SpongeBob SquarePants. With Nickelodeon constantly cranking out new episodes and content for these long lasting franchises like crazy, it played a significant role in their inevitable decline in quality.
It was by the points of Seasons 6, 7, and 8 that Nick was relying HEAVILY on the SpongeBob brand to keep the network at a steady heart rate. They would constantly demand for new episodes to be made as fast as humanly possible. Don’t worry about the overall quality. All that matters is that they get a ton of episodes released so they can be covered for the next two to three years before having to worry about anything beyond that timeline.
When watching Seasons 6 through 8, you can definitely tell that Nick was rushing production for new episodes of SpongeBob that the writers never had time to sit down and figure out what the hell they were even doing. It was that bad!
The end results of that leads to an era of very ill-fated and mean spirited episodes that goes against everything that the show has been up to this point. You have characters acting constantly out of characters, the same repetitive “torture porn” jokes, inconsistent animation with unintentional creepy imagery, messed up morals that aren’t well thought out in the slightest, and episodes that lack any sort of substance whatsoever. If there was ever a time where the post-movie haters got to gloat how right they were with SpongeBob losing his way after the first three seasons, this was it.
Let’s dive a little deeper as to why this era of SpongeBob SquarePants has been the show’s most infamous.
Seasons 6 & 7
You might be wondering why I’m going to be talking about Seasons 6 and 7 at the same time? Well, that’s because they both have the exact same kind of problems that I just mentioned. So much so that it’s pretty hard to tell which season that each episode belongs to. Not only because Nickelodeon aired episodes in between both seasons before either one was officially complete (This would not be the only time they would do that in this show before and after!) but because the majority of the episodes gave that exact sense of ill-conceived, poorly thought out gags and storytelling.
First off, you have the infamous episodes that lacked any sort of substance. These were mainly ones that take the most paper-thin premise imaginable and filled 90% of the runtime with filler. You have Penny Foolish which is about Mr. Krabs trying so hard to get just a little penny from SpongeBob. You have The Card which is about SpongeBob trying to protect a special Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy card from Patrick. You have A Day Without Tears which SpongeBob makes a bet with Squidward that can he go a whole day without crying. There’s also Gone, which is about everyone but SpongeBob disappearing from Bikini Bottom, only to find out they left because it was National No SpongeBob Day! They are about as dull, one-note, and shallow as the premise of each episode makes it out to be.
You have the infamous episodes that show of the lackluster animation and gross out images. There’s The Splinter that shows the most disgusting looking splinter that you will likely ever see on your life. There’s House Fancy that shows Squidward’s entire toenail coming off in rather painful fashion. There’s Keep Bikini Bottom Beautiful where we see Squidward eating, bathing, and sleeping in complete garbage. While the earlier SpongeBob seasons weren’t necessarily a stranger to gross out humor, these seasons take it way too far to the point where these episodes might make you legit nauseous.
You have the infamous episodes that completely butchers the characters beyond repair. You have Boating Buddies, Choir Boys, and Squid’s Visit which makes SpongeBob come across as a complete stalker with the way he refuses to let Squidward have his space and knows his home and lifestyle near perfectly. You have A Pal for Gary that makes SpongeBob look like an arrogant and illogical jerk to Gary, who is literally getting TORMENTED by the other pet in this house. You have Yours Mine and Mine and Stuck in the Wringer which takes Patrick’s stupidity to ridiculous level and making him look like a selfish a-hole. There’s even One Course Meal, which makes Mr. Krabs look like the most soulless crab in the ocean by trying to drive Plankton into committing suicide (an episode which even Clancy Brown admitted he was very uncomfortable doing voice work for). These episodes were so bad that I wouldn’t blame anyone if it made fans not look at certain characters the same way again.
You also have the infamous special episodes, especially one in particular, that were so overhyped and underwhelming that it made people lose interest in the show completely. While SpongeBob vs The Big One was pretty good, just about every other one in Seasons 6 and 7 were about as lackluster as the majority of special SpongeBob episodes. The Clash of Triton was mediocre at best that made you want to sympathize with King Neptune’s whiny and annoying son but failed spectacularly. SpongeBob’s Last Stand was a bold attempt on making commentary on environmental awareness that mostly fell flat and was ultimately forgettable. And do I even need to mention the dull, obnoxious, poorly directed, visually ugly, non-existential story driven, and disappointing as hell special that was Truth or Square. The 10th anniversary special that was nothing but false advertising and empty promises, the worst possible celebration for ten years of SpongeBob SquarePants that you could imagine. That one special alone was so bad that it made plenty of folks drop the show completely, such as yours truly.
That’s not to say there were ZERO good episodes of any kind to be found in Seasons 6 and 7 such as Sand Castles in the Sand and The Bad Guy Club for Villains. It’s just that you would have to dig HARD to find those hidden gems buried within such garbage. Anything else you would find is nothing but trashy, greasy nonsense. A sign that Nickelodeon no longer valued the quality of SpongeBob SquarePants but more saw it for it’s name and brand alone. There’s plenty of fingers to be pointed around here but this was the show at it’s absolute lowest point.
However, why didn’t I lump Season 8 into this as well?! Well, it’s complicated!
Season 8
To be clear, Season 8 was also not a good overall season whatsoever. There were plenty of episodes of the dire examples that I just mentioned to be found here. You have Face Freeze! which showed off the creepiest and most horrifying face expressions that has ever been seen on this show. You have Pet Sitter Pat which made Patrick more unlikable and insufferable than he always has been, allowing poor Gary to be beaten up the whole way through. And it’s better not mentioning Demolition Doofus, the episode where Mrs. Puffs is trying to get SpongeBob literally MURDERED! This was a bad season by all accounts, but it did have it’s moments!
As much as there were plenty of bad things about Season 8, it also had a handful of good things about it. The good things that not only help make it more salvageable compared to Seasons 6 and 7 but also it helped plant the seeds for the inevitable resurrection seasons for the coming years. These were good episodes that helped made Season 8 not just the best out of a bad bunch but also the best possible conclusion to the worst era of SpongeBob’s history.
A handful of fan favorite episodes this season include the likes of Frozen Face Off, Planet of the Jellyfish, Super Villain Aquatic Villain Team Up Is Go!, Chum Fricassee, the Vacation episodes, and The Krabby Patty That Ate Bikini Bottom. However, there were two special episodes that I believed helped evaluate this seasons quite a bit. Those two special episodes were It’s A SpongeBob Christmas! and the Season 8 finale, Hello Bikini Bottom!
While the Vacation episodes with the main characters going on vacations were light and enjoyable enough on their own merits (even if most of them probably could have just been shorts instead of 11 to 22-minute long episodes), these two special episodes were able to capture a certain spark that the majority of this era couldn’t come close to achieving. It showed that not only is it possible for there to be new SpongeBob episodes that were good but that this show did in fact have some creative energy left within itself.
It’s A SpongeBob Christmas! was the first major SpongeBob episode to be strictly in stop motion animation. It also officially premiered on CBS during November 2012 before airing on Nickelodeon a month later. And believe it or not, it was very, very good. It managed to be funny, charming, moving, and just put you right into the Christmas spirit! For as good as the original Christmas Who? special was, It’s A SpongeBob Christmas managed to be just as good if not better than that already classic Christmas animated tale.
I would also go into deep details into how important Hello, Bikini Bottom! was to this season and the whole show in general but I actually have a special piece of that coming next month. And yes, that will be the monthly piece for this yearly SpongeBob retrospective! There’s just so much to talk about that episode and the multiple meanings that it has. Needless to say, it’s a very special episode and one that I feel should be even more appreciated than it already is.
Overall, I guess you can look at Season 8 compared to Seasons 6 and 7 the same way that folks look at Revenge of the Sith compared to the rest of the Star Wars prequel trilogy. It may not be particularly good but it’s definitely the least bad of the three with some redeemable values to it. However, the redeemable values are definitely worth bringing up as it would eventually build up towards another golden era of the yellow sponge quite later on in the future. This is something that I will be tackling in my next piece of the yearly SpongeBob marathon with talking about why Hello, Bikini Bottom! might be the most important episode of SpongeBob SquarePants.
In Conclusion
I’m not sure what more I can say that hasn’t been said about everyone else on the planet to how bad this era of SpongeBob SquarePants truly was. It’s the era which saw SpongeBob at his absolute lowest point. Due to Nickelodeon’s constant micro management and time constraints along with writers that might have been over their heads, Seasons 6-8, even with the last season’s good elements to it, is what sank SpongeBob’s reputation so hard. It was so bad that it killed any good will that most folks had left in this series. It did so much damage to SpongeBob that it made folks not want to acknowledge the legit good episodes that are a part of it because of how bad the majority of the episodes were. Whenever I feel the urge to claim that post-movie SpongeBob was no where near as bad as many have led you to believe, it’s these three seasons that respond back with an enthusiastic, “Yes, it is!”. And it’s then I would lose this fight completely.
I feel sad that the episode I will be talking about next month had to be a part of this era. In some ways, it basically had to die for this era’s sins to push towards the brighter next era that would come along. And it’s that episode of Hello, Bikini Bottom! that I will be covering in May!
Next Month: Why Hello, Bikini Bottom Is The Most Important Episode of SpongeBob SquarePants
Last year, Melissa Barrera was betrayed. Following the success of her standout performances in Scream (2022) and VI, the producers of those films decided to cut ties with her for having the audacity to voice her support for a dying Palestine. They can claim that it technically wasn’t “firing” because her contract was set to expire all they want but that was a cowardly move made by the studios. Even so, Melissa Barrera did remain working with Radio Silence, the company behind those last two Scream movies along with the excellent Ready or Not. Here she plays a character that by in large resembles the situation that Barrera has found herself dealing with in real life. She committed certain screw ups that got where she is now and is fighting for her life to get back to making things right. While that is mostly largely coincidental, Abigail could not have been a better follow up for Mrs. Barrera and Radio Silence if they tried.
It’s able to get an insanely talented cast and crew and put them front and center to make one of the best vampire movies in recent memory. It’s full of wit, charm, blood bath kills, and is completely bonkers from beginning to end. It made take a while for all the pieces to be put into place and those that watched the trailers might see some of the big reveals coming from a mile away but nevertheless, Abigail is proof that Radio Silence is the next consistent horror movie studio to watch out for and this film will definitely be up there as one of the best horror movies that 2024 will have to offer.
Premise: A group of would-be criminals (Melissa Barrera, Dan Stevens, Kathryn Newton, Will Catlett, Kevin Durand, and Angus Cloud) kidnaps the 12-year-old daughter (Alisha Weir) of a powerful underworld figure (???). Holding her for ransom in an isolated mansion, their plan starts to unravel when they discover their young captive is actually a bloodthirsty vampire.
(I don’t want to reveal too much more considering the trailers had already given away a good chunk of the plot. Once again, if you haven’t seen the trailers yet and are looking forward to the movie, I would recommend to NOT watch them before seeing the movie.)
It may seem tiring to call films “self aware” nowadays, especially since that seems to be the norm for a film trying to be as “critic proof” as possible and would allow for it’s own “get out of jail” free card. However, Abigail remains the best kind of self aware. Not just because it wants to subvert the vampire genre that it’s a part of but it wants to embrace it with opening arms. It’s not so much interest in reinventing the wheels but more of putting both hands firmly on the wheel and taking viewers into directions that they may or may not expect. The main reason Abigail is able to get away with being self aware because it fully embraces the wit, camp, and gore that you come to expect from a vampire movie and a Radio Silence movie up to this point.
It does take a little while to get going however. Because it has quite an ensembled cast, it takes it’s time to get them all characterized with clear cut motivations and backstories as to who each individual is and why they got themselves into the matter that they are in. And of course, they have to establish who exactly Abagail is, even if most of the marketing as already done so, before the ball gets rolling. These sequences are made for the absolute better not just because it makes all the pay offs worth it but also for just how insanely likable the cast is.
Melissa Barrera is even better here than she is in the last two Scream movies combined, practically evaluating her status as a true iconic final girl and one that can carry any horror movie that she is a part off. Dan Stevens steals every scene he is in even harder than he did in Godzilla X Kong, somehow able to make his character likable and hilarious despite basically playing an absolute a-hole. Kathryn Newton is just as good here as she was in Freaky and Lisa Frankenstein, Angus Cloud (May he RIP!) and Kevin Durand gets some of the best laughs in the movie, and while not quite in the movie as much as I would like, Giancarlo Esposito is always a delight to see on screen.
Despite how strong the other cast members are, the real star of this show is no other than Abigail herself in young Alisha Weir. She slays every scene that she’s in and makes for the perfect centerpiece for this movie. She’s able to be fun, sympathetic, and terrifying all at the same time, making her presence feel noticed throughout the entire runtime of the film. Whether it’s for strictly horror or other movies, this young girl should have a bright future ahead of her.
As you would expect for a horror slasher and a straight up vampire flick, it more than delivers on all the kills here. Once things are set in place, Abagail becomes an absolute blood bath in the best and most gruesome ways possible. There’s plenty of thrilling and convincing kills that will give horror fans their craving, it’s able to play in it’s own B movie camp to near perfection, and the demented death scenes feel as satisfying as it does gruesome. Even if the film does commit to it’s campy and comedic undertone, it also commits greatly to it’s kills and thrills as well.
If there is any glaring weakness outside of the bit overlong set-up and the trailers spoiling the big reveals, it’s that perhaps it goes too far by the end with it’s over-the-top ness. It wouldn’t be quite as noticeable as the rest of the movie if it wasn’t for the fact that it tries to throw one or two more twists and emotional beats towards the end. It’s hard to explain without spoilers but the final deathmatch comes across as being stretched just in the hopes of not feeling too short or anti climatic with it’s last minute reveals.
Even so, in a year that has been quite underwhelming for cinema thus far, Abigail does feel like a refreshing change of pace for not just the horror genre but films in general. It’s able to meet the expectations it sets out too because it know every single trope of it’s genre it wants to commit to and manages to execute them all in the best way possible. It may not be revolutionary but it does everything it possibly can to make for a satisfying experience. The cast is great, the kills are brutal, the scares all work, and even if you are able to see the reveals coming from a mile away, you’ll be fascinated to see how well they are all done.
I can only hope this movie does well enough that it not only allows Radio Silence to keep making these kind of movies but it also puts Melissa Barrera on the map as a gal to watch out for in movies. Don’t let the Scream producers win here folks! Go support Abagail for not just a very fun time but also for our girl Melissa!
#JusticeForMelissaBarrera
And once again, Rest in Peace to the great Angus Cloud!
And here’s the ranking that is likely going to get me attack/cancelled from hardcore stans of this director!
Zack Snyder might be the most controversial big name director working today. While he is certainly a man with a vision and always has big ambition with everything that he makes, he has been inconsistent to translate that perfect vision he always has in his head properly in front of the camera. The action and visuals is always guarantee to talk the talk but the story and character development can never always walk the walk. Because of that, his films always tend to be divisive and even sometimes outright panned.
However, Snyder is no doubt an interesting filmmaker to talk about and do a ranking on. Despite everything I’m about to say with all 11 of his films, I can’t say the man has ever made a film that had me shrugging my shoulders. That certainly has to amount to something, especially in this day and age. I don’t know if I can call myself a fan of Zack Snyder as a whole but there definitely are films of his that I admire and appreciate. Just a shame that is an opinion that is hard to talk about on the internet without being dogpiled along with the so-called cult of Zack Snyder who view him a cinema Jesus!
Nevertheless, Rebel Moon Part Two: The Scargiver has just arrived on Netflix (or at least some version of it that may or may not be Zack Snyder’s true film) and it’s time for my long awaited ranking of all 11 films in this man’s directorial filmography!
And fyi, I am NOT including the director’s cut of Justice League (A.K.A. JOSStice League)! I don’t care if he’s still the credited director for that crap, we all know for a fact that was NOT his movie whatsoever! Which is why only his four-hour long cut will be included on this list!
11.) Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
I’m still in awe how you take a crossover like Batman and Superman and make it so dull and joyless. Dawn of Justice is a film that wants to comes across as the most grand and ambitious movie every made, but when you look deep into it, this movie actually doesn’t have much to say on anything it’s talking about. Other than trying to cram two to three movies worth of material into one film, there’s nothing really risky or daring here and it’s so-called themes have been done much better in plenty of other superhero films. The plot is a convoluted mess no matter which version you watch and the conflict between Batman and Superman is so incredibly ridiculous that it could have been avoided if they would just simply talk to each other.
Ben Affleck is fine as Batman and there’s a few standout moments here (The warehouse fight scene and Wonder Woman’s first appearance are all-timers) but that’s nowhere near enough to save this turd of a film. Even the ultimate edition which many claim “saves” the movie really just has more of the same things that were wrong in the first place, aside from being pacing. If there is a clear difference between ambition and aimlessness, then Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice certainly strikes the finest line yet between those two definitions with results that fit more of the latter than the former.
This is a movie so bad that it not only arguably killed the DC Extended Universe before it even got a chance to get going but also caused big damage to Zack Snyder’s reputation as a filmmaker! I know tomatoes are going to be thrown at me for putting this at the very bottom but I’m sorry! Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (Both the theatrical and ulimate edition!) is an epic failure on every level!
10.) Rebel Moon Part Two: The Scargiver
Part Two of Zack Snyder and Netflix’s answer to Star Wars and Seven Samurai could not have been more anti-climatic if it tried. While Part One was far from perfect, it did at least set some solid groundwork for Part Two to continue in good graces. Unfortunately, Rebel Moon Part Two: The Scargiver fails to capitalize on that promise in just about every way.
The visuals are still nice and Sofia Boutella still makes for a compelling action lead but nearly every flaw from Part One is carried over and made even worse. You have a universe that still feels undeveloped, characters that still feel one-note, exposition dumps that are still tedious, slow-mo that is still nauseating, and inspirations that still feel way too on the nose. Not even the action and set pieces work this time! Despite Zack Snyder clearly wanting to make an original franchise of his own, he still has clearly not been able to find a voice that matches his own and those he is inspired by.
Speaking as someone who went easy on Part One, Rebel Moon Part Two: The Scargiver crushes any hope for this IP to ever take flight. It pains me to say that because there is always room for more sci-fi that’s not just Star Wars and Star Trek and we should applaud for more creative voices. However, Part Two is a reminder that sometimes filmmakers need restraint and need to be surrounding by more than just “Yes” men! Refuse to do that and you get the Rebel Moon series as a result!
9.) Sucker Punch
Sucker Punch is the most bizarre and ill-conceived movie that Zack Snyder has ever made. On the surface (and considering it’s time), it just seems like Snyder just wants an excuse to hang out with some talented women that he has worked with it and make a movie where they all kick ass together. When looking deep beyond the surface, it also wants to be a commentary on Hollywood treating women like sex objects and violence against female companions is wrong. It’s the perfect example of a film trying to have it’s cake and eat it too but not at the end results it actually wants.
The action is dynamic, the cinematography is well done, and the main female cast all do fine work and bounce off each other very well. Unfortunately, it’s letdown by a script that couldn’t give two craps about the paper-thin plot, underdeveloped characters, and constantly contradicting it’s themes and messages. On one end, the film can be seen as a mildly entertaining action flick. On the other end, the film falls into the same trappings it’s aiming to avoid because it clearly wants to be more than that.
Sucker Punch is a film that can be enjoyable but not for the reasons that Zack Snyder has intended. It’s basically the exact kind of movie that it’s claiming to be critiquing. Yes, women deserve to be more than eye candy and male gaze but that’s literally all they are in this movie. The fact that Zack didn’t realize that before cameras even rolled here basically made Sucker Punch doomed from the start.
8.) Rebel Moon Part One: A Child of Fire
Rebel Moon was a film that started off as a Star Wars pitch to Lucasfilm shortly after Disney bought them in 2012. It was a pitched as an R-rated Star Wars film made strictly for adults and would take itself more “seriously” than any other Star Wars film. What should be a shocker to absolutely NO ONE but Snyder himself, that pitch got denied and many years later, has now been made into it’s own “original” film.
There is plenty of interesting concepts and exciting moments throughout Rebel Moon. The visuals are as good as they can be for a Snyder film, the worldbuilding while familiar is intriguing, the action is pretty damn solid throughout, and Sofia Boutella is awesome as Kora, the most compelling character in the whole film. It’s just a shame that it can’t escape the trappings of most theater cuts from Zack Snyder where a good chunk of it is left on the cutting room floor. Because of that, you got side characters that are painfully undeveloped, an internal conflict that’s not as clear or fleshed out as it should be, and references to other sci-fi pictures such as Star Wars, Dune, and Battlefield Earth that is as obvious as clear daylight.
Even so, I still couldn’t help but be intrigued by Rebel Moon- Part One: A Child of Fire despite it’s major flaws. It lives rent free in it’s own sandbox and throws so many different ideas on the screen that it’s near impossible to be bored by it. That being said, Snyder seriously needs to learn how to make proper cuts of his movie that are able to work for mainstream audiences and not just for himself and his hardcore fanbase. Even though Part Two was unable to deliver on this films promises, it was at least fascinating to see what it was leading to beforehand!
7.) Army of the Dead
Snyder’s first Netflix exclusive is an aggressive mixed bag. On paper, this seems like the film that Zack Snyder has always been destined to make and act as the perfect successor to his film debut of Dawn of the Dead. A zombie heist movie with with a hard-R rating sounds like it would fit right in the man’s alley. While there are certainly elements here that do work, Army of the Dead never quite reaches it’s full potential.
The cast, action, and practical effects (especially for the zombies) are all there and do lift the film quite a bit. However, it’s bogged down by poor dialogue, characters that constantly make dumb decisions, and not going all the way with it’s bizarre premise. And don’t get me started with the bloated 150 minute long runtime and the ending which has the film completely trip and fall over the finish line.
The elements are there for Army of the Dead to be an instance Zack Snyder classic and a great zombie flick all around but it never quite comes together. If Rebel Moon is proof that Snyder desperately needs someone to handle the scripts for his movies, then Army of the Dead is proof that he desperately needs someone to handle the editing for this movies as well.
6.) Man of Steel
The DC Extended Universe kicked off in 2013 with one of the most polarizing superhero movies of all time in Man of Steel. Looking back on it nearly a full decade later, I can’t help but have INCREDIBLY mixed emotions when it comes to this film. In terms of casting, tone, action scale, scope, and score, this is everything that a modern Superman movie should consist off, with nearly single technical and sound aspect works absolute wonders. However, when it comes to the overall story, script, and structure, that is where the confliction comes in.
Most of the characters come off as plot devices and motivation for Superman than actual characters, the dialogue strikes a fine line between being poetic/inspiring and just plain pretentious, and it’s overall themes feel not so much explored but just told directly to the audiences. Even so, the action is dynamic, the cast do great with what they have to work with, and the scope and Han Zimmer’s soundtrack are off the charts that it’s almost good enough to convince you that you are watching a much better film than you actually are! The elements that work are absolutely great while the elements that don’t work really bring down the whole picture.
When looking at it’s own thing and the seeds it plants for the future, Man of Steel could have been considered a solid re-introduction to the character of Superman and one that could successfully redefined Superman to a new generation. However, due to it’s shortcomings and the movies which came after tripling down on the things that don’t work rather than what does, you can’t help but see wasted potential. As it’s own thing, Man of Steel is functional on a surface level but not on a depth level. Henry Cavill deserved a much better standalone film than this!
5.) Watchmen
Snyder’s first official DC film is able to perfectly capture the style and feel of what the source material of Watchmen has always been known for. The looks, aesthetics, and effects are all completely on point and help make the film’s fascinating world come to life near perfectly in front of the camera. If only the pacing and structure was able to match the quality of it’s outstanding visuals.
Aside from the pretty colors, Watchmen has also many other great things going for it such as the talented cast, brutal action, inspired song choices, and even having one of the most underrated villains in any superhero movie with Matthew Goode’s Ozymandias. That being said, the pacing is constantly grinding to a screeching halt just for the sake of Snyder showing off his wide angle shots and constant slow-motion sequences. Also, this film easily has one of the most laughable sex scenes of all time! Just saying!
Still, there is a lot to like about Watchmen than there is to dislike. Had it benefited from a tighter runtime and cut down on the needless slow scenes, this might have been Zack Snyder’s own masterpiece. Thankfully, the HBO Max series is able to expand upon the quality of Watchmen even further and make that a worthy adaption alongside this film.
4.) Dawn of the Dead
Snyder’s official directorial debut happens to be no other than a remake of 1978’s Dawn of the Dead with James Gunn as the main writer. With all the discourse surrounding Zack’s reputation as a filmmaker, you would think this would be the most divisive film in this man’s career. However, that is not the case whatsoever. It’s basically just a very faithful and well done remake and that’s about it.
It’s got a very likable cast, the action is non-stop, the humor is quick and witty, and it manages to be consistent with it’s tone the whole way through. The Zombie Celebrity is still to this day the main highlight of the movie and the opening credits themselves is an all-timer! I don’t know if it has to do with James Gunn’s involvement as a writer but Zack Snyder is able to get the right script that perfectly matches his skills and capabilities as a director with Dawn of the Dead.
Even if a lot that has come after have been polarizing at best, at least Zack Snyder was able to start his career with a solid hit with this surprisingly solid remake in Dawn of the Dead. If you want a zombie movie from Zack Snyder that is done right, look no further than with this movie.
3.) Zack Snyder’s Justice League
Because we live in some dark and twisted form of an alternate universe, Zack Snyder’s Justice League is a real thing now. Truth be told, even if you remove yourself from the toxicity that is the Zack Snyder fanbase (I won’t blame you if you can’t!), it’s actually pretty good with a lot more to like than there is to hate. This is probably the one movie in the DC Extended Universe with Zack Snyder that doesn’t feel overly pretentious but more of just the man wanting to make the most epic Justice League movie he can possibly make. For the most part, he succeeds even if some of the faults from his other films are carried over here.
The first half is way too stretched out for it’s own good, feeling like Snyder is trying to get every single little frame of work that he desires in there regardless if it actually serves a purpose. There’s also the final fifteen minutes that feels more like a collection of post credit scenes rather than an actual epilogue. But everything in between that is pretty solid. There’s good action set pieces, a nice, riveting score, memorable gorgeous visuals, and some good character interactions between all of the Justice League members, with Wonder Woman and Cyborg being the main standouts. And this also feels like the first time in Snyder’s films that the superheroes on screen actually act and feel like superheroes instead of just being all sad and mopey all the time. What a time to be alive!
While there’s still faults from the theatrical cut that are carried over here (*cough* Steppenwolf and Flash *cough*), this is certainly an improvement over the theatrical cut and should most certainly be considered the actual definite version of Justice League. I might not call myself a fan of Snyder’s input on the DC Extended Universe but I’m at least glad he got the chance to finish what he started after having to originally step down due to the tragic death of his daughter. Warts and all, this is easily the best DC superhero film that Zack Snyder has ever made!
2.) 300
Considered Snyder’s best by many, 300 feels right at home with what the man has to offer. It’s able to put the action, visuals, and cinematography front and center while leaving the story and characters arcs to the wayside. In most films, that would be a set up for failure but thankfully, Snyder is able to make the very best of it by not going too far on either end of those spectrums.
The action sequences are absolutely great, the cinematography is a treat for the eyes, the performances all work here, there’s a handful of standout lines that are memorable, and this might just have the most impressive visuals in this man’s filmography. Even, the required slow-motion bits actually work here! Sure, as I mention before, the story telling and character development are nothing to write home about and the historical inaccuracies will certainly be infuriating to some but for those looking for a rock solid action flick will likely be more than satisfied with 300.
For years, I’ve argued that 300 is the kind of film that Zack Snyder should always inspire to make. A film that’s able to build greatly on his strengths as a filmmaker and not doubled down on all his weaknesses. If you are able to deliver solid action and visuals with a brain in its head that isn’t bogged down by tiresome exposition and mind numbing flashback scenes, then just stick to that and you will be seen as a reliable filmmaker that knows what they are doing. However, there is at least one more film that I would argue does in fact show that Snyder can be great with telling stories with his visual flare to back up perfectly.
1.) Legend of the Guardians: The Owl of Ga’Hoole
That’s right! My favorite Zack Snyder film is the animated one about owls! Go, figure! In all seriousness, Legend of the Guardians: The Owl of Ga’Hoole is one of the most criminally underrated animated films in recent memory! It’s able to match that sense of awe and wonder in scale that Snyder always aims for in this film while also able to tell a shockingly heartful and cohesive story with these birds despite taking inspiration by multiple different books. Not to mention, even nearly 15 years later, the animation holds up WONDEFULLY!
As much as I can give praise to the animation, visuals, action, and voice work, I think the thing for me that stands out the most about Legend of the Guardians is it’s able to capture that right amount of earnest feels that most of Snyder’s films lack. It doesn’t feel it’s trying to hard to break new ground nor talking down on it’s audience that dare question it’s director, it’s just trying to be an engaging tale about the endangers of owls and the importance of having your friends and family alongside each other. All the pros of most Zack Snyder films are still here but very rarely are his cons present.
Legend of the Guardians: The Owl of Ga’Hoole is to date my favorite Zack Snyder film because it’s one that I can 100% get behind EVERYTHING that the man is trying to do here that I don’t need an extended cut or DLC in order to do so. That’s not to say this film is totally flawless (certain characters get painfully sidelined) but it has that perfect heart and wit to do it that it’s able to fully meet it’s grand ambition. Legend of the Guardians is not just Snyder as his best but also animation as it’s very best! Check this one out if you haven’t already!
This month saw the release of the new Amazon hit series of the live action adaptation of the popular video game franchise known as Fallout. In about a week or two since it has come out on Prime, it has been quite a success for critics and fans alike! So much so that Amazon has already greenlighted a second season just one week after all eight episodes of the first season released! There might have been some trivial debate about releasing all the episodes at once or whether or not it retcon a certain Fallout game from existence but for the most part, the series has basically pleased the majority of viewers who have given it a watch thus far. And as you would expect whenever a new video game adaption turns out to be surprisingly good, you still get the typical question about whether or not this was the one that broke the so-called “video game adaptation curse”, despite them asking the exact same question about the previous video game adaptation that the media praised.
Never mind the fact that there has been numerous adaptions for video games in the form of movies and tv series that have been good to great for at least the past five years! Never mind the fact that there was a big popular and well received video game movie or show that got a rave response from everybody a year prior! Apparently, those never happened and Fallout is the one that broke the curse by being the first ever video game adaptation to not suck! I don’t buy that for a second and I don’t think even the people that have made this claim do.
The main reason I say this has to do with the success and praise that last year’s video game adaptation in Max’s The Last of Us received. And just like with Fallout, that was a video game series that led many people to say that was the first legit great video game adaptation to ever exist and the one that broke the video game adaptation curse.
Did we just forget about that all of a sudden? Did we forget that everyone and their mother put that series on a pedestal when it came out as that being the first adaptation to get it right? Or are we just going to ignore all of that entirely that just for the sake of propping up Fallout? I’m not gonna say I know the answers to these questions but I do remember everything that folks have been saying about Fallout was also said about The Last of Us. And the reason I know that was because well…..I wrote a piece about that as well.
As I discussed on that piece last year, I would strongly argue that video game adaptations have taken a HUGE step up in quality as least since 2019 with the releases of Detective Pikachu and The Angry Birds Movie 2. And there’s even an argument to be made that the year prior wasn’t so bad with the releases of Tomb Raider (2018) and Rampage. As a matter of fact, the last true bad year for video game adaptations was in 2016 and 2017 with the releases of Warcraft, Assassin’s Creed, and Resident Evil: The Final Chapter. That is a good seven to eight years ago since video game adaptations truly sucked! Since the 2020s rolled around, there have been more winners than losers!
In terms of movies, we’ve had The Super Mario Bros Movie, that grossed over a billion dollars worldwide last year, the two Sonic the Hedgehog flicks, with the third coming out this December to massive mainstream hype, the Five Nights at Freddy Movie which despite it’s poor critical reviews, was a solid hit for hardcore FNAF fans, the Gran Turismo motion picture that was a surprising crowd pleaser, and Werewolves Within which most didn’t even recognize it was an adaption because of how good it was at it’s own thing!
In terms of tv shows/streaming services, we got some pure quality and well made adaptation in terms of live-action and animation such as the masterful Arcane, the anime hit Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, the perfectly live-action adaptation in The Last of Us, the unexpectedly fun and amusing Twisted Metal, and now we have the latest banger in Fallout.
And that’s not even going into the other upcoming adaptions in the works that have potential to be just as good as the examples mention such as the new Minecraft movie and the new animated Tomb Raider series from Netflix. Have there been stinkers and more to come? Absolutely! But literally, no genre of any kind is perfect and will always have a dud every now and then. However, it’s incredibly safe to say that video game adaptations have gotten much better since the 2020s rolled around and have shown fans of multiple video games franchises that these can in fact work in terms of movie and television form that works greatly as it’s own thing.
Which yet again makes me wonder why we keep having this same argument over and over again. Why is it that we are still shocked whenever a video game adaptation is good despite the many other proven examples that I just mentioned? More importantly, why is it that we keep devaluing them just to praise the newest one that comes out when it’s any good? The only answer I can come up is that perhaps people are just afraid to call a video game adaptation good because of all the missteps of this subgenre in the past.
Much like how there are certain folks afraid to admit they like a new Disney movie or superhero flick or whatever motion picture made from a so-called “assembly line”, maybe folks don’t want to admit that video game adaptations are good now. They don’t want to accept that this is a medium that can in fact be successful when giving the proper care and treatment. It’s no longer the kind of movies and shows that can be a whipping boy to everything wrong in modern entertainment. Because now, video game adaptations have proven that they can be just as successful as a movie or show as they are with a game. Video game adaptations can evolve and develop into something greater that does its source material justice to not just fans of the franchise but also to newcomers as well. Because of all the examples I have given and more, video game adaptations no longer deserve the scrutiny the get just based on past mistakes. And you know what, it’s okay to admit that.
It’s okay to admit that a movie or series based off a video game can be good or even great. It’s okay to admit that the creators of these recent video game adaptations have learned from the mistakes of other failed adaptions in the past to make something worthwhile in the present. It’s okay to acknowledge the shortcoming of new adaptations without tearing down the entire subgenre itself. And most importantly, it’s okay to admit that video game adaptations can be just as good as anything else. Not just in spite of being a video game adaptation but BECAUSE it’s a video game adaptation! It’s okay to admit ALL of that because it’s true, ALL OF IT!
The Fallout series certainly deserves all the praise and success it has been given thus far. It’s well made with excellent production values, a bonkers feel that seems the most appropriate, unique world building, and great performances from the cast, especially Ella Purnell and Walton Goggins. However, there is no need to put this one on a pedestal as being the one video game adaptation that got it “right” or claim it shouldn’t be as good as it is strictly because it’s a video game adaptation. Fallout works whatever way you look at it and not for the reasons you don’t. It’s a video game adaptation that is good just like many other recent video game adaptations have been good. And as I’ve been saying throughout this entire piece, it’s okay to admit that. I sure hope I’m not the only one that feels that way!
Please don’t screw up Borderlands, Eli Roth! I don’t want to have to make another one of these posts four months from now!
On the surface, you think you know exactly what you are going to get with a film like Civil War. In a year with yet another controversial election for America that is expected to arrive in the coming months, what better way for A24 to coast on this hot topical year than putting their own spin on what an effed up America would like? The kind of film that leaves no stone unturned and be unafraid to tear into every single realm of America politics and inner turmoil of the U.S. governments! The kind of film that is basically guaranteed to earn it’s F rating on Cinema Score like a pride badge of honor! The kind of film that would likely cause fights from hard core liberals and conservatives during theater screenings! However, when you sit back and look at Civil War with an open mind, it’s surprisingly as apolitical and pointless as they come.
It’s doesn’t amount to being the political cringe fest that most viewers envisioned it as. It doesn’t commit to being the overblown disaster flick that it constantly flirts at throughout the entire picture. And it doesn’t even seem to be interest on exploring it’s own take on what a civil war set in America could or would be like. Civil War just acts as a typical America murder porn flick with not much rhyme or reason do it and will likely leave viewers wondering what point Alex Garland was trying to make here. It’s certainly as well made and well acted as you would expect from Garland himself but it lacks any creativity or boldness that this director is usually unafraid of showing off, even with his last godawful film in Men. I don’t know if this was because Garland was unsure which kind of movie he wanted to make or if he just didn’t want to piss anyone off but Civil War just seems as confused as all the people that are fighting in the movie are.
Premise: In a dystopian future America, a team of military-embedded journalists (Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura, Cailee Spaeny, and Stephen McKinley Henderson) races against time to reach Washington, D.C., before rebel factions descend upon the White House.
The element that is the most striking about Civil War is how little it is interested in exploring this dystopian version of America that we are follow our four main characters in. There is no explanation as to what this civil war is about, why either side is fighting one another, or the concrete difference between the current political climate in the real world vs the one that this movie is set in. The film basically expects you to fill in the blank yourselves about the context of the world this movie is set in and insert your own politics to have the civil war make any sense.
There are hints of that kind of version that is scattered throughout the film. The major example is that of Texas and California being on the same side. That’s a great start in going all in on the ridiculous nature of that concept but the film doesn’t go far beyond that. The screenplay by Alex Garland is shockingly stale, lacking any sort of risk taking on exploring this own version of America or any logical reason as to why the civilians are fighting in the first place.
The biggest plot element involves our four lead characters, who are professional journalists and assigned to cover all the commotion that is happening throughout the course of the film. Despite the clear intend on exploring the impact of journalism and the consequences that can come from those involved in that industry, it’s hard to be invested in it because the film constantly makes it clear that they are in the wrong the whole way through when they truly believe they are in the right. It also doesn’t help that the main characters are constantly making dumb decisions throughout the entire movie with no self awareness that it makes you wonder how they even got hired for this job in the first place. While that might be the intention when it comes to the overall arc that Cailee Spaeny’s character, Jessie Cullen, she is so out of the league with everything happening that it makes it so hard to root for her. Even when we get to the point where she learns the lesson she is suppose to, it doesn’t feel earned in the slightest because none of it feels real.
And that is the exact issue with Civil War at it’s center. Despite the film throwing everything but the kitchen sink at you when it comes to war, causality, and politics, it doesn’t feel real because it doesn’t seem interest as to why this is all happening in the first place. And if there is no purpose, then what is even the point of all this fighting in the first place?
I’m well aware certain folks are gonna argue that is the true intention of Civil War. Alex Garland is trying to make it clear that all of this is pointless because war itself is pointless since no one truly wins at the end and we all lose. If that’s the case, then why make the movie at all? Just because something is intentional by design doesn’t automatically make it good. Like if someone took a dump in my mouth and then say it was okay because it was done on purpose, then does that make it any better? No, it doesn’t! It’s just tasteless!
At least the movie is well-shot with solid production throughout. Outside of a few scenes with distracting CGI, this does have the proper care and treatment as you would expect from Alex Garland behind the camera. The best sequences involve the main cast of journalists we follow having to take photos while massive battles are happening. They make for some rather intense and suspense heavy sections with glorious sound design to aid them. Those are easily the standout sections of the entire movie and definitely shows the hidden potential that is constantly hinted at throughout the entire picture.
The entire cast does their part as well. It’s always nice to see Kirsten Dunst in movies and she does the best here with what she is giving as basically the leader of the group. Wagner Moura acts strongly as the right counterpart to the rest of the cast, Stephen McKinley Henderson is entertaining in every scene he is in, Cailee Spaney has strong potential to stand out as her own as an actress, and we desperately needed more of Jeff White throughout the picture. And as everyone has said, Jesse Plemons is great in his one notable appearance in the movie, even if it makes even less sense when you put it within the context of the movie and not just with the trailers.
Civil War comes across as a cinematic equivalent of a make-your-own buffet that expects the audience to bring their own ingredients with them because it doesn’t seem to have much of it’s own. When taking into perspective of the nonexistence politics and overall lack of context to anything happening, Civil War is at its heart just an empty disaster flick with only a handful of intense sequences and a strong cast to help pull it through. And considering it’s timing and placement as to when this movie is coming out, it’s clear that A24 was wanting something way more than that.
Perhaps this has to do with Alex Garland tackling something outside of his comfort zone and coming from the UK rather than the USA but it’s baffling how Civil War seems to be utterly unaware and confused of not just the current political climate in America but even in it’s own distinct universe. It may not be my least favorite film from Alex Garland (That honor goes to Men!) but Civil War is easily his most tame and thematically empty film he has ever released!
The only kind of politically heavy folks that will get angry over this film are the ones that brought their own politics into the theaters with them moments before it even started. Because when you look into the deeper meaning of the film’s politics and it’s current status quo of it’s own America, it all just feels pointless. If that is what Alex Garland intended from the beginning, that’s on him but it doesn’t mean I have to like it.
Congrats, Disney! When it comes to making the superior Civil War movie, you guys win this round1
Last week, Captain America: The Winter Soldier turned an unbelievable ten years old! This is a film that is considered a fan favorite among Marvel fans! It was able to tell a smart, complex and politically driven story about the dangers of trusting the government and your allies, it delivered some of the best and most unique action in the entire MCU, it gave side characters such as Nick Fury and Black Widow more to do than ever, and best of all, it just made Captain America an ultra cool badass instead of a Mr. Goody Two Shoes hero that the character was originally thought of as.
And in just about four months, we will also see the ten-year anniversary of the original Guardians of the Galaxy. This is a film that is also considered a fan favorite among Marvel fans and perhaps their most surprising film they have ever made. It was able to be a super fun, action packed, heartful and hilarious movie about becoming a family while introducing five instantly memorable characters that turned out to be the most lovable group of misfits you can imagine want to following. Considering the fact that the guardians themselves were characters that very little people knew about outside of hardcore Marvel fans, Guardians of the Galaxy being as good as it is was quite simply a miracle.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Guardians of the Galaxy were two installments in the Marvel Cinematic Universe that were so good that I would argue helped turned the tide of the narrative of the MCU as a whole. A narrative that this franchise was more than just Iron Man and his best friends in The Avengers. This franchise could in fact rely on more than just one person with star power but MANY other people with star power as well. So much so that I’m willing to declare that 2014 still remains the most important year for Marvel Studios and the Marvel Cinematic Universe overall.
Yes, more important than 2008 which saw the release of Iron Man, the film that kicked started this cinematic universe. Yes, more important than 2012 which saw the release of The Avengers, the payoff to Marvel’s five to six year plan up to that point. And yes, even more important than 2018 and 2019, which saw Avenger: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, the culmination and payoff to the entire Infinity saga, being two of the most commercially successful films of all time. While all off those were undeniably important and impactful, 2014 was where the Marvel Cinematic Universe was able to achieve it’s own level of peak.
Before 2014 rolled around, Marvel was still riding high off of The Avengers and the building blocks of Phase One. However, while every Phase One movie has their fans, it was mostly the first Iron Man and The Avengers that carried the weight of that entire phase and are the two films that are looked the most fondly of! Those two films were so good that it made the entire first wave of Marvel movies worth it, even with the indifferent quality of the other features!
Phase Two of the Marvel Cinematic Universe kicked off a year later in 2013. However, despite the financial success and solid reviews for certain installments, the fan response was arguably very mixed. Iron Man 3 was a genuine crowd pleaser but was controversial among hardcore fans due to the film’s portrayal of the Mandarin, A.K.A. Iron Man’s greatest enemy. Thor: The Dark World was seen a decent “filler” movie at best and a dull and forgettable movie at worst for critics and fans and is usually ranked as one of the lowest rated movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. There was also Marvel and ABC’s first show in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., which had strong ratings for it’s first two episodes but saw a steady decline with each episode getting less viewers as the season went on. Although the show would end up getting a following due to the improved quality of later seasons, the first season of the show was not looked to fondly.
When looking back at the state of the MCU in 2013, the reaction that got from fans was almost identical to the state of the MCU for the past few years. After a handful of subpar and lukewarm at best installments, it made people question whether or not Marvel still has it. Is that superhero fatigue setting in and that special bubble is about to burst? If 2014 had anything to say about, the answer was quite simply hell no!
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. finished off its weak first season on a strong note and started a second season that was considered a HUGE step up in quality. So much so that most fans that stuck around felt that was when the show had finally found it’s footing and was well worth their time and investment. Even if the ratings did decline after each season, the show was still able to last for seven seasons, with the final episode airing in August 2020. What seemed like a questionable show to keep going in it’s first season was able to find a following and fanbase that helped pushed it to seven seasons!
When it comes to the 2014 MCU slate regarding films, we had Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Guardians of the Galaxy! After the mixed bag of a 2013 slate with Iron Man 3 and Thor: The Dark World, these two films had a LOT to prove! Not only to prove that Marvel Studios was not slipping away in terms of quality but that these stand-alone installments could in fact exist on their own terms and didn’t need Iron Man or the rest of the Avengers to carry it. And man, did Marvel respond to 2013 about as good as they could have!
First up, we had Captain America: The Winter Soldier! This acted as a sequel to The Avengers and served as the next step of Steve Rogers’s development that started with Captain America: The First Avenger. While The First Avenger acted as a period piece flick, The Winter Soldier acts as a modern day espionage thriller. It was a showcase of Steve Rogers adapting to modern day events, discovering the corruption of a government that flew right under everyone’s nose, working and bantering along with his trusted allies, and seeing the pieces of his past come back to haunt him in present day. And it was all brilliant!
The Russo Brothers’ first entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe was met with widespread acclaim from fans and critics, instantly ranked up there as among the very best installments in the Marvel Cinematic Universe! It acted as a perfect way to follow up Captain America’s story from his first movie and The Avengers while planting the seasoning for future installments in film and television for that universe.
Perhaps the most important thing about The Winter Soldier was not only how impressive it was in terms of story, characters, action, and themes but also how it stood strongly on it’s own without the notable successes of Phase One to bog it down. It shown that these side stories with these characters still had a purpose and they weren’t just being made just for the sake of buying time for the next Avengers movie. Important characters such as Captain America could carry his own film without the need of Robert Downey Jr. or the Avengers name alone. These stand alone entries could in fact stand on their own and play a big important role to the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
For as impressive as Captain America: The Winter Soldier was, one could still make the argument that Captain America was still a well known superhero that was going to have his well deserved due at some point. That is something that could NOT have been said about the other big movie to come out of Marvel Studios in 2014, Guardians of the Galaxy.
I will die on the hill that Guardians of the Galaxy was the most risky project that Marvel has ever released. It contained a bunch of characters that mainstream audiences were unaware of, it had a space opera vibe that the MCU really never had up to that point, and it was directed by James Gunn, a man that tends to have a dark and twisty sense of humor and had a director vision that no other directors of Marvel had yet. If this failed, there was NO way Marvel or Disney was gonna try anything like this again and stick to strictly familiar names and brands for the future. Guardians of the Galaxy was a giant leap of faith……that ended up stick the landing big time.
Once again, Marvel Studios was able to strike gold with their most unrecognizable movie to date in Guardians of the Galaxy. It was met with the same love and acclaim that The Winter Soldier got just four months earlier. People fell in love with the characters of Peter Quill A.K.A. Star Lord, Rocket Raccoon, Drax the Destroyer, Gamora, and even a talking tree named Groot, people were enthralled by the visuals and set pieces, people were laughing at the jokes, people were crying at the big emotional beats, and people were rocking to the movie’s awesome soundtrack, which sold like GANGBUSTERS on Apple just weeks after the movie came out. It was so loved and adored that there are those that would argue that this is not only one of the best Marvel movies ever but perhaps their favorite Marvel movie to date, even more so than The Winter Soldier or The Avengers. It was that good!
Just like with The Winter Soldier, Guardians of the Galaxy was a Marvel movie without the big main selling points of their biggest successes with Iron Man and The Avengers. There was no other recognizable superhero to be found or had a tied together plot that made it acquired viewing for Avengers: Age of Ultron. Sure, there was a tease of Thanos himself along with the setup of the Infinity stones but they were never a big focus or distraction that it took you out of the the movie. It was just the Guardians of the Galaxy themselves on their own space adventure and it could not have been better for it.
Looking back on the MCU ten years later to where it is now, I stand strongly on the statement that 2014 was the turning point of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and when it was able to become something even greater! With the success of the MCU slate that year, it was prove that Marvel did have an identity of their own that wasn’t just strictly Tony Stark and his amazing superhero friends! They did in fact have other interesting characters with their own stories to tell and other unique brands that was worth drawing attention to. They could afford to go bolder, weirder, and riskier and it could all end up for the better!
It’s by being able to make lightning strike twice with Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Guardians of the Galaxy that motivated to make other great installments later on such as Thor: Ragnarök and Black Panther along with multiple sequels with Captain America and Guardians of the Galaxy. They didn’t need to rely solely on Iron Man, The Avengers, and Spider-Man once they formed a partnership with Sony to keep the franchise going. They could afford to try out other characters and untested properties to allow their brand to grow and evolve into other things. And I don’t think they would have gone that exact route if it weren’t for the success of their 2014 installments in Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Guardians of the Galaxy.
2014 may not have been the most commercially successful or profitable year under Marvel’s belt nor even the one with the most cultural impact but without the success that Marvel was able to gain that year, there is a good chance the Marvel Cinematic Universe would have looked quite different in the past ten years that what we have seen! I sure hope whatever the future holds for Marvel, that they look back on 2014 as to why that got them to where they are now and NOT learn the wrong lessons from it!
The 2024 season of Major League Baseball has just begun! While there are plenty of fascinating stories to go around, I don’t think there has been one as fascinating as the amount of injuries have occurred already. While injuries are coming year in and year out, the one element that stands out the most to start off 2024 is the insane amount of injuries that have occurred to pitchers. The number of injured pitchers has been……disturbing! If you don’t believe me, here’s a list of all of the notable pitchers that are on the IL as we speak!
Gerrit Cole, Jacob DeGrom, Shohei Ohtani, Sandy Alcantara, Shane McClanahan, Max Scherzer, Shane Bieber, Felix Bautista, Justin Verlander, Tony Gonsolin, Luis Garcia, John Means, Eduardo Rodriguez, Robbie Raby, Sonny Gray, Brandon Woodruff, Clayton Kershaw, Dustin May, Alex Cobb, Drew Rasmussen, Gavin Williams, Lucas Giolito, Bryan Woo, Nick Lodolo, and Framber Valdez.
There’s probably a few others I forgot to mention and I wouldn’t be surprised if another big one joins the list as soon as I published this piece.
That amount of injured starting pitchers at the same time is INCREDIBLY alarming! Not only because most of the pitchers on this list are considered among the very best pitchers in baseball but how the number continues to grow by each passing day! If this is not a sign that there has been a pitching problem in baseball, then I don’t know what is!
The big question everyone likely has is how did this all happen? While many have referred to the addition of the pitch clock, I think it’s much much complicated than that. You have to look back about a decade ago with the way pitching changed in today’s game. Today’s pitching philosophy puts a MAJOR emphasis on the amount of speed, spin rate, and velocity that each pitcher can throw. It’s no longer about pitching to contact but pitching has hard as you can! While the standard miles per hour with a fastball used to be in the lower 90s, it now ranges in the high 90s and low 100s! Just as much as the hitting approach in today’s game has changed due to the strict focus on power and launch angles, the pitching approach in today’s game has changed due to the strict focus on speed and velocity.
On one hand, it’s always impressive to see pitchers throw at a max 90 mph or a min 100 mph! To put that much time and work into increasing how fast you can throw a baseball has to be commended! However, that also puts a great risk on the human body and arms! There’s only so much one person can take with their arms and body before they decide to shut down and even break apart entirely! This is ESPECIALLY the case in regards to starting pitcher, who usually start to run out of gas by the time they get to the 5th inning!
While pitching injuries has always been common in baseball, the new philosophy in pitching that puts the focus on speed, spin rate, and velocity has caused these injuries to skyrocket! Back in the day, it wasn’t so much about pitchers trying to throw as hard as they could but throw as effectively as they could. They put the majority of focus on mixing pitches, finding different ways to get each hitter out, and trying to go deep to the game as they can! However, that line of thinking has changed big time in the year 2024! It’s been ten years since we saw Madison Bumgarner’s EXTRAORDINARY pitching performance in the Giants 2014 World Series run and I don’t think we could be any further from that timeline than we are now!
Nowadays, the pitching philosophy just can’t measure up to the same standard as old school baseball! Because the majority of the focus is how fast and hard pitchers can throw, they are unable to go deep into games because their arm will be wore out by the time they reach the halfway point of the game. Because pitchers are all about setting new records on the radar gun, there’s not much in-game planning because it’s usually about fastballs and one or two filthy, breaking pitches! Because there is a constant push on this pitching approach that is likely to break a pitcher’s body or arm sooner rather than later, an avalanche of injures have occurred and will continue to do so!
I view this current situation with too many pitchers getting injured the same way I looked at too many blockbusters bombing at the box office last year! In the sense, that the bubble has finally burst and at long last, consequences are being faced on flawed, ill-fated philosophies that not enough people have the solution for! It has all finally come crashing down and no one but the people in charge should be surprised to see this all happen!
All this could make me wonder is whether or not it’s the beginning of the end of this philosophy with pitching! Are we about to go back to the basics where it was all about mixing pitches and going as far into the game as you can? Are we going to see more focus on pitch to contact instead of just constant spin rate and velocity? Are we going to see starting pitchers feel more like starting pitchers back then and not just a pitcher that just so happened to start the game? If the answer to all those questions is no, then baseball needs to at least consider it if they want healthier pitchers in their future!
The main thing that has become very obvious with high velocity pitchers is that there is no chance for them to have as long of a career as some of the legends of old. Regardless if you are a high velocity relief pitcher that comes into over 50+ games a year or a high velocity starter coming into 30 games a year and at least 150 innings, you have very little chance to have a long lasting career pitching in the big leagues.
All you have to do is look at poor Stephen Strasburg! A once highly valued prospect that had to cut his career short before he got to reach a new peak due to severe injuries with his pitching arm and body overall. Despite the Nationals trying to do everything in their power to preserve him and have him pitch out in a long career, that wasn’t enough. The amount of speed, spin-rate, and velocity in every pitch he threw would eventually get the better of him! After his superb performance in the 2019 playoffs and given a massive seven-year contract extensions, he was only able to pitch in just eight games for the remainder of his career! He gave every bit of energy he had left in him in 2019 to give the Washington Nationals their first ever title! While I’m sure that Strasburg doesn’t regret that, I’m sure he wishes it didn’t involve giving up the rest of his career to do so!
If Major League Baseball continues to double down on the modern style of pitching, then expect even more pitching injures for the inevitable future. This style is beyond broken and needs to be changed! Pitching should be more than just throwing hard! It should be about finding different ways to get hitters out and using all eight position players on the field in order to do so! By continuing to go down this path, not only does this lead to more injuries but it also hurts the product on the field due to the amount of noteworthy pitchers that are unable to make their presence noticed on the pitching mound.
I’m certainly beating a dead horse when I said this but I’m going to do it anyway. Baseball has a pitching problem and it’s time to fix it now more than ever!
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