Superman (1978) Retrospective: The Birth Of The Superhero

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If there is one film medium that has been a dominant force for the 21st century, that would be comic books and superheroes. While we are now living in an era where this subgenre of movies is not as strong as it was in the previous two decades, there is no denying that they have changed the way that blockbusters have been made for the past 25+ years. However, even before the likes of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy, and the multiple DC Cinematic universe attempts, even before the likes of Blade (1998), X-Men (2000), and Spider-Man (2002) rolled around, and even before Tim Burton’s or Joel Schumacher’s Batman made their ways onto the scene, there was one superhero movie that stood proudly on his own. Not only working as a near perfect example of what a superhero movie should consist of but it set the template and tropes on how a superhero movie or even a blockbuster in general should operated. That one film I’m talking about is no other than Superman (1978), directed by Richard Donner and played by the OG Superman himself, Christopher Reeves.

This was the superhero movie that changed everything! It proved that a film based off of a comic book superhero can work and translate onto the big screen as well as it possibly can. It proved that big cinematic experiences of this kind can be just as compelling as say a giant space opera or an intense thriller involving a big shark (Bet you can guess which two blockbusters I’m referring to from back then!). And most importantly, it proved that comic books and superheroes can shine a very bright light on pop culture, telling stories with impactful themes and unforgettable role models that anyone can look up to (No pun intended!)!

This was the birth of the superhero genre!

This is Superman (1978)!

To prove that this was indeed the one film that started this ongoing superhero movie trend, I decided to name six distinct tropes that this film laid out which is still being followed up to this day. Even nearly 50 years after Superman (1978) came out, these are all common beats you still see in superhero films to this day. Heck, I wouldn’t be surprised if we see some of/if not all of these with James Gunn’s Superman come July. Nevertheless, here are the six common tropes and cliches with superhero movies that Superman (1978) started.

1.) Origin Story

When it comes to the first chapter of a superhero story, it usually starts off with showcasing their origins. This is the part of the story where you find our where exactly the titled superhero came from, who gave birth to them, and how they got their powers and became the actual titled superhero. It’s become such a staple at this point that folks will call blasphemy if a certain version of a comic book superhero does NOT contain the origin in some way, shape, or form. No matter how many different stories we get off Spider-Man or Batman, we ALWAYS need to see Uncle Ben and the Waynes being shot in cold blood.

In the case of Superman, his origin involves his biological parents, Jor-El and Lara Lor-Van, sending him off to Earth while his home planet Krypton is on the verge of collapse. Clark is then discovered in Kansas by Jonathan and Martha Kent, who would adapt him and raised him as their son. It’s doing this sequence where Clark must discover what he was destined to be by his own mother and father, while learning what it means to live among the human beings on Earth by his adoptive mother and father.

This is a nice origin story that is able to be more about being an outcast rather than just a traditional “fish out of water” story. This is about Clark Kent learning to blend in with a brand new home not just as Clark Kent himself but as Superman. And even with all the criticism and rejection among the public, he still wants to do what is right. He wants to be the hero that his birth parents always envisioned of him. He wants to save people’s lives while stopping those that put them in harm’s away. And most importantly, he just wants to do good things for the goodness of mankind. Regardless if he will do it in a legal or illegal way, he is determined to be a hero at all costs, regardless of what the public thinks of him.

While the 1/3rd of this movie does take it’s time on establishing the origins of Clark Kent’s transformation into Superman, it is important to always showcases the answers to the questions that anyone might have about it’s title hero. Whether it’s like a traditional first installment with a superhero that spends the first half establishing the hero’s origin story (Spider-Man (2002), Batman Begins, Iron Man, or Captain America: The First Avenger) or uses an opening sequence or flashbacks scenes to establish their origins (Batman (1989) and The Incredible Hulk), showcasing a superhero’s origin is always urgent in order to get audience’s connected with the hero’s journey. While I can’t say for certain, I guarantee that the origin of a superhero would not be as much of a staple as it is if it weren’t for this film showcasing these exact important events.

2.) Secret Identity

A usual key component for a superhero story is with the main superhero having to keep their identity a secret. There are always exceptions such as when Tony Stark revealed his true self at the end of Iron Man or Diana Prince always representing Wonder Woman but more often than not, these are usually stories about the main superhero having to learn to keep their superhero life a secret and finding room to focus on their normal, everyday life. You have Peter Parker who has to learn how to balance himself between being Spider-Man and Peter Parker, you have Bruce Wayne needing to let his playboy billionaire side shine in the day and his crime fighting vigilante side shine in the night. In this case, we have Clark Kent needing to keep Superman and Clark Kent as two separate identities.

Of course, the main jab at Superman is how it’s unfathomable how anyone can’t tell the difference between Clark Kent and Superman because they both look exactly the same. Like, all you need to do is remove the glasses and you can see it’s literally the exact same person. How can a superhero who is trying to protect his secret identity do so by basically hiding in plain sight? That is a question with Superman that I thought about for years and could never find the answer to. That was until……I saw Christopher Reeve’s performance.

The main aspect that makes Reeve’s performance stand out perfectly as both Clark Kent and Superman is the fact that they feel like two completely different people when you watch them. As Clark Kent, he’s the typical nerdy, awkward man who is a bit of a dweb that is the last person you would ever expect to be a superhero in red and blue pajamas. As Superman, he’s this brave, heroic figure that you would never suggest could be some weak, submissive geek that lets his female co-worker fight his battles for him. I’m pretty sure if you asked Clark Kent in real life that he looks just like Superman, he would be able to PERFECTLY convince you that he is NOT Superman and just said, “Yeah, I guess that’s true! But I assure you, I am NOT him!” All you had to do is see how Clark Kent and Superman act so different in each scene and how perfectly Reeves is able to make them both convincing as two separate characters!

You are lying to yourselves if you ACTUALLY believe these two guys could be the exact same person if you just judge based off their appearance and personality and NOT just looks.

The secret identity tends to play a big role in most superhero movies, especially with origin stories, but I don’t think there has been a superhero movie that’s been able to capture just exactly what it means to be an average everyday joe to being the world’s biggest savior than with Superman (1978). A story which sees a man has to convince that his personal self and superhero self is NOT one of the same despite looking exactly alike. And this is in large part thanks to Christopher Reeve’s pitch perfect portrayals as both Clark Kent and Superman respectively.

3.) Love Interest

Of course, you can’t have a traditional superhero story without a traditional love interest. This is usually always added to give a story a bit of an emotional anchor and give motivation for the main superhero to do what he does. There are times where it can fall into some pretty infamous tropes. From being a constant damsel n distress to acting as a “trophy” for the main hero to getting the “fridge” treatment, this can be seen as the weakest part of the story if you are not too careful and learn too much into one of these tropes. There’s only so many times where people want to see Gwen Stacy die so Spider-Man can be sad only to get replaced by a love interest that’s hotter but much more blander (*cough* Mary Jane Watson *cough*). Thankfully, Superman (1978) is able to find a love story that works quite fondly with Superman and Lois Lane.

To be sure, it does involve Lois Lane having to be saved at least a few times by Superman. There are two notable moments of that, from falling off of a building and another instance that will be discussed later on. However, that doesn’t change the fact that Lois is a strong character in her own right and can even being seen saving Clark Kent on some occasions. She’s feisty, strong-willed, always determined to get the job done, and is always able to give Clark the emotional support whenever they need it. However, what makes her a perfect equal to Superman is how they will both stop at nothing to accomplish their goals for the greater good.

Lois Lane in general is someone that is as fearless as Superman is and always shows dedication to finding truth and justice for every report she covers as a journalist with the Daily Planet. Sure, she might not be as invincible as Superman is and is certainly not bullet proof but when it comes to her heart and free will, she is about as equal to Superman as someone can possibly get. That’s what makes the two a perfect couple and Lois Lane a perfect love interest.

Just watch this scene and tell me that it is NOT magical!

I wouldn’t be surprised if this is what inspired Disney to making the magical carpet scene in Aladdin.

Most superhero movies tend to always botch the love story. Mostly because it usually only acts to give the superhero a love interest and have it play second-fiddled to everything else going on, usually only acting like a box that needs to be checked off. But with Superman (1978), Lois Lane helps acts as the pure heart of the film and helps Clark fill that missing hole he had within himself in his early days as Superman.

4.) Saving People’s Lives

This is simply one component that a superhero movie can NOT live without. You need scenes and moments that shows a superhero actually being well…….a superhero. Throughout superhero movie history, we’ve seen plenty of examples of superheroes filling their good superhero duties by saving the lives of folks they’ve sworn to protect. We’ve seen Spider-Man saving people from a burning building, we’ve seen Iron Man rescuing passengers from a plane. With Superman, we get to see him rescuing innocent people from natural disasters and bridges on the verge of collapsing.

While the main protagonist saving people has never been anything out of the ordinary, there’s always something special when a superhero does it. This is mostly because they are able to save people in ways that an average person won’t be able to. They are gifted the skills, power, wealth, and/or resources to be able to rescue lives and give themselves a name which regular people would not be able to. With Superman, he is just using the powers that was gifted to him by his parents and home world for the benefit for others and not just himself.

And I know you might be wondering why I am not referring to Superman saving a specific important character at the near tail end of the film. Well, that’s because I’m saving that for the very next part.

5.) The Big Third Act Climax

Okay, this movie doesn’t have the traditional big third act battle that most superhero movies those. This isn’t like the third act of every Avengers movie where there is always so much crap that goes on at the same time that it can be hard to keep track off. This isn’t even like the big climaxes to Superman II, Man of Steel, or Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice where it involves Superman having to fight a powerful being that is even stronger than himself. This involves Superman having to save the day from the wreckage that Lex Luthor causes, a wreckage that could cause a worldwide nuclear war. Much like the climax to Spider-Man (2002) (expect without the ass-kicking 101 scene with the Green Goblin), it involves Clark having to be the hero to the world that he believes himself to be.

I already partially covered the meaning and purpose of the climax in my last part where it involves Superman having to save the very people he has sworn to protect. However, what part I missed out on is the part where he has to save Lois Lane after she partially died. After Superman fails to save Lois from the earthquake that Lex Luthor caused, he commits the biggest deus ex machina imaginable by using his superpowers to rotate the earth back and turning back time.

Can this be considered “cheating”?! Heck yeah!

Does this make any sense whatsoever?! Heck no!

However, that doesn’t change the fact that the third act climax is where Superman faces his toughest challenge yet, the part of the film where the main superhero finds himself pushed beyond measure to be the hero for everybody and the ones he loves. That always tend to be the blueprint for most third acts in superhero stories and I have no doubt this is the one superhero movie where many filmmakers got their first inspiration from.

6.) Being A Symbol

This might be the most important trope of all for every superhero story brought to the big screen. That is having your main character be a symbol. Not just for the characters in the story but for the audience as well! For superheroes to exist for as long as they have, they must have inspirations. They must have folks that would love nothing more to follow in their footsteps and become superheroes of their own in any way, shape, or form. Thankfully, Superman (1978) is able to succeed at that in both ways.

In the context of the movie, the public now has a very positive view on Superman and sees him as being mankind greatest superhero. When it comes to pop culture, the entire world and entertainment industry has followed in this film’s footsteps of making not just more Superman incarnations but also more superheroes of his kind.

Since this film came out, we have gotten more Superman films, shows, games, and comics that most certainly got it’s initial template from this 1978 gamechanger. Also, since this film came out, we have gotten many different superhero films, shows, games, and comics of it’s kind. The kind that I imagine would not exist if it wasn’t for the impact that Richard Donner and Christopher Reeve brought to the world.

Above all, Superman (1978) is able to prove that it’s title hero is in face the symbol he set himself out to be. Not only through the truth, justice, and American way that the character himself claims but through having that impact on the whole world, being the kind of hero that his parents always thought of him has and what I imagine the world saw Christopher Reeve has.

Being that exact symbol!

A symbol of……you guessed it……hope!

In conclusion, superhero movies wouldn’t be where they have been for a long time now if it wasn’t for Superman (1978). This is not only the superhero film that got the ball rolling but it’s the superhero film that laid the groundwork for all the beats, tropes, and basic structure that nearly every film based off of a comic book and superhero is expected to follow upon. This overexposed subgenre only ever became what it is and has grown to be for nearly the past five decades due to the groundbreaking success of Superman (1978).

This was the birth of the superhero!

This was Superman (1978)!

Next Up: Superman II: When Director’s Cuts Matter

Ranking The Live-Action Star Wars Disney Plus Series

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Andor has come to an end! Because of that, what better time than now to rank all of the seasons involving Star Wars that are currently on Disney Plus at the moment!

For this list, I’m going to just strictly look at the live-action Star Wars shows and not included animated ones such as The Clone Wars, Rebels, The Bad Batch, Tales of the Jedi, Visions, etc. I feel like including those would just makes this list more complicated than it already will be and that these are the main streaming series that are the driving force of Star Wars at the moment. With that being said, let’s get straight into rankings!

10.) The Book of Boba Fett

I never understood the popularity of Boba Fett as a character besides his incredibly dope armor. He was clearly meant to just be the side character that everyone remember for how cool he looked and nothing else. Not to mention, he went out like a complete wimp in Return of the Jedi. And if The Book of Boba Fett is anything to go by, it seems as tho the creators of this show seem to agree with me.

This is about as unfocused and dysfunctional of a show that I’ve seen in quite some time. It starts off by trying to explore the “human” side of Boba Fett in his old, weaker, and totally unprime form only for the title character to get completely sidelined in favor of what is basically The Mandalorian Season 2.5. It’s then we get introduced to a bunch of awkwardly inserted cameos and fan service that feel so out of place and has literally nothing to do with the show it’s based on but more of just setting up future shows and movies. At least Temuera Morrison and Ming-Na Wen are still fun and the finale plays so much like a little kid playing with his Star Wars action figures that I couldn’t help but dig that!

When people complain about how overreliance on fan service and “easter eggs” are ruining main franchises, The Book of Boba Fett is exactly what they are talking about. It’s a show where you can tell the creators struggled to find an interesting story for it’s main lead character and trying to use fan service to save the day. If I wanted to watch The Mandalorian, I’d watch The Mandalorian. If you want to make a Luke Skywalker show, then actually make a Luke Skywalker show. Don’t do whatever the hell The Book of Boba Fett did.

9.) Obi-Wan Kenobi

Everyone wanted a new series or movie focused on Ewan McGregor’s Obi-Wan Kenobi. He was the main bright spot of the entire prequel trilogy and fans had been dying to see him return to the franchise in some way, shape, or form. And because Solo was a big bomb at the box office, this got turned into it’s own Disney Plus series. However, as we all should know by now, be careful what you wish for!

Much like The Book of Boba Fett, Obi-Wan Kenobi fills the need to fill in blanks that no one really asked to be filled and never finding the reason for it’s existence other than just finding an excuse to have it’s beloved main actor returning to the franchise. The directing is generally poor (which is shocking after Deborah Chow did such a good job with her episodes in The Mandalorian), little Princess Leia getting captured a million times gets old incredibly fast, there’s too much focus on Reva and not enough on Obi-Wan himself, and it feels less structured like a series and more of an overlong film. The only saving graces is a commendable performance from Ewan McGregor and some hard hitting moments between him and Hayden Christensen’s Darth Vader.

It’s not as irredeemable bad as some folks have made it out to be but there’s nothing that stands out in Obi-Wan Kenobi that makes it worth watching it either. This is only for the die hard fans of the prequels and those wanting to see Ewan as Obi-Wan again. Everyone else can steer clear!

8.) The Mandalorian (Season 3)

In many ways, The Mandalorian Season 3 was always destined to fail. Not just because it was following the well-received first two seasons which set the high bar for many fans but it had already undid it’s resolution to it’s own main story arc and set the series back to square one during The Book of Boba Fett, A.K.A. The Mandalorian Season 2.5. The fact that Season 2 had Mando and Grogu going their separate ways only for those two to be back together immediately by the start of Season 3 basically made this season doom from the start and it doesn’t get better from there.

Season 3 just feels like the notion that Jon Favreau and company have run out of ideas for Star Wars and their heart just isn’t in it anymore. This season just seems overly concern with connecting itself to the rest of the Star Wars universe than being it’s own thing, something which has been a main problem with many of the recent Star Wars content. Not to mention, it has probably the most tone-deaf cameo in recent memory with Lizzo (Jack Black is cool though). The action is still pretty damn good here and even though Bo Katan gets WAY too much focus here (Again, forgetting it’s own title character!), Katie Sackhoff is so good and awesome in the role that you almost don’t mind it (even if she should be like 60 years old in this timeline).

Season 3 as a whole basically made it clear that Disney and Lucasfilm forgot what made The Mandalorian work in the first place. It was a refreshing change of pace that had it’s own heroes go on their own adventures, explored certain corners of Star Wars that hadn’t been touched upon before, and didn’t need a million different cameos of fan-favorite characters to make the show worthwhile. Those were better and more simpler times! Now, it’s gotten worse and more complicated. That’s certainly NOT the way!

7.) The Acolyte

If there is a series on this list that would qualify as the most pure frustrating, that would be The Acolyte. On paper, this feels like the kind of thing that the Disney era of Star Wars DESPERATELY needed! A brand new era of Star Wars that takes place in it’s own distinct timeline, without any overreliance of fan favorite characters or familiar imagery and new characters and stories to tell. This was basically the chance for Lucasfilm to prove they could make an engaging new Star Wars material that help gives Disney Star Wars it’s own unique identity. Unfortunately, it rather failed.

The murder mystery that drive forwards the plot is not very engaging, most of the characters aren’t very compelling with backstories and motivations you can see coming from a mile away, and it’s connections to the other eras of Star Wars could not be any more forced. (Not to mention, the complete and utter waste of Carrie-Anne Moss!). It does get bonus points for originality and some pretty badass lightsaber fights that rank among the best in the Disney era. Plus, anything with Lee Jung-Jae is able to evaluate it’s quality by a few points.

The Acolyte had some of the best ideas and concepts that Star Wars has introduced in quite some time but unfortunately, most of it is not executed very well and did nothing but add more fuel to the toxic fire surrounding Disney Star Wars. It’s definitely not as bad as it’s haters are making it out to be but it’s unfortunately not good enough to be worthy of defenders either. What a shame!

6.) Ahsoka

The most arguably beloved female character in Star Wars aside from Princess Leia finally came into live-action during the second season of The Mandalorian and would get her own show a few years later. When viewed as a continuation of Rebels and being a nostalgic trip for those that grew up with The Clone Wars, Ahsoka does it’s job well enough. When it comes to being it’s own thing and introducing the character to the general audiences who never watched the cartoons, that’s where it falls flat.

As successful as Dave Filoni has been with animation, it still feels like he’s going through growing pains when it comes to directing live-action. There’s too much of Ahsoka that feels awkwardly staged, stiffly acted, and bizarrely paced in ways that I imagine would have fared much better in animation. It also doesn’t help that the lack of context of these characters will make casual moviegoers that didn’t do their homework beforehand feeling completely lost when it comes to the big test that is this series. As fun as it was to see these characters actually be in live-action, the World Between Worlds concept being utilized, and Hayden Christian finally getting his well-deserve due as Anakin, Ahsoka left me feeling with a state of indifference by the end.

For those that are fans of Filoni’s shows and wanted to see a proper pay off to the loose ends from Rebels, you’ll get enjoyment out of this. For everyone else, Ahsoka might so either way for you. Hopefully, Filoni will find his footing into the realm of live-action with Season 2!

5.) Skeleton Crew

Here’s a little show that came out of no year (and is literally being seen from no where) that is somehow able to be one of the better Star Wars shows that Disney has made. Labeled by some has “Goonies in space”, Skeleton Crew is a very enjoyable and charming throwback to the big bombastic family films of the 1980s to 1990s. Here we see young kinds go on wild and exciting adventures, being able to discover something about themselves that they never did before.

The child actors are all wonderful with great potential of expanding their careers, the lively coming-of-age story is able to work surprisingly well in the realm of Star Wars, there’s fun set pieces and missions for the characters to explore, and Judy Law is able to stand out perfectly as the wise mentor figure for the group of kids. Also, SM-33 might just be the best droid since BB-8.

There may not be anything here that’s too revolutionary or pushed the boundaries of Star Wars in any way but that’s perfectly okay. Skeleton Crew act as a nice, innocent little show about what it’s like for little kids growing up to big inspirations. It may not “save” Star Wars for many people but it will at least give a nice little peak at what Star Wars can be when it’s allow to tell it’s own individual stories without enormous expectations weighting it down.

4.) The Mandalorian (Season 2)

The beginning of the end of the Star Wars Disney Plus series as we know it. What started with something pure, something exciting! Then comes the mistakes, the consequences! Season 2 of Mando is basically when this show and Star Wars Disney Plus as a whole stopped being about self-contained space adventures and it’s primary focus is more on connecting the series with the rest of the Star Wars universe.

To be fair, there is still a lot to like here. It still has that episodic feel to it that the first season did, each episode still feels like the director getting to have their own flavor to it, and there’s ton of great action and character moments throughout. However, there are so many extended cameos featuring fan favorite characters that it at times comes across more as a trailer for future series. Much like Season 2 of Daredevil, it’s impossible to not to try to distinct the moments of fan service with fan favorite characters like Boba Fett and Ahsoka showing up and feeling like it’s just pure set-ups for other series that had still yet to come. And if that final sequence with CGI Luke Skywalker showing up to save the day in deux ex machina form was any indication, it was basically a sign for things to come.

It’s still entertaining throughout and it did, at least at the time, concluded the storyline between Mando and Grogu relatively well but it’s painfully obvious that Disney and Lucasfilm learned all the WRONG lessons from this season alone and the quality of shows afterwards have suffered as a result. To continue on that quote I paraphrase at the beginning of this part, we create our own demons! And I don’t think there’s something in Star Wars that first that quote perfectly than Season 2 of The Mandalorian.

3.) The Mandalorian (Season 1)

Remember when this series was literally just about a man taking care of a child and trying to get him back to his owner? Those were the simpler days! Back when a Star Wars series was free to tell it’s own stories that could stand on their own, was able to expand upon the universe instead of making it feel smaller, had a creative team that was able to bring their own stamp to the series while still feeling like a cohesive vision, created new characters that can actually carry their own show without the need for a cameo every episode, and felt like an actual television show. A lot of things can certainly change in the span of four years!

In all seriousness, The Mandalorian Season 1 is able to succeed big by playing small. It shows a distinct corner of the Star Wars universe that has barley been touched upon, the crime world that has been corrupted by chaos, while being a gold old fashioned father-and-son story by heart. Some of the new characters that are introduced are some of the best in the Disney canon, it’s western vibe is able to translate very well to Star Wars, and the action set pieces are well done and feel appropriately Star Wars. Not everything is a banger here with at least one bad episode and containing one of the most obnoxious characters ever in Star Wars, but even then, it still succeeds very well.

When I think of the kind of Star Wars I wanted to see in a post-George Lucas World, this is the first thing that comes to mind. It’s able to give a group of talent directors and writers together, have their visions be realized, and have something that feels like Star Wars but also brings something fresh and new at the same time. Sometimes going back to basics can be a good thing and The Mandalorian Season 1 is a perfect example of that!

2.) Andor (Season 1)

But yeah, this is pretty much #1 by default. While I enjoy some of the others shows on the list to a varying degree, they all feel like they would faltered when you look at them as their own thing and not as Star Wars. Andor, on the other hand, is able to succeed greatly as it’s own thing AND as Star Wars. It’s quite interesting how despite this possibly being the least anticipated upcoming series, it’s easily the very best one and up there with some of the best Star Wars not just from Disney but in all of Star Wars.

Andor just feels like it’s own thing compared to anything else that is Star Wars and has one objective on it’s mind in telling an impactful story that is set outside of the Skywalker clan. The writing is incredibly strong, with fully fletch out characters, resonate themes, and powerful dialogue that will stick with you just moments after watching it. There’s also the great performances form the entire cast, most notably Andy Serkis, it’s grittier tone, and the score that gives the show it’s own identity. Even the occasional slow pacing and set up feels warranted by the end as it’s able to serve an importance later on.

I still have no idea how in the world Tony Gilroy was able to get Disney and Lucasfilm to greenlight this show but I’m sure glad he did. It’s prove that Star Wars can in fact still do it’s own thing and survive without any big notable names if you put in the time, work, and effort to do so. You can in fact make Star Wars mean more than just the name of the IP itself. You can in fact make Star Wars something other than jiggling keys. You can in fact make Star Wars something that matches the quality with it’s quantity. You can in fact make Star Wars hopeful again. Because of all of that and more, Andor is the best Disney Plus show by a wide margin and more of my favorite Star Wars things period.

1.) Andor (Season 2)

It may have not seem possible but Andor was able to make lightning strike twice with it’s second and final season! Not is this powerful series able to end on the highest note possible but Season 2 of Andor makes it stand out as not just the best Star Wars that Disney has ever given us but also one of the best things to ever come out of Star Wars period! And to think, it came from a Star Wars prequel that literally NO ONE was asking for! Even fans of Rogue One!

Similar to the first season, it does start off in a rather slow manner, taking it’s sweet time to introduce us back to the world of the darkest corner of the galaxy with the most personal characters out of the entire Disney canon (And of course, the obvious elephant in the room that was the SA scene!). However, once the pieces are in place, Andor is able to fly high without ever crashing down. The characters remain among the most human and engaging in any Star Wars, the personal conflicts feel intimate yet timely, the dialogue remains so powerful that you couldn’t ever imagine an A.I. ever written it, and I don’t think the Empire has ever been more scary than it has been hear. And yes, it’s able to handle it’s current event subject matter in a way that first perfectly in the realm of Star Wars and blends itself to Rogue One about as smoothly as it can.

Regardless of you feel about Disney Star Wars at this point, you more than owe it to yourself to check out these two seasons of Star Wars! It’s prove that Star Wars can in fact find it’s own voice in a post-George Lucas world and have the series mean more than typical key jingling and easter egg fests. While it’s highly unlikely we will ever get a genuine work of art like this with Star Wars anytime soon, I am glad I was able to get a near perfect finale to the best live-action Star Wars show to date! Tony Gilroy, we don’t deserve you!

Ranking The Indiana Jones Franchise (w/The Great Circle)

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Indiana Jones and The Great Circle has made it’s way to the PS5 at long last. Because of that, I’m gonna do something a little special of not just updating my ranking of the Indiana Jones franchise but also see how The Great Circle fits right in with the film installments. While there’s only five Indiana Jones flicks by name, The Great Circle is an Indiana Jones game that at least that has the same heart and spirit as a good chunk of the actual movies do. I just feel like it’s worth a mention since now a lot of people are aware of the game’s existence and considering the lukewarm to negative reactions the last two Indiana Jones movies received, they may want a new Indiana Jones experience to wash the sour taste in their mouths. Regardless, here’s fives movies and one big IP licensed game with Indiana Jones ranked from worst to best. Let the adventure begin!

6.) Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

Unfortunately saving his worst adventure for last, Dial of Destiny is the weakest of all the Indiana Jones movies by a country mile. It lacks the energy and passion that Spielberg provided with the previous four movies (Yes, even Kingdom of the Crystal Skull!), it doesn’t justify any of the questionable decisions that it makes for the Indiana Jones character, and the whole thing just has a “going through the motions” feel to it that I imagine the people behind this movie were just as bored making it as I was watching it. It might succeed in the sense of making a more bleak and depressing Indiana Jones movie (assuming you even want that sort of thing) along with good final contributions from Harrison Ford and John Williams respectively, but as a whole, Dial of Destiny is underwhelming, unnecessary, and quite frankly forgettable. And considering this whole franchise is about a character that would love nothing more than to go down in history, being forgettable for your final outing is about the worst crime you could possibly commit.

5.) Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

This film that has been the punching bag for Indiana Jones fans for the past 15 years is better than it’s reputation would have you suggest. As much as folks over the years have raged over things such as aliens, nuke the fridge, CGI gophers/ants, and anything having to do with Shia Labeouf, Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is a legacy sequel that was way ahead of it’s time. This does a wonderful job at showcasing how Indy, even at his old age, is still able to gain new things in his life such as new friends, new family, new knowledge, and a new purpose. And unlike Dial of Destiny, it doesn’t need to portray him in a constant negative light to get that point across. Plus, the ending when he marries Marion, was the cherry on top to what is a story about Indiana Jones finding the kind of happiness he never knew he wanted. The dumb moments I mentioned before are still presented here but that’s all they are, dumb moments and not the complete and entire picture. It’s far from the perfect long-awaited sequel that everyone envisioned but Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, at the time, made for a rather bittersweet epilogue that I would have honestly been fine with if it all ended here.

4.) Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom

The most divisive Indiana Jones film is the one that broke all of the rules. Daring to go even darker, more violent, and 100X goofier than any other film in this series, Temple of Doom is like that crazy cousin in the family that you all know and love but they still feel rather out of place with the rest of the group. It’s also the film that was most infamous for creating the PG-13 rating. The film certain takes it’s time to get to where it wants to go with the first half being a rather slow buildup to the absolutely bonkers second half. Most of the scenes after the prologue until we get to the temple entrance really drag on with not much momentum to it. However, once we get to the actual temple itself, that’s when Temple of Doom becomes something else of it’s own entirety that I can’t help but dig the hell out of it. Complimented by amazing set pieces, breathtaking production designs, the lovable yet badass sidekick in Short Round, and the most deadly villain in the series with Mola Ram, this is the Indiana Jones experience that’s arguably the most unique and different in the whole franchise. It may get bogged down by Kate Capshaw’s Willie Scott being too annoying (even if she does have her moments) and there are moments where you can feel Lucas and Spielberg taking out their personal real life problems at the time right on the film (Both were going through divorces while making this film!), but Temple of Doom is an entertaining albeit uneven ride that swings for the fences without pulling any punches whatsoever.

3.) Indiana Jones and the Great Circle

That’s right! The third best Indiana Jones adventure came not from a movie but from a video game. While the 21st century offered some rather lukewarm to underwhelming Indiana Jones flicks, The Great Circle is able to provide the special spark the series has not had since 1989. Taking place between the events of Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade, we see Indy going on his most globe trotting adventure yet, seeking to stop the Nazis from harnessing a power that spawns upon several regions around the world. This is able to deliver the same amount of mystery, adventure, and heart that the better Indiana Jones installments had, the first-person angle makes you feel as close to Indiana Jones as you can possible be, Troy Baker is as pitch-perfect in the role as one other than Harrison Ford can get, it has one of the better villains, supporting cast and female companions of the series, and Indy’s arc about needing to fill that special hole within himself after breaking up with Marion is the real perfect metaphor to justify this game’s existence. While some might be underwhelmed about the game not being in complete third person, the story and overall narrative is so engaging that it will make one want to at least check out the cutscenes of the game. The Great Circle proves that Indiana Jones might still has some life in him yet in the realm of video games. If MachineGames has more Indy adventures they would love to tell in the near future, I am more than on board with it.

2.) Raiders of the Lost Ark

The one that started it all remains an absolute cinema classic to this day. It’s hard to say anything that hasn’t been said already by everyone else as to why Raiders of the Lost Ark is as good as it is, it’s all just up on the big screen as to why it rocks! The action is absolutely thrilling with each sequence managing to top the previous one, the Ark is among the most iconic McGuffins in any film of all time, the score is memorable and gives the film it’s own unique identity, the pacing is incredible without feeling dragged out or rushed, the twists and turns the story takes is fascinating and keeps you on the edge of your seat the whole way through, the supporting cast is perfect and all shine in their own ways, and Indiana Jones himself is one of the best and most interesting protagonists in the history of pop culture. Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones is a match made in heaven and Karen Allan’s Marion Ravenwood is easily the best female protagonist of the entire series. If it’s wasn’t for the climax that, while memorable, basically had Indy pushed to the wayside where he’s basically just a spectator and some ill-fated backstory elements between him and Marion that hasn’t held up well whatsoever (Indy getting together with Marion when she was “a child”), this would be an easy #1 for me. Regardless, Raiders of the Lost Ark was no doubt the best possible start one could imagine for this series, a perfectly executed action-adventure film, and still stands strong as one of the best action and adventure films of all time! And no, do NOT bring up that “plot hole” that The Big Bang Theory brought up, that drum has been beat too many times and I’m sick of hearing about it because it doesn’t affect the quality of the film in any way.

1.) Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

While there is definitely a strong argument to be made for Raiders being objectively the better film, I feel The Last Crusade edges it out from a subjective point of view. This is where everything felt like it came a complete circle for the Indiana Jones franchise. It takes everything that was great from Raiders of the Lost Ark, cranks it up to 11, and throws Indy’s father into the mix for perhaps the best and more memorable adventure yet for the man who wears the hat and fedora. This is where Indiana Jones feels the most fleshed out as a character here, getting a deeper dive than ever as to who he is, why he does what he does, and who was the man that gave birth to him. The Holy Grail is the best McGuffin out of all of these films, the action is just as thrilling as it was in the previous movies, the returning cast from Raiders such as Sallah and Marcus are even better utilized here, Elsa Schneider, while not as great as Marion, is still a pretty cool female companion, the opening where we discover the origins of young Indiana Jones is an all-timer and the climax where Indy has to face the final three trails to save his father is one of the very best in any film. And of course, who could ever forget the perfect father and son relationship dynamic between Indiana Jones and his dad, Henry Jones, played marvelously by the late great Sean Connery. While some took issue with the similarities to the original Raiders and felt that the more lighthearted tone was a response to the negative feedback of Temple of Doom, they in no way, shape, or form bring the film down for me as it does most of the Raiders elements even better and the lighthearted tone just felt perfect throughout. Terrifically entertaining, superbly acted, emotionally engaging, very funny (The “He chose poorly” line kills me every time), and an ending that was the perfect way to bring the curtain down on the original trilogy, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade is the best Indiana Jones film and one of my personal favorite films period!

Top 10 Biggest 2025 Summer Movies- Box Office Predictions

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It’s now officially May which means it’s now officially the 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, it’s time to do a list of what I believe will be the top highest grossing films of the summer!

With Hollywood continuing to struggle in the movie theater business post-covid, only God knows how many more summer movie seasons await. Although, theaters have been picking up great momentum in the box office as of late with the likes of A Minecraft Movie, Sinners, and the very successful re-release of Star Wars: Episode III- Revenge of the Sith, it’s unclear how long they will be able to carry that momentum throughout the rest of the year and even the future.

I think the 2025 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 Superman (2025) would be #1 and Jurassic World Rebirth would be dead last on this list. This list is not a matter of anticipation or movies I think will be objectively 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 summer movies WORLDWIDE from May to mid-to-late August. 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.) Karate Kid Legends

Release Date: May 30th

Box Office Projection: $300 Million

Reason: The Karate Kid franchise has had some solid popularity as of late with the smash hit Netflix series Cobra Kai, that just concluded its sixth and final season. With Legends acting as the first film entry of the franchise since The Karate Kid (2010), we see both Jackie Chan (the star of the 2010 film) and Ralph Macchio (the OG Karate Kid) coming together to train a new student in the ways of kung fu. I’m not sure how much fans out there have been eagerly awaiting for this combo or even another entry but if it’s able to capture a tiny bit of the magic of Cobra Kai, I can see Karate Kid: Legends being a solid crowd pleaser and a satisfying coming of a full circle for die-hard fans.

9.) F1

Release Date: June 27th

Box Office Projection: $400 Million

Reason: Ngl, if this movie were set to come out before Sinners, I probably would not have put this on the list. However, after the surprising success of that film, which will certainly get as strong of box office legs as it possibly can, it proves that audiences still have hunger and desire for original films. Add that to the star power of Brad Pitt (recent controversy aside) and director Joseph Kosinski coming high off of Top Gun: Maverick, I can see F1 being the exact kind of smash hit that Hollywood needs for these kinds of films. The only question is whether or not the studios will let this one grow as the summer goes on and the mega July blockbusters start coming into play.

8.) Thunderbolts*

Release Date: May 1st

Box Office Projection: $450 Million

Reason: The first main blockbuster of the summer just came out in theaters and is set to at least kick off the summer box office better than last year’s The Fall Guy did. With strong reviews and early positive word-of-mouth, Thunderbolts* can most certainly outperformed early expectations and make enough in the long run to be able to make a profit. It’ll be entertaining to see how the media and YouTube will try to spin this film as being an actual failure because it didn’t make a billion dollars overnight or what was once considered “good enough” for a MCU/superhero movie is no longer good enough anymore. The only downside, other than a sudden Multiverse of Madness second week drop off, could be seeing how this is able to stack up once the likes of Mission: Impossible and Lilo & Stitch comes around and if Disney and Marvel will have cold feet early and dump it to Disney Plus once Fantastic Four is out.

7.) Elio

Release Date: June 20th

Box Office Projection: $575 Million

Reason: Last year saw Pixar’s most successful and crowd-pleasing film ever at the box office with Inside Out 2, the highest grossing animated film at the time of it’s release. However, they now face a different challenge with Elio, a new and original animated flick that has been delayed multiple times. With no Woody, Buzz, or Lightning McQueen in sight, it will more than certainly have to rely on its stellar quality to make folks want to see it in theaters rather than wait for it on Disney Plus. If Pixar and Disney can pull off the same strategy they did with Elemental and Inside Out 2, by keeping it in theaters as long as they can and saving the physical/digital releases until Fall, then I can see this making a solid 575 million dollar signs, which would most certainly be good enough. Again, this will all likely matter if the finished film is actually any good.

6.) Mission: Impossible- The Final Reckoning

Release Date: May 23rd

Box Office Projection: $600 Million

Reason: Tom Cruise is here to “save” cinema one last time with Mission: Impossible- The Final Reckoning, acting as the potential final entry to the near three decade-long running Mission: Impossible film franchise. However, I still can’t help but feel like this one is gonna underperform it’s skyrocket expectations at the box office. While making $600 million sounds like a notable success on paper, the film’s reported $400 million budget and coming off of the underwhelming (at least in terms of box office) Dead Reckoning will give The Final Reckoning a near-impossible mission to accomplish. Also, facing immediate competition with Lilo & Stitch won’t make things much easier either. I’m always rooting for this franchise but it has all odds against itself this time around. Hopefully, there’s enough of Tom Cruise running to save this film this time around.

5.) How To Train Your Dragon (2025)

Release Date: June 13th

Box Office Projection: $650 Million

Reason: After the mixed-at-best results of Disney live-action remakes since 2010, DreamWorks and Universal has decided to take their stab at it by adapting the beloved animated How To Train Your Dragon in live-action form. With a sequel already being announced and set for a 2027 release date, it’s clear that DreamWorks and Universal are expecting this one to perform well. If it’s able to live up to the promise of being a faithful transition to the animated film and avoid any Snow White-level of controversy, then How To Train Your Dragon (2025) should most certainly make the money it needs to and act as a proper re-introduction to DreamWorks’ most acclaimed animated film series to date.

4.) The Fantastic Four- First Steps

Release Date: July 25th

Box Office Projection: $750 Million

Reason: I don’t care what YouTube says or what outrageous out of context quote got social media in a pansy, this film is gonna do numbers at the box office and be Marvel’s most successful film released in 2025. Even with those that have been sour on Marvel and previous Fantastic Four incarnations, they will still owe it to themselves to see Marvel Studios themselves take their first stab at adapting Marvel’s first family onto the big screen. With the build-up to Avengers: Doomsday looming and Thunderbolts* being a potential box office success, The Fantastic Four- First Steps should have no problem in carrying that momentum from Marvel and set the stage for Doomsday and Secret Wars nicely. If I look like a foul in two months, so be it. But for now, I can’t help but have positive expectations for this one!

3.) Superman (2025)

Release Date: July 11th

Box Office Projection: $825 Million

Reason: There’s plenty of reasons to be positive and negative about Superman (2025). This is a film that sees Superman returning to the big screen in his first standalone film since 2013, the start of a brand new cinematic universe, and what will likely be viewed as the film that gives the superhero genre the shot in the arm it needs. And it’s whole “This is the movie the world needs right now!” marketing should most likely play a positive impact. However, conflicting reports of the film being released overseas along with not knowing the exact expectations that Warner Bros has for this film could hurt it in the long run, which could make James Gunn’s DC universe over before it even begins. Still, this should be one of the most talked about and discussed movies of the summer regardless and will likely attract enough audience to give it a watch on the big screen.

2.) Jurassic World Rebirth

Release Date: July 2nd

Box Office Projection: $900 Million

Reason: I don’t know how they keep making these films and why they always make so much money at the box office. That being said, this franchise is always able to draw big crowds both domestically and overseas. Coming off the (rather quiet) billion dollar grosser of Jurassic World: Dominion (which was supposed to be the final film in the franchise), Jurassic World Rebirth will see Universal try to squeeze whatever remaining dollars it has left with the Jurassic Park IP. I got nothing to say other than if it offers enough dino action and Black Widow and Blade kicking enough ass together, this should be one of the biggest hits of the year. The only question is whether or not it’s able to follow his predecessors and achieve the billion dollar mark, especially after Dominion just barely was able to accomplish that. Although if my prediction is any indication, I’m gonna go with a no on that one.

1.) Lilo & Stitch (2025)

Release Date: May 23rd

Box Office Projection: $1.1 Billion

Reason: You might be calling me crazy for putting a Disney live-action remake as not just the #1 spot but the one that will be able to achieve $1 billion at the box office. I mean, how could Disney possibly recover after Snow White (2025), right? Well, they were able to recently achieve billion dollar grossers with Inside Out 2 and Moana 2 along with a solid 700 million dollar hit in Mufasa (*insert Sonic fan punching the air). Plus, this is being sold as the cute family friendly big movie of the summer, regardless if you have seen the original animated Lilo & Stitch or not. All it needs to do is deliver exactly what it says on the cover, avoid any negative press of any sort, and give itself a good long theatrical window. Do all of that and I pretty much guarantee that this will be the #1 movie of the summer and will be yet another billion dollar grossing hit for Disney. If I end up being wrong, so be it. But if I’m not, then you can all eat cake!

As for other movies that missed the list:

  • I think Ballerina will avoid the fate of Furiosa if Keanu Reeves plays a significant role in the movie but it likely won’t make as much as the last few John Wick flicks.

  • 28 Years Later and Megan 2.0 should appeal greatly to fans of the horror genre and previous installments of their respected IPs but I can’t help but feel it will get lost in the shuffle with them being released so close to other big movies.

  • The Naked Gun will either sneak under the radar as the one standout comedy flick of the summer or be buried and forgotten like the rest of the remaining comedy genre.

  • The Bad Guys 2 will certainly gain numbers during the fall if it’s able to continue the streak of perfect DreamWorks sequels but I left it off the list because it’s coming out right as the summer movie season comes to a close.

  • Freakier Friday is………a thing I guess. It might make noise for a week or two but then be completely forgotten about along with Haunted Mansion.

Marvel Rivals “Gooner” Controversy Explained

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Marvel Rivals has been the most talked about video game at the moment. Since it released for free back in December, Marvel fans and gamers cannot seem to stop gushing over how good this game really is. While the overall premise of the game is nothing more than “Overwatch but with Marvel superheroes” with a few live service elements from Fortnite throw in there for good measure, it’s overall variety in terms of it’s seasonal content and expansive, colorful roster of Marvel’s most iconic comic book characters has been the main features that has had folks keep coming back to it. From the immersive gameplay to the intriguing maps/setting to the appealing art style to the fun as hell banter that is played through every single match, this has perhaps been the most successful Marvel related thing since well……Avengers: Endgame. The one main Marvel feature of the 2020s that seems to have united Marvel fans, comic book fans, and gamers worldwide for this fun and immersive experience. I have put over 60 hours into this game since it launched and I still find myself keep coming back for more. If that’s not the sign of a great game with a ton of replay value, I don’t know what is.

However, that hasn’t stopped the game from running into it’s fair share of “controversies”. I put controversies in quotes because I don’t think it’s so much as big of a deal as what certain people are making it out to be but more of it’s not as big of a deal that certain people WANT it to be. In the sense, that this isn’t really being seen as outrage as angry YouTubers would want you to believe outside of some accounts on Twitter and Reddit along with an article or two that was clearly designed for rage bait clicks for folks that were stupid enough to take the bait.

You might be thinking I’m talking about the supposed censorship that took place with key words being banned from the game such as “1989”, “Free Taiwan”, “Hitler”, and “ISIS” or the cringeworthy modes of Presidents Joe Biden and Donald Trump as Captain America being taken down (Seriously, that was the most cringeworthy shit EVER!!!!!!). You would be……surprisingly wrong there. (Seriously, how in the world did that controversy just….drop off the face of the earth?!)

What I’m talking about are the eye opening designs of the characters that are presented in the game, most notably the female characters. With certain folks complaining that the designs are too sexualized, too male gazing, and too pandering to the “goon” squad. And with the recent season update that includes Emma Frost and the announcement of the game receiving swimsuit skins later this year, to tie into Marvel Comics’ revival of their Swimsuit special, there has been nonstop “gooner” allegations helmed against this game.

I get that certain folks need to have this conversation over this supposed “controversial” subject matter over this game because well…..it’s 2025 and literally everything needs to be a major talking point about something that is no where near as interesting as everyone is making out to be. All it takes is one clickbait tweet, a juicy quote from an article, or a rage-inducing title of a video to get certain folks fired up and feel like they need to defend something so trivial and minor or else……it will disappear forever because it made a certain someone upset. But in the case of Marvel Rivals, this “gooner” controversy is essentially of an example of a big snowball that certain folks feel the need to push down the mountain, making what should be a minor issue into something major because they couldn’t leave things well enough alone and just not take the bait. The whole “this game is made for the goon squad” is the main element that’s got certain folks triggered….and it’s absolutely hilarious.

The design of female characters in games has been a real toxic discussion over the years. For a while, certain folks have been complaining about women in gaming not being “attractive” enough. This has been seen as a response to backlash over the years of video games being sexist towards women and the majority of female protagonists in games being designed more with male gamers in mind as opposed to female gamers. Characters such as Kay Vess from Star Wars: Outlaws, MJ from Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, and Ciri with the new upcoming The Witcher VI have been subjected to major controversy for their designs. The main talking points around them being that they didn’t look hot enough, had too much “masculine” features, and being made ugly “on purpose” for…..reasons I can’t even comprehend. So much so that there are folks that refused to play those games and many others just because none of the women in them gave them a boner.

Although, there have been some notable exceptions, particularly with games made by Eastern developers, in recent memory that have gone out of their way to make the women in their games as easy on the eyes and visually appealing as possible. Characters such as Tifa Lockhart and Aerith Gainsborough from Final Fantasy VII and the women from Stellar Blade being recent examples of this. Although, there’s has been some hype over the Western developed Grand Theft Auto VI because of how fine the new girl, Lucia, looks in it and…..I guess there’s that. However, there hasn’t been one instance in recent memory where you can tell the main playable female characters were made to look as good as the developers can possibly make them than with Marvel Rivals.

Whether we are talking about Black Widow, Scarlet Witch, Storm, Magik, Hela, Emma Frost, Sue Storm, Luna Snow, Mantis, Psylocke, Dagger, or Squirrel Girl (I left out Peni Parker for a reason!), the women in Marvel Rivals have tended to shine in more ways than one. This most notably comes from their gorgeous outfits, unlockable/buyable skins, flawless hair, and the thick..well….”layers” to their designs. Because of all that and more, I can’t imagine there are certain folks that did NOT want to play as any of those characters just because of how good they look. (There’s a reason that Storm has been one of my top 3 playable characters since launch). While many people have applauded the game for these appealing designs that makes it feel like these characters were ripped straight out of the comic books and stayed true to their original forms, there are those that have condemned it, feeling like it devalues the women of the game in any way or that it’s relying on sex appeal in order to keep the services going for the foreseeable future.

And these aren’t just the typical far-left extremists that certain folks are letting you to believe but even the ones on the other far end political stretch (A.K.A. the “woke” right) that have condemned the game for making the outfits of the female characters too revealing, too slutty, and too “inappropriate” for children. (I wouldn’t be surprised if these are the same kind of folks that constantly blame games like Call of Duty and Grand Theft Auto for all of the world’s problems instead of….well….themselves!) And I don’t think I need to go into this recent “GoonerGate” controversy (Yes, that is a real thing!) that I’m sure the game itself has been dragged into because of that. While I can understand a viewpoint or two of this matter, I do think this whole thing is being blow WAY out of proportion by such a small minority.

Yes, I am someone that advocates for my ladies to be well written and fun to play as in games that amounts to them being more than just being sexy eye candy. Yes, I am also someone that doesn’t let how good (or bad) a pixeled female A.I. looks determine my feelings on a video game. However, I do NOT think whatsoever that the way that the women superheroes look in Marvel Rivals detracts from their characters or makes me think of any less of them as a part of their characters history. If anything, it makes me think more of them as characters.

While the game itself might not have it’s own campaign or characterization for the women outside of some good banter and visual flare, they do feel very in-line of how I (and many others) view them as characters in comics, movies, and even games. It’s not just their amazing looks that makes them appealing, it’s their special powers, unique gameplay, suitable voice work, and the way they play off the other characters that make them stand out in the best ways. And even the women with the most revealing outfits, you can tell they feel the most confident about themselves when they wear it. It’s their attractiveness and femininity that empowers them to be the best version of themselves and NOT the other way around. And the best part of it all is that it’s not just the women that look good in Marvel Rivals, it’s the men too.

While the male superhero counterparts may not be as hyper-sexualized as their female counterparts, they too have great and fitting designs that looks like they were ripped straight out of the comics. You can’t tell me that Spider-Man, Wolverine, Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Hulk, Black Panther, and many others don’t look the way they are suppose to and don’t fit them as characters whatsoever. I wouldn’t be surprised if the majority of the designs of this game are considered the definite designs for many newcomers to the Marvel lore. And even the male superheroes that are hyper-sexualized well……they do have great wonders as well.

I can’t imagine how many women (and even some men) that have played this game found themselves themselves gooning over shirtless Namor, daddy Reed Richards, goldy Adam Warlock, completely worthy Loki, totally non-Sebastian Stan Bucky, and twerking Venom with his full cake booty. This is literally a game where both the men AND women get to have fat asses. THIS is the representation that matters!

When it comes to the “gooner” discourse surrounding Marvel Rivals, I see it more as a tongue-and-cheek kind of thing rather than something that should be taken seriously. Because, when playing through the game, you can tell this is all being done out of love, passion, and respect for the characters throughout Marvel’s history instead of pandering and desperation. It would be one thing if the game was bad and you can tell they are relying on attractive men and women to keep the game afloat but that is definitely NOT the case here.

If folks want to continue lambasting this game because of it’s appeal to “gooners”, let them. The game has been a success since it launched during the holiday season and will continue to do so for at least the next few years. I get how annoying online grifters can ruin the fun of something like this because it makes them believe they’ve “won” something and have to keep bringing up irrelevant posts and articles to make certain talking points feel much bigger than they really are. But for folks like us, who can enjoy any game we want without have some sort of bias or pride attached to it, we are the ones that get the last laugh at the end. And also the developers of Marvel Rivals of course.

I also want to keep in mind that if there are women (or even men) out there that do take issue with the way the characters look in the game and have a fair, not extreme, opinion on it, that’s all well and good. I just believe there are FAR worse examples of oversexualized characters in gaming and media that do take away from them as characters if you strip away how good they look. In the case of Marvel Rivals, I strongly believe that (for the most part) the designs of the characters compliment themselves and only adds to the variety of the game rather than take away from it. It’s that nice little icing on a very well made and properly put together cake that anyone can enjoy. And that is perhaps the best possible compliment I can give a game!

In the meantime, I’m going to continue to play the hell out of and enjoy Marvel Rivals! And I recommend you to do the exact same!

To conclude this piece, here’s Knuckles approval ratings of the “mommies” of Marvel Rivals!

Ranking The Films of Alex Garland

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Alex Garland is one of the most interesting filmmakers in recent memory. He tends to make film that is able to deliver beyond anyone’s expectations for both the better and the worse. Regardless of what you think about his films, you can’t deny the man is usually not afraid to go all in on controversial matters or explore hidden depths within the sci-fi genre. Results always vary but no doubt, it’s always compelling to see a filmmaker always swing for the fences even if it always doesn’t work off.

With what is perhaps his biggest film to date just coming out in theaters in Civil War, let’s take the time to rank his four films released up to this point that he has been credited as a full-on director.

However, I would like to give one honorable/unqualifiable mention to this list.

Dredd (2012)

Dredd (2012) is one of the most underrated/overlooked gems that has been released for the past decade. A solid, intense, and incredibly enjoyable sci-fi action flick that’s able to improve on nearly every shortcoming that the original Judge Dredd had and be something even more than that. The main reason I can’t add this to the list is that despite writing the screenplay for it and did help complete the film, Alex Garland did NOT get any credit as director, that goes to Pete Travis.

Still, Dredd (2012) is a gem and it tanking at the box office still remains one of the biggest cinematic tragedies in recent memory! Hopefully, the cult following for this remains so strong that one day a sequel will be greenlighted!

Now that mention is out of the way, let’s get to ranking the official four films in Alex Garland’s directing library!

5.) Men

Alex Garland’s first film set outside his comfort zone in the sci-fi genre attempts to explore the inner depths of toxic masculinity and the mental state that abused women go through when having to deal with it. It’s just a shame that Garland couldn’t think of anything compelling to go along with that or provide an engaging narrative to get this obvious point across.

Men is ego-filled filmmaking at it’s absolute worst! The message of toxic masculinity is thuddingly obvious and not well handled, sequences are way too drawn out and repetitive as hell, it’s own attempt at shock value gets old very quick, and the final act remains one of the most infuriating climaxes of a film that I’ve ever suffered through in theaters. Even commendable performances from Jessie Buckley and Rory Kinnear along with a handful of stand out sequences (particularly the haunting tunnel scene) can not save Men from being the preachy and pretentious mess that it is!

Men was always going to be a film that was controversial no matter what given it’s subject matter but the end results of it just gives certain folks more ammo to support their own grift-filled narrative. Between this and the next film I’m about to talk about, it’s for the best that Alex Garland does more research on the subject matter he is tackling so the films don’t come across as distractingly obvious or inaccurate as it does. Plus, having a woman co-write or co-direct this film likely would have helped to! Just saying!

4.) Civil War

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 an America that we are dangerously close to approaching to in real life? 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 devoted 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 modern day 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. 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. Even if this movie’s overall theme is about how all war is pointless and nobody wins, that doesn’t justify this film’s existence any better.

3.) Warfare

Remember how I said that it’d be better for Mr. Garland to do more research on the subject matter he tackles with this films? Well, he apparently took that advice to heart with Warfare, easily the best non-related sci-fi work he has done to date and one of the better war films in recent memory. Based on the real-life experiences of Ray Mendoza during his service in the Iraq war as a U.S. Navy SEAL, the film act as an re-enactment of an encounter he and his platoon experienced on November 19, 2006, in the wake of the Battle of Ramadi. To keep the film as accurate as possible, Garland collaborated with Mendoza and real-life vets apart of that conflict by taken the film’s material exclusively from the testimonies of the platoon members, and is presented in real time beginning from the main title.

Warfare is a war film that has no agenda than showcasing the life-changing events that shattered the life and mental stability of a group of hard fighting soldiers. There’s no traditional Hollywood war tropes, no forms of military propaganda, and never tries to waste your time of filler of any kind. It’s 90 minutes of horror, intensity, and filling you in the shoes of being an everyday soldier in the army. The cast works, every sequence will have you on the edge of your seat, and this is more than worth the extra bucks to watch it in full IMAX.

While I’m not sure Warfare will be as memorable or rewatchable compare to other war movie classics and even Garland’s other work, it works well enough on it’s own that you won’t regret spending your time and money with. If Garland wants to continue making films with real-life and important subject matter, hopefully he takes the rights notes from this film and he might just get even better in the upcoming future.

2.) Ex Machina

Alex Garland’s directorial debut that came out in 2015 was about as perfect of a first impression as you could imagine. Ex Machina is able to be an imagative, creative, and engaging tale about the emergence of A.I. and how the human race responds to being in a world with technology as their overall counterpart with the realization that there is not much different between the two. The film has big ideas that it executes tremendously well, while also leaving a lot of room for further analysis. 

You also have to credit the stellar performances given by the main players here which consists of Oscar Isaac, Domhnall Gleeson, and ESPECIALLY Alicia Vikander, who all carry the entire picture on their backs all the way through with little to no hassle. Seeing Ava’s transformation from being a mindless robot to an artificial intelligence that is perhaps more intelligent than either Nathan or Caleb realize is really fascinating to see play out and keeps leaving you guessing on what will come next. Even the somewhat iffy last stretch isn’t enough to derail the impressive achievement that Ex Machina is.

Ex Machina is the best kind of sci-fi. The kind that treats it’s audience like human beings and doesn’t need to rely on pure action and spectacle to make for a satisfying experience. Masterfully directed, smartly written, and wonderfully performed by it’s main cast, Ex Machina was able to start Alex Garland’s directing tendure on the best note possible. Even in a year that saw the release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Ex Machina remained as the best sci-fi film of 2015 that happened to star Oscar Issac and Domhnall Gleeson.

1.) Annihilation

For as great as Ex Machina is, I still don’t think it tops the absolute sci-fi horror masterpiece that is Annihilation. This still remains not only the best film in Alex Garland’s filmography but one of the best sci-fi films of the 21st century thus far. Even when facing release problems by Paramount and Skydance and criticism from the original Author, Annihilation is Alex Garland at his most creative, ambitious, and pure visionary!

This is a very engaging and complex story of a group of female scientists who are summoned to an enchanted forest to uncover a mystery as to what happen to a group of male scientists during this phenomena. The mystery as to what is happening on screen is intriguing and full of hidden details that beg for repeat viewings, the characters are well defined and engaging, the visual imagery is mind blowing, the slow pacing feels well utilized and earned, the tension is felt the whole way through, the score is absolutely mesmerizing, and the final 20 minutes contains one of the best and haunting climaxes I’ve seen in any film. It also feel refreshing to have an all-female cast done in a way that makes sense for the story it’s telling and not strictly to try to earn a few brownie points.

I understand it’s divisive to some but Annihilation still remains my favorite work from Alex Garland and one of my personal favorite sci-fi movies. It remains one of the most engaging and mesmerizing theater experiences that I could recall. There wasn’t a single moment where I wasn’t blown up away by the visuals, tension, performances, plot turns, score, and just plain attention to details. I sure hope that author Jeff VanderMeer comes to his senses one day and realize the absolute brilliance that is the film, Annihilation. This isn’t just Alex Garland or sci-fi at it’s best, it’s pure filmmaking and cinema at it’s best! Annihilation remains a sci-fi film that I’ve gone back to many times and will continue to do so in the future!

Ranking The Filmography of Ryan Coogler

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If there’s one director currently working in Hollywood that I would say qualifies as being the most overlooked, that honor would easily go to Ryan Coogler. Despite being only 38 years old, he’s already achieved more behind the camera than most directors working in Hollywood would ever dream off. He was able to get a big-screen outing for his directorial debut with less than a million dollar budget at at the age of just 27, he was able to revitalized the Rocky saga when it felt like that series had ran it’s course, and he made history in making two smash box office hits involving the most popular black superhero in the history of Marvel Comics. And now with the release of Sinners, he has been given a blank check to craft his own original flick, involving vampires, religion, and lots and lots of blood and gore.

Because of that, we now have five films to rank! And thus far, he has yet to release an outright dud or anything that constitutes as being “mid” or “slop”. If that doesn’t say how talented this man is as a director, then I don’t know what does. Regardless, let’s not waste anymore time and get right to ranking!

5.) Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is about as good and thematically rich of a sequel as it could have been given the circumstances surrounding it. Despite losing a main key piece and a few too many subplots that feel like they’re only here to tease future movie and shows, it is still able to follow the remaining characters and themes from the first one in a way that feels organic and right. It’s beautifully acted and made, the handling of Chadwick Boseman’s death is done to near perfection, and is certainly a film you will want to bring tissues too. If only the runtime had been trimmed down and there wasn’t subplots that put more focus on setting up future Disney Plus shows, then this might’ve have ranked higher on this list. Even so, the fact that Coogler’s weakest film can still qualify as being very good speaks volume to the superb quality of filmography this man has.

4.) Fruitvale Station

Ryan Coogler’s first ever feature film debut came with Fruitvale Station. Made on a budget of just 900k dollars, Coogler is able to explore themes surrounding life, tragedy, and police brutality. This is about a man that is just trying to make his way through the world to take care of the ones he loves but life always finds a way to make it difficult. While it’s fairly low budget is quite noticeable, this is still able to hold strongly together due to the top notch performance by Michael B Jordan and the sharp, clever direction from Ryan Coogler. Well acted and well directed with subject matter that is more than relevant over a full decade later, Fruitvale Station is about as good as these low budget debut films can be.

3.) Sinners

In a time where Hollywood desperately needs more creative voices than ever, Ryan Coogler comes on in to craft what is perhaps the most original and unique blockbuster in recent memory! Sinners is more than just an expertly well done horror period flick but it’s a glimmer of light of the creatively bankrupted nature in Hollywood. It’s prove that there are still distinct, creative voices in Hollywood and directors that are looking to push boundaries of what filmmaking can be in the year of our lord and savior in 2025! The cast is top tier from top to bottom, has the right mix of blood, gore, scares, and glorious amounts of sexiness, the production values are top notch, and nearly every single plot point and thematic arc gets a payoff of some sort by the end. It’s even impressive to have post-credits scenes that don’t just exist to give a tease for the sequel or a cheap gag but to actually expand upon the complete ending of the full complete picture. It might take a while for Coogler to much his chess pieces into place and I’m not sure it will have the cultural impact that the top two films on this list will have but nevertheless, Sinners is more than worth your time and money at the theaters.

2.) Black Panther

Yes the CGI isn’t that great. Yes, it does move a bit slow in the first act and quite fast in the third act. And yes, more time with the bad guys would have helped. Nevertheless, when it come to quality, filmmaking, and it’s overall impact on pop culture, I don’t think there’s been an MCU installment that hits quite as hard as Black Panther. The characters are all iconic, especially with Kilmonger being arguably the best MCU villain to date, everything that takes place in Wakanda is wonderful, the action is well done, especially that car chase, the aesthetic (minus the CGI) is a treat for the eyes, the music rocks, and the impactful themes are ones that still resonate with me to this very day. When looking back on it, you can tell the impact that Black Panther had with Marvel Studios and director Ryan Coogler and how it would be quite hard to replicated something with that one center piece now gone. Nevertheless, they can at least look back and witness the amazing achievement they were able to accomplish with the gem that is Black Panther. RIP Chadwick Boseman!

1.) Creed

About a month before the age of legacy sequels kicked into full gear with Star Wars: The Force Awakens, there was Creed, which Ryan Coogler actually dared to take the Rocky franchise in a new direction by putting direct focus on the son of his old friend while Stallone himself acts as a secondary character. Easily one of the best movies to come out in 2015, this soft reboot is able to get everything right that these soft reboots tend to get wrong. It has the right amount of drama, right amount of emotion, right amount of fight scenes, right amount of legacy, right amount of inspiration, right amount focus on the villain, and just right amount of everything. Michael B Jordan is sensational as Adonis “Donnie” Creed and even Sylvester Stallone works just as well being a mentor figure as he was as the main boxer. And I will never be able to get over the MASTERFULLY directed boxing sequences and hard hitting drama that feels earned in every single bit. While all of Ryan Coogler’s films thus far have been impressive in every way, I don’t think there is one that speaks volume for his filmmaking talents and distinct voice than with Creed.

Best Movies Of 2024

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Another year of entertainment has come and gone so it’s time to look back at some of the very best that it had to offer. It’s been a wild and chaotic year and 2025 is looking to be even more wild and chaotic! That’s why it’s now time to share my picks for the top ten best films of 2024 (that I actually saw)!

A few disclaimers is that I did not see EVERY film I wanted to see by the end of the year. These include films that have gotten rave reviews from critics and audiences such as Heretic, Juror #2, Late Night With The Devil, and The Brutalist. I’ll see them whenever I can but I couldn’t see them on time for this list. Perhaps in the future, I’ll make an updated list of the best films of 2024 and I might include them once I see them. But for now, just know that I couldn’t see every critically darling to come out in 2024. Even so, let’s get on with this list and start with the honorable mentions.

Honorable Mentions:

  • A Complete Unknown

  • Abigail

  • Alien: Romulus

  • Boy Kills World

  • Challengers

  • Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

  • Flow

  • Transformers: One

  • Smile 2

  • Young Woman and the Sea

And now, onto the main top 10!

10.) Anora

Here’s a film that can be perfectly described as “Tumblr coded” and have it NOT be a bad thing! What starts off as a casual Cinderella tale about a love at first sight between a man and woman and riding off into the sunset to live happily ever after later transforms into a good old fashion slow burn rug pull that sees the consequences being played of an illegal relationship between a sex worker and an illegal Russian immigrant. Funny, slick, sexy, sharply directed, and featuring one incredible star making turn from Mikey Madison (Please call me!), Anora makes for one of the most engaging and subversive films of the year.

9.) Love Lies Bleeding

What is likely going to be the favorite film of 2024 for every lesbian and bisexual woman out there, Love Lies Bleeding is able to deliver their goods for not only it’s clear target demographic but will even entertain those outside of that. You have two electric actresses in Kristen Stewart and Katy O’Brian front and center who give everything they have for one another, spot-on direction and cinematography, a plot that will keep you on the edge of your seat the whole way through, and characters who aren’t necessarily good people but you can’t help but root for them regardless. And yes, this film is INCREDIBLY sexy in every way you expected and wanted! Rose Glass is able to deliver an absolute rollercoaster of a motion picture that works as a toxic love story and brutal romantic drama at the same time. It doesn’t matter what gender you are or what sexuality you are, by the end of Love Lies Bleeding, you will thinking to yourself, “LET’S GO LESBIANS!”

8.) Sonic The Hedgehog 3

Sonic The Hedgehog 3 is just about every Sonic’s fans dream come true! The Sonic characters themselves are at the absolute forefront with more focus than ever, the action and set pieces are all exhilarating and fun, the CGI is a treat for the eyes, there is more fan service and easter eggs than before, it’s able to adapt the storylines from Sonic Adventure 2 and Shadow the Hedgehog near perfectly, and Keanu Reeves predictably kills it as Shadow, as the character gives more depth and development than he arguably has in any other Sonic medium! It’s also nice to see how Sonic himself has grown through out the trilogy and seeing Jim Carrey bounce off well…..himself is an absolute laugh riot! This is just a series of films that keeps getting better with each installment and if the post credit scenes for this one is anything to go by, the next one could be even better! Is it high art? Probably not! But does it understand the assignment? Hell yeah, it does! Whether you are a longtime fan or a newcomer that has recently got into the series or someone that enjoys a good time, Sonic The Hedgehog 3 is an absolute triumph and is my personal favorite video game movie to date!

7.) Furiosa

In an age where studio meddling is at it’s highest in the film business, it’s a miracle that Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga even exists in the first place. It’s a prequel of Mad Max: Fury Road, a movie, which despite all the praise it got and the Oscars it won, barley squeaked a profit and made George Miller go to war with Warner Bros to allow Furiosa along with another potential Mad Max: sequel to even happen. This isn’t a film that exists because it’s something that Warner Bros desperately wanted to greenlight. It’s a film that exists because George Miller fought his neck and teeth for to get made. If this really is the beginning of the end of movie theaters as we know it, then I’m at least glad we are going out with bangs like like Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga. A glorious action packed spectacle that offers a further expansion of the Furiosa character, more depth into the insane world of Mad Max, telling a compelling origin story that stands strong in it’s own right, and makes for a perfect counterpart to it’s already perfect successor in Mad Max: Fury Road. It may not quite reach the height of Fury Road but oh man, is it fun to watch George Miler try to top himself the whole way through. Even if Mad Max: The Wasteland never gets a chance to be made, I’m at least glad I got to see this incredibly well made and well done action thriller about one of the best female action protagonists in recent memory.

6.) Inside Out 2

The nine-year long awaited sequel to Pixar’s surprise hit in 2015 is as every bit of affective, earnest, and heartful as it’s predecessor. Inside Out 2 is arguably the first Pixar sequel not related to Toy Story that seems to have more on it’s mind to justify it’s own existence other than branding and merchandising. Going from seeing Riley as a youth moving to San Francisco to a teenager looking to make it into the high school hockey team with the popular girls, this sequel takes the logical next step into showcasing the inner turmoil of taking the next step to puberty with anxiety, envy, ennui, and embarrassment entering the picture, portrayed perfectly by newcomers Maya Hawke, Ayo Edebiri, Adele Exarchopoulos, and Paul Walter Hauser. There are nits to be picked such as having a familiar plot and structure as the original and a wrap-up that perhaps is a bit too squeaky clean by Pixar standards but as a whole, Inside Out 2 is able to act greatly as a natural continuation and expansion of the first movie’s story and themes. As much as plenty of folks have been down on Pixar as of late with it’s abundance of sequels, I sure hope that Inside Out 2 is good enough for them that they can let it all slide and appreciate the film the way it was suppose to be appreciate. 

5.) Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story

Some will find it pure blasphemy for me to put a mere documentary on a best of year list. However, this is no ordinary documentary, it’s one for the O.G. Superman! Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story is exactly what these kinds of films need to be. Not only is it a great examination off the great life of the late great Christopher Reeve, the struggles and obstacles he had to overcome to live out the promising life he once has, and getting the points of views for about every noteworthy person imaginable, but just like with Superman himself, it’s inspiring. Even without the powers or cape, this documentary proves why Christopher Reeve was born to play Superman. He wasn’t just some old fashion superhero, he was a noble person that inspired us to be the best possible version of ourselves and not let any personal tragedies get in our way to move forward. If that’s not the sign of an exceptional documentary, then I don’t know what is.

R.I.P. Christopher Reeves

The world misses you more than ever!

4.) Nosferatu

It might feel odd how there’s gonna be generations that will now remembers Nosferatu for this remake and NOT from SpongeBob SquarePants. But you know what, after how excellent this 2024 remake is, I can definitely tolerate it. Nosferatu (2024) sees Robert Eggers firing on all cylinders here, crafting a slow burn yet engaging re-telling of this classic monster mythos in gorgeous and unexpecting ways. The performances are top-notch, the filmmaking craft is on full display, and the amount of vampire blood and carnage will certainly be enough for horror fans that crave for those in their vampire horror flicks. It’s hard to tell if this will stand the test of time as the original 1922 version but no doubt, Nosferatu (2024) is a more than worthy modern update on such as classic tale.

3.) Dune: Part Two

Thus far, no one has been able to stop this sci-fi masterpiece! If Dune: Part One acted as Villeneuve setting the training wheels on his bike in motion, Dune: Part Two sees him being able to successfully take those training wheels off and pushed that bike down the hill with good graces. Nearly all that set up that amounted in Part One has immensely satisfying pay offs in Part Two. The action and set pieces are taking to a whole new level, every single member of it’s talented, stacked cast get their own moment to shine, the cinematography is absolutely jaw dropping and makes the IMAX experience 100% worth it, and it’s able to push all the right buttons on making a perfect sequel, instantly comparable to the likes of The Empire Strikes Back, The Two Towers, and The Dark Knight. This is an instant sci-fi classic that will likely go down as one of the best cinematic experiences that I along with plenty of others will have all throughout 2024. Even if it’s not quite my favorite film of Villeneuve, Dune: Part Two will likely go on to be his most successful film to date and one that shall get the attention of the remaining moviegoing audience that aren’t yet familiar with his name. If the majority of big movies were even half as good as Dune: Part Two was, we would be living in cinema paradise.

2.) The Substance

What might be the most shocking and talked about horror film of the year, The Substance is the kind of film that will easily push new boundaries to the horror genre, so much so that it even got the Academy’s attention with it’s best picture nomination. This makes for both a brilliant commentary on the impossible beauty standards of women in the entertainment industry set by men and the perfect gore porn fiasco that tops itself constantly throughout it’s entire runtime. It pull no punches here, once you think the film goes too far in what it’s saying or doing, it proceeds to go one step further multiple different times, all the way up to the finish line. Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley are perfect in playing their perfectly balanced counterparts, Coralie Fargeat’s direction could not be more perfect, and the make-up effects feel so real and authentic that I wouldn’t be surprised if it came out that it’s not actually make up and what happens throughout the film just….happened. All kidding aside, The Substance is the kind of horror film that deserves your attention. It may not be for everybody, but if you stick with the film on it’s own terms, you might be surprised at how bloody brilliant (no pun intended) this experience is.

1.) The Wild Robot

This may be recency bias but I honestly can’t think of a DreamWorks animated picture that is as complex, layered, and impressive as The Wild Robot. It represents the pinnacle of DreamWorks Animation, delivering one last final triumph before they have to rely on tools and resources from other studios the immediate future. The animation is jaw droppingly gorgeous, the characters are all engaging, endearing, and wonderful to follow, the voice cast is all terrific with everyone being 100% committed to their role, the musical score is mesmerizing and carries the film on it’s own on several occasions, there’s is plenty of funny gags and emotional beats that work greatly, and the way it tackles the themes surrounding survival, parenthood, kindness, purpose, and coexistence is nothing short of marvelous. The amount of plates is able to spend in the air at once and how many hoops it dares to jump through is able to make the film stand out in ways that it had no business of doing so. This is animation and multilayered storytelling at it’s finest and The Wild Robot might just be the next prime example for that. Thank you to all the folks at DreamWorks who worked in-house for the company and I hope the very best awaits you in the future!

My Favorite Shows of 2024

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So, this year I did something that I normally don’t do. I actually watch television shows. That’s an exaggeration of course but ever since I worked my way into college and grown accustomed to the internet, I normally don’t watch as many shows as I used to when I was kid. Outside of your casual Marvel and Star Wars shows on Disney Plus or your typical big hit series on Netflix such as Stranger Things, I hadn’t been that compelled to keep up with any new streaming series. That was until this year!

With how iffy film medium has been for the past couple of years, that has encouraged me to go to other resources for high quality entertainment. Those mediums that I’ve turned to have been video games and streaming shows. Because of my increase on the latter, I have worked my way to find the high quality shows that I heard so many good things about and see if they’ve lived up to the hype. And in 2025, I was able to find six distinct shows that were able to meet those expectations.

Keep in mind, these are my personal favorite shows of 2024. I didn’t have time to view every single hit show of the year and there are some that I liked but didn’t like well enough to where it deserved to be mention in my top lists. Regardless, here are my lists of my top 6 favorite shows of 2024.

6.) Terminator: Zero

People have gone back and forth in what should be considered the #3 best Terminator medium. Some favor the bonkers Rise of the Machines with it’s ballsy as hell ending, some favor the appropriately grim departure of the series known as Salvation, some prefer grandma Linda Hamilton and grandpa Arnold coming back to kick ass with Dark Fate, and of course there are those fortunate that was able to witness The Sarah Connor Chronicles in it’s entirety as the real proper continuation of the first two masterpieces in the franchise. However, we know have a new anime series that might just put every single film released between Judgement Day and Dark Fate to shame with Terminator: Zero.

Instead of relying on nostalgia and callbacks, Terminator: Zero actually dares to tell a fresh and unique story with new and engaging characters and adding new mythos to the lore. There’s no Connors or Arnold presence here, just a new conflict told through a different set of humans and machines. The animation style is incredibly fitting for what it’s going for, this is easily the most intense Terminator medium since the original film, the new characters that are introduced are able to hold their own, and it’s able to look at a much broader scope of the relationship between humanity and A.I. in ways that feels new and timely appropriate.

I don’t know if this series will appeal to those that aren’t fans of Terminator or anime but if you are a fan of either one of them, this Netflix exclusive is a must see. If anything, this proof that the Terminator brand can in fact endure with it’s own identity without the need to constantly bring a Linda Hamilton and Arnold into the mix.

5.) Arcane (Season 2)

The first season of Arcane was perhaps one of the greatest seasons of an animated series I have ever seen. Not only did it work near flawlessly as an adaption of it’s source material but it worked as it’s own series itself. It introduced some of the grandest worldbuilding, engaging characters, and superb animation of modern times, tackling serious subject matter involving tragedy and conflict. Because of that, expectations were over the ROOF for it’s second season. And while it’s still great, it can’t quite capture that lightning in a bottle that the first one did.

This perhaps has to do with the fact that Netflix decided that the second season should act as the final season and save any remaining stories set in this universe as individual spin-offs. Because of that, you got a third act, while well made and engaging, can’t help but feel overstuffed and crammed together just to get to the ending that the creators wanted for this series. While the first two/thirds of the show are able to be as compelling and intriguing as Season 1, the last third falters with trying to type up so much material in so little time.

Even so, I will still take a flawed masterpiece such as Arcane Season 2 than around 90% of most entertainment that I watched this year. The animation and world building is expanded upon even further with most impressive achievements, Vi and Jinx still remains the most compelling sisterhood relationship I’ve seen to date, the action is still grand and epic in scale, and the entire cast is still able to get a moment of their own to shine. Season 2 may not have been the perfection that Season 1 was but in this case, I’ll still take imperfection if it means I get to spend more time in this world and it’s characters.

4.) Fallout

Last year’s Amazon smash hit managed to be one of the most surprising new series to come out in 2024. Despite having all odds against them, Fallout was able to work greatly as an adaption that honored the source material is was based on (despite some potential retcons here and there) while expanding the overall world to new audience members all around the world.

Aided by an INCREDIBLY likable and talented cast with Ella Purnell’s Lucy (I NEVER get tired of her saying “ookie-dookie”), Walton Goggin’s Cooper Howard, and Aaron Clifton Moten’s Maximus, this series puts the focus on a handful of scrappy survivors fighting their way through a nuclear apocalypse in different parts of a retro-futuristic America. Even with it’s rather serious stakes throughout, the show never forgets to be lighthearted and fun when the moments require it. Show creator Jonathan Nolan clearly understood the assignment here and we all ended up the better for it.

Although the ending left quite a bit to be desired (which is apparently the case with most Fallout games), this video game show was an absolute blast regardless of whether you are a fan of the games or not. With a perfectly balanced tone, engaging protagonists, and top notch production values, Fallout earns itself a spot as a new gold standard for video game adaptions and shows.

3.) X-Men ’97

In an era where it seems like the hype around superheroes and revivals have died down, here comes in X-Men 97 that was able to swipe on it’s way to Disney Plus and show everyone how these things are suppose to be done. This was about as good of a revival as it could get, perfectly translate the traditional values and roots that the X-Men are known for in modern times while still being able to capture that Saturday morning cartoon vibe.

The 2D animation is stunning and feels perfectly in line with it’s 96′ series counter part, the action sequences are filled with energy and excitement, and there is plenty of time given to each cast member of the X-Men to shine, rarely suffering from the problem of the films where a certain group of characters manages to completely overshadow the other. And it was SUPER nice to see my boy Scott and my girl Rogue being done justice for once. Oh, and the glimmers of seeing 94′ Spider-Man back again brought a tear to my eye!

No offense to Deadpool & Wolverine but I think most would agree that X-Men 97 was far in a way the best Marvel-related thing to come out in 2024. It’s able to capture the spirit of it’s 90s counterpart as well as just the X-Men in general! It’s so good that I would love to see more Marvel revivals of beloved shows done in a similar matter. Come on, Disney! Greenlight Spider-Man 98 already! You know you want to!

2.) The Penguin

With there being so many “Who asked for this?!” spin-offs of existing IPs out lately, The Penguin was able to step up to the plate and hit an absolute grand slam of a spin-off series. Matt Reeves and Lauren Lefranc is able to expand upon the crime lord of Gotham in fascinating ways here, showcasing a perfect example on how to do these “grounded” superhero stories correctly.

The production values are fantastic, Gotham has never been this intriguing to explore in live-action, the characters are all engaging, the plot is intriguing, and the performance are stellar from top to bottom, aided greatly by the central performance by Colin Farrell (who is still unrecognizable as the Penguin) and the scene stealing turn by Cristin Milioti as Sofia Falcone. It’s also incredibly refreshing to have a villain led-story where we actually get to see the main lead be a villain all the way through, with ZERO need to make them an anti-hero or the good guy in the end. Also, take notes, The Acolyte! THIS is how you do flashbacks in episodes!

Even if this kind of series wasn’t necessarily “needed”, The Penguin is proof if the talent and craft is there, you can make great art out of anything. Although the recent delays of The Batman: Part II is unfortunate, I will still be first in line to see what awaits for the next installment of the now-called The Batman Epic Crime Saga. I BETTER see Robert Pattinson beat the shit out of Oz in the first five minutes or else!

1.) Shogun

Of course, the one series that has received the most awards and acclaim turned out to be my favorite show of 2024. There was no other show in 2024 that was able to shock and astonish the entertainment world than Shogun. It rivals Game of Thrones in it’s prime in terms of quality, able to expand upon it’s periodic times to perfection while examining complicated themes surrounding war, culture, and religion.

The writing is excellent, the characters are very well developed, the story is rich and full of intrigue, the production design is off the charts all around, there’s not a single actor or actress that phones it in, and it’s able to showcase themes that feel modern to our times but also culturally appropriate in the setting that the series is set in. You even got some incredibly impressive action sequences that feel grounded and expertly choreographed, emotional beats that are always properly build up and earned, and able to find a satisfying pay off to nearly every single main thing it sets ups. And as everyone has pointed out, Anna Sawai gives the standout performance of 2024 as Toda Mariko, stealing every scene that she’s in for the better.

There are many shows that get hyped up nowadays but very few are able to truly live up to it for me. Shogun is surely one of those exceptions. It’s exceptionally made, exceptionally written, exceptionally acted, exceptionally directed, and exceptionally entertaining. If there is any show from 2024 that deserves to be studied and examined on how to make a proper streaming series set in a period time and setting, look no further than Shogun.

Women Are Now The Face Of Gaming

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Throughout history, video games have had the reputation of being a market exclusivity to boys or strictly a male dominated audience. Despite initially gender-neutral marketing and multiple women having key roles in major games, the gaming marketing crash of 1983 had companies move to marketing video games strictly towards boys, believing that would be the logical move for the industry to survive going forward. Because of that, the majority of video games released back then would often center around male heroes or strong male protagonists.

That’s not to say that EVERY single video game out there had a male protagonist. There have been a handful of successful female protagonists in video games such as Lara Croft from Tomb Raider and Samus Aran from Metroid. But for the most part, video games for the longest of time would have a male protagonist front and center more often than not, with female protagonists acting as a side playable character at best or NPC at worst. And even when the women were playable, they were mostly design with a clear sex appeal and male gaze in mind that was also clearly targeted towards boys and men. However, that has changed dramatically for the better course of a decade.

Recent studies have shown that women are playing a much bigger role in the video game industry than ever before. Women are increasingly represented in the gaming industry, including in senior management and developers. There are more organizations out there than before that provide resources and mentorship to help women succeed in the industry. Best of all, studies have shown that by June 2024, 49% of gamers in the United States were female, an increase from nearly a decade ago when female gamers averaged around 41 to 42%. Needless to say, gaming is much more than just a boy brand now and companies are clearly starting to take notice of it.

And I don’t think there is a more prime example of women having a more dominant presence in video games than seeing the phenomenal lineup of upcoming releases, both mainstream and indie, that is excepted to come out in 2025 and beyond, with a good portion of them either being female led or have a strong female protagonist that is playable. Because of that, I don’t have a choice but to admit it: women are now becoming the face of gaming now and possible for the foreseeable future.

If you don’t believe me, just check out this list of the number of women-led video games that are set to come out in 2025 and beyond.

Eternal Stands

  • Developer: Yellow Brick Games
  • Playable Female Character: A Warrior Named Brynn
  • Release Date: January 28th, 2025

Civilization 7

  • Developer: Firaxis Games
  • Playable Female Characters: Amina, Himiko, And Hatshepsut
  • Release Date: February 11th, 2025

Assassin’s Creed Shadow

  • Developer: Ubisoft
  • Female Playable Character: A Shinobi Named Naoe
  • Release Date: February 14th, 2025

Judas

  • Developer: Ken Levine (Bioshock)
  • Playable Female Character: A Young Female Rebel Named Judas
  • Release Date: March 1st, 2025

Split Fiction

  • Developer: Hazelight Studios
  • Playable Female Characters: Mio and Zoey
  • Release Date: March 6th, 2025

Fable (2025)

  • Developer: Playground Games
  • Playable Female Character: Unnamed At This Time
  • Release Date: 2025

Perfect Dark (2025)

  • Developer: The Initiative
  • Playable Female Character: Joanna Dark
  • Release Date: 2025

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond

  • Developer: Retro Studios
  • Playable Female Character: The Legend Herself, Samus Aran
  • Release Date: TBD

South of Midnight

  • Developer: Complusion Games
  • Female Playable Character: Unnamed At This Time
  • Release Date: TBD

Wuchang: Fallen Feathers

  • Developer: Leenzee
  • Female Playable Character: Wuchang
  • Release Date: TBD

Retrieval

  • Developer: 333 Studios
  • Female Playable Character: Hana Losche
  • Release Date: TBD

Okami 2

  • Developer: Clover Studio
  • Female Playable Character: The Japanese Goddess Known As Ameraterasu
  • Release Date: TBD

Untitled Tomb Raider Game

  • Developer: Embracer Group
  • Female Playable Character: The G.O.A.T. Lara Croft
  • Release Date: TBD

Wonder Woman

  • Developer: Monolith Productions
  • Playable Female Character: Diana Prince, A.K.A. Wonder Woman Herself
  • Release Date: TBD

The Witcher 4

  • Developer: CDProjekt Red
  • Playable Female Character: Fan Favorite Ciri
  • Release Date: TBD

Ghost of Yotei

  • Developer: Sucker Punch
  • Playable Female Character: A Female Ronin Named Atsu
  • Release Date: 2025

Grand Theft Auto VI

  • Developer: Rockstar
  • Playable Female Character: Lucia
  • Release Date: 2025

Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet

  • Developer: Naughty Dog
  • Playable Female Character: A Bounty Hunter Named Jordan A. Mun
  • Release Date: TBD

And there’s plenty more that I’m sure I’m missing!

It goes to show just how bolder and more confident gaming studios are getting when it comes to releasing more gaming titles with playable female protagonists. This is the type of progress that you wouldn’t imagine seeing several decades ago because it was mostly the boys that dominated the marketing and demographic. Could you imagine seeing that many upcoming female-led games 10 to 20 years ago?

Could you imagine Rockstar taking a chance with a female protagonist front and center for GTA V in the hopes that it wouldn’t affect sales? Would Sucker Punch have been bold enough to change up the protagonists from male lead Sakai to female led Yotei? Imagine Naughty Dog having the balls to make back-to-back games where the only playable characters were women? If that’s not the sign how times have changed when it comes to demographics for video games, then I don’t know what does.

If even a handful of the titles I suggested are successful, this will no doubt push boundaries and make room for even more women in the industry than before. If Wonder Woman, Tomb Raider, and Metroid can continue to honor the legacy of their beloved female leads, then those IPs can continue to expand even more. If Fable, Ghost of Yotei, and The Witcher 4 is able to prove that their female leads can be just as acclaim and successful as their male leads in their own respective franchises, then that will undoubtedly lead to more female-centric games in the future. If original projects like Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet can sell enough copies on their own, then more original female-led games will be surely to come. And of course, if GTA VI is able to gain even an ounce of the success of GTA V, that act alone will make female characters more playable in games than ever before. The future of gaming is looking female…….and it feels just right.

Before I get anyone outrage over this, there will certainly be many male-led games as well for the future. There is too many successful male-led gaming IPs such as Mario, Sonic, Zelda, Halo, Call of Duty, Resident Evil, Final Fantasy, Fallout, and Pokémon that will continue to be mostly male-centric in terms of narrative and/or will always give you the option to play as a male character. It’s just that there will now be just as much gaming options for female gamers as there always has been for male gamers.

And if this momentum continues, there’s no doubt come this time come 2028, the percentage of male and female gamers will be at a complete 50%, proving that video games belong just as much to girls as it does to boys. It’s only then will the gender balance be completed and there will be room for video games for just about anyone, regardless of your gender. Perhaps then we can put this discussion of needed progression and pushing boundaries aside and just treat any game with a female protagonist as we would with a male protagonist. If that is the true goal, then it’s on the verge of being complete.

Regardless of what your stance is in all of this, there is plenty of evidence to suggest that women are leading gaming in 2025 and beyond. There are more women creators and gamers than ever before and the next main lineup of games for the next few years will clearly have plenty of playable female characters and then some. If it’s all done well and is even remotely successful, this will only be the beginning.

And speaking as a male gamer who has always loved playing as female characters and has a good handful of female-led games that are among my most favorites of all time, I can not wait!

The future is all yours, ladies!