New Releases:
The Equalizer 3 – Since giving up his life as a government assassin, Robert McCall (Denzel Washington) has struggled to reconcile the horrific things he’s done in the past and finds a strange solace in serving justice on behalf of the oppressed. Finding himself surprisingly at home in Southern Italy, he discovers his new friends are under the control of local crime bosses. As events turn deadly, McCall knows what he has to do: become his friends’ protector by taking on the mafia.
Expectations: As a big fan of the first Equalizer film, I have to preface my thoughts on this third one by saying that I really disliked the second installment and don’t really see this follow-up being earned. Still, Denzel is always a great presence on the big screen and sequels are definitely not his regular jam as Equalizer 2 was the first one he ever did. He must love doing this Robert McCall role and dispatching bad guys effortlessly. Those parts are really cool to see and probably the highlight of each film. I also like that there is a Man On Fire reunion in this film with Denzel and co-star Dakota Fanning.
Blu-Ray & DVD:
The Flash – A bolt of lightning strikes Barry Allen and thus, an extraordinary power is born inside him: The Speed Force. When he uses this power to run back in time and save his mother, he creates a world without heroes and General Zod has returned. To defeat him, his only hope rests in the hands of a retired Batman, another Barry and an imprisoned Kryptonian.
Review: This might be easily my most disappointing movie of the year as well as one of my most hated ones which is so depressing as it took so long for it to come out and it featured the return of a childhood favourite in Michael Keaton’s Batman. I will admit that the emergence of Supergirl was cool as well but once the film brings both back, it has no idea what to do with them. This film is a struggle thoroughly. Bad CGI, a script that struggles to find a tone throughout and a purely unlikable performance from Ezra Miller in a dual role hamper the film constantly through its almost two-and-a-half-hour run time.
No Hard Feelings – In the enigmatic town of Montauk, New York, Maddie, a struggling Uber driver facing dire financial circumstances, stumbles upon an intriguing Craigslist ad. Responding to the cryptic posting, she enters into an unconventional arrangement with secretive parents who harbour concerns about their introverted 19-year-old son, Percy. In a secret pact, Maddie agrees to immerse herself in Percy’s life, delving into a world where dating and intimacy are foreign concepts. Little does she know the enigmatic path that awaits her as she embarks on this mysterious journey to guide Percy toward adulthood while grappling with her own uncertainties.
Review: Judging from the trailers, I wasn’t sure what to think of this raunchy comedy but I knew Jennifer Lawrence put her all into every film so I kept an open mind. The result was a very funny film that highlights the Academy Award winner’s comedic chops, wears its burgeoning heart and soul on its sleeve and the whole show almost gets stolen by her young co-star, Andrew Barth Feldman, who is an absolute delight every moment he is on screen. The movie makes some bold choices and has one unforgettable fight scene on a beach and I think is one of the more underrated ones to hit the box office this year. Hopefully, with VOD and streaming, the film gets some distance through word of mouth.
Blue Bloods: Season 13 – The series follows the lives of the NYPD’s First Family of Law Enforcement: the Reagans. Frank, the Police Commissioner and son of former PC Henry Reagan must balance his duties of running the largest police force in the world and being his kids’ boss. His daughter Erin is an Assistant District Attorney, son Danny is a senior detective and fellow Marine Veteran, and new Harvard Law grad turned cop, Jamie all swirl through this family drama and passionately defend their city from harm. The Irish-American family is deeply rooted in their patriotism, passion, and love of family.
Review: Unlucky season thirteen rolls in this week and it actually saw the return of former regular cast member Jennifer Esposito to her role of Jackie Curatola in a guest starring capacity, which is a bonus for me as I really liked her character. Let’s face it though, the series draw is all about Tom Selleck and Donnie Wahlberg who bring it every time they are on screen. This is sort of like your regular run-of-the-mill Law & Order procedural but the Reagan family dynamics keep each season pretty engaging.
Smiling Friends: Season 1 – Smiling Friends Inc. is a small company whose main purpose is to bring happiness and make people smile. The series follows the day-to-day lives and misadventures of its representatives, the lazy, cynical Charlie, and the cheerful, optimistic Pim, as they try to cheer up and comfort the troubled people who call their company’s hotline. They receive seemingly simple requests but the jobs turn out to be more complicated than they seem, making it difficult to bring happiness to the world.
Review: Adult Swim strikes again with another delightfully weird piece of animation and this one will appeal to the niche viewers who love stuff like Superjail or Mr. Pickles. You know, the downright deranged stuff. It comes from the mind of Michael Cusack, an Australian creator who recently brought his brand to Hulu and Disney+ with Koala Man, a hysterical little series. I really love it but take that for what it is.
Steve’s Blu-Ray Geekouts:
Champions – Woody Harrelson stars in the hilarious and heartwarming story of a former minor-league basketball coach who, after a series of missteps, is ordered by the court to manage a team of players with intellectual disabilities. He soon realizes that, despite his doubts, this team can go further than they ever imagined.
Review: I will admit, that this movie had bad reviews so I went into it with a chip on my shoulder and I ended up really liking it. I’ve been done in some of the solo work of the Dumb And Dumber and There’s Something About Mary directing duo, the Farrelly brothers, but Woody wins me over in this alongside his very funny team players and a great romantic role for It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia’s Kaitlin Olsen who is honestly incapable of phoning it in. Ingire the slights on this one, I had fun with it.
River Wild – Joey (Leighton Meester) fears there could be trouble ahead after her brother Gray (Taran Killam) invites Trevor (Adam Brody), a childhood friend with a troubled past, on their whitewater rafting adventure with two tourists. Once they become stranded in raging rapids, the thrill-seeking trip quickly turns from exciting to utterly terrifying as the rafters are trapped in a desperate fight for their lives, all while someone seems intent on sabotaging to ensure shocking secrets stay buried. To survive the wild river, Joey will have to face her fears, and everyone will have to develop killer instincts before they’re torn apart by deception aboard the raft, or by deadly waters wreaking havoc all around them.
Review: This film got me in two ways as, one, I am a huge fan of Curtis Hanson’s original film, starring Meryl Streep, Kevin Bacon, David Strathairn and John C. Reilly, and, two, it stars two people from the 2000s teen dramas, The OC’s Adam Brody and Gossip Girl’s Leighton Meester. Fun addition to that, they are actually married in real life. Now, this is not a direct remake at all, just a film that sort of uses that same energy and makes Brody, against type, play the menacing bad guy. That said, I actually enjoyed the film quite a bit once I was able to separate it from the pre-established film I know. I would say that the performances against the white water rafting peril is what got me and it would be a really tough story to completely screw up in my opinion.
Nuclear Now – The movie, narrated by Oliver Stone, promotes nuclear power as a safe and viable solution to combat climate change by replacing fossil fuels. Stone predicts a significant increase in global electricity demand in the next three decades and suggests mass-producing nuclear power plants to meet this growing need for low-carbon energy. He argues that recycling, electric cars, and eco-friendly products are merely superficial attempts by the middle class to feel good and that they won’t make a substantial impact on the climate. The scriptwriters also accuse the anti-nuclear movement of associating nuclear power with nuclear weapons, thus instilling a deep-seated fear of this energy source. Additionally, they imply that the oil and gas industry has been funding campaigns against nuclear power.
Review: Being a huge fan of his narrative work, Oliver Stone is one of those cinema gods to me and has been since I was an early movie aficionado but as an adult, I’ve scrutinized some of his historical beliefs, political beliefs and social commentaries as he can some times have, well, a wide range of ideas. This one is really fascinating though because it centers around a resource that is pivotal to our world, both in use and execution. The energy battle, especially now, may make or break our world so to have open and frank discussions on how our kids are going to survive and how they will power things is crucial. Stone knows the conversation and knows what questions to ask, making this film really important and I wish it got more of a mainstream push, honestly.
Television:
One Piece (Netflix) – An alternate version of Earth, and one that is currently in the midst of the ‘Golden Age of Pirates’. Ruthless cut-throat pirates rule the seas, and only the strongest have the chance to lay claim to the mythical treasure known as ‘One Piece’ that was left behind by the greatest pirate of them all, Gold Roger. Years after the death of Gold Roger, a young boy by the name of Monkey D. Luffy has dreams of raising his own crew, finding One Piece, and declaring himself as Pirate King. After eating a devil fruit that grants Luffy the power to make his body like rubber, it gives him enormous strength and agility. When Luffy finally comes of age, he sets sail from Foosha Village in East Blue and sets upon his grand adventure to become the next Pirate King.
Review: A hit with anime fans of all ages for a long time now, Netflix has now put this into live-action form, ahead of the adaptation of Avatar The Last Airbender and after their version of Cowboy Bebop which they sadly cancelled, so I’m sure expectations are high for it. I myself found it a little hard to get into as I don’t have the history of the show to lean on but I am more than willing to give it more than a few episodes because it is colourful, beautifully shot and my kid is getting really into the story.
The Wheel Of Time: Season 2 (Prime Video) – Moiraine, a member of a magical organization, takes five young people on a journey, believing that one of them might be the reincarnation of the Dragon, a powerful individual prophesied to save the world or destroy it.
Expectations: Based on a popular fantasy book series from author Robert Jordan, I have to sadly admit that I was late to this series and just started the first season in anticipation of this new follow-up. To be honest, with the spending on the Lord Of The Rings series, I thought Prime Video would make this show dead in the water like Carnival Row but here we are, more episodes with the badass Rosamund Pike. She is really the draw to the show and the killer action and not shying away from gore make the whole thing really entertaining. Hopefully, they can keep it all afloat with these new episodes.
Steve Stebbing 