Superman and Lois season 2 review

 Superman and Lois season 2 review 

 

Intro: I hope the writers won't make the same mistake as the Flash writers. 

Superman and Lois season two: This season takes place three months after the events of last season and Smallville manages to get back to normal. Until someone from Lois's past shows up in Smallville and she has plans that will endanger everyone. So, Superman and Lois have to stop her before it's too late. 

This season is similar to last season but not as good. Part of the reason why is because there are so many subplots where all of them don't get resolved or they drag out. Yes! The first season did this, but they weren't stretched so thin. It's hard to appreciate the stake in this season because the writers didn't do a good job of reinforcing the consequences if the villain achieves her goal. The climax is also ridiculous because it opens up a can of worms about Superman's abilities. Basically, this season reinforces the things people didn't like about season one like family drama and side characters. The series also suffers from plot holes and some of the effects stand out like a sore thumb. The themes of this season are secrets and redemption. This season deals with how secrets can hurt relationships, but the creators drop the ball with handling the redemption theme.   

Besides having an arc on being a better father this season hasn't done much with Clark/Superman. I don't like that he's not doing anything for money as far as we know because that's going to create problems. 

Lois Lane has a lot of family baggage this season. I mean she still has issues with her father, mother and now her sister because of her connection to the big bad. The only complaint I have with her is that there was suppose to be a subplot of her building a relationship with Nat (John Henry Irons's daughter.) but the writer ignores that. Also, both her and Clark can be narrow-minded over what Johnathan did.  

This season hasn't done anything new with Jordan besides the creator taking steps to him becoming superboy. I would like to know why he stops playing football? 

Johnathan is still dealing with insecurities about fitting in Smallville. What annoys me about this character is that he did something that got him in a lot of trouble and the writers didn't stick to him dealing with the consequences of his actions what the fudge? 

Nat is a bright and mature girl. Like Jordan, she too is taking steps to help her father in the field. My gripe with her is she's out of line for telling her father how he should go through the grieving process.            

I don't know how I feel about Sarah because she did two things to Jordan that's messed up. OK, the first thing is understandable to a degree, but the second thing doesn't make her look like a good girlfriend.  

Lane Lang is running for Mayor of Smallville against a shady candidate and we see how this election will affect her family. 

Sam Lane just provided emotional support for Lois and her sister Lucy in this season. Plus, help Jordan with his powers. 

   

Lt. Anderson is filling in for General Lane and they don't have a good working relationship because he doesn't trust Superman for some reason. Of course, this leads to him escalating things that didn't need to be escalated. 

Tal-Rho (Formerly known as Morgan Edge.) has a redemption arc this season. We see him helping Superman and trying to make amends for what he did last season. My issue with this is that it's kind of rushed. Another thing where did he get an A.I. of his and Superman's mother?   

I'm not happy that this series wasted Bizarro! That's saying a lot considering that this is a Superman character that I'm not fond of. For example, the writers could have used Bizarro World as a cautionary tale for what's going on in Smallville. Also, his fortress of solitude is better than Superman's. 

Ally Allston (the main baddie) is a manipulative cult leader who's trying to make her followers feel whole at the expense of their and other people's lives. What annoys me about her is that the show hits that she's a Superman villain and I'm not crazy about it. Also, feeling whole is another theme this season could explore.  

I like that this season plays with our expectations and teases a villain for season three. This season confirms that this show is separated from the other CW shows. (Thank goodness.) Overall, this is not a bad fellow up to season one but it's underwhelming. 

My review of Lightyear

My review of Lightyear 

Intro: Congratulations Chucky! You finally have company because this is the second creepiest thing I've seen. 

 

My editor: Excuse me what about Babidi? 

I'm sorry this is the third creepiest thing I've seen. There is no way that this will sell as much as Elmo, Pikachu and Grogu. (After I saw the Movie.) OK, I like my Crow medium-rare. 

Lightyear: This movie is centered on a space ranger name Buzz Lightyear who is stranded on an unknown planet with other crew members and Buzz tries to figure out a way to get them off the planet. That task becomes difficult when he sees that doing this comes with a price and someone wants the MacGuffin that Buzz needs to travel in space. So, Buzz has to avoid this person and try to complete his objective. 

Pixar not only you be ashamed of yourself for giving us this lifeless movie the people who worked on the Buzz Lightyear cartoon deserve an apology. You can say what you want about the cartoon it was more entertaining and creative than this! Plus, the cartoon did some things better than this movie. If you consider that cartoon to be the black sheep of the Toy Story franchise, then why did you make two references to it? (No! The LGMs are not in this movie.) I appreciate that this movie wants to be about living with the mistakes you make but the movie drops the ball in that department. 

The movie didn't do a good job at world-building; for example, it doesn't focus on how people feel about adjusting to living on a hostile planet. Reinforce what a space ranger is, I mean are they space police or space explorers? Really they wouldn't have ended up on that planet if they used probes to investigate it beforehand. The film also has some head-scratching moments. I find it hard to believe that this movie cost 200 million dollars to make because we only get two locations in this movie.  

I refuse to believe that the Buzz Lightyear toy came from this movie because A Andy never mentioned this movie and B I thought this movie was going to be a parody of sci-fi movies considering what we learn about Buzz. Plus, this movie added things about Buzz that we didn't know before for example, I didn't know his suit can turn you into a fruit. I'm not kidding about that. Also, the writers could've written out two characters in this movie because they serve no purpose in this movie beyond being comic relief and they're not that funny. 

I don't have much to say about the elephant in the room in this movie because it's harmless. I understand why parents would have issues with it, but this is something that kids are going to be exposed to. I'm not saying what Pixar did in this movie was OK however you can't deny that this exists just because we don't like it. Now if the scene lasted for ten seconds or it was hot and heavy then I would understand why parents are outraged over this. Don't get me started on how time travel works in this movie. 

Buzz Lightyear is a by-the-book guy who's all work and no play. That's what bugs me about him he's not as fun as his toy counterpart. I'm not saying he has to be just like him, but at least have him be chumpy or smile. His ARC in the movie is also problematic because he doesn't have the right character traits for it to work and the other thing this movie did with this character could have been resolved sooner. The ACR in this movie was done better in the Star Command pilot movie. Plus, it's hard to appreciate that he's missing out on things because it lacks emotional weight and he broth that on himself. He only knows one person as far as we know and we don't get enough scenes with them together to value their relationship. He also does some questionable and dumb things.  

Alisha Hawthorne (Buzz's CO and best friend.) Is a fun character who bounces off Buzz being a stick in the mud. I don't like that she shared Buzz's famous line. 

Sox is like R2-D2 as far as being helpful. That's what bugs me about him, I mean how and why would a companion robot be this advance? Although Sox is adorable that doesn't make him less crappy or change the fact that he's in the movie to sell toys. Also, I'm not crazy about the cat jokes with him. 

Izzy Hawthorne (Alisha Hawthorne's granddaughter.) Is like her grandmother and has ambitions to become a space ranger. I wish that she had a better dynamic with Buzz.   

Zurg (the main villain) may look menacing but that doesn't make up for the fact that I'm not happy with what this movie did with this character. You'll understand when you watch the movie. (Really, I'm surprised that this wasn't the elephant in the room instead of the "bleep" but I digress.) His goal in the movie is not that bad I mean it won't harm people. because of that, it's hard for me to see him as a villain. The conflict between him and Buzz shouldn't exist when you think about it. Another thing his existence creates a time paradox. I'm also not crazy about his design in this movie. It's not bad but it doesn't match the toy. Did we really need a reason why he's called Zurg?     

Besides some funny bits and making references to other sci-fi films the only compliment I can give this movie is the CGI. The CGI in this movie is stunning to the point where you can notice every detail of the characters and environment. We get one brief moment where Buzz sees how much time has changed. You can argue that this movie did a better job at being about making the best out of your situation than Jurassic World Domination did. Also, this movie will make people appreciate the Buzz Lightyear cartoon.  

Overall, this movie will not be joining Pixar's list of best films. Really this movie shouldn't exist because it's a disservice to what came before. I wouldn't recommend you check this out if you like time travel films because Interstellar and Project Almanac did a better job than this movie.  

Rating = Trash      

My Jurassic World Trilogy review

My Jurassic World Trilogy review 

 

Intro: Did anyone think that a movie with Dinosaurs would beat Marvel at the Box Office? 

Jurassic World: This movie is about an island resort on Isla Nublar that's open to the public, it's called Jurassic World and it features Dinosaurs. Despite the resort running successfully for ten years people are starting to lose interest in dinosaurs, so they create a new attraction with a hybrid dinosaur called the Indominus Rex. That plan is ruined when the Indominus Rex escapes and wreaks havoc on the island. So, the staff has to stop this creature before it destroys everything.   

I consider this movie to be a proper sequel to the first movie. What bothers me about the last two films is that they feel like side stories that didn't do much to push the story forward, that's not the case here. The movie expands on the questions and themes from the first film by putting them into practice. The movie also captures what we love about the first film by paying homage to it without it feeling like the same movie. That was a smart move because it helps the movie be a shared experience for fans and newcomers. The movie is kind of self-aware I mean it makes fun of marketing, sequels and it even took a jab at JP3. The CGI and the resort are a huge improvement over what the first film did. I like the Indominus Rex because of how dangerous this creature is. The Indominus Rex doesn't just pose a threat to the tourist but to the other dinosaurs as well. I'm fond of the Velociraptors in this movie because they're used to explore the theme of control over nature. 

Owen Grady has a similar personality to Ian Malcolm but not as sarcastic. Owen is an ex military and an animal behavior specialist that trains the Velociraptors. That's what I like about this character because doing that makes him the bridge between the Dinosaurs and the humans. Despite training Velociraptors to do tricks looks ridiculous the movie pulled it off. He doesn't control raptors because they're still dangerous animals however he builds a rapport with them. I'm surprised that he has a history with Claire considering how off-putting she is.          

Speaking of Claire Dearing she's a workaholic to the point where she comes off as an ice queen. That's understandable considering that she's the manager of the park and it's a demanding job. I wish we learn more about her. 

Lowery Cruthers (an employee of the resort.) is the comic relief. I have an issue with how he responds to how Claire talks to him. If it was me I wouldn't respond in a civilized matter. Managers need to learn that they're not above getting hurt but I digress. 

Simon Masrani is the owner of Jurassic World, he's kind of like John Hammond but with a carefree spirit. The only complaint I have with him is that he's underdevelopment.  

Vic Hoskins is the head of security of Jurassic World. It's hard for me to consider him the villain because he didn't do anything bad. Yes! He was shady however he had the park's best interest in mind. However, there is one scene in the movie that made him look bad. 

The problem I have with this movie is the movie doesn't explain how the park is open to the public after everything that happened in the last three movies? The kids in this movie annoyed me because the director didn't do anything new with them. I understand why they're in the movie but it doesn't change the fact that it feels tacked on. Also, what was their mother thinking about leaving them with her sister who's too busy to do anything? The movie could have done a better job with the theme of control. There is a minor character from the first film and it's hard to appreciate what this movie has done with him or her because we don't know much about this person in any of the films. I wish the Indominus Rex wasn't viewed as a monster because it's not his or her fault that he or she is like this.  

Overall this movie is a good addition to this franchise, that's saying a lot considering how long it took to make this movie. I would recommend this if you didn't like the last two films.  

Rating = Worth Seeing               

Intro: I'm not feeling any love for this movie. Seriously I don't get why this movie got some much hate. I'm not saying that people are not allowed to dislike or not have issues with a movie however most of the complaints people have with this movie are not valid. The things that bother people about this movie makes them look stupid, hypocritically and pitiful. I was going to do a response to what people have to say about this movie but that would be a waste of time. This is what happens when you focus on what's familiar in a film you don't notice any nuance in it.      

Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom: The movie takes place three years after the events in the last movie and the resort has been shut down since then. One day the public learn that the volcano on Isla Nublar has become active and it could wipe out the dinosaurs. While world leaders are discussing what they should do about the dinosaurs, Claire takes it upon herself to get the dinosaurs off the island with the help of Owen and someone from John Hammond's past. That becomes difficult because of a conspiracy involving the dinosaurs, so Claire and Owen have to figure out what that is.  

This movie is a good way to celebrate the 25 anniversary of this franchise! I say that because the movie made references to the other films and it embraces elements from the novel more than the first film. The subtitle of the movie has three different means in the story. This is also the most entertaining film in this franchise, that's saying a lot considering that this movie can be dark and scary. The pacing in the movie is well done, you don't notice the movie's runtime. I appreciate how this movie incorporates a character from the original trilogy without this person being a part of the story. The new hybrid dinosaur may not be a step up from the previous one however it has a personality. It enjoys taunting its prey before he or she kills it. You can argue that the theme of this movie is responsibility, everyone has a role to play in why the dinosaurs are here and what happens to them. The twist in the movie could open new doors for this franchise. I like the way this movie ended because I was waiting for the franchise to go in this direction for a long time. 

Claire is a much more pleasant character than she was in the last movie. You really feel her pain when something undermines her ability to save the dinosaurs.     

Owen is jaded due to the events of the last film to the point where he has regrets.   

Franklin is a big chicken in this movie. OK, I'm being unfair if I was on an island full of untamed dinosaurs I would run and scream like a little girl too. 

Zia is the best female character in this franchise! I say that because she keeps her cool instead of screaming her head off, she's also sassy.    

I don't have a lot to say about Benjamin Lockwood because he's underdeveloped in this movie. I wish he was the villain to make up for John Hammond not being the bad guy in the first film. 

Eli Mills is an actual villain in this franchise. He's a ruthless man who will let nothing stand in his way of making a profit. 

One of the problems I have with this movie is it seems to retcon the origin of these dinosaurs. Blue doesn't really need to be in the movie when you think about it. The trailers gave away too much of the film. All in all, this is an underrated film that deserves a second viewing. 

Rating = Worth Seeing 

  

Intro: OK what was the point of showing us that five-minute preview if it's not going to be in the movie? 

Jurassic World Dominion: This movie takes place four years after the events of the last film and we see how Dinosaurs and humans are able to co-exist. Owen is reunited with Blue and she has a child. This reunion is short-lived when someone kidnaps Blue's kid, So Owen has to find her or him. 

Epic conclusion my butt! (Considering that this movie left doors open for more movies.) One of my gripes with this movie is the pacing is slow and it didn't focus on the premise of dinosaurs roaming the earth. I wish the movie gives us the public's perspective on the dinosaurs walking among them, I mean everyone can't be happy about it. This film tried to give someone a redemption arc but it's hard to appreciate it when we don't know much about this person. Despite being happy that this movie brings in an element from the novel, the movie could have done a better job with it. I have two issues with the characters from the original trilogy being in this movie. First of all, they are here for nostalgia bait kind of. Second, What the writers are doing with them is small in the grand scheme of things. The movie also suffers from plot holes like who's idea was it to expose the public to certain information and why did (censor) get away with (censor)? The ending was hard to swallow.   

Besides giving Owen and Claire a stable relationship, the movie hasn't done anything with them beyond being parental figures to Maisie. It's hard to appreciate this dynamic because we don't get a tender scene with the three. The movie was trying to give Claire an arc at the beginning of the film, but the movie drops it. 

As far as Alan Grant, Ellie Sattler and Ian Malcolm are the same characters as we remember for the most part. The problem I have with these three is Ellie is overshadowed by the other two. That's a shame because she's the driving force of the second plot. 

Maisie is a frustrated teenage girl. That's understandable considering how she's living. After how we responded when trouble hit the fan two years ago parents should be more understanding of putting their kids in this situation. What annoys me about her is her backstory. It undermines what we thought we know about her and opens up a can of worms. 

Kayla is just in the movie to aid Owen and Claire on their journey. She starts off as a tough woman, but she softens up though out the film. 

I like that this movie gave us a lot of dinosaur actions, moments and different species. When the old characters met the new characters, they play off each other well. The movie has funny moments and easter eggs. If there is a theme or message in the movie it's making the best of our circumstances. This was my most anticipated movie of the year and it was the weakest of this trilogy. I'm not saying the movie is bad however the writers could have done more with the story.

Rating = Average