My Samurai Jack series review

My Samurai Jack series Review 

 

Intro: Whoa! The creator of this cartoon hasn't lost his touch after thirteen years, I'm impressed.  

Samurai Jack: Here's the plot for this series. A shape-shifter name Aku is sent free to continue his reign of terror on Earth. The man who imprisoned him becomes aware of his release so he sends his son away to train to become a warrior who can capture him again. When the samurai approach Aku, Aku opens a time portal that sends the samurai into the future where Aku is the ruler. So the samurai has to figure out a way to get back to the past and finish off Aku. 

This show is a boy's fantasy! I say that because this world has everything a boy could come up with when he plays with his toys like robots, aliens, talking animals, Spartans, etc, etc. The bizarre world makes it easy for you to buy the kind of stories this show tells. Plus this show has five different kinds of episodes. They are Jack looking for a time portal, Jack being hunted by Aku's bounty hunters, Jack helping someone, a flashback episode and a silly episode. I'm fond of how this show tells its story with visuals instead of dialogue.   

Samurai Jack is kind-hearted and wise. I wish I can say he's a stoic hero but there are times where he gets frustrated. My issue with this character (besides him wasting his chances to go back to the past.) is that how can he exist without a name? I mean Jack is not his birth name people from the future gave him that name, what did his parents call him if he doesn't have a name? 

Also is he human? There are episodes where he travels in the snow wearing a robe and sandals, sometimes he complains about the cold other times he doesn't. What's up with that? Another thing I wish there was an episode where Jack is unhappy with giving the responsibility to defeat Aku, we had a flashback of him being frustrated with his training.   

The Scotsman is the opposite of Jack, he's hotheaded and likes to trash talk. My gripe with this character is I don't know why Aku is after him? I'm going to guess that his sword can rival Jack's as far as it can hurt Aku. Also, how did he get an army of daughters? (I know how it's just that I don't think it's possible to give birth to that many kids. it makes you question what happened to the Scotsmen's wife?) 

Ashi is a tragic character you'll see why when you watch this series. My beef with her is I'm unclear about how can she be the daughter of Aku? Plus, I'm not crazy about what the writers have done with her in the last three episodes of season five. 

Aku (the main villain) is a tyrant with an ego and a sense of humor. He seems to have a thing for bugs I said that because his foot soldiers are robot insects. My complaint with him is that how can he create time portals if he's a shape-shifter? I'm having a hard time buying that he can rule other planets because A not every planet is under his control and B there are people and things that can pose a threat to his rule. In season 5 Aku seems depressed or bored with ruling Earth because Jack is not a threat to him anymore, however, he's inconsistent about that. 

The problems I have with this series is that I wish I knew how certain episodes end. For example, at the end of one episode, Aku was holding a time portal and Jack took him by surprise, the series should have ended right then and there. The last episode is kind of a mess, I mean it didn't take its time on certain things. This wouldn't be an issue if season 5 had 13 episodes instead of 10. There is an episode in season three that could have been the turning point of this series, however, season 5 ignores that episode. (To be fair before season 5 you can watch any random episode and not miss out on anything, for the most part.) Season 5 broth back one of Aku's Bounty Hunters for a cheap gag, why!?!

Overall, this is one of the best cartoons in the 2000s. I would recommend this if you're into action/adventure.      

     

My Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 review

My Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 review 

 

Intro: Let me get this straight you bust Power Rangers balls for its product placement, but you won't do the same for this movie. I don't care if it was done sparingly if you don't like product placement you shouldn't want to see it. 

Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 2: This movie takes place weeks or months after the events in the first film and the group are now heroes for hire. After their last mission, they meet a man name Ego who turns out to be Peter Quill's father, so Peter decides to go on Ego's plant to get to know him better and the other guardians go their separate ways. Meanwhile one of the guardians discovers something disturbing about Ego, so they have to warn Peter before it's too late.  

This movie is a huge improvement over its predecessor with a consistent story, better characterization and beautiful visuals. I like how this movie pair up characters because they either reflect each other or complement each other. The theme of this movie is family and friendship, you have characters looking for these things, struggling to accept the ones they have and working out issues with their family. The way this movie ended will make you cry. 

Peter Quill/Starlord has to figure out what kind of family he wants. I'm fond of this arc because Peter is the weakest member of the group, when he learns about his heritage he feels joy. 

Gamora is the level-headed one of the team who tries to resolve her differences with her sister. The only issue I have with her is that I don't like her subplot with Peter because it takes away from her story of fixing things with her sister. 

Drax is the straight man who doesn't get that people are being sarcastic.

Baby Groot is adorable but he's more or less the same as he was in the last movie. I'm still annoyed that all he says is I am Groot, however, the characters translate what he's saying sometimes. 

Rocket is the brains of the gang, there is one scene that shows us how dangerous he is for someone his size. He's having a hard time accepting the Guardians as his friends to the point where he's testy towards them. 

Yondu has a redemption arc in this movie and can be amusing at times. His whistle arrow is used much better here than in the last movie because it wasn't treated as a serious thing in this movie. My gripe with him is he could have done a better job working things out with Peter. 

Nebula (Gamora's sister.) is a tragic character. I wish she would show more emotion about her backstory, I mean we see she's affected but at the same time, she's calm. 

Mantis (Ego's alley.) is like Drax as far as being unaware of social interaction. To be fair she has never been around anyone else.     

Ego is a typical Marvel villain, that's sad because he said something that would have given this character some depth. However, his plan to take over the universe is different, I haven't seen it before. 

One of the problems I have with this movie is the comedy undermines some of the serious moments in the movie. This movie would have a different ending if Ego didn't reveal what he did in his past to Peter. Also, I don't buy how the guardian's relationships have grown because not a lot of time has passed since the first movie. The ending also created a plot hole, Ego's plan affects Earth and no one from Earth acknowledges the event.  

Overall, this is a solid sequel that I would recommend to everyone. 

Rating = Worth Seeing    

My 12 Angry Men review

My 12 Angry Men review 

 

Intro: How can I call myself and movie buff if I don’t review at least one Black and White movie?

12 Angry Men: This movie is about 12 jurors trying to decide whether or not a young man is guilty of killing his father. This seems like a simple trial until one of the jurors voted not guilty, so the other jurors try to convince him why they think his guilty without killing each other. This is the best Black and White movie I’ve seen so far! That’s not saying a lot because I haven’t seen a lot of Black and White films.  

I’ve only seen the popular ones.  

                                   


















I'm not saying this movie isn't popular it's just no one talks about it. The premise may sound boring but it's not, the director made this scenario interesting. This movie shows you the dos and don’ts of having an argument or a debate. Like I said before the purpose of an argument is to reach an understanding, not change people's minds or make people feel dumb about their point of view. Also, when you make a choice you think, deliberate and understand your choice. 


That’s my gripe with Bench Trials the Judge should have two other judges to talk to about his or her decision. (If they do, do that then I stand corrected.) 

What made this movie hold up is the dialogue because of it you think this movie was made in the current time for the most part. The movie isn't just about the concept of Justice or being on one accord. It's about the value of life, when you're in a position to decide whether or not someone should live or die, we shouldn't take that lightly. Watching the jurors interact with each other is not only entertaining they help each other see things about the case that they missed or didn't consider.    

Juror # 8 is the one who voted not guilty because he's skeptical about the case. My issue with him is that he did something that could have caused this movie to have a different ending. Also, he didn't do the best job of proving his points to the jurors. 

Juror # 3 is a hothead and strongly believes that the boy is guilty. He could have the other jurors on his side if he didn’t alienate them and contradict himself, that’s what happens when you don’t think before you speak. The movie hits that this case is personal for him however the movie didn’t do the best job of being settled about it.

Juror # 4 is the rational one. He would make a better adversary for Juror # 8 than Juror # 3 because he made some good points as to why he thinks the boy is guilty.

Juror # 2 is the youngest of the other Juries, seriously he sounds like he hasn’t hit puberty.  

Juror # 10 is biased to the point where no one takes him seriously. 

Juror # 7 is not taking this case seriously which rubs the other Jurors the wrong way. Plus, he proves some of the humor in this movie.  

One of the problems I have with this movie is the other Jurors didn't give Juror # 8 much of a challenge. Some of them bring their own prejudice or projects onto the case. The rest have nothing to say. Considering how one-sided the rest of the Jurors are about this case this movie could have been called 12 stupid men. The movie missed out on other details about the case. Speaking of the case it's too circumstantial for most of the Jurors to think the boy is guilty. There is a plot hole with the murder weapon, I can't get into that without spoiling anything.  

Overall, this movie stood the test of time! I would recommend this to everyone because we can't have a conversation without it turning into a fight or censoring each other. 

Rating = Treasure Chest

My Saban's Power Rangers Movie review

My Saban's Power Rangers movie review 

Intro: When I first learned about this reboot a part of me was excited because I've been waiting for this series to get a facelift for years. On the other hand, I didn't have high hopes for this movie. I'm not just saying that because I wasn't happy with the design changes the creators made from the original show. (Personally, I don't think that was a smart move marketing-wise. If fans won't accept these alterations what makes the creators think the merchandise will sell?) 

(Hello Bug eyes)

Or because most movies based on kids' shows or shows, in general, are bad.

I'm saying this because since Saban got the rights back to this franchise seven years ago, they haven't made a good season since. (Well Dino Charge/Supercharge was OK.)

Look at how they revised the original show, if this is not a red flag I don't know what is?

 

With all that being said is this movie a Go Go or a No No? Let's find out... 

Saban's Power Rangers movie: This movie is centered on five teens, they discover mysterious coins that have and give them special abilities. After realizing this they go back to the place where they found the coins to investigate what's happening to them? The group gets more than what they bargain for when they find a spaceship and learn that their city is in danger from an alien threat. In order to stop it, the teens have to master their powers and learn how to work together.

This movie put a smile on my face! The movie did things that I wanted to see, like give Rita and Zordon a backstory, the group of kids not being friends at first, the teens have to earn the right to be Power Rangers and humor at the zords expense. There are moments where this movie reminds me of the first episode of Mighty Morphing and other Power Rangers seasons. I appreciate how the civilian powers are handled in this movie more than I did in the Power Rangers series. The grievance I have with the series uses of civilian powers (Besides the fact that it undermines the morphing powers.) is that it feels separate from their morphing powers, that's not the case in this movie, they're an extension of their morphing powers. 

The pacing in this movie makes the movie's runtime feel shorter than it is. I wasn't happy to learn that Bulk and Skull (Two characters from the original show.) was not going to be in this movie, after seeing how this movie turned out I understand why they're not in it. This movie is about these kids trying to become a team and becoming friends. Bringing them in the movie would have been distracting. I appreciate that this movie isn't plagued with kids dealing with bullying, drugs and pure pressure. I'm not saying those are not a big deal however I don't see how this movie can address these issues in a new and meaningful way. This team of rangers may not be honor students but they're not bad kids either.         

I like this movie’s version of Jason/the red ranger because you get a leader vibe from him. That's saying a lot considering that he doesn't warm up to the idea of being a leader because of his temper. My beef with him is that I don’t know why he did what he did that caused him to be in detention. Not only that there's a line he keeps saying over and over again in the movie, but that can also drive anyone nuts. I know the writers are trying to make that a famous line however for it to work you have to use it at the right time. I'm surprised that no one complains about how often that line was used instead of the product placement in this movie. Oops! Also, the movie could have done more with this character.    

Trini/the yellow ranger is the reserved one of the pack. I’m not crazy about the other thing this movie has done with her. You'll feel the same way if you're tired of writers changing the race or sex of already established characters. If you want more fictional characters of a different race or sexual orientation, make up your own please and thank you. 

Billy/the Blue ranger is the best character in this movie because he's the brains and heart of the bunch. I’m not sure how I feel about the other change the writers made with this character. I shouldn’t have a problem with it because we had a Power Rangers series where two of the rangers act like kids, another series where a caveman is a ranger and a series where a ranger might have the same challenges as Billy. The only complaint I have with him is that he can be annoying, I mean Felicity from Arrow was kind of annoying before season 3. 

Zack/the Black ranger is the goofball of the group. That’s fine because he was kind of like that in the original show in a fun way, not in an I wanna strangle you way like this Zack. What bothers me about this character is that he has the same problem I had with Sandman from Spider-Man 3, you'll see what I mean when you watch the movie.     

Kimberly/the Pink ranger is lovely and sarcastic as always. I like her dynamic with Jason because they both have the same backstory, as far as being popular figures who fell from grace. I have issues with why she ended up in detention, I'm not saying she's innocent however she shouldn't take all the blame for what happened. Plus, she did something toward the end of the movie that damaged her credibility. Also, I was let down that this movie didn't explore an aspect of this character from the show.   

I'm fond of what this movie has done with Alpha 5, he’s less obnoxious in this movie than he was in the show. He feels like a mentor to the rangers, he coaches them and boosts their morale.  

Speaking of mentors this Zordon is Cranky, bossy and demanding of the teens. He does try to help them however he seems impatient. Despite that I'm fine with this movie's interpretation of Zordon, however, the movie could have done more with him.  

I’m impressed with what this movie has done with the villain Rita, she did things that she had never done in the original show like grunt work and interaction with the rangers. She's also creepy, unstable and menacing. The gripe I have with her (Besides her looking like a Batman villain.) is that she makes my little head talk! She’s a villain I’m suppose to be disgusted by her not turned on, that’s Kimberly’s job. Also, I'm frustrated that this movie didn't have her use one of her catchphrases, I mean there was a moment in the movie where she could have used it but the movie didn't take advantage of that scene.     

One of the problems I have with this movie is that Jason is the only one that has his signature weapon, which bugs me because this feels like a cheap way to make him popular. Some of the jokes and references fell flat. This movie could have been better if the director did a better job directing certain scenes and have some of the dialogue rewritten. I wish this movie had its own remix of GO GO Power Rangers.  

The movie putties are almost as bad as Lord Zedd's putties from the show. What’s the point of having the movie putties being golems if they can fall apart with one hit? I’m annoyed with what this movie has done with Goldar, He's reduced to a mindless monster in this movie. If that's not character assassination I don't know what is. He should have been replaced with a different monster if that's what the direction was going to do with this character. The fight between Goldar and the Megazord was lame, watching two elderly people fight is better than this. Plus, I'm irritated that the zords can do the same thing because the zords had different capabilities in the show. Finally the plot holes, sorry I can’t address them without spoiling the movie.  

Overall, I enjoyed this movie I would recommend this to both fans and nonfans. If you like The Avengers, you'll like this movie. 

Rating = Worth seeing 

My review of Kong: Skull Island

 My review of Kong: Skull Island 

 

Intro: Could someone pop Peter Jackson upside his head because this is the movie, we should have gotten twelve years ago. 

Kong: Skull Island: The movie takes place in 1973 where a group of scientists and soldiers are looking for an island called Skull Island to investigate it. Their mission of discovery turns into survival when they see that this island is filled with giant creatures. Escaping the island becomes difficult when the Army wants to pick a fight with one of the creatures name Kong. Now the groups have to decide if they want to fight or flee? 

This is a movie that surprised me because I wasn't expecting much from it. This movie may have a simple story but it has some depth to it. The conflict between Kong, the humans and the other animals on this island all make sense in a way that doesn't feel like it's black and white. The theme of this movie is protecting vs destruction and this is where the human characters come into play. I like that this film has humor because it helps lighten up the mood. Also, the fight scenes are brutal, the CGI is impressive and the film is well-directed with some great shots. I like the creature designs because some of them blend in with their environment. The movie wastes no time getting us to what we want to see and that's Kong. 

Speaking of Kong I'm fond of what the movie has done with this character. The issue I had with this character is I couldn't root for him in the 1933 movie because he was a lovesick puppy dog in that film. I wouldn't have minded the beauty and the beast aspect of that film if it was good. Peter Jackson had a chance to fix that in his 2005 remake but he dropped the ball. In this movie, he's the protector of this island and he has a good rapport with the natives. This movie works as an origin story for Kong as you will see when you watch the movie. 

William Randa is the lead scientist of the group who will stop at nothing to get to Skull Island. What bothers me about him is that the movie could have done more with him. 

Hank Marlow is the comic relief and the voice of reason due to him being on the island since WW II.  

Col. Packard is a fearsome soldier who's chummy with his men, he does push them however he's not ball-busting about it. What bugs me about him is that he becomes an obstacle for everyone, I understand where he's coming from however, he's being short-sighted about it. it's hard to tell if he's surfing for PTSD or not. 

The human characters are the weakest part of this movie they're mostly there to get killed off. I wish the natives were more involved with the story. The movie also has some head-scratching moments in it.  

Overall this movie is a good example of how to reintroduce an iconic figure to the public. I would recommend this if you like monster movies. 

Rating = Rental 

My Logan review

My Logan review 

 

Intro: After 17 years we finally get an R-rated Wolverine movie, better late than never I guess. 

Logan: This movie takes place in the future where most of the mutants are dead and the rest are keeping a low profile including Logan/Wolverine and Charles Xavier. That changed when Logan meets a girl name Laura whose being chased by a group called the Reavers. So Logan has to protect her from them. 

This is one of those movies that took me by surprise! When I saw the trailer for this movie, I didn't expect much because I thought it was going to be a typical bodyguard movie. It is to a point however it's played out differently. This movie is loosely based on the old man Logan comic and the X-Men Evolution episode that features X-23. I like how this movie broke the fourth wall it wasn't done for laughs but to poke fun at how superhero movies are. This movie gave me what I wanted to see and that's the berserker rage, we haven't seen that since X2. The movie also creates social commentary on how we manipulate children. It also deals with preservation. This movie also feels like a western and how most of the mutants were killed off scares me. You'll understand why when you watch this movie.    

Logan is a shadow of what he was because he's weary and his body is breaking down. My beef with this character is I'm unclear as to what caused his body to fall apart? Also, what happened to him at the end of the movie would have been shocking if the actor who plays him didn't tell us that (My editor censor me) role.   

Charles Xavier is also a shell of what he was because he has dementia, it's funny and sad to see him like this. I'm not saying having dementia is funny I'm saying he says some funny things. He also may or may play a role in why most of the mutants are dead? 

Laura/X-23 is quiet but dangerous, you'll feel sorry for her when we learn of her backstory. The only complaint I have with this character is the reason why she's called X-23 makes no sense. 

Caliban helps Logan and Prof. Xavier he's funny in his own right. 

The Reavers are nothing to brag about. Donald Pierce (the leader of the Reavers) is relentless. 

One of the many problems I have with this movie is the Reavers did something that undermines their purpose of getting X-23. There is a scene in the movie that's suppose to be sad but the way it was edited ruins the scene. This movie can be hard to watch because of how depressing it is. You might be confused as to what time period this movie takes place, I mean is this movie in the same timeline as the other X-men movies or in an alternate one? I don't like the dynamic between Logan and Laura because it was done way better in the cartoon I mentioned, when a cartoon does a better job than the movie that's not a good sign. 

Overall, this is the Wolverine movie I've been waiting for! I would recommend this if you want to see the end of an era.  

Rating = Worth seeing 

My review of Power Rangers Dino Charge/Super charge

My review of Power Rangers Dino Charge/Supercharge 

 

Intro: Am I the only one who doesn't find fart jokes funny? Is this what kids or Neo Saban consider amusing?  

Power Ranger Dino/Super Charge: This series takes place in the prehistoric age of earth where an alien name Keeper is being hunted by another alien name Sledge, the reason why he's hunting Keeper is that he has the energems that poses ultimate power. Keeper manages to hide the energems inside the Dinosaurs and blow up Sledge's ship. In the present day, a group of young adults found some of the energems and Sledge survived the explosion and continues his hunt for the gems. So the young people have to protect the energems from Sledge. 

I don’t get why this series got so much buzz. Don’t get me wrong this is a solid season for the most part,(That saying a lot since Neo Saban has been screwing up since they got the rights back.) However it’s not on the same level as Time Force or RPM. This show has the same problems as the other Neo Saban series, as far as the light-hearted tone, remixing the MMPR theme song, splitting the series in half, adding new catchphrases, etc. This is another Dinosaur theme series. I'm fond that you have to earn the energems powers. I'm impressed with the clip note episode, whoever wrote that episode should write a whole series. You'll find this team of rangers absurd. We have a caveman, a medieval knight, a prince, an elder man and a bird-looking alien as rangers.

Tyler/the red ranger is adventurous. I’m kind of annoyed with his subplot because it was done so many times before, however, the creators did something different with it. 

Koda / the blue ranger is the heart of the pack. I was let down by the humor the writers tried to do with him. It wasn’t terrible it’s just the same gag over and over again, whenever he sees a car, phone, or TV he freaks out and destroys it. He reacts this way because he's not from this time period. The one funny thing he did was interrupt a moment between two characters.

Riley/ the green is one of the smart ones of the group.

Chase / the Black ranger is the clown and the jerk of the bunch.

Shelby/ the pink ranger is my future wife, I mean a tomboy and knowledgeable about Dinosaurs. She's the best Pink ranger we've had since Jen from Time Force. 

Ivan/ the gold ranger is Mr. nice guy, that's understandable considering that he's from medieval times. It's hard for me to believe that he can operate his Morpher with ease but is clueless about modern technology.   

Prince Phillip the third/ the graphite ranger is also an arrogant douche bag. However, we see that there’s a good side to him. 

Ms. Morgan is the technical adviser of the team. I want to give her a stunner because I don't like the way she talks or treats my girl Shelby, look at the second episode and you'll see what I mean. She didn’t talk to anyone else like that. I would respect her if she reenacted the promo between HHH and Booker T in 2003. 

I can't comment on the other Rangers because there barely in this series. 

It's hard for me to consider Keeper as a mentor, he's more like the voice of reason, I say that because he helps the rangers with their personal problems. My issue with him is his lack of backstory.

Sledge is lazy I mean he's a bounty hunter, yet he sent monsters to find the energems why can't he find them himself? After seeing what these monsters can do it makes me question how was he able to capture them? After learning why he wants the energems it kind of makes him look worse.  

Sledge's girlfriend Poisandra makes him look less threatening, this is the same complaint I have with Ransik in Time Force. 

Heckyl/Snide ( another villain.) is crafty and enjoyable, his plan to defeat the rangers would have worked if it wasn't rushed. We learn that he has baggage. My beef with him is that the writers don't do anything new with the villain with a split personality. 

I’m not crazy about the morphers in this series, the morphers are guns really? The problems I have with this series is that the creates could have used this ranger team better. For example, there is one episode where Chase ruined things with his girlfriend because of his self-centered attitude then she sees Ivan and becomes attracted to him because he’s a gentleman. That should help him see the error of his ways. Another example have Koda and Ivan doing Ms. Morgan’s job as far as being technical advisers since they're not accustomed to this time period. There are some head-scratching moments in this series, the morphing sequences are a bit long, too many characters in this series and the last episode is a cheap way to end this series. (However, I like that the Rangers got the people to help them stop the villains.) 

Overall, this is an OK series it wasn't good enough to wash the bad taste out my mouth that is Megaforce/Super MegaForce. 

My Arrival review

My Arrival review 

  

Intro: I'm surprised that this isn't a Christopher Nolan movie. 

Arrival: This movie is about Aliens arriving on earth and the world leaders don't know why there here? So, they try to communicate with them with the help of a linguist, everything is working out fine until the aliens said something that freaks everyone out. So, the Army has to decide to stay the course or attack? 

This movie is a breath of fresh air compared to all the crap I've seen this year. I like the changes this movie made from the book it's based on because these chances improve the story. I'm fond of how this movie was directed for the most part, it's directed in a way that's clever when you think about everything that happens in the movie. It's refreshing that this isn't a typical alien invasion movie. The theme of this movie is communication, the movie shows that it's limited by our perception of language. Also, it's not easy to communicate with anyone we wouldn't have linguists and therapists if that was the case. The aliens in this movie look like severed hands with skinny fingers and octopus tips.     

What bothers me about this movie is I don't buy that the Army would use diplomacy first, do I really have to example why? Also, the movie could have used communication as a theme a lot better than it did. The movie can feel lifeless at times and the flashing we get of one of the characters life can be confusing. I wish the movie would explain how the linguist was able to decode the aliens symbols. I don't see the point of the aliens doing what they did if it changes nothing. 

If I had a list of the best Sci-Fi movies this would be one of them. I would recommend this if you want to see a different take on the aliens coming to earth. 

Rating = Worth Seeing     

My thoughts on the real adventures of Jonny Quest

My thoughts on the real adventures of Jonny Quest

I can't believe that Scooby-Doo outlasted all of Hanna- Barbera's cartoons. Since this is the 20th anniversary of this series, it's time for me to look back on it. This series is the third incarnation of the Jonny Quest franchise, and it’s just like the other two shows. As far as Dr. Quest traveling around the world to seek answers to unusual events with his son and other allies. Yes! I think this series is better than the last two, not because they were dated, it’s because I didn’t like how young Jonny Quest was in those series. Jonny was ten or twelve in those cartoons, I think that’s too young for him to be put in dangerous situations. In this series, he’s a teenage/hero in training that makes things better because he won’t carry so much baggage. Also, the other shows don't focus on him. What's the point of making him the title character if he doesn't get any attention? 

I don’t know if this series has any connection to the original; however, I notice references to that show. What makes this show better than the original is that it’s darker and scarier. Transformers G1 getting away with drunk characters got nothing on what this series got away with. What makes this show different from the other monster-of-the-week series is that there are recurring villains. The Questworld aspect of this show feels tacked on; for the most part, it feels like the creators add this to the show to make it relevant at the time. Questworld is a virtual reality video game, and it can be used for other things like hacking, brain scans, and putting pieces of a broken statue back together. The CGI in Questworld doesn't hold up, and the character models look stiff. I feel bad for saying those things because of the production history behind this show. How can I forget the opening theme song for this show? It gets me hyped to watch this series. If you don't feel the same way, then I don't want to be around you.  

Jonny Quest is an impulsive teen who seeks adventure.    

Hadji is the voice of reason and wise beyond his years. What bothers me about him (Besides the fact that he's a stereotype) is that he has psychic powers, how? Well, that shouldn't be that big of a deal, considering this is a world that has ghosts, robots, and aliens. 

Jessie Bannon is Race's daughter, and she's a female version of Jonny. That's the problem I have with her, she's no different from Jonny and Hadji. Another thing that bugs me about her is that in season two, she's a damsel in distress, why!?!  

Race Bannon is a former government agent who's Dr. Quest's bodyguard and best friend.    

There isn't much to say about Dr. Quest; he's a man who pursues knowledge. I don't buy that he and Jonny are father and son because of how different they are, plus we rarely see them do anything together. It's a shame that we didn't get episodes of their differences, creating conflict between these two. I'm glad that their relationship is addressed in some episodes.  

Jeremiah Surg (One of the villains) is ruthless and egotistical. He wants revenge on Race Bannon for what he did to him in his past. The only complaint I have with him is that I was let down by the direction I thought this show was going to take with this character.   

One of the problems I have with this series is that we learn why Questworld was created in the first place, and it makes things too easy for our main characters. Also, the animation in this series is inconsistent the same thing goes for the editing. Because of how violent the show is, it might scare kids. This series could have been better if it had incorporated geographies in it. I wish I could say that this cartoon holds up after 20 years, but it didn't. Don't get me wrong, it's not a bad series, it's just that it has a lot of competition. This series would have lasted longer if it had higher ratings and better toy sales. I wouldn't mind seeing a reboot of this series with just Jonny, Hadji, and Jessie. I would recommend this if you like action-adventure.      

My review of Transformers the movie

My review of Transformers the movie 

Intro: You know what I’m glad that things played out the way they did in this movie because this shows that parents are not doing a good job at preparing their kids to deal with disappointment at the time. If I was a parent at the time this movie came out, I would use this as a teaching moment.

Transformers the movie: This movie takes place twenty after season two of the series and the war between Autobots and Decepticons has reached its turning point. Meanwhile, a creature name Unicron is devaluing everything in his path and he has his eyes set on Cybertron. So, the Autobots have to put themselves together in order to stop this new threat.

This is one of the best-animated films of the 80s! Part of the reason why is because it pushes the boundaries of children’s entertainment. This is a war story that doesn’t shy away from the fact that people die on both sides. The movie has humor that helps balance out all the death and destruction in the film. The animation is a huge improvement over what we get on TV. There is a scene that will foreshadow what will happen in the end. I like that this movie introduces us to different transformers because we get more world-building. The theme of this movie is change, we see how characters deal with change throughout the movie. This movie deals with the passing of power, betrayal and sacrifice. It’s hard to comment on the characters because they are the same as they were on the show. So, I will comment on new characters.  

Ultra Magnus is Optimus’s, Right-hand man.        

Arcee is motherly.

Kup is an old and cranky veteran who tells old war stories.

Hot Rod goes through a hero’s journey in this movie.

Galvatron (one of the bad guys) is similar to Megatron.

Unicron (the main villain) is a monster in this movie as far as a force of nature. He also parallels with Galvatron. What bugs me about him is I don’t know how he connected to the MacGuffin in the movie. Also, he feels forced into the movie I mean he had no reason to pose a threat to either group so why have him in the movie?

One of the many problems I have with this movie is it has a lot of plot holes. The writers could have done a better job of telling the story they were trying to tell in this movie. (Thankfully Transformers Armada made up for this movie’s shortcomings.) There are too many characters, some of them are missing from the show and the human characters shouldn’t be in the movie. Because this movie was made for fans everyone else will feel alienated and confused. I’m not crazy about how it ended.

Overall, this is an entertaining Transformers film. I would recommend you check this out If you’re tired of Mr. Bay’s films.     

Rating = Rental 

My Jason Bourne review

My Jason Bourne review 

Intro: To be honest, I wasn't that excited for this movie. I mean, how many stories can you tell about someone remembering bits and pieces of his or her life without dragging it out? 

Jason Bourne: The movie takes place ten years after Bourne walked away from the agency, and he's been keeping a low profile. That change when once again he's in the CIA's cross hairs and learn that someone close to Bourne was involved in his past with Treadstone. So, Jason has to stop whatever the CIA is planning and get closer for his past. 

This movie is a waste of time! The reason I feel this way about the movie is because it offers nothing new to this series; that's sad because the creators could have done something different. We do get some new elements in the movie; however, there not enough for the movie to stand on it's own. The movie tried to be about someone from Bourne's past, but it didn't do a good job at it. This movie is highlights of the first three movies from the action scenes and plot points. This movie might not exist if it wasn't for Nicky Parson doing what she did. Also, I refuse to believe that the CIA would jump to conclusions without getting the facts straight. Speaking of the CIA is anyone else tired of seeing them doing nothing beyond having meetings and watching monitors? 

     

Jason Bourne is still haunted by his past to the point where he isn't living a normal life. My issue with him is that we don't know if he still struggling with amnesia. Also, what we learn about him in this movie is something we could have known in the last movie. Plus, Bourne isn't proactive in this movie. What's the point of calling this movie Jason Bourne if he's barely doing anything?

Overall, this is a generic action movie. I would recommend this if you like action films. 

Rating = Rental 

My Thundercats 2011 review

My Thundercats 2011 review

Intro: I'm surprised that the creators of this series didn't face a copyright lawsuit from Marvel. 

Thundercats 2011: This series takes place on a planet called Third Earth, where it's populated by humanoid animals, and the cats are on top of the food chain. ( I'm surprised that the Thundercats didn't have a crossover with the Ninja Turtles because they would fit right in this world, but I digress.) One day, the Kingdom of Thundera is being attacked by the lizards under the command of Mumm-Ra. He's doing this because the Thundercats have a MacGuffin that he's looking for, but the survivors manage to get it away from him. So the survivors go on a quest to find out what Mumm-Ra is planning before it's too late. 

This is another good example of how to reboot a franchise! This show is a huge improvement over the original show because it's more mature and deals with serious subjects without being too scary for kids. I also like some of the changes from the 80s cartoon, like the sword of Omens is more powerful than I remembered, Snarf can't talk, thank goodness, and this series is more story and character driven. This show also gave us things we never saw in the 80's show, like world-building and the Kingdom of Thundera. I find the gag they made with one of the animals cute. I wish the creators did that with all of them. The Plot twist in the last episode took me by surprise.  

Lion O is juvenile, but he has a good heart. He has to learn what it means to be a king. The only complaint I have with him is that he should be annoyed with his father for encouraging the sibling rivalry between him and Tygra. 

Tygra is Loin O's adopted brother. He's the smart one of the group, and he can be cocky at times. He's also sympathetic because he feels alienated by his adopted parents after the birth of Loin O which creates a sibling rivalry between the two. 

Panthro is the muscle of the pack with a hardened demeanor; despite that, he can be amusing at times.  

Jaga is the Thundercat's mentor; he's the typical wise old sage.  

Cheetara is kind-hearted and level-headed. The only gripe I have with her is that I wish we learned more about her. 

Pumyra is a hothead, and I like that she makes Lion O work for her loyalty to him. 

WilyKit/WilyKat are twins who are the comic relief. Sadly, they're not fighters as they were in the 80's cartoon. 

Mumm-Ra ( the main villain) is a ruthless tyrant who will not stop to get what he wants, and he has history with the Thundercats. What bugs me about him is that we don't know anything about him. Also, he's too big for my taste, and does anyone find it funny that he has the same weakness as a vampire?   

One of the many problems with this series is that the writers could have done more with the dynamic between Lion O and Tygra. Also, I'm not sure as to why the Thundercats don't like technology; they could have beaten Mumm-Ra a lot sooner if they used it. Does anyone find it odd that some of them don't have a strong reaction to the destruction of Thundera? I don't understand why their tension between the different groups of animals after learning their history. Also, I'm outraged that this series won't get another season because I want to see this story continue. 

Overall, this is one of those shows that didn't get a fair chance to shine. I would recommend this to fans and non-fans.  

Arrow season four review

Arrow Season four review 

Intro: Man fxxk Mr. Guggenheim and fxxk Olicity!  

My Editor: Hey! 

Sorry! I had to get that out of my system. If you thought season 3 was bad, this season wants you to hold its beer.  

Arrow season four: This season takes place six months after Team Arrow stopped Ra's al Ghul's bio-attack on Starling City, and Oliver and Felicity took off to some city, making the Olicity fans happy. Meanwhile, Thea, Laurel, and Diggle are having a hard time protecting Starling City, renamed as Star City, from a group called Ghost that is led by Damien Darhk. So they went out to find Oliver and Felicity and ask them to come back to Star City to help them stop this new threat. 

Instead of aiming higher this season, aim for the bottom of the barrel, no pun intended. None of the episodes are good; there are some dumb moments with the characters, this season feels like a parody, not in a good way, and the ending rubs fans the wrong way. Episode 3 did something that made season 3 a waste of time, and I'm surprised that Thea and Laurel didn't have a problem with asking Oliver for help after everything that happened last season. The fight scenes are a joke, especially in the final episode, because they look generic compared to the past seasons. Speaking of fights, Green Arrow and Damian Darhk fight each other way too often to the point where you don't care about their conflict. It's like watching a WWE wrestler using his finishing move, and his opponent kicks out of it like it was a regular move. 

This series continues to rip off Batman. Heck, they even ripped off a scene from The Dark Knight Rises. That's another thing that bothered me about this season. I thought the writers were doing a No Man's Land story because at the beginning of this season, people talk about how no one wants to live in Star City, and the city is losing money. That plot point got dropped later on. Another thing that let me down about this season is that it doesn't have the lighthearted tone that the showrunners promise. This is why I don't like to keep tabs on shows and movies. 

Because they don't always follow through with what they planned. 

                                            

This season tried to make hope and having a dark side themes of this season, but the creators didn't do the best job with those themes. You have to do more than have people say the word hope over and over again. As far as the dark side theme, it was done in a way that was kind of cheesy. The flashbacks are OK, their similar to season two's flashbacks but lame. In the flashbacks, Oliver is once again helping Amanda Waller to investigate a group of soldiers on the island where he was stranded. The problem I have with the flashbacks is that they feel like filler; they got shorter and started to drag towards the end of the show. Also, Oliver didn't learn anything in the flashbacks. 

This season hasn't done much with Oliver Queen/Green Arrow. (I guess Oliver was lying when he said Green Arrow is a lame alias.) What's the point of giving him the title Green Arrow if the writers are not going to make him like his comic book counterpart or adapt any of the Green Arrow stories? Well, the creators did adapt the story of Oliver running for Mayor; however, the writers could have done more with it. I wish the writers had saved that for the final season. I'll explain why another time. Oliver even talks about doing things differently from what he did before. What did he mean by that? He was doing the same thing for the past three seasons. As much as I enjoy watching Oliver get his butt kicked by the villains of the week, it shouldn't make him look incompetent.   

It looks like Felicity is taking Laurel's place as far as being despised by fans. Part of the reason is that she's a hypocrite about lying, and she's self-centered. Why do people like her again, and why does Oliver want to be with her? Her worst moment is in episode 15; you'll see what I mean when you watch it. Also, her hacking ability is questionable; it's almost treated like a superpower. The writers gave her so much focus to the point where everything else becomes secondary. We finally learn who Felicity's father is, and it's underwhelming. I thought it was going to be a well-known character from the comics, unless this person is underrated. Since we're on the subject of her family tree, if you didn't like her mother, get ready for a headache because we're going to see more of her this season. Heck, even Felicity isn't crazy about seeing her mother.  

I'm happy to say that Laurel/the Black Canary is likable this season, she's the heart of the team. However, she's underused in this season. 

Thea/speedy fills in Roy's role. Her subplot could have been interesting if the writer were creative about it. I wish she wasn't helpless towards the end of the season because she had no reason to be.    

Diggle's subplot got resolved this season, and I don't like the results because all it did is add more drama, and that drama might continue in the next season. The one good thing about it is that we see a side of Diggle that we haven't seen before. Also, this changes the dynamic between him and Oliver, I mean, Oliver is now his voice of reason. I don't like his helmet because A it's not a good disguise, and B it looks like Magneto's helmet. 

Captain Lance is having a hard time helping Team Arrow because A he still resents Oliver for what he did last season, and B he's in a tough spot. The only complaint I have with him is that he has a love interest. Why!?! Giving him a girlfriend doesn't give him any development so what's the point of doing that?    

Malcolm Merlyn is both an ally and a foil for Team Arrow. I don't feel bad for all the trouble Malcolm gave them because they should have known better than to trust him. 

Damien Darhk (the main villain) is a joke, I mean, he's nothing without his magic. He was the wrong villain for this series because he's too powerful for Green Arrow. How can you beat someone who can kill you by touching you? When he does fight, he's a pushover. That's sad, considering he was Ra's al Ghul's rival, and why didn't Ra's mention that he's into magic? When we learn what Damien Darhk's plan is, it bugs me because the writers could have used it to make him interesting if he didn't carry himself like a bad guy. Also, his plan is too big for Team Arrow to stop, and it's poorly thought out. The only good thing I can say about him is that he's amusing. 

                                                                               

The only thing this season has going for it is that it teases the death of a character. When we learn who dies, you're going to be shocked, not in a good way. To be fair, we shouldn't have been surprised by the death of this character because this season foreshadowed this character's death. The only good thing I can say about this season is that it made last season look almost as good as the first two seasons. If I had a list of the worst seasons of any TV show, this would be one of them. It gave us nothing to look forward to next season. Despite that, I'm interested in seeing where the show can go from here. 

The Flash Season two review

The Flash Season two review 

Intro: Can I make a suggestion CW? Please don't let the main villain for season three be a speedster. 

The Flash season two: This season takes place six months after Barry/The Flash closed the giant hole in the sky, however, he didn't realize that the hole opened the door to a different version of earth called earth two. Also, it brought us more metahumans and our main baddie called Zoom to wreak havoc, so Barry has to stop Zoom, the Metahumans and send them back to Earth two. 

This season is OK it feels like the writers were playing it safe and they didn't know how to end this season. The reason I said those things is that this season is similar to season one but with a few changes, also this season has three different endings. I like that this show is embracing the comic book stuff. (It makes you wish Arrow would do that instead of catering to the Olicity fans. If the DC films did the same thing, they would have better movies, but I digress.) This season continues the theme of moving on with your life, however, the creators did something to undermine that theme. The team-up episodes were better than the first time the Flash and Green Arrow teamed up. Even though the story is kind of weak and it serves as setup for Legends of Tomorrow, so did the episodes before the crossover. The crossover is about both team Arrow and team Flash protecting a mysterious girl from Vandal Savage. Let's talk about the new characters.

Jay Garrick is a speedster from earth two. He plays the mentor role for Barry as far as teaching him some new tricks with his powers. We later learn more about his dilemma. 

Dr. Wells from earth two has a chip on his shoulder and he too has secrets. His dynamic with Cisco is amusing at times. He also teaches Barry about his powers but that creates conflict with Jay. (Plus, these two have history.)  

I don't have much to say about Wally West. We only learn two things about him, they are he's into cars and he's in an awkward family situation.

Patty Spivot is Ms. Perky. Sadly, she doesn't serve much of a purpose in this season.

Zoom (the main villain) is a speedster who is intimidating and likes to play mind games. I'm surprised that he's a different character from the comics because Zoom was another alias for the reverse flash. Plus, both of them have the same costume, which doesn't help separate the two. My grievance with Zoom is we don't know what his plan is until the last episode, it feels like a last-minute thing. That's sad because Zoom was starting to become interesting when he starts to manipulate Barry/ The Flash, if the writers continue to have Zoom do that this season would have ended differently.     

I have issues with what this season has done with some of the characters. Here are some examples Cisco's subplot makes no sense, I can't get into details without spoiling anything. Iris and Caitlin both lost a loved one and the writers didn't think of having them help each other cope with their loss? Also, Caitlin got over the death of her Husband way too fast. I say that because she's so into Jay that she's not subtle about it. She might as well put up a sign that says Hey Jay, I want you to give me the magic stick. (My editor pops me upside my head.) I mean let's go on a picnic. The reverse flash returns in one episode and we learn why he has a vendetta against the Flash and it's lame. It makes him less interesting than he was in the previous season.     

The problems I have with this season are the plot holes involving Zoom, the different earths and time travel. Another gripe with this season is Zoom, he's the reason why this season feels like it has three different endings. To be fair Barry played a role in that too. Barry/ the Flash is my next problem his ARC this season is the same ARC from last season. He did something at the end of this season to undermine the lesson he should have learned. I'll give you a clue as to what he did it involves fan service. 

Despite the new elements this season brings it's not as good as season one, however, it's a fine season that I would recommend if you're a comic book fan.      

My Captain America Civil War review

My Captain America Civil War review

Intro: Now this is how you do a versus movie! 

Captain America Civil War: The movie takes place after the events in Age of Ultron and the world leaders are not happy with the collateral damage the Avengers have caused from saving or protecting the earth. To prevent this from happening again they came up with the Sokovia Accords which allow the Avengers to operate under the Governments control. Of course, some of the Avengers are for the Accords others not so much so they have to decide if they will support the Accords or not? Meanwhile, the Winter Soldier resurfaces and he's accused of blowing up a building full of people, so Steve Rogers has to find him before everyone else does. Plus figure out if Bucky Barnes/ the Winter Soldier really did set off the bomb?         

This movie is better than Dawn of Justice! Seriously did anyone else see that coming? I like how the movie is different from the comic book it's based on, in the comic book the heroes were fighting over whether or not the general public should know their secret identity? I appreciate this change from the comic book, I'm not saying keeping your identity secret isn't a big deal however that wouldn't work in the MCU because almost everyone knows who the Avengers are. This movie has the same theme as Winter Soldier and that's trust, instead of asking can we trust the Government the question is can we trust each other? 

The airport scene will either be your favorite scene in the movie or the best scene in the movie. The movie introduces two new characters and fans will be happy to see one of them. I'm surprised to learn where Steve Rogers and Tony Stark stand on the Sokovia Accords because this shows us how much these two have changed since the first Avengers movie. This made me appreciate Age of Ultron more because that movie set up this conflict. How the Avengers view the Accords are not black and white because there are ups and downs to it.  

Steve Rogers/Captain American is against the accords due to what he witnessed in Winter Soldier, this should show the haters that he isn't a dumb character. 

Tony Stark/Iron Man is for the Accords because he feels guilty for the damage they created, also the Avengers need boundaries. Plus he isn't in the right state of mind. 

Natasha Romanoff /Black Widow have mixed feelings about the accords because she wants the Avengers to stay together. What bugs me about her is that she considers the Avengers her family I'm having a hard time buying that because she doesn't interact with all the Avengers. 

Vision is the racial one who's learning how to fit in with everyone else. His subplot of trying to get in Scarlet Witch's pants ( My editor pistol whip me.) I mean woo her is cute but it lacks subtlety. The only complaint I have with him is that he's underused. 

Helmut Zemo ( the main villain) joins the list of forgettable villains. The reason I say that is because his plan wasn't thought out and he got lucky in some parts of his scheme. Plus he had a chance to do something that will help make his plan easy but he didn't take it, what the fudge!?! 

One of the many problems with this movie is that it's more of an Avengers movie than a Captain American Sequel, this wouldn't bother me at all if A his name wasn't on the title of the movie and B this movie feels like two separate films. We wouldn't have this movie if the world leaders didn't impose the Sokovia Accords. They could have addressed the damage the Avengers cause and suggest that they use precautions so this won't happen again, this was done in the Justice League cartoon. But no they create the Accord just to be controlling typical. The Government is the reason why most of the collateral damage exist and they have the nerve to hold the Avengers responsible, If I was in this movie I would tell them to shove the Accords where the sun don't shine. 

There is a character at the beginning of the movie that would make a better villain but the movie wasted him. I have issues with the two new characters because one of them serves no purpose in the movie beyond being fan service. As for the other one the movie could have done a better job setting him or her up, plus I have the same gripe with this character as Zemo. I don't buy Steve's relationship with Tony because they don't seem to be friends. We learn something new about Bucky that makes him look less threatening. There is a scene in the movie that will remind you of the worse scene in Dawn of justice, I'm going to leave it at that. 

Overall this is the best Avengers movie so far because the stakes are small and personal, not every Avengers movie should be about them stopping the villain of the week. Also, this movie will be the turning point of the MCU. I would recommend this if you want to see heroes fight each other for a change. 

Rating = Worth Seeing