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         

My Ratchet and Clank review

My Ratchet and Clank review

Intro: Let's see a video game movie that's animated check. The company that's behind the game is involved with this movie check. Good writing X. Marketing X. I wish I could say two out of four is not bad. 

Ratchet and Clank: This movie is centered on a lombax name Ratchet who works as a mechanic but wants to do more with his life. Ratchet gets his chance when he learns about a plant-destroying weapon thanks to a robot name Clank. So, he joins the Galactic Rangers in order to stop this weapon. That task becomes difficult when there is tension among the ranks. S, Ratchet and Clank have to do what they can to stop this weapon before it's too late.   

This movie is a shameless Star Wars knock-off! I wouldn't have minded this if A we didn't get the force awakens. B If this movie was a parody of Star Wars but it wasn't. For the most part, I don't consider this movie funny. Part of the reason why is because the movie makes jokes about modern culture, it feels out of place in this setting to me. The changes this movie made from the game it's based on makes no sense and doesn't help the movie. I like the idea of the brains of the team resenting the field members. Sadly, the movie wasted that idea. The story is so lazy that I wish the writers would do something to subvert our expectations. Whenever there is a twist or a plot point it doesn't surprise you or it goes nowhere. The movie is also lazy with its theme if it has one. It's hard to care about the characters because we don't spend enough time with them to appreciate their dynamic with each other. plus, most of them are childish or dumb. Why is this movie called Ratchet and Clank if we don't get a lot of screen time with them together? 

Ratchet is kind, ambitious and adventurous. What bugs me about him is that he is not like his video game counterpart. In the game, he was a reluctant hero and a jerk. Making him like his video game counterpart would give him character development. The writers could have done something with him being the last of his kind. I mean how does he feel about that?  

Clank has on personality beyond being the straight man. The movie set him up to be intentionally funny, but the writers don't capitalize on it.  

Capt. Qwark is a self-centered idol! Seriously, how is this butt chin the leader of the Galactic Rangers? I'm also mad that he is not like his video game counterpart. Well, he kind of was but the movie did go all the way with it. 

Drek (the main villain) is suppose to be manipulative and ruthless. But he's not too bright. We don't know why he's blowing up plants.      

 

Dr. Nefarious is the typical mad scientist. What annoys me about him is that he shouldn't be in the movie because he overshadows Drek.   

Besides The animation, references to the PlayStation and a few laughs there is nothing else I like about this movie. Overall, this was another failed attempt to give us a good video game movie. That's a shame because the story in the first game could have worked as a movie. 

Rating = Rental  

My review of The Jungle Book 2016

My review of The Jungle Book 2016 

 

Intro: Come on! Do I really have to explain why I'm against this movie? First of all this is a remake to the 1967 animated film, Hollywood hasn't mastered the art of remakes for the most part. Second this movie is live action why? Does it cost more to do a movie in live action? ( If the answer is no then I stand corrected.) What made me give this movie a chance is the trailers this movie looks different from the animated version. (I know trailers are not reliable these days however I'm willing to take a leap of faith for time to time.) 

Plus the book that this movie is based on must be popular since there are so many versions of this story. 

Also I'm not crazy about the cartoon version, I'll explain why later. So is this movie just like the animated version or worse? Let's find out... 


The Jungle Book 2016: This movie is centered on a boy name Mowgli who lives in the jungle with the Wolf pack, he learns how to survive in the wilderness plus fit in with the other animals. That becomes difficult for him when a Tiger name Shere Khan shows up and wants to kill Mowgli because he's afraid that he'll pose a threat to the other animals. So Mowgli has to leave the Wolf pack and go to the man village before Shere Khan can find him.    

This movie is a good example of how to do a remake! I say that because this movie is different from the 1967 version, do to better characterization, adding details to the story and a darker tone. These alterations help improve the story and make it easy for both kids and adults to watch this movie. That’s what bugs me about the cartoon version it was hard for me to take the story seriously because of how goofy that movie was. 

Don’t get me wrong I don't think that version was bad however when you have a story about a Tiger trying to kill a boy and you put songs and comedy in it it’s distracting. Don't worry the movie has lighthearted moments and humor. The premise may sound simple but it's not, there are obstacles that get in Mowgil's way and they make him reconsider where he belongs? The visual effects are impressive the animals almost look real.       

Mowgil is mature for his age and smart. I'm impress with what he can invent with his environment. My beef with him is that he never question his heritage. 

Bagheera is Mowgil's mentor he teach him what he needs to know in order to survive in the jungle. 

Baloo is just like the animated version as far as being carefree. 

King Louie is the Godfather of the jungle however he's still silly. I like this interpretation of the character because it shows that the animals can be a danger to each other. 

Shere Khan ( the main villain.) is bloodthirsty and clever. He could have been sympathetic if he didn't carry himself as threatening. My gripe with him is that I'm not crazy that he's connected to Mowgil's backstory because it doesn't add any emotional weight for Mowgil. Also Shere Khan is not as charismatic as the animated version.    

My problems with this movie is the way it ended because the ending undermines the story. Because the animals are more realistic it’s hard to know what they think or feel due to their lack of facial expression. The climax is short and the songs in this movie feels force and out of place. This movie could have done a better job with the nature vs nurture theme. 

I can't say that this is the best adaptation of the jungle book however this is the best movie I've seen so far this year. If the rest of the Disney live action remakes did the same thing this movie did I wouldn't mind watching them again. 

Rating = Worth seeing

Are flat characters bad?

Are flat characters bad? 

 

Do I really have to explain why I'm asking this question? For those of you who don't know a flat or static character is it's a character who don't change from the beginning to the end of the story. Characters like this get a bad rap for not being interesting, unrelatable, they're for kids and they would work better as supporting characters. It's understandable why people feel this way about these characters, cynicism is viewed as wisdom and optimism is viewed as naive. Being optimistic is not bad as long as it's based on something, if you have hope to the point where you don't avoid trouble when you see it that's not hope. Just because you expect the best out of people and they don't live up to that, that's not naive. Being cynical is not a bad thing either however you don't want to alienate everyone around you. That's what Batman does I mean he has a plan for everyone he meets if they betray him. He violated their trust by doing that in an underhanded way, so Batman doesn't get the moral high ground here. Yes! People you know or don't know will let you down however is it reasonable to expect that not to happen? If the answer is no, then you shouldn't be surprised with it does happen when you didn't set boundaries. My point is this there needs to be a balance between the two. 

Another reason why these characters are not popular with the general public is our culture. I mean we live in a time where we feed off of negativity. Don't believe me then why do people bad-mouth each other online and on Twitter? Why are there so many reality shows? When you're at a stand-up comedy show and the comedian is not funny do you boo him or her instead of leaving? If the answer is yes, then that's the problem we kick people when they're down. We also let the news manipulate us by having it prey on our fears. Why do you think the news talk about all the bad things that's happening in the world? You don't hear about the good things unless you're watching the local news, I could be wrong about that. This is why I don't watch the news because what's going on in the world has nothing to do with me and I can't do anything about it even if I wanted to. So, what's the point of me knowing about it? I just watch the weather channel. I don't get it how can you say you don't like how the world is when you encourage the world to be this way by being complicit or enabling the world to be this way?     

 

With all that said this is why we need noble characters to set the example of what we should strive to be. How is striving to do better a bad thing? Yes! The stander is unrealistically high however it has no value if everyone can live up to those exceptions. Couples don't stay married until death do them apart these days does that mean we should change the foundation of marriage? Three-point shots are hard to make in Basketball does that mean we should get rid of them? This is why it bugs me that Hollywood would change characters like Superman, I understand why they do that to make them marketable however if you can't sell these characters as they are then don't use them. What's the point of asking for diversity if you don't apply it in storytelling? Flat characters are not the problem this problem is how they are written. Doing the right thing can be an uphill battle if no one is on your side or willing to do the right thing. Also, we have characters that strive to do the right thing that are likable such as Spider-Man, Luke Skywalker and Malcome Reynolds from Firefly. 

Also, the writers are not coming up with stories to challenge or reinforce their points of view. This was done in Captain American the Winter Solider, Superman vs the Elites, Speed Racer and The Incredibles. The thing I like about Superman killing Zod in Man of Steel is that he won't sacrifice lives because of his principle that's what heroes do make sacrifices, a person who sacrifices lives because of principle isn't noble. Also, no one said that these characters don't have flaws. You can have that character be aware of those flaws but be comfortable with them too so that others can do the same. The writers can also have the characters overcome those flaws without compromising his or her integrity. You can also make a static character an underdog story as far as having him doing things to better the world and no one recognize it.      

That's what static characters do they change the world they don't let the world change them. Joker in the dark knight is a prime example of this, in that movie he expose that everyone has a dark side. (Speaking of the Joker why didn't he get any crap for being a flat character?) Another thing I'm not fond of how they're treated as a joke by other character types, look at the Arrow and the Flash team-ups for example. My point is characters like this should be reconstructed not deconstructed. Judging how things are getting worse in the world we need flat characters now more than ever.

My Agent Carter series review

My Agent Carter series review

Intro: You know for a so called strong female character she has a thing for men that most women don't want.  

Agent Carter: This series takes place one year after the events of the first Captain America movie and Agent Carter is now working for the SSR. One day she learns that Howard Stark is accused of treason and the SSR are after him. So, Agent Carter decides to help clear his name before the SSR finds out. 

This series is OK to be fair I wasn't expecting a lot for it. I'm impressed with how it captured the time period of the 40's from the set, clothes and music. This show doesn't have a lot of episodes that helps the writers focus on the story. The series also has entertainment value and I like some of the far fetch inventions in this time period. We also get an in-depth look into Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow's upbringing.        

There is much to say about Agent Carter because we don't know much about her. She seems to be a noble character, but we don't know if she was like that before or after she met Steve Rogers. I'm fond that she has to earn her stripes with her co-workers because that's what you have to do if you want men to change how they see you. We do get her backstory in one episode however I wasn't impressed with it because first of all it needs more context to how she when from point A to Point B. Second the episode that aired her backstory doesn't connect to the episode. The only gripe I have with her is the love triangle because it wasn't done well. 

Edwin Jarvis is Howard Stark's butler, he's the comic relief character. 

Daniel Sousa is one of Agent Carter's co-workers who's honorable and sticks up for her. What bugs me about him is that he didn't try hard enough to win her over. 
  

Of course, I'm annoyed with the feminist vibes in this show, is it really that hard to make a series with a main female character without making the men look stupid? Also, why didn't her male co workers have the same training as her? I'm also letdown that we didn't see how S.H.I.E.L.D. is formed in this series well to be fair we only got two seasons. Due to that I'm not crazy about how the last episode ended. Overall, this is a solid series I would recommend this if you enjoy female-led shows.         

My rant about pranksters

My rant about pranksters

Is it me or are these prank videos going too far? I'm surprised at how popular they are on the internet because some of them are getting out of hand. For example, there is a prank channel where a guy is asking girls for a kiss if he wins a challenge. You can tell it's fake because none of them turn him down. Heck, all of the pranks are fake as far as I know. Not knowing if a prank is real or not is going to be a problem because their impressionable people on the internet. Then again, it's the parent's job to make sure they know what is or isn't OK. 

Another reason why it's hard to tell if these pranks are fake is because I saw this at my Walmart. 

The purpose of a prank is to make people laugh not break the law or provoke people. There are pranks where the Pranksters assault people, steal from them, tell the public there's a bomb in the building and waste law enforcement time. I'm glad that got arrested for doing that I don't care if the arrest is fake or not what they are doing isn't OK. Whenever someone is about to knock them off for harassing them, they hide behind it's a prank. That's what really bugs me about these prank videos is how it makes Black people look. Whenever a prankster step on a Black man's shoes fart on him or say something offensive they want to fight them. Really you mean to tell me that no other racist would be offended by the things I mentioned. 

I saw one of the pranksters on the news and he said he was looking for a violent reaction with that said we shouldn't feel sorry for whatever outcome that comes from them provoking people. How is antagonizing people funny? My point is if you're going to prank someone do it to someone you know, when you do, don't be crazy about it. Don't prank the general public because you don't know how they will react.       

My thoughts on Batman V Superman Dawn of Justice

My thoughts on Batman V Superman Dawn of Justice 

 

Why is there a v in between Batman and Superman it's not like they're fighting a court battle.

I would have been excited for this movie if Batman wasn't in this movie. Judging from the trailers it looks like this movie is going to deal with the destruction from Man of Steel. The people blame Superman for it to the point where they either want him gone or dead. That would be an interesting direction to go with Superman because this is a situation he can't fix with his powers. The writers can use Lex Luthor to fuel the people's hate for Superman and damage Superman's credibility.

That's what I like about Lex Luthor he's the type of villain you can't touch but he can troll you. Speaking of Lex Luthor, I don't like how he's portrayed in the trailers because he seems like a comic relief character. If the writers can build a story around the collateral damage, Superman winning people over and Lex Luthor making him look bad then this would be a good sequel. Heck, this story can get people to relate to Superman's situation. But no WB have to pull an Iron Man 2 on us to remind us that they're making a Justice League movie. Before I talk about Batman, I want to address the elephant in the room and that's Ben Affleck.

When it was announced that he was going to play Bruce Wayne/Batman people were giving him a hard time about this, they even bring up how bad he was in the Daredevil movie. Really, you're going to blame Mr. Affleck for how bad that movie was instead of the writer, director or the person who cast Mr. Affleck? It's been over ten years since that movie came out, we don't know if Mr. Affleck's acting has improved since then, if it hasn't then it's not completely his fault.

I don't know what role Batman will play in this movie heck I don't know why he wants to fight Superman. I'm sorry he said he could wipe out the human race. Why is he worried about that, I mean Superman did nothing that justify you wanting to fight him.

I didn't read a lot of Batman and Superman crossover comics because I'm sick of writers overcompensating Batman to the point where everyone else is useless.

                                                        

In the cartoons and animated movies Batman and Superman have an interesting dynamic, they work well together but they don't see eye to eye on everything. Batman sees Superman as a Dumb Jock who don't look before he leaps. Superman sees Batman as a ends justify the means Vigilante, who has no compassion for the people he saves and uses his no-kill rule to justify doing every terrible thing but kill. Despite their differences, they both have the same goal and that is to inspire people to be better. I'm not crazy about the fight between these two because A we all know who's going to win this fight or who we want to win this fight. B There's no build-up to this fight this feels like fan service. Also, this wouldn't be a fair fight because Superman hasn't fully mastered his powers and Batman has been around for 20 years. That's another thing how can he keep up with the other Justice League members if he's past his prime, heck he couldn't do that when he was in his prime.

I don't like how this movie drops Batman into the movie. I understand why the creators did it because batman is marketable, however, were not familiar with this Batman. If it was up to me I would make another Superman movie, a Batman movie and then have these two meet. Overall, I have no interest in watching this movie.

My thoughts on the Star Wars special editions

My thoughts on the Star Wars special edition

 

Since Mr. Lucas doesn't have the rights to Star Wars anymore, I think this is a good time to talk about the special editions. 

I'm not going to rant and rave and how the changes hurt the original trilogy because A there's nothing new I can say about them that's already been said, and B these are Mr. Lucas's movies. He has the right to do whatever he wants with them if he isn't happy with the finished product; however, when you present your movies to the general public and they're not happy with them, it's not your problem anymore. Instead, I will talk about some of the changes I like. I can't do that without talking about the man himself.  

I wouldn't mind that he did his own thing with this trilogy if he releases both the original and special editions on Blu-Ray and DVD. (I know they released the original alongside the special editions in 2006, but they were not the best quality.) By Mr. Lucas not giving the fans or people who want to see the original trilogy a chance to buy them, he's betraying the fan's memory of these films and the impact they had on pop culture. I can understand why people accuse him of ruining their childhood to a point. Side note, this is what annoyed me about Disney editing MMPR at the time when they had rights to Power Rangers. They add new effects to the show, which makes it look even goofier than it already is. By Mr. Lucas not releasing the original trilogy and changing them it makes him look worse as a director and insecure about his work. He shouldn't be embarrassed by his work because it was well-received and the franchise continues to grow and gain a large fan base. I can understand him not being happy with what he had to work with at the time, but what happened to less is more?   

I understand that he's upset that studios don't let directors have their way with their movies; however, they don't always have the best vision for the film or know how to put it on paper. He showed that when he had his way with the prequels, and look at how they turned out. Heck, he was behind schedule releasing the first Star Wars movie. Another reason why Mr. Lucas is doing his own thing with the original trilogy bugs me is that he's being a hypocrite. How can he tell people you shouldn't alter films or history when he's doing it? Mr. Lucas is a polarizing figure to me. It's hard for me to respect someone who acts like a victim, carries himself as if he worked on Star Wars by himself, and doesn't admit to the fans that he made mistakes. What's messed up about that is some of the people who helped him bring Star Wars to the big screen are dead. 

Here's an example of what I'm talking about. Start this video at 3:33 and end it at 3:56. 

 

Do you see what I mean about him playing the victim? Did he forget how popular Star Wars was at the time? Whenever fans ask him about releasing the original trilogy, his response was Grow up, these are my movies. WOW! I guess he never heard of the saying Don't bite the hand that feeds you. Well, he did listen to the fans when it came to Jar Jar Binks by limiting his screen time in the last two films. As far as him signing his rights to this IP, I don't have enough information to comment on that. It would be interesting to see how this franchise is handled in different hands. I hope he didn't do it because fans gave him a hard time with the prequels. That's all I have to say about Mr. Lucas now. Let's get back to the subject at hand. 

If there was anything in the original trilogy that need to be altered is the picture quality; this change helps me see the details in the movies. Well, they drop the ball with the colors in the movie. I also like the additions to the Death Star X-wing attack because we get to see more X-wings. The same thing goes for Cloud City; the additions made the city look better. Look, I don't mind Yob Nub as the victory celebration score, but I think John Williams score is better because it makes the ending feel like an ending to this franchise. The Emperor looks better now than he did the first time around in episode 5. My favorite change in the special editions is Han running into an army of stormtroopers because his reaction to running into five of them is over the top when you look at it in hindsight. Including one of Luke's friends in the last act of Star Wars was a good idea because it reinforces what he said about them going off doing their thing. I kind of wish we saw him sooner, and Luke have a reaction to his death.  

Those are the special edition changes. I like what do you think?        

   

My Serenity review

 My Serenity review

Intro: Man! This series can’t catch a break.  

Serenity: This movie takes place sometime after the events of the series, and the crew of Serenity have gone their separate ways. They’re reunited when an assassin of the alliances is after them, and the crew learns a dark secret about them. So, they have to decide if they will continue running or will they stand their ground?  

This movie is a good addition to this series! The fact that this movie exists is a milestone, I mean, how often do canceled TV shows get a movie? This movie made this series look a lot better. It answers some of the unanswered questions about this series, like why is the alliances are after River, we get backstory on the reavers, we have a reason to despise the alliances, and two crew members finally get together. Freedom vs control is still a theme in this movie; however, the movie handles it in a way that’s not black and white. There is also an underlying theme of faith. What the Alliances did made them look like they have a GOD complex. The movie proved high stakes for our characters. I can’t elaborate on that without spoiling the movie. I have nothing new to say about the characters because the movie hasn’t done anything thing new with them. I like the Operative (The Assassin) because he knows what he's doing is wrong, but he believes it’s for the greater good.   

The problem I have with this movie is that it doesn’t give us all the answers we are looking for in this series. I don’t like what happened to one of the characters. I’m going to leave it at that. I notice some editing issues. Overall, this is one of the rare movies that is just as good as the series itself, and fans will not be disappointed with this movie.  

Rating = Worth Seeing