My rant about Venom

My rant about Venom 

Since the Venom movie is coming out soon I decide to talk about what I think of this character.

Eddie Brock/Venom is one of my favorite Spider-Man villains! I like him for the same reason I like Bane and that's because of his tragic past, his back story was so depressing that he considered committing suicide. Despite all his problems, he does his best to overcome them. Unlike Bane, Eddie has a reason to go after Spider-Man because he played a role in why his life is a mess. This is why the symbiote bonds with Eddie because they both want revenge on Spider-Man for different reasons.

Venom is also one of the most dangerous Spider-Man adversaries not because he knows Peter is Spider-Man it’s because he’s immune to Spider-Man spidey sense. Of course, I was annoyed with what was done with this character in Spider-Man 3 however I don’t blame the director for it. I think he sabotaged this character on purpose to get back at Sony for not letting him make the movie he wanted to make. I’m surprised to learn about how popular he is in the 90’s. He not only he appeared in other Marvel comics he has his own comic book series, why!?! What about the other Spider-Man villains who became anti-heroes like Sandman? ( Well sandman is too powerful to be a Spider-Man villain in my opinion, so I kind of answer my own question.) I can’t believe that there are other symbiote characters besides Carnage.

Due to Venom’s popularity, he has the same problem I have with the Joker as far as him overshadowing the other baddie. Would Spider-Man fans please explain to me why you like Carnage? All he does is cause death and destruction with no rhyme or reason. As much as I want to see Eddie Brock/Venom done right on screen I want the Sony or Marvel studios to wait until his popularity dies out. It’s sad that this fan base doesn’t want to see any other Spider-Man villain. I would like to see Mysterio and Kraven the Hunter because both of them can give Spider-Man a run for his money.

As far as the Venom movie goes I have no interest in watching that movie because the trailers didn’t sell me, I might check it out when it comes out on Blu-Ray. I wouldn’t mind seeing a Venom movie if the studios adapt the anti-venom story.

My thoughts on Saban's Power Rangers sequel

My thoughts on Saban's Power Rangers sequel 

 

Despite being happy that this movie is getting a sequel I don't think that this is a smart move on Hasbro's part. Producing movies is a business making a sequel to Power Rangers is risky considering that this movie didn't make its money back. I hope Hasbro won't have the same problems Disney is having with Star Wars. A sequel could change people's minds about this franchise. (hopefully) Fans want these movies to be like the Boom Comics.  

The people who are working on the sequel need to get a new director and actor to play Zack. I say that because the actor who plays Zack is too old to play a teenager. The reason I say that this movie needs a new director is that Dean Israelite (the director of the Power Rangers movie.) blames the PG-13 rating for why this movie wasn't a hit. That tells me he's unsure of what he's doing also that's a poor excuse, there are plenty of PG-13 movies marketed towards kids so what is he talking about? 

Another thing that can hurt the sequel is people's reactions to the first movie. It's safe to say that Power Rangers has the same reputation as Superman, as far as being well-known but not loved by everyone. people think I'm bothered that this movie wasn't successful, that doesn't bother me, what bothers me is that people seem to be biased or hypocrites about this movie. For example, people say that this movie is dark and edgy, I think they're confusing those two things with maturity. 

Also, this movie wasn't as dark and edgy as that short film that came out three years ago. Since we're on the subject of the short film if you didn't want the movie to go in that direction then why did the short film get so many views when it first came out? Plus I remember both fans and nonfans wanting a mature Power Rangers movie so what's the problem? This movie wasn't dark to the point where it ruined the integrity of this franchise the way the short film did. 

Another example is that people say this movie is a ripoff of the Breakfast Club. First of all this movie ripped off one scene from that movie. Second, there's a difference between ripping off and being inspired by someone else's work. Last I checked the characters in that movie spend most of that movie in detention, did that happen in this movie? Finally, you complain about the Rangers in MMPR being goody two shoes, what's the opposite of that?

This makes me question what kind of childhood people had? If teen movies are not marketable then why was Spider-Man Homecoming a hit? Wait! Don't tell me let me guess, that's an exception to the rule? My point is that there is no reason to like any of the Marvel movies and not like this. Like I said the criticism that the movie got could hurt the sequel, like the lack of action complaint. I hope the sequel doesn't have all action and no story, find a way to balance the two out.       

Before I talk about my ideas for the sequel I want to talk about the issues I have with the first movie and how they could have been fixed. Warning if you haven't seen this movie then don't read this. 

Billy's death scene would have been the best scene in the movie if he connected with all of the rangers. We see him connect with Jason, he welcomes Trini with open arms, he doesn't interact with Zack and the same goes for Kimberly. This also makes it hard for me to buy their friendship and becoming a team, we don't have scenes of Jason and Trini, Billy and Zack or Zack and Kim. If we had more scenes of Billy bonding with the others his death scene would be a lot better. Another thing I wish Billy accidentally frees Rita when he finds the coins, that would give the teens some instinct to become power rangers. 

What's with Jason in this movie, I mean he comes off as a jerk to his father. His father is upset with him for ruining his chances of making something of himself but he's giving his father attitude. We see Jason looking at his football trophies and practicing like he misses it so what's the problem? This could have been fixed if Jason was like this because he doesn't think his parents love him. 

That's an issue that needs to be addressed, just because you provide your kids food, clothes and a house that doesn't mean kids will interpret it as love. Pimps and slave owners do the same things so how are parents different from them? How often do you hear parents talk about how much they enjoy being a parent? They talk about how expensive kids are, when they achieve goals and when they screw up. For the most part, parents want to produce a predictive child, not a happy child.

Another reason I have a problem with Trini being a lesbian is that it can attract attention from SJWs, trust me you don't want that! Turning Trini into a lesbian served no purpose and it made no sense, there are bigger things teenagers have to deal with than figuring out if they want to be with boys or girls? Homosexuals get the royal treatment (unless you live overseas) so it makes no sense that Trini would keep this to herself despite her parents. She's not close to them.

I want to give the writers a stunner because A they admit that they turned Trini into a lesbian to be progressive. B by doing this they ruined the fan's dream of seeing Billy and Trini become a couple. I have a better idea have Trini's mom be a lesbian, and her father was an anonymous sperm donor. That would justify her being a reserved tomboy because she's embarrassed that she doesn't have a traditional family. She loves her mom however she resents her for not having a father figure around. This is why she's a tomboy it's her way of connecting or attracting a male figure in her life.

That would be more interesting than just changing Trini for the heck of it. Also, this could address the issue of how does a child being raised by same-sex parents affects them if they don't approve of it?

Now on to my suggestion for the sequel.

I want to see how things have changed in the teens' lives since becoming Power Rangers just like in Spider-Man 2. Also, resolve some things in the first movie like Kim reconciling with the picture situation, Jason made up his mind about Football and Trini coming out of the closet with her parents. In the last movie, we saw the teens becoming friends and a team, Rita said what they have won't last. I want to see their friendship put to the test. Bring Tommy is a good way to do that, there are so many stories you can tell.

Speaking of Tommy I want him to have the same backstory as Eric from Time Force, that makes sense because we learn that he's an orphan in Zeo. Because of his backstory, he's evil by choice, we rarely get that in this franchise. In Green with Evil Saga, Tommy separated Jason from the other rangers, in the sequel I want the opposite to happen. Tommy can do that by befriending the rangers, stabbing them in the back and it will just be Jason and Tommy.

As far as the Tommy and Jason rivalry I want it to be similar to Sky's and Jack's rivalry in S.P.D or Dillon's and Scott's from RPM. The love triangle between Kim, Jason and Tommy can work, despite Jason and Kim having a thing in the previous movie they're not a couple. Tommy could have qualities that Kim likes. After Tommy shies away from his evil ways, Jason asks him to join the rangers, he doesn't because he can't forgive himself for the things he's done.

Another way you can test the ranger's friendship is by having them help each other through a hard time. For example, Zack's mother died and the rangers do their best to comfort him, this we make up for the teens not having a strong reaction to Zack having a sick mother in the last movie. As far as new characters go, I would like to see scorpion in the movie because the original show didn't do much with her.

I'm sorry but I don't want Bulk and Skull in the movie because they could take away the attention from Tommy, besides we have Bulk and Skull substitutes. I want Zordon to be more like the way he was in the show. Also, I want more backstory from him and learn about what really happened between him and Rita, hopefully, this will parallel with what's going on with Tommy. Sadly some parts of the Green with Evil saga are hard to do in the movie like the green ranger destroying Zordon's ship because the technology on that ship is too advanced and Billy is not smart enough to fix it.

That's all I have to say for now what do you think the sequel should do? One more thing I want is a movie poster similar to the picture on this post, the green ranger holding a shattered red ranger helmet.

        

My Wall-E review

My Wall-E review 

Intro: Why am I not surprised that the Human race is this lazy? 

Wall-E: This movie is centered on a robot called Wall-E whose program is to clear the earth so humans can live on it again after centuries of it being a wasteland. One day another robot called EVE shows up to see if Earth is habitable. After learning that it can be she returns to the mothership where the rest of the humans live to inform the captain of what she knows. That becomes difficult due to the ship malfunctioning, so Wall-E and EVE have to regain control of the ship before things get worse. 

This movie is a good example of how to tell a familiar story differently. I like how the movie tells two different stories in a way where they complement each other, I don't get why people have a problem with the second act. I appreciate that the robot characters are not doing all the work to achieve their goal because this story involves humans. The movie has a social commentary about relying on technology for everything and the path of least resistance is not always the best solution. I'm fond of how this movie uses its visuals to tell the story instead of dialogue. I'm impressed that this movie has conflict without a villain kind of.  

Wall-E is curious despite his programming he does want more out of his existence. The movie does a good job of humanizing him to the point where you feel sorry for him. The only issue I have with him is the fish out of water cliche wasn't that funny. 

EVE may be goal-oriented she does have a fun side to her, when she's around Wall-E we see more of that from her. I wish she was the main character because she's the one who develops. 

AUTO is the mothership's A.I. AUTO serves as the villain because the A.I. gets in the way of EVE and Wall-E's mission. 

Due to this movie having little to no dialogue, it can be hard to tell what's going on at times. You'll find it hard to believe that the human race would accept their situation without a fuss. All in all, this is a good sci-fi film I would recommend this if you like silent films. 

Rating = Treasure Chest 

My review of Who Framed Roger Rabbit

 My review of Who Framed Roger Rabbit 

 

Intro: Let me get this straight Hollywood can get us a movie with Mickey Mouse and Bugs Bunny but they can't make a good Batman/Superman movie. What the fudge? 

Who framed Roger Rabbit: The movie is about a P.I. name Eddie Valiant who was hired to see if there was more going on between Jessica Rabbit (the wife or Roger Rabbit) and Marvin Acme. He gets more than what he bargained for when Marvin Acme is murdered, Roger Rabbit is the prime suspect and Dr. Doom wants him dead. After getting caught up in this he reluctantly helps Roger and learns that there's more to the murder. So, Eddie has to figure out this case before Doom can find Roger. 

This is one of the most creative movies of its time! It combines film noir with the comedy of a cartoon. Don't let that fool you this movie has elements that kids shouldn't be exposed to. To be fair cartoons at the time has that type of humor. This movie takes place in a world where toons and real people work with each other, but they are two different classes. I enjoy watching the Loony Tunes and Disney cartoons interact with each other. My favorite scene in the movie is where Donald Duck and Daffy Duck trying to one-up each other. The mystery in the film is also good due to the pacing of the film and throwing us curve balls. The film blends animation with live action well to the point where it's hard to relocate even to this day. The director tells us things about characters with visuals.  

Eddie Valiant is a down-on-his-luck P.I. who is prejudiced toward toons because of an ordeal he had with them. 

Roger Rabbit is a friendly, funny and hyperactive cartoon. He enjoys putting a smile on people's faces. A minor complaint I have with him is what he considers cheating. I mean if he and Jessica were a Muslim couple, I would buy him making a big deal out of what Jessica did.  

Speaking of Jessica Rabbit, she's compassionate and kind of seductive. We see how much she loves Roger by how far she's willing to go to prove he's innocent. What bugs me about her is she's a human cartoon married to a cartoon rabbit. Do I need to say more? 

Dr. Doom is Judge, Jury and Executioner for the toons. There isn't much to say about him without spoiling the direction the movie takes with this character.  It's hard to take his disdain for cartoons seriously considering he had them working for them.      

Besides plot holes and editing, there aren't a lot of problems I have with this movie. Overall, this is one of the best films of the 80's. I would recommend this if you like mystery and animation. 

Rating = Worth Seeing  

My Thoughts on Superman video games

My Thoughts on Superman video games

 

Since this is Superman’s 80^th anniversary I decide to talk about why it’s hard to make a good Superman video game? Before I give my two cents on the subject, we need to know what do you need in order for a game to function. First you need a character for the player to control, second an objective that the player can complete and make that task hard for him or her to complete just enough for the player to feel satisfy. You don’t want the player to rage quit and throw the control at the TV. This may sound simple but it can be hard to execute because what is or isn’t hard in video games can be subjective. Just because I consider the Mega Man games hard that doesn’t mean everyone else will feel that way.

This is where the Superman is overpowered argument has some value how can you make a Superman game challenging if almost nothing can stop him? When you play a Batman or Spider-man game getting shot won’t kill you but it can, that not the case for superman. The developers feel like if they give the player all of Superman’s powers it would make the game too easy and boring. Well it’s possible to create a game without giving us all of Superman’s powers, I mean no one complaint that Superman didn’t have his ice breath in the animated series as far as I know but I digress. 

The only way around this issue that I can think of is if the Superman game took place in space and the only allies he’ll have is Kara and Dr. Hamilton. Also the creators can design a game around his powers to make things difficult. Like have Superman search for a bomb in Metropolis but that'll be hard for him because it's covered in lead and he can't see through lead. The Superman Returns video game did something like this as far as if you fail to save the city you lose. Since were on the Subject of Metropolis it needs to be an open world or sandbox where you feel like your flying around it.   

They kind of did that with the Superman Returns video game but the game feels empty. I wish game developers would apply how they did the Arkham games to Superman without making the same game, as far as making the player feel like their Superman. The only way I can see a Superman game can work if it’s an RPG, you start off as Superman in a weak state then you build up your powers as you progress through the game. That’s another down side to making a superman games how can you make them better than the last one without making Supermen stronger than he already is? 

Another thing that can hurt making a Superman game is the story and how will it affect the gameplay? What kind of story can you tell with a character that represents the best of humanity? Going back to the RPG idea tell a story of Superman trying to gain experiences by working to gain the people of Metropolis trust and do reporter work as Clark Kent. Doing that would justify you playing as Clark Kent. I don’t see how to make the gameplay work beyond if you fail you start over or game over. Another way you can do this is Telltales where combat and gameplay don't matter that much, then again your producing a interactive movie. I like how Superman was handled in Lego Batman 2 because it captured what Superman is without going in depth with it.   

Heck Developers can make a Superman game similar to this as far as have Lex Luthor work with the Army to take down Superman. However this game will feel like a beat em up. 

   

Finally how will this game sell the villains? Another reason why the Arkham games are popular is because it introduce us to Batman’s rouges gallery in a way that makes since. A lot of people are not going to know Superman villains like Metallo, Mr. Mxyzptlk, Toyman etc. ( Unless they grew up watching the animated series and Smallville.) The game should introduce these characters in a way that feels like world building and have the baddies challenge Superman in different ways. These are my reasons why making a Superman game is hard. Do you think it's possible to make a good Superman game?  

My Mulan review

My Mulan review 

 

Intro: It’s a shame that we can’t get more female-led movies like this from Disney.

Mulan: This movie is centered on a girl name Mulan who is struggling to find her place in a patriarchal regime. Things became difficult when her ailing father is drafted to fight a war. In order to protect him she goes in his place impersonating a boy. So, she has to get through training and hopefully survive the war.

This is the best Disney movie of the renaissance era! What makes this movie different from other underdog stories is that the stakes are high for the main character and it’s inspiring. The movie knows when to transition from being fun to serious. (Take notes MCU) I appreciate the movie for not shying away from how serious war is without being graphic. This film does what good musicals do that use the song to express what the characters think and feel. The animation is stylish and the Chinese wisdom or metaphors are used in a way that you can understand. Both kids and adults will find the comedy in this movie amusing. The theme of this movie is earning your stripes, everyone has something to prove. You argue that this movie is a social commentary on gender roles and traditionalism.   

Mulan is another good example of how to write a strong female character! Despite being rough around the edges with living up to traditional standers, she’s a smart and caring person. She’s not going against traditional norms for the heck of it she does it to save her father and figure out what she wants to do with her life. Going against the norms does create tension between her and her father. The only complaint I have with her is the writers tried to set up a romance between her and Capt. Shang but it was pointless. 

Speaking of Capt. Shang, he's the weakest character in this movie! I say that because he doesn't have much characterization beyond trying to prove that he can lead his army because he didn't earn it. He may be hard on his man, but he does show compassion. We also see that puts his honor above the rules. 

Mushu is Mulan's guardian who helps her through her struggles. Mushu is like Starscream but funnier. Mushu is trying to redeem himself with Mulan's ancestors. 

The rest of the characters are comic relief. 

Shan Yu is the most sadistic Disney villain we have so far. He may come off as a flat character but he's not. He's trying to prove to China that he is as dangerous as they label him as. You can argue that he represents toxic masculinity. (Yes! That's a real thing.) 

Chi-Fu (the emperor's assistant) Is not a bad guy, but he does serve as a foil for everyone else. He's the type of slimeball that you want to pound. 

One of the problems with this movie is the comedy can feel like a slipstick at times. Because of the time period, this movie takes place in the jokes and dialogue feel out of place. The sprites of Mulan's ancestors make us question what is possible or not. This movie would have been better if it addresses the ups and downs of traditionalism from both the male and female perspectives.  

Overall, this is one of those movies that didn't get enough attention. I would recommend giving this a second viewing. 

Rating = Worth Seeing                           

The Flash season four review

The Flash season four review 

  

Intro: Iris: You're not the Flash Barry we are the Flash. 

This video sums up my response to that line. 

Raise your hand if you think this will be a crappy season?  

The Flash season four: This season takes place months after Barry/The Flash is imprisoned in the speed force and team flash manages to keep the city safe since then. One day The Thinker (The main villain.) manipulates team Flash to get Barry/The Flash out of the speed force, this cause the creation of 12 new metahumans that The Thinker needs for his plan. So, team Flash has to protect them from him.        

This is another bad season that's sad because I thought this season would be good since the main villain isn't a speedster. That's what I like about the main baddie, by doing that it gives the team a chance to deal with the big bad in a different way. This season is too light-hearted for its on good, I might as well be watching Sesame Street. Once again the creators tried to adapt a story from the comics and they blow it, next time make it last for more than one episode. (Personally, the writers should have saved that story for the finale season.) I'm glad that some of the romance in this season is gone, what's the point of giving everyone a love interest if it has no payoff?  

Iris West is now the leader of team Flash and... Wait! What in heaven's name is going on here!?! Did the writers forget about how the previous season ended when Barry told Cisco he's the leader now? Either Iris seduce Cisco for that position (I smile a Jerry Springer episode.) or the writers have short-term memory. I have so many issues with this, first of all Iris is a supporting character. Heck, the creators didn't do the best job at making her that so what's the point of this? Second, if they did this to get her away from being the damsel in distress that wasn't the problem, I mean she can be a damsel in distress as long as she's not helpless. 

Third, there's a difference between being a leader and being bossy, a leader set an example and a boss tells people what to do. For the most part, she's more of a boss than a leader. Also, how can she lead a team of mostly scientists? I'm not saying that it's impossible however it would help the team if she can comprehend what they're doing. Finally, how did the other members approve of her being the leader, whenever someone that isn't a scientist tries to help them out, they treat that person like he or she is on meth. To add insult to injury she does things that makes her unlikeable.  

Cisco is more helpful in the field. It's a shame that he isn't leading the team because it would have been good character development for him because he showed moments where he has leadership qualities. 

Caitlin/Killer Frost is the Hulk, I'm not kidding about that. My gripe with her is her inconsistency. Also, we learn something about her past that raises more questions about her. 

Ralph/Elongated man is a slime ball, I can understand why fans despise him. Despite that, I like him because this season gave him a hero's journey story and there's more to him than that. Plus, he's the outsider looking in. What I don't like is how everyone besides Barry alienates him, granted he's annoying but he isn't disrespectful. Plus, they should be more grateful to him for helping Barry out of his dilemma.   

Clifford Devoe/The Thinker is an egotistical maniac! I was letdown that the writers turned him into Sylar from Heroes, what's the point of him being the fastest thinker if the writers don't do anything with that ability? I was hoping he would be like The Professor from the show Money Heist, The Professor thought of every possible scenario that could happen in a Bank Robbery. If The Thinker was like The Professor, he would have been a good villain, how can you screw up the fastest man vs the fastest thinker story? My Grievance with him is that his motivation would have made good social commentary if he wasn't a hypocrite, well you can use the means to an end argument. Also, we don't know what cause him to have this mindset. Plus, he did something I find disturbing.    

My problems with this season are that the creator's broth Barry back too soon, if the writers wait until the midseason final to bring him back that gives us the viewers a chance to miss him like the characters do. Also, I'm annoyed that Barry recovered from being imprisoned in the speed force too fast, the plot of team Flash trying to protect the 12 people from The Thinker is repetitive. Most of team Flash don't do anything to stop The Thinker beyond protecting his 12 targets. Just because he can think fast doesn't mean he can't make a mistake or his phychic. The final episode is anti-climactic.  

The bottom line is season four didn't recover I hope we won't get back another speedster as the villain anytime soon.                   

Arrow season six review

Arrow season six review 

Intro: Let me get this straight, season five ends with Lian Yu blowing up, and no one died or suffered PDST. Sorry, I stand corrected, a side character died, one is injured, another is in a coma, and everyone else is OK. What the fudge!?! 

Arrow season six: This season takes place months after almost everyone survived the explosion on Lian Yu, and the survivors manage to go back to their routine, except for Oliver/Green Arrow. Now that his son is in his life, Oliver has to not only be the Mayor and Green Arrow but a father as well. One day, someone sent a picture of Oliver as the Green Arrow to the news, which resulted in him being investigated, Team Arrow being shattered, and a group of criminals wanting to take over the city. So Oliver has to clear his name, salvage the team, and stop this gang before it's too late. 

This season was disappointing! That's a shame, considering that this series got itself out of the hole it dug itself last season just to go back to that same hole. This season feels odd without the flashbacks because they became a part of this series. We do get flashbacks of other characters; they're fine, it's just that they don't tell us anything new about these characters. One of the many gripes I have with this season is the people of Star City; they're morons for not suspecting that Oliver is the Green Arrow. I mean, this is the third time he has been accused of being the Green Arrow, and people don't think that he might be the Green Arrow? You know the saying, fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me, and fool me three times, I'm an idiot. Plus, they should be more involved with the story in this season. 

William is another issue I have with this series. He's nothing but baggage. If I were him, I would be mad at Oliver for starting a relationship with Felicity because Oliver doesn't seem like he's putting his son first. Plus, he lied to William twice. The dynamic of Team Arrow could have been better if alliances were shifted better. I was let down by the team of baddies because each member was suppose to be an adversary for each member of Team Arrow, but that didn't happen. Instead, two of them have a vendetta against Green Arrow, one is a double agent, one is in the background, and the other has some kind of rivalry with the Black Canary. Other problems with this season are leading the people of Star City to believe that someone who died in the past is still alive, plot holes on how hacking works, and characters being inconsistent.   

The crossover episodes are lackluster; they remind me of episodes from the Justice League cartoon, but not as good. This crossover is centered on Barry and Iris's wedding. That got interrupted by Nazi versions of themselves and other characters from the CW/DC shows from a different Earth. The Nazi version of our heroes wants one of them for reasons, so the others have to protect this person from themselves. What hurt this crossover for me ( Besides pushing an agenda) is the Olicity drama, that's right, the writers brought back one of the many things that made seasons 3 and 4 bad. If I were Barry or Iris, I would beat the crap out of them for taking up our moment. Also, this crossover has an evil version of an Arrow character who died. I wish he were the main villain in this crossover. This crossover could have been better if it were a cautionary tale. 

Oliver Queen/ Green Arrow didn't develop much since season 2, so what's the point of making him a father and the Mayor if he doesn't grow as a character? Also, am I the only one tired of the pattern of Oliver doing something wrong, someone corrects him, and he apologizes for it? That pattern makes him look stupid when it happens over and over again. He has the same problem as Jayden from Power Rangers Samurai, as far as he learns his lesson in one episode, then forgets about it in the next episode. Oliver needs to learn how to be a leader because that contributes to why Team Arrow is divided. The way he leads alienates his team; there's more to being a leader than just giving orders. Yes! He does help the team out with their problems; however, he doesn't connect with the latest members of his team the way he does with Diggle and Felicity. Whatever development the writers tried to give him this season was short-lived.  

OK, it's bad enough that this show ruined Felicity, but did you have to ruin Diggle, too? Yes! Diggle is unlikable this season because he does things that are out of character for him. There is a subplot of him wanting to be the Green Arrow. Why!?! Also, he doesn't need to be in the field because A Oliver has too many allies that can help him on the field and B he's suppose to be the Alfred of the show.   

Do I really have to comment on Felicity? I still want to give her a stunner for the most part. It makes me sick to see her be a surrogate mother to William. I say that because when she first learned about him in season 4, she didn't give a crap about him. Just like last season, she got away with murder.    

Dinah Drake/Black Canary is the level-headed one of the team; she's kind of like her comic book counterpart. She was in season five. I didn't mention her before because A she was underdeveloped and B I was too distracted by her... by her... Hair! My beef with her is that the writers hit the reset button with this character. You'll see what I mean. Also, she has done things that make you want to dislike her. I wish the writers would do more with her working at the police department.  

Quentin Lance doesn't do much this season besides assist the team whenever he can. 

Thea is one of the characters that should have died on the island because she serves no purpose in this season. 

Rene/Wild Dog is OK for the most part. You might have mixed feelings about what he did that plays a role in Team Arrow falling apart. I say that because some of the members are understanding of what he did. I'm not saying they shouldn't be considerate, I would probably do the same thing Rene did; however, what he did affects everyone, not in a good way. Also, he can be unlikable. 

Black Siren (one of the villains) is just the muscle. I'm annoyed with her subplot because the writers had a chance to do this last season, but they didn't. Also, it would make things awkward for Team Arrow.   

Cayden James ( Another baddie) is the brains of the team of villains. My gripe with him is that he's the main focus at the beginning of this season. This wouldn't bother me if he didn't overstay his welcome and wasn't boring. ( I wouldn't feel this way about him if he wasn't built up in the previous season.) Another thing it's hard for me to take him seriously because of how easy he was to manipulate. He wouldn't be in this series if Felicity didn't help free him last season. 

  

I'm not satisfied with the main villain, Raceto Diaz/The Dragon. This bugs me because he's Green Arrow's version of Bane. I was hoping the writers would get this character right since Batman writers can't get Bane right. Raceto Diaz is just a drug dealer; you'll find it hard to believe that he can pose such a threat to Team Arrow. I'm fond that he's an enigma and a behind-the-scenes guy, although doing this hurts him. To add insult to injury, he's the shortest person on the show; Oliver might as well fight The Penguin.    

Here are some of the things I like about this season. I'm fond of how the relationship between Oliver and Quentin developed from season one to now. This season did what season four tried to do a little bit better, as far as the theme of fighting for the city's soul. I'm glad that Team Arrow is divided because it gives them a chance to stand on their own. This season was getting better after episode 14, kind of. I enjoy some of the things that were done in the last episode; it would have worked as a series finale if it had played out differently.   

Overall, season 6 was a step backward. I'm surprised that this series got renewed because I don't know what story the writers can tell, or if they can tell any story, judging by how this season ended.    

My Speed Racer review

 My Speed Racer review 

 

Intro: Considering this movie came out after Iron Man and before The Hulk I mean The Dark Knight I can see why people overlooked this movie.

Speed Racer: This movie is centered on a track racer name Speed Racer who is good at what he does. One day he gets the attention of Arnold Royalton the head of Royalton Industries who makes him an offer. After Speed turns him down his life has gone upside down and his worldview is challenged. So, Speed must fight back, come to terms with a family secret and figure out if he can continue racing? 

This is the closest Mario Kart movie that you’re going to get! That’s what the races in this movie remind me of because of how over-the-top the races are. Also, this movie feels like a live-action cartoon and it makes references to the source material. The soundtrack complains the scenes in the movie. I find it hard to believe that the Wachowski directed this movie because it feels like it was directed by the man who did the Spy Kids movies. The story is told by showing us visuals of what happened instead of telling us. This movie tells an underdog story in a way that will take you by surprise. The jokes may be cheesy, but it has a charm to them. The themes of the movie are family and capitalism. This movie improves on some of the elements from the cartoon it’s based on like the characters and why the Mach 5 is so advanced?    

Speed Racer is much more likable than he was in the cartoon. In the cartoon, Speed is a self-centered crybaby. In the movie, he's a noble character and we see how his family played a role in the type of person he is. We feel sorry for him as we see him struggle with the downside of racing.   

Mom Racer is a supporting character who comforts and gives speed reassurance. 

Pop's Racer is a mentor to speed. He may seem grumpy, but he does have a heart. 

Spritle and Chim-Chim are the weakest part of the film for me. I know they are the comic relief, but it's distracting for the most part.  

Trixie (Speed's girlfriend) is also a supporting character who aids Speed. Trixie and Speed feel like a real couple unlike in the cartoon. 

Racer X is a cool and mysterious character. 

Arnold Royalton is a good villain because of how manipulative he is. There is one scene that reinforces that. He also threatens the two things Speed loves the most, they are racing and his family. 

One of the problems I have with this movie is how colorful and ridiculous it is. I know the cartoon is like this, but that didn't affect the action scenes or the seriousness of the cartoon, unlike this movie. Because the movie goes back and forth between being serious and lighthearted it creates moon whiplash. The movie looks cheap being shot with mostly blue or green screen. I wouldn't have minded this if the movie had half of its budget. The Wachowski are rough around the edges with making this movie family-friendly. The ending wasn't bad, but it feels like a cop-out. 

Overall, this is a good adaptation of the cartoon! I would recommend this to fans because this movie is an overextended episode of the show in the best way. 

Rating = Rental      

My Avengers Infinity War review

My Avengers Infinity War review 

Intro: After ten years, we finally get a Marvel movie with all of the Marvel characters in it. Expect for Wolverine, Daredevil and Deadpool. Hey, it’s better than nothing.

Avengers: Infinity War: This movie is centered on the main villain Thanos who's looking for the Infinity Stones, he's going to use them to wipe out half of the population in the universe. So the Avengers have to stop him from getting the stones. This is one of those movies that proved me wrong and fixed some of the complaints I have with the MCU. This movie made the previous Avengers movie better, however, not enough to change how I feel about that movie. ( I’m still waiting for the director’s cut.) You feel like you're watching a war movie without the chain of command, we have different groups of characters coming up with different strategies on how to deal with Thanos? Sacrifice is the theme of this movie you’ll see why when you watch the movie. Also, it was nice to see a past villain return. The way this movie ends puts a smile on my face!  

Thanos is one of the best baddies the MCU has to offer! We go from despising him to understanding him to feeling sorry for him. Plus, he shows compassion for the Avengers despite the fact they tried to stop him, how can you hate an adversary who does that? He doesn't want to kill half of the population for the heck of it he has a reason for it, whether or not that reason is good or bad is up to you to decide. The scene where his conviction is being tested is my favorite scene in the movie because we see this with the heroes but never the villains. I'm glad the writers didn't stick to his motivation from the comics because that would make him less compelling. However, his drive from the comics could work if it's used as a social commentary on what men are willing to do to win women over but I digress. I'm glad that Thanos is not a pushover without the stones, however, he isn't powerful. 

Ebony Maw is a cult leader of Thanos, I'm surprised that he serves Thanos because seems to be more powerful than him.  

We see how much Steve Rogers/Captain American has changed in this movie, he went from boy scout to rebel leader. My gripe with him is he contradicts himself about Vision's solution to stop Thanos.  

Tony/Iron Man is still struggling with his pride and ego because he tries to take control of the situation and he refuses to let certain people help him. That's understandable considering that he's been dreading the day where he has to face Thanos. I'm fond of his Iron Man suit because it has almost everything you need for combat. 

Thor is bloodthirsty in this movie. I'm fine with that because this makes up for him not having a strong reaction to everything that happened in Ragnarok. Plus, Thanos pushes him over the edge, don't worry he still has his sense of humor from Ragnarok. 

Starlord is going to be popular in this movie, I’m going to leave it at that. 

Drax is the comic relief in this movie. 

Bruce/The Hulk are having issues, the beginning of the movie might explain that however, I want verification.

Doctor Strange is headstrong in this movie, which makes him hard to work with. Also, he did something that undermines the tension in this movie. 

Vision has the same characterization in Civil War and we see how his relationship with Scarlet Witch has developed. My beef with him is he's underused, seriously what's the point of him being one of the strongest Avengers if he's taking out way too easy? 

Of course, misplaced comedy is one of the problems with this movie. There is a subplot with one of the groups that could have been cut for time. Why didn’t Thanos find the stones sooner? Each team could have slowed down Thanos if they weren't so stubborn. Some characters didn't get the chance to resolve their differences. If you haven't watched any of the other MCU films you might feel lost. Overall this is one of the best MCU movies that I would recommend. 

Rating = Worth seeing  

Black Lightning Review

Black Lightning Review 

 

Intro: If I had a list of comic book characters with the worst disguise Black Lightning would be on it.  

Black Lightning Review: This show is centered on Jefferson Pierce/Black Lightning who quit being Black Lightning nine years ago do to a promise he made to someone. Since then he helps his community by being the principal of a school and other things. Things has gotten worst since a gang called the 100 showed up, so Jefferson decides to become Black Lightning again and stop them. 

This series is better than any of the Fantastic Four movies we have gotten, that's saying a lot. This show is refreshing considering how Arrow and the Flash are doing. Really I'm just happy that we have another Black superhero show on TV, do I really have to explain why I'm happy about this? The pilot episode feels like it's trying too hard to appeal to Black People, I mean it's feels heavy handed. Despite thinking having the ability to control lighting is lame I'm fond of how Black Lighting is able to use it in different ways. 

I like Jefferson/Black Lighting because he try's to better his community the right way and I feel his pain when he thinks that it's all for nothing or when he's a victim of racism. My Beef with him is that we learn that he has an agenda that damage his credibility with me.  

If Eric Killmonger from Black Panther had a sister you would get Anissa Pierce/Thunder. She's Jefferson's older daughter. I like the relationship between her and her father.     

Jennifer Pierce is Jefferson's youngest daughter, she's a promising student who gets into trouble. That's understandable considering that her family is overbearing. 

 I don't have much to say about Christine Adams(Jefferson's ex wife.) She didn't become useful until the last two episodes. 

Peter Gambi is Jefferson's mentor, he helps Jefferson on the field and proved tech support. We also learn that he's an enigma. 

Inspector Henderson is the James Gordon of this series. 

I don't have much to say about Tobias Whale. (one of the villains) He's a ruthless crime lord who has history with Black Lightning. 

One of the many problems I have with this show is the Villains, I mean it's hard to tell who's the main villain is in this series. Also the creators bought back a character that died for no reason, this person served no purpose in this show so what was the point of bringing him or her back? One of the reasons why I think having lightning powers is lame is because you can protect yourself from it by covering yourself up in plastic or rubber. 

I'm surprise that no one from the 100 has done this. Another thing whenever Black Lightning use his power to lift someone off the ground that person is not dead or burnt, how does that work? Another issues with this series is that it feels rushed, it tried to tell three stories and all of them are not resolved. Part of the reason why that is it's because this show has 13 episodes. This show addressing what's wrong in the Black Community can make it hard to watch, because we are not trying to fix things. Jefferson's backstory is kind of all over the place, we get bites and pieces of it but not enough to fill in the blanks.  

Overall this is an OK show I hope it gets renew so the writers can work out all the problems in season one.    

My MCU rant

My MCU rant 

  

Since Infinity War is around the corner, and it's almost ten years since the MCU started, I decided to give my thoughts on it. I'm impressed that this franchise is still going on; however, I think it gets too much credit for having different characters from different movies come together. Did people forget about Freddy vs Jason or Alien vs Predator? (Well, I can't blame you if you did.) Despite that, this hasn't been done before on a scale like this. I feel like I'm watching Marvel comics on the big screen. To be fair, this studio got lucky with the first Iron Man movie because this movie came out the same year as The Dark Knight; they could have been screwed if it came out the same month. One of the reasons why I'm surprised by the success of the MCU is because Marvel Studios is doing the same thing as the other movie studios, as far as studios not letting the directors be creative with their movies. I'll explain why this is an issue for me later. 

The MCU might not exist if people played this game; this game can help the general public become familiar with the Marvel world. 

  

Then again, the Justice League movie didn't have world-building, and look at how that movie turned out. (That's what WB gets for kissing Batman's butt so much, I mean, ignoring the other DC characters. I want a Blue Beetle or Booster Gold series on Netflix.) Don't get me wrong, I'm not against what Marvel Studios is doing, it's just that I don't like how this studio uses their solo films to set things up, I mean, they set up things when they don't need to, and they don't set up things when they should. For example, Iron Man 2 that movie was used to advertise The Avengers movie, and no one can tell me otherwise, the way it was done neglects the non-comic book readers. The same thing goes for Avengers: Age of Ultron; that movie was used to promote other films. I wish that the creators would take notes from how Arrow built its universe in season two. Whenever that show brings a comic book character in that season, they're used for the episode he or she is in, or they serve a purpose in the overall story. 

In case you haven't noticed, the standalone movies are one of the problems I have with the MCU; most of them feel the same as far as quality. The directors don't do anything edgy with these movies, I mean, we had two brief sex scenes in Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk. Plus, a handful of intense action scenes in the other films. This is why I consider Captain America: Winter Soldier and Thor the best MCU films. Captain America: Winter Soldier is a solid spy thriller; the movie doesn't feel like it's setting anything up. Also, it affects the rest of the MCU. Thor is a family drama story. Yes! It has world-building; however, it didn't distract me from the story. Most of the MCU movies are about the hero's origin, personal issues, set up and the main villain looking for an object that will give him or her power. Since we're on the subject of villains, the MCU didn't produce adversaries that are memorable for the most part. 


Some of them would have been better if they were like their comic book counterparts. 

 

Or if the studio didn't throw away the actor or actress's hard work on the character.

 

It's time to address the elephant in the room, and that's the comedy. The comedy in these movies is overblown to the point where it ruins certain scenes, the tone of the movie, or the overall movie. Thor Ragnarok and Iron Man 2 are prime examples of that. The Last Jedi tried to copy this, and it didn't work because it creates mood whiplash. OK, I can see why the directors would do that because it's unexpected; however, it feels like a cheap way to get us to laugh. I'm surprised that the creators didn't use the break-the-fourth-wall type of comedy with setting up the Marvel universe. This reinforces why I'm not happy about Marvel Studios getting the rights to the rest of the Marvel characters, because I want variety. Despite not being crazy about the New Mutants movie being a horror film, I'm mad that the creators want to change that to make the movie family-friendly. We haven't seen a comic book horror film yet, unless you count the Blade trilogy. We might not have this problem if Marvel Studios let the Directors have their way with their movies.       

There have been stories of directors leaving or being fired from Marvel Studios because they don't like how this studio undermines them. Heck, even actors or actresses have gripes with this studio.

        

The standalone films are also similar to each other. don't believe me, answer these questions. What's the difference between the first Avengers movie and the first Guardians of the Galaxy movie? What's the difference between Black Panther and the first Thor movie? You don't really need to watch these movies to watch the Avengers films. Yes! The writers reference events that happen in the solo films; however, they don't play a role in the overall story in the Avengers movies for the most part. For example, Captain America: Civil War is going to feel like filler because we know or suspect that Tony and Steve will call a truce to deal with Thanos in Infinity War. As far as I know, Iron Man and Guardians of the Galaxy are the only characters that became popular due to their standalone movies. That's saying a lot considering how much trouble Tony Stark/Iron Man has caused.  

Do I really have to explain why this studio announces that more movies will be released years in advance bugs me? First of all, they're spoiling their fan base. Have they ever heard of the saying less is more? If they keep going at this rate, people might get sick of superhero/comic book movies. Second, it takes away the surprise of watching these films. I mean, what's the point in watching a Thor movie if I know he's going to be in the Avengers safe and sound? The only time Marvel Studios played with my expectations was in the second wave of Marvel films. For example, after seeing how Iron Man 3 and Captain America: Winter Soldier ended I thought Tony was going to rebuild S.H.I.L.E.D and run it. That makes sense (Not because this was in the comics.) it's because Tony became obsessed with protecting Earth from another alien invasion, plus he doesn't trust Nick Fury. Also, I thought Thanos was going to be the main baddie in the second Avengers movie because A the creators showed him in Guardians of the Galaxy. B they set up the Infinity stones. 

Am I the only one annoyed that the Hulk is not getting any more standalone movies? The dynamic between Bruce and the Hulk is interesting. I'm happy that the writers finally gave the Hulk the ability to speak in Thor Ragnarok because we can finally get inside this character's head. I just wish that this had been done sooner. So the Fantastic Four gets four movies, but you're not going to give the Hulk a third chance. What gives Universal Studios !?! Seriously, what's the point of setting the Leader if you're not going to use him? 

As far as a Black Widow movie goes, I'm not against it; however, I don't think it's needed. First of all, we learn something new about her every time she's in these films, and we see how much she has changed since Iron Man 2. Second Black Widow works better as a supporting character if you ask me. If Black Widow is going to get her own movie, it has to take place after the Thanos story, because we already know most of her backstory, so we don't need to see it. 

I wouldn't mind a Nick Fury solo film to explore his backstory of how he went from soldier to Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. Plus, he feels like an extra rather than a character. 

I'm kind of disappointed that we didn't get a Nova movie sooner. I mean, why show us the Nova Corps if you're not going to use them?         

Before I wrap this up, I want to talk about Infinity War. I don't think that this will be a good movie. First of all, too many characters; second, how will Thanos stand out the way Loki, Ultron, and Killmonger did? He's just like most of the forgettable villains as far as wanting a MacGuffin that will give him the power to destroy everything. How much of a threat does Thanos pose without the infinity stones? This studio didn't do a good job at building him up they just have him appear in some of the films like he's a big deal, I'm going to be outraged if he isn't. Third this is one movie it's suppose to be split in two, if the creators did that it would reinforce how dangerous he is. Finally, killing off characters, if anyone dies in this movie, it's hard for me to take it seriously because this studio doesn't seem to have the guts to kill someone and keep that person dead.      

The MCU would have been better if the creators borrowed more elements from the comics for example, the infinity stones in the comics can do different things. Most of the stones are used for destruction in these movies. There is a story in the comics where Thanos killed Odin (Thor's father) to get the Infinity glove. (Sorry, I could be wrong about that.) If the writers did anything like that in the MCU we would have personal conflict on how to deal with Thanos since one of the Guardians is a family member of Thanos. That's all I have to say about the MCU for now. What do you think of it?         

My Rotten Tomatoes rant

My Rotten Tomatoes rant 

OK, is it me or are people losing brain cells? People have lost their ability to act civilized, I mean you can’t say anything bad about a sports team, comic book character and game console without a fan wanting to kill you. Now we have this problem with movies, certain people want a website called Rotten Tomatoes shut down because they don’t like the scores, they give certain movies. I’m sorry I’m getting ahead of myself. Rotten Tomatoes is a website that takes reviews from other critics and gives a score based on that. This site also does that with the moviegoers however they're not the main focus. 

I didn’t know about this website until six years ago when people were outraged that this site give The Dark Knight Rises a low score at first. Since then, I don’t like the pedestal people put this website on, they treat this site as the voice for all of cinema. I can understand why people would go to this website because they don't want to waste their time and money on a movie that may or may not be good. (Especially if you bring your family to the movie theater.) How is this fundamentally different from not taking a surgery where your chances of surviving it are 11%?  

Just because you don't agree with the scores doesn't mean this website lied to you or the site is paid to play favorites. No one told you to watch the movie. People get carried away with the rating system, if the movie is not 10 out of 10 it's crap. People seem to forget that rating is subjective, what's a 10 for me may not be a 10 for you. You don't think that critics may exaggerate about the movie? (I do that from time to time.) is there a black-and-white movie that is a 10 out of 10 and you still feel like it deserves that rating? There are movies that Rotten Tomatoes don't give a 100% but I didn't think it was as bad as they say. Heck, I watch films that has a low score to see for myself how bad it is.  

I'm glad that Rotten Tomatoes didn't give the Justice League movie a score at first because I want to see how hypnotic people are by the website score system. Surprise! Surprise! They are! This caused DC fans to want the website shut down because they are tired of the site giving the DC movies from Man of Steel to Justice League low scores. Don't they stop and think that the reason why they got low scores is because the movies are bad? If you don't think it's bad who cares if the site gives it a 0%? 

Disappointments are a part of life!  

There are movies that I thought was going to be terrible, but they surprised me. 

 

 Movies that I thought was going to be good, but they end up disappointing me. 

 

And movies that I regret seeing. 

 

The bottom line is this people shouldn't put so much stock in one site, it's not good to put all your eggs in one basket.