My review of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles

My review of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles 

Intro: Don't you hate it when a show gets canceled after it ends on a cliffhanger? 

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles: This show takes place two or four years after the events of T2, and the Connor's are trying to keep a low profile. One day their spotted by a terminator and there saved by another one who was sent back through time to protect them. They learn that Skynet still exists, so they travel forward in time to stop Skynet from being created. 

I don't see why fans praise this series. Don't get me wrong, I don't think it's bad; however, it feels like a retread of T2. Despite that, this series is different enough where it can stand on its own. We learn in the future that the resistance builds its own time machine. OK, that explains how they sent soldiers back in time; however, that doesn't explain how Skynet sent their terminators back in time when their time machine was suppose to be destroyed. Speaking of the terminators, they don't look good in this series; the CGI of the terminators looks like a video game. I know this is a TV show; however, the effect should at least rival the effect from T2. Also, you couldn't get animatronic terminators? Another gripe I have with the terminators is that they're not strong enough to withstand certain bullets, which makes them look less scary and cheap.

There are plot holes with how they can repair themselves, the timeline, and setting up things with no playoff. Also, we learn that one of them has their own agenda for Skynet, but we don't know enough about it to be invested in it. Going back to the soldiers, they were sent back in time to stop Skynet, why!?! What's the point of John Connor surviving if the resistance is trying to stop Skynet despite him? We also get another explanation for why soldiers from the future are sent back, and I don't think that's a good idea, and I can't get into that without spoiling anything. In the future, we learn that there's tension between the soldiers and John Connor. I don't understand why. What happened to keep your friends close and your enemies closer? Before I talk about the characters, I want to say that it doesn't look like they learn their lesson in T2. 

Sarah Connor is not as masculine as she was in T2, but she's more tender, thank goodness. We learn nothing new about her beyond a few details about her past between the first and second films. When we do learn something about her, it's something we should have already known. Her relationship with John is tense, and I do feel sorry for her. She's trying to give her son stability, but she can't do that while preparing him for the future war. What bugs me about her is that she beat herself up for something she did. It's hard for me to take that seriously because she put herself in that position. 

John Connor went from a rebellious teen to an everyday one. He's willing to do his part to stop Skynet, but thanks to his mother, we don't see a lot of that. 

Cameron is John's Terminator protector, and she annoys me. When we first see her, she seems like a cheerful girl because when she reveals she's a terminator, she acts emotionless. She does provide unintentional humor, but it comes at the expense of her having a punchable face. My issue with her is in season two, she does things that make her untrustworthy. We learn that she's John's trusted ally in the future. Why would he send her back? 

Derek Reese is one of the future soldiers. I don't have much to say about him beyond that because the series doesn't focus on him enough. What bothers me about him is who he's related to. I don't like that because it undermines the character's backstory. Also, the creators wasted him what's the point of having a soldier if he doesn't show John some new tricks? I'm surprised that he doesn't have a strong relationship with the Connor's. To be fair, he made that difficult. Something happened to him that should have been a big deal, but it's underwhelming. 

Cromartie is one of the terminators that is hunting the Connor's the way he goes about it is stupid. I mean, he tells people he's going to kill them before he does it, thanks for the heads-up, moron. 

There are things I like about this series, like the twists and turns in the story, the mystery of who will build Skynet, and some of the humor. Overall, this is an OK series. If you want to see what happens after T2, then I would recommend this.               

My Gemini Man review

My Gemini Man review

Intro: That's what happens when you work on a movie for over twenty years you forget things. 

Gemini Man: This movie is centered on a hit man name Henry Brogan who's ready to retire after his last job. That gets ruined when someone targets him, he later learns that the assassin who's trying to kill him is a younger version of himself. So Henry has to figure out who he is and why he's trying to kill him. 

Despite that this movie feels generic at times it's a waste of potential! I say that because this movie is about old vs new. Yes! We've seen this concept before but not like this. We have a seasoned assassin facing off against his younger self if that's not scary I don't know what is. The problem with this conflict is that there isn't a lot of tension because the so-called older hitman can hold his own against his younger self for the most part. What's the point of having two of the same characters if there's nothing different about them beyond age? 

This movie also ruined the idea of how would your parents or grandparents use modern technology would they do the same dumb things kids do today? I hear elderly people say they wouldn't use technology to do foolish things, let's see if they're willing to put their money where their mouth is. The movie also presents the theme of humanity using human clones without emotions for war but screwed that up by having Junior (Henry's younger clone.) act human. What's the point of wanting human clones without emotions if they will have them already? What really bugs me about this movie is the climax because it made this whole movie feel like filler for the most part. I understand what the movie tried to do with Junior it's that the director went about it the wrong way. 

I don't have much to say about Henry Brogan because we don't anything about him. I'm sorry we do learn things about him but not enough to be invested. What bugs me about him is the reason why he's retiring because it's weak.    

Clay ( The main villain.) is the ruthless director of Gemini the company that created Junior. It's hard for me to see him as the big bad because he has understandable motivations for cloning. The only gripe I have with him is he contradicts himself.   

The two things I like about this movie are it has some humor and the action scenes. Overall, this is a forgettable action movie! It could have been better if the conflict between Henry and Junior was about old school vs new school, how these two different styles can help each other and Junior discovers his humanity. 

Rating = Trash 

 

My El Camino review

My El  Camino review

 

Intro: With the history of movies based on Cartoons and TV shows being bad for the most part with made you think this movie won't suffer the same fate? 

El Camino: This movie takes place after the events of Breaking bad and Jesse goes to his friends house to collect himself. After that he tries to get out of town that become difficult do to factors in his way. So Jesse has to work his way around them the best way he can. 

Did we really need this movie? I'm not saying it's bad however anyone could have guess that this is one of the things that could have happen to Jesse. This movie can pass as a fan film, I hope more fan films are on streaming services. I like how the flashbacks are use because they focus on Jesse's future. I'm surprise that this isn't a fugitive movie, I'm sorry it is it's just that there isn't a lot of suspect in the chase. Jesse is more or less the same as he was in the series, the only differences is that he doesn't say his signature Yeah BXXXh line. That's understandable considering what he when though with his captures. 

One of my many problems with this movie is we don't see what happen to other characters after the events of Breaking bad, what's the point of this movie being an epilogue to this show if it's not going to do that? I wish there are other parties after Jesse because they want the same thing Jesse wants. The movie needed more scenes of Law enforcement trying to find Jesse because they feel like there in the back round. This movie is underwhelming to me the creator could have done more with this premise without it turning into a typical chase movie. 

Basically this is an OK follow up to the ending to Breaking bad I would recommend this if you want to see what happen to Jesse Pinkman or if you like western movies. 

Rating = Rental 

My Joker review

My Joker review 

 

Intro: I didn't plan on watching this movie, besides the fact that I don't want to encourage DC/WB to worship Batman it's because this movie creates a fundamental problem and that is the Joker is a bad guy, not an anti-hero. Just because we find him funny that doesn't mean he's someone we should be rooting for. Also, out of all the Batman villains What made DC/WB think the Joker needs a solo film? Fans complain about seeing Batman's origin story in Batman Begins so how do you think they will react to this movie? 

If there's any adversary that needs his or her own film, it's the Riddler. The reason why I'm giving this movie a chance is the subject matter that this movie might address plus, this movie got Oscar buzz. (Seriously I would like to see an actor or actress to win an Oscar for playing a hero character in these movies, but I digress.) Also, the people who worked on this movie said that this movie isn't based on any Joker comics the movie is its own thing. 

we'll see.

    

With all that said did this movie live up to the hype or was it all hot air let's find out... 

Joker: The movie is centered on Arthur Fleck who's a party clown who wants to do more with his life. That becomes difficult for him when he experiences some of the ugly sides of life. So, Arthur has to cope with it the best he can or give in to the madness. 

This is not the best character study I've seen. I don't think it's bad however it could have been better. When you do a story about someone's fall for grace the main character has to be in a good place in his or her life, if they're not then the character needs a support system. Arthur does have a support system it's not the best one. Due to that his transformation into the Joker seems to happen by default, you'll see what I mean when you watch the movie. Plus, Arthur turning into the Joker would have been more tragic if he didn't have a mental illness, do I really have to explain why this is an issue for me? 

Another problem I have with this movie is it can be hard to tell what happen or didn't happen in the movie because there are scenes in the movie that plays out in Arthur's imagination. I do feel empathy for Arthur however I have no sympathy for him because he didn't do much to work past the problems he can fix. Also, I don't buy that he could have influence over others. What really bugs me about this movie is we see (My editor censor what I'm saying to avoid spoilers.) again, seriously I can't be the only one sick of seeing that. The way this movie ended will leave your head scratching. Also, I wish the creator didn't use an already-established character to tell this story because the Joker isn't a villain you shouldn't have sympathy for. Also, the movie is not subtle about being a PSA about treating people better.   

I'm sorry I didn't mean to sound like I think this movie is bad it's just that I have a lot of gripes with it, let's get into the things I like about this movie. I appreciate that this movie is its own thing, the creators can do what they want with this movie without dealing with angry fans for the most part. I'm surprised at the different social commentaries this movie addresses like creating our own demons because I didn't expect that. The movie also addresses does dark comedy having a place in society? I'm fond of the mystery around his family tree despite the fact that I'm not crazy about who's involved in that mystery. How Arthur goes from A to B is understandable and for a drama film, this doesn't feel depressing.  

Overall, this is a solid origin movie that could have been so much more. I would recommend this if you're into drama movies. 

Rating = Worth Seeing 
      

My District 9 review

My District 9 review 

 

Intro: So we trade a Halo movie for this OK. 

Distract 9: This movie is about aliens called Prawns who arrive on Earth in the 80’s. We learn that there ship is broken so the find refuge in Johannesburg locate in South Africa. Over twenty years later the people of Johannesburg find it difficult to co exist with them so a group call the Multi National United a.k.a MNU are sent the relocate the Prawn with Wikus Van de Merwe leading them. During this process something happens to him that attracts the MNU attention and he’s a fugitive because of it. So he has to clear his name before it’s too late.

I’m surprise that this movie isn’t Box Offices hit because this movie is different from most of the alien movies I’ve seen so far. In other alien movies they invade earth or we welcome them with open arms, that does happen in this movie (as far as welcoming them.) however we have ulterior motives. This movie deserves it’s R rating because of how bloody the violence is in this movie. I’m impress with the production value of this movie because it doesn’t have a big budget. Also this movie was filmed like a documentary for the most part. Most of the Prawns are not bright however there not safe to be around at times. Despite that you do feel sorry for them because how humanity treats them. The message of the movie may be obvious but it’s needed because we still have a hard time not seeing thing from someone else perspective.

Wikus Van de Merwe is a average joe. I don’t have anything else to say about him because we don’t know much about him, we know he like to drop F bombs like there no tomorrow. We do feel sorry for him do to how he became a fugitive. The only gripe I have with him is he’s inconsistent with the Prawns, I mean one minute he shows compassion for them and the next minute he despises them.

Christopher Johnson (One of the Prawns.) is one of the smartest Prawns who help’s Wikus out of his situation.

The problems I have with this movie are there are some disturbing scenes in the movie, the way the Prawns look may freak you out and how can the humans and Prawns understand each other if they speak two different languages? Also we don’t know why the Prawns are on earth? With all that said this is a good sci-fi movie. If you wonder what Men in Black would be like if they didn’t care if humanity knows that aliens exist and they didn’t have alien weapons I would recommend this.

 Rating = Treasure chest         

My review of The Iron Giant

My review of The Iron Giant 

 

Intro: I still can't believe this movie bombed at the Box Office due to bad marketing. 

The Iron Giant: This movie takes place in 1957 during the cold war, it is centered on a boy name Hogarth. One day he runs into a Giant robot that crash land on earth and the two form a friendship. Meanwhile a Government agent name agent Mansley becomes aware of the robot and suspect that Hogarth knows where it is. So Hogarth has to protect the giant from him before things get out of hand. 

The fact that this movie is underrated is a crime against animation! One of the many reasons why I feel this way about this movie is because it's different from Disney movies like it has mild language, intense action and suspenseful scenes. This movie deals with life and death in a way that doesn't scare them. The theme of this movie is identity, it's refreshing that kids' movies address something that isn't about sharping, keeping the environment clean, treating other with kindness and follow the rules. The relationship between Hogarth and the Giant is one of the best things about the movie! It's similar to John Connor's Relationship with the Terminator in T2 however it's done better. This movie did a good job at capturing what it's like during this time period, like sci-fi, fear of bombings and not knowing what's going on in other countries. I forgot to mention this movie also has funny moments.   

Hogarth is a rebellious and adventurous. I find it odd that he doesn't talk about his father.  

The Giant is a little kid as far as being curious and not knowing any better. I'm also fond that he's an enigma. 

Dean is an outsider who's into art and he helps Hogarth keep the Giant under control. 

Agent Mansley is arrogant and paranoid. 

There are only two problems I have with this movie, one of them is the last scene of the movie. My issue with it is that it undermines the climax. Second the toilet humor, I don't understand why that's suppose to be funny? Overall this is not only one of the best 90's movies but the best-animated movies. I would recommend this if you like 1950's Sci-if. 

Rating = Worth Seeing 

My rant about Physical Media

My rant about Physical Media 

 

I don't know about you but I'm not crazy about the idea of physical media becoming obsolete, just like I dread the day when credit cards become the only currency. I don't think that's going to happen however it's getting hard to get physical media. For example, there is a store that I like to go to to buy movies and it's called F.Y.E. The reason why I enjoy going to that store is that it had the largest collecting of movies, music and other things. Now so many of their stores are close due to this company ripping off their customers with their memberships. 

There are two of them left as far as I know but they're too far from where I live. Best Buy is the next best option but I notice their collection is getting smaller and smaller. Also, Samsung announces that they will stop producing 4K players, why I don't know. I also notice that there are only two types of Blu-Ray players being sold they are Samsung brand and LG brand. Don't get me wrong I'm not completely against streaming videos, I use it for movies or TV shows that are not on Blu-Ray. However, I prefer physical media and here's why. 

First of all, when you buy a movie it's yours, you don't have to worry about movies or shows being taken down by streaming services due to copyright issues. Netflix is the only streaming service I have and I notice that movies and shows leave that service. Second, your internet connection can affect the picture quality, if the connection is low then the picture is bad. Plus, you don't have to deal with buffering when you watch something on Blu-Ray. Yes! You can argue that Blu rays can freeze when it's scratched up, however, there are produces that can help you fix that.

Also what if the internet crash how are you going to watch movies and listen to music? Digital downloads are pointless because A you have to do it before the expiration date and B they can be taken away. When I download videos on my flash drive I get corruption problems. Third, you can control what you're watching, that's something you can't do with a streaming service. Well, Youtube is the next best thing. Finally, Blu Ray comes with special features that you can't find in streaming services. Some of them you can find on the internet, but how long do you think that will last before it's taken down with copyrights? 

Also, streaming services don't have every movie or show that's ever been made with the exception of the Amazon Firestick, Heck, not every movie is on Blu-Ray or DVD. Also, when you eliminate physical media, you make it disposable, and it shouldn't be. There are movies, TV shows, video games and music that have made an impact on pop culture and in people's lives that shouldn't be forgotten. How can we continue to do that if this is our attitude about it? Those are the reasons why I prefer physical media. Do you think physical media should die out?                

My Spider-Man Far From Home review

My Spider-Man Far From Home review 

Intro: Let me get this straight we were introduced to Peter Parker/Spider-Man in Civil War and a week has passed since then and Homecoming. We also learn that he's 15 in those movies, since the MCU takes place in real-time Infinity War takes place two years after Civil War so Peter is now 17. Five years have passed since Endgame so Peter is now 22 or should be 22, with that said Why is Peter still in High School!?! 

Seriously how can people overlook that plot hole? You can argue that Peter is still the same age when the snap happened. That's fine but the survivors don't know that, the creators should have him take his GED. What about his peers, did they survive the snap? If they did, then what was the point of the five-year gap if it doesn't make things awkward?   

Spider-Man far from home: This movie takes place 8 months after endgame and Peter Parker/Spider-Man is doing his part to protect New York City and coping with Tony Stark's death. Peter gets a chance to relax when he goes on vacation with his class but that's ruined when Nick Fury shows up. He recruits him for a mission to stop creatures called the Elementals with the help of Quentin Beck/Mysterio. So, they have to stop the Elementals before they destroy everything. 

I wish I can say that this is better than the previous one but it's not, actually, it's kind of worse. This movie turns all the tragedies in endgame into a joke. How am I suppose to take the aftermath of the snap seriously if the movie doesn't? Really it seems like the snap has no effect on anyone and it ruins the stakes in Infinity War. Not only that this movie also disrespects Tony Stark Sacrifice, that's no way to treat your golden goose. The movie tried to do different things that it doesn't achieve anything. Really this movie wouldn't exist if the characters weren't stupid and the plot wasn't contrived. What really bugs me about this movie is that this is the second Spider-Man film and Uncle Ben has not been mentioned. Marvel Studios what do you have to say for yourself? The movie has plot holes, for example, the Chaperone doesn't find it suspicious that their trip keeps changing. The movie doesn't flush out these characters. 

  
Peter Parker/Spider-Man is the same character as he was in Homecoming as far as being timid. My gripe with him is he has the same arc in the last film why!?! What's the point of having Spider-Man in the MCU if he's not going to be Spider-Man? Also, I don't buy that he would be devastated by Tony's death because their relationship seems to be one-sided. How can he grieve when he's busy trying to get with Michelle? Since we're on the topic he has no reason to introduce her because he finds her off-putting in the last film, heck she called him a loser so what has changed? Because he's trying to get his mack on he doesn't want to stop the elementals. WOW! Friendly neighborhood Spider-Man my butt.    

Ganke I mean Ned Leeds is not as helpful as he was in the previous movie because he's too busy trying to woo his girlfriend. Speaking of that this subplot amount to nothing in the end.  

Flash Thompson hasn't redeemed himself as being the bully, you have to do more than calling people names.  

Sadly, we learn nothing new about Michelle Jones. (Peter's love interest.) Why give her more screen time if it has no payoff? That's a shame because this movie could have explored her character or lack thereof.  

Nick Fury doesn't serve much of a purpose in this movie either. What bugs me about him is that he's off in this movie. You'll see what I mean when you watch it.  

Happy Hogan is OK as a supporting character, he helps Peter in the field. My beef with him is he's used to reinforce how attractive Aunt May is for her age. If I was Peter, I would beat the crap out of him for looking at her the wrong way. 

Speaking of Aunt May, she might as well not be in the movie because that how useless she is. What's the point of her knowing Peter is Spider-Man if it adds nothing to the story or their relationship?  

Quentin Beck/Mysterio is a stand-up guy who helps Peter fight the elementals. I'm also fond of his abilities. What bugs me about him is the twist involving him. To avoid confusion, I'll give you a clue to what it is, he has something in common with the Vulture. Also, his goal should have been difficult to achieve.   

Besides a cameo from a Spider-Man character, the only thing I like about this movie is the ending because it can take the next film in an interesting direction. Also, the movie has twists and turns that will take you by surprise. Overall, this is not only strike two for Marvel studios but a bad follow-up to endgame. I'm not crazy about how the MCU is handling Spider-Man so far. I would recommend this if you like the previous film. 

Rating = Trash 

My Godzilla King of the Monsters review

My Godzilla King of the Monsters review

Intro: I wish I can say that this movie is underrated I really do.  

Godzilla King of the Monsters: The movie takes place five years after the previous movie and Monarch discover that there are more Titans around the world. So, they have a meeting with the world leader to decide what they should do with them? Meanwhile, a Terrorist group led by Alan Jonah kidnaps Dr. Emma Russell who invented a device that can control the Titans, Alan wants to use that device to awaken the other Titans. So, Godzilla and Monarch have to stop them before it's too late. 

This movie is a love letter to Godzilla fans! I understand why this movie wasn't well-received, however, this movie can be a blueprint on how to do monster movies. The issue I have with monster movies is that it focus on the human characters and the monster is in the back around, that's the case here but the movie balances both the human and monster stuff well for the most part. (If only the movie didn't beat you over the head with that theme, but I digress.) That's the theme of this movie balance between humans and Titans. Humans are capable of causing as much damage as Godzilla. The movie has Easter eggs for Godzilla fans. I just wish the director was subtle about them like in the last movie. We also get the backstory of the Titans. The CGI looks great, we can see the expression on the monster's face. The movie has some funny bits.

Dr. Ishiro Serizawa is a strong advocate for Godzilla. 

Dr. Mark Russell despises Godzilla for the damage he caused but has to learn how to accept him as an ally. What bugs me about him is that he gets too much attention to the point where the other human characters are an afterthought.     

Dr. Vivienne Graham is the compassionate one in Monarch.  

Dr. Sam Coleman is the comic relief character. 

Alan Jonah (one of the villains) is a ruthless tyrant. My beef with him is I wish he was in the last act of the movie. 

One of the problems with this movie is that you barely see the monster fights. The movie wasted one of the references to the past Godzilla films. I was letdown that the writers didn't work Robo Godzilla into the movie because that could have worked. I didn't buy the movie trying to build suspense in the first hour of the film. The movie tried to give one character a redemption arc but I don't find it convincing. The movie has too many characters that don't get enough focus. 

I would be a fool to say that this is the best Godzilla movie however this is a decent popcorn flick that I would recommend fans give it a second viewing. 

 Rating = Average   

My thoughts on Brightburn

My thoughts on Brightburn

Who in the world though that this would be a good idea? I hope this shows people how much Superman isn’t respected, that’s a shame because he’s an iconic character. Sorry I didn’t mean to get ahead of myself. This movie is about what if Superman is a serial killer, what made you think that this would be an appropriate story for Superman? Look I don't mean else world stories but this is taking it too far. The reason I’m fine with the idea of Superman being evil in the Injustice video game is because that story could have been used as a social commentary on hierarchy. I can’t believe a lot of people are not vocally against it as far as I know, what makes Hollywood think that they can do a story about Superman killing people when they can’t make a good Superman movie? 

How many times do I have to said it Superman as a character isn’t the problem not coming up with a good story for him is the problem, if you can’t do that then ask the fans what Superman story they should adapted. So will you please stop deconstructing him. That’s the problem with having different version of a character we don’t have a definitive version of that character. I think it’s funny that people complain about Superman not being interesting so how is putting him in a horror movie is going to make him interesting? If making Superman a father didn't make him interesting in Superman Returns when made you think this will? I hope this movie fails I’m not saying that because I’m mad it’s because this movie is going to be boring. How can you be invested in a Horror movie where the killer is unstoppable? Even if he dies in the movie would you be OK with a child dying? I'm not saying that you can't tell a good story with this direction however it shouldn't come at the expanse of an already establish character.  

Overall this movie shouldn’t exist if you can’t give us the iconic Superman then you shouldn’t do stories to goes against what Superman suppose to be.  

The Flash season five review

The Flash season five review 

 

Intro: The Flash gets his ring this season but he didn't create it. What!?! 

The Flash season five: This season takes place right after the last season ended. We are introduced to a girl name Nora West Allen who is the daughter of Barry and Iris from the future. She traveled back in time to help her father stop the Thinker's plan, because of that she's stuck in the past. Meanwhile, a meta-human called Cicada is killing other metahumans and he or she figured out a way to do it on a global scale. So, team flash have to stop Cicada and send Nora back to her time. 

This show continues to go down the toilet! Seriously I don't know why I'm still watching this out of obligation, I'll give season six a chance because of the big crossover event. This should have been the last season. I'm not just saying that because people are allegedly leaving the show. It's because A Barry/the Flash has gotten so powerful to the point where he doesn't need a team for the most apart and B this season has a cure for metahumans, I'll get into that later. This season tries to make legacy a theme, you have to do more than have people say that word to make that theme work. The way this season ends sets up the next crossover event, I better be impressed with it. We learn more about the speed force in this season and this series acknowledges the shipping of two characters. Also, episode 16 should have been the mid-season final, you'll understand why when you watch it.    

We finally learn about Caitlin's past and it makes no sense when you think about it. 

This season did nothing with Cisco beyond him getting over his ex. I don't buy what the creators have done with him in the last episode.  

Detective Well is almost as good as Sherlock Holmes. That's my gripe with him we already have two detectives on the show why do we need another one? Also, how can team Flash trust him after he tried to con them?  

Nora/XS is just like her father minus the childish behavior. My beef with her is she's the main character of this season. She got so much focus to the point where everyone else is underused. Everything we learn about her isn't true.  

Cicada is a disappointing villain compared to the comics and what we thought we knew about this person. Cicada should have been a baddie of the week because his or her motivation to kill metahumans is lame! What bugs me about this character is the twist and turns the creators took with this character.  

My problem with this season is the plot twist with one of the characters, it wasn't shocking because of this character's MO. Something tragic happen in this season but I find it funny because the characters broth this on themselves. The characters in this season are stupid for letting Nora stay in their timeline for as long as she did, did everyone forget about Flash Point!?! Also, team Flash had more than one chance to stop Cicada sooner but they didn't take it why!?! Barry, Cisco and Ralph need to learn how to fight because they look pathetic fighting Cicada. That's another thing they fight Cicada too often. The cure must only exist in this timeline because no one from the future mentions or reference it. If it does exist in the future, then why do we still have metahumans? The filler episodes are distracting us from the main story because there are too many of them.      

I still don't like how everyone treats Ralph especially when he figures out one of the villain's plan. (Really characters are upset with each other for no reason for the most part.) Nora and Iris being at odds with each other is pointless because we don't know what cause Iris to be the way she is in the future. Plus Iris did something that isn't humanly possible. What's with the time jumps? Why do TV shows need to run in real-time? I feel like I'm beating a dead horse complaining about the plot holes with time travel because no one cares about the consequences of it, if that's the case why should I?

Overall, this season is a waste of potential! Of course, there are some enjoyable episodes but that's not enough to make this season salvageable.       

Arrow season seven review

Arrow season seven review 

Intro: It's about time this show acknowledges that Batman exists, plus this season made a Batman Beyond reference. That's awkward, considering Arrow uses Batman villains.  

Arrow season seven: This season takes place five months after Green Arrow and his former teammates regain control of Star City from Ricardo Diaz/the Dragon with the help of the FBI. In exchange for their help, Oliver Queen /Green Arrow has to turn himself over to their custody, vigilantes are banned from Star City, and Oliver's former team manages to move on with their lives. One day, a new Green Arrow shows up at Star City, and Ricardo Diaz returns to Star City with allies wanting revenge. So former team Arrow has to figure out if the new Green Arrow can be trusted and stop Diaz once and for all. 

This season was also a letdown! That's sad because this season had a promising start, then the show begins to fall apart as the season went on. I was disappointed with the longbow hunters ( Ricardo Diaz's allies) because they were underused in this series. Oliver in prison subplot was fine, I don't know if it's based on the Green Arrow movie that was never made called Escape from Supermax. It could have been better if we had seen how this ordeal changed him. I wish it would last longer, and I'm not crazy about how it got resolved. The last episode took me by surprise, that saying a lot considering that I don't like the title of that episode because it gave us an idea of how this season is going to end.

This season has flashforwards into the future. I find them interesting at first because we see how the anti-vigilante law affects the future. Later on, in the series, they got worse because they don't connect to what's going on in the present. The events in this season don't explain how we got from point A to point B in the flashforwards. The flashforwards are about William looking for Oliver and Felicity. During his search, he discovers a plot to level Star City, so William has to find what's left of the former team Arrow to stop this from happening. (Another thing the flash-forwards reference a popular figure that a lot of people don't like.) My only gripe with the flashforwards is that we don't know what causes the division between the Glades and the rest of Star City. This season also has the theme of redemption; however, this season didn't handle that theme well. I'll get into that later. 

The Olicity drama is contrived. I enjoy the crossover episodes because they are superhero versions of Freaky Friday. and the event improves the relationship between Barry and Oliver. It's about an alien called the Monitor who gives a professor a book that can change the world around him. The Monitor is doing this because he's looking for people who can stop an event that will happen in the future. So, Barry, Oliver, and Kara have to stop him before things get out of hand. The only complaint I have with the crossover is that it makes two comic book characters look bad. 

Oliver Queen/ Inmate 4587 is trying to stay out of trouble, but that becomes difficult when an associate of Diaz is giving him a hard time, plus Oliver has to deal with other shady things that are going on in prison. Once again, Oliver goes through a deconstruction; it may not be as good as season five; however, it helps him reflect on his life. The issue I have with Oliver's redemption story is that he doesn't back up his claims that he regrets how he did things as the Green Arrow because he didn't do much to change his persona.  

          

The new Green Arrow is an enigma. When we learn who he or she is, it creates so many plot holes around this person. Also, this reveal undermines seasons one and five if you really think about it. Plus, I'm not fond of what the creators have done with this character later on, because the writers tried to do too many things with this person. 

Diggle is back to normal in this season. Wait! The writers can fix Diggle, but they can't fix Felicity.

Speaking of Felicity, the writers ruined her. I mean, I thought the creators were going in a direction that would make her likable, but they screwed it up. 

Rene Ramirez/Wild dog mentors the kids in the glades; it's a shame that we don't see a lot of it. Despite doing that, he misses being Wild Dog.  

Laura Lance/Black Siren is trying to be on the straight and narrow, but she's rough around the edges. We also learn a little bit more about her. My gripe with her is her redemption story. I mean, I wouldn't have minded it if she faced consequences for her past actions. To be fair, some people didn't give her a chance to change. The Bronze Tiger redemption story is better than hers. (Bronze Tiger is a villain of the week.)  

Black Star is a hothead. Why she's so angry makes no sense. 

Roy Harper/ Arsenal didn't show up until towards the end of the series. I'm not crazy about the story this season told with him because it's similar to the one in season two. 

Diane Drake/Black Canary is now Captain of the SCPD. I don't have anything else to say about her because she's inconsistent in this season to the point where I can't describe her as a character. We learn that she and Rene had a fallout in the flashforwards, but we don't know what happened.  

This season didn't give Ricardo Diaz (One of the villains) any justice. What's the point of giving him super strength if it serves no purpose?

The ninth circle (a criminal Organization) is a joke! This group was treated as a subplot before they became the main focus. Also, we don't see this gang; we only see their foot soldiers. This organization didn't pose much of a threat to Oliver's allies. My problem with this group is that they are at odds with their leader; the organization wants to kill people in Star City for different reasons. We didn't learn the organization's motivation last episode, and the leader's motivations are contrived.     

One of my many grievances with this season (besides the plot holes) is that we finally get the Birds of Prey episode, and I was let down by it. Not because it's bad, it's because I was hoping it would be about them achieving a goal, not wrapping up Laura's redemption arc. Speaking of episodes, we should have gotten Episode 15 sooner. You'll understand what I mean when you watch it. I was hoping the new writers would fix this series, but the writing is the biggest problem with this season. The writers establish things but don't focus on them, like the people who live in the Glades want vigilantes back because they feel alienated by the police. 

Also, this season feels like more than one person wrote this season. The creators drop the ball in telling a redemption story for another character that I will not name for the sake of spoilers. This person didn't do anything that deserves redemption. There is an episode where a building blows up, and the characters inside the building survive it without serious injuries. Are you kidding me!?! The last episode ruined what is going to happen in the next season by telling us what will happen. I wouldn't mean that if it was played as dramatic irony. I wish Star City was vocal about Oliver learning his lesson because it seems like he redeemed himself way too easily. Speaking of easy, how the creators got around the anti-vigilante laws was easy as well.  

Overall, this season may not be as good as seasons one, two, and five. However, it's not as bad as seasons three, four, and six. The only thing I want for the eighth and final season is for all ten episodes to be good.       

My thoughts on the Star Wars Prequels

My thoughts on the Star Wars Prequels 

 

Intro: Since this is the 20th anniversary of the prequels and the fate of Star Wars is in limbo, I decided to finally give my thoughts on this trilogy. The reason why I didn't talk about it sooner is that a lot of people badmouth the prequels, so I didn't think I can say anything new about them. Also, these movies are hard for me to review. Thanks to the recent state of Star Wars people are pretending that the prequels are good, I mean, starting to have a change of heart about the prequels. Now is a good time for me to talk about them. I'll try to focus on the major issues I have with this trilogy. If you haven't watched it, then don't read this post. I have one thing to say about Jar Jar Binks; when Watto and the battle droids are funnier than the comic relief character, something is wrong. 

When I first learned about the prequels. I was excited because we don't know the whole story of how Anakin became Darth Vader, the fall of the Jedi, and the rise of the Empire. However, looking at this in hindsight, did we really need this trilogy? I mean, we already know what will happen beforehand, which makes it hard to be invested in these movies. The prequels can work if they add context to what we already know; sadly, these movies drop the ball on that. Because of that, this trilogy feels like filler. Watching what happened in the past should be as good as hearing about it; if the movie doesn't do that, you know you screwed up. 

When I first saw episode one, I was confused because I noticed the inconsistency it has with the original trilogy. So I continued to watch the other two movies, and they made things worse. I don't think these movies are good, and after all these years, my views on them haven't changed. The first film has some entertainment value, but it's a waste of time because this movie adds nothing to the other films. The second film was a boring, written mess for the most part. The final film may be the best one out of the three, but that's not saying much. That movie was entertaining at times and dramatic, kind of. Despite how I feel about this trilogy, it did its job of introducing Star Wars to a new generation of fans.  

Whatever good things the prequels have going for it it's overshadowed by its flaws like dull and underdeveloped characters. Stiff acting, for the most part, slow pacing, boring politics, out-of-place dialogue, plot holes, and contradictions from the original trilogy. Both this and the original trilogy begin the same way, as far as starting off in the middle of an event that already happened; the difference is that we got a simple explanation in the original trilogy but not in the prequels.  

Thanks to outside sources I was able to understand the prequels a little bit better. 

                                                                                                  

However, this is one of the many problems I have with the prequels I shouldn't have to do research to figure out what the writers are trying to establish, establishing stories and characters is the writer's job. 

Just like I shouldn't have to go to an arcade to unlock special features in a video game. 

This is a trilogy, not homework assignments, also if it's not in the movie then it's not in the movie. Sorry, I'm getting ahead of myself.    

Let's start this off by talking about Anakin Skywalker. I understand what Mr. Lucas was trying to do with this character, as far as telling a story about how anyone can fall to the dark side due to fear and selfishness. However, there are so many missteps with how this story was told. In episode one, we're introduced to Anakin as a child slave on Tatooine. You'll find it hard to believe that he's a slave because he's a bright, cheerful kid with hopes and dreams. He's also a pilot, how in the world can he do that if he's not tall enough to fit in the cockpit? He has friends, a home to go to, and he builds things in his spare time. Does this sound like a slave to you? Anakin also has a high midi chlorians count. I'll get back to that later.   

Watto (Anakin's owner.) is chummy with him and when he sees him again in the next movie, he's happy to see him, ask him to help him out and apologizes for selling his mother. Why would he do that if he enslaved him and his mother? Speaking of his mom, am I the only one uncomfortable with the idea of his mom being a Virgin Mary clone? When Padme asks him are you a slave, he got offended you can say that he's in denial about being a slave. Introducing us to Anakin as a child was a mistake because a lot of kids are like this if they're raised properly. Even if he was an evil little bastard people wouldn't like the idea of wanting a child to die unless he's Hitler. Plus, being a slave doesn't seem to have a negative effect on him as far as we know. That's a shame because I like the idea of him being a slave because this helps parallel him with his son, both of them were stuck on Tatooine for different reasons. Also, this would explain a lot of things like his anger, being accessible to the darkside and the mindset he has in the next movie.      

This characterization of Anakin will serve no purpose in the next film because he completely changed off-screen in that movie. In episode two he's a juvenile delinquent who lusts after Padme. To be fair I would want to sweep her off her feet too. If you didn't see the first film you would think he's already on the dark side because he's disrespectful at times, resents Obi-Wan, thinks he can solve problems with dictatorship and he committed mass murder. Why is Anakin becoming Darth Vader suppose to be tragic again? To be fair I know why Anakin is like this but I'll get into that later. ( The Jedi Quest books also give us insight into why Anakin is like this.)     

In episode three he's a Jedi knight who chummy with Obi-Wan. He's also conflicted about the Jedi and worried about losing Padme (She's his wife now they got married at the end of episode two.) How is he a Jedi Knight? Vader told Obi-Wan when I left you, I was but a learner now I am the master. (To be fair I can buy him becoming a knight because of the Clone Wars.) Why is he upset that the Jedi council didn't make him a master? He gains knighthood towards the end of the Clone Wars, what makes him think he can get that title in a short time? Plus, he knew that they wouldn't give him that title, so what was he mad about? Where is the mistrust in the council coming from? I'm not saying he doesn't have a reason to think that however there's no build-up to it. This plot point was handled better in the episode 3 novel. If this is the same Anakin from the Clone Wars series, he shouldn't ask why he isn't a master because he was a rule breaker in that show and was comfortable with fighting the war. 

The scene where Anakin became Darth Vader was odd, I mean he knew what he did to Mace was wrong one second and the next second he joined Darth Sidious. Also, I wasn't that impressed with how Darth Sidious turned Anakin into Darth Vader, all he did was stroke his ego and prey on his fears. Plus, Anakin kind of has an inferiority complex which makes it easy for Darth Sidious to manipulate him. Another reason why I don't feel sorry that Anakin fell from grace is because he's either stupid or stubborn. I mean he was warned about the darkside so many times in films, cartoons and video games. He was even warned about how hard it is to be a Jedi. Would you feel sorry for someone who makes the same mistake over and over again, after someone tells them what they're doing is wrong? What's the point of asking Yoda for advice if you're not going to take it? (To be fair what Yoda told him causes more harm than good, but I digress.) 

I don't buy his friendship with Obi-Wan because If I can't call you by your first name then I don't consider you a friend. Plus, They spend most of their time separated. Whatever issues they had in episode 2 was resolved off-screen. Anakin said he views Obi-Wan like a father. I also don't believe that Obi-Wan is the reason Vader is wearing his black suit because when Vader saw Obi-Wan in a new hope he wasn't outraged with him. I understand why Anakin would blame Obi-Wan for his mother's death I mean he told Obi-Wan that he has nightmares about her. Instead of acknowledging his pain or comforting him, he ignores him. WOW! Good friend my butt. Anakin's friendship with Palpatine is more convincing than Obi-Wan that's saying a lot. Did he even try to free his mother or know about her death? 

The reason why I think Anakin is the way he is in episode two is that Obi-Wan was a padawan when he took Anakin under his wing. Despite Obi-Wan becoming a Jedi Knight later on Anakin doesn't respect him the way he would Qui Gon (Obi-Wans mentor.) because his knowledge of the force was limited, it's like a teenager raising a child on his or her own. Also, Obi-Wan was against Anakin becoming a Jedi, maybe Obi-Wan did or said something that gave Anakin the idea that he didn't want to train him. That wouldn't surprise me considering he didn't comfort Anakin about his mother and he was insensitive about Anakin being a slave in outside sources. 

I don't know if you have to be a master or not to train a padawan. Plus, Obi-Wan is guilty of doing some of the things he berates Anakin for like being reckless. Obi-Wan didn't say anything nice about Anakin in episode 2 and when he does he's condescending about it. So, yeah I get why Anakin was like that but it doesn't make him likable. I wish I could say that I'm glad that Obi-Wan took responsibility for Anakin becoming Darth Vader by saying I failed you Anakin because I don't know what he meant by that? He didn't admit the role he played in Anakin becoming Vader in the original trilogy.  

I wish Yoda would do the same thing because he also played a role in why Anakin became Darth Vader. In episode 2 he sense Anakin was in pain. I guess he didn't talk to him about it because it was never mentioned in the next movie.       

His romance with Padme was a joke compared to how it was handled in the novelization of episode 2. Anakin just wants to tap that... (My editor pop me upside my head.) I mean tap that heart with poetry. The romance in Twilight is better than this. (I'm just kidding I don't watch Twilight.) I don't get what Padme sees in Anakin. Speaking of Padme, she plays a role in why Darth Vader exist. In a scene in episode two, Anakin told her that he killed a village of sand people including women and children because they killed his mother. Instead of telling Obi-Wan or the authorities, she comforts him. What the fudge!?! I know he was outraged that they killed his mother however that doesn't justify mass murder. 

This is one of the good things about the prequels they reinforce that women want bad boys, you're a fool if you think otherwise but I digress. I know why these two love each other it's because they're both morons! When Padme confronts Anakin about turning to the darkside she was in shock. Where was this reaction when you first learn that he killed people!?!   

I was let down that the Jedi or Sith didn't do anything new with the force because the Jedi and Sith can do other things with the force like in the Expanded Universe. What's the point of showing us that if the creators are not going to put it in the films? Well, we kind of got some of that in the new Star Wars films but that's a topic for another time maybe. I can understand why people have a problem with Midi Chlorians because it makes Star Wars less of a Space Fantasy and more Sci-Fi. If the Midi Chlorians were used as an allegory for genes, it wouldn't have bothered me as it did everyone else. What bugs me about it is that it's distracting. 

Midi Chlorians are treated as a power meter in these movies.

          

Why introduce a new aspect to the force if the movies are not going to focus on it? We learn about it in the first film, the second film doesn't elaborate on the Midi Chlorians and it's mentioned in the last film. If Anakin is stronger than Yoda because of his midi-chlorian count, why didn't he become stronger than Yoga? I refuse to believe that Darth Vader couldn't become as powerful as he should have been because he lost his arms and legs, if Yoda can move around like a Tazmanian Devil then Darth Vader should be as powerful as he suppose to be. 

The force in the prequel films is treated like superpowers instead of a spiritual guide in the original trilogy. The Jedi can do the same things with the force and it's hard to tell who's the strongest without Yoda? Also, the force seems limited in the prequels. Do you see what I mean when I say that midi chorians are distracting? A Jedi shouldn't be defined by his or her midi-chlorian count or what he or she can do with the force it's about the type of person you are.    

   

Now onto the Clone War. Why is this war called the clone war if it has nothing to do with the clones? What's the point of the Senate being against a clone Army if it amounts to nothing? One of the gripes I have with the Clone Wars series is the war drags, I mean they could have killed General Grievous so many times but they didn't take it. This wouldn't bother me if the Jedi didn't do shady things in that series. Also dragging out a war is a waste of time, lives and money. This was addressed in an episode of the series. 

This war wouldn't exist of Darth Sidious said execute order 66 when everyone was on Geonosis. Let me get this straight this war started because the Separatists want to leave the Republic, are you kidding me? Who are the Separatists hurting by leaving the Republic? Leaving the Republic is not like leaving a Nation it's more like leaving an organization. We were told that this war represents a failure to listen; if we knew what the separatist want, it would make the war less one-sided. If you didn't want the Republic to fall apart, then you should have set it up better. 

How can the Jedi be OK with being a part of this war? Another thing is, how can they let themselves get killed off? They suspect a plot to destroy them, they learn about it after an investigation, and Count Dooku (one of the villains) tells Obi-Wan about it. In the Clone Wars series, they learn about Order 66, with all that information, the Jedi still played along with this plot. Why!?! Also, it's hard to be invested in this war when we saw the beginnings of it in one movie and the end of it in the next movie. In the opening crawl of episode 3, we were told that there are heroes on both sides. The problem with that is we don't see that in the movie or the series. We were also told that there is corruption in the republic but we don't see that either. Plus, we don't know the effects this war has on the Republic and the Galaxy in the movies. I understand this war is Darth Sidious's way of turning the Republic into an empire; however, the setup left more to be desired. 

I don't know if I would prefer the Thrawn trilogy's version of the Clone Wars. I mean it does explain why the Clone Wars is called the Clone Wars, but the conflict in this war doesn't sound interesting to me. Plus, it makes no sense for the Jedi to be involved in this war because it goes against their teachings. The writers of the original trilogy were going to build off the Clone Wars, but that idea was scrapped because the viewers would be left out of the loop. The Clone Wars should have been a throw-away line if the creators can't establish why this war was a big deal.   

      

Let's get into the Jedi and Sith. I was let down that the creators of these films didn't use Anakin to explain the Jedi way like the Original Trilogy use Luke to explain the force. We don't know much about the Jedi way because the movies didn't do the best job explaining that. We only learn three things about the Jedi way, they are Jedi don't kill people, they follow the will of the force and they have to devote their life to the Jedi order. Devoting to the Jedi order involves no attachments to people, things, or outcomes. 

This plays a role in why the Jedi council is against Anakin becoming a Jedi in the first place due to his attachment to his mother. It's too bad the prequels didn't focus on the life of the Jedi because that would have been an interesting character study, that lifestyle is hard like Qui Gon said. You have powers but you can't use them unless the council or the force tells you to. That means you have to let bad things happen around you including to people you care about. Also, you can't use your powers to better your life because the Jedi are selfless, they have to put others above themselves and others equally. 

The Sith always puts him or herself first, if you do that, you'll fall victim to the dark side. This is why the Jedi indoctrinate children at a young age because it's hard to convince grown-ups to live this life. Yes! It's messed up but they're helping them reach their full potential and preparing them to live a life without attachments. The Jedi are encouraged to love but not in a possessive way. After seeing what happened to Anakin in this trilogy shows why possessive love is forbidden, would you let the world burn to save one person you know? Even if you sacrifice a loved one for the sake of others can you live with the guilt of not being able to save that person?  

This is another complaint I have with the prequels they make it seem like everything is black and white and it's not, even Palpatine says what's right or wrong is a point of view. Yoda told Anakin fear is the path to the dark side, fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate and hate leads to suffering. I understand what he's saying however it's not that simple. Fear doesn't always lead to anger and this trilogy didn't do the best job at foreshadowing what Yoda said. This is why being a Jedi is hard because fear is the one emotion people are having a hard time controlling.  

Having emotions is not a bad thing as long as it doesn't dictate your actions. This reinforces why I think the characters are dull, most of the Jedi are emotionless. Just because you have the same outlook on life that doesn't we should have the same attitude about it. This is another thing the clone wars series fixed, the Jedi in that series have different personalities. 

Being selfish is not a bad thing as long as it doesn't hurt anyone. Do you think wealthy people become rich if they don't put themselves first? Serving others can cause resentment and it shouldn't come at the expense of not bettering yourself.           

This should have been the downfall of the Jedi having a civil war among themselves, instead of letting themselves get killed. Having Palpatine creates conflict with some of the Jedi by having them resent the Jedi order for robbing them of their childhood and not following the will of the force instead of serving the Republic. 

Qui Gon is the only Jedi as far as we know who follows the will of the force instead of the Jedi code whatever that is, this is why he wasn't on the council. The Clone Wars series shows the Jedi are at odds over the war and some of them are having trouble with not having attachments. The Jedi are suppose to bring balance to the force, not peace because peace and balance are not the same thing.   

How can the Jedi council members be on the council if they don't follow the will of the force? Even Mace Windu says they lose their ability to use the force even though they use it for combat. I don't think the Jedi Order is wrong there are benefits to how they do things however they took away people's choice to join the Jedi Order. If I was on the Jedi council I would suggest that there should be a trial to see if the padawans want to leave the Jedi order. I'm guessing the Sith not being around for a millennium caused the Jedi to lose their way.     

Since we're on the subject of balance do you know what bugs me about the prophecy besides the fact that we don't know who wrote it or what it says, it's that it makes Yoda look bad. What's the point of being the oldest and strongest Jedi if he doesn't know what the prophecy says and can't bring balance to the force? Wait! he can't be the strongest Jedi because Master Sifo-Dyes was the leader of the Jedi council. What kind of balance is this trilogy talking about? 

Are you talking about everything being even? That can't be the case because the Jedi outnumber the Sith a hundred to one. Is it the Yin and Yang balance that can't be it either because Palpatine said the dark side of the force is considered unnatural. If that's true, then the dark side is like a virus to the force. (Then again this would have more meaning coming from Yoda.) In Star Wars Rebels a character called the Bendu believes that the force would be balanced if there were no force users, are the prequels talking about that kind of balance? We don't know because were unclear about it.       

What is a Sith? I'm not being funny what is it? These movies don't explain their history. The only thing we learn about this they have been extinct for a thousand years and there are always two of them. Also, there was a Sith war.  

Overall, it's a shame that these movies turned out the way they did because they had the potential to be better than what they were. Really this trilogy should have been a three-book TV series like Avatar the Last Airbender because it's hard to incorporate everything the novels have done into movies. That's all I have to say about the prequels for now. Do you think they're bad or underrated?