I had my hopes up for this Superman reboot, after all James Gunn has made some amazing movies and bringing him into the DC universe seemed like the perfect match but after watching Superman 2025 I felt more confused than excited about what I just witnessed. The movie starts off strong with Superman already three years into his superhero career, which I actually appreciated since we didn't have to sit through another origin story but this decision also created some problems that haunted the entire movie in my opinion. David Corenswet looks perfect as Superman, he has the jawline, the build, the wholesome American charm that makes you believe he could be the Man of Steel but somehow his performance never quite reaches the level of commanding presence you expect from Earth's greatest protector, I mean this guy felt more like an activist rather than the invincible hero, spend more of the time getting beat up badly. Rachel Brosnahan does well as Lois Lane and their chemistry works, specially during the small fights they have as a couple, they feel like a real couple who have been together for a while, which is refreshing compared to other superhero movies where romance feels forced but the problem is we never get to see how they fell in love or what makes their relationship special, how she find out he was Superman and when did he told her neither. The movie itself is a beauty with all the visual spectacle, the bright colors pop off the screen in ways that make you feel like you are reading a comic book come to life, the costume design is fantastic and Metropolis looks like a real city where superheroes would exist but all these technical achievements can't mask the fundamental storytelling issues that drag the whole movie down.

• IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5950044/

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What bothered me most about this movie was how weak Superman felt throughout the entire thing, he is supposed to be the most powerful being on Earth but he spends most of his screen time getting beaten up by various villains who shouldn't even be able to touch him, its like they downgrade him on purpose. The opening scene shows him already defeated and bloodied in Antarctica, which sets a tone that never really changes, he was constantly struggling and needing help from other heroes who seem more competent than he does, both using their powers and even smarter than him. Mr Terrific steals every scene when I honestly thought would be the weakest of them all but them that guy has a brain and powers, he feels more like the main character than Superman himself, he was the one solving problems, making the smart decisions and generally being more heroic than the actual hero of the movie, he was even with Lois during the hole time so all he had to do was ask her out and Superman was done done. Nicholas Hoult does a great job as Lex Luthor although lets be honest he doesnt beat Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor in Justice League, did have that manic energy that makes him hateable in all ways possible, his plan to frame Superman as a threat so he can profit from military contracts is clever and feels grounded in real world politics, a page taken by Iron Man in a way, but even Lex seems to have Superman figured out in ways that make our hero look incompetent rather than noble. Guy Gardner brings some comic relief as the obnoxious Green Lantern from the comics, Nathan Fillion nails the character's arrogant personality perfectly but like most of the Justice Gang members he feels underutilized and more like a cameo than an actual character. The movie tries to juggle so many different characters and plot threads that none of them get the development they deserve, leaving you wanting more of some characters while questioning why others were even included and even made me feel lost at times like whats next? because it does felt like I had no clue where the movie was going next.

The pacing of the movie feels rushed in all the wrong places and slow in others, we jump from scene to scene without letting emotional moments breathe or giving us time to understand whats actually at risk. The relationship between Superman and his adoptive parents feels surface level, we see them for maybe ten minutes total and they come across as simple farmer who don't really understand their son's world but still loves him very much, which could have been interesting if the movie had explored this characters more but I can understand they wanted to jump in to the Superman of now rather how everything started. The political subplot involving the fictional war between Boravia and another country feels heavy handed, the imagery clearly references real world conflicts but the movie doesn't really have anything meaningful to say about war or Superman's role in global politics beyond "killing civilians is bad" thats it. Krypto the dog is cute and will probably sell a lot of toys but his presence feels more like a marketing decision than a story choice, although we can also argue that he most likely belong to another movie after all Krypto is Supergirl dog seems, he shows up to save Superman when needed and disappears when convenient. The fortress of solitude looks amazing but serves mainly as a place for Superman to go when he's hurt, which happens way too often for my liking, I want to see Superman win fights not constantly need healing and backup, is this Batman movie?.

James Gunn clearly understands the comic book source material and isn't afraid to embrace the weirdness that makes Superman stories special, the pocket dimension sequence and kaiju fight show he is willing to go full comic book in ways that other directors might not as to stick more traditional to the Man of Steell we all have known for many years, that can be good and bad depending who the majority of your audience is. The problem is that understanding the source material and translating it effectively to screen are two different things, this movie feels like someone read a bunch of Superman comics and decided to adapt all of them at once without focusing on what makes any individual story work. The humor hits sometimes but misses just as often, Superman's "golly gee" personality can be charming but it also makes him feel immature in ways that undercut his authority as a leader and protector, even Lois felt had more authority over everyone else including Superman. The action sequences look good but they are shot in a way that makes everything feel chaotic, almost like you know Superman is going to get beat up every time, the camera moves around too much during fight scenes and you lose track of what's happening, which is frustrating when Superman is supposed to be graceful and precise in his movements. Lex Luthor's motivation makes sense but feels over the top, especially when he fights Superman it feels like they playing Playstation throwing combos a Superman, he's so obviously evil that it becomes cartoonish rather than menacing, I want a Lex Luthor who could convince people he was right even when he is wrong.

I found myself thinking about all the missed opportunities this movie had, there was clearly passion and effort behind every it but never comes together into something greater than the sum of a couple of cool scenes. The biggest problem is that Superman never feels like Superman, he was too weak, too unsure of himself, too dependent on others to be the inspiring figure this character should be, I wanted to feel like the good times of DCU heroes, ngl some of the Wonder Woman and The Batman, those make you fell excited about being a good person but instead I felt frustrated that they made the Man of Steel feel so small. The movie sets up a larger DC universe and introduces characters who will probably get their own movies but it doesn't make me particularly excited to see more of this version of these characters, especially if Superman continues to be overshadowed by everyone around him. David Corenswet has the potential to be a great Superman but the script doesn't give him enough moments to really shine, to really feel like he got a single fight under control, he is likeable but never gets to be truly heroic, there was just the single guy rooting for Superman as a hard core fan and gets shot, WTF!!. The visual effects are solid and the production values are high, but technical competence can't replace good storytelling and character development, this movie looks like a Superman movie but doesn't feel like one where it counts. I give Superman 2025 a barely 7 out of 10, it's not terrible but it's not the Superman movie many of us wanted after waiting so long, maybe the sequel will give us a Superman who actually feels super instead of just wearing the costume.

#skiptvads, #inleo, #hive, #superman, #jamesgunn, #davidcorenswet, #reboot, #dcuniverse, #disappointed, #superhero, #review, #lexluthor, #rachelbrosnahan, #mrterrific, #krypto, #metropolis, #weak, #underwhelming, #comic, #justice, #loisklane, #nathanfillion, #nicholashoult, #pacing, #visuals, #storytelling, #mediocre, #potential

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Hey Hive friends and cinema fans! ‎ ‎I will talk about the 2014 science fiction film "The Maze Runner" that has become one of my favorite movies.

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I watched this before with my family — our first family movie date. ‎ ‎Watching this in the theater with the lights dimmed is so exciting. ‎ ‎And I'm sharing it with you too. I hope you'll enjoy it. 🌷 ‎ ‎One thing I love about this film is the suspenseful plot.

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I love movies with intriguing mystery elements, and "The Maze Runner" just successfully builds that tension and keeps me guessing until the final reveal. ‎ ‎This film was directed by Wes Ball, based on the novel by James Dashner. ‎ ‎The main cast are Dylan O'Brien, Kaya Scodelario, and Thomas Brodie-Sangster, who deliver a compelling performance.

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The story started, when Thomas, played by Dylan O'Brien, awakens in a mysterious maze called the Glade with no memory of his past.

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He joins a group of boys who are trying to find a way out while uncovering the secrets behind the Glade for years. ‎ ‎They are called "Gladers".

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That Glade is surrounded by a giant maze that changes every night.

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There they have formed their own rules and society. ‎ ‎While Thomas is adjusting his life in the Glade, he also starts to uncover secrets about the maze, as he becomes involved in the efforts to solve the mystery.

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A suspenseful journey of Thomas and the Gladers follows as they face dangers in the Maze and try to escape. ‎ ‎My love for mystery and suspense is so satisfied in this film. ‎ ‎The clever plot twists, the moments of tension, and the slow reveal of what lay behind the maze are like a puzzle I couldn't put down because every scene deepened my fascination. ‎ ‎Watching the story unfold, I admired how it kept me guessing. ‎ ‎All in all, this film perfectly matched my passion for uncovering secrets and unravelling mysteries. ‎ ‎It became one of my favorites, leaving me eagerly waiting for the next chapter (which is out now). ‎ ‎Of course, this leaves me with some lessons: ‎ ‎• that teamwork or working together is so effective in surviving and uncovering secrets about a situation ‎ ‎• that having courage is so important in facing the unknown dangers ‎ ‎• and lastly, that adjusting to new challenges and changing circumstances will help you survive. ‎ ‎Until my next movie... ‎ ‎Thanks for the visit! Have a lovely day. Buh-bye. 💗🌸

It took me some time to watch Better Man after it hit theaters because honestly I felt it was too much for me at the moment, there was so much hype around it that made me cringe and then my expectations would be too high and honestly I wasnt expecting much from another music biopic, specially one about Robbie Williams who I never really cared about growing up but this movie completly suprised me. The whole CGI monkey thing sounds ridiculous on paper, like some weird marketing gimmick that would ruin the entire experience but somehow it actually works and makes the story feel more real than most traditional biopics I have watched recently after all is one of those highly unlikely type of movie to succed. Michael Gracie who directed The Greatest Showman decided to take this massive creative risk, having Williams do the chimpanzee throughout the entire movie because thats how he sees himself, as this performing monkey dancing for everyone elses entertainment, yeah that sounds like a bit of twisted idea but lets not get dark here. The movie starts with young Robbie in working class Stoke on Trent, dealing with a father who abandons the family to chase his own failed dreams of stardom, leaving behind this conflicted message that you either make it big or your nobody, which messes with the kids head from day one. His relationship with his grandmother becomes the emotional center of the early scenes, shes this sweet supportive woman who believes in him no matter what and Alison Steadman just nails this role perfectly, you can feel the love between them. When Robbies dad Peter comes back into the picture after hearing about Take That success, it creates this painful dynamic where the kid is desperate for approval from someone who only shows up when theres something in it for him, Steve Pemberton plays the father as this selfish dreamer who never really grew up himself.

• IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14260836/
• Platform: Paramount+

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The Take That years get handled really well here, showing how five teenagers suddenly become this massive phenomenon without really understanding what hit them, Gary Barlow describe as the talented songwriter who gets most of the creative control and money while Robbie feels like an side wing even though he was the one with all the charisma and stage presence, the showman giving it all but not getting back as much from the group. From the idea that Robbie Williams is showing as the character he identified himself with you arlready know the movie is kindas dark and shows that same side from thast boy band life, all the gay clubs they performed at before finding their female audience, the pressure from management and how Robbie started using drugs and alcohol to cope with feeling like he didnt belong anywhere, I can only imagine how frustrating must be for as guy of his age at that time, because of this and other personal reasons they finally kick him out of the band, you can see how devastating it is for someone whose entire identity was built around being part of this group but also how it becomes the push he needs to prove everyone wrong about his talent, potentially and most specially how he can be better than the boy band, just by himself all alone as a solo guy. The CGI monkey works especially well during these emotional moments because it lets you see vulnerability that might feel too raw with a human actor, basically they could shape those emotions they way they wanted so not heavy acting was needed, when Robbie breaks down after leaving Take That, the ape face somehow makes it more universal and heartbreaking at the same time.

His solo career brings new success but also bigger problems, the movie shows how fame at that level is basically impossible to handle without serious support systems and Robbies addiction issues spiral completely out of control, it has to be a team effor trying to control a young talent so he doesnt go off rails, we talking millions into the pocket of someone who have never expirience such fame and money with a very dark background, parents and mentors is not enough. The relationship with Nicole Appleton from All Saints gets a great exploration at the same time showing how two people struggling with their own demons try to find love but ultimately cant save each other from themselves, especially when her management forces her to terminate their pregnancy which sends Robbie even deeper into drugs and self destruction. The way they handle his suicide attempts feels no sugar coat but also without being exploitative, using that underwater sequence where hes literally drowning while fans take pictures instead of helping him, its a perfect metaphor for how isolating fame can be even when your surrounded by people. There is this aspect of the movie that I actually enjoy and they kinda put down a bit the hole musical thing, although it was inevitable, it was the recovery journey of Robbie that becomes about learning to forgive himself and others, particularly his father who shows up again once Robbie becomes successful as a solo artist, leading to this complicated relationship where love and resentment get all tangled up together and thats just natural human nature. The movie ends with this beautiful moment where Robbie brings his dad on stage to sing My Way together, finally giving the old man the spotlight he always wanted while also showing that Robbies grown enough to share his success instead of hoarding it thats the real reward.

What really makes this movie special is how creative the musical numbers are and most of the time fkn hilarious at how convinient they might be like the time they singing "Rock Dj" and you got this five old lady show up in electic scooters, the constant wardrobe changes, they use these elaborate sequences to show different periods of Robbies life, Rock DJ scene in Regent Street that took forever to film but looks absolutely incredible, with hundreds of dancers and this amazing one shot feel that makes you forget your watching a biopic, Im not a musical guy but damn it felt just like a music video back in the day from MTv. The Angels was a bit different when you understand its about his relationship with his grandma and dealing with grief, suddenly this song everyone knows becomes something way more personal and meaningful. The movie also does this thing where Robbies inner demons literally appear as other versions of himself throughout the concerts, showing how self doubt and negative self talk can take over your brain even when thousands of people are screaming your name. The production design is fantastic too, every era feels very realistic to their own time from the 90s boy band costumes to the early 2000s solo artist looks, and the monkey CGI although you know it is and it does look fake I dont know why for some reason it doesnt feel distracting, its probably because before hand you know its just a metaphor and not that they trying to bring a monkey to life, it actually enhances the emotional side of every scene, they do capture Williams mannerisms and energy so perfectly that you forget theres a real person under all that digital fur.

Better Man succeeds where most music biopics fail, and not just musicals but over all biocpics such a hard type of movie to pull of considering the history of the character but because they go through the music collection that Robbie has it identify with every X amount of years that go by in between, also because it focuses on the human story instead of just hitting all the greatest hits, also the familiar songsare used to tell us something deeper about Williams as a person rather than just recreating concert footage. The movie is brutally honest about addiction, family dysfunction and the price of fame without ever feeling like its lecturing you or trying to make excuses for bad behavior. Robbie Williams involvement in the project clearly helped because this feels like his actual story rather than some sanitized Hollywood version, all the mess and contradictions are still there. The supporting cast does excellent work especially the women in Robbies life who all bring different energy to their roles, from his supportive mother to his complicated romantic relationships to his beloved grandmother who anchors his emotional world. For a biopic is not so short movie at all with 2 hours and 15 minutes it never feels too long because every scene serves the larger story, even the quieter moments between the big musical numbers help build this complete picture of someone struggling to figure out who he is underneath all the fame and expectation. This is definitely one of the better music biopics in recent years, it takes real risks with the monkey concept and somehow makes it work, creating something that feels both familiar and completely original at the same time, when was the last time in a biopic the main character gets describe either through another person or in this case a monkey, totally recomend it even if your not a Robbie Williams fan or a musical fan, you going to have a lot of fun and laugh.

#skiptvads, #inleo, #hive, #robbie, #williams, #biopic, #monkey, #cgi, #takethat, #addiction, #music, #recovery, #fame, #family, #angels, #performance, #manchester, #gracie, #musical, #honest, #creative, #emotional, #nan, #father, #solo, #career, #demons, #redemption

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Yesterday I sat down to watch Alien Earth episode two and Im honestly feeling pretty mixed about this whole thing, first one was ok and very similar to a lot of other movies on the franchise, the show has some decent stuff going for it but man there are so many moments that just dont make any sense that it gets really frustrating to watch, its a lot of copy pasting scenes like they had the story written but them film it on multiple scenes that then put together, I know this is how suppose to work but like they film them in an order that doesnt make much sense making the story telling a bit hard. The world building looks pretty solid with all these mega corporations running everything, the visual effects are decent enough and the cinematography has that dark sci fi vibe that works for the franchise, but when you start paying attention to the actual plot and character decisions you realize sometimes you feel dishoriented. Noah Hawley might have done great work on Fargo but this feels like he bit off way more than he could chew with the Alien universe, the writing feels sloppy and characters make decisions that are not so clever and go against basic logic or common sense which kills the immersion real quick, like for example why the hell would Cavalier let Wendy and the other kids go to the crash site, he knows he cant control them and Wendy is so experimental, that desicions is just madness.

• IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13623632/
• Platform: HULU

As I mention thats the biggest problem have with this episode is how Boy Kavaliear just sends these kids on what is basically a suicide mission without any real training or preparation, these are supposed to be hybrids with supercomputer brains but they act like regular children who have never seen danger before in their lives. We are told repeatedly that these kids are smarter than regular humans because of their synthetic upgrades but then they make the dumbest possible decisions, you even see them playing and fighting like children of their age 10 to 12 years old, like when Nibs struggles to handle that little eyeball creature even though she supposedly has superhuman strength and speed, it just doesnt add up at all. Then you have Hermit using an elevator to escape the Xenomorph which somehow still works perfectly even though a massive spaceship just crashed into the building, like how does that make any physical sense, the infrastructure would be completely destroyed but apparently elevators are immune to spaceship crashes now. Wendy suddenly develops super hearing abilities out of nowhere and can hear alien chatter that nobody else can detect, there is no explanation for why she has this ability or why the other kids dont have it too, it just happens because the plot needs it to happen which is lazy writing, its a similar problem in Thunderbolts when it comes to Void powers, none are explain, he is just super powerful and there is nobody who can beat him, all out of thin air. The security camera thing is another joke where Wendy can somehow access and control cameras that have been working fine for hours while the actual rescue teams cant use them, that remind me of the movie Lucy that was heavily cretinism for this matter, she finds her brother in seconds while trained professionals have been searching for ages without any luck.

That dinner party scene with the rich British people felt completely out of place and tonally inconsistent with everything else happening in the episode, it was supposed to be funny I think it was hilarious but it just came across as awkward and forced, how they hell they didnt felt the SPACE SHIP crashing into the building??. The Xenomorph shows up and kills everyone at the party which goes against some of the movies because Im use to watch Xenomorphs capture humans alive for reproduction purposes but this one is on a speed run trying to kill everything that walks, Xenomorphs dont just go on killing sprees for no reason. But then after massacring all these people in seconds the creature suddenly decides to take its sweet time with Hermit instead of just killing him immediately, if you pay attention it goes slow with him instead of just reaping his head off or break him in half, one can argue because he didnt attack it directly but still, this inconsistent behavior feels driven by writers rather than character driven which breaks the immersion. The trained soldiers watching the Xenomorph crawl out of Morrows bag without doing anything about it was another one that had me thinking but I let this one slide, the show is also suppose to be horror sci fi so lets stay they just froze but these are supposed to be elite military soldiers but they look more like rescue soldiers. Wendy choosing to run back into the building instead of jumping down to follow the Xenomorph makes no sense either, we already saw her jump off a massive cliff without getting hurt so why not do the same thing here, it feels like the writers forgot about her abilities when it was convenient for the story, men this already feels like a rant but after a good episode one they just killing what could be great encounters between the hybrids and the Xenomorph or they just holding up for latter.

I also found from time to time accent issue with some of the kids that slightly bother me, its like some of the actor keeps switching between Indian and American pronunciations that was a bit distracting although not the end of the world. So far whats holding up the episode together is that it does feel like an Alien movie and expanding with other type of species and enhanced humans, things that they could have expand more and give more context about but we dont know any of ther abilities so far, not from cyborgs like what do we know about Morrows powers?? he can turn his arm into a welding machine, a fire arm and a machete, TF with that? they are adding great things to the Alien universe like the characters, the factions at Earth and potentially other types of Aliens but everything happens so fast that it lacks context. The whole story of sending untrained children into a dangerous rescue mission falls apart when you really think about it, even if they have enhanced physical abilities they still lack the experience and knowledge needed for this kind of operation, its basically child endangerment disguised as heroism.

Looking at the bigger picture this episode feels like it was written and film by a group of people with different people handling different scenes without communicating with each other about continuity or character consistency. There are quick peeks of what could be a really interesting show buried under all these script problems, the corporate politics angle has potential and seeing Earth get invaded by Aliens instead of everything happening in space is a fresh take on the franchise, but when characters make decisions that go against basic human nature or established rules just to move the plot forward it becomes really hard to stay focus in what happens next. The practical effects work is solid and Timothy Oliphant does his best with the material he is given but good acting and decent visuals cant save a script that treats its audience like they wont notice obvious plot holes and logical inconsistencies. Im hoping future episodes will tighten up the writing and give these characters more believable motivations because right now it feels like watching a expensive fan fiction project rather than a professional television production worthy of the Alien name, Im so disappointed on Episode 2 and at most would give it a 7/10 because the potential is there but the execution needs serious work before this show can live up to its source material.

#skiptvads, #inleo, #hive, #alien, #earth, #episode, #xenomorph, #review, #noah, #hawley, #corporation, #synthetic, #hybrid, #kavaliear, #wendy, #hermit, #writing, #plot, #holes, #television, #sci, #franchise, #characters, #logic, #mistakes, #soldiers, #building, #cameras

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One of Them Days with Keke Palmer and SZA just dropped some time ago and Im not much into comedy so decided to watch with my wife and honestly I wasn't expecting much from another buddy comedy about broke people scrambling for rent money but this movie actually surprised me in the best way possible. The whole setup is pretty straightforward, Drew played by Keke Palmer and Alyssa played by SZA are roommates living paycheck to paycheck when Alyssa's trifling boyfriend takes their rent money and disappears with it, leaving them exactly nine hours to come up with fifteen hundred dollars or get evicted by their landlord who clearly means business since we see another tenant already getting thrown out on the street. What makes this work so well is the chemistry between Palmer and SZA, they really feel like two friends who genuinely care about each other even when they're making questionable decisions left and right, plus the movie takes place in Los Angeles which gives us some great scenery of neighborhoods that don't usually get the spotlight in mainstream cinema. The supporting cast is solid too with appearances from Katt Williams as this street wise guy named Lucky who hangs around the payday loan office warning people about the dangers of high interest loans, Maude Apatow as the new gentrifying neighbor who actually ends up helping them out, and even Lil Rel Howery shows up to buy some stolen Jordans which adds another layer of chaos to their already hectic day.

• IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt32221196/
• Platform: Netflix

Rottentomatoes Rating

I would have to say that the first half is the best part of the movie when the comedy feels natural and the situations escalate organically, Drew has this job interview at four in the afternoon for a franchise manager position at Norms which adds extra pressure since she's trying to better herself while dealing with all this craziness. Meanwhile Alyssa is more of the free spirit artist type who believes everything will work out through good vibes and positive energy, which obviously drives the more practical Drew up the wall when they're facing homelessness in a matter of hours. Their desperate attempts to raise money lead them through various LA locations including a blood bank where Janelle James has a cameo as a first day phlebotomist who accidentally lets Drew give way too much blood, resulting in some pretty funny physical comedy as she stumbles around in this ridiculous outfit they gave her from the donation clothes pile. The movie does does great at showing how drastically money can affects communities through the character of Bethany played by Maude Apatow, when she moves into their building all the longtime residents literally stop what they're doing to stare at her like she's some kind of exotic animal and you can feel the tension of a neighborhood in transition.

Where things get really interesting is when they find some expensive Jordans hanging from power lines and decide to take them down and sell them, not realizing these shoes belong to the local intimidating guy everyone calls King Lolo who definitely doesn't appreciate people messing with his property. This leads to probably the most tense parts of the movie as they now owe him even more money on top of their rent situation, and the actor playing King Lolo brings a genuinely menacing presence that makes you believe these women are in real danger. The whole sequence where SZA climbs the electrical pole to get the shoes is both hilarious and terrifying, especially when she gets electrocuted like a cartoon character but somehow survives, which gives you an idea of how the movie balances realism with more outrageous comedy elements. Bernice, played by newcomer Aiza Scott, becomes another highlight when they track down Alyssa's cheating boyfriend to her house, she's got this larger than life personality and when she chases them down the street after they disturb her afternoon, the way she runs like a track star while completely focused on revenge had me cracking up in the theater.

It more like towards the third part of the movie, very close to thee ending is where the movie had its most ups and downs, dont want to exaggerate neither, its a bit as it tries to wrap everything up with coincidences and conveniences that feel a little too neat or I would say too rushed, like when Bethany suddenly becomes the solution to their art selling scheme or when the job interviewer shows up at their imprompt gallery opening. I have to admin that the movie does earn a lot of credit on the emotion side of the story and how the actors perform those parts, particularly Palmer who becomes the one who is both the responsible friend trying to keep everything together and the awkward woman who can barely form sentences around the cute firefighter she has a crush on. SZA holds her own as an actress even though this is basically her film debut, she brings a natural quality to Alyssa that makes her feel like a real person rather than just the "irresponsible friend" stereotype, and when the two friends have their inevitable falling out you actually care about whether they'll work things out. The movie also does nice work with its LA locations, from the Norms diner on La Cienega to various neighborhood spots that give the film an authentic feel for people who actually live in these areas rather than just visiting for Instagram photos.

One of Them Days isn't going to change cinema forever but it succeeds as exactly what it sets out to be, a funny hangout movie about friendship that happens to have something to say about economic anxiety and neighborhood change without being preachy about it. The direction by Lawrence Lamont keeps things moving at a good pace even when the plot gets a little contrived, and the script finds ways to give the supporting characters actual personalities rather than just making them plot devices. Palmer and SZA carry the movie with their easy rapport and comic timing, they feel like real friends who've been living together long enough to know exactly how to push each other's buttons, and even when they're making terrible decisions you're rooting for them to figure things out. The movie clocks in at about an hour and forty minutes which feels just right for this kind of story, it doesn't overstay its welcome or try to be more important than it needs to be, it just wants to make you laugh and maybe think a little about what it's like to live one financial emergency away from disaster. If you're looking for something light and entertaining that also happens to showcase some great chemistry between two performers who clearly enjoyed working together, One of Them Days delivers exactly what you'd hope for from a Saturday night comedy, nothing crazy and its hard for me to score comedy although this one is not one that I would constantly be looking for when I want to watch some comedy, feels like we just had to.

#skiptvads, #inleo, #hive, #comedy, #buddymovie, #kekepalmer, #sza, #losangeles, #friendship, #rent, #eviction, #gentrification, #money, #roommates, #interview, #landlord, #neighborhood, #desperate, #chemistry, #debut, #entertaining, #authentic, #financial, #anxiety, #supporting, #cast, #locations, #timing

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Alien Earth episode one release a couple of days ago and honestly I wasnt expecting much from another Alien prequel after the mess we got from some of the recent movies but I gotta say this first episode had me hooked for most of it with some really nostalgic sound effects and soundtracks, for anyone who is from 80s this series will be so familiar, for me been a lifelong Alien fan who thinks nothing beats the first two movies, I went into this expecting disappointment but hoping for something that could at least expand the universe in interesting ways and for the most part thats what we got here, nothing revolutionary but I think its going to be fun watch an hour; half movie, every week. The opening scenes immediately grab you with that familiar Nostromo vibe, the same green computer text, the crew waking up from cryo sleep around the breakfast table talking about their mission, its all very trademark of Ridley Scotts original masterpiece and thats both a good and bad thing depending on how you look at it.

• IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13623632/
• Platform: HULU

What really impressed me was how they managed to recreate that claustrophobic spaceship atmosphere while adding their own spin with the whole specimen collection mission, how much danger the added to the classic Space Ship corridors with all this new Aliens is what really spice things up a bit, these Wayand Utani crew members are transporting five different alien species back to Earth including our beloved face huggers and you know from the start that things are going to go sideways real quick. The cast does a solid job of making you care about them in the short time we spend with the crew, considering how fast they all going to die and this is no secret if you have seen most of the franchise movies, they feel like real people dealing with corporate bullshit and dangerous cargo, talking about which mega corporations control different parts of the world now. The world building aspect really gets the spot light through these conversations where they explain how Wayand Utani controls North and South America while other companies like Prodigy and Dynamic have got a hold up the rest of the planet, I doubt now days this could be our future because before that happens democracy has to be out of the window but lets not get political or sentimental here. I like how the series decides to kill off this entire interesting crew in favor of focusing on what I can only describe as children in adult robot bodies and this is a cool twist because you might think they didnt let the characters develop but they cool part is that they get totally diposable and replace by better and more interesting ones, like the children turn into hybrids.

The whole hybrid concept with kids consciousness being downloaded into synthetic adult bodies is not revolutionary at all as a sci fi concept although its a new addition to the franchise but the execution feels off and could have been way better than it is, Sydney Chandler does her best with the role of Wendy and many times it feels so dangerous in both ways for her and anyone around her watching what is essentially a ten year old girl in a grown woman body, she can actually be psychologically abuse or snap and kill everyone she feels like, they literally playing with fire and gasoline, not to say they playing been God because we are past that point. Timothy Olyphant brings his usual commanding presence as Kirsh the sintethic, not to be confuse with an android, this are simulated humans while on the series androids are referred to enhance humans. During the episode there is this philosophical discussions about humanity versus artificial intelligence that for the most part provide some of the episodes stronger moments, especially when Kirsh talks about how humans used to be food until they built tools and convinced themselves they werent prey anymore. For some reason I didnt catch up the Peter Pan references until latter on the episode, at first when they group of kids were called The Lost Boys, I immediately thought about the vampire movie from the 90s but the started connecting the dots between the cartoon they played for Wendy and the name they all took, including the island called Neverland, there is also Boy Cavalier reading from the actual book. There were some cringe moments during the episode specially from Boy Cavalier during his obsession to meet a higher been, a very cartoonish villain.

The technical aspects of this episode are where things get really frustrating, the cinematography is absolutely gorgeous when theyre on the spaceship with all that moody lighting and practical sets that look fantastic, but then we switch to Earth there is this huge contrast that Im not sure how to describe but I have to say it looks very Godzilla Minus One type of scenario, where some sets look very real and others like a Japanese Monster movie with the city and everything else looking out of size and dimension, there are also this long takes that were clearly stitched together in post production, particularly during the sequence where multiple sick children are being transformed into hybrids one after another, how they jump from their conception and never allow their characters do develop or even had any kind of teaching or training, its also the case of Wendy as they only show a single therapy session, it would be more interesting if they dedicated more time to the hybrids development. These story slip ups really bothered me because they pulled me out of what should have been emotional moments and made me think about the production process instead of the story, I understand that creating seamless transitions is difficult but when they fail this obviously it becomes distracting. The xenomorph reveal at the end felt underwhelming compared to the build up, we barely see the creature and most of the violence happens off camera which might be a budget thing but it leaves the horror elements feeling a bit toothless with lack of reach.

Despite my complaints about the technical and story issues with some other questionable creative choices, I very very interested in where this story is taking from here, it doesn't look like this series is getting much attention and I suppose for been an FX series. The relationship between Wendy and her brother Hermit who works as a medic for Prodigy Corporation has real emotional weight even everything happens through creepy surveillance scenes. The crash of the ship promises some interesting action scenes between the escaped specimens and the hybrid characters, and I like how Noah Hawley is not trying to recreate the exact same scenario as the original movie. The production quality is clearly high with impressive sets and costumes that feel authentic to the Alien universe, even if the CGI some times leaves a lot on the table, like almost hiding the Xenomporh. The sound effects and music is one of the strongest parts of the show, going heavy on the original films but in ways that enhance rather than distract from the new story being told. Overall this first episode sets up a lot of intriguing elements and does feel like part of the Alien universe while trying to come up with its own identity, if they can fix the story patches and lean more into the horror elements I think this series could be something special for viewers who appreciate world and character building over pure nostalgia, I give this episode a solid 7 out of 10 and Im definitely coming back for more next week.

#skiptvads, #inleo, #hive, #alien, #earth, #xenomorph, #prequel, #hybrid, #synthetic, #wayand, #utani, #prodigy, #neverland, #spaceship, #corporation, #android, #specimen, #crash, #survivors, #horror, #scifi, #television, #disney, #noah, #hawley, #immortality, #consciousness, #future

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Bring Jessica back, dead or alive

Hello everyone,

I am excited to inform you that I started a new series last night. Being a fan of law dramas, right from Suits, How to get away with Murder, and The Lincoln Lawyer, I have always admired the attention and smart moves that come with defending a client against charges. I recall watching Suits twice, and even not too long ago, probably last month, I watched it again.

They even tried to make a Suits rerun called Suits L.A. But I guess it was not a total success, since it did not get renewed for another season. Anyways, I stumbled upon Matlock through a clip on TikTok where an old woman infiltrated her way into a board meeting at a law firm, and that was all it took for me to become interested.

Being an old individual, Matlock knows that the firm is never going to hire her or even give her the opportunity of an interview, so she devises a scheme that gets her into the conference room. She plans to follow up on a settlement case that the law firm is about to close. The firm listens to the offer of their junior partner, Julian, which is $19 million dollars but Matlock speaks up by saying the opposing side is willing to offer more than that. The sound of her voice brings everyone to a shock, and it is more surprising when they ask her if she works for the firm; her answer is not yet.

With how unconventional the character is, not your typical young and aspiring wannabe lawyer, they sure made use of a couple of other young characters to keep the series alive and show how Matlock adapts to modern ways of doing things, since it has been a long time since she practiced law. I still suspect that the series is a remake of the 90s TV show Matlock, but the difference is that it is a woman who is playing the lead role.

Kathy Bates truly brought her A-game on this one, and the remaining actors are nothing but a complement to good action. Serious scenes are portrayed with so atom of unserious and so much witty talk in every scene. No wonder I spent all night watching the series and only fell asleep this morning.

Matlock is a must-watch if you have not started on it already. Also, I did my best not to give a groundbreaking spoiler for this series because I would like you to discover it for yourself.

♟♟♟♟♟♟♟♟♟

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Posted Using INLEO

Posted Using INLEO

"Warfare" es film bélico distribuido por A24 que fue dirigido y escrito por Ray Mendoza y Alex Garland y en dónde se recrea la experiencia de guerra de un grupo de "US Navy Seals" en Irak cuando una misión no es absolutamente para nada exitosa lo cual los deja a merced de un ataque despiadado de sus enemigos y la vez pone a prueba su hermandad, así como su entrenamiento militar para enfrentar momentos traumáticos.

"Warfare" is a war film distributed by A24, directed and written by ** Ray Mendoza** and Alex Garland. It recreates the war experience of a group of US Navy SEALs in Iraq when a mission is completely unsuccessful, leaving them at the mercy of a ruthless attack by their enemies and testing their brotherhood, as well as their military training to deal with traumatic moments.

Está es una de las películas consideradas como de las mejores del año por parte de la crítica especializada; la mayoría de opiniones positivas señalaban el correcto trabajo de ambos directores en demostrar la intensa y traumática experiencia de estar bajo un ataque constante y debo decir que en parte es una opinión acertada porque primeramente este film cumple con un relato que se siente real, para nada exagerado y a la vez muy directo, todo desde el punto de vista de los sobrevivientes siendo Ray Mendoza uno de ellos; justamente esa realidad en demostrar como actuaron este grupo de jóvenes soldados a un evento en dónde sus vidas están en peligro, fue lo que más me gustó de la película, ya que a pesar de contar con los clichés necesarios para identificar o definir a los personajes, creo que al enfocarse en el comportamiento de muchos de la ellos al enfrentar un evento en dónde sus vidas están en peligro, dependiendo de su entrenamiento y la  confianza de una fuerza mayor lo que puede hacer que se mantengan con vida; en eso el guion escrito por Mendoza y Garland es bueno. 

Las escenas de acción son intensas, son constantes y eso hace que el film sea entretenido y rápido; la historia es corta y es por eso que cada minuto transcurrido es de suma importancia para el relato de las diferentes etapas de la historia en dónde primero hay una clara demostración de arrogancia impulsada por la juventud de sus protagonistas, pero en el momento de comenzar a lidiar con un alto niveles de peligro es donde la verdadera personalidad aparece dando pie a no solo recrear escenas de enfrentamientos con el enemigo, sino en lidiar con los estragos producidos por el ataque. Hay un elemento importante con respecto a las escenas de acción y es no mostrar claramente al enemigo; eso genera que los ataques pueden ocurrir de cualquier lado y esa característica es fundamental para la demostración de miedo, suspenso, intensidad en los personajes por la lucha de sobrevivir.

This is one of the films considered by critics to be among the best of the year; most positive reviews pointed to the excellent work of both directors in demonstrating the intense and traumatic experience of being under constant attack, and I must say that this is partly true because, first of all, this film tells a story that feels real, not at all exaggerated and at the same time very direct, all from the point of view of the survivors, with Ray Mendoza being one of them. It was precisely this reality in showing how this group of young soldiers acted in an event where their lives were in danger that I liked most about the film, because despite having the necessary clichés to identify or define the characters, I think that by focusing on the behavior of many of them when facing an event where their lives are in danger, depending on their training and the confidence of a greater force, which can keep them alive, the script written by Mendoza and Garland is good.

The action scenes are intense and constant, which makes the film entertaining and fast-paced. The story is short, which is why every minute that passes is of utmost importance for the narrative of the different stages of the story, where there is first a clear demonstration of arrogance driven by the youth of its protagonists, but when they begin to deal with high levels of danger, their true personalities emerge, giving rise not only to scenes of confrontation with the enemy, but also to dealing with the devastation caused by the attack. There is an important element regarding the action scenes, which is not clearly showing the enemy; this means that attacks can occur from any side, and this feature is fundamental to demonstrating fear, suspense, and intensity in the characters as they fight to survive.

Anteriormente, hice referencia a como los clichés con respecto a los personajes es lo que ayudan a identificarlos y cuando en una producción en donde existe un multitudinario cast, es ese un elemento sumamente necesario en donde no existe para nada la exageración en la personificación de esos clichés, ya que es un mero elemento y nada más; estos personajes están enfocados en primeramente cumplir una misión la cual al fallar, debe tratar de cumplir otra más y esa es sobrevivir; justamente en el momento de empezar la defensa del ataque del que son víctimas es donde se demuestra una mejora en la actuación dejando atrás sus características definitorias y demostrado miedo, vulnerabilidad y una palpitante preocupación, pero la vez convicción y liderazgo en enfrentar ese difícil momento; con esto no digo que cada actor cumpla con lo anteriormente descrito, pero si existe la necesidad en que cada actor cumpla con su rol lo cual le provee protagonizar la historia cuando sea el momento del relato desde el punto de vista del personaje a quien interpretan y hay pocos que consiguen ese cometido; ellos son Cosmo Jarvis como "Elliott Miller,"  Michael Gandolfini como "Mac McDonald, Joseph Quinn como "Sam" y DPharaoh Woon-A-Tai como "Ray Mendoza".

Previously, I referred to how clichés regarding characters help to identify them, and when there is a large cast in a production, this is an extremely necessary element where there is no exaggeration in the personification of these clichés, as it is merely an element and nothing more. these characters are focused primarily on fulfilling a mission, which, if they fail, they must try to fulfill another, and that is to survive. It is precisely at the moment when they begin to defend themselves against the attack they are victims of that an improvement in their performance is demonstrated, leaving behind their defining characteristics and showing fear, vulnerability, and a palpable concern, but at the same time conviction and leadership in facing that difficult moment. I am not saying that every actor fulfills the above description, but there is a need for each actor to fulfill their role, which allows them to star in the story when the time comes from the point of view of the character they play, and there are few who achieve this task; They are Cosmo Jarvis as "Elliott Miller," Michael Gandolfini as "Mac McDonald," Joseph Quinn as "Sam," and DPharaoh Woon-A-Tai as "Ray Mendoza."

En el momento del estreno del trailer de Warfare, hubo críticas en dónde se señalaba que está era otra producción que hace propaganda a las unidades militares de los Estados Unidos y sí, existe una propaganda en cómo estás unidades militares son preparadas para momentos muy peligrosos, así como también el apoyo que reciben cuando es requerido; recordemos que los hechos en el film ocurrieran en el 2009, está historia está basada en historias reales de los sobrevivientes del ataque, así que creo que es imposible no realizar escenas en dónde sino es por la preparación militar y el apoyo de otros comandos y fuerza militar, tal vez está historia sería basada en un artículo de prensa en dónde se notifica sobre una misión fallida con múltiples bajas; ahora en mi opinión eso no la hace ser considerada como una de las mejores películas del año, aunque si es entretenida, con un buen guion, buen relato y buenas escenas de acción, pero es una historia que es muy parecida a otras y creo que no suma a nada para el género bélico del cine.

When the trailer for Warfare was released, there was criticism that it was yet another production promoting the US military. And yes, there is propaganda in how these military units are prepared for very dangerous situations, as well as the support they receive when needed. Let's remember that the events in the film took place in 2009, and this story is based on real stories of the survivors of the attack, so I think it's impossible not to include scenes where, if it weren't for military training and the support of other commandos and military forces, this story might be based on a newspaper article reporting on a failed mission with multiple casualties. Now, in my opinion, that does not make it one of the best films of the year, although it is entertaining, with a good script, good storytelling, and good action scenes, but it is a story that is very similar to others, and I think it adds nothing to the war film genre.

Cover image edited in canva; the image was taken from the following source