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matt_zimmerAlso reviews for the latest episodes of Star Trek: Lower Decks, Titans, Doom Patrol, Teen Titans Go!, Spidey And His Amazing Friends, and Muppet Babies.
F9: The Fast Saga: Director's Cut
So, I see this got mixed reviews. Put me firmly in the camp of people who liked it. And before I start my positive review, I want to set up a few facts right off the bat. Believe it or not, I am super easy to please. The movie didn't have to be great to make me happy. Remember that the next time I tear Titans a new bunghole. Making an enjoyable piece of film and television is not as difficult as the producers of that show make it look.
If I had to guess, I would guess a lot of the complaints had to do with the fact that the film was too long. And it was. But the thing is, I liked the reason it was too long. It wasn't too long because the action scenes were exhausting and never-ending. They just wanted to do a lot of smaller moments with the characters, especially involving flashbacks with Dom and his never mentioned before brother Jacob. And I think characters are the most important part of any piece of fiction. Did I love those flashbacks? No. But I liked them about as much as the rest of the movie, so I liked them and thought they had value.
As far as retcons go, Dom having a never mentioned brother doesn't really fit with him being a character so insistent about the importance of family. That is a screw-up on the movie's end. I think they were trying to think of a personal scenario for Dom and the crew and they ran out of ideas, so they created one that is both out of character for Dom, and doesn't fit the rest of the movies. I forgave it a little because Dom comes to realize he probably should have gotten Jacob's side of the story back in the day, and they made some sort of peace. I like that Cipher is back to being the villain by the end of the movie. I can't stand that chick, and I'd rather root against her than Dom's misguided brother.
What happened to Mr. Nobody? Obviously a future film will have to deal with it.
While we are on the subject on retcons, Han being alive stretches belief. But I'm glad he is. And I'll tell you why. I love the soft spot the franchise has for Tokyo Drift, its least popular and most underrated outing. They bring back the characters whenever possible, and love referencing it throughout the canon. And I was happy to see Sean and Twinkie again. I used to be a big fan of Lucas Black when he was a child actor so it's good to see him still getting work.
For the record, Tej should not be making fun of a guy named Twinkie so long as he's played by a guy name Ludacris.
I very much enjoyed Roman's frantic speculation about the larger reasons the whole gang has survived 9 pictures and counting. He's upset because he believes the implications are either supernatural or religious. Maybe they are Invincible or Chosen. I liked this moment because I think perhaps Roman ALMOST got to the correct answer by this line of thinking. The reason they've survived all that is because they are FICTIONAL. Cipher brings up a movie allegory herself later on, but I liked Roman's frustration and confusion here because he was THIS close to the actual answer and missed it by just a hair. They ARE Chosen to survive. By the writers of the film. That bit came SO close to breaking the fourth wall that if it had come any closer I'd consider the franchise science fiction. And I STILL don't (even after the spaceship rocket-car).
Han meeting up with Shaw in the tag will be interesting to see in the next movie. Two things I gleaned from Shaw's reaction to seeing him: He's both surprised he's there, and unhappy to see him. That's what I got from that brief look on Jason Statham's face.
Seeing Helen Mirren as Queenie going nuts driving Dom around London made every cent I paid for the Blu-Ray worth it. That was perhaps one of the funniest and awesomest things the franchise ever did.
I especially love how they keep Brian in the thick of things without ever having to show Paul Walker. He shows up in the car at the end even though we can't see him. He's taking care of the kids while Mia is there to help Dom with the situation with Jacob. The writers are adamant that his happy ending be allowed to stick, which is something I love.
I liked the movie a lot. It wasn't perfect, but it was a lot better than a lot of movies people have raved about over the years. I'm thinking people trash-talking this franchise need to do a better job of vetting and reviewing other crappy stuff before they take the potshots at this movie they do. ****.
Gag Reel
Vin Diesel losing his train of thought during the torpid family speech makes it seem even more torpid than it actually is. Especially because you realize Diesel knows it and probably has the entire time. I laughed at Helen Mirren dropping the f-bomb. Also funny that Diesel cannot actually fit into Queenie's tiny car. They must have had to get another. He looks like Gandalf in Hobbiton there. Tyrese Gibson is also one of the best actors you can put in a blooper reel. His movie persona is that of the smoldering dreamboat, but he's really quite a card and cut-up. ****.
Theatrical Trailer
Shouldn't have spoiled Han. Very glad I avoid trailers. Because of crap like that. The moment where Cipher asks Jacob if he can kill Dom is not in the movie. I think it was a good cut. It's a trailer-bait moment but not right for Dom and Jacob's situation. Didn't love the trailer. **1/2.
Star Trek: Lower Decks "I, Excretus"
Cool that they got back Alice Krige for the Borg Queen. I hear Star Trek: Picard is going to recast her so it's nice this show hasn't forgotten her.
At first I thought the show messed up its continuity with the Mirror Universe scenario. At this point in time in the late 24th Century, the Terran Empire is long gone, and humans don't have that level of sadistic society while they are fighting for freedom from the Alliance. But based on the Western mission and the Spock sacrifice mission, these scenarios aren't actually specific to this time period. The different uniforms also make that clear.
Also for the record, there were no horses in "Spectre Of The Gun". That specific episode was done on a shoestring budget. The network drastically cut the budget in season three and that's partly why that season was so shaky. They couldn't even afford Western sets there, much less horses.
It was pretty good. I like that the only person doing well on the tests was Boimler. What's especially sad is that it ultimately doesn't matter (the tests were rigged). But he definitely saved the ship by keeping the test going. ***1/2.
Titans "Troubled Water"
That was SOOOOO stupid.
Gotham treating an unknown, unauthorized broadcast by Crane as having legal weight is stupid. The fight at the police headquarters is stupid. Blackfire stealing Kori's powers is stupid. And Jason destroying the painting of the Waynes is outright vulgar.
A really bad week. *.
Doom Patrol "Undead Patrol"
Opinion: The scene with the fight between the zombies and the butt-monsters is the best thing the show ever did. When Zombie-Larry has the chainsaw I was like, "This is GOOD!"
However, I was not as enamored with the scene of the Doom Patrol eating Niles' head as the actors in the accompanying featurette were. Yes, it's nothing any other show would do. Which is why I felt they did it, which doesn't impress me much. It seemed the moment was more to do with the violent and weird brand than anything else. It's not as emotionally fulfilling as it is being billed as. For one thing, there isn't actually a metaphor present. It's insane, and a sacrifice on Niles' end, but it doesn't speak to a larger human experience the way the best type of sci-fi allegory does.
Let me clear: I'm not saying the scene was BAD per se. I'm saying I wouldn't be putting it on my Emmy Reel. People in the featurette are overselling it.
Speaking of the featurette, I'm annoyed they spoiled Michelle Gomez is actually Madame Rouge. We learned she wasn't Rita at the end, but I can't help feel like that bit of info should not have been spoiled for people who either don't read the comics, or don't listen to press releases and trailers for fear of being spoiled. A featurette about the episode we just saw should JUST focus on that episode and not reveal upcoming stuff.
Cyborg continues to be a total d-word to his father and I continue to hate him for it.
I always liked the name Shannon too.
Good to see Mark Sheppard again. Willoughby is no John Constantine, but he's a decent stand-in if we can't have that character. Sheppard would have made a good Constantine in another life.
Bonkers, insane, bananas, a lot of fun, and I don't think quite as great as people think it is. ****1/2.
Teen Titans Go! "Doomsday Preppers"
I liked it. Doomsday's little boy voice was very cute which means the episode was too. ****.
Spidey And His Amazing Friends "Rocket Rhino! / Trick Or TRACE-E"
Rocket Rhino!:
Spidey using the "With great power comes great responsibility" saying makes me wonder about his origin story and Uncle Ben. He's just a little kid so things MUST have went down a little differently. But it makes me curious anyways. ***1/2.
Trick Or TRACE-E:
TRACE-E sure is cute. ***.
Episode Overall: ***1/2.
Muppet Babies "Oh My Gourd / The Curse Of The Wereanimal"
Oh My Gourd:
I like Miss Nanny's costume. You can see her head (sort of).
Jack sure is cute.
Beaker making his eyes big was funny.
Cute. ***.
The Curse Of The Wereanimal:
The Werechicken at the end was funny.
Gonzo is mixing up monster lit. Van Helsing is Dracula.
I laughed at Gonzo telling Kermit "Good luck, buddy!"
Also cute. ***.
Episode Overall: ***.
F9: The Fast Saga: Director's Cut
So, I see this got mixed reviews. Put me firmly in the camp of people who liked it. And before I start my positive review, I want to set up a few facts right off the bat. Believe it or not, I am super easy to please. The movie didn't have to be great to make me happy. Remember that the next time I tear Titans a new bunghole. Making an enjoyable piece of film and television is not as difficult as the producers of that show make it look.
If I had to guess, I would guess a lot of the complaints had to do with the fact that the film was too long. And it was. But the thing is, I liked the reason it was too long. It wasn't too long because the action scenes were exhausting and never-ending. They just wanted to do a lot of smaller moments with the characters, especially involving flashbacks with Dom and his never mentioned before brother Jacob. And I think characters are the most important part of any piece of fiction. Did I love those flashbacks? No. But I liked them about as much as the rest of the movie, so I liked them and thought they had value.
As far as retcons go, Dom having a never mentioned brother doesn't really fit with him being a character so insistent about the importance of family. That is a screw-up on the movie's end. I think they were trying to think of a personal scenario for Dom and the crew and they ran out of ideas, so they created one that is both out of character for Dom, and doesn't fit the rest of the movies. I forgave it a little because Dom comes to realize he probably should have gotten Jacob's side of the story back in the day, and they made some sort of peace. I like that Cipher is back to being the villain by the end of the movie. I can't stand that chick, and I'd rather root against her than Dom's misguided brother.
What happened to Mr. Nobody? Obviously a future film will have to deal with it.
While we are on the subject on retcons, Han being alive stretches belief. But I'm glad he is. And I'll tell you why. I love the soft spot the franchise has for Tokyo Drift, its least popular and most underrated outing. They bring back the characters whenever possible, and love referencing it throughout the canon. And I was happy to see Sean and Twinkie again. I used to be a big fan of Lucas Black when he was a child actor so it's good to see him still getting work.
For the record, Tej should not be making fun of a guy named Twinkie so long as he's played by a guy name Ludacris.
I very much enjoyed Roman's frantic speculation about the larger reasons the whole gang has survived 9 pictures and counting. He's upset because he believes the implications are either supernatural or religious. Maybe they are Invincible or Chosen. I liked this moment because I think perhaps Roman ALMOST got to the correct answer by this line of thinking. The reason they've survived all that is because they are FICTIONAL. Cipher brings up a movie allegory herself later on, but I liked Roman's frustration and confusion here because he was THIS close to the actual answer and missed it by just a hair. They ARE Chosen to survive. By the writers of the film. That bit came SO close to breaking the fourth wall that if it had come any closer I'd consider the franchise science fiction. And I STILL don't (even after the spaceship rocket-car).
Han meeting up with Shaw in the tag will be interesting to see in the next movie. Two things I gleaned from Shaw's reaction to seeing him: He's both surprised he's there, and unhappy to see him. That's what I got from that brief look on Jason Statham's face.
Seeing Helen Mirren as Queenie going nuts driving Dom around London made every cent I paid for the Blu-Ray worth it. That was perhaps one of the funniest and awesomest things the franchise ever did.
I especially love how they keep Brian in the thick of things without ever having to show Paul Walker. He shows up in the car at the end even though we can't see him. He's taking care of the kids while Mia is there to help Dom with the situation with Jacob. The writers are adamant that his happy ending be allowed to stick, which is something I love.
I liked the movie a lot. It wasn't perfect, but it was a lot better than a lot of movies people have raved about over the years. I'm thinking people trash-talking this franchise need to do a better job of vetting and reviewing other crappy stuff before they take the potshots at this movie they do. ****.
Gag Reel
Vin Diesel losing his train of thought during the torpid family speech makes it seem even more torpid than it actually is. Especially because you realize Diesel knows it and probably has the entire time. I laughed at Helen Mirren dropping the f-bomb. Also funny that Diesel cannot actually fit into Queenie's tiny car. They must have had to get another. He looks like Gandalf in Hobbiton there. Tyrese Gibson is also one of the best actors you can put in a blooper reel. His movie persona is that of the smoldering dreamboat, but he's really quite a card and cut-up. ****.
Theatrical Trailer
Shouldn't have spoiled Han. Very glad I avoid trailers. Because of crap like that. The moment where Cipher asks Jacob if he can kill Dom is not in the movie. I think it was a good cut. It's a trailer-bait moment but not right for Dom and Jacob's situation. Didn't love the trailer. **1/2.
Star Trek: Lower Decks "I, Excretus"
Cool that they got back Alice Krige for the Borg Queen. I hear Star Trek: Picard is going to recast her so it's nice this show hasn't forgotten her.
At first I thought the show messed up its continuity with the Mirror Universe scenario. At this point in time in the late 24th Century, the Terran Empire is long gone, and humans don't have that level of sadistic society while they are fighting for freedom from the Alliance. But based on the Western mission and the Spock sacrifice mission, these scenarios aren't actually specific to this time period. The different uniforms also make that clear.
Also for the record, there were no horses in "Spectre Of The Gun". That specific episode was done on a shoestring budget. The network drastically cut the budget in season three and that's partly why that season was so shaky. They couldn't even afford Western sets there, much less horses.
It was pretty good. I like that the only person doing well on the tests was Boimler. What's especially sad is that it ultimately doesn't matter (the tests were rigged). But he definitely saved the ship by keeping the test going. ***1/2.
Titans "Troubled Water"
That was SOOOOO stupid.
Gotham treating an unknown, unauthorized broadcast by Crane as having legal weight is stupid. The fight at the police headquarters is stupid. Blackfire stealing Kori's powers is stupid. And Jason destroying the painting of the Waynes is outright vulgar.
A really bad week. *.
Doom Patrol "Undead Patrol"
Opinion: The scene with the fight between the zombies and the butt-monsters is the best thing the show ever did. When Zombie-Larry has the chainsaw I was like, "This is GOOD!"
However, I was not as enamored with the scene of the Doom Patrol eating Niles' head as the actors in the accompanying featurette were. Yes, it's nothing any other show would do. Which is why I felt they did it, which doesn't impress me much. It seemed the moment was more to do with the violent and weird brand than anything else. It's not as emotionally fulfilling as it is being billed as. For one thing, there isn't actually a metaphor present. It's insane, and a sacrifice on Niles' end, but it doesn't speak to a larger human experience the way the best type of sci-fi allegory does.
Let me clear: I'm not saying the scene was BAD per se. I'm saying I wouldn't be putting it on my Emmy Reel. People in the featurette are overselling it.
Speaking of the featurette, I'm annoyed they spoiled Michelle Gomez is actually Madame Rouge. We learned she wasn't Rita at the end, but I can't help feel like that bit of info should not have been spoiled for people who either don't read the comics, or don't listen to press releases and trailers for fear of being spoiled. A featurette about the episode we just saw should JUST focus on that episode and not reveal upcoming stuff.
Cyborg continues to be a total d-word to his father and I continue to hate him for it.
I always liked the name Shannon too.
Good to see Mark Sheppard again. Willoughby is no John Constantine, but he's a decent stand-in if we can't have that character. Sheppard would have made a good Constantine in another life.
Bonkers, insane, bananas, a lot of fun, and I don't think quite as great as people think it is. ****1/2.
Teen Titans Go! "Doomsday Preppers"
I liked it. Doomsday's little boy voice was very cute which means the episode was too. ****.
Spidey And His Amazing Friends "Rocket Rhino! / Trick Or TRACE-E"
Rocket Rhino!:
Spidey using the "With great power comes great responsibility" saying makes me wonder about his origin story and Uncle Ben. He's just a little kid so things MUST have went down a little differently. But it makes me curious anyways. ***1/2.
Trick Or TRACE-E:
TRACE-E sure is cute. ***.
Episode Overall: ***1/2.
Muppet Babies "Oh My Gourd / The Curse Of The Wereanimal"
Oh My Gourd:
I like Miss Nanny's costume. You can see her head (sort of).
Jack sure is cute.
Beaker making his eyes big was funny.
Cute. ***.
The Curse Of The Wereanimal:
The Werechicken at the end was funny.
Gonzo is mixing up monster lit. Van Helsing is Dracula.
I laughed at Gonzo telling Kermit "Good luck, buddy!"
Also cute. ***.
Episode Overall: ***.
