tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49262958685158311022024-03-24T16:05:45.425-07:00Otaku NutsAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09555893843135041641noreply@blogger.comBlogger895125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4926295868515831102.post-55397919354592694042023-11-25T08:52:00.000-08:002023-11-25T08:52:16.814-08:00My Worst Anime Villains<p>A few years ago, I did a Top 20 Anime Villains list, which I'll provide a <a href="https://otakunuts.blogspot.com/2017/09/top-20-anime-villains.html">link for here</a>, because anime is packed to the brim with fantastic antagonists and enemies, like Younger Toguro, Medusa Gorgon and Lord Frieza. So of course, I thought about doing the exact opposite and finding 10 terrible villains I've come to hate, one per series as always. Unfortunately, I've found myself surprisingly struggling to find 10... so here, enjoy me hating on the few I could find! And don't worry, Jellal isn't here.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7aErsjNz76gFfx-PBg_4T6ojE-HJnfyXcowttHxdgrElahUxraVjqfPWvUD4KSzJFKTHUS5WBMUk_ftxkz93K3vDFyH7DChEfUQ56JWL1DfDEodbAGT3KiDHEHYSB31tyvqNVLV7kBZrKKX6hpF3uppcT6Fz3BPnTtCoW1muJgt4_lzFy71kdH85CEBw/s3832/Worst%20Villains.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2152" data-original-width="3832" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7aErsjNz76gFfx-PBg_4T6ojE-HJnfyXcowttHxdgrElahUxraVjqfPWvUD4KSzJFKTHUS5WBMUk_ftxkz93K3vDFyH7DChEfUQ56JWL1DfDEodbAGT3KiDHEHYSB31tyvqNVLV7kBZrKKX6hpF3uppcT6Fz3BPnTtCoW1muJgt4_lzFy71kdH85CEBw/w400-h225/Worst%20Villains.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><p><br /></p><p><b><i><u>6. Near</u></i></b></p><p>Let's get one of the most obvious ones out there quickly, get it over with. You like <i>Death Note</i>, I like <i>Death Note</i>. We all love Light Yagami, Ryuk balancing both dread and levity with ease, the fascinating music, the chilling plots, that terrible second opening that's so ill-fitting it's hilarious, and we all loved L, the rival detective of Light. And damn, we were all shocked and saddened by L's eventual defeat. It was a truly chilling moment that solidified Kira/Light's victory over mankind, and would be the beginning of huge change for the world in years to come... </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZy2qojOSA9rwFKb8jDn0SEv3XmiETX41WdhL7iU0SeNsS6JR4Fkpm3FEyMngO5refbOvnWWZNOYbAFTP8oUKBQY0CnY3KmtW6kFDQKVKuuxZGga6Pmo5HjYI0rwkYVMVQChaI6to_gbhGg4dfjTbPZfwko6h8y5vKeJDM45e4wP9Zor-oJTaOSbGYmsY/s1200/Near.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZy2qojOSA9rwFKb8jDn0SEv3XmiETX41WdhL7iU0SeNsS6JR4Fkpm3FEyMngO5refbOvnWWZNOYbAFTP8oUKBQY0CnY3KmtW6kFDQKVKuuxZGga6Pmo5HjYI0rwkYVMVQChaI6to_gbhGg4dfjTbPZfwko6h8y5vKeJDM45e4wP9Zor-oJTaOSbGYmsY/w400-h225/Near.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Oh but don't worry. We have an L 2.0! Yes, just like Ace and Sabo, we have a newbie called Near to show up out of nowhere and replace L for the rest of the series, alongside another antagonist called Mello (but I don't care enough about Mello to even talk about him so...). Near would be fine if L didn't exist and fans weren't told to replace L with him, but we were, so we ended up disliking him. He's nowhere near as interesting as L, he's somehow even more brilliant than L in every way, and the story is no longer well-written enough to justify the amount of time we spend with him or the other new characters. The ending arc of <i>Death Note</i> just isn't enjoyable, minus the fantastic final episode, and unfortunately, Near represents all of it. </p><p><br /></p><p><u><i><b>5. Éclair Tonnerre</b></i></u></p><p>I've already written about <i>Ouran Highschool Host Club's</i> ending before, (<a href="https://otakunuts.blogspot.com/2021/05/15-years-later-ourans-ending-still-sucks.html" target="_blank">link here</a>), and a major part of why I hated it so much was the appearance of the unnecessarily cruel and tone-breaking antagonist of Éclair, the estranged fiancé of protagonist Tamaki. An anime-only villain created to give <i>Ouran</i> a dramatic season 1 finale, Éclair is everything wrong with a lot of comedy anime finales.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxz4czpSPv0wyAsaJlkj3aKM0scWBWZiFwvZyLnB1c8cFFlyGrfsLrdqQa3E-9Y-dyld1TUIEeq-TWdfBwdKPYBFl9hgEtN1wz5dQrZ8I4uz2FTem-4gQNAG3NK4UupC-O0HlwKXHZLNLcdA2ULr3-BBrqBcfOLyfPX47kLhXvQlE8vjsnQeZBFi6LWtI/s736/Eclair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="498" data-original-width="736" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxz4czpSPv0wyAsaJlkj3aKM0scWBWZiFwvZyLnB1c8cFFlyGrfsLrdqQa3E-9Y-dyld1TUIEeq-TWdfBwdKPYBFl9hgEtN1wz5dQrZ8I4uz2FTem-4gQNAG3NK4UupC-O0HlwKXHZLNLcdA2ULr3-BBrqBcfOLyfPX47kLhXvQlE8vjsnQeZBFi6LWtI/w400-h271/Eclair.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Éclair is a mean, manipulative character that sets out to control Tamaki's life so she can get the honour of marrying him, and is willing to say anything to his friends to make that happen. After episodes of fun hijinks and heartfelt discussions, ending it all with this type of character feels so... wrong and uncomfortable. Her redemption at the end feels half-hearted as well, as if the writers became aware we were running out of time and needed the episode to end now. They couldn't kill her off in a fiery explosion, that'd be wrong for this kind of show. So she suddenly decides Haruhi is awesome and lets Tamaki go. Whatever. A great anime with a terrible anime-only finale, as I've said many times before.</p><p><br /></p><p><b><i><u>4. Faris</u></i></b></p><p>Look, I love <i>Fairy Tail</i> but I knew someone from there was going to end up on my list. Jellal? Nah, he's only annoyed me when he's not a villain. His villainy was actually great. Franmalth or Marin Hollow? Annoying, yes but not major enough to make me feel they deserve a spot here. No, to end up on my list, you have to actually be significant. Hence why Faris, aka the White Wizard, is easily on my list. Who is Faris? The first true villain of the sequel, <i>100 Years Quest</i>, that's who! Except not really because... ugh.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGmYH57W2LRuAaYoOMJZ1J8zzoAda9it4UOlr9T5D_dC1aDEIcstYSTVOc4T2xsF8DTcrGg3ohs7Oe0FbVrgAyGmeI0kKZ-EZb31CNKvsnxl3pNZeflyTQJ88ryJeFLRNWnz_Ay9Z5mKEiQFWT4y8G5CYkeEK40pQ-LV4Bi-YBtMqUcYGLeS7OSOoyLFY/s961/Faris.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="524" data-original-width="961" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGmYH57W2LRuAaYoOMJZ1J8zzoAda9it4UOlr9T5D_dC1aDEIcstYSTVOc4T2xsF8DTcrGg3ohs7Oe0FbVrgAyGmeI0kKZ-EZb31CNKvsnxl3pNZeflyTQJ88ryJeFLRNWnz_Ay9Z5mKEiQFWT4y8G5CYkeEK40pQ-LV4Bi-YBtMqUcYGLeS7OSOoyLFY/w400-h217/Faris.png" width="400" /></a></div><p>Long-time readers of my "work" will know I was fairly enjoying the sequel when Faris was the enemy, because she was actually a legitimate threat and schemer. She felt like a good way to balance out the series' power levels without going full force <i>DBZ</i>, and her motivations were unclear but her behaviour was interesting enough to make me want to find out. But then... you can guess what happened next. It happens too often.</p><p>Yes, there was some contrived reason why Faris was good all along. She wasn't evil, she just caused destruction and stole magic and lied and manipulated for good reasons, no really. One contrived excuse after another follows to turn Faris into a friend, to act like all the brainwashing of Fairy Tail or the chaos of Mercphobia was because she's a heroic character! It's a complete reversal of the character that just annoyed me in the end, and the more I think about it, the more disappointed I get. It's probably one of the reasons I'm currently so bored with <i>100 Years Quest </i>as is...</p><p><br /></p><p><u><i><b>3. Yhwach</b></i></u></p><p>You filthy anime-only watchers must be shocked to see the newbie Yhwach on this list, and that's why I implore you all to skip ahead and ignore the paragraphs about what makes me hate Yhwach because, as of writing this article, <i>Bleach</i> has not yet reached why I hate the villain so much. So this is your warning; Run. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-cpbUhn2slgK-Tti0JPta5Q-PzEkZdk0abiULS2yuBlz-lZEBST022ShPjGtaYpcrV7ZcmCGkGFFLRzVjXj3-mOIEDSzubpfqX_Q4ArdMzuor3IOLgubjN8QeojrdN4pCiiKr_JhApVEOH0TzFqc-OPh2sjG2Xojh6i8yopK5sW64zfTXIdljluygK2s/s873/Yhwach.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="873" data-original-width="602" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-cpbUhn2slgK-Tti0JPta5Q-PzEkZdk0abiULS2yuBlz-lZEBST022ShPjGtaYpcrV7ZcmCGkGFFLRzVjXj3-mOIEDSzubpfqX_Q4ArdMzuor3IOLgubjN8QeojrdN4pCiiKr_JhApVEOH0TzFqc-OPh2sjG2Xojh6i8yopK5sW64zfTXIdljluygK2s/w276-h400/Yhwach.jpeg" width="276" /></a></div><p>Are you still reading because you know the entire story already? Good. I would hate to ruin it for you. Anyway, Yhwach is so damn annoying that I want him to fuck off forever and let Aizen reveal his Bankai instead! Initially starting off as an intriguing villain, with his imposing design, calm smirk and loyal army of not-Nazis, Yhwach slowly begins a painful descension into utter nonsense, and that all begins when we find out what power the "A" stands for. The "A" is fitting because he clearly pulled this power out of his Ass!</p><p>You see, Yhwach has the Almighty, a power that can predict the future. Ok, that's simple enough. But instead of just seeing what will happen, Yhwach can see literally everything that will happen in every possible timeline. Not only that, he also (checks notes to make sure I got this crap right) can manipulate the past to make things happen so he can decide which future he wants will also happen. At this point, what does his personality matter? What do his schemes or connections matter? Yhwach is the epitome of nonsense, a "deflect anything shield" character, and a completely boring one because of it. I just stopped enjoying Bleach because of this guy, because every time they tried to do something to him... nuh-uh! Almighty!</p><p><br /></p><p><b><i><u>2. Kaguya Otsutsuki</u></i></b></p><p>She sucks. Here's why. I'm done going on about her, so just... here. Read these. My feelings haven't changed since I wrote them.</p><p><a href="https://otakunuts.blogspot.com/2014/08/kaguya-otsutsuki-good-bad-and-ugly.html">https://otakunuts.blogspot.com/2014/08/kaguya-otsutsuki-good-bad-and-ugly.html</a></p><p><a href="https://otakunuts.blogspot.com/2020/05/how-i-came-to-hate-otsutsuki.html">https://otakunuts.blogspot.com/2020/05/how-i-came-to-hate-otsutsuki.html</a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBxDKhngvIQIgARvK7yaUaqMOGAEybI8ig3lUH2KD0ZD6BS5svmGVrw0zN5apS_V7pyHHpVPnXd23xHzfRKHDHZ7ZIJvrvv-z1oKk8McEGoUdmlu9gTV8OnCbQeLTROZ-hXLsoBurZQws5LflEEr3fiZ4dHvmmWy6pGUQYEUlfw12tXarGUB1yrLesI6k/s2557/Kaguya.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1434" data-original-width="2557" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBxDKhngvIQIgARvK7yaUaqMOGAEybI8ig3lUH2KD0ZD6BS5svmGVrw0zN5apS_V7pyHHpVPnXd23xHzfRKHDHZ7ZIJvrvv-z1oKk8McEGoUdmlu9gTV8OnCbQeLTROZ-hXLsoBurZQws5LflEEr3fiZ4dHvmmWy6pGUQYEUlfw12tXarGUB1yrLesI6k/w400-h224/Kaguya.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p><b><i><u>1. Bio-Broly</u></i></b></p><p>I adore the new <i>Super</i> incarnation of Broly, from his design to his backstory to his personality. He's such a breath of fresh air that fits so naturally with the characters around him, and I pray the franchise feels ready to introduce him and his entourage to Bulma and the others soon. However, one of the reasons I love this Broly so much is because of how much I hated the original Broly, and what happened to that version by the end was abysmal.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQcISvNPcrv3tE0ItHWQh7vH6NUomQGGEi5lE0KkfO7yFP-ZKIKfJF640QBrp3IMhEhnJW-B29zClrXFOot-sVJXynFa5_dh7y0itWLVuxKuGfNH8ivr4snAlZ0jmUuXtL50H9PXcxsqF0eUTemNxuxjYcS8jo39OqHKgiOAuN_8OWk3XU1t3cNmx5504/s1920/Bio%20Broly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQcISvNPcrv3tE0ItHWQh7vH6NUomQGGEi5lE0KkfO7yFP-ZKIKfJF640QBrp3IMhEhnJW-B29zClrXFOot-sVJXynFa5_dh7y0itWLVuxKuGfNH8ivr4snAlZ0jmUuXtL50H9PXcxsqF0eUTemNxuxjYcS8jo39OqHKgiOAuN_8OWk3XU1t3cNmx5504/w400-h225/Bio%20Broly.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>In his first movie, OG Broly was intimidating but ridiculous due to a crying baby backstory and a lack of personality. In his second movie, Broly got peed on and failed to kill literally anyone, including Goten, Trunks and Videl. In his third movie, Broly was cloned, and gooped on until he became the hideous disgrace that is... Bio-Broly! Clearly meant to reference classic horror movie monsters from decades ago, like the Tar Zombie, Bio-Broly is disgusting and horrific, but with even less personality and reason to care. </p><p>Whatever little there was to like about OG Broly in the first place is completely gone by this point. He smashes, he roars, he does nothing of note. His design is terribly bad, and OG Broly looks nuanced by comparison. I don't even like OG Broly but I feel bad for him when he's reduced to this, so I can only imagine what fans of him felt back in the day. Boring, stupid and a waste of time. Still, at least he fits the film he's in, since the <i>Bio-Broly</i> movie is itself boring, stupid and a waste of time.</p>Shigginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16256099093521615360noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4926295868515831102.post-61252027544350793062023-09-28T17:22:00.003-07:002023-09-28T17:22:30.068-07:00Biggest Character Downgrades in Anime and Manga<p>Sometimes, it's not the character being annoying or pathetic that's the problem, but it's how they eventually end up in the story that makes it painful to look at them or go back to the good old days. I'll always respect a writer's choice to do what they want with their own characters, but the ones on this list got me angry, embarrassed or just plain depressed, and so I wanted to share them with you today. And if there's some you believe are missing from this list, don't hesitate to tell me!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWO6seyfTCUueby2oNpGxX39PGsYF6aQcR4ix2A5N2XFmcf2Cqg3WfkbQtn_5d48ZBXgBmW1R_RUB3UEFQ1B848RW2gNNLBuvQoZacwvRykMBrM7InANq33cTDNhfaGeQm6x_4DzR4l0wkrVFol5Oc6u9fJnyrqOE-96OGR_i5hv0c6xY7ctl1SIYvOOg/s2273/Anime%20Downgrade.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1506" data-original-width="2273" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWO6seyfTCUueby2oNpGxX39PGsYF6aQcR4ix2A5N2XFmcf2Cqg3WfkbQtn_5d48ZBXgBmW1R_RUB3UEFQ1B848RW2gNNLBuvQoZacwvRykMBrM7InANq33cTDNhfaGeQm6x_4DzR4l0wkrVFol5Oc6u9fJnyrqOE-96OGR_i5hv0c6xY7ctl1SIYvOOg/w400-h265/Anime%20Downgrade.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I don't know Photoshop, okay?! This is the best I can do!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span><a name='more'></a></span><p><b><i><u>Chad (Bleach)</u></i></b></p><p>Is there any downgrade in anime history more noticeable than poor Chad? Maybe if the series had stuck to it's high school roots and not introduced a thousand new characters during the Soul Society Arc, Chad could have done nothing but prosper. This big lug has managed to remain a cult favourite thanks to his design, motivation and interesting backstory, but damn, the series does not care for you!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzdyd3dmSUig__5CtSZvUy0jyrjDbV5uBIzAFC8olAogIvYniH6atlQkjp8EfC8L-TdiJBLg1MSkPOjTkWzvONi3qKGBibGXidHJwdPcLH_BlsE6N98JcWZ24fOgJt8naTZG2XeDWgD5pJXBK7eM44m7KpqZTS-fo4MXc3z0woIE3YzxRfRQf9_PaJUqQ/s1280/Bleach%20Chad%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzdyd3dmSUig__5CtSZvUy0jyrjDbV5uBIzAFC8olAogIvYniH6atlQkjp8EfC8L-TdiJBLg1MSkPOjTkWzvONi3qKGBibGXidHJwdPcLH_BlsE6N98JcWZ24fOgJt8naTZG2XeDWgD5pJXBK7eM44m7KpqZTS-fo4MXc3z0woIE3YzxRfRQf9_PaJUqQ/w400-h225/Bleach%20Chad%201.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>During the slice-of-life style series of the first arc, Yasutora "Chad" Sado is Ichigo's biggest, strongest and quietest friend who chooses to only fight for the sake of protecting others. He has a great rapport with Rukia and Ichigo, and his unlocked power of super punching is pretty damn cool. Chad looks set to be a huge character moving forward, but that was quickly put a stop to as the Soul Reapers began to invade the story, and abilities like Bankai and Resurrección make his fisting look laughable by comparison. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhfK_si-GlrlqKRkq63dyQ36F-38MzoJjzsT3wzqhOREwPiZtwQ_1YjqVgaad9EMaaLRV2xwAealMf9_x9nnj_6-2swjM1RgKNIhXcIt_jh5MDf-J_87CMWtdCijQlClv46dBPdA0D22DZCthkiRroODtrNmPqjy-uYAPbOoNMkMCJWNH9WTDclsdfdkk/s1600/Bleach%20Chad%202.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1066" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhfK_si-GlrlqKRkq63dyQ36F-38MzoJjzsT3wzqhOREwPiZtwQ_1YjqVgaad9EMaaLRV2xwAealMf9_x9nnj_6-2swjM1RgKNIhXcIt_jh5MDf-J_87CMWtdCijQlClv46dBPdA0D22DZCthkiRroODtrNmPqjy-uYAPbOoNMkMCJWNH9WTDclsdfdkk/w266-h400/Bleach%20Chad%202.jpeg" width="266" /></a></div><p>By the end of the series, Chad has been beaten constantly to build up others, like Shunsui Kyōraku, Nnoitra Gilga (an extremely underrated villain in my eyes) and more. He keeps getting himself stronger after the beatdown and saying "let me fight alongside you, Ichigo", but it's just pitiful by the third time he's done this because nothing ever changes and he ends up fodder once more. Even the Fullbring arc, which should have focused heavily on him considering everything going on, turns him into yet another forgotten stepping stone. And as for his final fate in the series, I won't spoil it here for the anime-only viewers, but let's just say it goes massively against everything we know about Chad as a character, and only further serves to show just how little thought anyone really gave him by the end of it, including his own writers.</p><p><br /></p><p><u><i><b>Videl (Dragon Ball Super)</b></i></u></p><p>I've bitched about this one before, but since it is still happening to her, I am still going to complain about it. Easily one of the best parts of the Son Gohan side of the Buu Saga, Videl is the tomboy daughter of Hercule Satan and the love interest of Gohan himself. She's dynamic, she's motivated, she's so different from the others in the series because she's a badass fighter in her own right who fights against criminals despite not having even met anyone from the superpowered side of the franchise. And her connection to Gohan, distrusting him to befriending him then outright falling in love with him, is charming and is heavily reminiscent of the best stuff Spider-Man stories were once capable of. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvCbnwyKZnpZwVYNGH_euZ3JjDox2q6Th1KWTuTBgO5PqtFjuy7heIp-EjPqewpscwgqPCDxvuRRsIxuLZonBtiVDBaprA0uWpB-_86uRp9mDWZbWO5Edn7td_M14FzcrgNb8oqz0wPHagDmsiKM-Ke1bc_AfsvfGMfpfM_bh93lLJbrFmQYcJF5wEsYE/s2557/Videl%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1356" data-original-width="2557" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvCbnwyKZnpZwVYNGH_euZ3JjDox2q6Th1KWTuTBgO5PqtFjuy7heIp-EjPqewpscwgqPCDxvuRRsIxuLZonBtiVDBaprA0uWpB-_86uRp9mDWZbWO5Edn7td_M14FzcrgNb8oqz0wPHagDmsiKM-Ke1bc_AfsvfGMfpfM_bh93lLJbrFmQYcJF5wEsYE/w400-h213/Videl%201.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Then <i>Dragon Ball Super</i> happened. If you're a reader of my work, you know I actually enjoy <i>DBS </i>a lot, putting it third behind <i>Z</i> and <i>OG</i>, but I hate what they did to Videl in it. She got married, had a baby, all the happy stuff she wanted, but everything else she did or learned or cared for? Gone. Forgotten. She doesn't fight crime (although I do like that <i>DBS: Super Hero</i> mentioned she teaches martial arts to kids now. That's actually clever), she doesn't fly, she doesn't even get involved with anything anymore.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiczrXkVZCMu2PchS6YskNLK-olP6WAnhS8fNQllek4fyASnDiOrZitRAIwfnVeIiF13WgIXQKwRQhkKaXxUG_iEzMBvOlVH1Jly3w96UFZXbbfkuS-Q0ihHJK_a2fzdniZ7nNZ0WguiDI8OxzHdUjMmxz8AMJuR5QtduD-FSP_d_9HcDicq5s21tuiV08/s1200/Videl%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiczrXkVZCMu2PchS6YskNLK-olP6WAnhS8fNQllek4fyASnDiOrZitRAIwfnVeIiF13WgIXQKwRQhkKaXxUG_iEzMBvOlVH1Jly3w96UFZXbbfkuS-Q0ihHJK_a2fzdniZ7nNZ0WguiDI8OxzHdUjMmxz8AMJuR5QtduD-FSP_d_9HcDicq5s21tuiV08/w400-h225/Videl%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>The sad part is that whenever the anime does give her some time, usually non-canon, I enjoy it a lot! I enjoy her scenes with Gohan, they make a much more believable couple than Goku and Chi-Chi, and her refusing to buy the lies of Barry Khan during that filler arc was such a relief. I like when Videl fought the shitty version of Broly in <i>Second Coming</i>, but now we don't even let her know her daughter has been kidnapped! Wouldn't it have been amazing to see Videl and Gohan side-by-side in <i>DBS: Super Hero</i>, teaming up for their kid, maybe even giving us a Husband-Wife Masenko reminiscent of the Father-Son Kamehameha?</p><p><br /></p><p><u><i><b>Jericho (Nanatsu no Taizai)</b></i></u></p><p>I think I like <i>Nanatsu no Taizai</i> more than most, willing to deal with some of it's weaker aspects because of how much I enjoy the good side of things. Ban, Escanor, Gowther, the character designs, the majority of action scenes, stuff like that. And one character who I felt was heavily underrated was Jericho, a Holy Knight from the Kingdom of Liones who went on quite a big arc from a minor underling to a full-blown supervillain, to redeeming herself thanks to the power of love, loyalty and determination. She was great.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjQgjldhew5yz5IW-kIewAHG79qNU9yPVUWjUquN5PoMhqsbfi2FXe8a5apcFtwlaet98AiHfcLXVN9NhbomH4Yft-EUlikOg_X1eBGe6wEGmPVp4Dia3rNpvoV_aoPSTruC38eC9zr4RpiY6GgqtSORd6Gfqm4BAmUF_Mi6UJrcrN4gWiM3Ynk5Wh5e0/s499/Jericho%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="368" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjQgjldhew5yz5IW-kIewAHG79qNU9yPVUWjUquN5PoMhqsbfi2FXe8a5apcFtwlaet98AiHfcLXVN9NhbomH4Yft-EUlikOg_X1eBGe6wEGmPVp4Dia3rNpvoV_aoPSTruC38eC9zr4RpiY6GgqtSORd6Gfqm4BAmUF_Mi6UJrcrN4gWiM3Ynk5Wh5e0/w295-h400/Jericho%201.jpg" width="295" /></a></div><p>Well, she's not great anymore! You see, the franchise refused to end after it got to it's final chapter, and in the spirit of <i>Naruto</i>, it decided to make up a sequel that nobody asked for or needed. Some of the characters in the sequel are kinda fun, like Meliodas' kid Tristan, but Jericho.... Jericho is now pathetic. To make a long story very short, Jericho used to be in love with Ban but knew it would forever go unrequited, but she did end up his friend and one of the few people in the world he trusted with his life. She even went on to mentor his son who was born during the epilogue of the series, and... and now she's in love with the boy.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhavXtGzMMjCJy71KWx5R9MPi5gXUI5DssJw9cDtWqyqLKsWOpqlVDmaDAJGnNc0IBImr-wMsbo9GJq_6cyTNIadBG7xWVVoF3ffegFvZpDl6n0HyJOAm2pNVLzoqcXf7WFaiz35JSENj37Ppu9Rp9zZzkD5hkNX37Erni7HfaKd7uWFGEPY6Ve3vEquRA/s1600/Jericho%202.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1083" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhavXtGzMMjCJy71KWx5R9MPi5gXUI5DssJw9cDtWqyqLKsWOpqlVDmaDAJGnNc0IBImr-wMsbo9GJq_6cyTNIadBG7xWVVoF3ffegFvZpDl6n0HyJOAm2pNVLzoqcXf7WFaiz35JSENj37Ppu9Rp9zZzkD5hkNX37Erni7HfaKd7uWFGEPY6Ve3vEquRA/w271-h400/Jericho%202.png" width="271" /></a></div><p>Jericho's motivation for Ban made sense. They had a great banter and connection, but seeing her go all gooey and betray literally everyone, yes she actually did that, because she's in love with someone she's literally known as a newborn, someone who is currently half her age, and the son of someone she was once in love with, is heart-breaking enough to make me stop wanting to read it at all. Jericho went from a strong and caring character with flaws and motivations, to a creep that's trying to kill all her former friends and allies so she can have a happy dreamworld with a 16 year old. And crap like this is why I am growing to hate manga sequels.</p><p><br /></p><p><u><i><b>Izumi Miyamura (Horimiya)</b></i></u></p><p>The one who inspired me to make this list, funnily enough. <i>Horimiya</i> is one of those series which everyone praised to the stars and back, so I was a bit underwhelmed after I read it myself. That said, there's a lot to love in it and I can see why some people love it. The main couple are quite adorable to watch as they overcome their issues together, but Miyamaru's attempts to fix himself went too far!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaN8zV7QfhUSatS38dYhtKttmWfLTZDIg8_KZdFBuPYvL7zfYLGD0c_zaKK7SKGJZi1Zw-wRjGuWoXdQEkdHUlqA6wR-PmU3qOx5KXblGhrjTuIXaN9aF9dxkv6McA6SsqdSoPNBoH7_I-tz27XBBgc5yFvisGo1UGX1XAw007DZKul0PpBj_w4XUVZhU/s608/Miyamura%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="608" data-original-width="504" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaN8zV7QfhUSatS38dYhtKttmWfLTZDIg8_KZdFBuPYvL7zfYLGD0c_zaKK7SKGJZi1Zw-wRjGuWoXdQEkdHUlqA6wR-PmU3qOx5KXblGhrjTuIXaN9aF9dxkv6McA6SsqdSoPNBoH7_I-tz27XBBgc5yFvisGo1UGX1XAw007DZKul0PpBj_w4XUVZhU/w331-h400/Miyamura%201.jpg" width="331" /></a></div><p>When we first meet Miyamura, or should I be calling him Izumi(?), he's quite the unique character. He stands out in public by keeping his hair long, he enjoys wearing piercings, he has tattoos that he hides from his classmates, and this edgy rebellious look gives a great contrast to the caring and silly boy underneath. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuDPVbxYLtOJb1kbL6v2rmyrrq72-mjfr3WQBMzbhoQrBkjGl6VX9QhJfAtNYkDpNjrBRGSVNUbQtUrYM_C7bx6Km-V0FqL2JrnVUcBGkkix6w76g4HhTGInNRQ3qYhaIIqdHsBNUjcovyjazIk4hqL667bSolJiVp2LSNOasQEzKhQbYMeJ-5mV-ORDw/s1280/Miyamura%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuDPVbxYLtOJb1kbL6v2rmyrrq72-mjfr3WQBMzbhoQrBkjGl6VX9QhJfAtNYkDpNjrBRGSVNUbQtUrYM_C7bx6Km-V0FqL2JrnVUcBGkkix6w76g4HhTGInNRQ3qYhaIIqdHsBNUjcovyjazIk4hqL667bSolJiVp2LSNOasQEzKhQbYMeJ-5mV-ORDw/w400-h225/Miyamura%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Then he gets a haircut and a change of clothes, and just like that, all his wonderful visual personality is gone. Not only has he lost what made him sexy in the first place, don't judge me, but he now looks like the absolute most generic protagonist you could possibly get. If you put this version of Miyamura alongside 85% of the isekai protagonists out there, you would not be able to tell him apart and that is distinctly not good!</p><p><br /></p><p><u><i><b>Naruto Uzumaki (Boruto: Naruto Next Generations)</b></i></u></p><p>I know it's popular these days to pretend it's not actually good, alongside<i> Doom Eternal</i> and non-Maguire <i>Spider-Man</i> films, but <i>Naruto</i> the series was one of the best manga of all time and I still reread it to this day because of how much it stands the test of time. That being said, my enjoyment of the current reread is sometimes made awkward when I remember... Oh yeah, Naruto Uzumaki sucks now.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9YMRqhv9CXD3Ghh5uAYk6QuHh62DRkcxofKD_-6dyUI528tKUFbQvpgtYy5ZVh7U_AiHd29ZppoBDp9CXrex4BpjbzfLVOxaBazoiB5lmpgrqxAw9suuVlObQx3sk5FhPQ9FnLGprURBRoSPrqTjLPJqwKf4AwGFfiFSriJFVZx6T0A2TXme-MnIEsrU/s1099/Naruto%201.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="616" data-original-width="1099" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9YMRqhv9CXD3Ghh5uAYk6QuHh62DRkcxofKD_-6dyUI528tKUFbQvpgtYy5ZVh7U_AiHd29ZppoBDp9CXrex4BpjbzfLVOxaBazoiB5lmpgrqxAw9suuVlObQx3sk5FhPQ9FnLGprURBRoSPrqTjLPJqwKf4AwGFfiFSriJFVZx6T0A2TXme-MnIEsrU/w400-h224/Naruto%201.png" width="400" /></a></div><p>Naruto is an iconic character, who fought loneliness and betrayal to begin a new life with friends, start a family, and complete his dream of becoming Hokage. When he stood at the top of that mountain, his dreams achieved and himself accepted by all, I don't think any of us were asking for a sequel. But a sequel is what we got, and Naruto wasn't the main character this time. His son was, and his son needed conflict in his family life. So despite it being against his character in every way, Naruto was rewritten to become neglectful and cold, focusing more on his job and even refusing to go to his own daughter's birthday.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg83nMJvyoxzzV_j0uE0ChuYXRiGrY4HNur7C9hsauWjKiWpWR6DAMiMcQxqupkZEErKi7zHBl486NzssxsPxypLw6N2XbeWtuVi3RuskQ_EofZpdhdKiQ_U-V3BLAIDYTnfGpbA54hzIdpDg-iUgiXszphCq8Zv_jDXhIHMS5TFeQbR0l6Pa_eKnvS2_o/s884/Naruto%202.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="884" data-original-width="810" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg83nMJvyoxzzV_j0uE0ChuYXRiGrY4HNur7C9hsauWjKiWpWR6DAMiMcQxqupkZEErKi7zHBl486NzssxsPxypLw6N2XbeWtuVi3RuskQ_EofZpdhdKiQ_U-V3BLAIDYTnfGpbA54hzIdpDg-iUgiXszphCq8Zv_jDXhIHMS5TFeQbR0l6Pa_eKnvS2_o/w366-h400/Naruto%202.png" width="366" /></a></div><p>I've never seen a character so clearly changed for the plot in my entire life, due to how unnatural this one feels and how painfully wrong it is from the start. The one character in the franchise who knows what it's like to be alone most of all, who knows the power of a father figure, who spent birthdays all by himself, picks his job over his family? Hokage was always his dream, yes, but more than that, he craved acceptance, friendship, love. And now, he acts towards his own son's needs with annoyance and sighs, he demands the kind of respect from his son that he himself never gave to higher-ups when he was the protagonist, and he just... he's just not Naruto anymore. Does he get better as the series go on? Well, I was going to check that out but the anime is huge and the manga is ugly. Also I heard Naruto adopted another son and now Boruto has an edgy design and... ugh. No thanks.</p>Shigginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16256099093521615360noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4926295868515831102.post-81304044588284622502023-07-27T09:29:00.002-07:002023-07-27T09:29:49.555-07:00How to Fix the MCU's Content Issue - Categories!<p>"They should cancel it!"</p><p>Well they aren't going to, so let that joke and any others like it slide, okay? Once you've done so, join me as we discuss the biggest issues with the <i>Marvel Cinematic Universe</i>, and the best way I personally think would keep it relevant and easier for fans to handle; through the power of filing, organisation and tighter control!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilsdZt9AnhIHMQ6UBfZElMqnTQDHJYlJkbVb0iqSYnK-cR56oDWz0UhANWyK2GA7p0A96N1JHHlO3K6NMe5uFdeTHIgjKNEPiFnprWIz9Ms2_m2v4WUfUpVG9D9XFYzXs126F2W7xXmvIkTqc5VTYroHpWzCts1I8456vohsmkUTOS5Ud2p2r_zpjbo4c/s2048/MCU%20Disney%20Plus.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="626" data-original-width="2048" height="122" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilsdZt9AnhIHMQ6UBfZElMqnTQDHJYlJkbVb0iqSYnK-cR56oDWz0UhANWyK2GA7p0A96N1JHHlO3K6NMe5uFdeTHIgjKNEPiFnprWIz9Ms2_m2v4WUfUpVG9D9XFYzXs126F2W7xXmvIkTqc5VTYroHpWzCts1I8456vohsmkUTOS5Ud2p2r_zpjbo4c/w400-h122/MCU%20Disney%20Plus.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I really hope his upcoming film tells us if Sam Wilson is the leader of the group. Or if there even is a group that exists anymore. What is going on?!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span><a name='more'></a></span><p>The <i>MCU </i>is having an identity crisis right now, piling out new stuff over and over again with little sense of connection or scale. Look, I'm a huge fan of <i>Marvel</i>, and the <i>MCU</i> in general, but even I needed a break after last year and beg for a better handling of everything going on. It's because I love you that I want to help you. And when someone tells me they haven't watched <i>Moon Knight, Ms Marvel, Secret Invasion </i>and/or <i>Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania</i>, I don't blame them. That's a lot of shit, all of it supposedly connected to each other, all of it piling on top of each other like hamsters at bedtime, and while the experimentation is fun, it can be overwhelming and not enjoyable for those that want something else. Just because you enjoy the <i>Guardians of the Galaxy</i> films doesn't mean you'll enjoy <i>Werewolf by Night</i>.</p><p>And that's why I think <i>Marvel</i> needs to learn about the beauty behind properly labelling your works. I believe the <i>MCU</i> should become separate stories, clear of each other, and put into categories so people can get a clearer understanding of the tone, style and stakes they're about to enjoy. It would also make things a lot easier to build up to, a better sense of progression as every story won't be so scattered about the place and instead each "category" can focus on building up to whatever story they choose.</p><p>What I am going to present below are examples of how I might categorise the <i>MCU</i> moving forward. I want to note this is not a perfect example, but it's to give you a rough idea of what exactly I am proposing. Feel free to decide for yourselves how you'd categorise it, maybe even comment below to let me know!</p><p><b>Space/Cosmic</b> - This is our space battle stuff. This is where the Guardians of the Galaxy, Captain Marvel, Nova and other characters that spend their time fighting on alien planets would go. These films would most likely be big, bright, bombastic and beautiful, with explosions and spaceships, enemies like Annihilus showing up with a fleet of Star Destroyers to invade places, civilisations like the Kree in political strife, maybe even the multiverse crap if you're so determined to shove it in somewhere.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL4WcGI8-VY-pD3IW1Fh3km9RKqZdywO942SFj3zvq3n6Y7BxQ7fIcr44OIrq9oT2ZhHZKtTn67w_FOZ4pM57rGgrYPyIEie-T9HtCtgSMNGhzAgbsJeLjENUkZtQLj9wmhKZfES0X1mcoj6JGmPL9CUI8QYdsV6P1ITcSSh7bkJ18BG4ePVaBKu8fxOk/s2800/Guardians%20Comic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2800" data-original-width="1821" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL4WcGI8-VY-pD3IW1Fh3km9RKqZdywO942SFj3zvq3n6Y7BxQ7fIcr44OIrq9oT2ZhHZKtTn67w_FOZ4pM57rGgrYPyIEie-T9HtCtgSMNGhzAgbsJeLjENUkZtQLj9wmhKZfES0X1mcoj6JGmPL9CUI8QYdsV6P1ITcSSh7bkJ18BG4ePVaBKu8fxOk/w260-h400/Guardians%20Comic.jpg" width="260" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Where's my Moondragon?!</td></tr></tbody></table><p><b>Street Crime</b> - This category would be for the smaller scale crimes, by comparison to other <i>Marvel</i> problems, like bank robberies and gang wars. It's here where characters like Daredevil, She-Hulk, Iron Fist (but NOT the <i>Netflix</i> one), Luke Cage, Ms Marvel and more would show up, possibly even forming the Heroes for Hire or the Defenders. Villains like Kingpin and Tombstone would thrive here, with a more gritty feel and no risk of skybeams.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio-A1e0oAoO3mfVAjiKUuOsfQ7v-esw9O4tC0KFUem3g-4zU6AbAXmblzyAoGKo9OL7klj8kLAD55UkjzGI9mE4y97OyVPiVOvdvUdn8rtTagvNtjt3wPegeUmrewqKslFJ166zU68X_Q8thUh_AOtopFDn2SiKTjVMz3Aasbo6QrtlbJx7dnrhCThfr4/s1920/Heroes%20for%20Hire%20Comic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1242" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio-A1e0oAoO3mfVAjiKUuOsfQ7v-esw9O4tC0KFUem3g-4zU6AbAXmblzyAoGKo9OL7klj8kLAD55UkjzGI9mE4y97OyVPiVOvdvUdn8rtTagvNtjt3wPegeUmrewqKslFJ166zU68X_Q8thUh_AOtopFDn2SiKTjVMz3Aasbo6QrtlbJx7dnrhCThfr4/w259-h400/Heroes%20for%20Hire%20Comic.jpg" width="259" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not the Iron Fist we deserve, but the one we need right now.</td></tr></tbody></table><p><b>Spider-Man</b> - Let's face it, the icon needs his own category. He's too huge to share. Between the alternate Spider-Men from other universes like Gwen, Noir and 2099, the billions of fantastic villains like Green Goblin and Doctor Octopus, and the introduction of antiheroes like Venom and Wraith, you could make Spider-Man a franchise all on it's own and nobody would even mind. You could even still do a crossover by having the alternate Spider-Men take on a terrifying version of the Sinister Six or Knull, or something else badass.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKOiQVhQbN7Sn6130PxVQr7iYe9EUo-mSmRV517KX--MDuDK8Dh6k1WSiW0Vv-qTK9cGYdBJelr3IrbdbO4xvcrJneKZqwh43hbrPHbsIdi-BMh40RPiRDwW6cPlB5xgj0AoCaKZYjobxgWymA9aSglvQ9Fn-YIDjpf6zx9sshfuyKo7hqG-Q1Q62SB80/s750/Spiderman%20Comic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="517" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKOiQVhQbN7Sn6130PxVQr7iYe9EUo-mSmRV517KX--MDuDK8Dh6k1WSiW0Vv-qTK9cGYdBJelr3IrbdbO4xvcrJneKZqwh43hbrPHbsIdi-BMh40RPiRDwW6cPlB5xgj0AoCaKZYjobxgWymA9aSglvQ9Fn-YIDjpf6zx9sshfuyKo7hqG-Q1Q62SB80/w276-h400/Spiderman%20Comic.jpg" width="276" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When I was younger, I got into writing because I wanted to write Venom someday. The same reason I tried to get into acting. No, that's not a joke. I'm serious.</td></tr></tbody></table><p><b>X-Men</b> - For basically the same reason as Spider-Man, the X-Men are too plentiful and too enjoyable to be sharing their category. Between their fascinating political commentaries, to their brilliant villains like Magneto and Mr Sinister, to all the damn wonderful characters that deserve their own time in the spotlight, <i>X-Men</i> could go on for years. Wolverine, Storm, Deadpool, Juggernaut, Jubilee, Nightcrawler, Magneto, The Blob, Kitty Pryde... the list is endless, as are the opportunities for great stories.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFV4nPjroH-LxxjXdZ0PyuvwS_A6JtR29qZpgFaeRtmMxYQM3d2L9hqM_tzQuGRKTlDqAq4EdXnzV4MBtFWTkY7Q4tZriI7nm7ip61of2hkH_kHEpqYmmR6BJvIlCGOsGC9HNDFLi1bz74wE_ZuUomIiVz-zzpXDC6svLkDAF_QVFN0d72gAsK6Jig5o4/s688/X%20Men%20Comic.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="688" data-original-width="451" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFV4nPjroH-LxxjXdZ0PyuvwS_A6JtR29qZpgFaeRtmMxYQM3d2L9hqM_tzQuGRKTlDqAq4EdXnzV4MBtFWTkY7Q4tZriI7nm7ip61of2hkH_kHEpqYmmR6BJvIlCGOsGC9HNDFLi1bz74wE_ZuUomIiVz-zzpXDC6svLkDAF_QVFN0d72gAsK6Jig5o4/w263-h400/X%20Men%20Comic.png" width="263" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Would be great if we could spend five minutes without Wolverine too but that's not going to happen most likely... can we at least recast him, start fresh?</td></tr></tbody></table><p><b>Supernatural</b> - With <i>Werewolf by Night</i> being as awesome as it was, I think it's clear the <i>MCU</i> should devote a category to light action-horror. There's plenty of amazing characters that already exist within this area of the franchise, and I think it'd be much better to see them go against their own enemies instead of aliens. Imagine the likes of Dr Strange, Moon Knight, Man-Thing, Blade and Nico Minoru teaming up to form the Midnight Suns and take on enemies like Dormammu, Mephisto and motherfudging Dracula!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzPOyDBNKmM6smdsmEwMN00BcVXsD12749KSzksNWPIWnk54MgY8aXlfxk9q1gxMwaIl9uQysYOj3odxFCntD92iKZxnNaHShKuL62NURV9pn7Kobu_lfugWcq2yflKJvQkjF2EiPkhSJlsIhkWv56DBXbCAEeK-QbzQ3scWDSu7Pd-IhIB_dzrakIpI0/s1000/Midnight%20Suns%20Fire.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="648" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzPOyDBNKmM6smdsmEwMN00BcVXsD12749KSzksNWPIWnk54MgY8aXlfxk9q1gxMwaIl9uQysYOj3odxFCntD92iKZxnNaHShKuL62NURV9pn7Kobu_lfugWcq2yflKJvQkjF2EiPkhSJlsIhkWv56DBXbCAEeK-QbzQ3scWDSu7Pd-IhIB_dzrakIpI0/w259-h400/Midnight%20Suns%20Fire.jpg" width="259" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It would also make more people check out the underrated video game that came out. The game has Venom in it!</td></tr></tbody></table><p><b>Avengers</b> - The most difficult category for me to figure out is the one about saving the world, the crossover of big heroes, the team-ups. So I came up with the Avengers category, which could serve as both a category about a team of heroes (Captain America, Shang-Chi, Ant-Man, etc) or be the crossover of other categories if so inclined. If Captain America wants to hold his fly in with his shield alongside the Hulk, Spider-Man and Dr Strange, this is where he'd do it. I think. Like I said, this one was a toughie.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZDdbcaunXIJxqYGHBN4QXoxuSLF2BZhDu4bQg0C6N4S-oBho-Xz8dXrUrSQssuxj8dAZwjVR7KT3BIXWk7iaKEMO9HuSURjoQ3im5jVdWvKHTiQqrBH6fH6TMykv-8uAum1Vk0GWcpkd75OhFaRKRGgYz2C8GmJwwXOZuHRmmEoXYrl3RMiPhlrBsQ4E/s1566/Avengers%20Comic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1566" data-original-width="1041" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZDdbcaunXIJxqYGHBN4QXoxuSLF2BZhDu4bQg0C6N4S-oBho-Xz8dXrUrSQssuxj8dAZwjVR7KT3BIXWk7iaKEMO9HuSURjoQ3im5jVdWvKHTiQqrBH6fH6TMykv-8uAum1Vk0GWcpkd75OhFaRKRGgYz2C8GmJwwXOZuHRmmEoXYrl3RMiPhlrBsQ4E/w266-h400/Avengers%20Comic.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And hopefully Thor has some more dignity next time.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>So there you have it. My super-genius-brilliant-plan to save the <i>MCU's</i> reputation and content issues. It needs tweaking obviously, like where would the Fantastic Four go, but I think it'd be a step in the right direction. Plus we'd probably get some cool opening logos for each category, which would be hype, since the current logo has dragged on far too long now.</p><p>Do you think this idea would work? What categories would you try? Let me know in the comments below! Excelsior! </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCxqN4IMTgmfqYl6bxOpL6WjESoWncNVBeG5BAzP1myMaleTNgRVYNx1hn5TPyizLeYqyY8ywohDSRgCQ223nElx1Lsx5g3rtl6OvjHtmKhII27am1SvNJ-7qGIIDb0foLyx9wQ7_XwaZFwmsa7c6sJ01Dvdo3PYjWGiBhssCayTzlWpp9A5QhtQHlDrY/s1366/Bring%20Back%20Hulk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="900" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCxqN4IMTgmfqYl6bxOpL6WjESoWncNVBeG5BAzP1myMaleTNgRVYNx1hn5TPyizLeYqyY8ywohDSRgCQ223nElx1Lsx5g3rtl6OvjHtmKhII27am1SvNJ-7qGIIDb0foLyx9wQ7_XwaZFwmsa7c6sJ01Dvdo3PYjWGiBhssCayTzlWpp9A5QhtQHlDrY/w264-h400/Bring%20Back%20Hulk.jpg" width="264" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh and I don't care what category it is. Bring back the engaging and complex Hulk character we need. Thanks. 'kay, bye.</td></tr></tbody></table>Shigginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16256099093521615360noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4926295868515831102.post-33181629961771920542023-07-20T13:46:00.003-07:002023-07-20T13:46:39.605-07:00Medaka Box is the Messiest Manga I've Ever Loved<p>Medaka Rox.</p><p><i>Medaka Box</i> is a shonen manga from the distant faraway year of 2009, that ran for four years in Shonen Jump and has maintained a relatively small cult following. Having read it myself a few times now, I can honestly say that <i>Medaka Box</i> is one of the dumbest, strange and awkwardly-written manga I've seen... yet I kinda love it.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiidKKc8GIIJjLxTnTiA6odnLvwc2cBP2khxg67PhAhA-8H0S-e77oSMs4sw5qw_FwWATeNHI2wJIG-uE6Jm-ZGyi80qFb3R6pdiktd2MAJnRCl2CnQO2ivu6mfSGdmKQgM0LJ2UNKfGKrSNMtsDhk3QbpYJvRxF4A_UKytS5dpvk14NVDeV6rp9T96Zmk/s754/Kumagawa%20is%20the%20Best.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="678" data-original-width="754" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiidKKc8GIIJjLxTnTiA6odnLvwc2cBP2khxg67PhAhA-8H0S-e77oSMs4sw5qw_FwWATeNHI2wJIG-uE6Jm-ZGyi80qFb3R6pdiktd2MAJnRCl2CnQO2ivu6mfSGdmKQgM0LJ2UNKfGKrSNMtsDhk3QbpYJvRxF4A_UKytS5dpvk14NVDeV6rp9T96Zmk/w400-h360/Kumagawa%20is%20the%20Best.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kumagawa is the best. And yes, he could beat Goku.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span><a name='more'></a></span><p>The premise of <i>Medaka Box</i> is deceptively simple, on first impressions. There's an elite high school (because of course there is) and our main character is Medaka Kurokami, who has just recently taken on the role of Student Council President with a staggering 98% of the vote. She basically strongarms her best friend Zenkichi Hitoyoshi to join the council as her General Affairs Manager, and the two undertake tasks given to them from a suggestion box, known as the "Medaka Box".</p><p>Sounds easy enough, right? A friendly manga with some comedic shenanigans, power of friendship and romance prevails, and there's a drop of fanservice to keep the manga relevant for the teenage crowd. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNV9T5d3z3MxVdZ1nsmuVd6zKy2eRRyGviORWAgJRtPCNsE3VZ3vdQqV5CYq7Y5MLANhkAseGvh8Ldu85kFWbtCj8X_UB9znNG-scEdVmavxbR-XhqzaBOGWD2J4S8fMSYQQ_U6FM4jIMQxHwQMjhIt9T1yqXfRMCdMa9qBDjitOXsdPiaWohQyQKdS44/s1456/Medaka%20Box.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1062" data-original-width="1456" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNV9T5d3z3MxVdZ1nsmuVd6zKy2eRRyGviORWAgJRtPCNsE3VZ3vdQqV5CYq7Y5MLANhkAseGvh8Ldu85kFWbtCj8X_UB9znNG-scEdVmavxbR-XhqzaBOGWD2J4S8fMSYQQ_U6FM4jIMQxHwQMjhIt9T1yqXfRMCdMa9qBDjitOXsdPiaWohQyQKdS44/w400-h291/Medaka%20Box.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Except, that's not really what happens.</p><p>For the first 15 chapters, sure. Medaka meets some wacky characters, including Zenkichi's rival, some overly-dramatic swimmers, and a rules-obsessed nitwit, but then a character called Myouri Unzen appears and commits near-murder, turning the series from an over-the-top slice of life series, to a full shonen action manga with attack names, impossible feats and literal transformations. This isn't too uncommon, and thankfully the pacing is tight enough right now that the series made the genre transition without any issues. </p><p>During the next arc, the series goes as balls-to-the-walls shonen as you expect, even with the limitations of high school students. As I watch a character literally control a person's body and mind by using lightning skills, I can't help but remember when the series originally started with Medaka's biggest issue being she can't pet a puppy, which was actually a terrifying hunting dog, so it was up to Zenkichi to figure out how to tame it. This isn't like <i>Dragon Ball Z</i>, where the transition took years and hundreds of chapters to go to space. <i>Medaka Box</i> is already one step away from a Raditz reveal and we're only in the second arc!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKl6QbkiDKGP4NwK0Pyg5a2_eoYmyStM74FHGwhxZSJB3g3ytE2Nr6sx_lOVo5BxlqVIGcCKcbpH8tj6rbMVg9LE34SyCH-HmqxJ7l8SQMek2lOCAKzm6uWwD5pN_U_EgAehhj7_Eirl96iTN0NXXGs2w9gwNbPZ1_lo0B2cV-ezSenLDcObBv2M8EHJc/s690/Medaka%20Ginyu.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="301" data-original-width="690" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKl6QbkiDKGP4NwK0Pyg5a2_eoYmyStM74FHGwhxZSJB3g3ytE2Nr6sx_lOVo5BxlqVIGcCKcbpH8tj6rbMVg9LE34SyCH-HmqxJ7l8SQMek2lOCAKzm6uWwD5pN_U_EgAehhj7_Eirl96iTN0NXXGs2w9gwNbPZ1_lo0B2cV-ezSenLDcObBv2M8EHJc/w400-h175/Medaka%20Ginyu.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">References!</td></tr></tbody></table></p><p>Interestingly though, this is when the series nearly got cancelled. We're only 50 chapters in, and people are bored. So the author, Nisio Isin, decided to shoot his plans up further and introduce the character known as Kumagawa Misogi. </p><p>To be blunt, Kumagawa is one of my all-time favourite characters in any manga/anime.</p><p>And honestly, Kumagawa is a perfect example of what I love about this series. He's like the embodiment of Nisio Isin's writing at it's best, being an unpredictable wild card that can never seem to make up his mind on what he wants to do, winging it when needed, and abandoning ideas with very little fanfare. Wisely, Kumagawa would remain a constant throughout the series and elevate every scene he's in, even after his arc is over. He saved the series from cancellation, and it's no wonder he won the top spot in popularity polls almost every single time.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiVROghI4bSmPWPhJkavvDoDMqq4PwA40ikIL_x9wu-F091-mMyV93rRLWCB_tMiC-VMX77JX922c34zYhlQ587ugbBkzk9lGxTmdBrL3gcMfjv0g66ijoIP9bWbujWJf6Y9BlZaN9TdGuKT86WjiHiNT8OizrpFEl-t4cUYlW3995Kqolu8uX9nY3T_M/s1049/Too%20Far.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1049" data-original-width="728" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiVROghI4bSmPWPhJkavvDoDMqq4PwA40ikIL_x9wu-F091-mMyV93rRLWCB_tMiC-VMX77JX922c34zYhlQ587ugbBkzk9lGxTmdBrL3gcMfjv0g66ijoIP9bWbujWJf6Y9BlZaN9TdGuKT86WjiHiNT8OizrpFEl-t4cUYlW3995Kqolu8uX9nY3T_M/w278-h400/Too%20Far.jpg" width="278" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dude... too far.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>But okay, we've got a weird character. How does that make this series as messy as I claim it does?</p><p>Well, that's because his character, and indeed his entire arc, gently introduces another character that is absolutely batshit insane to me; Ashin'in.</p><p>And without a single warning, Ashin'in turns the series from an action story into a romance story... while also talking about how she's living in a manga, how the series needs to be cancelled by her power, how Zenkichi has to defeat the "protagonist" Medaka by becoming the protagonist herself. She's literally a broken overpowered character concept taken to the most ridiculous and cartoonishly laughable of heights, with a motivation as stupid as it is impossible. She herself even states she has<span style="font-family: times;"> 1<span style="background-color: white;">2,858,051,967,633,865 abilities! How much more of a joke can this be? This series started with Medaka tracking down a culprit for abusing shoes, and now we're at the level of... this?!</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3v0jYAwZ0Br0OoE3mCf-GnV_3-be2EWtzB7J_HWzg-q5rztQ7PbB13P3pIoWLcY6zqV64aZjZPb9oyxkUd4xvWsbKsh2YCNYG1TsmS74r7vN6haSDD5GJiN1Q3WxOtDpT1cvcoNkmOAdFvpeMzi4W3yn0ZQ_ZCjqbRF6w2Tq-BwLALVRTCafXY8awJiI/s1056/Ashin'in%20Skills.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1056" data-original-width="728" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3v0jYAwZ0Br0OoE3mCf-GnV_3-be2EWtzB7J_HWzg-q5rztQ7PbB13P3pIoWLcY6zqV64aZjZPb9oyxkUd4xvWsbKsh2YCNYG1TsmS74r7vN6haSDD5GJiN1Q3WxOtDpT1cvcoNkmOAdFvpeMzi4W3yn0ZQ_ZCjqbRF6w2Tq-BwLALVRTCafXY8awJiI/w276-h400/Ashin'in%20Skills.jpg" width="276" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yeah, I wasn't exaggerating with that number I gave you. "This is but a taste of my power."</td></tr></tbody></table></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times;"></span></p><p>There's a lot of little things as well that often comes across like the writer is making it up as they go along. Medaka goes through new transformations like they're <i>Tiktok</i> videos, scrolling past them without care, there's an entire mini-arc where Kumagawa tries to enlist a bunch of elites onto his side by winning a card game that goes nowhere, the final boss of the series is a random Satan-looking asshole who uses Japanese wordplay to break bones, and he's practically defeated by a random character who literally joined the group because... she doesn't even know, she was just kinda tagging along for lols?</p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white;">If <i>Medaka Box</i> isn't for you, not only do I understand, I can't even argue with you on it. It's stupid, it's weird, the character development of Medaka is so confusing that at one point, even the series itself turns against her (no I'm not kidding). And yet, it has a scrappy charm to it that makes it so appealing to me to read. It's like when you buy an indie game by three people instead of a big AAA budget game, and instead of lasting 200 hours, you only get 5 hours of gameplay and you play as... I don't know... a mariachi frog that needs to invade the moon. Sure, the other one is probably better and you'll have a great time, but the mariachi frog is so ridiculous and worth talking about that I can't help but admire it. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVouiK5JkNo2D-8bFVNe3U5kPNSPnWFNNwJNjDjStfOFbFMu5qVOudbeWUqOBjWTQS3FnqlaV3Y_eBjhEpS6la1WVP_gyu_3TbcfQAE1YCO0JeuPVHHzCCoiqeSXfp1NZUwEOJ2dTJvuu_eMhfiBbNkWYJVIsVbkmzDEvzQuVcsibfWiswC1rFCCMxZ88/s1616/She%20Talks%20a%20Lot.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1197" data-original-width="1616" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVouiK5JkNo2D-8bFVNe3U5kPNSPnWFNNwJNjDjStfOFbFMu5qVOudbeWUqOBjWTQS3FnqlaV3Y_eBjhEpS6la1WVP_gyu_3TbcfQAE1YCO0JeuPVHHzCCoiqeSXfp1NZUwEOJ2dTJvuu_eMhfiBbNkWYJVIsVbkmzDEvzQuVcsibfWiswC1rFCCMxZ88/w400-h296/She%20Talks%20a%20Lot.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times;"><p>I hope I've kept this article spoiler-free enough for you to understand my point, and maybe check it out for yourself if you have the free time. Just don't come crying to me about what the differences between Minus, Plus, Abnormal, Not-Equal and whatever bloody other term they use actually are. I don't know, and I doubt the writers did either.</p></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilcpz_nwL_ULs46rpJu_XkeTv6HvoVy9f-Srj_YeXkNZ8ZHTFrf9J_qIiU1jHZCibWLqUkqO0SuT7usAb0_U7ddIXMXYVou3kfBloOjYzIGiRab4fnK6ByZJytJGZS3RkY9TmRhyPxuFEtKNHXgIziJt7GHSzzOPQHzq9hzHSp4TacjOlEz29-blauic0/s1059/Fourth%20Wall%20References.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1059" data-original-width="728" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilcpz_nwL_ULs46rpJu_XkeTv6HvoVy9f-Srj_YeXkNZ8ZHTFrf9J_qIiU1jHZCibWLqUkqO0SuT7usAb0_U7ddIXMXYVou3kfBloOjYzIGiRab4fnK6ByZJytJGZS3RkY9TmRhyPxuFEtKNHXgIziJt7GHSzzOPQHzq9hzHSp4TacjOlEz29-blauic0/w275-h400/Fourth%20Wall%20References.jpg" width="275" /></a></span></div><p></p>Shigginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16256099093521615360noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4926295868515831102.post-32358031900751203112023-05-13T14:47:00.005-07:002023-05-13T14:47:40.928-07:00My Ranking of Marvel's Phase 4<p>Phasers set to stunning.</p><p>What better time is there to release my sorting of every fudging piece of <i>MCU's</i> phase 4, than when phase 5's second film has been out for nearly two weeks? Don't answer that, it's rhetorical and my ego can't take it. Instead, please focus on the huge HUGE list I spent far too long ranking for no reason but my own hang-ups, and try to enjoy them. Remember, every opinion is unique so don't freak out when you see a few surprising choices.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWEC8Hee7tmqbG3gaAzpUlwzLwUKQkrDNUInb1m--FbetJmrLqh4eLx6x2tafqPmactgHPu6H9TJtIWecZs3Zf6HaaDLlfMMnznpdYa5NHi9lTZG_DD3JSsBYHAj-68-H97KGf3EdB-_3p5bWcS4VceEEmDB2lPtvt6papbF7sJnN-gglGYmz12y0u/s2500/Phase%204%20MCU.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1626" data-original-width="2500" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWEC8Hee7tmqbG3gaAzpUlwzLwUKQkrDNUInb1m--FbetJmrLqh4eLx6x2tafqPmactgHPu6H9TJtIWecZs3Zf6HaaDLlfMMnznpdYa5NHi9lTZG_DD3JSsBYHAj-68-H97KGf3EdB-_3p5bWcS4VceEEmDB2lPtvt6papbF7sJnN-gglGYmz12y0u/w400-h260/Phase%204%20MCU.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p><i>Note</i>: Phase 4 of the <i>MCU</i> covers everything released by Marvel Studios from 2021 to 2022. From <i>Wandavision</i> and <i>Black Widow</i>, to <i>Black Panther: Wakanda Forever</i> and the <i>Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special</i>.</p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p><br /></p><p><u><b><i>Thor: Love and Thunder</i></b></u></p><p>I think most people were looking forward to this one, after the amazing writing and enjoyment of <i>Thor Ragnarok</i>. Unfortunately, after the terrific opening scene that establishes Gorr's motives and breakdown, everything takes a tumble. Some of these special effects are horrendous, especially for a movie that cost $250 million to make, and the jokes have become surprisingly obnoxious. Like the goats. I hate these fucking goats, man, I can't stress that enough. I hate them so much, and I was so excited for Thor to have the two goats. Now I wish they were dead. They might actually be the worst part of any <i>MCU</i> project so far and I'm not kidding.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8jfWHRSb-zU0gfawRtCfWP92beMhNnTVADLXxydJm8gFnmvYWP0wtQzYsliQPEzIYRcg3sAsALUBAmJkOnI_gZLHLz2-CATaVI3G7U4kh335kiFiZUdNu4YnSJCY1JLsCuv8z-aDo9RCOzjRmDqr_HcBVNFeX9Umxua3RCM20fHkFti0MwmutY-YV/s2500/Thor%204%20Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2500" data-original-width="1688" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8jfWHRSb-zU0gfawRtCfWP92beMhNnTVADLXxydJm8gFnmvYWP0wtQzYsliQPEzIYRcg3sAsALUBAmJkOnI_gZLHLz2-CATaVI3G7U4kh335kiFiZUdNu4YnSJCY1JLsCuv8z-aDo9RCOzjRmDqr_HcBVNFeX9Umxua3RCM20fHkFti0MwmutY-YV/w270-h400/Thor%204%20Poster.jpg" width="270" /></a></div><p>Almost every single scene crams in a joke, usually an unfunny one, and so many of the characters go a sentence or two longer than necessary, as if the concept of comedy is just to keep talking until we're all uncomfortable or tired. Even Korg, voiced by the director Taika Watiti himself, becomes an annoying presence. Korg, one of the best comic relief characters from phase 3, is now annoying! How did that happen?! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyYUjUx720qeAO5UArzhPGHD4sB5UvSaLRcWIE1jnOPg5p03QGw1PLQNXgp5QVumtbVjBEVRPv-gZ_uuX8xZyxE3krPjtn0gE3j8fTGdUJjn8Pd7yfYvlO1_BpZhha8YaQ9nKwrnVlw0ybcf_TfpmWkqpmFblYffo-4Lm300PinwfJVrE7I3xjphQ4/s1536/Thor%204%20Jane.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="864" data-original-width="1536" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyYUjUx720qeAO5UArzhPGHD4sB5UvSaLRcWIE1jnOPg5p03QGw1PLQNXgp5QVumtbVjBEVRPv-gZ_uuX8xZyxE3krPjtn0gE3j8fTGdUJjn8Pd7yfYvlO1_BpZhha8YaQ9nKwrnVlw0ybcf_TfpmWkqpmFblYffo-4Lm300PinwfJVrE7I3xjphQ4/w400-h225/Thor%204%20Jane.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>But there are some positives. Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman finally have the chemistry they deserve, some of the cinematography is stunning (like the scenes in the Shadow Realm), the climax alongside Guns N' Roses guitar is the type of over-the-top fun I come to these films for, and the final scene between Thor, Jane and Gorr is surprisingly emotional and effective. If the rest of the film had been as strong as that, <i>Thor 4/Thour</i> would be in a very different spot on this list.</p><p><br /></p><p><u><i><b>I am Groot</b></i></u></p><p><i>Disney+</i> have had a wide range of content over the past couple of years, but one of their more underrated releases tends to be the amount of shorts they produce. <i>Zootopia</i> got some, Baymax got some (which were awesome by the way!), and the <i>MCU</i> got their own in the form of I am Groot. Six short but sweet animated episodes focused on the baby version of the tree as he sets out to cause mischief, intentionally or otherwise.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLCIeT7V-Dd35Z1gtw6l3UhXXEBABTbD6h_g_XZGwCGvog6-5eph6RnU0msb02HgwA3Aq6UoXHtoMQN2o_Wt_M7DkPP7TEFlpvaNHJQkP4IY6tZdWRb0_mlRIbneKa7R0demTyinwoY45vO4J8a9r6uhnZ6zhzs2lgOZ5omAMUROrUqjUwzK-96NVg/s1250/I%20am%20Groot%20Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1250" data-original-width="844" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLCIeT7V-Dd35Z1gtw6l3UhXXEBABTbD6h_g_XZGwCGvog6-5eph6RnU0msb02HgwA3Aq6UoXHtoMQN2o_Wt_M7DkPP7TEFlpvaNHJQkP4IY6tZdWRb0_mlRIbneKa7R0demTyinwoY45vO4J8a9r6uhnZ6zhzs2lgOZ5omAMUROrUqjUwzK-96NVg/w270-h400/I%20am%20Groot%20Poster.jpg" width="270" /></a></div><p>None of the other Guardians of the Galaxy show up, aside from one cameo at the very end, and the animation is obviously not at the level of the big-budget movies released in cinemas, but you expected that really. It's just some extra "Baby Groot being cute" content, and that's about it. There's an episode where he plays with a weird bath, another where he dances against a clone of himself, and other stuff like that.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-b-mnfW5L4asCr3Rmwtvf_XDohAHHOoTwDICoh7uFOR3R2D483-eI-gheSBosSMvKT-qTbEc5c-28qAqxoso-vCiXLs20kNZOez-Sb53EesgsSBJZO52tFioHz9ljkGTsEQf_8xdiVCD9ix9jsQPGuhIIGoKzrMqf2zFsku9snTCexFd77toY2wLR/s696/I%20am%20Groot%20Bath.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="364" data-original-width="696" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-b-mnfW5L4asCr3Rmwtvf_XDohAHHOoTwDICoh7uFOR3R2D483-eI-gheSBosSMvKT-qTbEc5c-28qAqxoso-vCiXLs20kNZOez-Sb53EesgsSBJZO52tFioHz9ljkGTsEQf_8xdiVCD9ix9jsQPGuhIIGoKzrMqf2zFsku9snTCexFd77toY2wLR/w400-h209/I%20am%20Groot%20Bath.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>The reason I put this so low is because at the end of the day, what makes it charming is also what makes it forgettable. <i>I am Groot </i>takes less than 30 minutes to watch in total, and none of them go beyond the goal of "Baby Groot being cute". Which is fine. Sometimes a series should just be fluff, but fluff is what it is at the end of the day and I can't give fluff anything higher than a decent nod before I return to whatever I was doing beforehand. </p><p><br /></p><p><u><i><b>Black Widow</b></i></u></p><p>Whether you love her or not, I think it's universally agreed that if Black Widow was going to get a film, she should have gotten it literally years ago, but a sexist boss (who thankfully has no input on the <i>MCU</i> anymore), production issues and more led this film to not even be released until it had to be a prequel for the character. Since... you know... she died in <i>Avengers: Endgame</i>!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdCzD28nzqIBYdSXZfc6fOI5w_DwBnfDaC5hu3yK69Ykpep8TrSZB_Iho-eHWp16YAhQ-QKFvk5LRJUWAXuFSvTCemKlEZoCYhyR7V4BBgZm2IVNDi-s4AfB1j6gfdqMVZ0FnoG5SY5p8_96ZfiMwqdh3rMoNCZqmP0_eS1EqXFDL8KLWSXHiA5517/s2048/Black%20Widow%20Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1383" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdCzD28nzqIBYdSXZfc6fOI5w_DwBnfDaC5hu3yK69Ykpep8TrSZB_Iho-eHWp16YAhQ-QKFvk5LRJUWAXuFSvTCemKlEZoCYhyR7V4BBgZm2IVNDi-s4AfB1j6gfdqMVZ0FnoG5SY5p8_96ZfiMwqdh3rMoNCZqmP0_eS1EqXFDL8KLWSXHiA5517/w270-h400/Black%20Widow%20Poster.jpg" width="270" /></a></div><p>Set during the aftermath of <i>Captain America: Civil War</i>, <i>Black Widow</i> stars the titular heroine (Scarlett Johannsson) finally on her own adventure and confronting her darkest secrets as she attempts to keep both herself and her sister Yelena (Florence Pugh) from imprisonment or a life of servitude under a tyrant. Chasing after them is the deadly assassin Taskmaster, and the sisters have to team up with the rest of their family, which includes David Harbour's Red Guardian.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyKkx_VVcFlU6UUpEXTGkBSa-51KCnr447jdRqGgqocyfDjLQfNO0BJpQ1Y7vgcg7d1UxL9HgU9i2B8WsLpS5zzzsJyV8RfqAMe2f6bp5uAREjqU8dDV1Tif0ISjR0TjZlyVOkU7ojB37xcIaF-ioV4YHEHz6mXmOtWfhZFLvHK_dMwlxe7qXqAmkG/s2375/Black%20Widow%20and%20Yelena.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1336" data-original-width="2375" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyKkx_VVcFlU6UUpEXTGkBSa-51KCnr447jdRqGgqocyfDjLQfNO0BJpQ1Y7vgcg7d1UxL9HgU9i2B8WsLpS5zzzsJyV8RfqAMe2f6bp5uAREjqU8dDV1Tif0ISjR0TjZlyVOkU7ojB37xcIaF-ioV4YHEHz6mXmOtWfhZFLvHK_dMwlxe7qXqAmkG/w400-h225/Black%20Widow%20and%20Yelena.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Personally, I think the film is just... fine. Some of the action is cool. Most of the accents are terrible. The idea of wiping Taskmaster's personality and turning them into a Terminator was awful, but at least we got Yelena, one of the best new faces of Phase 4, to make up for it. So that's something. <i>Black Widow</i> is harmless enough, a decent two hour watch, but it's forever burdened by the time of it's release and it's place in the franchise. Also it is yet another action film that wastes David Harbour... but hey, could be worse. It could be <i>Hellboy</i>.</p><p><br /></p><p><i><b><u>Eternals</u></b></i></p><p>The worst-reviewed <i>MCU</i> movie so far, with a premise so obviously designed for tv squished into a single movie, and my hopes weren't high for this one. Especially when it started with an exposition dump at the very beginning that showed little confidence and inspired none. But while <i>Eternals</i> is nowhere near the top half of the franchise, I have to admit it was alright. Maybe my expectations were too low, but I found some stuff to enjoy here. Some, let's not get crazy.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaPI_qDayEnuVqz1N_n2DieXHd05Hmk9gVL1eOtqgZstzDTFjNUL3LMQ8E2vdsY1QLBAUJf1OWngvhx7jwYwKnZ1GIGEjEIpq5m-KSjVswCoqA-vTzsvyPzL8p8JZ2XMNX-PFElzra7rkHx2uyge-0Cv6zthXMriz2Ihr2xSMM7Q1Y8b-os0jXfN2_/s1600/Eternals%20Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1133" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaPI_qDayEnuVqz1N_n2DieXHd05Hmk9gVL1eOtqgZstzDTFjNUL3LMQ8E2vdsY1QLBAUJf1OWngvhx7jwYwKnZ1GIGEjEIpq5m-KSjVswCoqA-vTzsvyPzL8p8JZ2XMNX-PFElzra7rkHx2uyge-0Cv6zthXMriz2Ihr2xSMM7Q1Y8b-os0jXfN2_/w284-h400/Eternals%20Poster.jpg" width="284" /></a></div><p>The great Celestial has sent a group of immortal Eternals down to Earth, to remove the threat known as the Deviants. After doing so, the Eternals are to wait on Earth for their next order and avoid getting personally involved in all conflicts. Now, it's the year 20?? and the Deviants have somehow returned. Sersi (Gemma Chan), one of the Eternals, heads off to bring the band back together so they can defeat the monsters and discover the truth behind their long silent wait from their God.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq1KdIM696qVngHIoZuatx0fGkNjM6we2whRSVbHqmsZ0wHtr-2vrRJWsBCSbZyy14ZbJiln2wmXNytj6tF4hNiX-1hTcDDMbFH1G-QtGT1Q-beHYmDw_uG8gSi2XJi3NijLiHdCERULGTRVZO-Ds3k-GFdWLNQAFYP_kW1G79WqfI3n69Duk6mI_O/s1600/Eternals%20Group.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="898" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq1KdIM696qVngHIoZuatx0fGkNjM6we2whRSVbHqmsZ0wHtr-2vrRJWsBCSbZyy14ZbJiln2wmXNytj6tF4hNiX-1hTcDDMbFH1G-QtGT1Q-beHYmDw_uG8gSi2XJi3NijLiHdCERULGTRVZO-Ds3k-GFdWLNQAFYP_kW1G79WqfI3n69Duk6mI_O/w400-h225/Eternals%20Group.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>I think the biggest frustration about this film can be attributed to how every one of these characters is actually really interesting (except Sprite) and comes across as someone I'd love to have seen be more explored. There's a total of 8 new heroes introduced, on top of all the mythology and the new villains, each with unique powers and motivations and arcs, and that's just too much for one film. I like the performances, Eternals Ikaris (Richard Madden), Gilgamesh (Don Lee), Thena (Angelina Jolie) and Phastos (Brian Tyree Henry) steal the show with their compelling charm and reasonings, and the finale is suitably epic, but <i>Eternals</i> could have been so much more. Hopefully the next time we see them, since the cast are already smaller than before, we'll get a stronger movie. </p><p><br /></p><p><u><i><b>Loki</b></i></u></p><p>Well, if there is any placement on this list that I know is going to be hit with gasps and shocks and dismissal, it's this one. Yes, I watched <i>Loki</i> and I only found it okay. Some great moments, like the first ever appearance of He Who Remains and the dynamic between Loki (Tom Hiddleston) and Mobius (Owen Wilson) but the rest of it... eeeh it's okay.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPmxZcja1WVZCuv9-lDcWJ0VaZ0XYe1RLCO-R0kr9lcJVHhtl73nqP3OtYrO8naQ3LGSV5cM_vY3PZTR-VhPKQSAfUhj1HhXbVLX75WMK0LJE795YgyUr1UseNzNSW8lwXyrcmFkxgcCV7co3YDXDzdqGtye-9x0jxpZYEjzyNTGnKrhoshzFzeynW/s1280/Loki%20Poster.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="864" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPmxZcja1WVZCuv9-lDcWJ0VaZ0XYe1RLCO-R0kr9lcJVHhtl73nqP3OtYrO8naQ3LGSV5cM_vY3PZTR-VhPKQSAfUhj1HhXbVLX75WMK0LJE795YgyUr1UseNzNSW8lwXyrcmFkxgcCV7co3YDXDzdqGtye-9x0jxpZYEjzyNTGnKrhoshzFzeynW/w270-h400/Loki%20Poster.jpeg" width="270" /></a></div><p>Due to the time travelling shenanigans of <i>Avengers: Endgame</i>, the 2012 version of Loki escapes his imprisonment and makes a run for it. He is stopped by the TVA, a team responsible for keeping the timelines in check, and they give him a choice to either be erased from time itself, or to help them capture a dangerous enemy. Loki is paired up with Mobius, and quickly discovers the TVA is much darker than they seem, with secrets and mysteries abound.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXPlAWRDHX1d9iWG_OvOQ8i3g8s3ppb0iNzIFfMZ5b_CUdcmGvs5zpstIU_8ZR-gLAJmi77oJANRoh-lQhCt4hIfmK5eQxpAByHbE7EnXSJJXLmgWIZ553gNCKN0ie-WC8Iwlh0dkVzp-Xnh3MtkGn-fJzybWRJyGZB05sAE_holQrslc9bZST4Xp2/s1200/Loki%20and%20Sylvia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXPlAWRDHX1d9iWG_OvOQ8i3g8s3ppb0iNzIFfMZ5b_CUdcmGvs5zpstIU_8ZR-gLAJmi77oJANRoh-lQhCt4hIfmK5eQxpAByHbE7EnXSJJXLmgWIZ553gNCKN0ie-WC8Iwlh0dkVzp-Xnh3MtkGn-fJzybWRJyGZB05sAE_holQrslc9bZST4Xp2/w400-h225/Loki%20and%20Sylvia.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>While the beginning and ending were full of mystery, unique characters and an interesting expansion of the <i>MCU</i>, the middle portion of the season was long, boring and dragged on. An entire episode based on one of the most boring planets you could have gone for is what sticks out for me as the biggest negative, but there's just so little energy for one of the <i>MCU's</i> biggest wild cards! Hopefully season 2 incorporates more of the joy and wackiness that parts of Loki episode 5 managed. Chances are you disagree, but I have to be honest here.</p><p><br /></p><p><i><u><b>She-Hulk: Attorney at Law</b></u></i></p><p>Oh shut up, it's mostly fun. Is it perfect? God no, but I had a good time for most of this series and it at least did something a bit different and weird. Phase 4's experimentation was very much welcome, for me anyway, and <i>She-Hulk</i> is proof it can be both great and bad at the same time. Some episodes, fantastic. Some others, lame. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTKzLRdwPg-YTt4mWxs01CNk2GTfcMuwUQ512revUJOLGKgx2G5ZJW60vJoxkyQQPaJI-yqeFN8BDVt56ILXfWOA92i33CZn9VKgrdUyelAzjwcHgLA70VxMzdeOrOQ9xBpIvZ7ydrr8j8LT4gghn8k5m1FD_prN_YvS-QHLwlYFlIqVfO_zIjRe9p/s1250/She-Hulk%20Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1250" data-original-width="844" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTKzLRdwPg-YTt4mWxs01CNk2GTfcMuwUQ512revUJOLGKgx2G5ZJW60vJoxkyQQPaJI-yqeFN8BDVt56ILXfWOA92i33CZn9VKgrdUyelAzjwcHgLA70VxMzdeOrOQ9xBpIvZ7ydrr8j8LT4gghn8k5m1FD_prN_YvS-QHLwlYFlIqVfO_zIjRe9p/w270-h400/She-Hulk%20Poster.jpg" width="270" /></a></div><p><i>She-Hulk</i> follows Bruce Banner's cousin, Jennifer Walters (Tatiana Maslanay) after a car accident causes his blood to infect her and give her the green enhanced body he's had to live with his whole life. Not suffering from the personality problems however, She-Hulk is able to continue her career as a lawyer and eventually finds herself in a bunch of comedic plots, a rivalry against a celebrity, and the most cringe group of enemies that unfortunately for us all, are a bit too real.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7I5WqJqMIWb6Xq2zs8mFlw-pfg9ug28V72aZuSL9fv3Hyz-LKoxHd14LeCtNCPymQsa_FEPJ3X_hE1cuZ3BqY71QzMPdkBE_BxrRUBuXsojSvIocpWl0Yk5rGrmpkatRl1i84b5rnpJ1n4Lo_x_VHAy6kvpeJ3Ul71k-2faZeFjZIgfrx_noN35MA/s1800/She-Hulk%20and%20Bruce.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="995" data-original-width="1800" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7I5WqJqMIWb6Xq2zs8mFlw-pfg9ug28V72aZuSL9fv3Hyz-LKoxHd14LeCtNCPymQsa_FEPJ3X_hE1cuZ3BqY71QzMPdkBE_BxrRUBuXsojSvIocpWl0Yk5rGrmpkatRl1i84b5rnpJ1n4Lo_x_VHAy6kvpeJ3Ul71k-2faZeFjZIgfrx_noN35MA/w400-h221/She-Hulk%20and%20Bruce.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>She-Hulk's strengths are largely thanks to Titiania Maslanay, who is utterly fantastic in balancing the comedy, the drama and the commentary throughout the show. Like Robert Downey Jr with Tony Stark and a certain hooded hero we'll get to soon, she carries this show and her fourth wall-breaking nonsense is brilliant, as is her chemistry with her friends, and motherfucking Daredevil! The subplots are mostly terrible however, and some of the middle episodes really do make me roll my eyes, but the episode with the group therapy, the Daredevil episode and that finale are all fantastic and make me glad I stuck it out to the end. Seriously, I can't get over how they did the finale. I just can't. Such a great and bold choice.</p><p><br /></p><p><i><u><b>What If?</b></u></i></p><p>When a comic series goes on too long, so... all of them, they eventually have to pull out the "What If?" card. What if Batman played Crash Bandicoot all the time? What if Dr Manhattan joined the alt-right? What if Thanos fought one of the Joestars? Non-canon scenarios that are usually good for a laugh, or just create a lot of cringe when done poorly. Thankfully, the latter rarely happens in this animated anthology series. Rarely.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHSu7D6H1QOrj2T5aOyckF60kBov2dRU-0WFWuqcj4e-dc4bTFRjL0x4PWfy0YHWvmEaA-gryz25KJIgKhnPYLQVohmLXs52nuCEJP9I8r-8AKnSJaiJN9XSCPKPBxgP0ko-I4GrHwNY-oStKRTpyRhWZUpxrva4tPhXy5aIleTdl19TK7WZuP-qTl/s2500/What%20If%20Poster.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2500" data-original-width="1687" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHSu7D6H1QOrj2T5aOyckF60kBov2dRU-0WFWuqcj4e-dc4bTFRjL0x4PWfy0YHWvmEaA-gryz25KJIgKhnPYLQVohmLXs52nuCEJP9I8r-8AKnSJaiJN9XSCPKPBxgP0ko-I4GrHwNY-oStKRTpyRhWZUpxrva4tPhXy5aIleTdl19TK7WZuP-qTl/w270-h400/What%20If%20Poster.jpeg" width="270" /></a></div><p>Like the comics themselves,<i> What If?</i> follows some non-canon stories based on the <i>MCU</i> movies. We get a relatively safe one with Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell) becoming the Super Soldier instead of Steve Rogers (Josh Keaton). We get the classic Marvel Zombies storyline that everyone wanted (no idea why, personally), and we get two fantastic storylines featuring a broken-hearted Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) and a cocky space-adventuring T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman's final performance). </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLrL8s7I6uHhLFkFmlazNXDJHMqrO8ZEkU3CWUoWBOCj44DUm5Eyw-vlubu3uvshSt87XNhvhQjSMMeAkbM6BHTJ8Vm5EmWUoBGx9Osy6xd4DtUyLk6ia15ZAHDhSWbX1e0wOuYvnunFMot181jAri03Koet6lAIKPBseZNtzM3SAnEP4OWXJyfiit/s1193/What%20If%20Zombies.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="649" data-original-width="1193" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLrL8s7I6uHhLFkFmlazNXDJHMqrO8ZEkU3CWUoWBOCj44DUm5Eyw-vlubu3uvshSt87XNhvhQjSMMeAkbM6BHTJ8Vm5EmWUoBGx9Osy6xd4DtUyLk6ia15ZAHDhSWbX1e0wOuYvnunFMot181jAri03Koet6lAIKPBseZNtzM3SAnEP4OWXJyfiit/w400-h217/What%20If%20Zombies.png" width="400" /></a></div><p>While most of the premises themselves are fairly lacking in imagination, a lot is done with each one. T'Challa in Space is hilarious, showing a caring Thanos and a villainous Collector, and the Doctor Strange episode is one of the best episodes of TV provided by the <i>MCU</i> so far, period. Some episodes are lacking however, including the Kilmonger one and the Zombies one, and that animation is... a rough choice. I know it's meant to look like a comic book, and it sometimes presents a lovely-looking scenery or landscape, but those character faces are unwelcome. Still, Uatu the Watcher being voiced by Jeffrey Wright is perfect casting, and my boyfriend Ultron got a lot of love in the finale!</p><p><br /></p><p><u><i><b>Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness</b></i></u></p><p>I think we all got a bit over-excited when we first read that title, but in fairness you shouldn't name yourself "Multiverse of Madness" if you aren't going to be about that. The film we got was fine, it was decent, but it was sold as something else and that certainly rubbed people the wrong way. The stuff this film is actually about, like Doctor Strange's inability to open up to love and how it will inevitably drive him to eternal loneliness, is done well enough at least.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRefdUa9jESa3OCbkutZ_yhIQjizMbAzQ0Ue_CsUtioih7-UWyOM6C3BWewjY8Bm-w_3QQtJj2-kZHIORqax240DwkR_tHmIiHt5LJbr0Ku4VrOsBIp4oZWXswE0e7UzCE0q9l2U02xt2Kcsjz1ifwehDNojr12WEzGhu7p-YMAiSIhpiHj9o8uWs-/s1481/Multiverse%20of%20Madness%20Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1481" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRefdUa9jESa3OCbkutZ_yhIQjizMbAzQ0Ue_CsUtioih7-UWyOM6C3BWewjY8Bm-w_3QQtJj2-kZHIORqax240DwkR_tHmIiHt5LJbr0Ku4VrOsBIp4oZWXswE0e7UzCE0q9l2U02xt2Kcsjz1ifwehDNojr12WEzGhu7p-YMAiSIhpiHj9o8uWs-/w270-h400/Multiverse%20of%20Madness%20Poster.jpg" width="270" /></a></div><p>Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) is back, and completely alone romantically. He's pining for the love of his life, Dr Christine Palmer (, who is now married and moved on. There's no time for wallowing however, as a girl named America Chavez has appeared and is being pursued by Wanda the Scarlet Witch for her ability to cross the multiverse. So it's up to Strange, Chavez, Wong and more to try and stop the most powerful sorceress in the franchise as she massacres a lot of wizards, civilians and cameos to get what she wants.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfJFfQQ1eYGMy2rZ2ciZ4hgLX4QFNA3aDss7AD8AIeQHOqnVC8KuTpGCqqypFzjv6duC5PXr8pt4UCMolaEd49OajXJbrsP_Tmg7_tjxy928g0l-uZH8M62lNMeJRIlA2_uzlcavy7zLn136nRdpor3-mZtUIyO3zFh2Khz8dHPdIXDn3c-DJG-OsS/s960/Multiverse%20of%20Madness%20Demon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfJFfQQ1eYGMy2rZ2ciZ4hgLX4QFNA3aDss7AD8AIeQHOqnVC8KuTpGCqqypFzjv6duC5PXr8pt4UCMolaEd49OajXJbrsP_Tmg7_tjxy928g0l-uZH8M62lNMeJRIlA2_uzlcavy7zLn136nRdpor3-mZtUIyO3zFh2Khz8dHPdIXDn3c-DJG-OsS/w400-h225/Multiverse%20of%20Madness%20Demon.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Getting Sam Raimi to direct this movie makes a lot of it stand out, as the film gets a rather unique horror vibe, from the Raimi-eye camera shots to the surprisingly brutal murders (Black Bolt's in particular gives me nightmares!), but it's Elizabeth Olsen that really steals the show here. Her performance gives us one of the best villains of Phase 4, and the choices made in this film are going to (hopefully) have interesting ramifications for her character when she makes her inevitable return. Oh and the music fight was awesome.</p><p><br /></p><p><u><i><b>Ms Marvel</b></i></u></p><p>I feel like I would have enjoyed this show more if I wasn't feeling the fatigue when this show came around. So many films and shows already done, and we had so many more to go, I was tired. And I'm a Mega Marvel Manly Man, so I can only imagine how a filthy casual must have felt. <i>Ms Marvel</i> does a lot of stuff well, it just came out at a bad time. That's my hot take anyway.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYm3HFj3XzsgXpLct2KnEgH3WcQB0EOkErMzXbrmmtaaHMN9nK7FrhNiWKSlr0LM2hdfh-NAPSLFmvOWoQ4GIdXkoL8b7y_l2kmoDKCeaHyXoHjitlVL6l3GlyZObNhFg2tplaq9OYm9HBwhInul3JlrQ8PKi3GW9dVlVlgGeYPSCCxmL-Kg6YA_vz/s755/Ms%20Marvel%20Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="510" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYm3HFj3XzsgXpLct2KnEgH3WcQB0EOkErMzXbrmmtaaHMN9nK7FrhNiWKSlr0LM2hdfh-NAPSLFmvOWoQ4GIdXkoL8b7y_l2kmoDKCeaHyXoHjitlVL6l3GlyZObNhFg2tplaq9OYm9HBwhInul3JlrQ8PKi3GW9dVlVlgGeYPSCCxmL-Kg6YA_vz/w270-h400/Ms%20Marvel%20Poster.jpg" width="270" /></a></div><p><i>Ms Marvel</i> finally brings out one of the most popular modern Marvel characters, Kamala Khan, and has her begin her origin story, starting out as a superfan of Captain Marvel before eventually discovering her own surprise powers and struggling to fit in to society, while also dealing with some subpar villains and a high-school shenanigans.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggjgs3IWw6uj47LvwgbynRAxieZT-TZm_WEHHCTdeCmOInDqYcLZbroNKlbbvLg8ZZ6ez_x_v2LHouIvkEygfKYpPTsiTz8y91IsymykgNCnmq6-aOtnrujhbmvLQp04wfCJvB1E8uyR1en-LdvlNuug0EGrKjF0fI4IY5b_YKsJI5YappMtvuyP5g/s1200/Ms%20Marvel%20Cosplay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="676" data-original-width="1200" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggjgs3IWw6uj47LvwgbynRAxieZT-TZm_WEHHCTdeCmOInDqYcLZbroNKlbbvLg8ZZ6ez_x_v2LHouIvkEygfKYpPTsiTz8y91IsymykgNCnmq6-aOtnrujhbmvLQp04wfCJvB1E8uyR1en-LdvlNuug0EGrKjF0fI4IY5b_YKsJI5YappMtvuyP5g/w400-h225/Ms%20Marvel%20Cosplay.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Kamala's powers admittedly look pretty ugly, (presumably they made them look so different to avoid the inevitable Mr Fantastic comparisons), but there is at least some creativity going on with them. She comes across like Peter Parker did in <i>Spider-Man Homecoming</i>, young and trying to balance her work life with her social life, and it's very endearing. The villains are a total letdown though, and I did find myself wishing for something a bit... more. Something to really stand out. It might not be as flashy as it could have been, but <i>Ms Marvel</i> does most of it's stuff right and I can't really complain about it. I also adore their representation of different cultures within this film, especially that wedding dance scene. Brilliant.</p><p><br /></p><p><u><i><b>Moon Knight</b></i></u></p><p>Oooh I was looking forward to this one as soon as they announced it. I put Moon Knight next to characters like Ultron, Venom, the X-Men, Black Panther and Namor as someone I'd been begging to get adapted as quickly and awesomely as possible, and he did not disappoint! His finale really did, but everything leading up to that is a great trip and one I'll gladly check it out repeatedly.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNXLAk0_-I58Hy5qzuH4RWFCsb1EmSABIT0hGlX69Lo9H9GtGnuR6zL-8Ji2Cya0hEWOmOieA3cipPXxYfd0RYOw5eUF18rYetHc6v7z7JF-mKd9CR8RUn3wvs6B5KH7_0qrafESQR5v6G5Rt52Gta7ORUDMekHGr6fDpsQzR8Bjy1DkinIt1HUmhM/s1250/Moon%20Knight%20Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1250" data-original-width="830" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNXLAk0_-I58Hy5qzuH4RWFCsb1EmSABIT0hGlX69Lo9H9GtGnuR6zL-8Ji2Cya0hEWOmOieA3cipPXxYfd0RYOw5eUF18rYetHc6v7z7JF-mKd9CR8RUn3wvs6B5KH7_0qrafESQR5v6G5Rt52Gta7ORUDMekHGr6fDpsQzR8Bjy1DkinIt1HUmhM/w265-h400/Moon%20Knight%20Poster.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><p>Oscar Freaking Isaacs (yes that's his full name) plays a humble British man named Steven Grant, who discovers he has another personality known as Marc Spector, an American mercenary and badass that dons the Moon Knight persona to serve an Egyptian God known as Khonshu. This pits him against the cult leader Harrow (Ethan Hawke), for which he needs his ex-wife Layla (May Calamawy) to help take down.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVU9wfUvx1ok7rPLHEClh7V6K3O_FIKC9u7zm7fEBkp9Un4pVglhoWpbM3LoU3NGulFKxxEMw2v5HDXfQBP1QInNSe3szgw52BS-i0Q7QP9QuIDHyHc_OmOmTD1wPyPdYRRhp0W-acBJEr0pLdecfDOChYwWRW03vejmdSgbcen-9HsPdKJVOkvasX/s1180/Moon%20Knight%20God.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="1180" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVU9wfUvx1ok7rPLHEClh7V6K3O_FIKC9u7zm7fEBkp9Un4pVglhoWpbM3LoU3NGulFKxxEMw2v5HDXfQBP1QInNSe3szgw52BS-i0Q7QP9QuIDHyHc_OmOmTD1wPyPdYRRhp0W-acBJEr0pLdecfDOChYwWRW03vejmdSgbcen-9HsPdKJVOkvasX/w400-h204/Moon%20Knight%20God.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p><i>Moon Knight</i> was easily one of the most atmospheric and dramatic of the <i>MCU</i> TV shows, with Oscar Isaacs delivering a show-stopping performance that honestly deserved all the awards. The suits and action scenes were amazing, and the episodes involving tomb raiding and the afterlife are just utterly wonderful. I just... that damn finale, man. If they hadn't made such a big cop-out at the end of the show, I might have placed this in the top 5. </p><p><br /></p><p><u><i><b>The Falcon and the Winter Soldier</b></i></u></p><p>You know when something comes out, everyone enjoys it, then four months later there's a sudden community devoted to hating it? That's what I felt happened to this show, which my mother accidentally called Winter Falcon and the Snowman so that's now my preferred title. I loved this show though, I still do, and I am nothing but honest about what I like and dislike.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz9YRqZr4Fjcl-dm6Vom10jVEvhutkKF-KChmW6vE53Cj4Y-HDc1Mz66xhVx09e20L6isgFvHUVUfyGfyrZ-sBy5GvGufvsG6ASZl0eJu1Z17HDvEWQStxzQ0OWCVWtXL0yvTahZtQCRVFWeJmltLroJcfMbBSLm3QYdlwtUMT9GHW7nD8f6p7vdTO/s2500/Falcon%20and%20Winter%20Soldier%20Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2500" data-original-width="1688" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz9YRqZr4Fjcl-dm6Vom10jVEvhutkKF-KChmW6vE53Cj4Y-HDc1Mz66xhVx09e20L6isgFvHUVUfyGfyrZ-sBy5GvGufvsG6ASZl0eJu1Z17HDvEWQStxzQ0OWCVWtXL0yvTahZtQCRVFWeJmltLroJcfMbBSLm3QYdlwtUMT9GHW7nD8f6p7vdTO/w270-h400/Falcon%20and%20Winter%20Soldier%20Poster.jpg" width="270" /></a></div><p>Sam Wilson/Falcon (Anthony Mackie) returns after the passing of the shield in<i> Endgame</i>, but he's unsure about the ramifications of having a black man literally call themselves "Captain America", and the responsibility that entails, so he hands it over to the government, enraging Bucky "Winter Soldier" Barnes (Sebastian Stan). Things get even more heated when the government soldier John Walker (Wyatt Russell) is chosen to be the next Captain America, and goes against a group known as the Flag-Smashers. Also Baron Zemo (Daniel Bruhl) returns.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh776Ax0EAR2Q_iOYnaBw7jPQH8SFldmFr3nLx7vK5AVLVlRxMjnvXVvjzr5Nmh0c0inXD3MfCM3C4jfRF0q_QCy6WwwBM_x1GYvixLG8YJEiF1MJaqaCgGVVCFf1ajluAka_wwMDPTuDsLr5qpEfGlQY60tK-KcyvLOFFoYqiRArYI_R2DwasyRDgX/s1200/Falcon%20and%20Winter%20Soldier%20John%20Walker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh776Ax0EAR2Q_iOYnaBw7jPQH8SFldmFr3nLx7vK5AVLVlRxMjnvXVvjzr5Nmh0c0inXD3MfCM3C4jfRF0q_QCy6WwwBM_x1GYvixLG8YJEiF1MJaqaCgGVVCFf1ajluAka_wwMDPTuDsLr5qpEfGlQY60tK-KcyvLOFFoYqiRArYI_R2DwasyRDgX/w400-h266/Falcon%20and%20Winter%20Soldier%20John%20Walker.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>The social commentary is raw and on point, a real surprise to audiences who were expecting a casual banter-filled ride from beginning to end, and the scenes where Sam meets with an elderly super soldier with a much different history than what Steve Rogers got... well, let's just say I was entranced every time. The action is surprisingly awesome too, and Sam and Bucky show off that fun dynamic that got them this show in the first place. I am really damn eager for the next Captain America film in 2024, and whatever else may come our way with these characters.</p><p><br /></p><p><u><i><b>Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special</b></i></u></p><p>Taking advantage of the new <i>Disney+</i> streaming service, <i>Marvel</i> and James Gunn teamed up for the second-last time to deliver a surprisingly enjoyable and over-the-top Christmas special, with the biggest sin being that I can only watch it once a year. Oh and like a certain other special that we'll get to eventually, I keep having to tell people it actually exists and sound like a lunatic as I recommend this experience.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWlMkDy8-QITt8lpdsaAO7rRGFjZwee2StivpLvv3JnP3Av40a--E-P_NAmtmTdTR_01CD8EZoNtOjN7vjXXg-BZYPlksoZ8I6n8bxedOi4n8r61OCeHWV6k0SbDI4_sGq2s4S2zlNtGWO47Z7eMzToMTPgiZJEbKuwe1Hmy4iSa734pg0bb1d8m2_/s1481/Guardians%20Holiday%20Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1481" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWlMkDy8-QITt8lpdsaAO7rRGFjZwee2StivpLvv3JnP3Av40a--E-P_NAmtmTdTR_01CD8EZoNtOjN7vjXXg-BZYPlksoZ8I6n8bxedOi4n8r61OCeHWV6k0SbDI4_sGq2s4S2zlNtGWO47Z7eMzToMTPgiZJEbKuwe1Hmy4iSa734pg0bb1d8m2_/w270-h400/Guardians%20Holiday%20Poster.jpg" width="270" /></a></div><p>Star-Lord/Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) has been feeling down lately over the situation with Gamora (Zoe Saldana) that was caused by <i>Avengers: Infinity War</i> and <i>Endgame</i>, so Mantis (Pom Klementieff) takes it upon herself to cheer him up by going to Earth and kidnapping his childhood hero from his favourite movie of all time, Footloose. Drax (Dave Bautista) comes along to help Mantis out and help her kidnap Kevin Bacon.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOHLSPX_vgWP0jNLIs78CHYOVeLPGIzEhFLc_hZqbbfYiK-XWLVmXgRfe6cD_URS1wPVRgIpP1gOV7GTNt0IjEErutcpzrO7F-FIa9TzQQfNcy4FJhUQuJyJktQwmm0RH4jABvi8CH7cHc5AuDyipFavGEH_MBUm5xCOCx1DehHHpomFysgWKfpxaM/s1200/Guardians%20Holiday%20Kevin%20Bacon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="676" data-original-width="1200" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOHLSPX_vgWP0jNLIs78CHYOVeLPGIzEhFLc_hZqbbfYiK-XWLVmXgRfe6cD_URS1wPVRgIpP1gOV7GTNt0IjEErutcpzrO7F-FIa9TzQQfNcy4FJhUQuJyJktQwmm0RH4jABvi8CH7cHc5AuDyipFavGEH_MBUm5xCOCx1DehHHpomFysgWKfpxaM/w400-h225/Guardians%20Holiday%20Kevin%20Bacon.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Mantis is a surprising scene-stealer in both this and the third <i>Guardians of the Galaxy</i> film, with so much energy and movement to her body and face, as well as a heartfelt platonic friendship with Drax that is very much welcome. Admittedly, some of the banter starts to get a bit much, but Kevin Bacon plays along with these shenanigans wonderfully, and once again James Gunn manages to incorporate heart into the weirdest of scenarios and characters. That opening song by the Old 97's is also a treat. </p><p><br /></p><p><u><i><b>Hawkeye</b></i></u></p><p>I liked Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner) as much as the next handsome guy, but I don't think any of us were clamouring for him to get a central storyline, especially since most of us were feeling like the original Avengers line-up was finished. But I give everything a try at least once, so Christmas came along and introduced us to this series... this awesome series that kicks more arse than it bloody deserved to!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8_xC5zyKfsd5SA8V8mxGoaztVi2BxPXzah5nV-Hzu8vqrCSNbGR5cgeHC0ARCpTFS2MuKbtcwD97g8ZGIopi0RbjUG5OnU67WvRGLUKEMAJsB0ljxqf5t0vnydbNZQie28z_7YdB3RgLoSLWyvWg2bI9Y8yWHjXd3537a96VexPOt8lqof9xEUqmz/s1600/Hawkeye%20Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1066" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8_xC5zyKfsd5SA8V8mxGoaztVi2BxPXzah5nV-Hzu8vqrCSNbGR5cgeHC0ARCpTFS2MuKbtcwD97g8ZGIopi0RbjUG5OnU67WvRGLUKEMAJsB0ljxqf5t0vnydbNZQie28z_7YdB3RgLoSLWyvWg2bI9Y8yWHjXd3537a96VexPOt8lqof9xEUqmz/w266-h400/Hawkeye%20Poster.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><p>Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfield) grows up as a mega-fan of the superhero Hawkeye, which is hard to believe but moving on, and finds herself the target of a conspiracy involving the murder of a family friend, while also wearing the Ronin outfit that Clint wanted to forget ever existed, causing him to get involved with the story. Things get worse for him when villains created by his past, including the show-stealing Echo (Alaqua Cox), come out to take Clint down, and anyone associated with him.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3ZJnhHCoxNcQ65bWmukybYBio-4AemhfcYA5fCErygAqsBhBMWHJwkAyeCXbrRC1Yb8ZmgmVlvxQrkBQjoNEjBzy63OWYhHh_6lkr7cjLXDSNPM1_VQpio_aiMytG4Tnl3pOfdlLQkPkISrZr6vM_I6Elf83Vf2E_4DnC-8SsBeSb1d--426Rxww6/s1320/Hawkeye%20and%20Kate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="743" data-original-width="1320" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3ZJnhHCoxNcQ65bWmukybYBio-4AemhfcYA5fCErygAqsBhBMWHJwkAyeCXbrRC1Yb8ZmgmVlvxQrkBQjoNEjBzy63OWYhHh_6lkr7cjLXDSNPM1_VQpio_aiMytG4Tnl3pOfdlLQkPkISrZr6vM_I6Elf83Vf2E_4DnC-8SsBeSb1d--426Rxww6/w400-h225/Hawkeye%20and%20Kate.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p><i>Marvel</i> is at it's best when it takes concepts like the Pym Particles and makes them seem like something you would want to do despite how dorky they might seem at first glance, and that happens a lot in this show with how Kate and Clint use their arrows. There's a great sense of humour that never interferes with the stakes established, a few surprising villains during the finale, and I can never tire of the "reluctant grump training a young apprentice" trope. Somehow, against all odds, <i>Hawkeye</i> became one of the best MCU tv shows so far, and it is absolutely worth a watch... in December.</p><p><br /></p><p><b><i><u>Wandavision</u></i></b></p><p>But the best <i>MCU</i> TV show so far has to go to the one that started it all, the big kahuna, <i>Wandavision</i>, starring Wanda Maximoff, Vision, and a crew of set designers that are masters of their department, as they painstakingly get every era of tv sitcom visually perfect. A lot of people already loved Wanda and Vision, but it was this show that made me realise just how great they were, and how great the tv format could be for <i>Marvel's</i> future.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkHWYDLCWvLM6YExfagle5QqjAHLNRhiyM-m-ug1TZFvqXYO2HMZLIPNRSuN7VcTyvxvMfk2X91fuQWfvER4huFKx4MthOhi2f5ncD40Lerxo6l7XJ75wpowxNLgxXNe2zxsFSktyjL0vk0_haSHbnhpSTOe7cTD_x27tDS_iVHfcixcH-jqeVOgvj/s606/Wandavision%20Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="606" data-original-width="404" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkHWYDLCWvLM6YExfagle5QqjAHLNRhiyM-m-ug1TZFvqXYO2HMZLIPNRSuN7VcTyvxvMfk2X91fuQWfvER4huFKx4MthOhi2f5ncD40Lerxo6l7XJ75wpowxNLgxXNe2zxsFSktyjL0vk0_haSHbnhpSTOe7cTD_x27tDS_iVHfcixcH-jqeVOgvj/w266-h400/Wandavision%20Poster.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><p>After the heartbreaking results in <i>Endgame</i>, Wanda is now living in the 1950s with her robot husband Vision, and has to try and hide her own magical powers from the ordinary neighbours. No wait, it's actually the 1960s... the 1970s... actually, we're in<i> Malcolm in the Middle</i>. Actually, it's <i>Modern Family</i>. Or is it something else even weirder than a sitcom?!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6E4Ru109ZY7X5fcVPslhWzno3jlleAhxsDAYJeevjnuoRsvLQ6ZYu5hxZmzjYOur0oxeOWhYcS04B9hOQHn9pqlcf4UBOx6NYnzsE6H7w3AF9_VRXTN9C_adK68Y0hBEfEgmE7_uSAjECi2R73Dg1ImqCvbYngdTIWT5g6wspoPVwl4LBiEgk_d-P/s1920/Wandavision%20Couple.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6E4Ru109ZY7X5fcVPslhWzno3jlleAhxsDAYJeevjnuoRsvLQ6ZYu5hxZmzjYOur0oxeOWhYcS04B9hOQHn9pqlcf4UBOx6NYnzsE6H7w3AF9_VRXTN9C_adK68Y0hBEfEgmE7_uSAjECi2R73Dg1ImqCvbYngdTIWT5g6wspoPVwl4LBiEgk_d-P/w400-h225/Wandavision%20Couple.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Yeah, if you haven't seen this show somehow then I recommend watching it because having it spoiled would suck. There's a great air of mystery and intrigue building up with every single episode, and Wanda and Vision have a wonderful dynamic together, but the true winner in this show is the portrayal of grief, loss and coping mechanisms that cause us to hurt both ourselves and everyone around us. It's too bad the ending is weak sauce, and the new <i>Dr Strange</i> film arguably did more harm than good to this series, but everything leading up to it is masterful and a great reminder of why we put up with <i>Marvel's</i> low points.</p><p><br /></p><p><u><i><b>Black Panther: Wakanda Forever</b></i></u></p><p>This phase is too damn long, guys... but anyway, we're nearly there! And thankfully, the final movie of phase 4 did not disappoint, which was doubly-impressive because we were not only dealing with far too much content at the time, but the tragic passing of Chadwick Boseman and the introduction of one of <i>Marvel's</i> most complex characters; Namor the Sub-Mariner.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRokcTZEOQJ84OgMv9-nmoLfVHAyXEsODEWW08g4od4g07jDuuu_-Kvx8HMeKdyugnEcgZ445OdHdxn2KCIM5ZKkSYjXGT_r2ndPm0WsWzDsioLmywrG0JU0HHj6i_3-KbbuvnAVWPeEhNgFqypzWlBbepuQ_0V9flkPqCTO7gWy_cHhevSCPz2wde/s1481/Wakanda%20Forever%20Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1481" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRokcTZEOQJ84OgMv9-nmoLfVHAyXEsODEWW08g4od4g07jDuuu_-Kvx8HMeKdyugnEcgZ445OdHdxn2KCIM5ZKkSYjXGT_r2ndPm0WsWzDsioLmywrG0JU0HHj6i_3-KbbuvnAVWPeEhNgFqypzWlBbepuQ_0V9flkPqCTO7gWy_cHhevSCPz2wde/w270-h400/Wakanda%20Forever%20Poster.jpg" width="270" /></a></div><p>King T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman) has died, and Ramonda (Angela Bassett) has taken the throne as her daughter Shuri (Letita Wright) is obsessed with her studies and refusing to let herself mourn. This is when Namor (Tenoch Huerta) appears out of the water and says that because of Wakanda revealing itself, his own kingdom Talokan is now at risk, and he wants a scientist named Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne) dead for this.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ8uaQ-g3Ity9VjCi3d2VDHscK43SJ8XxZmtWNaGKAdDuY3N_SAHksXs9atgIZV8HTJGS7GvfIXqa6E5wF5MhEX-033r8YO3-oRsueIdbje8ZH4a95pPI0JAgFNkABk9CkXUv8UtcglRfdfTQlGywQLno50AYmr1CNdRrvEPcDba3DGtFVqYUxLbcu/s1920/Wakanda%20Forever%20Throne.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ8uaQ-g3Ity9VjCi3d2VDHscK43SJ8XxZmtWNaGKAdDuY3N_SAHksXs9atgIZV8HTJGS7GvfIXqa6E5wF5MhEX-033r8YO3-oRsueIdbje8ZH4a95pPI0JAgFNkABk9CkXUv8UtcglRfdfTQlGywQLno50AYmr1CNdRrvEPcDba3DGtFVqYUxLbcu/w400-h225/Wakanda%20Forever%20Throne.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>The film is completely respectful of Boseman's passing, and wonderfully directed by the returning Ryan Coogler. Different portrayals of grief are portrayed by every actor who are doing their damned best in every scene, and that Black Panther suit is awesome. A strong, emotional film that closed off a complicated phase of the <i>MCU</i> with the right amount of grace, dignity and drama.</p><p><br /></p><p><u><i><b>Werewolf by Night</b></i></u></p><p>I feel like the only person who watched this special, but I will defend it until the day I die, it's fantastic. So fantastic that I actually put it in my top 3 of this phase, and despite it being a Halloween special, I watch it any day I damn well please! That's how good it is! Michael Giacchino's directional debut (If you don't know the name, you definitely know his music) is a great sign for his career in this path. And for <i>Marvel </i>in general if they decide to go further into this route in the future.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGYVuIfXWKeQI-ULZ5iJa9iA3Kk3C8LJbDNZUdIZgmSzhKIGyiflY-aBl-QlTgRlzxuCb2fObWO9HiwVJWTqHqy56a6vU28zMl3s4SZqUkxUYgAbKIhb6n8G11rADhhGFcd5RFDEELmbPqunY-BOW6YqR_GSyxfbIdUOxQG6mGRjYNrUak0nm-Dvm6/s1481/Werewolf%20By%20Night%20Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1481" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGYVuIfXWKeQI-ULZ5iJa9iA3Kk3C8LJbDNZUdIZgmSzhKIGyiflY-aBl-QlTgRlzxuCb2fObWO9HiwVJWTqHqy56a6vU28zMl3s4SZqUkxUYgAbKIhb6n8G11rADhhGFcd5RFDEELmbPqunY-BOW6YqR_GSyxfbIdUOxQG6mGRjYNrUak0nm-Dvm6/w270-h400/Werewolf%20By%20Night%20Poster.jpg" width="270" /></a></div><p>After the passing of the patriarch of the Bloodstone family, five monster hunters gather at his manor to decide who will be the next user of the Bloodstone jewel itself. As the night goes on and death occurs at every turn, Jack Russell Gael Garcia Bernal) and Elsa Bloodstone (Laura Donnelly) find themselves needing to team up to survive the monster that is prowling around...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQPfx6UPAFn8ScVN8mmCizLuNADtx0jNI8GG2ylreNcNX206UyL7kNe4qgYVTbKBO-3A42_0GCC9yZ6TCIDHLo6kEbUuGI7EQ4d8LHxaHqH7ztFzuRHjX_vM3Upqd4ew7m94MLtPLU8FPkLEdN9f7drQtclzwPDMiIdgs6UsuUmThz0Q9AhDRO7sol/s1920/Werewolf%20by%20Night%20Elsa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="1920" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQPfx6UPAFn8ScVN8mmCizLuNADtx0jNI8GG2ylreNcNX206UyL7kNe4qgYVTbKBO-3A42_0GCC9yZ6TCIDHLo6kEbUuGI7EQ4d8LHxaHqH7ztFzuRHjX_vM3Upqd4ew7m94MLtPLU8FPkLEdN9f7drQtclzwPDMiIdgs6UsuUmThz0Q9AhDRO7sol/w400-h164/Werewolf%20by%20Night%20Elsa.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>The atmosphere and aesthetic is top-notch, perfectly reminiscent of horror classics like <i>Wolfman</i> and <i>Dracula</i>, with the black-and-white filter and homages showing a clear love for the genre. I love seeing the practical effects, the cunning use of cinematography, the violent scenes... it's just all so good! I'm being vague on purpose, because I want you to experience this for yourself with as little knowledge about it beforehand as you can get. Here's hoping this is just the first step in the Midnight Suns getting their deserved time in the spotlight.</p><p><br /></p><p><u><b><i>Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings</i></b></u></p><p>The Guardians of the Galaxy, Ant-Man, Korg, Ned Leeds... it's the characters we least expect that usually end up being great, and that rule applies to Shang-Chi (Simu Liu) too. What is hopefully the first of a long and enjoyable superhero career, <i>Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings</i> quickly defines itself as a great instalment in <i>Marvel's</i> franchise.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5x_5gJqIuWywHG_RdwCLnV2sWu7wqgICqJhera474xF0ICBzK1Daz4sDusrVSAJtdfaDUdvByP5MRJxg1HEWFziz87UO74K20jWa1szYiIRvmyN70bsg9YJZ83Y8mBw_Hz4euA4OVLwGHaxHfy744YYjOiUPqNeOGT463sarTeIi-MSvCG46gR66P/s933/Shang%20Chi%20Poster.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="933" data-original-width="640" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5x_5gJqIuWywHG_RdwCLnV2sWu7wqgICqJhera474xF0ICBzK1Daz4sDusrVSAJtdfaDUdvByP5MRJxg1HEWFziz87UO74K20jWa1szYiIRvmyN70bsg9YJZ83Y8mBw_Hz4euA4OVLwGHaxHfy744YYjOiUPqNeOGT463sarTeIi-MSvCG46gR66P/w275-h400/Shang%20Chi%20Poster.jpeg" width="275" /></a></div><p>Hiding out in San Francisco, Shang-Chi is suddenly attacked by his father's mercenaries, and forced to reveal his martial arts to his friend Katy (Awkwafina), and meet up with his sister Xu Xialing (Meng-er Zhang) to stop his father Xu Wenwu (Tony Leung) from using the power of the Ten Rings to cause a disaster.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwe_1SKc-2dA0gTdrTx3WigJqhGIsbp8I54S6ge4wu80cQBQlPAhsrDNkaTvuO4HdoSHTYQqPRuKFJI20cd19EG2k0E1JJZqW8ieO6_9IahCsoGzWGwqLb4j7lkG6xkPppB7FD9lkuZn91yrgvzmY4JcOaR4IVW-lwf63r1YPZwdOOf7g_i7lZZ3VU/s2000/Shang%20Chi%20Staff.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1105" data-original-width="2000" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwe_1SKc-2dA0gTdrTx3WigJqhGIsbp8I54S6ge4wu80cQBQlPAhsrDNkaTvuO4HdoSHTYQqPRuKFJI20cd19EG2k0E1JJZqW8ieO6_9IahCsoGzWGwqLb4j7lkG6xkPppB7FD9lkuZn91yrgvzmY4JcOaR4IVW-lwf63r1YPZwdOOf7g_i7lZZ3VU/w400-h221/Shang%20Chi%20Staff.png" width="400" /></a></div><p>Wenwu is one of <i>Marvel's</i> best antagonists, delivering heart and relatable motivations alongside his badass fight scenes. Speaking of fight scenes, the choreography is great every time, and Shang-Chi quickly makes himself a likeable and endearing protagonist that sets himself apart from the others. Also I just love Awkwafina! Her presence just makes everything better. This is a winner of a film, and I sincerely hope the sequels make sure to not overdo the CGI during the finale like this one unfortunately did.</p><p><br /></p><p><u><i><b>Spider-Man: No Way Home</b></i></u></p><p>At the end of the day, I can't fight my instincts. I can't fight myself. I have to say which one I enjoyed the most, and that was the final film of a surprisingly complicated and unexpected origin story for Tom Holland's Spider-Man. W<i>erewolf by Night, Shang-Chi</i>, even <i>Eternals</i>, everything on this list delivers at least something enjoyable, but for me, they all lost to my favourite superhero, at least for me.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3T1bhHOSKVauf_0MjODkwLh-PPWYuyT-aVu-cpmrkyyu_jvuKXMlGabHh1DwaRJdWERPDWEE8ajC2cjasWJ8sk-ibYHcAuNqbByjqU-PxhMCtO_G89TkhMJbbbri7vG5xaWO6kN_BxGipFVQ_Qj7OuR2CCjOxm-eMORalEWLEITrELcI2Y4yYcTs6/s1500/No%20Way%20Home%20Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3T1bhHOSKVauf_0MjODkwLh-PPWYuyT-aVu-cpmrkyyu_jvuKXMlGabHh1DwaRJdWERPDWEE8ajC2cjasWJ8sk-ibYHcAuNqbByjqU-PxhMCtO_G89TkhMJbbbri7vG5xaWO6kN_BxGipFVQ_Qj7OuR2CCjOxm-eMORalEWLEITrELcI2Y4yYcTs6/w266-h400/No%20Way%20Home%20Poster.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><p>After the shocking twist of <i>Far from Home</i>, in which Peter Parker's identity was revealed to the world and he was framed as a murderer, things are only getting worse and worse for him and his friends. Desperate to get everyone he cares about out of this situation, he begs Dr Strange for help. A spell goes wrong, and now villains from other universes are coming into the <i>MCU</i> to wreak havoc, mayhem and fanservice.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqjroXEOEYU7Tof4z76ymeZJ4oV6Y1xrRBPZ55gc81snC288ZS3YIqh74frArl9VS0tFaI-D-s8N54Z7soQSCHvy6y-SgtT5wtj2pAppE4xxiuDHsXQc2WvOXyhnqTtJTRZEeDQUXIETOD30YYNNmoTjX8tSCXzZHR-WGZVmiKf_X5TiTtl3ZxNud0/s2000/No%20Way%20Home%20Spider.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1021" data-original-width="2000" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqjroXEOEYU7Tof4z76ymeZJ4oV6Y1xrRBPZ55gc81snC288ZS3YIqh74frArl9VS0tFaI-D-s8N54Z7soQSCHvy6y-SgtT5wtj2pAppE4xxiuDHsXQc2WvOXyhnqTtJTRZEeDQUXIETOD30YYNNmoTjX8tSCXzZHR-WGZVmiKf_X5TiTtl3ZxNud0/w400-h204/No%20Way%20Home%20Spider.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><p>That's actually unfair, to me, to focus so much on the fanservice. While it is true that fans like myself absolutely cheered at the returns of Willem Dafoe's Green Goblin, Alfred Molina's Doctor Octopus, Jamie Foxx's Electro and more, the film deserves more credit than it is given for everything else it does right too. The moral "with great power comes great responsibility" has never been better represented in movies than it was with how Peter makes up for his foolish mistakes, the acting is phenomenal, and the emotions are strong across the board. I laughed, I cried, I pumped my fist in glee. This film is awesome, and truly deserving of my favourite project of Phase 4.</p><p><br /></p><p><i>And that's my final ranking! Please give me money for doing this! Thanks for reading, guys, see you next time!</i></p>Shigginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16256099093521615360noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4926295868515831102.post-87104478915753103672023-05-02T11:39:00.001-07:002023-05-02T11:39:14.837-07:00I'm Done writing Fairy Tail Reviews... for now.<p>The inevitable has happened,</p><p>If you've been reading my content for a while then you'll know I am a big fan of <i>Fairy Tail</i>. In fact, it's the series I decided to write about when I first started appearing on this blog. Yes, I am NOT the creator of this blog, I am the inheritor of it! But while I did love <i>Fairy Tail</i>, and I do enjoy the <i>100 Years Quest</i> sequel stuff, I have to make a decision and do what's right for me.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXFC4dKlsw1Am3sCekfQPRJEEGoE2zQx1cQnwtDXVo_jYBzppiJnMnrG_10n4XNvpwKEioJo3JlbwjcKEXchvdZxxLT0rAOu_Z5rBJHOcy8aD6hu5Fa5grrZ6y37xc0nI5m1MaZqDzQBYMcW82f4vdPL4HdzLZzxgab3AtnjjsJ8nWJaujq5g8J4oa/s640/FT%20Point.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="624" data-original-width="640" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXFC4dKlsw1Am3sCekfQPRJEEGoE2zQx1cQnwtDXVo_jYBzppiJnMnrG_10n4XNvpwKEioJo3JlbwjcKEXchvdZxxLT0rAOu_Z5rBJHOcy8aD6hu5Fa5grrZ6y37xc0nI5m1MaZqDzQBYMcW82f4vdPL4HdzLZzxgab3AtnjjsJ8nWJaujq5g8J4oa/w400-h390/FT%20Point.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span><a name='more'></a></span><p>To put it simply, I am going to stop writing <i>Fairy Tail</i> reviews. At least, for a long while.</p><p>Does that mean the end of<i> Fairy Tail </i>content? Not necessarily.</p><p>I'll still gladly write about <i>Fairy Tail</i> in my own time, with rankings or observations or another article about dick sizes that was decided by you, the reader, (no seriously, that article exists. I have no regrets), but the actual chapter reviews are ending. I'll bet there's a lot of you who aren't surprised by that reveal, considering how my reviews have been over the past year.</p><p>So if I still enjoy<i> Fairy Tail's</i> content, why am I stopping? Well, here's why.</p><p>As you can probably tell, I have been writing articles less and less recently. Between my job, my university course and a whole bunch of other stuff (swallows pills), I have had less time to focus on this blog. I don't earn money from the blog, I actually refused to put ads on it because it made me feel gross as soon as I was given permission to do so, and that just means I can't devote my time to writing in it as much as I'd like. I would love for this to be a job I get paid for, but I can't. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyBleW9oazVsNpd0ckemQpw5LRm06Ph_j1I6ojak6lLtbusoeNk1wOtSi2ZMQTH20eeRBP92Imq7B07C1B38txMcCciSZRC01sGyPrZP6G1c6mbsYGyhnQCUs_mztX5fpHQAhyq-E3tovfss4ayqEeXTedWHfqp21rBdFtc-w_atKgGjoilJnwDaTV/s650/Jobs%20Needed.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="397" data-original-width="650" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyBleW9oazVsNpd0ckemQpw5LRm06Ph_j1I6ojak6lLtbusoeNk1wOtSi2ZMQTH20eeRBP92Imq7B07C1B38txMcCciSZRC01sGyPrZP6G1c6mbsYGyhnQCUs_mztX5fpHQAhyq-E3tovfss4ayqEeXTedWHfqp21rBdFtc-w_atKgGjoilJnwDaTV/w400-h244/Jobs%20Needed.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><p>So when I do finally get the time to write, I want to write about something fun and different, or silly, or perhaps even challenging! Instead, I'm writing about these chapters over and over again, and there's very little to actually talk about.</p><p><i>100 Years Quest</i> isn't bad, but it's very clearly not trying to rock the boat either. There's no level of intrigue and build-up on the level of E.N.D or Zeref, no big revelations that will change the characters forever, no battle that Natsu might lose. This is a pleasant series but reviewing it every time it comes out feels like reviewing every weekly episode of <i>Scooby-Doo</i>, or reviewing the filler episodes of a <i>Naruto</i> anime arc. </p><p>I have been reviewing every single chapter of <i>Fairy Tail</i> since I started, and that means there's at least one review since Chapter 320!!! Can you figure out why I might need to write about something else!?</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXOohgKOnK7e-1BlHtY187wTPqPObcWYuIjOFEWiqKYNiQbRxc-sCRc4nnUzM97SX01zk1U_D_QX27WHvOr7cJFAhWQDHolju8xk4KBSvEVBHdUIQJHvSlHK2dlqSlVK8YBySTKEbXrJ-dRgefzHnEsSWh1wqHMr1fW8Dc7NvcTLMWq2d-nfjqrz2y/s776/Jura%20PWNS%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="560" data-original-width="776" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXOohgKOnK7e-1BlHtY187wTPqPObcWYuIjOFEWiqKYNiQbRxc-sCRc4nnUzM97SX01zk1U_D_QX27WHvOr7cJFAhWQDHolju8xk4KBSvEVBHdUIQJHvSlHK2dlqSlVK8YBySTKEbXrJ-dRgefzHnEsSWh1wqHMr1fW8Dc7NvcTLMWq2d-nfjqrz2y/w400-h289/Jura%20PWNS%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And For Some Reason, I Capitalised Every Word Like This. I Hate it. I Am So Sorry For Doing That.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Yes, I still love <i>Fairy Tail</i>. Yes, I am grateful to every single one of you for reading my content and I hope you continue to read my writing for as long as I can provide them or make them publicly available. But I need change, and my content will only suffer if I keep trying to ignore that. So thank you, every single one of you, and please enjoy the articles I am currently working on and will hopefully provide to you soon enough.</p><p>Oh and I am not letting go of the title of "Greatest Fairy Tail fan". That's mine. Back off. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaBJ-zy-OidGHboj1yfVl1bbD71Q2hBREGNNrQ0y09zu1mkUWTQDVWgz-vm5P8Ow5Vo94arBHXMT_nQCUGKDATbQ7z7iELzeaebQd5HyULLQpGp7m9LKmcUllmdaIykn17XIgdEn2h3nu6RF4Xs4-5xPoHB27I0wGccmF0zKr9yZQ6t5DK5JNHK03n/s1920/No%20Review%20Code.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaBJ-zy-OidGHboj1yfVl1bbD71Q2hBREGNNrQ0y09zu1mkUWTQDVWgz-vm5P8Ow5Vo94arBHXMT_nQCUGKDATbQ7z7iELzeaebQd5HyULLQpGp7m9LKmcUllmdaIykn17XIgdEn2h3nu6RF4Xs4-5xPoHB27I0wGccmF0zKr9yZQ6t5DK5JNHK03n/w400-h225/No%20Review%20Code.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Despite being the "Greatest Fairy Tail" fan, I never got a review code for this game. You know, despite reviewing the Fairy Tail franchise for OVER TEN FUCKING YEARS!! Yes, I'm bitter. Have you seen the DLC prices? Fuck this game!</td></tr></tbody></table>Shigginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16256099093521615360noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4926295868515831102.post-87403530781416898732023-02-16T15:09:00.005-08:002023-02-16T15:09:50.946-08:00Fairy Tail 100 Year Quest Chapters 124, 125 & 126 Review<p>My kind of party.</p><p>If you're a long-time reader of my "work" (to use that word lightly), then you'll probably have been able to guess my enjoyment of these chapters already. I'm a big ol' sucker for the goofy and the relaxed, as shown by my love of the<i> Mission Yozakura Family </i>and <i>Welcome to Demon School Iruma-kun</i> manga, both of which I could rant about all day and reaaaally should make articles about at some point. And here we are with some more character goofiness, bikinis and... Jellal?! Ugh, worst chapters ever.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnMzk7iU3ZdgEwblJlOupMenT4MqfjEsvhgf8FBvtDMPpiWgqm_yGFC4uhce-OtSV1UiuseG7-YJSIHajmGWs5UTO_dDpVAL0FRbzUBOSXVZzUFa0GpeqDgw-thd8O-PUmbkXTBxCg-_HJJyUgTtZ6Jyq1hT1AM-8w4ivc2q9ylvXX9nryrbUyZ8k8/s1000/Japan%20Strikes%20Again.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="962" data-original-width="1000" height="385" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnMzk7iU3ZdgEwblJlOupMenT4MqfjEsvhgf8FBvtDMPpiWgqm_yGFC4uhce-OtSV1UiuseG7-YJSIHajmGWs5UTO_dDpVAL0FRbzUBOSXVZzUFa0GpeqDgw-thd8O-PUmbkXTBxCg-_HJJyUgTtZ6Jyq1hT1AM-8w4ivc2q9ylvXX9nryrbUyZ8k8/w400-h385/Japan%20Strikes%20Again.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wendy looks like she's 12, bro... Japan strikes again! </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span><a name='more'></a></span><p>I want to bring up something that is honestly just funny to me, but it's unintentional this time; Sabertooth's guild has the legendary library. </p><p>Now, Sabretooth have some of the best and smartest characters, this is true. Minerva, Yukino, that dude with the black lightning is obviously an Einstein of the new era, but their guildmaster was a psychopath bruiser who abused everyone, believed in power over all else, and didn't understand how to shave his beard when he became a demon. There is no way in HELL that he let a library run around under his watch. "Maybe it was built after he left?" I hear you sputter! Well, my hypothetical friend, you don't get to be legendary after 3-5 years unless you're Morbius so I am calling bull-shenanigans! This plothole is so big that if it were in a Star Wars project, petitions would already be up to get it considered non-canon!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYe2Z-uc84bkmiKz4YdoARENO-QPMlcXrV5az7UqsCWl46frPAKy2DtevLwdAEaAW0qJ8zJQpb3QuGPOHO2bTun5U41xP9R19J_mGGgyNNAyLo7auWo3WkY5rFzdl12xFlmz-VQR0AVZ_FeXti1h1dQn8u_-durtSZnGBDMDcO5sibcjpjWU8Epg8r/s999/Same%20Here.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="979" data-original-width="999" height="393" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYe2Z-uc84bkmiKz4YdoARENO-QPMlcXrV5az7UqsCWl46frPAKy2DtevLwdAEaAW0qJ8zJQpb3QuGPOHO2bTun5U41xP9R19J_mGGgyNNAyLo7auWo3WkY5rFzdl12xFlmz-VQR0AVZ_FeXti1h1dQn8u_-durtSZnGBDMDcO5sibcjpjWU8Epg8r/w400-h393/Same%20Here.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yeah Erza, I'm sick of this bullshit talk too.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Of course, I enjoyed the interactions between Fairy Tail and Sabretooth, as you were expecting. I do genuinely find it a shame they can't be around a lot more, since I often find Sting a more interesting character than Natsu or Gray, but I have to take what I can get. And this might be purely me, but the fact Rogue is now obsessed with how cute Frosch is, again to me at least, is really damn funny. </p><p>The reveal from Sorano (still not used to calling her that) that the original founder of Rebellious, the cult Touka took over when she was an interesting character, is going to be out and about as a member of the Alchemy Guild is one of those times when it's too damn convenient to even comment on properly. Although damn she's a robot/doll/android straight out of <i>Eden's Zero</i>? Awesome.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8MjURjoMHxeFDbOdm9sUinhPscpzoPQdtaTS4BAaWLoLiRLXcRHqvNQULahRHlAXSc67Y1cEwkolYW2q617G2V-MLcTr8ZpSinTPTl-3xUYKo7Ul1bNukAYCpgZD9SHlCFx5iSlXdh-uuoegxGVgwf6AM0civTcJzXMRXFRKwY6OPEFFVtHMuWfxJ/s1380/Cobra%20Tits.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1380" data-original-width="1372" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8MjURjoMHxeFDbOdm9sUinhPscpzoPQdtaTS4BAaWLoLiRLXcRHqvNQULahRHlAXSc67Y1cEwkolYW2q617G2V-MLcTr8ZpSinTPTl-3xUYKo7Ul1bNukAYCpgZD9SHlCFx5iSlXdh-uuoegxGVgwf6AM0civTcJzXMRXFRKwY6OPEFFVtHMuWfxJ/w398-h400/Cobra%20Tits.png" width="398" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Do you think if Cobra or any of the other Oracion Seis had tits, we'd see them a lot more too? I miss them.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>We also get our first glimpse of this new guild itself, including the master who looks a bit too much like Hades/Purehito for me to ignore it. This isn't another situation where God Serena looks exactly like Yuriy, and I'm meant to pretend they are different characters, is it? Because now we have both GS and this new guy on the same team, and we're one creepy Groot away from a reunion of the <i>FT Zero</i> trio.</p><p>Thanks to this newest chapter, we already know our next chapter or two is going to be chaotic, with characters having to fight off alchemists (probably because of a bounty on their heads) in a new metal city that begs for more exploration and expansion than we'll get. This is a fine series, but I do sometimes really wish we could get a proper dive into the inner workings of where we're visiting...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieyyR1XdEC9n4VxbE_dCN8cnpgt5E0o8U_rrDybzEGeFsz74ujoeSHr6t2SEK6VycC5GNv6isYFN3yT2l6xz7qBVD9Wl6pHrsTpavE6h7CKvhJpa-jkvN7-SmsEVq82G4e2CJQHJqECNssd0AE00-xIyTuT7YKPY7yV0fjyMR1FDy0K8iARtsU1H-C/s1542/FT%20100%20124.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1542" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieyyR1XdEC9n4VxbE_dCN8cnpgt5E0o8U_rrDybzEGeFsz74ujoeSHr6t2SEK6VycC5GNv6isYFN3yT2l6xz7qBVD9Wl6pHrsTpavE6h7CKvhJpa-jkvN7-SmsEVq82G4e2CJQHJqECNssd0AE00-xIyTuT7YKPY7yV0fjyMR1FDy0K8iARtsU1H-C/w280-h400/FT%20100%20124.jpg" width="280" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikfvOpFpLV32CLZiFrPjRkmDSBeF96bg2VloPoIKZ6DhXHQ3j05RgI-8oOxIWGEo91uIF0BcMxf_rfgiAaaznu0W0CyjajlnxVq9RghZfkOIjKVZdFOKqTZZu2AedFfAVJ9HVwnVLA18XA0k4m9aTeE2mByCU-Z6Qf0aFPKtrOhSDn8qhvoSOPlP4Z/s1648/FT%20100%20125.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1648" data-original-width="1100" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikfvOpFpLV32CLZiFrPjRkmDSBeF96bg2VloPoIKZ6DhXHQ3j05RgI-8oOxIWGEo91uIF0BcMxf_rfgiAaaznu0W0CyjajlnxVq9RghZfkOIjKVZdFOKqTZZu2AedFfAVJ9HVwnVLA18XA0k4m9aTeE2mByCU-Z6Qf0aFPKtrOhSDn8qhvoSOPlP4Z/w268-h400/FT%20100%20125.jpeg" width="268" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii7v29oH1DBeNP6hHybncScBtpF8Rp4Ux7Q93Fzi5xMxj838ziPV2RekYGd1mN7pGfg0KLPLHkU_1BMgxs_Gyx66nw91JdnjDuybPCeS8yAy8xM3u6qhRYAPqnhRMLsv43pL2-UBtVh_Ir2OGferekii6w5vwVUVdGzsgCQS8vtc-flx5jsDBQ4P0-/s1600/FT%20100%20126.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1081" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii7v29oH1DBeNP6hHybncScBtpF8Rp4Ux7Q93Fzi5xMxj838ziPV2RekYGd1mN7pGfg0KLPLHkU_1BMgxs_Gyx66nw91JdnjDuybPCeS8yAy8xM3u6qhRYAPqnhRMLsv43pL2-UBtVh_Ir2OGferekii6w5vwVUVdGzsgCQS8vtc-flx5jsDBQ4P0-/w270-h400/FT%20100%20126.jpeg" width="270" /></a></div><p><br /></p>Shigginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16256099093521615360noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4926295868515831102.post-63561529655664295482022-12-31T11:27:00.000-08:002022-12-31T11:27:02.420-08:00Fairy Tail 100 Years Chapters 120 to 123 Review<p>Retconning while naked is how true bonds are made.</p><p>You were probably wondering why this review took so long to happen. Usually I try to wait for two or three chapters before publishing one, but I didn't want the entire review to be bitching about Selene's personality change yet again, so I waited until something unique happened. Or at the very least, something other than Selene pretending she was good all along. So here's the review you were waiting for all along, with the usual bitching reduced to save time.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQcVujjCAu2qE9DgXxEXMvqL3aEwYkdCXIeR72DmbbcxfEIk1oWaX4jjqoAp9iK9y5h8XyMkytFi8hwi_JhjMtmyQLL7mBSu16rNIeUO8FEGcmQ7kut006LNC2O508QdPXuZ0Y6PAT0dBfsGVZc6KnGTLGkZoRcGP5SPjgGwpzxSXwJ49SjefLmkCg/s979/Returning%20Sabertooth.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="954" data-original-width="979" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQcVujjCAu2qE9DgXxEXMvqL3aEwYkdCXIeR72DmbbcxfEIk1oWaX4jjqoAp9iK9y5h8XyMkytFi8hwi_JhjMtmyQLL7mBSu16rNIeUO8FEGcmQ7kut006LNC2O508QdPXuZ0Y6PAT0dBfsGVZc6KnGTLGkZoRcGP5SPjgGwpzxSXwJ49SjefLmkCg/w400-h390/Returning%20Sabertooth.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sequels. Always doing the same thing but new.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span><a name='more'></a></span><p>In fact, let's start with this quickly to get it out of the way. Selene was good all along, except not as pathetically much as Touka. She did do the bad things, she did enjoy doing them, but we're just saying she wasn't that evil for doing so. Murders are bad, sure. Partying while torturing Natsu and Gray was problematic but not great. Whatever, I guess we're over it.</p><p>I'm not kidding when I say that the fanservice during the explanation was welcome purely because I wanted something interesting to admire while they blathered on. I was really intrigued by the amount of detail and time that went into these bodies, from the squish of a bum as it sits against stone, to all those water streaks. Well done, you perverts!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixfws3eRZ9vuEU16TM97oj0A9OPCqnQroJIwDJV0C-2wVXqb4mxi_3ZGieufCAO9ZA93XRUV0h9SKuGDObKy6JvV_VEp21_CPCzn3_gxc_UYbpbbXsLLYRAyBK_tM-A4FfFczxU5op_3AEYKkssXuAJ2Fa6XAmqO3hCienuEQsrqTd7s0YoluHgEny/s726/Missed%20Them.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="460" data-original-width="726" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixfws3eRZ9vuEU16TM97oj0A9OPCqnQroJIwDJV0C-2wVXqb4mxi_3ZGieufCAO9ZA93XRUV0h9SKuGDObKy6JvV_VEp21_CPCzn3_gxc_UYbpbbXsLLYRAyBK_tM-A4FfFczxU5op_3AEYKkssXuAJ2Fa6XAmqO3hCienuEQsrqTd7s0YoluHgEny/w400-h254/Missed%20Them.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Man, I really really miss when these characters were... actual characters. And not just cameos.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>The highlight of this review however goes to Irene. She followed on from her sudden swap of personality at her death, and turned it into a endearingly tragic story as she secretly watched her daughter through Wendy's eyes. And finally, we get a bittersweet goodbye from her as she gets reincarnated as the child of Erza Knightwalker and Edolas Jellal. It's the kind of ending I love, a happy one that isn't roses and popcorn but also makes me glad I followed the story. Goodbye, Irene. Your story during this sequel might have been lacking in impact for all the other characters, but you still did well.</p><p>Another highlight, for me at least, was the proper return of the Fairy Tail crew. I've said it before but it needs repeating; <i>Fairy Tail</i> as a franchise is at it's best when it is using as many of the characters as possible. It's why the Grand Magic Games arc is the best one. While it can sometimes feel like we're stepping backwards, I'd rather that then forget characters like Gajeel, Laxus' Thunder Tribe, Levy and Elfman, who bring a much needed diversity of interaction and personality with every scene. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi42b3pQZ9G5SyM4Haw75FmHUMcLjXD1UITY-SFiMqfksaQfJAuDPkyS3IOebu9XiqA6r8vBZKUg7d9glLqZxcMIolDOmleJSgwq4J4grY6DgEA-Ijr8TS5uP5aWZjzqWKJ5qa0CgqKAfPISSiRjUWCtpehkHGewl8np9hcYMlP7O6bYeuwem1qyAQJ/s1008/My%20Heart.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="922" data-original-width="1008" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi42b3pQZ9G5SyM4Haw75FmHUMcLjXD1UITY-SFiMqfksaQfJAuDPkyS3IOebu9XiqA6r8vBZKUg7d9glLqZxcMIolDOmleJSgwq4J4grY6DgEA-Ijr8TS5uP5aWZjzqWKJ5qa0CgqKAfPISSiRjUWCtpehkHGewl8np9hcYMlP7O6bYeuwem1qyAQJ/w400-h366/My%20Heart.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My heart... it can't take this!</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Another reason I was waiting to do this review was the reveal that the final dragon, Viernes, is not a physical dragon but rather a concept. I was expecting chapter 123 to reveal what it meant but since it didn't, here we are. What are your guesses? Mine is that Viernes is an inheritance that passes from user to user, and it won't be enough to just defeat the user, as the power will transfer to another.</p><p>Anyway, that's Sabertooth back now and I'm always glad to see them. I'm still wishing they had a Mashima-made spinoff of their own, but I know that's unlikely so I'll take what I can get. If they were to somehow have obtained Fairy Tail's books, I'd be calling bullshit but there could be a ton of different reasons so let's see where they go with this. I'm happy either way, at least for now.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjdXsdeOvLNf9IZ0SnCBEtyrI5GFRGym0g5amojCKoq6fBmmWMSVcGsPqJIH1tsvIQeSKnyVIp6HSrBytt3KlHW877utX8HO2NRH14fDGTX2UEB0QuTdftjmK5qHwVK3pJAHAYGwzkU8LGcoNnPS6R7MPlPtTnNymGp-22fW1nxAPuAOrQyj71MJ5c/s1600/FT%20100%20120.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjdXsdeOvLNf9IZ0SnCBEtyrI5GFRGym0g5amojCKoq6fBmmWMSVcGsPqJIH1tsvIQeSKnyVIp6HSrBytt3KlHW877utX8HO2NRH14fDGTX2UEB0QuTdftjmK5qHwVK3pJAHAYGwzkU8LGcoNnPS6R7MPlPtTnNymGp-22fW1nxAPuAOrQyj71MJ5c/w268-h400/FT%20100%20120.jpeg" width="268" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyD_Wy8wpg-mqm9bsR2tuRUmUgsVjFT5K00qvoqpqChfAL8yaQJkNv14s8a7JRsUPaq3leWgJklkcwoeo7Nuo8OP8sGpkAIOgOWavH2FZmq-tiyQNgHOwGF73E3eunves8_sCdYF_NOCSijdawYlp96qdraGs27-wXCR3Zl39-7A7NF1s7o0o0XshP/s1600/FT%20100%20121.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1085" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyD_Wy8wpg-mqm9bsR2tuRUmUgsVjFT5K00qvoqpqChfAL8yaQJkNv14s8a7JRsUPaq3leWgJklkcwoeo7Nuo8OP8sGpkAIOgOWavH2FZmq-tiyQNgHOwGF73E3eunves8_sCdYF_NOCSijdawYlp96qdraGs27-wXCR3Zl39-7A7NF1s7o0o0XshP/w271-h400/FT%20100%20121.jpeg" width="271" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBAc1ge4Go2gtso6IUtaWpulSMn1T5EEPDgWmwKQtpXv-H-7-SVmzXQBSfEkiB2q0jKEd-Fz9p0aKuFGR6ABwdqKP3yqB9mXNgR0NqcA-_oecbb1AQ-1kcVwIvtRsclVnNKdKQAYOO0pn5AG63bNjyV2-3IAPfOM-cBnei-88p2DfNJnqI_d9j_FG5/s1619/FT%20100%20122.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1619" data-original-width="1100" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBAc1ge4Go2gtso6IUtaWpulSMn1T5EEPDgWmwKQtpXv-H-7-SVmzXQBSfEkiB2q0jKEd-Fz9p0aKuFGR6ABwdqKP3yqB9mXNgR0NqcA-_oecbb1AQ-1kcVwIvtRsclVnNKdKQAYOO0pn5AG63bNjyV2-3IAPfOM-cBnei-88p2DfNJnqI_d9j_FG5/w271-h400/FT%20100%20122.jpg" width="271" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFUsNgxTDlV1651tegBcNhyXzIOnPvyVfv2DJCREOhoDTEJi3J621MjEQ4J8i4nXq4LcuJwaHs7ogB8CDUAlGHmijBYBKrCUA49ooRuQSHgLkPRuvPq-s0azFVHgbfNwjlXadqyEkInlbE-L7oGePf3GWM9GLdT9BW7vPRoGve10eIR9fMqA1FbQlP/s1600/FT%20100%20123.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1087" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFUsNgxTDlV1651tegBcNhyXzIOnPvyVfv2DJCREOhoDTEJi3J621MjEQ4J8i4nXq4LcuJwaHs7ogB8CDUAlGHmijBYBKrCUA49ooRuQSHgLkPRuvPq-s0azFVHgbfNwjlXadqyEkInlbE-L7oGePf3GWM9GLdT9BW7vPRoGve10eIR9fMqA1FbQlP/w271-h400/FT%20100%20123.jpeg" width="271" /></a></div>Shigginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16256099093521615360noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4926295868515831102.post-45004351808804864652022-12-25T17:42:00.024-08:002022-12-26T06:25:40.303-08:00Every Movie I Enjoyed in 2022<p>Watch out, it's an article!</p><p>2022 was a wild ride, and it's time to celebrate by talking about every single movie I've loved to watch this year. I went a lot in 2022, needing a good source of escapism, and there was quite a range throughout. I saw horrors, comedies, cartoons, and more. So take a look at my best films of the year and check them out for yourself. And by the way, this list is in no order whatsoever. Enjoy!</p><p>Oh and I missed <i>Banshees of Inisherin</i>... so uh... yeah, that's not on here. Sorry. Looks great though. Can't wait to finally see it... ahem.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLC00LjmfKQQWyc80jhPpBivMsnWT-fMcdtFDOwGwWtK9ltCoEQHZivuUkHG5r5WZjGnbrBWtN5nAvQI_xz6nXzOImp3Kd09e_mLuJF8uiiW3PW-Qzz2SRNhoEsJcFPKwRvBu2-o7QmhOfvR-lOUJo0zjHI42PZtsBUgypgT1dU-iNaSssjAq_HNPf/s1280/EE%20Poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLC00LjmfKQQWyc80jhPpBivMsnWT-fMcdtFDOwGwWtK9ltCoEQHZivuUkHG5r5WZjGnbrBWtN5nAvQI_xz6nXzOImp3Kd09e_mLuJF8uiiW3PW-Qzz2SRNhoEsJcFPKwRvBu2-o7QmhOfvR-lOUJo0zjHI42PZtsBUgypgT1dU-iNaSssjAq_HNPf/w400-h225/EE%20Poster.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span><a name='more'></a></span><p><i><u><b>Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery</b></u></i></p><p>Let's get this one out of the way quickly, because I already said <i>Knives Out</i> was one of my all-time favourite movies ever back when I watched it in 2019, and that still hasn't changed, so me loving the sequel shouldn't come as too much of a surprise to long-time readers. Yes I was a little worried the film couldn't match up to the original, and while I don't put it at quite the same level as the 2019 masterpiece, it's more than worthy to recommend for fans and newcomers.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHY9X18N7q3onqc873T-j7QYuEs6cJvGw4arpMsi9mEmGCpcshN0yx-fzGu6X7y6Z4uPTdb_5zSyvKbZMFnDK0giYpQ69F3fBOQ5iIdeflkaE0XxROKCGhWPwEXqNOkucfxWUkqx4HOqZfvBQ2ec2XfrHpW-iNf-k32oWgHekJDMlndzhKEjSgCksr/s1530/Glass%20Onion.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1530" data-original-width="1045" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHY9X18N7q3onqc873T-j7QYuEs6cJvGw4arpMsi9mEmGCpcshN0yx-fzGu6X7y6Z4uPTdb_5zSyvKbZMFnDK0giYpQ69F3fBOQ5iIdeflkaE0XxROKCGhWPwEXqNOkucfxWUkqx4HOqZfvBQ2ec2XfrHpW-iNf-k32oWgHekJDMlndzhKEjSgCksr/w274-h400/Glass%20Onion.jpg" width="274" /></a></div><p>Daniel Craig returns in arguably the best performance of his career, as the oddball detective Benoit Blanc, who is going a bit weirder than usual due to the isolation and change caused by Covid. This is when he is given a surprise invitation for a murder mystery weekend, hosted by famous billionaire Miles Bron (Edward Norton), and full of potential suspects for Blanc to figure out, each of them played by famous actors Kate Hudson, Dave Bautista, Janelle Monae, Leslie Odom. Jr, Jessica Henwick and Madelyn Cline.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_VBv1VUgW78ClTv39wu8ToPYNHL4xCVgDcVdHmke2E73Brx-lY6WVir6jxEYdAqjHY7ao8g6yUOgZdbEzYcLivbXAFAHivZf4KlxRu-nDElz3LSM2fz5LjEzkLkT-FHN5KRgds3TRqOod-_RsPYu0XAvA5YOpgSKQttD5Fbv8ahvQW8VeXfWeJo7p/s2048/Glass%20Onion%20Swimming%20Outfit.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_VBv1VUgW78ClTv39wu8ToPYNHL4xCVgDcVdHmke2E73Brx-lY6WVir6jxEYdAqjHY7ao8g6yUOgZdbEzYcLivbXAFAHivZf4KlxRu-nDElz3LSM2fz5LjEzkLkT-FHN5KRgds3TRqOod-_RsPYu0XAvA5YOpgSKQttD5Fbv8ahvQW8VeXfWeJo7p/w400-h266/Glass%20Onion%20Swimming%20Outfit.png" width="400" /></a></div><p>While I do think the film's larger scale gets in the way at times, especially at the end, the pros of <i>Glass Onion</i> far outweigh the cons. The film is hilarious, the characters all unique, and the mystery is full of great twists and turns that help to keep you connected to the ongoing murder story. No scene is a waste of time, the social commentary is as obvious as it is relevant. What else can I say? Watch the damn film! Buy the physical copies! Let's see, and pray, that the third film can keep this hot streak running.</p><p><br /></p><p><u><i><b>Everything Everywhere All at Once</b></i></u></p><p>There's almost always a film or two that take me by surprise every year. <i>Everything Everywhere All at Once</i> (which will be referred to as <i>EE</i> from now on to save time and space) is 2022's biggest surprise, with themes and characters that really stuck with me long after I left the cinema. Out of every film I've seen this year, it's the one that I feel most confident in saying is the best.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcLfilfF40fp0y4C3pBWU8-ixI80OwUlYnYJjsgvbPFDb2Eblelj-jUQTXRUToTJRgvbUljd4cdnPYBiBBLLos3qaVr5xUi83Z9hBIv43pLIWxD-5uG0PrtvkMLJlDuFRVFNPEMIzoLuchl93tUTJuKkD8oC3PBfuNyk8weEx1dnD9peQfP7i3fDnM/s1500/EEE%20Poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1052" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcLfilfF40fp0y4C3pBWU8-ixI80OwUlYnYJjsgvbPFDb2Eblelj-jUQTXRUToTJRgvbUljd4cdnPYBiBBLLos3qaVr5xUi83Z9hBIv43pLIWxD-5uG0PrtvkMLJlDuFRVFNPEMIzoLuchl93tUTJuKkD8oC3PBfuNyk8weEx1dnD9peQfP7i3fDnM/w280-h400/EEE%20Poster.jpg" width="280" /></a></div><p>To spoil as little as possible, <i>EE</i> stars Michelle Yeoh as a struggling mother, wife, daughter and business owner immigrant in America, trying to handle a billion problems at once all by herself. Then things get super weird, in ways you couldn't possibly predict... Yeah, I wasn't kidding. I don't want to spoil anything with this film.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh53xjMWg1MpkhrLngESsdarguNc7To__depxtq_C5QCP7T_cFYZkJmUbHqx8Mfvf2nXHwx9dzJp6ZD2TyaiyyQUiUvsv7Sy1lKT5J1K7AlfVjElQLG2RDijR8SZqX1LIEI9mjnXTI_mOoOtu6VcfIxEA1gaArzLPdaA8Y9sZ547SHpmDulnigK0SW0/s1614/EE%20Kindness.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1075" data-original-width="1614" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh53xjMWg1MpkhrLngESsdarguNc7To__depxtq_C5QCP7T_cFYZkJmUbHqx8Mfvf2nXHwx9dzJp6ZD2TyaiyyQUiUvsv7Sy1lKT5J1K7AlfVjElQLG2RDijR8SZqX1LIEI9mjnXTI_mOoOtu6VcfIxEA1gaArzLPdaA8Y9sZ547SHpmDulnigK0SW0/w400-h266/EE%20Kindness.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>What makes <i>EE</i> so great is just about everything, except a certain hot dog scene that leaved me as disgusted as the characters in that scene. Yes, the film is hilarious and ridiculous at times. Yes, the choreography is amazing and inventive. However, what really stood out to me is the exploration of themes and characters, creating scenes of beauty through methods I never thought were possible. Never before has the words "just be a rock" been able to create so many tears.</p><p><br /></p><p><u><i><b>Black Panther: Wakanda Forever</b></i></u></p><p>Marvel didn't have it's best year, but there were a few winners scattered around that definitely made an impression, and I'd say the movie most worth talking about carrying the Marvel logo is the sequel to 2018's classic <i>Black Panther</i>, <i>Wakanda Forever</i>! And while I personally wouldn't put it at the level of the previous one, <i>Wakanda Forever</i> does bring great story and character development more than worthy of your precious-precious time.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9U3qv7zY-oJnQrVZ9ivt8Fco-304o_xaT93t8RDZyphxc9VmVjN_S6D9yIqaD7qSP2UaAzMbb4o-Gi2RlbHZb3orxxOuQ_ffaK4dqUm9G5ZJYDGhFAvszZLaBTT0WGXuQEdTi4GT_dv-fHZxR3YrnxcKfLjfL2RZ91US0HX2DesJm2WZcVn7ShLBb/s1481/BP2%20Poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1481" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9U3qv7zY-oJnQrVZ9ivt8Fco-304o_xaT93t8RDZyphxc9VmVjN_S6D9yIqaD7qSP2UaAzMbb4o-Gi2RlbHZb3orxxOuQ_ffaK4dqUm9G5ZJYDGhFAvszZLaBTT0WGXuQEdTi4GT_dv-fHZxR3YrnxcKfLjfL2RZ91US0HX2DesJm2WZcVn7ShLBb/w270-h400/BP2%20Poster.jpg" width="270" /></a></div><p>After the tragic loss of T'Challa (R.I.P Chadwick Boseman), Wakanda is now in mourning, and suffering the consequences of outing themselves and their Vibranium to the outside world. The Sub-Mariner himself, Namor (Tenoch Huerta Meija) finally makes his live-action debut and tells the Queen of Wakanda, Ramonda (Angela Bassett), that they are to help him or become his kingdom's enemy. T'Challa's sister Shuri (Letitia Wright), still coping with the grief and guilt over the loss, takes centre stage and becomes the most major player in trying to prevent war and reduce casualties, but she is quickly running out of options.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4ldruMG5wriVK46_zW_iAE2XyZMYPxKYd_vgpnKbKAXEbfCzPOErYuU1P-4_oAJj5BbayMHJ6r1s2q0OiGZ6TtG8RO-URf8uTU3v0l1TsucEH94cchv0o-mu9dNIZ1w3umFXPFDKqsdzNfUTBh_YcewHIJsSM7DNG-TIOnd1B5RVra2wInCwGZkev/s2047/BP2%20Namor.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="2047" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4ldruMG5wriVK46_zW_iAE2XyZMYPxKYd_vgpnKbKAXEbfCzPOErYuU1P-4_oAJj5BbayMHJ6r1s2q0OiGZ6TtG8RO-URf8uTU3v0l1TsucEH94cchv0o-mu9dNIZ1w3umFXPFDKqsdzNfUTBh_YcewHIJsSM7DNG-TIOnd1B5RVra2wInCwGZkev/w400-h166/BP2%20Namor.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>While some of the action scenes and CGI aren't up to the standard we should have by now, the true appealing factors of the film shine through. Every performance is full of raw emotion and strength, especially from Angela Bassett, and it's great to see different reactions of grief get displayed as they deserve to be. I love most of these characters, Winston Duke's M'Baku still manages to steal every scene he's in, and the music is kick-ass. Not one of the MCU's best, but definitely a worthy part of the collection.</p><p><br /></p><p><u><i><b>Sonic the Hedgehog 2</b></i></u></p><p>The first film surprised a lot of people with it's charm, jokes and Ben Schwartz's performance as Sonic, but while I did like it, I felt it was lacking in energy, reducing the protagonist to chill inside a car and spend time with generic human characters. The sequel however, I kinda loved? Let me be clear, I wouldn't give it a 10/10 or anything like that, but I had a great time and a half with Sonic's second outing. No matter how hard I try, I can't seem to quit this hedgehog-based franchise. (Should I start reading the comics? Someone tell me, I genuinely am unsure).</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidUrXbgFhUQL8NWKTR2yDfAN6YaceHv3BVfAGpQgLVWcWcN93zHGwfSbuT4A98TFcMgO8mwGwe3QgDc6Lk2FkdjI04ZkRQx8Xu7BXdWLmDoA6jOMQSvU-IJoBllIyoZEA6eu57ObIjZhLSkfMQjXruSBj-8lQWLRRZzUYbqTMl_AxRk7MPqx7xws-7/s1080/Sonic%202%20Poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="864" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidUrXbgFhUQL8NWKTR2yDfAN6YaceHv3BVfAGpQgLVWcWcN93zHGwfSbuT4A98TFcMgO8mwGwe3QgDc6Lk2FkdjI04ZkRQx8Xu7BXdWLmDoA6jOMQSvU-IJoBllIyoZEA6eu57ObIjZhLSkfMQjXruSBj-8lQWLRRZzUYbqTMl_AxRk7MPqx7xws-7/w320-h400/Sonic%202%20Poster.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>Jim Carrey is back in his final (yeah right) role as Dr Robotnik/Eggman, and he's out for revenge against Sonic. He teams up with the red echidna Knuckles (voiced wonderfully and erotically by Idris Elba), and they go in search of the Master Emerald which can grant ultimate power. Sonic teams up with his new friend, Miles "Tails" Prower (Colleen O'Shaughnessey) and so begins a global race to get the emerald first.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlAf3lvECRRXvZSA2cooO1AAapQQ5zm118ddRP0AEAxu7Qa0veVuB6GbE8Y-goN9jCnX3kWgnbHhGOZySG9KIFz71EgMgZdiBF14QK6P1mw6rP2ULUKVB-CcHe4U7WuwaH-6DBvKubsRIJh98N-kJBZI8XfVHzOXiHRfH6-sj3cszZSKaIBIOgmxvp/s1920/Sonic%202%20Knuckles.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="806" data-original-width="1920" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlAf3lvECRRXvZSA2cooO1AAapQQ5zm118ddRP0AEAxu7Qa0veVuB6GbE8Y-goN9jCnX3kWgnbHhGOZySG9KIFz71EgMgZdiBF14QK6P1mw6rP2ULUKVB-CcHe4U7WuwaH-6DBvKubsRIJh98N-kJBZI8XfVHzOXiHRfH6-sj3cszZSKaIBIOgmxvp/w400-h168/Sonic%202%20Knuckles.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>I guess I'm just the kind of guy who would rather see Sonic skate downhill on ice against Knuckles, rather than watch him in a bar fight with biker dudes. The jokes are snappier, Jim Carrey and his assistant Stone (Lee Majdoub) are hamming it up as they should, and Idris Elba's iteration of Knuckles brings a much-needed overhaul to a character that has really been suffering in the games over the past ten years. If they could have removed the dance-off, I doubt I'd have anything to complain about. Now bring on my boy Metal Sonic!</p><p><br /></p><p><u><i><b>The Bad Guys</b></i></u></p><p>If there's one thing to praise about Dreamworks over Disney, it's that they're more likely to get a bit experimental. Stories like <i>Kung fu Panda</i> and <i>Shrek</i> proved that already, but their 2022 movie <i>The Bad Guys</i> is more unique with animation and style rather than story. That's not to say the story is bad, I actually got quite a kick out of it, but this film is GORGEOUS and that demands calling out first.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvRHJKVMB7uByZpvr84SD5ctUC_8lsJd1ETNhJ0hFUENaLCQpAfyIOm2ro_AbWIfJvYCJRzvthkJh2lilK3Om-yOPYv1ZVHsvi41j-NeSZNYWEKsei4rBT3d1jLCrHuJAmlW2aLDYNb9ZJv9WtjYXqf0YodNPyDwASv7KyXRBSpoZd4sCqjimTdywa/s1583/The%20Bad%20Guys.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1583" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvRHJKVMB7uByZpvr84SD5ctUC_8lsJd1ETNhJ0hFUENaLCQpAfyIOm2ro_AbWIfJvYCJRzvthkJh2lilK3Om-yOPYv1ZVHsvi41j-NeSZNYWEKsei4rBT3d1jLCrHuJAmlW2aLDYNb9ZJv9WtjYXqf0YodNPyDwASv7KyXRBSpoZd4sCqjimTdywa/w253-h400/The%20Bad%20Guys.jpg" width="253" /></a></div><p>In a world where humans live alongside animal-people, also known as the Furry Dream we've all had at least once and don't pretend you haven't, Mr Wolf (Sam Rockwell) leads a group of other thieves in big heists, but when they're caught, he strikes a deal with governor Diane Foxington (Zazie Beetz) to prove he can be trained by professor Marmalade (Richard Ayoade) and become a good person.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz9lu9ZYCIu3uCVLTEAOZ8Vzp--ft5In-_0kUtpfWDFAmW1ziRn2ClCzRyU2oF_IQIsoNriRhfNOQi2wbFy-aGPo1621yZ_tCNtRXG9iB_wG9N2Gh2adUfoQ2LbSZpqS2FHVTVOB1j5y-pXTSWfDMk9-a8a16fPiZlCRbNSpCe12UPLZDs8PaOs6pk/s1280/Bad%20Guys%20Dance.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="577" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz9lu9ZYCIu3uCVLTEAOZ8Vzp--ft5In-_0kUtpfWDFAmW1ziRn2ClCzRyU2oF_IQIsoNriRhfNOQi2wbFy-aGPo1621yZ_tCNtRXG9iB_wG9N2Gh2adUfoQ2LbSZpqS2FHVTVOB1j5y-pXTSWfDMk9-a8a16fPiZlCRbNSpCe12UPLZDs8PaOs6pk/w400-h180/Bad%20Guys%20Dance.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>The voice acting from all, including Craig Robinson, Marc Maron, Awkwafina, Anthony Ramos and Alex Borstein, are all charming and fun, and the designs are so fast and energetic you can't help but get hooked by them. With great laughs, a fun song or two, a fox character that keeps me up at night, and animation that mixes 2D with 3D perfectly, <i>The Bad Guys</i> is my favourite animated movie of 2022 (<i>Puss in Boots: The Last Wish</i> doesn't come out in the UK until next year, so I sadly haven't been able to watch it yet). It deserved far more than it got, so here's hoping for at least a cult following.</p><p><br /></p><p><u><i><b>The Batman</b></i></u></p><p>Yet another bloody reboot of the character that Warner Bros treats as the only DC property worth mentioning, <i>The Batman</i> wasn't what I wanted at all when I first heard about. But here it is on my list, so clearly it managed to impress despite being the 3^43th version of the character to hit my screen. Robert Pattinson and Matt Reeves, both showing off the full extent of their talents here, have created a new and fresh Batman story that deserves a lot of attention. We will never be free of this character, will we?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAzKUoO8mGapX8a0DYIFOCl5yufh4H2sv0SlVs65zH576J2q-WI6RcrQP6aegDz5fulNUPqv0jtBX0u_pk6s9Wz-i57EZKATVRWfZUj0qyz7adTM_FvaX6UrvJ8AqBkSHDk984eLL1maeUZfMEd8duVtSLwpd2fNaGh5l4Sw4QeX_tCy2knXtKEDRC/s4096/The%20Batman%20Poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="2764" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAzKUoO8mGapX8a0DYIFOCl5yufh4H2sv0SlVs65zH576J2q-WI6RcrQP6aegDz5fulNUPqv0jtBX0u_pk6s9Wz-i57EZKATVRWfZUj0qyz7adTM_FvaX6UrvJ8AqBkSHDk984eLL1maeUZfMEd8duVtSLwpd2fNaGh5l4Sw4QeX_tCy2knXtKEDRC/w270-h400/The%20Batman%20Poster.jpg" width="270" /></a></div><p>Not an origin story, but not about his veteran days either, <i>The Batman </i>stars Robert Pattison taking on the role of Bruce Wayne in Gotham's grimiest yet most gorgeous state, as he is forced to figure out the cruel plan of serial killer The Riddler (Paul Dano), with help from Commissioner Gordon (Jeffrey Wright), Alfred (Andy Serkis) and Selina Kyle (Zoe Kravitz).</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggyr3oTV_CRMGoy0AKvut5ec5JZXQZ3ty2CiYyEEVJPJNYnfQ1UyEfTI54IFLzA8cGf8vdIb1977QlPZ7pZzwkOTID_POVOsNq2YAZICFSMHgUWJwnSpJGumW0ReTEDKhIopJFUSmj_y0SpEKYF9d2jJ09iMlfgi6m61wKRspFTOIVAjNOv5tr4gNw/s1600/The%20Batman%20Riddler.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggyr3oTV_CRMGoy0AKvut5ec5JZXQZ3ty2CiYyEEVJPJNYnfQ1UyEfTI54IFLzA8cGf8vdIb1977QlPZ7pZzwkOTID_POVOsNq2YAZICFSMHgUWJwnSpJGumW0ReTEDKhIopJFUSmj_y0SpEKYF9d2jJ09iMlfgi6m61wKRspFTOIVAjNOv5tr4gNw/w400-h225/The%20Batman%20Riddler.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Most of the cast were surprising choices, although Jeffrey Wright was such a perfect choice that I was flipping out in excitement from that announcement, but they managed to make the characters their own while keeping to the heart of who they are. The action is great, with the Batmobile section in particular being an audience pleaser, and the commentary is sharp and on point. My only real complaint, besides that terrible Riddler outfit, is that it's another Batman story. In the 21st century alone, we've had the <i>Arkham </i>games, the <i>Injustice</i> games, the<i> Dark Knight</i> trilogy, Ben Affleck's version, the Harley Quinn cartoon, the <i>Joker</i> movie, the Lego version, all those animated movies that are almost all terrible, <i>Gotham</i>, <i>Pennyworth</i>, and too many cameos and cartoon appearances to count. Meanwhile, where's Martian Manhunter? Zatanna? DETECTIVE CHIMP?!</p><p><br /></p><p><u><i><b>Turning Red</b></i></u></p><p>I was actually shocked to discover this came out in 2022. It's been a weird year. And speaking of weird, <i>Turning Red</i> comes to us by the director of that Pixar short <i>Bao</i>, the one that makes me shudder, but thankfully there's nothing as horrible as that short's twist here. The twists provided are actually awesome instead! And so is the rest of everything else in <i>Turning Red</i>!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmkMUuTwDTZSIi6cg9-Azms0DnDTidwoiomeahSvwL48wFE7lDtbqGm8UAOfGxFS2bBStsZLseeieqXaTCmjq1TBrfbuBAFrl-dA_vWPXsP0dvm0oJSgCHpyYs5lc5t7YUwyqKOPJR8RTmkaPqryvpjVonGiR-r9zsu932dqSzCN8LNSmIgrZD0PmO/s2000/Turning%20Red.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1350" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmkMUuTwDTZSIi6cg9-Azms0DnDTidwoiomeahSvwL48wFE7lDtbqGm8UAOfGxFS2bBStsZLseeieqXaTCmjq1TBrfbuBAFrl-dA_vWPXsP0dvm0oJSgCHpyYs5lc5t7YUwyqKOPJR8RTmkaPqryvpjVonGiR-r9zsu932dqSzCN8LNSmIgrZD0PmO/w270-h400/Turning%20Red.jpg" width="270" /></a></div><p>A young girl named Mei Lee is living life well in 2002's Toronto, dedicated to her parents Ming and Jin, and secretly loving the boy band 4 Town, until a shocking incident of embarrassment suddenly causes her to transform into a huge red panda. Mei tries to ignore this new change her body has gone through, but when she discovers 4 Town are coming to her town, she and her friends eagerly find a way to use this form to her advantage.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYtTgzUHGEO822pHQXNwCV_YDRLEKmyY33M0TIaBQ6fHfvWBM7oULrfk5JXigxBXgEHPHYJV7MX70nrS8bBRlQZDiljtRXhrVZnK1yW_bmtNkA-LHFINgIVhaT8F2LN3LhYtN0Wf5jTEYTYJ0zNaYKFba29LFxIwfaNwQgGB2TzNCQltECPea45Tqc/s1086/Turning%20Red%20Mei.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="587" data-original-width="1086" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYtTgzUHGEO822pHQXNwCV_YDRLEKmyY33M0TIaBQ6fHfvWBM7oULrfk5JXigxBXgEHPHYJV7MX70nrS8bBRlQZDiljtRXhrVZnK1yW_bmtNkA-LHFINgIVhaT8F2LN3LhYtN0Wf5jTEYTYJ0zNaYKFba29LFxIwfaNwQgGB2TzNCQltECPea45Tqc/w400-h216/Turning%20Red%20Mei.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>What I love most about this film is that the teenage girls, especially Mei, actually feel like teenage girls. They're written with emotion, from crushing on tons of boys like idiots to getting unreasonably angry over small things, and it feels far more authentic than some of the other teenagers I've seen by Disney recently (remember the monotone science-lover from 2019's <i>Dumbo</i>?). On top of that, the film is a lot of fun from the very start, with high energy characters and silly shenanigans, and I don't think I've ever seen a film be so upfront and honest about puberty before, especially for a girl. Between this, those fantastic <i>Baymax</i> shorts, <i>Owl House's</i> wonderful second season, and the so-so <i>Strange World</i>, Disney's representation is finally taking the right steps forward. </p><p><br /></p><p><u><i><b>Prey</b></i></u></p><p>I love when a film just outright surprises me from the second I turn it on. 2018's<i> The Predator</i> was a terrible movie, and <i>Prey</i> was skipping cinemas to go straight to Hulu (or in my case, Disney+'s Star), so hopes weren't high. And yet here we are with one of my favourites of the year, a near-perfect example of a director recognising what type of character (in this case, the Predator itself) they've been given, and how best to utilise it.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJTq4dzUN-RAtXCk_gpFEd2BsQh1lQUDLRVmkUKsT20Xe7m0l7lkx7fe42BQyxhs8o8Da0Ag4x8QGDvJgktrl9INNHLkC4S4lx16lgpjFFrvIvwVDk31fPlSJ21tAyinEngSADlxGW1kRe5_JfCcX1cV0GS0yTNlDXTwfBF1uIRMhYs3VG4jMTPP_4/s2160/Prey%20Poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="1458" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJTq4dzUN-RAtXCk_gpFEd2BsQh1lQUDLRVmkUKsT20Xe7m0l7lkx7fe42BQyxhs8o8Da0Ag4x8QGDvJgktrl9INNHLkC4S4lx16lgpjFFrvIvwVDk31fPlSJ21tAyinEngSADlxGW1kRe5_JfCcX1cV0GS0yTNlDXTwfBF1uIRMhYs3VG4jMTPP_4/w270-h400/Prey%20Poster.jpg" width="270" /></a></div><p>Set in 1719, a young Comanche warrior known as Naru (Amber Midthunder) seeks to prove herself as a hunter like her brother Taabe (Dakota Beavers). Of course, that hunt comes in a way she could never predict, as the alien Predator (Dane Diliegro) has arrived. As the Predator builds up the food chain of hunters, Naru learns each time from these brutal events, and she must figure out a way to stop this advanced killer before it's too late.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAWUK5yWhJzFQFeHqTf-ZwEgEVYHQsnVR5Vgxf2z4PNktk9qar1PYPS_KkiZtPZJzmQm-MMn8pxjKXp_G2vnvvhVOyOC0Zozy41ds7wIhT7p3S3QteT31mHbh1RtAMSqVrYyaqmgNUdEwt_oGD2Uw890ByYm_nSAahVqdcCKr10lXPXaR2mLGdZYS9/s1200/Prey%20Predator.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="1200" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAWUK5yWhJzFQFeHqTf-ZwEgEVYHQsnVR5Vgxf2z4PNktk9qar1PYPS_KkiZtPZJzmQm-MMn8pxjKXp_G2vnvvhVOyOC0Zozy41ds7wIhT7p3S3QteT31mHbh1RtAMSqVrYyaqmgNUdEwt_oGD2Uw890ByYm_nSAahVqdcCKr10lXPXaR2mLGdZYS9/w400-h166/Prey%20Predator.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Instead of terrible jokes or lame attempts to build up lore and sequels, <i>Prey</i> focuses on the kind of character a Predator can never defeat: A hunter that learns and adapts with the land. Like Arnie in the first movie's climax, Naru is a character that knows how to build and prepare traps, and her educational journey to the climax is exciting and fresh. And the action with the Predator... oh boy... Predators are like Daleks to me. Fine when there's tons of them, but when it's just one, the director has to get more creative and that's when things get amazing and brutal! I loved this movie, and I hope you watch it asap to agree with me.</p><p><br /></p><p><u><i><b>Bullet Train</b></i></u></p><p>Some people want the drama of <i>Aftersun</i>, or the horrors of <i>Nope</i> (just FYI, I did watch <i>Nope</i>. I was disappointed honestly. Nowhere near as good as<i> Get Out</i> or <i>Us</i>.), but me? I want a thrill ride. And while it didn't appeal to everyone, <i>Bullet Train</i> was a thrill ride from start to finish that I got great laughs from, from the start to the last stop.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji9cTmrw4gPmRaKX-mhbGy3dBBGgB8GyX3_GUmvJ9YlkfEALozYbkfiS-Laggj8T3baQuM5tYU909GDHbs7PkiEwwmLALCE6n_YgOxHVysZak34W3zaz-S0etPQYsVISwZY2zCZD0WhyrWXztD_n9NeAX157C9RaUoNIN7r9nxP0QaAVC-AHKF1oVt/s3000/Bullet%20Train%20Poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="2000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji9cTmrw4gPmRaKX-mhbGy3dBBGgB8GyX3_GUmvJ9YlkfEALozYbkfiS-Laggj8T3baQuM5tYU909GDHbs7PkiEwwmLALCE6n_YgOxHVysZak34W3zaz-S0etPQYsVISwZY2zCZD0WhyrWXztD_n9NeAX157C9RaUoNIN7r9nxP0QaAVC-AHKF1oVt/w266-h400/Bullet%20Train%20Poster.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><p>Based on a Japanese book (awkward cough about the whitewashing) by Kotaro Isaka, <i>Bullet Train</i> follows the assassin codenamed Ladybug (Brad Pitt) as he is tasked with a simple pick-up, and things immediately escalate when it turns out the train is full of killers, like Lemon (Brian Tyree Henry) and Tangerine (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), and there's an entire scheme of deception, blackmail and murder going on due to the machinations of a character played by Joey King.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSv9MDxDI7t86fGoirUDnoK1lZ9vkh2VxbbixRW4sgEHPTRDswd2abGboNBLPvQWTZHiqvLvxX0AIIW9ScxJduwnnupKLaaDPJmEE1bArQMbp-QVsstpu2CGa0JaJQErt0N-DDqt9CnnVVxrSh5C2Zi2WAF5APTTgvV5VMSxe-NAyE2NXnPm00qV-F/s1500/Bullet%20Train%20Twins.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="644" data-original-width="1500" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSv9MDxDI7t86fGoirUDnoK1lZ9vkh2VxbbixRW4sgEHPTRDswd2abGboNBLPvQWTZHiqvLvxX0AIIW9ScxJduwnnupKLaaDPJmEE1bArQMbp-QVsstpu2CGa0JaJQErt0N-DDqt9CnnVVxrSh5C2Zi2WAF5APTTgvV5VMSxe-NAyE2NXnPm00qV-F/w400-h171/Bullet%20Train%20Twins.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Managed chaos. That's a good way to put the plot and events of this film. Things are moving fast, jokes and reveals come flying as fast as the constant barrage of fists and bullets, but it's also all calculated and smart. These writers, and director David Leitch, know what they're doing and the plot almost never falters. It's a bit too long overall, but it's great fun for all of that runtime so I can't complain too much. This is also the film that made me realise that Brian Tyree Henry is... just a gem. He really is.</p><p><br /></p><p><b><i><u>Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero</u></i></b></p><p>I could tell you what this film is about and like, but I already did an entire review on that before so just click here, thanks - <a href="http://otakunuts.blogspot.com/2022/08/dragon-ball-super-super-hero-review.html">Read my review here</a>.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_-StIeqZLDO8AdA3fs9ODrGWZYJnOYRowlWR-WGJ7_U6P8Jkl1cEOfq3UpuRF06Au33NLO39ZZLUZEf8Bzkz2x4ZNrCa5ZUQbF9OUdoSNdZL_IuVXOJ7jemVs3-hEvQxPGVOfdkdEaiVJvRhWd3oG_BjZg2jcy34sPjwxkEhQ8oIJFaPsSj_8WlXn/s2380/Dragon%20Ball%20Super%20Hero%20Poster%202022.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2380" data-original-width="1680" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_-StIeqZLDO8AdA3fs9ODrGWZYJnOYRowlWR-WGJ7_U6P8Jkl1cEOfq3UpuRF06Au33NLO39ZZLUZEf8Bzkz2x4ZNrCa5ZUQbF9OUdoSNdZL_IuVXOJ7jemVs3-hEvQxPGVOfdkdEaiVJvRhWd3oG_BjZg2jcy34sPjwxkEhQ8oIJFaPsSj_8WlXn/w283-h400/Dragon%20Ball%20Super%20Hero%20Poster%202022.jpg" width="283" /></a></div><br /><p><i>And that's every movie of 2022 I loved and enjoyed this year! Let me know in the comments what you liked, what you recommend, and why.</i></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Shigginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16256099093521615360noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4926295868515831102.post-78680714514682901082022-11-02T18:01:00.003-07:002022-11-02T18:01:53.133-07:00Fairy Tail 100 Years Quest Chapters 115 to 119 Review<p>If you've been following me long enough, you'll know I've always been a fan of Gajevy. So you can bet these chapter covers have made me happy, even if the treatment for Gajeel was far below what he deserves. As for God Serena... damn I wanted to believe. Anyway, enough of the opening paragraph. Let's focus on today's review.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1bMuc412FTGePTxC11Fcdxcg9oZvTFBPk-m6w01faR28YAEmzQDj29kh301DfW5anXZ_3LcfLS84_ypcoeaOhP1jS5D7bIxaD9Admu7rRxjVK8I5Qb2qU_a70AP34ud_BMghDd_EwRC1Bmz2yBOVccQ2pe67ueYgyqQGNMztu4539pNMyOajypyvf/s1006/She's%20Laughing%20at%20Me.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="607" data-original-width="1006" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1bMuc412FTGePTxC11Fcdxcg9oZvTFBPk-m6w01faR28YAEmzQDj29kh301DfW5anXZ_3LcfLS84_ypcoeaOhP1jS5D7bIxaD9Admu7rRxjVK8I5Qb2qU_a70AP34ud_BMghDd_EwRC1Bmz2yBOVccQ2pe67ueYgyqQGNMztu4539pNMyOajypyvf/w400-h241/She's%20Laughing%20at%20Me.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She's laughing at me for the times I said I would get back to writing and then didn't... it was a lot of times, guys. I'm sorry. I had a tiring month.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span><a name='more'></a></span><p>So yeah, by nobody's surprise, God Serena is not really back from the dead. Neinhart's magic doesn't lie, and he was definitely a spirit/illusion/whatever when we last saw him fighting Gildarts. Which I wouldn't mind too much if it didn't pretend that he was real for several chapters, as if it could somehow trick us into believing this. I wanted more God Serena, I thought he was one of the most underused characters in Fairy Tail's history, but don't tell lies. That's naughty, and not the good kind of naughty. It's nice to see his wacky personality and nonsense again, at least, so that's something. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8XiZu2Fh4gR6W1HG5u6BpAzsNM8K1vlBXVPceYqTUi7ozpv25Zj21cGNc5NDNiVTP3XSDCMdsfUHY4vk_f1drRSkEByHfA42ShJYJrGW2WdZ1BnEBj5Dr9enbQelLGBosSbADo1UeFSZA5Uy4LgglL_mdVpXHvYqmosl26x_bMOG0RXXNO3L7rLYO/s1178/Eden's%20Zero%20Bath%20Crossover.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1178" data-original-width="996" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8XiZu2Fh4gR6W1HG5u6BpAzsNM8K1vlBXVPceYqTUi7ozpv25Zj21cGNc5NDNiVTP3XSDCMdsfUHY4vk_f1drRSkEByHfA42ShJYJrGW2WdZ1BnEBj5Dr9enbQelLGBosSbADo1UeFSZA5Uy4LgglL_mdVpXHvYqmosl26x_bMOG0RXXNO3L7rLYO/w339-h400/Eden's%20Zero%20Bath%20Crossover.png" width="339" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Calling it now: A FT/Eden's Zero crossover will come, and it will be very bath-themed. Or water park. Or something else that lets Erza flash that booty.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I guess the whole point of this "alchemist" is to build up or foreshadow an upcoming arc, but I still don't like the way they've been implemented into the last quarter of this arc for two quick fights to distract us from Natsu and Suzaku's fight. And in fairness, the fight with Dogramag is actually pretty good. Lots of explosions, dramatic flair (surprised I haven't used that pun before), and a nice shiny Unison Raid to finish it off.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO_jEQ0go5rvpgGgdqG3XPjRVAJ5u4tdcWzzpoLs38hBr9koqdl7TT5nldknCqOEx9UdgbJGLWglScGysqvdDlA1Z-JJOPrKr9GdMU6mqH48VQtanRANO4LJacuLy4Ve3H2qA9X-4DGAiFrFjLoDx6jR7-lSqF55f51LTTm5f429Ev9hOepLEBJv6n/s1600/Miss%20You%20Dragon.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1087" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO_jEQ0go5rvpgGgdqG3XPjRVAJ5u4tdcWzzpoLs38hBr9koqdl7TT5nldknCqOEx9UdgbJGLWglScGysqvdDlA1Z-JJOPrKr9GdMU6mqH48VQtanRANO4LJacuLy4Ve3H2qA9X-4DGAiFrFjLoDx6jR7-lSqF55f51LTTm5f429Ev9hOepLEBJv6n/w271-h400/Miss%20You%20Dragon.jpeg" width="271" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'll miss you, sexy dragon-man.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I do like Diabolos, so I won't complain about them taking the inevitable route of becoming allies, but it certainly does feel like we've swept up all their terrible crimes under the rug. I have to say, does Fairy Tail just have no justice system anymore? Because damn, that's a lot of property damage, murder and acts of terrorism we're just forgiving. And no, I'm not forgiving Selene because fuck you for turning good so quickly!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjklicCiGxDgFAvLKY6Jtu1SZtuTLVaPsviOa9v2Xg_9mX1hwF6-olFIR-voeijndSbHrUv3RwspzEoxNspBX9nAPukv3vN52vFQpwknvpzGpEzrCAHzrX7ouwODMC7J6lpvQ0N7we_lU3TO8UU5PGwhvnpTuSC32JTBZkl-UfHyNrOj_3juEByK7sc/s663/Suzaku%20Eyebrows.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="663" data-original-width="269" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjklicCiGxDgFAvLKY6Jtu1SZtuTLVaPsviOa9v2Xg_9mX1hwF6-olFIR-voeijndSbHrUv3RwspzEoxNspBX9nAPukv3vN52vFQpwknvpzGpEzrCAHzrX7ouwODMC7J6lpvQ0N7we_lU3TO8UU5PGwhvnpTuSC32JTBZkl-UfHyNrOj_3juEByK7sc/w163-h400/Suzaku%20Eyebrows.png" width="163" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'd rather talk about who does your eyelashes. They are FAB-U-LUSCIOUS!</td></tr></tbody></table><p>It's nice to see <i>Fairy Tail</i> continue my lifelong philosophy that being naked in the bath or shower is the perfect time for bonding and conversation. Reusing the joke by washing hair to create "a nice feeling" after it was done with Flare feels as generic and pointless as the obvious one about Natsu. Still, this is probably the best way to introduce whatever the next plot point we're about to get dropped on us, and I assume it will involve the fifth Dragon God who will turn friendly if female.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhUVQRlrV5pK1SpcYr2Y-1GJNrFcQ7P_XPUWFWJLsMGCxpUSrOdRGCVYsKPoJ6W46omGl3eXq9CS24vmpGfzS4qWn2PLm03p3vdc8gzl3Ireu3IxuVW_ucuR5U0_N4ZCSwdiMnkL6MZysj98WtClmS_TaTrS1k-vH4vlXnOvYGjbm2pEozyassK-Wl/s1600/FT%20100%20115.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhUVQRlrV5pK1SpcYr2Y-1GJNrFcQ7P_XPUWFWJLsMGCxpUSrOdRGCVYsKPoJ6W46omGl3eXq9CS24vmpGfzS4qWn2PLm03p3vdc8gzl3Ireu3IxuVW_ucuR5U0_N4ZCSwdiMnkL6MZysj98WtClmS_TaTrS1k-vH4vlXnOvYGjbm2pEozyassK-Wl/w268-h400/FT%20100%20115.jpeg" width="268" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj1h2UHZu7xW2XqNqSx6LpyXrGtAIQbWDnj_SVEHYY-Eh7y4yQlWEpRFGihKIec-MO7aRAomTW3hgdm760l685qd0SwUTkaGU47AoRQyoEPy69EQnZhlOGTBIASjFCxA6gbSiI6NSd4nWUuT2LaHFV_TX6PPOjoeHku_iOEsN6nK6yheO1RW9EEsYw/s1600/FT%20100%20116.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1066" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj1h2UHZu7xW2XqNqSx6LpyXrGtAIQbWDnj_SVEHYY-Eh7y4yQlWEpRFGihKIec-MO7aRAomTW3hgdm760l685qd0SwUTkaGU47AoRQyoEPy69EQnZhlOGTBIASjFCxA6gbSiI6NSd4nWUuT2LaHFV_TX6PPOjoeHku_iOEsN6nK6yheO1RW9EEsYw/w266-h400/FT%20100%20116.jpeg" width="266" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnmBmiMxP7ZdoPgRACDbEaTpl_nKUf1yKDjrflo4kPMF-60ET-kcJ3seSAWFzcXp5lcgAaUqBiaTFEtT7IgZ1f2TBn6jZMBtjWqRAZW4RakGF4dpcBUq6_Hjwk2WmgfNNQ4pJh5c7kEN1wetYeKzWvixgKLJLkBaZ1dPULIlND_VWoHQuxU7SlwPDF/s1024/FT%20100%20117.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="657" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnmBmiMxP7ZdoPgRACDbEaTpl_nKUf1yKDjrflo4kPMF-60ET-kcJ3seSAWFzcXp5lcgAaUqBiaTFEtT7IgZ1f2TBn6jZMBtjWqRAZW4RakGF4dpcBUq6_Hjwk2WmgfNNQ4pJh5c7kEN1wetYeKzWvixgKLJLkBaZ1dPULIlND_VWoHQuxU7SlwPDF/w256-h400/FT%20100%20117.jpg" width="256" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZFnCzTWQE0JQ-3dzraWzhj6nFftyVdn7snPQzB8lcSo_09BKCTdAf4IKVy09vqDOCa8io7OkjQZcMwY6Cm_DTzTga_uUPZNVt0LWtRHdcEGlEvTvLwO1YgEQpBIH6PqgWIgJfVitrwjiiCD2oqcxqJOncVfvA1YN3dXbs1iUTiTOdOQzdBQ1gxBX8/s1600/FT%20100%20118.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1087" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZFnCzTWQE0JQ-3dzraWzhj6nFftyVdn7snPQzB8lcSo_09BKCTdAf4IKVy09vqDOCa8io7OkjQZcMwY6Cm_DTzTga_uUPZNVt0LWtRHdcEGlEvTvLwO1YgEQpBIH6PqgWIgJfVitrwjiiCD2oqcxqJOncVfvA1YN3dXbs1iUTiTOdOQzdBQ1gxBX8/w271-h400/FT%20100%20118.jpeg" width="271" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLsp8H3y2u7CgzXzTHANzgbvvKFojIbKrxQfAIEJGaowhAX6uojv-dZR_ILldn4dU7dR49pJIE-kT5Z5qK5jkQ9Kv9weqyA3hqWKEVwkF0ZDwfOzIB7nii8n827Hy_y4Kyqoy9IQyV3yQqnl35316mTEm1Spx1g80WAPWA5M5HiFYJZKiTopUH_Owa/s1600/FT%20100%20119.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1081" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLsp8H3y2u7CgzXzTHANzgbvvKFojIbKrxQfAIEJGaowhAX6uojv-dZR_ILldn4dU7dR49pJIE-kT5Z5qK5jkQ9Kv9weqyA3hqWKEVwkF0ZDwfOzIB7nii8n827Hy_y4Kyqoy9IQyV3yQqnl35316mTEm1Spx1g80WAPWA5M5HiFYJZKiTopUH_Owa/w270-h400/FT%20100%20119.jpeg" width="270" /></a></div><p><br /></p>Shigginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16256099093521615360noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4926295868515831102.post-7034564991559097802022-09-02T05:41:00.001-07:002022-09-02T05:41:35.617-07:00Mission: Yozakura Family - Kengo should be an Icon<p>Cat go wrong with Kengo!</p><p>I've been wanting to write about <i>Mission: Yozakura Family</i> for aaaaages, but I couldn't think up a good topic other than "Why MYF deserves an anime" and then listing it's best qualities. A fine article to make, but pretty predictable and has been done before, no doubt. So here we are, talking about one of the younger members and how awesome he is! Oh and if this doesn't convince you to read this manga, or demand an anime, nothing will. Except maybe the action scenes or the other characters or the art style or...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEK9TJFZWDRiSXXVcyQKqgXKfc5odQkmiu1TdrtDMoWWV4dY96QKsdzIT5V05Lay_ahsPThpPoQB3j2ll9SVjT9oV_Lqa23QsRcTdY5Xxe7Eac9P6nSdz0kJj1r6C2vOSEUD7B74VmZprzt0_B-WYy_qXs0Zv74qDjMrL0JmKFU7vDLy6iIbsN9QQI/s835/Kengo%20Mission%20Yozakura%20Family.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="835" data-original-width="483" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEK9TJFZWDRiSXXVcyQKqgXKfc5odQkmiu1TdrtDMoWWV4dY96QKsdzIT5V05Lay_ahsPThpPoQB3j2ll9SVjT9oV_Lqa23QsRcTdY5Xxe7Eac9P6nSdz0kJj1r6C2vOSEUD7B74VmZprzt0_B-WYy_qXs0Zv74qDjMrL0JmKFU7vDLy6iIbsN9QQI/w231-h400/Kengo%20Mission%20Yozakura%20Family.png" width="231" /></a></div><br /><span><a name='more'></a></span><p>So who is Kengo Yozakura? Well, he's the fifth child of the Yozakura family's current generation, older brother to some and younger to others. He's also an expert spy, silver rank, and completely capable of creating any disguise he wants for both himself and others. He's a constant a source of comedy, tension and even a few action scenes here and there, because <i>Mission: Yozakura Family</i> can do it all and you should totally read it, or watch it when the anime gets the adaptation it deserves.</p><p><br /></p><p><u><b>He's a Catboy</b></u></p><p>Let's get the most obvious fact out of the way first; He's a catboy.</p><p>Now if you've read the Bible, you'll know there's no catboys in it and that's probably the main reason it hasn't got much beyond a cult following these days. Cat people make everything better, and everyone loves them, and that's what the Bible was missing. <i>Scooby-Doo</i> had cat people, and it's had tons of films and shows and reboots. One of them was written by James Gunn. So yeah, cat people give you an advantage and <i>Mission Yozakura Family</i> was wise to have him be a catboy. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsdf8rrCRMwvCXzcLwKi6VHxn5x_mZyljuU9oxSsORrRrNfaTSgmP5MzZ8uprXb5u7eRtVwEgkhaLdb9_EupUFwv6dbQHn0Uk-evJvd_Ulbo6HDT00t274NUQskgYZLH3bV6kSCva-8ct8tVxIXkuDtjY_p3XNTR_1SzogqFZfJ0j9QgbEf2Sia4J9/s727/Naked%20Kengo.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="371" data-original-width="727" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsdf8rrCRMwvCXzcLwKi6VHxn5x_mZyljuU9oxSsORrRrNfaTSgmP5MzZ8uprXb5u7eRtVwEgkhaLdb9_EupUFwv6dbQHn0Uk-evJvd_Ulbo6HDT00t274NUQskgYZLH3bV6kSCva-8ct8tVxIXkuDtjY_p3XNTR_1SzogqFZfJ0j9QgbEf2Sia4J9/w400-h204/Naked%20Kengo.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You would think him being naked makes him less of a catboy, but as clearly shown by his personality here, that is simply not true.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Why is he a catboy? I don't know. Nor do I care. </p><p>What's important is he is a catboy, he is proud to be one, and we should all be grateful for it.</p><p><br /></p><p><u><b>He Doesn't Discriminate</b></u></p><p>Kengo is a good boy, a loyal boy, and like all good and loyal people, he doesn't discriminate against you. He's a narcissist, sure, but he wants you all to be united and love and adore him as much as you should because all are people and all are valid. And personally, I think that's pretty damn noble.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwvxU548hLuqHKk6wttdj6f2PJlgd4cvnDzaIyxfaAgvnsDcSL5ZyyvuK35zNsgHu8WjPcjhluEQ5BTO-oRHz4tWTb0jD_H_mLoeRKxwyaML1IFDod5YQBkDFNvjzxNOcurHt9fr4K8JN23cR1tI066Qgz221gAdARpV6H2zrk3QIXmxlVcHBsk7wT/s1168/Bath%20Kengo.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1168" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwvxU548hLuqHKk6wttdj6f2PJlgd4cvnDzaIyxfaAgvnsDcSL5ZyyvuK35zNsgHu8WjPcjhluEQ5BTO-oRHz4tWTb0jD_H_mLoeRKxwyaML1IFDod5YQBkDFNvjzxNOcurHt9fr4K8JN23cR1tI066Qgz221gAdARpV6H2zrk3QIXmxlVcHBsk7wT/w274-h400/Bath%20Kengo.jpg" width="274" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The world would be a better place if we were all pansexual.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>As shown here, Kengo takes care of himself and he does it for you, the audience. It doesn't matter who you are, or what you are, Kengo sees you. Kengo wants to impress you. Because he cares about you, and he supports you in your endeavours to become the best you that you can be. Who knew being so full of vanity would have it's perks? Kengo knew, motherfuckers. Kengo knew.</p><p><br /></p><p><u><b>He's Blonde</b></u></p><p>Alright listen up, assholes. Being blonde is important. You know who is blonde? Ino from <i>Naruto</i>. Thor from <i>Marvel</i>. Your favourite uncle, the one who never visits anymore, he's probably blonde. And so is Kengo.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipdV8omDBhAI3h1Oeaa2ICnK1FV-31Z9Yt2D58oOgbc5w70IF8ZOAVoF4FV-fDWNmxgE3mAv78JSec_o-HpokajOJhdC7SVp5Kg1XJgO5geJcCBIZm2Bf0iCeYjawUPbK1QxZ-tL13y2vl0KxNZiBvA27i76oOvVjKYZlIZhmU0VBRwlRwD3ou7RTz/s1145/Kengo%20Coloured.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1145" data-original-width="784" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipdV8omDBhAI3h1Oeaa2ICnK1FV-31Z9Yt2D58oOgbc5w70IF8ZOAVoF4FV-fDWNmxgE3mAv78JSec_o-HpokajOJhdC7SVp5Kg1XJgO5geJcCBIZm2Bf0iCeYjawUPbK1QxZ-tL13y2vl0KxNZiBvA27i76oOvVjKYZlIZhmU0VBRwlRwD3ou7RTz/w274-h400/Kengo%20Coloured.jpg" width="274" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Side note: It's probably impossible but if the anime could get this kind of colouring style, it'd be purrfect.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Kengo is blonde because he enjoys his life, and he seeks to make it the best he can for himself and everyone around him. Maybe he doesn't always succeed, maybe he annoys you sometimes in his eagerness to entertain, but you never hold that against him because he does what he does out of love. You just have to show him patience and compromise from time to time.</p><p>These are common traits of True Blondes, not the hair dyed monsters you see out there in the wild. Treat your blondes fairly and happily, and they will reward you with love, attention and a penchant for attracting gentlemen. (I really hope people get that reference...)</p><p><br /></p><p><u><b>He's Completely Confident in Who He Is and What he Likes</b></u></p><p>Look at this picture below. Look at it, and you tell me he isn't a role model. We know he's male, we know he likes to play sports and all that other stuff, but he takes care of himself and isn't ashamed of it. He's fashionable, his nails and fingers are gorgeous, and he works hard to maintain that image and his skills. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7liDQNYFHSmPXuWNMeiImoO44qFbqYCjRpAmWiMzLxZGpg8jRx8OzNXgWDpAlONKq7TkFXjcGjdA82u8d2XaH4Se0Hkz-yfgIRApyxUJ5H5SLfdAYUJHK1TECUza06TFnSAC3s_yxOGFzEzZfdEyS4IQq7Uk83yZMBINcvnRvo64X9FcQCK208eGX/s723/Kengo%20Nails.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="435" data-original-width="723" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7liDQNYFHSmPXuWNMeiImoO44qFbqYCjRpAmWiMzLxZGpg8jRx8OzNXgWDpAlONKq7TkFXjcGjdA82u8d2XaH4Se0Hkz-yfgIRApyxUJ5H5SLfdAYUJHK1TECUza06TFnSAC3s_yxOGFzEzZfdEyS4IQq7Uk83yZMBINcvnRvo64X9FcQCK208eGX/w400-h241/Kengo%20Nails.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An image of a thousand words. (And the one that inspired this article!)</td></tr></tbody></table><p>If you enjoy something, go for it. That's what Kengo says. Kengo doesn't hurt people or whatever you claim you're doing when you harass people over Twitter. He treats himself right, and he wants you to do so too. It makes him feel better, feel useful to his family who he cares about, and at the end of the day, isn't that what we all want? Not just for ourselves but for the people in our lives! Take care of yourself, become cat, and you will find a new inner peace that brings about growth and happiness.</p><p><br /></p><p>Did this article inform you that you should read <i>Mission: Yozakura Family</i>? I hope so, because I love this series really freaking hard. And I think you would too. If you're waiting for the anime, then I hope you stay true to the vow you're making right now to watch it. Do it for me.</p><p>Do it for Kengo.</p><p><br /></p><p><i>Note: I hope you enjoyed this silly article! It took... longer than I care to admit to write. Please don't take it seriously, enjoy your manga, take care of your catboys, catgirls and other cats, and see you next time!</i></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB-8iT7q_woBoDafahkn949i22K67aqVCLJ048hroTfMyU5QcMfYp2L02wyduLxLmzZNk_SXxF-g3vdL5lBNvU6C4LUWyzx4QWpuvaGCvQSFgaohHiQt44sDJXBpp31G-rX9iRYezsThG1TeTJCuaNiowKrWxYegRM9QzIAeFq9_1wRxkDVTayOpfq/s1600/Kengo%20and%20Family.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1165" data-original-width="1600" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB-8iT7q_woBoDafahkn949i22K67aqVCLJ048hroTfMyU5QcMfYp2L02wyduLxLmzZNk_SXxF-g3vdL5lBNvU6C4LUWyzx4QWpuvaGCvQSFgaohHiQt44sDJXBpp31G-rX9iRYezsThG1TeTJCuaNiowKrWxYegRM9QzIAeFq9_1wRxkDVTayOpfq/w400-h291/Kengo%20and%20Family.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Umbrella Academy</i>, eat your heart out.</td></tr></tbody></table>Shigginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16256099093521615360noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4926295868515831102.post-51196688290758957452022-08-21T17:01:00.002-07:002022-08-21T17:01:25.305-07:00Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero Review<p>Super-Fun Super-Heroes!</p><p>Can we all agree that adding that second "Super" was a terrible idea? It was a perfect pun to just call it "<i>Dragon Ball Super: Hero</i>", but here we are from the same people that gave us Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan. Luckily, that's probably the biggest issue I had with this film because damn it's a lot of fun!</p><p>Note: Full SPOILERS ahead. </p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjutgf2s728ngbjo8b-aKwSVwB82gUSdM7fyAlSDABXnSc0P79G7ohvodZ3HjjJX8NPTIYCDmVNlYwuUANlDj98FbcPabAjpfH3-E41uWvyOWtwehKbbYreRJC7OXIPFd1zxXMWHsbtnmmrWCksAGMauZ0PXVXIeTFgX2T74kVLF9hq8CSQ7kyLoB1C/s4093/Dragon%20Ball%20Super%20Hero.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="2894" data-original-width="4093" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjutgf2s728ngbjo8b-aKwSVwB82gUSdM7fyAlSDABXnSc0P79G7ohvodZ3HjjJX8NPTIYCDmVNlYwuUANlDj98FbcPabAjpfH3-E41uWvyOWtwehKbbYreRJC7OXIPFd1zxXMWHsbtnmmrWCksAGMauZ0PXVXIeTFgX2T74kVLF9hq8CSQ7kyLoB1C/w400-h283/Dragon%20Ball%20Super%20Hero.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span><a name='more'></a></span><p>So in today's newest film, written by Akira Toriyama himself and directed by Tetsuro Kodama, Goku and Vegeta take a backseat as Piccolo comes across a surprise conspiracy to bring back the Red Ribbon Army through the use of androids created by Dr Gero's grandson, Dr Hedo. Without the usual characters to carry the responsibility, Piccolo must convince Gohan to return to his former strength and help him take down Dr Gedo, the new Red Ribbon army, Commander Red's son Magenta, and the new superhero-themed androids Gamma 1 and Gamma 2. Also, Beerus meets Broly, Cheelai and Lemo! Hooray!</p><p>I was watching the dubbed version, and I can honestly say this cast is still one of the best in anime. Christopher Sabat as Piccolo, Monica Rial as Bulma and newcomer Zeno Robinson as Gamma 2 were my personal highlights, but there's not a bad performance amongst them, and the amount of actors returning is surprising. They even got Robert McCollum to return as the teenage Goten, last seen in 2003. And Johnny Yong Bosch is our new Broly, and does a fantastic job as expected. Can't wait to hear him as Ichigo again.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCmFO8vCc6hfgyU_KUvvs94nKweKOx617uWEc9YeZUM4Hf05EmkAnTXRyrjEWS0vYmfVRxcRNdbhGbhsFG8YZCA956VqiSW2680je3CcpDSOcjXG6sJjhIn2QQUAPS69tbEzOdTYoHw4jX9mJ8qvBPqKdT4_efU3Z7KBbxhImJ40khPbb65UGYMjl2/s780/Gamma%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="470" data-original-width="780" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCmFO8vCc6hfgyU_KUvvs94nKweKOx617uWEc9YeZUM4Hf05EmkAnTXRyrjEWS0vYmfVRxcRNdbhGbhsFG8YZCA956VqiSW2680je3CcpDSOcjXG6sJjhIn2QQUAPS69tbEzOdTYoHw4jX9mJ8qvBPqKdT4_efU3Z7KBbxhImJ40khPbb65UGYMjl2/w400-h241/Gamma%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The personality, the attitude, the colour blue... if this wasn't an anime, Gamma 2 would absolutely have been played by Ben Schwartz. 100%, no question.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I love these new characters too. Dr Hedo, Magenta and Carmine seem to be uninteresting on first view, but then Carmine reveals his YouTube channel which he has put a lot of work and self-congratulating into but only has ten views per video, and you realise that Toriyama still hasn't lost his comedic touch. Toriyama is the kind of writer I can get behind, someone who adds a little detail to something mundane, turning it into a great laugh. For example, Piccolo finally gets a house and a phone but Toriyama being Toriyama, the house is full of plushies because Videl mistakenly thinks he loves them, and the phone has a cat theme and ringtone. Hysterical.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQaJTtNT5xgPxHCc-LIS_uvzrJlOVwBI6KnsZYEqCjxm6GqkUs8_pmrwGU3sQnkx_RZC9mKFQJlyB3nGDiGW51r6SCWS1bLFtK0RmTU5F-LuWGK2x39CY4mkgMpmeU5iR8dcFUyiWKT60pNf3UAVqIemHXlBhLAia10mV6dPD_EKQmXx3iFEdy1E_2/s739/Purple%20Gi%20Glasses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="415" data-original-width="739" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQaJTtNT5xgPxHCc-LIS_uvzrJlOVwBI6KnsZYEqCjxm6GqkUs8_pmrwGU3sQnkx_RZC9mKFQJlyB3nGDiGW51r6SCWS1bLFtK0RmTU5F-LuWGK2x39CY4mkgMpmeU5iR8dcFUyiWKT60pNf3UAVqIemHXlBhLAia10mV6dPD_EKQmXx3iFEdy1E_2/w400-h225/Purple%20Gi%20Glasses.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Purple gi with glasses is Gohan's best look. That is not debatable.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>The best new characters are definitely the Gammas however, with their posing and different personalities working together well. Much like Beerus, Whis, Jiren and the new rebooted Broly, the Gammas definitely feel like a new but natural addition to the <i>Dragon Ball</i> cast and ones I would love to see more of in the future. Dr Gedo is alright too.</p><p>But what you really want me to talk about is the animation, which has gone for a surprising 3D style instead of the gorgeous animation displayed in the previous movie, or even the first two and the <i>Dragon Ball Super</i> series. And... it's okay. There are some scenes where it feels like a really bad decision, usually when a character is just talking to someone else and there's no action sequences going on, but then you get absolutely gorgeous scenes like the climax that make you realise why they went for the style they did. It's a million times better than the CGI moments in <i>Resurrection F</i>, at least, but this film didn't manage to convince me that it's the better option than what <i>Super: Broly</i> gave us.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4qcXBIBTxXNj0D-xJ5nL0-kwvcrhqRNcPNri8xPzhEs7o5JKkfUJ_HHgKoJgJjDseyBVZF5FqJR3NGgD-1krVXFYU2MTN1L3EWdP7WAidV4AB_qkdKIN1dmEbdYUhUTAkRcOCg-fT6rwRSqCXMYO4jS_G4Yg2ysJngzyQqxZ8dmxqhYt9TOJN8qcf/s1040/Laughed%20too%20Hard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="585" data-original-width="1040" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4qcXBIBTxXNj0D-xJ5nL0-kwvcrhqRNcPNri8xPzhEs7o5JKkfUJ_HHgKoJgJjDseyBVZF5FqJR3NGgD-1krVXFYU2MTN1L3EWdP7WAidV4AB_qkdKIN1dmEbdYUhUTAkRcOCg-fT6rwRSqCXMYO4jS_G4Yg2ysJngzyQqxZ8dmxqhYt9TOJN8qcf/w400-h225/Laughed%20too%20Hard.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I probably laughed way too hard at all of Piccolo's interactions when he wore this outfit, but I also don't regret doing it so...</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I should probably talk about the final enemy of the climax as well, Cell Max. In essence, he's a brand new copy and successor to the original Perfect Cell, a giant kaiju of amazing strength based mostly on Cell's Semi-Perfect form, and he's a little disappointing honestly. The design is very colourful, probably to fit the theme of superheroes like the Gammas do, but there's no personality or reason for him to be Cell. I'm sure it's mostly just for fanservice and because Gohan's final rivalry with Perfect Cell was the top of his entire career, but you could have easily made this Hirudegarn or something else new and nothing would have changed except the visual. The climax is amazing, with huge blasts, an utterly gorgeous transformation and some lovely character development, but Cell Max is just a big hulking monster to defeat and nothing more.</p><p>While I'm on the nitpicking train, why does this series hate Videl so much? Between the brutality of Spopovich, the pointlessness of her in films like <i>Broly: Second Coming</i>, and her utter lameness as a character ever since she got pregnant, Videl really does get screwed over more than probably any other character, which sucks. Videl's daughter Pan is finally grown up now, and kicking major ass, and has the most wholesome moments in the show with her father Gohan and her teacher/grandpa Piccolo, but Videl, the kid's mother, is not present for the entire situation. She can use ki, she can fly, she deserves something good too!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTWsHF3H-3Hl_FzhecWfKxAVxvC7F1vNBHszHftlPHQgM2wZJ2bULViX0k-uVsROPq3bich89Nm-8jrvijtIYtH1dk09fu6DKQsl4VUWr7e6LfANvNGmYCFNC4WB1ZJtdU1aFJ645zRWfJTWKulMIXgos9SECJxWGphjwiGKvDaoLLdTvcmPTaeFdN/s1200/Bring%20Back%20Next.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="615" data-original-width="1200" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTWsHF3H-3Hl_FzhecWfKxAVxvC7F1vNBHszHftlPHQgM2wZJ2bULViX0k-uVsROPq3bich89Nm-8jrvijtIYtH1dk09fu6DKQsl4VUWr7e6LfANvNGmYCFNC4WB1ZJtdU1aFJ645zRWfJTWKulMIXgos9SECJxWGphjwiGKvDaoLLdTvcmPTaeFdN/w400-h205/Bring%20Back%20Next.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pilaf, Frieza, Buu, Ginyu, Red Ribbon Army, Androids, Broly and now Cell... I hope the next returning villain is Cooler or Janemba. Or everyone's favourite, Yakon.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Oh yeah actually, Pan grew up a little! She's now four years old, talking and flying and being adorable. And Trunks and Goten finally look like they did in the <i>Dragon Ball Z</i> epilogue and <i>GT</i>, and Goten doesn't just look like a clone of Goku anymore. And we see Gotenks but the fat version because they haven't practiced it in so long, and it's great! To finally see these characters grow up at least a little is so comforting, because I thought we'd never get this, and it has me super-excited for the future of the series. Please Toriyama, don't backtrack on this growth. Give us Uub next, kill off Majin Buu because his "too busy sleeping to help out" shtick is the worst, and bring back the real stakes we all miss. </p><p>The main draw of this film however is not the great action choreography you were expecting, or the new 3D animation, or even the new characters. It's the relationship between Gohan and Piccolo, and the way these two care about each other as an apprentice and mentor, and as an adoptive son and parent. I'm not going to badmouth Goku and Gohan's bond, but it can't be denied that Gohan's time under Piccolo will forever be the best and this film cements it, showing appreciation and understanding from one another and remaining such a large part of each other's lives. Gohan's final strike against Max Cell being a tribute to Piccolo instead of the usual Kamehameha... well, I'll admit, I got the biggest smile on my face at that sight.</p><p><i>Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero</i> lacks the emotional strength of it's predecessor (<i>Battle of Gods</i> and <i>Super: Broly</i> are still my two absolute favourites as of this moment), and some of the animation gets in the way of the story it's trying to tell, but plenty of laughs, tons of fun action, a suitably heroic soundtrack, and a spotlight on the supporting heroes that have long deserved it elevate this film to be one of the best of the franchise's long looooong history. We're four films in since Akira Toriyama decided to return to the writing table, and the mad man is four for four. I have no idea what the future of <i>Dragon Ball</i> is, but it's been a great ride so far and it's future is looking good. Or should I say... Super?</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUs8Y54_71G3QMr8PZCalnkYdeazvxiklLWCHzQUpI770LPfzCHCKWc-hHO5A_LlPhnoJvCFEiAXA4f1SnFd0PUVxDMsAhCzv_8YDcr3h8qHxlqgLMFjWv2CaG5aoAel6Lr8dnzeVhFdUd2LQhr4D6wxl0P5KqN1yV4Mpyo0N8otFLYx4s67t6AjrY/s1897/Whis%20Looks%20Bad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1079" data-original-width="1897" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUs8Y54_71G3QMr8PZCalnkYdeazvxiklLWCHzQUpI770LPfzCHCKWc-hHO5A_LlPhnoJvCFEiAXA4f1SnFd0PUVxDMsAhCzv_8YDcr3h8qHxlqgLMFjWv2CaG5aoAel6Lr8dnzeVhFdUd2LQhr4D6wxl0P5KqN1yV4Mpyo0N8otFLYx4s67t6AjrY/w400-h228/Whis%20Looks%20Bad.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh yeah and for some reason, Whis just looks... bad. Really bad. Super Saiyan Bad.</td></tr></tbody></table>Shigginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16256099093521615360noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4926295868515831102.post-43686145519022451682022-08-12T16:19:00.003-07:002022-08-12T16:20:08.553-07:00Fairy Tail 100 Years Quest Chapters 112 to 114 ReviewCan I ever trust again?<div><br /></div><div>I think the trope of cliff-hangers and gut-punches from manga over the years has made me too cynical. A character dies, I refuse to believe it's permanent. A villain is a woman in <i>Fairy Tail</i>, I refuse to believe she'll be bad forever no matter what she does. That last one is a new one because I officially raise my hands and scoff at the contrived nonsense of Selene in this review. Oh and there's some Gray stuff too, but that's as tacked on as my mention of him in this paragraph.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6iZJWWH3NpCW1f4eYJqDWYHmUk1oD34T9T_lOsmO0obw7ZSeCwn8W0eF5qecuPlALEyyRFA9ul7ThbHFtKyUWwlwpfja05j1NSGdYdG2nlZBdTQHiozF-wzf6YXq_BP2S70UzKYfvQ_QMDommqUJMU2UrK20Rt_YltkqjVA0J2Z6yeIoYRnvymgh1/s999/Not%20Yuriy.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="999" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6iZJWWH3NpCW1f4eYJqDWYHmUk1oD34T9T_lOsmO0obw7ZSeCwn8W0eF5qecuPlALEyyRFA9ul7ThbHFtKyUWwlwpfja05j1NSGdYdG2nlZBdTQHiozF-wzf6YXq_BP2S70UzKYfvQ_QMDommqUJMU2UrK20Rt_YltkqjVA0J2Z6yeIoYRnvymgh1/w400-h360/Not%20Yuriy.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If this is true, maybe my Yuri theory will finally be given the validation it deserves.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span><a name='more'></a></span><div><br /></div><div>It's hard not to be excited when alchemy is mentioned in a manga, thanks to<i> Fullmetal Alchemist </i>being the one of the all-time best manga ever without question, but the unfortunate feeling that I can't shake is that it came out of nowhere for no reason except to give Gray a purpose for being in this arc. I think I mentioned it in a previous review but Gajeel and Gray have both been very unnecessary to the plot for quite a while now, so this new enemy really is just a random guy to give Gray a fight.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzvg6AoM_WifeycEoH4Ms_Li7V2cKYiM7tRuO9uq6BmrTmL28P7zD6KJlIRI4hYH1kYZhYOrr1Y01pHaeZFpEYty3-UwgMnx0UlJzDd2yC6XYUXDTf2fc3RIVFChNdWFXErD2C8ASyLHrjiLI1EWIWZ6EedCktayZ6aokJ6Mu3rkJgUf3nLDzCLdSs/s1600/Juvia%20Good%20Enough.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1069" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzvg6AoM_WifeycEoH4Ms_Li7V2cKYiM7tRuO9uq6BmrTmL28P7zD6KJlIRI4hYH1kYZhYOrr1Y01pHaeZFpEYty3-UwgMnx0UlJzDd2yC6XYUXDTf2fc3RIVFChNdWFXErD2C8ASyLHrjiLI1EWIWZ6EedCktayZ6aokJ6Mu3rkJgUf3nLDzCLdSs/w268-h400/Juvia%20Good%20Enough.jpeg" width="268" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You'll always be good enough for me, Juvia.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>The fight itself is fine, serviceable but not without its flaws. For example, I always love to see Juvia show up but without it being her personality, it's a lacklustre showing. And the revelation that Gray sees himself as the weakest member is something you would expect to be a big part of his character but here it's shown, gone and on to the next situation with barely a fart. Which is a shame because I honestly find Gray the most boring of the main group in Fairy Tail, so I'd take what I could get if offered to me.</div><div><br /></div><div>The reveal at the end of these chapters, that God Serena is alive and before Gajeel, is something I should feel excited about but I absolutely doubt is true. I loved God Serena, and I hated how little he and the rest of the Wizard Saints were utilised despite their build-up and designs, so the idea he's back is a welcome one... but no, it's going to be an alchemist using his form for a power-up. Without a doubt. If it really is God Serena, and he is going to be a relevant part of <i>100 Year Quest </i>moving forward, then yes I'll be happy next review, but it's much more likely you'll be reading the words "I told you so".</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTIIrjqjx0WpqEKrDWtvWR57IEguWsF7bknWl-dfxHaGpTvczDnsIgjxaNJ8enWmAdUHamVV6MNgJThAGNxv3iVNJondBUX7DebcDkkkopGcwYIESuSmec0lSpyE8n4hX7TTKNGfe55UODowvkUFf5wR1NEz8t1xsveEefjqFX6oMItdBdK59o6qww/s448/Juvia%20Transform.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="448" data-original-width="286" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTIIrjqjx0WpqEKrDWtvWR57IEguWsF7bknWl-dfxHaGpTvczDnsIgjxaNJ8enWmAdUHamVV6MNgJThAGNxv3iVNJondBUX7DebcDkkkopGcwYIESuSmec0lSpyE8n4hX7TTKNGfe55UODowvkUFf5wR1NEz8t1xsveEefjqFX6oMItdBdK59o6qww/w255-h400/Juvia%20Transform.png" width="255" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sorry Juvia. If this was possible, I'd have become Lio Fotia long ago.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>As for the reveal of Selene's "true" motivation, I don't even know if I have the strength to give it the complaining it deserves, guys. It's bullshit regardless though. This is a character who has murdered humans, attempted to murder humans, tortured several of our protagonists during a celebratory party, and more. Now we're being told she wants to live in peace and hates the other Dragon Gods and I hate it. I'm so tired of this nonsense repeating itself. Irene, Touka, Minerva, Flare. What, are we going to bring back Kyoka and Seilah to make them good too next? It's shiiiiit.</div><div><br /></div><div>In conclusion, a bunch of "what?" followed by some "huh?" and a "yawn". Honestly, I'm just walking away from this review realising how much this series has wasted it's amazing cast of supporting characters. I didn't realise how much I missed Juvia until today.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK_XxrzVxMjQVVlKZUFpW_EctyUVr-mteZRsA2CXtdT8O2sagR0NLP_927vhkYL_pHfhVtZtgl_Rgt8AkSmC0EmhrAn-kr7mm24SrK37s-BbJEFl58G9J-L-gGveUiW-L6DXx2ckJtfEQvZI3nCc984351f8-X9BOKOgok_zjfzW1zy1_zqUb4Dwbe/s1400/FT%20100%20112.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="967" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK_XxrzVxMjQVVlKZUFpW_EctyUVr-mteZRsA2CXtdT8O2sagR0NLP_927vhkYL_pHfhVtZtgl_Rgt8AkSmC0EmhrAn-kr7mm24SrK37s-BbJEFl58G9J-L-gGveUiW-L6DXx2ckJtfEQvZI3nCc984351f8-X9BOKOgok_zjfzW1zy1_zqUb4Dwbe/w276-h400/FT%20100%20112.jpeg" width="276" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiQ9iR1-aAlr7i6wY2uRkXqxgg09FSCBXbpqW5YVl7sqwYN8eBcfe8JmnM5oNHPXwza4mGoOrmBahZpF1d8IX584E1bqe1wxSVS0iivW5g7MuX528IWONQqVXvgVdPI0dW7gzqiYrmllay5HVxBEZUdmfKY6GGVzCg9CarWY9VTYiIwn6YDctSQjIz/s1506/FT%20100%20113.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1506" data-original-width="996" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiQ9iR1-aAlr7i6wY2uRkXqxgg09FSCBXbpqW5YVl7sqwYN8eBcfe8JmnM5oNHPXwza4mGoOrmBahZpF1d8IX584E1bqe1wxSVS0iivW5g7MuX528IWONQqVXvgVdPI0dW7gzqiYrmllay5HVxBEZUdmfKY6GGVzCg9CarWY9VTYiIwn6YDctSQjIz/w265-h400/FT%20100%20113.jpeg" width="265" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUTCPr7-tGHflDCngFv5S0H_E6XGE8M3LLb4DckzJMydbZo-jEqNqEPpqAyShNaawhNWPrga3tc7U1ep9wJKA8fGZtwVjxIYazO8kP1YUezZUng-Ef0XXliFdt3sSueCMz3Ntz1AIuS2ZDVyciToG03RVlIea86PhGlFBxSpFUBCvFar6IKJm5i5IH/s1600/FT%20100%20114.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUTCPr7-tGHflDCngFv5S0H_E6XGE8M3LLb4DckzJMydbZo-jEqNqEPpqAyShNaawhNWPrga3tc7U1ep9wJKA8fGZtwVjxIYazO8kP1YUezZUng-Ef0XXliFdt3sSueCMz3Ntz1AIuS2ZDVyciToG03RVlIea86PhGlFBxSpFUBCvFar6IKJm5i5IH/w266-h400/FT%20100%20114.jpeg" width="266" /></a></div>Shigginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16256099093521615360noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4926295868515831102.post-53903590352584587412022-06-30T08:18:00.004-07:002022-06-30T08:18:39.636-07:00Fairy Tail 100 Years Quest Chapters 109 to 111 Review<p>Shock and aww.</p><p>Laxus zaps people, Natsu punches people, Suzaku swords people. Everyone has fun, I write a review with some nitpicking that even I cringed at but I hope you all enjoy it anyway. I hope everyone is enjoying their summer, and I hope you're enjoying <i>Fairy Tail</i> like I am, if not more so! Read, laugh, read more, share, like, subscribe, ring the bell, give me your credit card number, donate to my <i>Patreon</i>, write my name in smoke signals... whatever you want, as long as you enjoy!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqaqB7ulhWrzQxtqIhMRVioSR3YSrZWvd2Bx-zfqkDrXdMqX72CHsCJr4dd5E0LRYhw1C2Cpy1r_Uym_dbnLc9PVwSq73Uf_DfznjZhd8saBG_wauT-9y1RmLmHamTffX6H8oSsEw25jVq9GRJb5JIcysZtBH-kdYXHmocC68Y5Ls4nlHPPplJJY05/s972/Ze%20Kitora.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="641" data-original-width="972" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqaqB7ulhWrzQxtqIhMRVioSR3YSrZWvd2Bx-zfqkDrXdMqX72CHsCJr4dd5E0LRYhw1C2Cpy1r_Uym_dbnLc9PVwSq73Uf_DfznjZhd8saBG_wauT-9y1RmLmHamTffX6H8oSsEw25jVq9GRJb5JIcysZtBH-kdYXHmocC68Y5Ls4nlHPPplJJY05/w400-h264/Ze%20Kitora.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See Natsu. He's speaking a foreign language, and his power move still makes more sense than you calling your flaming punch "Iron Fist".</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span><a name='more'></a></span><p>For starters, let's talk about the best part of this triple review; Laxus vs Kirin! </p><p>I could once again talk about how contrived it is for a character to happen to run into someone related to themselves or their Guild, but honestly it's pointless at this stage. I might as well just blame it on the Force, since it's going to keep happening and to varying degrees of irritation. (Wraith from Diabolos being a long-lost member of Fairy Tail still makes me roll my eyes). At least I can say this is probably the least irritating version of it so far, since it allows a surprisingly badass moment for Laxus to shine.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlfLMgRniVAjzdxPwgnO7iVAC2K86i-bng00PLXxKEN_s_k-e9gnWi6-gpZoeV5z27n8qd3HalMo_2fz0Qk3yAd4bdOjZv-Sp2RY8DDW1-HlrLIfWO9ft0YjI-yNN0MQuOrkGwZmParU50HLEhmANyMCkWqKgUyIA8PNaAtiINjFuOWbygLFK9NTcy/s570/Cute%20Wraith.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="424" data-original-width="570" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlfLMgRniVAjzdxPwgnO7iVAC2K86i-bng00PLXxKEN_s_k-e9gnWi6-gpZoeV5z27n8qd3HalMo_2fz0Qk3yAd4bdOjZv-Sp2RY8DDW1-HlrLIfWO9ft0YjI-yNN0MQuOrkGwZmParU50HLEhmANyMCkWqKgUyIA8PNaAtiINjFuOWbygLFK9NTcy/w400-h297/Cute%20Wraith.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Damn you... I had forgotten how cute Wraith was, and was trying to forget!</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I've often felt Laxus' father Ivan was an underused character in the series. He's someone who was mentioned from one of the first arcs of the franchise but he only ever really did anything of note during the Grand Magic Games arc. The idea of Laxus feeling trapped and pressured by the experiments Ivan did on him is a fascinating one, but it feels like we didn't really have time to develop it. So as it is, Laxus saying he's free now doesn't ring out as hollow, but rather disappointing. Such a great idea, realised too late. Maybe Ivan should hurry up and get back into the series!</p><p>At least the fight is awesome, with an interesting flashback that displays the purpose behind Kirin's madness, and what he might be feeling afterwards if he survives the arc. Maybe he'll actually be happier without the ghost of a dragon shouting in his ear, who knows. And now only Cobra is a Second Generation Dragon Slayer, as Laxus gets a much-needed and interesting upgrade after literally ripping out his own Lacrima and swallowing the soul of the dragon instead. This kind of visceral craziness is often when <i>Fairy Tail</i> is at it's best, so more of that please.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy4apwpAHVVP2XkFsINlq5h3dzR-uFm45y5CIfhrRTi9emCpeNTrle1zsmUrYR8ccafbSoglBq-wU9eB-Dhx9o8fdbVU1FV5I6CGgrxSfmSSrg1rc2ueBeTUNR8aVYw7DgRdGBXmvUkifQhAdw5CjVM_oedV9I1y1chRusX0FG-CfcNrMBjjAPKN_u/s1543/Cool%20Guys.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1543" data-original-width="1034" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy4apwpAHVVP2XkFsINlq5h3dzR-uFm45y5CIfhrRTi9emCpeNTrle1zsmUrYR8ccafbSoglBq-wU9eB-Dhx9o8fdbVU1FV5I6CGgrxSfmSSrg1rc2ueBeTUNR8aVYw7DgRdGBXmvUkifQhAdw5CjVM_oedV9I1y1chRusX0FG-CfcNrMBjjAPKN_u/w268-h400/Cool%20Guys.jpeg" width="268" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cool guys don't look at Lacrima. They just walk away in slow-motion.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>The fight between Natsu and Suzaku against Dogramag is another visually interesting one, but with two bigger issues that irk me much more than my nitpicking earlier. Dogramag still looks great and I do always enjoy a villain who can control the Earth, (although I personally prefer sand users over rock. Gaara and Crocodile are so cool!), and it's great how much of an immovable wall he feels. The guy is a Dragon God, he should feel this powerful. </p><p>However, I don't like this "destroy all the beads to weaken him" stuff. Not only does it remind me of the time they took down Hades by destroying the ship's heart, or that bloody book with those bloody Horcruxes, but I like a villain being defeated at the top of their game. Frieza in his final form at 100% power is much more interesting than defeating Frieza in his second form. I want to see how the heroes overcome their enemy through strategy and friendship, not through cheating! Cheaters!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipLcyOEIV3TsFGmO9-_-Dfz0Icoj402GDb3HOv1KRnojih76JRPzHJ9jfnCwY7z3IT32KlfRU8nSA99fyPIHHS78uvbDJFTdTDdkcTPOwCcj1e3_t1xCAUasNT23yOAqE-V5x1BNDF8WoWXE13n7FuSEiIL3lsQoqsYBWF6TKIBfyew-i5Z3nJ3bEZ/s621/Someone%2069.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="392" data-original-width="621" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipLcyOEIV3TsFGmO9-_-Dfz0Icoj402GDb3HOv1KRnojih76JRPzHJ9jfnCwY7z3IT32KlfRU8nSA99fyPIHHS78uvbDJFTdTDdkcTPOwCcj1e3_t1xCAUasNT23yOAqE-V5x1BNDF8WoWXE13n7FuSEiIL3lsQoqsYBWF6TKIBfyew-i5Z3nJ3bEZ/w400-h253/Someone%2069.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Teehee. Someone is going to get 69.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>And the other reason... is Selene. I cannot stress this enough, so I am just going to repeat the same word until the message is abundantly clear, because apparently I wasn't clear enough and it happened to Touka. So here goes.</p><p>I really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really don't want to see Selene turn good. </p><p>Selene is a great villain, with a sexy body and a great smirk. I don't know what Hiro Mashima's problem is with turning almost every female villain into a good person, but it needs to stop. Let the baddies be bad sometimes! It's fun! It's fun to write, it's fun to read, it's fun! And Selene has tortured and laughed as she killed. She is not a good person. She is working for her own goals, and that is what I am hoping is the only reason she's helping here. She's practical and logical, this is not her turning good. That is what I want to hear. Or read, I guess. You read manga, you don't listen to it... anyway, #KeepSeleneBad.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEielGtuqvSQtV58qW53nKwbqVkpUJQfsNF9vbSxPGh2lBcHnsOqlDBVEpvVIlDQ1rVp0dm1ttqGGUScEvoE-HSaB3WTjeHgG7iIglMSGYDzJKsM9YCs-IXqajxN-ybt3SlXzk0pW9UNKtEkH6EE1Ro1KDZzZXeXB9tsLhdZpOc6QVYSFFNF6KjnKYqd/s1472/FT%20100%20109.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1472" data-original-width="995" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEielGtuqvSQtV58qW53nKwbqVkpUJQfsNF9vbSxPGh2lBcHnsOqlDBVEpvVIlDQ1rVp0dm1ttqGGUScEvoE-HSaB3WTjeHgG7iIglMSGYDzJKsM9YCs-IXqajxN-ybt3SlXzk0pW9UNKtEkH6EE1Ro1KDZzZXeXB9tsLhdZpOc6QVYSFFNF6KjnKYqd/w270-h400/FT%20100%20109.jpeg" width="270" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh yeah, Gildarts. He'd be really interesting to learn about, huh? Ah well.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVNRs6sYrfENmdgWvDzIVQyfwZ7qV5ClUgj3Scnk-ZEYHdDm_dWzoW20H7LqMuJvQC3KwdwBp-qSjF7tIve-jsFhhIzjJrzEcfNbuxZjUMYxVgFHroMvk20BDdtnA41UBODILAQ6s5-WDzSu-Y51t7i9EXkLK-qcMUCUCX_TWxIcJaZcug8wp7kx90/s1312/FT%20100%20110.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1312" data-original-width="890" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVNRs6sYrfENmdgWvDzIVQyfwZ7qV5ClUgj3Scnk-ZEYHdDm_dWzoW20H7LqMuJvQC3KwdwBp-qSjF7tIve-jsFhhIzjJrzEcfNbuxZjUMYxVgFHroMvk20BDdtnA41UBODILAQ6s5-WDzSu-Y51t7i9EXkLK-qcMUCUCX_TWxIcJaZcug8wp7kx90/w271-h400/FT%20100%20110.jpeg" width="271" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh yeah, Ivan. He'd be really interesting to learn about, huh? Ah well.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1qIvvWCadUiXI6IwklzYvQRSSZJNlggECjXTakHMxDm3AiWyzS4S_SVJmwNP1l0M2geIi4X0qR0EexHmbpdJIQWuZ1kcoehBNhqcY6jd1Dk-TcJZ9Cz6keEkddH1HtEVMEkfnTxrzWGIiiod210PHONxwJiL2JoUMUGKCQDp2a_6eoVLCi2oYA3D-/s1395/FT%20100%20111.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1395" data-original-width="986" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1qIvvWCadUiXI6IwklzYvQRSSZJNlggECjXTakHMxDm3AiWyzS4S_SVJmwNP1l0M2geIi4X0qR0EexHmbpdJIQWuZ1kcoehBNhqcY6jd1Dk-TcJZ9Cz6keEkddH1HtEVMEkfnTxrzWGIiiod210PHONxwJiL2JoUMUGKCQDp2a_6eoVLCi2oYA3D-/w283-h400/FT%20100%20111.jpeg" width="283" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh yeah, Lucy's boobs. They'd be really-</td></tr></tbody></table>Shigginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16256099093521615360noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4926295868515831102.post-68020089090857205682022-06-21T14:07:00.000-07:002022-06-21T14:07:14.422-07:00Lightyear - Prioritising Themes over Entertainment<p>To infinity and... the same place as before.</p><p>So I saw <i>Lightyear</i>. I had to, I grew up with the <i>Toy Story</i> franchise and I love Chris Evans, as well as the original cartoon series <i>Buzz Lightyear of Star Command</i> that ran for 62 episodes and one badass TV movie, so this film should have been an instant win for me. And while the film certainly isn't bad, it might be the most disappointing film of 2022 so far.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoyKUfBu13v6E2Xjhkc0VCT3bFC8Nt5CvBIc-9JaUlSUJLOwILohgxtiE_c9kRhXK5_B_mtjZC4hnv-ZLJaE2GlbuFcBabx53jAGR2L1paHEP0dODlO4LPEEQTM60Ucm88dDVP7464jXb3xGu-WwpDkRPCfpq7oFehMQVgxPQ5e5SxyhC9f83Q2io1/s900/Lightyear%20Zurg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="357" data-original-width="900" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoyKUfBu13v6E2Xjhkc0VCT3bFC8Nt5CvBIc-9JaUlSUJLOwILohgxtiE_c9kRhXK5_B_mtjZC4hnv-ZLJaE2GlbuFcBabx53jAGR2L1paHEP0dODlO4LPEEQTM60Ucm88dDVP7464jXb3xGu-WwpDkRPCfpq7oFehMQVgxPQ5e5SxyhC9f83Q2io1/w400-h159/Lightyear%20Zurg.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>Note: Major SPOILERS for <i>Lightyear</i>.</p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p><i>Lightyear</i> has a great premise, and even a great idea behind that premise. As the film itself opens up with, this is the film Andy loved as a kid and which his new favourite toy came from. This is the origin story of the space ranger, Buzz Lightyear, and his time fighting against the Evil Emperor Zurg, sworn enemy of the Galactic Alliance! It's an idea dripping with potential ever since it was first thought of back in 1995, when the first <i>Toy Story</i> film was released and Buzz's backstory was on the back of his own packaging. </p><p>As expected, <i>Lightyear</i> has gorgeous animation, mostly-strong dialogue, a lovely LGBT+ relationship, a good punch of the feels, and a bunch of wonderful characters including Sox the robot cat (who was obviously made for marketing and levity, but is honestly needed considering how dark this film can get at times) and an old lady who is on parole and loves to make bombs. Chris Evans makes a wonderful replacement for Tim Allen, able to make the character his own while still retaining what makes Buzz Lightyear the character we love.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZMtNn_DmIxHxKWsT1tu2weahJOvdTQmK8eJ_xUEy_sdyPzJ7ZPoe3cMPYbDCDbVekFH9giI-DXMspoQmWMNjYvDOot97uNah6OeF3VPZ_XsQA27nfrHDpe6zpnVUN9iPbGdynGxgr1yba71mRjEObo3AZ8ANYxjKwObgBgrZqboA_DYGqNkay8Dg0/s2048/Lightyear%20Characters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="2048" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZMtNn_DmIxHxKWsT1tu2weahJOvdTQmK8eJ_xUEy_sdyPzJ7ZPoe3cMPYbDCDbVekFH9giI-DXMspoQmWMNjYvDOot97uNah6OeF3VPZ_XsQA27nfrHDpe6zpnVUN9iPbGdynGxgr1yba71mRjEObo3AZ8ANYxjKwObgBgrZqboA_DYGqNkay8Dg0/w400-h225/Lightyear%20Characters.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>So why isn't the film the masterpiece it should be?</p><p>Well, there's two major creative decisions that bring down the entire film, for me anyway. Let's start with the location. And yes, I said location because despite this being a film about a space ranger fighting an evil emperor who wants to conquer the universe, the entire film takes place on one ugly planet. The plot involves Buzz causing a major accident that leaves the population of his ship stranded, and he vows to save them all by constantly testing experimental fuel. Every time he fails however, he goes forward by four years and returns to the planet he was just on. We see his best friend age four years every time he tries this, as she falls in love, has kids, retires, and eventually passes away, showing not only the life he is giving up but also what he feels is consequences of his actions. When she's gone, and he enters her empty office, it's a powerful and emotional image that breaks my heart. </p><p>After that greatness however, we stay on the planet. And that's where this decision becomes a detriment to the film. The planet they are on is an ugly one, brown and swamp green, with big bugs and living vines that trap and ensnare their prey. This makes for a great opening and motivation, but it's a damn dull setting to endure your entire film on! The majority of this film is spent in a state of misery, as the wasteland is unappealing and even when we do go to Zurg's space station, the lights go off and the final fight is in darkness!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjEN6k3qmApdMmwaHtBrMoJcNUOfbzU2XVkLq_g1qgQ5_8z13Jw_E1D54YSUaO7enpBsnSavh3cEu0jpu_s7y8TCiD14Xf1kkLsLA0RhcGtLasIntlpZ8ea5yfvgDF347eC8hYiQRIsCtgAsdMmTY7TlPUsZ55TqTvG5nuoIBXDy8XSnLZKW6uWHRY/s1486/Lightyear%20Friend.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="622" data-original-width="1486" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjEN6k3qmApdMmwaHtBrMoJcNUOfbzU2XVkLq_g1qgQ5_8z13Jw_E1D54YSUaO7enpBsnSavh3cEu0jpu_s7y8TCiD14Xf1kkLsLA0RhcGtLasIntlpZ8ea5yfvgDF347eC8hYiQRIsCtgAsdMmTY7TlPUsZ55TqTvG5nuoIBXDy8XSnLZKW6uWHRY/w400-h168/Lightyear%20Friend.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>A film is a medium of many senses, and visuals are one of the biggest factors. It's what we are looking at for the entire runtime, and a visual we hate to see can make us not want to watch. Think back on some of the biggest animated movies and shows of the past few years, like <i>Encanto</i> or <i>Owl House</i> or <i>Into the Spider-Verse</i>, and remember how much creativity and energy and life was in every frame. The characters, the setting, the movements, all of these factor into our enjoyment. If everyone sang "We Don't Talk about Bruno" while sitting still on a chair in a grey bathroom, I don't think it would have gotten the love it did. </p><p>Now look at how every character looks and moves in this film, and where they are. These scenes are emotional, yes, but 90 minutes of it gets boring. If the story had instead gotten Buzz to another planet after the fantastic emotional opening of him going forward through time repeatedly, this film could have been more entertaining by that alone. Drama is absolutely important and I do go to a <i>Pixar</i> film to get a good feel of emotion and themes, but you need a stronger balance for it, especially when you're making a film about something as exciting as a space ranger!</p><p>And the second major problem I had... was Zurg.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY3-DD3zDuSV4FJtlwQRSmV26ClDY26-DrHr5_49IA_E8AqL9_u60nYkFu46TmoTRHg8ylMbz-_7pdMehzmSbSCse6nSfP-IJIuFQjeFbF_gg-JarDt2qbx3H5cmyiteCQ95IC9Dq6KTskTxpT6ar5qu_tzlZ7jon83R55DgENIZnh_FluV2KvjhTK/s2000/Lightyear%20Fight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="838" data-original-width="2000" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY3-DD3zDuSV4FJtlwQRSmV26ClDY26-DrHr5_49IA_E8AqL9_u60nYkFu46TmoTRHg8ylMbz-_7pdMehzmSbSCse6nSfP-IJIuFQjeFbF_gg-JarDt2qbx3H5cmyiteCQ95IC9Dq6KTskTxpT6ar5qu_tzlZ7jon83R55DgENIZnh_FluV2KvjhTK/w400-h168/Lightyear%20Fight.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Remember how I said I grew up with <i>Toy Story </i>films? Well, I didn't want Buzz or Woody. I wanted the Zurg toy, which I got thankfully. I love Zurg, always have. He's so much fun, a child-friendly Darth Vader with a cannon for an arm and a pointy cape, wheeling around and then being a good dad to Other Buzz. Brilliant! And it gets even better, because the cartoon I mentioned earlier had him voiced by Wayne Knight of all people, and he's hilarious and wicked, torturing and planning to blow up the "Planet of Widows and Orphans" just to piss off his mortal enemy. </p><p>In <i>Lightyear</i>... he's an old man in a robot suit. He's Buzz Lightyear from the future.</p><p>And old Buzz has grey hair, frail arms, probably needs help going to the bathroom, and he's just really really sad about losing his years of life, so he wants to go back in time to fix it. The robots call him "Zurg" because it's all they can say, the implication being that the robots and such are all stolen from a future Zurg and... this is better than Evil Emperor Zurg?</p><p>I get what the film is going for. I even read the interviews with the crew about why they took this route. Buzz is his own worst enemy, his hubris has ruined his own life and the lives of others, and his inability to stop and live with the consequences of his own actions have made him waste away to a point he's barely recognisable as himself anymore. He can't trust anyone but himself, and now he's alone and mad. Yes, very emotional. Truly, I do believe that. It's just that it's also very boring.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvSs1n2ojLcAsb1ZlhAKrzchKpBjtxjMDx4aMEJ04Vp-AdDpQqxKg6aW3VYzNDX5lwBayZsW4theFw2rgGsSPjDhK80pUtrKfr20cmCPJ54x8Vse20rFbeQS4Tqy_7OjUVXe6Tae0_jQLy_yIg7g6O679bdl6VAOaABmSlkI2GFr3MJ-olsMiKUEjS/s2048/Lightyear%20Sox.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="878" data-original-width="2048" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvSs1n2ojLcAsb1ZlhAKrzchKpBjtxjMDx4aMEJ04Vp-AdDpQqxKg6aW3VYzNDX5lwBayZsW4theFw2rgGsSPjDhK80pUtrKfr20cmCPJ54x8Vse20rFbeQS4Tqy_7OjUVXe6Tae0_jQLy_yIg7g6O679bdl6VAOaABmSlkI2GFr3MJ-olsMiKUEjS/w400-h171/Lightyear%20Sox.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Again, I want to emphasise this. Buzz's mortal enemy and the final boss of this film is depicted as a frail old man in a robot suit. He is not fun, he is barely evil, and he is not enjoying his actions. The character is somewhat tragic, I guess, but that quickly fades away as you remember he literally has an evil army of robots that are trying to take over the ugly planet, and the predictability of what he will do when Buzz inevitably says no to his plan just makes conversations with him feel pointless. We know Buzz is going to say no to Other Buzz, because that's what happens every time the villain reveals their twist, and we know that will cause Other Buzz to attack him and then we can properly begin our action-packed climax. It's just... formulaic.</p><p>I look at Other Buzz and think "Hm yes, very good on-the-nose representation of Buzz's own failings as a person and the flaws he must face. Very dramatic.". And then I look at the other versions of Zurg from <i>Toy Story</i> and the Buzz Lightyear cartoon and I have fun. In this day and age, truly evil villains are thinning out, so a character more like the classic versions of Zurg would have actually stood out more now, ironically.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjT6JkzlLREsuufGzYt3IflGa6fsDJfXRuLO5vQ9rS-p8MrmZrqCcv3XR1msX9T_jXF2R6BdgS9koO2QcrsSd2k8YH0BpYt97uOT6LX2Gq-YB8zG8xSO3wUO2rQBOYrgpYFf-Ne1iK4CT5rnBk9xVLFNa-u49wm3kWfCyyUaHnin6aGpdvPNGHAu1E/s1171/Lightyear%20Vine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="517" data-original-width="1171" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjT6JkzlLREsuufGzYt3IflGa6fsDJfXRuLO5vQ9rS-p8MrmZrqCcv3XR1msX9T_jXF2R6BdgS9koO2QcrsSd2k8YH0BpYt97uOT6LX2Gq-YB8zG8xSO3wUO2rQBOYrgpYFf-Ne1iK4CT5rnBk9xVLFNa-u49wm3kWfCyyUaHnin6aGpdvPNGHAu1E/w400-h176/Lightyear%20Vine.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>To make it clear, I will repeat myself: <i>Lightyear</i> is not a bad film, but it is disappointing. If this film hadn't been based on Buzz Lightyear, I'd probably be nicer towards it but it, as the title of this article says, prioritised drama and theme over entertainment. The film does great with diversity, relationships both romantic and platonic, and has great work and effort behind it, so it's definitely worth at least one watch. Just be prepared to be let down, especially if you are a fan of Zurg, environment design or the pure potential of a galaxy-themed hero for kids. </p><p>Now we've had sequels to almost every nostalgic <i>Pixar</i> film recently... I guess next is<i> A Bug's Life</i>? I have a feeling they won't be bringing back Hopper though. For a few reasons.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU80y5GQVcPVRCshKhJSijXsnaZSy-WouawakonvG-r9K5RTcX-JGihTmpK-qcP_Al7DnookX0WKbCm-36hFvSyoxUl0CzTAYb51-PXXG4jiPDc1S6C_d-bgcHFNv95xqJplqf3-b98OPJexEQj0L92MHTElxVipslrKxMPBeCHUVmFHh2AZST_-yf/s1200/Geri's%20Game.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1200" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU80y5GQVcPVRCshKhJSijXsnaZSy-WouawakonvG-r9K5RTcX-JGihTmpK-qcP_Al7DnookX0WKbCm-36hFvSyoxUl0CzTAYb51-PXXG4jiPDc1S6C_d-bgcHFNv95xqJplqf3-b98OPJexEQj0L92MHTElxVipslrKxMPBeCHUVmFHh2AZST_-yf/w400-h240/Geri's%20Game.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Give the people what they truly want, <i>Pixar</i>! <i>Geri's Game 2</i>!</td></tr></tbody></table>Shigginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16256099093521615360noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4926295868515831102.post-72637887913664877662022-05-28T08:55:00.002-07:002022-05-28T08:56:47.317-07:00Cameos: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly Sonic<p>Didn't see that one coming.</p><p>Are cameos fun? Or are they a sign of a lack of creativity and cheap attempts to get crowds cheering? Well frankly, I think both are possible. Cameos aren't anything new, it's just people acting like they are and then getting unreasonably angry over them because Marvel have been doing it a lot more recently. We've all seen great cameos and terrible cameos, but what makes them what they are? Well, I decided to list some of the best, worst and ugliest ones around to give some general ideas of what I think makes a cameo work and what doesn't. So even if your specific favourite or least favourite isn't here, chances are the reasoning behind them will show up. And let me know some cameos that stand out to you in the comments below!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3svIAlLUkzsvBIFgT6aawgR2cNSskl3XlKxyRAPP7RQs0zwJ0P5bE28JV8N7ywSVXQLAR6syUVT1tKFctKd1RWK_sWx1k9RorBYeM7-ybCbfY78rgnBeyvdnrDDcCIm7HbVInzbVuygdZzGDzmLX0klBJoc_CUT-OoPvtn5HfguwIEhHe7JaAzI6n/s1706/Cameos.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="538" data-original-width="1706" height="126" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3svIAlLUkzsvBIFgT6aawgR2cNSskl3XlKxyRAPP7RQs0zwJ0P5bE28JV8N7ywSVXQLAR6syUVT1tKFctKd1RWK_sWx1k9RorBYeM7-ybCbfY78rgnBeyvdnrDDcCIm7HbVInzbVuygdZzGDzmLX0klBJoc_CUT-OoPvtn5HfguwIEhHe7JaAzI6n/w400-h126/Cameos.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span><a name='more'></a></span><p><i><b><u>The Good</u></b></i></p><p><br /></p><p><u><i>Stan Lee</i></u></p><p>I think one of the biggest reasons we all came to love the Stan Lee cameos was because we knew how much he enjoyed doing them, and the absolute joy he showed off while doing so was infectious. It became a running gag to see Stan Lee show up in a <i>Marvel</i> film, and honestly I think it also became something heart-warming too. It's like seeing an old friend, wondering what crazy antics he's up to now and glad to see he's doing alright, and a reminder of how much we miss the man. (Just fyi, this is the same deal with Bruce Campbell in Sam Raimi movies). </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg00UsQBnBSkL770XpcJ7DU6qaiTD10jEHa-6NceJgA_kt70WMR-fPRIrv8htwL-n4LtShtAxappd7stm2H1xV55MlVf7WFJAYd0SnArXXuc0Nvf5JV60RpErkDLzI-VKLoDDRYuQ0CdRv4-uo84CQSwdrKIALtcsZJ8I1KWDxafrvRjvQW2Ro_dsGK/s1200/Stan%20Lee%20Cameo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg00UsQBnBSkL770XpcJ7DU6qaiTD10jEHa-6NceJgA_kt70WMR-fPRIrv8htwL-n4LtShtAxappd7stm2H1xV55MlVf7WFJAYd0SnArXXuc0Nvf5JV60RpErkDLzI-VKLoDDRYuQ0CdRv4-uo84CQSwdrKIALtcsZJ8I1KWDxafrvRjvQW2Ro_dsGK/w400-h266/Stan%20Lee%20Cameo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>His cameos were always so unpredictable too. One time, he was Willie Lumpkin the Postman, a canon comic character, in the 2005<i> Fantastic Four</i> film. He gave Peter Parker some advice in <i>Spider-Man 3</i>, finishing it off with one of his catchphrases "Nuff said". He was blissfully unaware of a fight between a different Peter Parker and the Lizard in <i>The</i> <i>Amazing Spider-Man</i>. He read a script for his upcoming Mallrats cameo in <i>Captain Marvel</i>. His final MCU cameo in <i>Avengers Endgame</i>, he posthumously told us to "Make love, not war", which is solid advice we should all listen to. He even appeared in a <i>DC</i> project once, as himself in <i>Teen Titans Go to the Movies</i>! But my two favourites of all of his cameos, which made me laugh and feel at the same time, were his cameos in <i>Into the Spider-Verse</i> and the PS4 <i>Spider-Man</i> video game. Excelsior!</p><p><br /></p><p><u><i>Neil Patrick Harris</i></u></p><p>Before he was known as the Barney Stinson type, Neil Patrick Harris was the star of a sitcom known as <i>Doogie Howser M.D</i>, in which he played a teenager who became the youngest doctor of the country. I never saw it myself, but I know he was considered the "good boy" of television for the longest time. Then he starred in <i>Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle</i>! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4GrPEmoJmGiHTAPszZnEYdFTV3iTACJJjgmRepaCtwjEKeZXZWFXLnee79Cent4Qe3_V4Jqmya_LipygwszEZdvCUu8NesLTIM_1iojmJPb_WusBfMReIm9bNw2N-YItBmg5A_tzotCmWX8DWBNWC2Bf78X1A9X__7FF_oX-fufVbLIQY4d8Y7Ulv/s600/NPH%20Cameo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="340" data-original-width="600" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4GrPEmoJmGiHTAPszZnEYdFTV3iTACJJjgmRepaCtwjEKeZXZWFXLnee79Cent4Qe3_V4Jqmya_LipygwszEZdvCUu8NesLTIM_1iojmJPb_WusBfMReIm9bNw2N-YItBmg5A_tzotCmWX8DWBNWC2Bf78X1A9X__7FF_oX-fufVbLIQY4d8Y7Ulv/w400-h226/NPH%20Cameo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>He swears, he wants to get laid, he's high on ecstasy and he robs the protagonists for no real reason except "fuck you, got mine". It was a major shock to people who grew up with his role as the teenage Doogie Howser, and his comedic timing and charisma helped kickstart his career when it was very much needed. Before Barney Stinson, he was Neil Patrick Harris.</p><p><br /></p><p><i><u>The Disney Princesses</u></i></p><p>I find myself disliking <i>Wreck-it Ralph 2</i> the more I think back on it, which is one of the reasons I refuse to call it by it's real shittier name, but I can point to a few things I loved regardless, and somehow the best part is the sleepover scene packed with the <i>Disney</i> Princesses, who help Vanellope with her identity crisis. It's a bright fun short scene in a film full of misery and cynical product placement, and I wish <i>Disney</i> would focus on these characters instead of giving us 20 billion nostalgic <i>Star Wars</i> things.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEhE8zYaYNZhwJtzkyJs9WBTSpwKj3P7W7f_JchPOPXxQ-M6jEGmU1VhfNGT4lNxmR3mLrv3Ae3pu0JXFHBvM-lir0XqAE5rLJeVo5s-9oi36DzaxuDaHfzs-Es28Vr8NS0x0ULHI7ItbN8-MRMM4qPHCppRra51ccc6ujGfq3Cw7vJBfhwv_Wzwps/s3164/Disney%20Princesses%20Cameo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1324" data-original-width="3164" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEhE8zYaYNZhwJtzkyJs9WBTSpwKj3P7W7f_JchPOPXxQ-M6jEGmU1VhfNGT4lNxmR3mLrv3Ae3pu0JXFHBvM-lir0XqAE5rLJeVo5s-9oi36DzaxuDaHfzs-Es28Vr8NS0x0ULHI7ItbN8-MRMM4qPHCppRra51ccc6ujGfq3Cw7vJBfhwv_Wzwps/w400-h168/Disney%20Princesses%20Cameo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>First of all, they all look great. Some are exactly the way they did in their own respective films, while the older ones make a surprisingly faithful leap into the world of 3D. I also love their jammies, especially Mulan's who will forever be Best Girl, but what really makes this scene work is an awareness of the tropes of the past but not an insulting or whitewashing of it. It's funny, it's upbeat, it doesn't ignore how ridiculous some of the past was, and it inspires a hilarious song later on. The way they save Ralph during the finale is also very funny, but my favourite joke is Vanellope's horrified reactions to all the traumatic events they've all been through. "Are you guys okay? Should I call the police?"</p><p><br /></p><p><u><i>Wolverine</i></u></p><p>One of my all-time favourite cameos is short, funny and unexpected which is a big reason why it works so well. <i>X-Men First Class</i>, one of my favourites of the entire franchise actually, wisely decided to reboot itself and create a new timeline without the worries of the current continuity. Of course, that doesn't mean we can't have Hugh Jackman randomly say "go fuck yourselves" then refuse to stay away from the main plot. If this cameo had been longer, or stolen screentime away from the new characters we wanted to see, this might not have been good. As it is however, I enjoyed it without complaint. Why can't more cameos be this simple?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyXFIDhIfQLOUOEBiWSfuh_V8UkfVCoZCj193ndDH_j8ygbdNfMRTCTBHSLY08UscLig1tGrRAID4Dm_CfIJQBwYhocLJMWWaKF31-sYftDkqc-B17YrpMsYWsZ0DkhWxI2s-kjOxzp1KIINTgTcI2GNTtl2e6uis899RxIbcHtg_T3dZ0lAZS6CSK/s780/Wolverine%20Good%20Cameo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="438" data-original-width="780" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyXFIDhIfQLOUOEBiWSfuh_V8UkfVCoZCj193ndDH_j8ygbdNfMRTCTBHSLY08UscLig1tGrRAID4Dm_CfIJQBwYhocLJMWWaKF31-sYftDkqc-B17YrpMsYWsZ0DkhWxI2s-kjOxzp1KIINTgTcI2GNTtl2e6uis899RxIbcHtg_T3dZ0lAZS6CSK/w400-h225/Wolverine%20Good%20Cameo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b><i><u>The Bad</u></i></b></p><p><u><i>Ghostbusters Afterlife</i></u></p><p>A lot of people hated the 2016 reboot, beyond the unfortunate response to it's cast and then the response to that response by the director, and I won't defend it as a good film but at least it was trying to be it's own thing... while being a failed SNL sketch show. But I still don't regard it as the worst of the <i>Ghostbusters</i> franchise, because of Afterlife that came out in 2021. Afterlife is unoriginal nostalgia bait, the worst kind that drags the literal old and forces them to smile for an audience too cringed and pain to stop watching. But shockingly, <i>Ghostbusters Afterlife</i> made things worse... they brought the dead back for their cameo.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilOPk0EZyn9GWqEhr6pgct7L2w1pKneEjg59Gx-gJk9rJnNSW5s4wHnTVvFzFCwk6HxbbpeuF0X9UDNfn5OKVzHJE4DeWssqUDPJcvPN2QFnLMRfu8iPMwZjyQSHcSH11Kq63FTn_eBcspn_TQbxBZKzzsTtnRau_u1EFaf6Y4G1m2b-LhfYM7FDlB/s1280/Ghostbusters%20Afterlife%20Cameo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilOPk0EZyn9GWqEhr6pgct7L2w1pKneEjg59Gx-gJk9rJnNSW5s4wHnTVvFzFCwk6HxbbpeuF0X9UDNfn5OKVzHJE4DeWssqUDPJcvPN2QFnLMRfu8iPMwZjyQSHcSH11Kq63FTn_eBcspn_TQbxBZKzzsTtnRau_u1EFaf6Y4G1m2b-LhfYM7FDlB/w400-h225/Ghostbusters%20Afterlife%20Cameo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>During the finale, the three living actors from the original <i>Ghostbusters</i> randomly show up as if they walked on the wrong set and look so dazed and confused. Bill Murray himself looks like he's twice the age of the two next to him, and it's honestly just sad... so sad... but then it gets worse when <b>the ghost of Harold Ramis' character Egon Spengler also shows up</b>. If it had just been his hand helping his granddaughter hold the weapon, this might work but he stands there and we're forced to look at him for an uncomfortable long time. Harold Ramis died in 2014! I can't believe it needs to be said, but don't use literal dead people to sell toys and yes, this cameo is actually a toy too! It's gross, it's disgusting, and it's a terrible sign for the future since we know other studios are going to want to try this shit too. You want to see a full remake of <i>Goodfellas</i> staring the recently-departed Ray Liotta as a CGI puppet? Because it could happen if we ever start accepting shit like this.</p><p><br /></p><p><u><i>Stephen King</i></u></p><p>I like Stephen King a lot. He's straightforward, smart, and managed to grow out of his crazy period. His books are a gloriously mixed bag too, some of them are fantastic classics while others are laughably bad yet both kinds have their reasons to be remembered. But while some may disagree with me here, I really didn't care for his cameo in<i> It Chapter 2</i>. In this, he appears as a shopkeeper who runs into James McAvoy's character, and damn is it... just damn.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwXj7jvsYbG9if3z5pRDKx84C0u7sRfE5TWtWciO2hev3GIIXSxpZP8QZAI4dOz8AuSfPnWT-bIG8hQGZLbj41tJiYQu8v8eRAx26Mvmgfdld_GvHKNW5hCHXIR1v23UY_76n70BueuMImE6gROWBgEDFOGmUIUF9tJihVZnSJChPZi6-CKuJEaQe-/s656/Stephen%20King%20Cameo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="343" data-original-width="656" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwXj7jvsYbG9if3z5pRDKx84C0u7sRfE5TWtWciO2hev3GIIXSxpZP8QZAI4dOz8AuSfPnWT-bIG8hQGZLbj41tJiYQu8v8eRAx26Mvmgfdld_GvHKNW5hCHXIR1v23UY_76n70BueuMImE6gROWBgEDFOGmUIUF9tJihVZnSJChPZi6-CKuJEaQe-/w400-h209/Stephen%20King%20Cameo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>It starts with him making a joke at the expense of the character's stutter, which I suppose we're meant to pretend is funny for him to be doing, and it ends with him making a joke about how he "didn't like the ending" of McAvoy's book, an obvious wink to how Stephen King often struggled with endings of his own works. Except this film that ends the <i>It</i> storyline sucks, so it ends up being a warning to the audience instead of a joke, and the obviousness of it is as loud as the subtlety. You can practically feel the wink-wink-nudge-nudge of the ones who thought they were sooo clever for writing this. And King, stop clowning around.</p><p><br /></p><p><u><i>Wolverine</i></u></p><p>That's right, he appears again! After his amazing cameo in <i>First Class</i>, Hugh Jackman's Wolverine became the star of the next instalment,<i> Days of Future Past</i> and that ended with him being found by Mystique disguised as William Stryker. Okay cool. However, he then shows up in <i>X-Men Apocalypse</i> as Weapon X, slaughtering people and going berserk until he's calmed down and leaves to find clothes.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh64NNCpDo5q-Moi50GNIIrl2qWDWshpIzhY-xfyKXEWL4zbllrJmdYZ2WLBDW9EKXh7IF5YDXGfDhgA4NO9YXfutp5M3oIZiSgdibtIKWVZ0Kto8WO52q50NlKYn2Z9vJ6vgqvnQyD-42Q5u9XNQGc_zTmdUqZmsMMlaToCdgLyNjTPpNtsk65hsjg/s590/Wolverine%20Bad%20Cameo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="590" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh64NNCpDo5q-Moi50GNIIrl2qWDWshpIzhY-xfyKXEWL4zbllrJmdYZ2WLBDW9EKXh7IF5YDXGfDhgA4NO9YXfutp5M3oIZiSgdibtIKWVZ0Kto8WO52q50NlKYn2Z9vJ6vgqvnQyD-42Q5u9XNQGc_zTmdUqZmsMMlaToCdgLyNjTPpNtsk65hsjg/w400-h238/Wolverine%20Bad%20Cameo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>What makes this scene so bad is not just how little sense it makes for him to be in this situation in the first place (did Mystique abandon him or sell him or something?), but how it comes across as a lazy attempt to push Wolverine in a story that really doesn't need him. We're meant to be learning about these new iterations of famous characters like Cyclops and Nightcrawler, so adding this cameo feels forced and cowardly. We can see the executives working the strings behind this cameo, trying to play it safe and pander, and it just comes across as tiresome. The X-Men franchise has long neglected it's amazing characters in favour of focusing solely on Wolverine, and this scene was a big fat reminder of that. Thank God we got Logan after this to wash the taste out and let the character leave gracefully before Dark Phoenix.</p><p><br /></p><p><u><i>Elon Musk, Donald Trump and other m/billionaires</i></u></p><p>Rich people paying themselves into a cameo will always be obvious and pathetic. We are fully aware you paid to get into these films, we can tell you aren't an actor or a natural part of this story and setting, and we know you are forcing this to happen because you want people to like you despite... well, everything. All this does is snap us out of the story, and remind us of the controversies and nonsense you make us put up with every time your name pops up in the headlines. Find a better use of your time and money, like buying Twi... oh.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUQMK0Bwkq1fBlpwQpg5qatsTOn-WfSIaKj7KmtsDlR09pSzCwlajmwotQUtCBn8M4wc3fOo6VY72ecssTXjAFdjw5Sij41uicl7OmzRPGUULr9NZRcCUTTUu9Bq_w-T19POdoS5Iy0hoqvtcXerxU0q4A9sbSeOMAvVTt7IJcHF-RHffVhV5V2VrI/s780/Donald%20Trump%20Cameo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="438" data-original-width="780" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUQMK0Bwkq1fBlpwQpg5qatsTOn-WfSIaKj7KmtsDlR09pSzCwlajmwotQUtCBn8M4wc3fOo6VY72ecssTXjAFdjw5Sij41uicl7OmzRPGUULr9NZRcCUTTUu9Bq_w-T19POdoS5Iy0hoqvtcXerxU0q4A9sbSeOMAvVTt7IJcHF-RHffVhV5V2VrI/w400-h225/Donald%20Trump%20Cameo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p><i><u>M. Night Shyamalan</u></i></p><p>Putting yourself in your own movie? I actually understand it. I'd probably do it too. Making yourself an actual character? Again, I get it. Jon Favreau did it, and his role as Happy Hogan makes me smile whenever he shows up. If he's Happy, I'm happy. But to not only put yourself in every movie you make, but have yourself be purposefully portrayed as an amazing wise man of vision and perfection that the world should listen to? That's the kind of egotistical crap that deserves to be mocked forever.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdG9HF9LATcG1BnO7FkfvOd7P1dGesgijvXW_mbhl3OnBCBrtVQZCL-gEV9o4-W-KamHpCUB6eHMGy3URvGXq4t0nCU_K_1_DK_mF2umxTSzjDmLyJ07GBs97E0MYvfw8v73bH8W25DpqxYc7_4WLGQ63H1ei5zYUt-TRI_fTFqiorjrYBjoewbq-H/s1280/M%20Night%20Cameo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdG9HF9LATcG1BnO7FkfvOd7P1dGesgijvXW_mbhl3OnBCBrtVQZCL-gEV9o4-W-KamHpCUB6eHMGy3URvGXq4t0nCU_K_1_DK_mF2umxTSzjDmLyJ07GBs97E0MYvfw8v73bH8W25DpqxYc7_4WLGQ63H1ei5zYUt-TRI_fTFqiorjrYBjoewbq-H/w400-h225/M%20Night%20Cameo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Director M Night Shyamalan has done this a few times, like when he played the accidental killer of Mel Gibson's wife in <i>Signs</i> and babbled nonsense that was supposed to be cryptic and wise but instead came across as... well, babbling nonsense... but for me, the very worst of the worst is his time in <i>Lady in the Water</i>. A mystical character called Story, yes that's actually her name, arrives to the human world to get Paul Giamatti's help to find the amazing artist and writer that will defy all the evil critics, and write a masterpiece so fantastic that it will inspire the future president of the United States to change the world for the better, but what he writes will be so controversial that he will also be killed by enemies, so he decides to take up the noble sacrifice and write this for the good of the world and the arts... Wow. Imagine what a dickhead you have to be to write that for yourself without any irony or self-awareness whatsoever.</p><p><br /></p><p><u><i>Ed Sheeran</i></u></p><p><i>Game of Thrones </i>was once one of the biggest shows of all time, but even before the infamous season 8, the series was not without it's big mistakes. Take the time it decided to have a cameo by famous musician Ed Sheeran, for example. He shows up out of nowhere for one scene, sings a song, and that's the end of it. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY5suBnZSohElZsNFRYABOqEvwybeoR2dbPPs1toCX9mJZXl-6xBQZcMlO6GZQrel2C40lSO1CCQQJeecON3pyjLjv4gLBPyIH3YiOkNPyJxnTfiKfS9ChOZGFUbpq8BdmBMpeznDntQarruhK8QNSXtiMzC0YzURUZDrLpVOtUhWk2gsS4OgMeuRE/s2112/Ed%20Sheeran%20Game%20of%20Thrones.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1584" data-original-width="2112" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY5suBnZSohElZsNFRYABOqEvwybeoR2dbPPs1toCX9mJZXl-6xBQZcMlO6GZQrel2C40lSO1CCQQJeecON3pyjLjv4gLBPyIH3YiOkNPyJxnTfiKfS9ChOZGFUbpq8BdmBMpeznDntQarruhK8QNSXtiMzC0YzURUZDrLpVOtUhWk2gsS4OgMeuRE/w400-h300/Ed%20Sheeran%20Game%20of%20Thrones.png" width="400" /></a></div><p>The scene is unnecessary and uninteresting on it's own, but in a world of magic, dragons and gritty shagging, having someone like Ed Sheeran ruins all the immersion and is one step away from a fourth wall break. Sheeran is also clearly not an actor either, so he's unable to sink into the role and become one with the world and story. An obvious attempt to get people talking, but mostly forgotten by everyone by the next season.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><u><i><b>The Ugly</b></i></u></p><p><u><i><b><br /></b></i></u></p><p><u><i>Ugly Sonic</i></u></p><p>WHAT?! Ugly Sonic?! That's amazing. It's awful but it's also amazing, so I can't put it in either category. Ugly Sonic deserves to be killed and forgotten, a stupid attempt by stupid executives to appeal to an audience they were completely out of touch with, and the animators forced to make it deserve every penny/cent/credit of the executives' salaries for putting up with it.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqtbWTDLECslqK3jTdGCIHjQkmWEhS6k_3z37IRXxw5xCU-gVJsuQRI6W_gPmvwUrT1eDXNhKiP8toigoPggdjXoNXEEZUmMyqfpBpm2ufPFwm02Y1ZSM77jVEa7D6PrLZbFdzZSd5EpiHFRj3WGVL7uzrZKeI3fSoCM3GniwHndMKh65EK_D_8lq-/s3352/Ugly%20Sonic%20Cameo.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1390" data-original-width="3352" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqtbWTDLECslqK3jTdGCIHjQkmWEhS6k_3z37IRXxw5xCU-gVJsuQRI6W_gPmvwUrT1eDXNhKiP8toigoPggdjXoNXEEZUmMyqfpBpm2ufPFwm02Y1ZSM77jVEa7D6PrLZbFdzZSd5EpiHFRj3WGVL7uzrZKeI3fSoCM3GniwHndMKh65EK_D_8lq-/w400-h166/Ugly%20Sonic%20Cameo.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>But then again, seeing it fully realised and acknowledged by others that he's a total disgrace is cathartic and hilarious. The <i>Chip n' Dale</i> film is a good time overall, but Ugly Sonic is such an enigma of both good and bad taste that I can't decide which category this cameo belongs in. Is it great? Is it terrible? The only answer I can think of is... Yes. And also never again.</p><p><br /></p><p><i><u>The Illuminati</u></i></p><p>I wasn't going to talk about these guys, but it is what sparked off the article so it's only fair to do so. In <i>Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness</i>, we get to see the Illuminati, a group of multiverse guardians who act all pompous and don't trust the protagonist enough to heed his warning, so he can say "I told you so" when the inevitable massacre happens. You know, that classic chestnut we've seen many times before.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh99eBcQtbhvQooJuZxG4k9qJxgPkbFR1a6cEow1v6XOOuyQWUJbUFhffFYyKQ24G37YRune1LKP6HzVNDpUyRmiGj4noJ2CPFvpgnu0IbVibxNLPghsW8t1Dx9XCuw0TNnYW_tyOZRO57oNRnwG9ij_ekeF9NUCbBCw5kVBEFiwH4Jkq-JKwV-s026/s758/Illuminati%20Cameo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="411" data-original-width="758" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh99eBcQtbhvQooJuZxG4k9qJxgPkbFR1a6cEow1v6XOOuyQWUJbUFhffFYyKQ24G37YRune1LKP6HzVNDpUyRmiGj4noJ2CPFvpgnu0IbVibxNLPghsW8t1Dx9XCuw0TNnYW_tyOZRO57oNRnwG9ij_ekeF9NUCbBCw5kVBEFiwH4Jkq-JKwV-s026/w400-h217/Illuminati%20Cameo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>On the one hand, almost all these cameos are fantastic. The live-action Captain Carter, love her. Monica Rambeau as Captain Marvel, great. Black Bolt in something other than the Inhumans tv show and probably hinting at an upcoming reboot of the characters, sweet. Mister Fantastic and Professor X?! Okay, yeah that's fun and super cool. But then... well, they all get massacred in horrific and ugly ways for no real reason except to make us regret wanting to see them again. I'm almost certain this is actually a dark commentary on forced cameos and being careful what you wish for, but I'm not sure. I'm also very upset at the idea that this is how Patrick Stewart's long and brilliant time as Professor X ends, and that's not just fun. So yeah, some of this was great and some of it was not, and that's why I'm putting it here.</p><p><br /></p>Shigginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16256099093521615360noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4926295868515831102.post-5419448320541310862022-05-20T17:56:00.003-07:002022-05-20T17:56:29.436-07:00Fairy Tail 100 Years Quest Chapters 106, 107 and 108 Review<p>Are you a cat person or a Dogramag person?</p><p>Okay, I have a bunch of stuff to get sorted and deal with so let's get into this one and have it be a fun read so I can get back to... procrastinating and panicking instead of actually doing them. Ha ha, adulting is fun! Anyway, we got dragons! We got rocks! We got sexy men and punching children! What more could you ask for in a catch-up review from yours truly?</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIPaZ5LdmA523rZS8xuCC0xzJk8hDG5ltBKSxM8WOO5akmtYZqyMT5yaq2csGcDkEMZA532yfdN7KSYJ2c89vIsbes3nksrl-pWZnxGIJ220T78V9fq4cuXw1Vc4S-l4nAR6_YmXaVBjiRg1_8RNLSTl-_T-cYhqJD2XBDMlRhnylneWUzfg9LbYdw/s618/Those%20Smiles.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="452" data-original-width="618" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIPaZ5LdmA523rZS8xuCC0xzJk8hDG5ltBKSxM8WOO5akmtYZqyMT5yaq2csGcDkEMZA532yfdN7KSYJ2c89vIsbes3nksrl-pWZnxGIJ220T78V9fq4cuXw1Vc4S-l4nAR6_YmXaVBjiRg1_8RNLSTl-_T-cYhqJD2XBDMlRhnylneWUzfg9LbYdw/w400-h293/Those%20Smiles.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Those smiles... They liiiiike each other!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span><a name='more'></a></span><p>Starting on a positive note, I really appreciated that the trio of chapters we had here kept things mostly interesting from a visual standpoint. While the location of the labyrinth is a very drab setting, the actual characters involved manage to keep my attention. There was a literal dragon battle which will almost always be a win, followed by a new rock dragon appearing that was reminiscent of the one that fought Cobra during the climax of the Grand Magic Games arc, and finally that rock dragon's human form quickly revealing itself, and looking like a fairly interesting character. It would have only hurt Dogramag's character if he looked like yet another stone-faced (HA!) <i>Final Fantasy</i> protagonist, but instead he's got a design with immediate personality. He also kinda looks like DK West from <i>No Straight Roads</i>, which means I now beg... no... DEMAND, a rap battle in the next chapter.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSVz2TVQZyZqF_JYoxEuiSPLZW7LoJYdNFF05qhGSgulMSimYWnzcWe3qyOl-wt6bK522Dxka6UAZlfEsJTfvhPfCL4rAtWR7FdGmPq4JZm-5g4MbHIS7Qe5YAGGfqnFfYYrExJHRxgSs2K0gf8r-Wb-i9JoUfF6xyeM6DfZSr_m6Rw-LKWO-EsEUu/s1542/Scar%20Origin.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1542" data-original-width="1033" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSVz2TVQZyZqF_JYoxEuiSPLZW7LoJYdNFF05qhGSgulMSimYWnzcWe3qyOl-wt6bK522Dxka6UAZlfEsJTfvhPfCL4rAtWR7FdGmPq4JZm-5g4MbHIS7Qe5YAGGfqnFfYYrExJHRxgSs2K0gf8r-Wb-i9JoUfF6xyeM6DfZSr_m6Rw-LKWO-EsEUu/w268-h400/Scar%20Origin.jpeg" width="268" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Place your bets on the origin of the scar! High chance it was Ignia, low chance it was Rustyrose.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Sticking to Dogramag for a little longer, it's interesting to note how his connection with Ignia helps to make them both more interesting than Acnologia sadly ever was. Ignia is a cold-hearted bastard, with a love of destruction and massacre, but he openly called Dogramag his pal and was pleased to see him come back to life. The two of them have a shared taste for carnage, and if Acnologia had had a character like this to interact with, we might have gotten a firmer grasp on who he was as a person and what really drove him. I also just love villains getting along with each other, and I hope Dogramag (boy, that name is awkward to type out so much) remains for the future if this series is planning to keep going. If only because he and Ignia make a visually great duo together. One is so tall, the other isn't! That's literally all that's needed!</p><p>With the exception of the strongest one Kirin, and maaaabye Suzaku, that's Diabolos essentially dealt with in this arc, which is disappointing for both Gajeel and Gray since neither of them have done much to contribute emotionally or physically besides stand around and offer commentary. Unless we include Gajeel comically knocking out Haku... Ha! Victory for Gajeel! Seriously though, I'm curious what the plan is here because right now, it's very much looking like Laxus is dealing with this guy by himself. I guess they have to just buddy up with Natsu and Suzaku to play support roles? That's a lame idea, considering how much the others have gotten to do.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5H8gzqL0Yso1CUfDugDuIHbJpyXe5_wb6M2wvdhgTUkHII-p_w9Y_a8Eh64g4k1zjUydxSt9cJX5o1yy3fxXfwyBIJpF9P61gnglQiybjtfqMY2o6z7iQhUn2DRpylbk6mOIqc83cPgLoEuNm98sEfVvhoPsxHOKQI4dHNZBTiVjZ2vbCqfzkVdkR/s2068/Anime%20Wallpaper.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1535" data-original-width="2068" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5H8gzqL0Yso1CUfDugDuIHbJpyXe5_wb6M2wvdhgTUkHII-p_w9Y_a8Eh64g4k1zjUydxSt9cJX5o1yy3fxXfwyBIJpF9P61gnglQiybjtfqMY2o6z7iQhUn2DRpylbk6mOIqc83cPgLoEuNm98sEfVvhoPsxHOKQI4dHNZBTiVjZ2vbCqfzkVdkR/w400-h297/Anime%20Wallpaper.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I need this animated quickly. I've had my Persona 5 screensaver for ages and would like something new.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>What's funny to me is that it's obvious what's going to happen next from Natsu's perspective, he will fight Dogramag, but I'm honestly unsure of the rest. Will Selene die, before being forced to turn good in a terrible retcon like a certain White girl? Will Gajeel and Gray get to do something besides follow Natsu? Will Suzaku do the smart thing and fight Dogramag too? Will Laxus vs Kirin feel like a distraction or an integral part of the proceedings going forward? Is Natsu going to fight such a final boss without Lucy even watching? Is Elefseria actually good and he's going to die, with there being no final plot twist of him being a big darn baddy? That last one would genuinely shock me because I've distrusted that guy since page 1.</p><p>In summary, the main character's path is easily followed and understandable, but I do have my worries about the others and their involvement in the rest of this arc. Still though, mostly great character visuals and more glimpses into Ignia's personality and style help to keep things engaging throughout this trio and I hope to have you all reading my next articles soon enough. Thanks, guys!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfBtynR48h8KkIHG0QKMUmSJ8AYLnyPNXjMGKFZBGp26i3giT7Hp7it_kCpuIPmUEkQu-WDnnyOCbCc5Ok_Au-IakkYdOm0JLIrz8dfHIwyzuGcHIHsrNRh4r-NOWtEX7pUma75jC41qy0-RDHMKgCin1qGhBlWDbxUW6zGXPQY_-zLKr0oQ_AdsZb/s1466/FT%20100%20106.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1466" data-original-width="996" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfBtynR48h8KkIHG0QKMUmSJ8AYLnyPNXjMGKFZBGp26i3giT7Hp7it_kCpuIPmUEkQu-WDnnyOCbCc5Ok_Au-IakkYdOm0JLIrz8dfHIwyzuGcHIHsrNRh4r-NOWtEX7pUma75jC41qy0-RDHMKgCin1qGhBlWDbxUW6zGXPQY_-zLKr0oQ_AdsZb/w271-h400/FT%20100%20106.jpeg" width="271" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He's making a... a... Okay, seriously. Why is Gajeel not the main character of a spinoff or something, AT LEAST?!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5OHNMAqXgWaVt4MjOi2yZ6fwoUX8riR7sm798UGZ7k_UDBaxoIw41BOs1HQaaBdbwi_4Gh76IEBC2hJMcy_EmQ9JdA6hYA5XVPzJxB6DVQkc89vo_57BXum1zZWXtRPBF1B9nPdynALKDWGB9nbvRlX26qwyEuIuFUFzk0LY90hWi1gYOz8aL1Fvq/s1464/FT%20100%20107.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1464" data-original-width="991" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5OHNMAqXgWaVt4MjOi2yZ6fwoUX8riR7sm798UGZ7k_UDBaxoIw41BOs1HQaaBdbwi_4Gh76IEBC2hJMcy_EmQ9JdA6hYA5XVPzJxB6DVQkc89vo_57BXum1zZWXtRPBF1B9nPdynALKDWGB9nbvRlX26qwyEuIuFUFzk0LY90hWi1gYOz8aL1Fvq/w271-h400/FT%20100%20107.jpeg" width="271" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is just weird. And specific. Weirdly specific.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIF3Bfw3hkxLB9tphGow9l17d8lpcwBMotQUkYJjK2I34KYySLco10M9ZErZvgq0cYij19VEwmmp_ipCGUi_mm5WFBF2vIVHh8mUhGXhIC6HB2nZmPJp97IB3DLFiLxWwj-bGTEEoCGypslB6C3jyT6SJR4zPp3M2RCiSVvyhDy30AqF_5-g04iHvM/s1457/FT%20100%20108.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1457" data-original-width="1002" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIF3Bfw3hkxLB9tphGow9l17d8lpcwBMotQUkYJjK2I34KYySLco10M9ZErZvgq0cYij19VEwmmp_ipCGUi_mm5WFBF2vIVHh8mUhGXhIC6HB2nZmPJp97IB3DLFiLxWwj-bGTEEoCGypslB6C3jyT6SJR4zPp3M2RCiSVvyhDy30AqF_5-g04iHvM/w275-h400/FT%20100%20108.jpeg" width="275" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Food is good.</td></tr></tbody></table>Shigginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16256099093521615360noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4926295868515831102.post-26986601624324248162022-04-15T18:29:00.000-07:002022-04-15T18:29:01.845-07:00VAs like Colleen O'Shaughnessey Deserve to be on the Poster<p>I'm finally writing about voice actors! It feels like every time I go to do so, a big controversy pops up and I decide to not get involved, but the time has come so let's move quickly! You see, I love voice actors! I want to talk about voice actors, and now <i>Sonic the Hedgehog 2</i> is out so you're damn right I am going to use this opportunity to it's advantage!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6z2C68v7VGybjb3a9gb9uBsJAFnlDCjq6d06Ll8XEhSn1RGtONMGt8nFqGR4W0gNkaSS7aLLShTL4hGgG0GEJD0JpiNdjxjtiDQpM0oaXedGMbDzFm6jDKQfdViCY0jFluRigNwsTmtNt7OpOBvJ9ojtvc7SzYQvxhXNgediI5KQijJtG_8Wah-13/s571/Tails%20VA.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="559" data-original-width="571" height="391" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6z2C68v7VGybjb3a9gb9uBsJAFnlDCjq6d06Ll8XEhSn1RGtONMGt8nFqGR4W0gNkaSS7aLLShTL4hGgG0GEJD0JpiNdjxjtiDQpM0oaXedGMbDzFm6jDKQfdViCY0jFluRigNwsTmtNt7OpOBvJ9ojtvc7SzYQvxhXNgediI5KQijJtG_8Wah-13/w400-h391/Tails%20VA.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span><a name='more'></a></span><p>Before we begin, here's a quick spoiler-free summary of how I felt about the film.</p><p>I... kinda loved it? Yeah, I was surprised too because the first film was fine. Passable, better than expected but the second one is such a wild ride and an absolute blast with enough respect to the source material to know what to keep in and to know what to make changes to. Jim Carrey steals the show as he goes as nutty as he can with this professor character Robotnik/Eggman, Idris Elba's Knuckles is such a great and fitting casting choice, Ben Schwartz continues his career of playing blue-based characters with the charm and style expected of him, his friendship with Tails is only heightened by Colleen O'Shaughnessey's performance, and my least favourite character from the last film because one of my favourites thanks to an extended sequence where Natasha Rothwell gets to go absolutely insane in the best way. Overall, a really damn fun time.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXMJezjPs5wi3Y5PqBssT0vWnzdbtDPHudy_tpTo2UAur-cAl8HNL8CPpGz0VeRo2vwskbEXCTv4o24kaoXHQSjGJlbbyFsvTdieye-ktuIybeHb89rkOSciIbz_HhUC3gVhYcgaPKNJLCs1daRZinQtqgwwKmv07dPzKPCnCW6pwdwM13pTfNI6Sn/s1024/Sonic%20vs%20Knuckles.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="578" data-original-width="1024" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXMJezjPs5wi3Y5PqBssT0vWnzdbtDPHudy_tpTo2UAur-cAl8HNL8CPpGz0VeRo2vwskbEXCTv4o24kaoXHQSjGJlbbyFsvTdieye-ktuIybeHb89rkOSciIbz_HhUC3gVhYcgaPKNJLCs1daRZinQtqgwwKmv07dPzKPCnCW6pwdwM13pTfNI6Sn/w400-h226/Sonic%20vs%20Knuckles.png" width="400" /></a></div><p>The four main players of the film, Sonic, Tails, Knuckles and Robotnik are all standouts, with the writing and visuals making sure they steal the show, and their actors' performances are just as important as their animations. And that brings us to Colleen O'Shaughnessey, and this article itself.</p><p>You see, when this film was first being advertised, they of course released several posters for it. (My favourite by far is the one that's a perfect callback to the original poster of the<i> Sonic the Hedgehog 2</i> video game, with Eggman's fingers resting on top of the 2 menacingly.) As is the case with every movie poster, the main members of the cast are featured all along the top of each poster, and this is where the backlash began. I wonder if we'll ever get a <i>Sonic </i>movie without some form of backlash...</p><p>Colleen O'Shaughnessey was not on that poster. And that's stupid, and nowhere near the first time we've seen this treatment towards voice actors. This issue was eventually fixed, but that was only because people spoke up and were loud enough about it to get some notice. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs_LE53DGIe_ZLPsO-IidXz87aVS7OVgnvrwhnONXT6IEOyS-WN5yTlxgqXvLr6yUycU33P_kvRVxuas92AYjtRMoJw4Jy3ehmwBm4C5RnPDNU24jiFKpaa6dmj1vT45oAJMNzui4KmEdoVhlxMGs62_6l5CTW--5QN4wOVs2dKnpQGQf4Vk2rbZXT/s3000/Original%20Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="2031" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs_LE53DGIe_ZLPsO-IidXz87aVS7OVgnvrwhnONXT6IEOyS-WN5yTlxgqXvLr6yUycU33P_kvRVxuas92AYjtRMoJw4Jy3ehmwBm4C5RnPDNU24jiFKpaa6dmj1vT45oAJMNzui4KmEdoVhlxMGs62_6l5CTW--5QN4wOVs2dKnpQGQf4Vk2rbZXT/w271-h400/Original%20Poster.jpg" width="271" /></a></div><p></p><p>Let me say this as bluntly as possible to make sure there is no confusion: Tails is in this film a lot. More than James Marsden, possibly even more than Idris Elba's voice, and yet they were both placed in the "top 4" on the original posters instead of Colleen O'Shaughnessey, not because they are the better actors or any other reason, but because Colleen O'Shaughnessey is a voice actor and much less famous, and therefore much less marketable. </p><p>The cold reality is that it makes sense. Of course James Marsden, despite being in the film significantly less, got advertised to the public. He's a great actor, and he deserves to be mentioned too, but this is a completely corporate crap decision that shows complete disrespect. I remember something similar happened with that awful Space Jam sequel, where Jeff Bergman, Eric Bauza and several others all got completely ignored by the marketing department despite voicing all the wonderful Looney Tunes characters. Oh except one. One Looney Tunes actor got advertised; Zendaya as Lola Bunny. You've probably never heard of her unless you've seen <i>Spider-Man, Euphoria, K.C Undercover, The Greatest Showman, Dune</i>... Again, she's great. She deserves to be recognised for her work. The point I'm making here is that so do the non-famous voice actors!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcOqQkZhe1xDQkKArOj1OqjVGTc-LO2RCjSS-DJ_NNj4nQiKYIwiL-6OuxFZ233_5uZnwKCJeiTev_Nw8t_YVjkEYDaLnWZB4EiZ84sgzqydCDqyCSt23K5W9zYxVcgXPLDN04qaBrYuHGegLVSAKsn2AH5qJgV_FZM-omII-2T7EzJmlBO5mPb45c/s636/Sonic%20and%20Tails%20Serbia.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="374" data-original-width="636" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcOqQkZhe1xDQkKArOj1OqjVGTc-LO2RCjSS-DJ_NNj4nQiKYIwiL-6OuxFZ233_5uZnwKCJeiTev_Nw8t_YVjkEYDaLnWZB4EiZ84sgzqydCDqyCSt23K5W9zYxVcgXPLDN04qaBrYuHGegLVSAKsn2AH5qJgV_FZM-omII-2T7EzJmlBO5mPb45c/w400-h235/Sonic%20and%20Tails%20Serbia.png" width="400" /></a></div><p>"Why would they market the voice actors? They aren't famous." They would be if they got the recognition they deserve! It drives me absolutely insane how many voice actors out there have given performances that influence so many projects, who have done so much work, aren't well-known when literal abusive scumbags and cult leaders get signed up for film after film and are celebrated for it. </p><p>And of course, this extends to the amount of pay each voice actor gets. At the time of writing, there's been quite a lot of discussion about this after the news that the voice actors behind <i>Jujutsu Kaisen 0</i>, both dub and sub, were severely underpaid despite the amazing performance of the film itself. These people don't get royalties for the film when it does well. Their names aren't on the poster. And yet they do voicework for a film big enough to be out on the same weekend as <i>The Batman!</i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTSMZab43L3nznHRErd3tx4PXEiiYEVSYJUZ2N9ZCyAVfFSf95r_VaLP7h9fdoD1Lfj8o8HLWCl9SCSV7xUdlMtNRlF7m3m2IXb9y8TVzWR_Bxw75ZsPr-KLvxB85btbbZDGuJF7hGYLg6eN1NiS5Itz-_Q8gWk-LFBprgvrYoAFQcEOVQ-k_YNinM/s1600/Eggman%20and%20Knuckles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTSMZab43L3nznHRErd3tx4PXEiiYEVSYJUZ2N9ZCyAVfFSf95r_VaLP7h9fdoD1Lfj8o8HLWCl9SCSV7xUdlMtNRlF7m3m2IXb9y8TVzWR_Bxw75ZsPr-KLvxB85btbbZDGuJF7hGYLg6eN1NiS5Itz-_Q8gWk-LFBprgvrYoAFQcEOVQ-k_YNinM/w400-h225/Eggman%20and%20Knuckles.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Celebrities doing voice acting roles can be fantastic. I'm sure we all know James Earl Jones' masterpiece of work as Mufasa, or Will Arnett breaking our hearts as Bojack Horseman. And both Idris Elba and Ben Schwartz are fantastic at these unique versions of the iconic characters. The point I am fighting to make as clearly as I can is that the right person should be chosen for the right role, and "how famous they are" is an unfortunate and terrible method of choosing that too many executives have made since the dawn of time itself. Yes. The dawn. Colleen O'Shaughnessey is the perfect Tails for this film, and that's that.</p><p></p><p>I'm going to end this article by posting a few of the many voice actors I enjoy greatly, and inviting you to check them out, see where you've heard them before. I can guarantee you know most of them around the place. They deserve the pay, they deserve the recognition, and they deserve the respect. Colleen O'Shaugnessey is a great start. Can we keep that momentum going?</p><p><br /></p><p>Fred Tatasciore</p><p>Keith David</p><p>Grey DeLisle</p><p>Monica Rial</p><p>Kevin Michael Richardson</p><p>Max Mittelman</p><p>Christopher Sabat</p><p>Erika Harlacher</p><p>Clancy Brown</p>Shigginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16256099093521615360noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4926295868515831102.post-77256677378217951582022-04-08T14:37:00.001-07:002022-04-08T14:37:18.259-07:00Fairy Tail 100 Years Quest Chapters 103, 104 and 105 Review<div>A woman with new world views.</div><div><br /></div><div>I swear, I was about to publish this review, then another chapter came out while I was at work so I ended up needing to delay it until... well, until you're reading it now. What's even funnier is that because of the way the latest chapter is, there's little for me to add onto this review! So I almost delayed it for nothing! Anyway, here's a triple review that was meant to be a double.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbqMDiOxpzHcfEL3iVz71rmCkzzbEiyveQvUvMoH5wT8HouJXSCkCyCRq9QAuxv6oMJ562ri4z1FbnwexC34jwsZ3rJaGjuL3jG9Sq526me4GQ7yJdkOBgMa9b3STFxRApPiMR0t5ewQg5T5FuciuTv8953jfwl04GRFDkg6feQAdDvJvbV_ZnwSvg/s962/Life%20is%20Pain.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="441" data-original-width="962" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbqMDiOxpzHcfEL3iVz71rmCkzzbEiyveQvUvMoH5wT8HouJXSCkCyCRq9QAuxv6oMJ562ri4z1FbnwexC34jwsZ3rJaGjuL3jG9Sq526me4GQ7yJdkOBgMa9b3STFxRApPiMR0t5ewQg5T5FuciuTv8953jfwl04GRFDkg6feQAdDvJvbV_ZnwSvg/w400-h184/Life%20is%20Pain.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Only 24 hours? Ha! My whole life is pain.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span><a name='more'></a></span><div>Well, I am very very sure I'm not the only person to suggest that Lucy's painful arm slice was a fakeout, so I'm almost thankful they revealed it quickly. Let's face it, <i>Fairy Tail</i> is a fun series but a move like that requires a level of grit and dedication that this story is not trying to go for. It's just a shame we had to end it with the "Horolugium steals your clothes" joke FOR THE MILLIONTH TIME! Especially considering what I said about the women being stripped constantly coming across as childish, in my very last review.</div><div><br /></div><div>At least the spectacle of Lucy's final attack was very rewarding to watch. I love these Star Dresses, and I especially love the combinations. Aquarius fused with Gemini to create clones and copies made of water that help Lucy activate an amazing powerful spell? Pretty damn great, I must confess. If only my one, Pisces, got the respect it deserves instead of those two ugly fish forms.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAoUmRTi4iWwXYjbDIkQYB3o6y15t5k27b7QIgvpFCaxIhsu6GvPoOa5JmO5vlpJskVvZYwvJ2JmLCQ8cBV2dEtAz7NycGeST04hz2SgCWzt0iGW3z3kTHdjVdnDj0KUoJNRop6PyYZlM3fKDyv3oOyxq-u1KvQ4KUraDkgVc8EBXNRho2pbDx9nYY/s526/What%20Virgo%20Wants.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="365" data-original-width="526" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAoUmRTi4iWwXYjbDIkQYB3o6y15t5k27b7QIgvpFCaxIhsu6GvPoOa5JmO5vlpJskVvZYwvJ2JmLCQ8cBV2dEtAz7NycGeST04hz2SgCWzt0iGW3z3kTHdjVdnDj0KUoJNRop6PyYZlM3fKDyv3oOyxq-u1KvQ4KUraDkgVc8EBXNRho2pbDx9nYY/w400-h278/What%20Virgo%20Wants.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Virgo is a woman who knows what she wants and she goes for it. I can't help but respect her for that.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>I once again found myself enjoying a Laxus moment, which probably shouldn't come as a surprise by now, but a surprise it was! Laxus stepping out to save Lucy from an attack despite what Kiria-sama did to him is especially interesting considering we have, sadly, not have much interaction between the two of them. It's just one of those combinations that we've not seen sadly, much like the Star Dresses themselves when I think about it.</div><div><br /></div><div>Much like this sentence, our time with Natsu and Suzaku was too sho-</div><div><br /></div><div>So we're onto Erza vs Misaki now, that's nice. And we get to see exactly what this new power of hers is, and I do like it. Send someone to your own personal Hyperbolic Time Chamber, hit them for five seconds, and then have the time delay catch up on in the real world so you can-wait. Wait. How does that result in what we saw in chapter 99, where Erza lost her clothes and her hair? I guess a desire for fanservice can break the rules of even your own story. It's convenient. As convenient as Erza being able to manipulate her armour to move in Misaki's dimension. I mean, I think it is. I'll be honest, that part confused me.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI6l4oN2rZ8gvLPIbWbB_RfyW6PnoOx7bcPi_c_ImXxQRtuDDH7YJYrWj_VzNclX-PM5Yhs8y7bseVeZqghiJfhUoMlAcbUmQUeuNbIX89pGpJDaor6X8G5cTVupn5EIN-bMdLJQXnsrPZpxkUkOLnvF3kNb-hQtlmWxGsQsGnE7vTYFTtYYZIJzYV/s964/Substitution%20Jutsu.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="554" data-original-width="964" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI6l4oN2rZ8gvLPIbWbB_RfyW6PnoOx7bcPi_c_ImXxQRtuDDH7YJYrWj_VzNclX-PM5Yhs8y7bseVeZqghiJfhUoMlAcbUmQUeuNbIX89pGpJDaor6X8G5cTVupn5EIN-bMdLJQXnsrPZpxkUkOLnvF3kNb-hQtlmWxGsQsGnE7vTYFTtYYZIJzYV/w400-h230/Substitution%20Jutsu.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is such a "substitution no jutsu" moment that my mind instinctively made that poof noise for this panel.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Let's face it, the fight is very confusing overall. It was visually nice and explosive, sure, but it ended as expected and made basically no sense. I genuinely think we should just say "Erza was stronger" and leave it at at that. Going into analysis as if this is a brilliant strategy is a waste of time for us all. I liked it, I just know I won't remember it.</div><div><br /></div><div>So yeah, loved the stuff with Lucy despite the fakeout, including her brief moments with Laxus acting in a senpai-type capacity, and the Misaki section is enjoyable but much more confusing. </div><div><br /></div><div>Poor Gajeel and Gray though, forced into the bystander/Speedwagon position. Something tells me that with Laxus out, they'll be given the task of fighting Kirin and whatever is inside his coffin. I'm betting... a puppet-corpse so he can fight like Kankuro does.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhHWLEa_OKcJOjiSdBV8_bjaGUK7jtksFqjCbsTCywPiaSigyzXmvb8oHQCfB9N6BeG_4SbbYAc2DxwlIoIhLx6I3XSyUp9VcYE5vjwh04bEx3OBtWIQA71toOSboGANCf4uSi9M1GeXhOs7QcKdHSWJbSOrYuOmP5ljWIh5OjWtGFgFepJaLc9Pp3/s1475/FT%20100%20103.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1475" data-original-width="990" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhHWLEa_OKcJOjiSdBV8_bjaGUK7jtksFqjCbsTCywPiaSigyzXmvb8oHQCfB9N6BeG_4SbbYAc2DxwlIoIhLx6I3XSyUp9VcYE5vjwh04bEx3OBtWIQA71toOSboGANCf4uSi9M1GeXhOs7QcKdHSWJbSOrYuOmP5ljWIh5OjWtGFgFepJaLc9Pp3/w269-h400/FT%20100%20103.jpg" width="269" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixzsiPF0YNyhi-n8nZIleKM5yrWNRmSQ8N5XQOadWuDed5X0hBKSE-_9A9hjzCLnBMAyRp2kWDutO3UNr7-LMHCG4Pn54Eze71AV31b4RpURsvOjiQZNQ2zCjsO9FJRkgJyy5JgGvJx_6D4KJXPAREQmmvLs02f_3H-kmjnFzmEfjAUQHkSBVubJ6-/s1396/FT%20100%20104.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1396" data-original-width="990" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixzsiPF0YNyhi-n8nZIleKM5yrWNRmSQ8N5XQOadWuDed5X0hBKSE-_9A9hjzCLnBMAyRp2kWDutO3UNr7-LMHCG4Pn54Eze71AV31b4RpURsvOjiQZNQ2zCjsO9FJRkgJyy5JgGvJx_6D4KJXPAREQmmvLs02f_3H-kmjnFzmEfjAUQHkSBVubJ6-/w284-h400/FT%20100%20104.jpg" width="284" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoaVaDn55DXPJK6BpTDbInGM7tzMsDmn7TLQq9k58YsZTCkmT8sUOYVjmgxnUQEMMDtzhD653Vklpngs44zyFBlV7S7yDhnj_28mNGeo1oEXBh5XCoCPdvdyoI7W1zmeoSfGT3bcQbltfzw7JDs4ll7U24AzfIcW8Mm40WlxIUKKCxbbEKT19Tv6yS/s1463/FT%20100%20105.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1463" data-original-width="990" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoaVaDn55DXPJK6BpTDbInGM7tzMsDmn7TLQq9k58YsZTCkmT8sUOYVjmgxnUQEMMDtzhD653Vklpngs44zyFBlV7S7yDhnj_28mNGeo1oEXBh5XCoCPdvdyoI7W1zmeoSfGT3bcQbltfzw7JDs4ll7U24AzfIcW8Mm40WlxIUKKCxbbEKT19Tv6yS/w271-h400/FT%20100%20105.jpeg" width="271" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Shigginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16256099093521615360noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4926295868515831102.post-68092891186373209472022-03-20T08:55:00.005-07:002022-03-20T08:55:55.214-07:00MCU Haters - Ruining Criticism for the Rest of Us<p>Everyone's a critic.</p><p>It's not often I write an article like this, is it? One where I sit down and actually comment on the world around me, which I think is fine. I want to provide some escapism from the terrors of reality we have to deal with every second of our waking time on this Earth, but sometimes I get frustrated and I want to write about a situation that's been personally pissing me off lately! <i>MCU</i> haters, and others of their kind, making it difficult for the rest of us to whine about the problems we have!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh94sPUrkHiyUk29V9HEYLcNn10cXkjzmBDr-n0rFm0vedpvAeWfn31CRc8EGIgKXt0OgJdRxAZJ6Llhjn86jPS3RhVb0sGWMyUC-9-tbnHgyT0Htj36gUFttj33kYXVi0uW_YAgsa4p3GngKRXSZpS8rKm6iST7MEmB_zmDAs8OHE2V518eAEd_GfM=s2000" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="833" data-original-width="2000" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh94sPUrkHiyUk29V9HEYLcNn10cXkjzmBDr-n0rFm0vedpvAeWfn31CRc8EGIgKXt0OgJdRxAZJ6Llhjn86jPS3RhVb0sGWMyUC-9-tbnHgyT0Htj36gUFttj33kYXVi0uW_YAgsa4p3GngKRXSZpS8rKm6iST7MEmB_zmDAs8OHE2V518eAEd_GfM=w400-h166" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span><a name='more'></a></span><p>So what am I on about? Well, I'm here to tell you all about how I'm fed up with every time I go on social media or enter a conversation at work, I have to deal with someone being so ridiculous and irrational that we all seem insane by any slight association. I'm using the <i>MCU</i> as the example of this article, but let's face it. You can apply this to politics,<i> Star Wars</i> or even the <i>My Little Pony</i> show.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjXR3Y4h8KD7lKGVAqessURzyQDe7dtlvoUGT3w9LGZuoRCzV18wTgDuJ-t7q5fiT6w5HXupnF0A6KxTPlr9aVInfD0KcnU7OeSEPFzbbwJax0ZyQ0XAUiMRjH0Z0dfK7cyBwxxupUikeXaNDF_kbUqql77Mci6qpHJChFyrIargh7Ptuk2-cH78SCL=s1920" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjXR3Y4h8KD7lKGVAqessURzyQDe7dtlvoUGT3w9LGZuoRCzV18wTgDuJ-t7q5fiT6w5HXupnF0A6KxTPlr9aVInfD0KcnU7OeSEPFzbbwJax0ZyQ0XAUiMRjH0Z0dfK7cyBwxxupUikeXaNDF_kbUqql77Mci6qpHJChFyrIargh7Ptuk2-cH78SCL=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div><p>Every now and again, the world gets taken in by something big. <i>Pokémon Go, Big Brother, Game of Thrones</i>, the list goes on. Everyone talks about it, the merchandise sells like cakes covered in cocaine (cocakes?), and they talk and talk about it gleefully. They share their experiences, they praise it to Heaven and Back, and it's quite an exhilarating few days if you're part of this group. There's a small high you get when you're part of something like this, where you see people sharing experiences and stories about how they beat a bastard boss in <i>Elden Ring</i> and you can go "oh you lucky bastard, I'm still stuck at them!" or something along those lines. It's harmless fun, usually.</p><p>But popularity always brings out the contrarians. The doubters, the disapprovers. The ones that scream out "overrated", one of my least favourite words of all time right next to "sloppy" and "David Cage". I actually timed myself to see how long that would take for <i>Elden Ring</i> to be called that, three days if you're curious, because it's always coming. Always. It doesn't matter if the big thing is a game, a movie, the second coming of Jesus H Christmas or whatever else, these people will show up.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiFEhCycgS1nK1x62E-yhqjrUjVmHnMJdvtrstReZNmNZ8aCbroUiQrlPKFa_o3Y-6cblXrDZ86oiFXsR1VdgtoZbKdTXqHP2F3iFfpFh6ibA4tzXEeBxKhl4vPEKFKAV-QoPvd8m2WcCUqADcGYAFcDnTnlHtpHZuZTevMkI9JBl2YltoRk93RueAw=s1920" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiFEhCycgS1nK1x62E-yhqjrUjVmHnMJdvtrstReZNmNZ8aCbroUiQrlPKFa_o3Y-6cblXrDZ86oiFXsR1VdgtoZbKdTXqHP2F3iFfpFh6ibA4tzXEeBxKhl4vPEKFKAV-QoPvd8m2WcCUqADcGYAFcDnTnlHtpHZuZTevMkI9JBl2YltoRk93RueAw=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div><p>And don't misunderstand. This isn't me going "oh just let people have fun and enjoy things" or me saying everything is perfect and should never be criticised. If it was, I'd be a hypocritical shithead because I love to fart on stuff from time to time. We've all done it at some point, I'm sure. If you get a high from doing it to a popular thing only because it's popular however, you're making it difficult for the rest of us to actually be critical.</p><p>The <i>MCU</i> is the best current example of this, because of how big the <i>MCU</i> is and has been for quite some time. I don't think it's a secret at this stage that I love the franchise and most of it's heroes, and I could probably talk about it for hours in a podcast that is totally not secretly being planned, but I would never say any of the films are perfect. In fact, there's tons of flaws and I'd gladly go over as many of them as possible... if it didn't mean I was seemingly connected to those people by association.</p><p>You see, I want to criticise the overuse of CGI in the movies. I love practical effects, I love being able to feel the creature is standing right there, talking to the actors, and I want the actors to work with flexible make-up to create a stunning performance. But I can't, because now I am sounding like those idiots who scream bloody murder every time CGI shows up in any movie, and they use the MCU as their prime example purely because it's the popular one.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjb5X6Zka0NBTrrFaL0N4UKb2NFW3BUg1-CMudJqoO2ahY3zGd8C5r9Me-7BsNiySVCUCUu4c9JCdFiyPPkoxsdksxIQbzArWuw8PW3kUWpBCNrfCpeSbZRIG6BDNIrXgVRdE4EK2wLzvFzOXEcBgmcLszTqZi3D3xmaqV1hu_Fe601NkNNQnKc_x3z=s602" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="473" data-original-width="602" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjb5X6Zka0NBTrrFaL0N4UKb2NFW3BUg1-CMudJqoO2ahY3zGd8C5r9Me-7BsNiySVCUCUu4c9JCdFiyPPkoxsdksxIQbzArWuw8PW3kUWpBCNrfCpeSbZRIG6BDNIrXgVRdE4EK2wLzvFzOXEcBgmcLszTqZi3D3xmaqV1hu_Fe601NkNNQnKc_x3z=w400-h314" width="400" /></a></div><p>I want to talk about how bloody ridiculous it is that it took 18 films for a non-white lead and 21 films for a non-male lead, but I can't because the <i>MCU</i> haters bitching about one single joke for hours on end and tweets for days make me groan, and the idea of being part of that group freaking out as if the <i>MCU</i> is the worst thing in cinema is why I avoid getting too far into the criticism itself.</p><p>Do you remember <i>Ghostbusters</i>' 2016 reboot, starring Melissa McCarthy and others? Or more specifically, do you remember how one side screamed an insane amount of sexist comments and misogyny, so it made every disapproving commenter look like a sexist twat by association? That film is pretty bad but it's not because they're women. And I wish I could say that without needing to worry I'll be associated with the idiots who can't have a reasonable discussion because they seem so... extreme!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjwSIXmE1qM0gXagv0O_HCjjd7eLaXYkSELf0hVcm6xhDlO_AdAjwGo6h7inZ4-za9Iwy8hThwGmlTFoJto_qapIxAnuftpJl4MWPJy7ILBD7xLDoft4l2JfsR01zPz1o-RzgMOKEY4bnqaXrNPhXr4fVSPkfn10C2mcOcd8Tq2NsTxCnz3i6ZfYSzA=s903" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="414" data-original-width="903" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjwSIXmE1qM0gXagv0O_HCjjd7eLaXYkSELf0hVcm6xhDlO_AdAjwGo6h7inZ4-za9Iwy8hThwGmlTFoJto_qapIxAnuftpJl4MWPJy7ILBD7xLDoft4l2JfsR01zPz1o-RzgMOKEY4bnqaXrNPhXr4fVSPkfn10C2mcOcd8Tq2NsTxCnz3i6ZfYSzA=w400-h184" width="400" /></a></div><p>That's why I'm frustrated. I want to talk about the <i>MCU</i>, the good and the bad, but I can't because it's an invitation to the MCU blind-haters to come over and say "one of us, one of us", and the <i>MCU</i> blind-lovers to think I'm part of the blind-haters and get overly angry because they're as fed up as I am they have to deal with that first crowd over and over and over again so any hint of criticism is taken as another bullet in a rainstorm of them.</p><p>You know what the worst part about this is though? About the crowd that picks the popular thing purely because it's popular and makes it difficult to talk about the valid criticisms?</p><p>It's that they're so boring!</p><p>You're boring! You are! You're so mind-numbingly boring, it's actually incredible. No scratch that, it's not incredible because that word makes me think of Mrs Incredible and her perfect arse. Incredible is too exciting a word for you. No, you people stick to the same words we've all heard a million times, the same catchphrases and complaints we're all used to. I wanted to talk about how<i> The Last Jedi's</i> use of Poe Dameron was extremely flawed, if not downright awful, but I couldn't because you were all busy screaming about Rose and harassing the actress!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEilUB0kVTdDZUL72nF9o-nyDQEU921SzPOHD6S5th1vYAV8f7GvsaPxl08zVQ6rkBy2YisCWvexvF3vfOTzwrZF7tPonX5X_qGxg8r_GWFeFk7WJEjGaGde01YFTuIFnvqcd4uDitpcWQ2zeTepcv-THuqXy_NFZINcYsPHY8i9D-6D4acIca95mTDl=s1000" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="418" data-original-width="1000" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEilUB0kVTdDZUL72nF9o-nyDQEU921SzPOHD6S5th1vYAV8f7GvsaPxl08zVQ6rkBy2YisCWvexvF3vfOTzwrZF7tPonX5X_qGxg8r_GWFeFk7WJEjGaGde01YFTuIFnvqcd4uDitpcWQ2zeTepcv-THuqXy_NFZINcYsPHY8i9D-6D4acIca95mTDl=w400-h168" width="400" /></a></div><p>Again, this interferes with what we want to do, the real criticisms, because the conversation is overshadowed by you! </p><p>This article wasn't written to dissuade criticism of projects, far from it. I think criticism, constructive criticism, is a valid and necessary part to growing creatively and personally. We should be allowed to criticise, we should be allowed to be criticised from time to time. But not irrationally. Not through trigger words and catchphrases, but through legitimate thought and reasoning. Don't paint an entire series with the same brush because then you'll end up acting like an idiot, screaming about every little thing big and small until you're no longer taken seriously. </p><p>Nobody takes you seriously if you're the guy saying "all CGI is bad". Or if you go "you shouldn't enjoy this thing! You should be enjoying this thing that only five other people have heard about it and if you don't then you're an idiot!"</p><p>So in conclusion, at the end of all this, I have to sum up by saying... <i>The Last Jedi</i> was awesome and Trans people deserve equal rights! See you later!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgxE7oixYtIhHpfZ9vX4yBQEavVoBgfItJNTByLCdBj4AQ5p9JSn2rKN8BLnbAbm61u2GgoaKIjxcQSORQPA-eyT1WF7FowiRQbVyffzrUuyaiFsq_NvloFolRJXCF7DsO4Zt2GNeBRTDQu6bM6Fh7SSH9xenRN_EcaEtOg8PVTjK_KQX3eye9uJaHt=s320" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="320" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgxE7oixYtIhHpfZ9vX4yBQEavVoBgfItJNTByLCdBj4AQ5p9JSn2rKN8BLnbAbm61u2GgoaKIjxcQSORQPA-eyT1WF7FowiRQbVyffzrUuyaiFsq_NvloFolRJXCF7DsO4Zt2GNeBRTDQu6bM6Fh7SSH9xenRN_EcaEtOg8PVTjK_KQX3eye9uJaHt=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div>Shigginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16256099093521615360noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4926295868515831102.post-90140378890421247572022-02-23T12:04:00.000-08:002022-02-23T12:04:02.235-08:00Fairy Tail 100 Years Quest Chapters 98 to 102 ReviewBoobs? Boobs! Boobs.<div><br /></div><div>Yes, sorry I'm late and sorry it's taken me this long to do another review and sorry I've been busy with my real life. You all know this stuff already. So as an apology, I will include every big fanservice picture at the bottom of this review that came up during these chapters. Hope you enjoy them, and the review itself of course.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh-ToaM15EvhcS4tZXATXli0AkLvsNbHGwdbsBCb14-G4i46Y9osGZ0ZiU0ETuxiHuJo6n8rh26bW5j3-C8rgL44SnpKP12XJx5J8RYnuntCRjJQaJfj7fMST06wU5tA21Z69xf7BqV3TX8MaeV2WJtPJhVP2-9IteqKe9p63VwIDSMI2izxiPqpooy=s566" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="383" data-original-width="566" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh-ToaM15EvhcS4tZXATXli0AkLvsNbHGwdbsBCb14-G4i46Y9osGZ0ZiU0ETuxiHuJo6n8rh26bW5j3-C8rgL44SnpKP12XJx5J8RYnuntCRjJQaJfj7fMST06wU5tA21Z69xf7BqV3TX8MaeV2WJtPJhVP2-9IteqKe9p63VwIDSMI2izxiPqpooy=w400-h271" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is either the best or worst censoring ever and I'm too sleep-deprived to know or care which.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span><a name='more'></a></span><div><br /></div><div>I'll be blunt, I didn't think <i>Fairy Tail 100 Years Quest</i> would last this long. Not necessarily complaining, I just find it surprising. It's had a lot of ups and downs throughout the chapters, from great laughs to terrible Elentir arcs, but I can at least say it's a better sequel than others out there that may or may not have ended recently and put me into a depression...</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgOUDSxgotTDm-gqAPp0oCLWih2y3mXW3HvgDoMSnaYRMcHZizUOAsElqABY6mc3Y-v3fuGi4gIdhv9PEURwAo5RygGGebRYQ0gfYVmakNB600EHpjw03Bzaoh-_xeS7-G9umj3TWzya3CjmIvxlPdxbrXUoGj6CgPEt9j1zAheP6ImAEz5gyL_YTV0=s2133" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1597" data-original-width="2133" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgOUDSxgotTDm-gqAPp0oCLWih2y3mXW3HvgDoMSnaYRMcHZizUOAsElqABY6mc3Y-v3fuGi4gIdhv9PEURwAo5RygGGebRYQ0gfYVmakNB600EHpjw03Bzaoh-_xeS7-G9umj3TWzya3CjmIvxlPdxbrXUoGj6CgPEt9j1zAheP6ImAEz5gyL_YTV0=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>First of all, it's always nice to see Wendy get appreciation and showcase her growth. We've seen proof it many times by now, but Irene confirming she was only the feather to Wendy's Dumbo really is a great reminder that Wendy has one of the most subtle yet impressive growths in recent manga memory. Her fight itself was fun enough too, and it does make me wonder how much the series will take advantage of Pantherlily knowing Wendy's secret. Lots of opportunities, but I don't want to get my hopes up for shenanigans or drama.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi9fPwkSyqW9YIC5iBjMIev2zes8XzuAj6yVrDiUynK-ojiCbVDOUcWVadAJNEmKLfDxR1C9723VjiQH4eD-aggeXG-pqHmVyqMZMetsirXsnnimNmLmkDH_GHo3XnnO8dcRPpFwkC2Mskb4U_c0_le_OV2LXT2i_qr0QCLZEVXeBdNo-ATpKkR7AQE=s970" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="970" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi9fPwkSyqW9YIC5iBjMIev2zes8XzuAj6yVrDiUynK-ojiCbVDOUcWVadAJNEmKLfDxR1C9723VjiQH4eD-aggeXG-pqHmVyqMZMetsirXsnnimNmLmkDH_GHo3XnnO8dcRPpFwkC2Mskb4U_c0_le_OV2LXT2i_qr0QCLZEVXeBdNo-ATpKkR7AQE=w400-h223" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Epic bro fist, bro!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Anyone else kinda cringing at how both Misaki and Kiria-sama just happen to have powers perfect for cutting up womens' clothes so we can see some cleavage? I've said it many times, that I don't particularly mind fanservice and can sometimes even enjoy it if it's done well, but both the main girl baddies at the moment stripping the two main girls, and only the two main girls, feels a bit childish from a writing perspective. And now even Lucy has unlocked that ability too!</div><div><br /></div><div>I'm sure we can all agree though that it's a shame that Juvia and Levy's only contribution to this arc so far has been a funny joke. I don't like comparing a series to <i>One Piece</i>, but it would really be awesome to see <i>Fairy Tail</i> try and go for their climaxes sometime. You know, where everyone feels like a player as they all run around the place and get into fights or interfere with the environment, and then the arc basically becomes controlled chaos. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh1lJsWW-yvbPep-Mrkp34AiTf_XviFT5WR1f5TtesDYk-Y9jIrLXeIFRxJY_IR0D3b2n5NY-pnSlYD1qru6QKh5aXogPZFq2S6H6gqvHCBhZL79rn1cN25FAnCEjyXB9PlXzg9KdwkmF04zSskZ16BGjriw0JpqvaGJFYz5UiC5H_OI2jFm94llnGb=s1529" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1529" data-original-width="1028" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh1lJsWW-yvbPep-Mrkp34AiTf_XviFT5WR1f5TtesDYk-Y9jIrLXeIFRxJY_IR0D3b2n5NY-pnSlYD1qru6QKh5aXogPZFq2S6H6gqvHCBhZL79rn1cN25FAnCEjyXB9PlXzg9KdwkmF04zSskZ16BGjriw0JpqvaGJFYz5UiC5H_OI2jFm94llnGb=w269-h400" width="269" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Probably one of the best interactions Natsu has had with a character in a long while.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Okay, back to positive. Suzaku! Natsu fighting Suzaku is the kind of fight you want to see, with lots of movement, a funny joke and a bit too much talking. They try different things, they hit each other with flashy moves in a fashion akin to <i>Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm</i>, and then they get interrupted by the sexy Ignia who is probably here not because of the plot, but because it's the 100th chapter. This guy has a "flare" for the dramatic.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiG2r5bI1Y1gFp-96pabJUhRg3HPVhVM_A7wU9EXSsBwwqBsP0IHezzSahwxr6TYypG6JFxR5fWAZJjM9Ajn5zOtIzrl9ubsKRnOX5XzzNv33dRUKP3hbANpy3DsD-Rs0Ke7vUVqqsknuhJwLBjDZ7wh9eQUAVt4NdEzf8oTUyCaoxoqPiuNXxlQTDE=s2133" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1592" data-original-width="2133" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiG2r5bI1Y1gFp-96pabJUhRg3HPVhVM_A7wU9EXSsBwwqBsP0IHezzSahwxr6TYypG6JFxR5fWAZJjM9Ajn5zOtIzrl9ubsKRnOX5XzzNv33dRUKP3hbANpy3DsD-Rs0Ke7vUVqqsknuhJwLBjDZ7wh9eQUAVt4NdEzf8oTUyCaoxoqPiuNXxlQTDE=w400-h299" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Good ol' Gajevy. The only couple in this picture with proof they've touched naughty parts.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Of course, the newest chapter is probably the one you want me to talk about the most. A good laugh, Kiria being naked and humiliated is hilarious because, let's face it, she deserves it. And if you didn't think she deserved a bit of punishment before, she definitely works to convince you in these pages as she cuts Laxus' strength to make him submissive and then CUTS OFF LUCY'S ARM!!!</div><div><br /></div><div>Part of me wants to scoff because I know it will probably be reversed soon, if not in the very next chapter, but I can't because what a shocking twist to this fight. Our guards were completely down thanks to the fanservice and comedy, and suddenly bam! Lucy's arm, the one her dystopian future self lost, goes flying off. The Fairy Tail emblem she so proudly displays as much as she can now detached from her body. This is probably the worst thing Kiria could have done at this moment, and it's a gruesome yet fantastic display of villainy.</div><div><br /></div><div>So to sum up the past FIVE CHAPTERS (holy shit...); lots of great fights, a nice surprise appearance by the mysterious Ignia, the fanservice feels unnecessary but it also worked as a great cover for the surprise attack from Kiria, and Suzaku brings out the best in everyone, even Natsu. And as always, thanks for reading. Now, enjoy what you <i>really</i> came here for.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEitq4CXOpmnV1C-ijpfMKvNRVcxYJKdlOwJ6shsVFVth5Xse9gDg--Y3Z5M4loVgKICoqjc1hf_Rp7oho8n1JneULK3FnmKBdNCeK862cm9V1GFJB3ppaLa2GSuTg1fSq_sAR8rAtLJTY72F5v4p6Gk6c_ztsdGQyPGukT_4aBDbsA5uDtZlF18o1rM=s943" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="705" data-original-width="943" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEitq4CXOpmnV1C-ijpfMKvNRVcxYJKdlOwJ6shsVFVth5Xse9gDg--Y3Z5M4loVgKICoqjc1hf_Rp7oho8n1JneULK3FnmKBdNCeK862cm9V1GFJB3ppaLa2GSuTg1fSq_sAR8rAtLJTY72F5v4p6Gk6c_ztsdGQyPGukT_4aBDbsA5uDtZlF18o1rM=w400-h299" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjLrAgVm6bJq5fw3mogCwYUx_8Ic2-QMCd42yqti7gOhDyDl4s7wucbu6HVWHet18wny4Ima88_-wnv6Id_tCb63A9mKS2rLBesklNJ0lc1FfqFFgPOwccNJ4NB3flhhC5IL4pVOYAqBt70DIYF9l91X8rKFFLKjMHcjx4-JljKxoVYxkhiKJG2AZQV=s454" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="264" data-original-width="454" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjLrAgVm6bJq5fw3mogCwYUx_8Ic2-QMCd42yqti7gOhDyDl4s7wucbu6HVWHet18wny4Ima88_-wnv6Id_tCb63A9mKS2rLBesklNJ0lc1FfqFFgPOwccNJ4NB3flhhC5IL4pVOYAqBt70DIYF9l91X8rKFFLKjMHcjx4-JljKxoVYxkhiKJG2AZQV=w400-h233" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgnvtzWHDzauYvwlO9CeenszFA89aV0FtY3swwKEIKAtyASqxf6xNd26-bRisNcXrUdMVxC6TkdfQBSCUD9X_S9471B6mNN7v5kfXgHpqc6Q45b50cqVxuejpISL7IImG3vYSvFjGp2OMGuq31UphVqu-aLDonb2XbjKauxnVjbRZFBfJQOmzGApffb=s411" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="255" data-original-width="411" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgnvtzWHDzauYvwlO9CeenszFA89aV0FtY3swwKEIKAtyASqxf6xNd26-bRisNcXrUdMVxC6TkdfQBSCUD9X_S9471B6mNN7v5kfXgHpqc6Q45b50cqVxuejpISL7IImG3vYSvFjGp2OMGuq31UphVqu-aLDonb2XbjKauxnVjbRZFBfJQOmzGApffb=w400-h249" width="400" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj8-XaeowG_YuddJ_6mFQLpMQxcENUXRc4VwpV7dZWIyPeA5BL3JbwlErYzslr49T1kqnttff7zhLUA4ZKdU0N6vwZfhgkbFaVJmyE9P0Mxs7wIg8gyps4dGQZnHSgGqkJICOA1wAu3iWmGBvzAyD0WHoTfP-cs_eOlJUnhaNOsiXq9Y0Fkn8nYQTQr=s2060" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1532" data-original-width="2060" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj8-XaeowG_YuddJ_6mFQLpMQxcENUXRc4VwpV7dZWIyPeA5BL3JbwlErYzslr49T1kqnttff7zhLUA4ZKdU0N6vwZfhgkbFaVJmyE9P0Mxs7wIg8gyps4dGQZnHSgGqkJICOA1wAu3iWmGBvzAyD0WHoTfP-cs_eOlJUnhaNOsiXq9Y0Fkn8nYQTQr=w400-h297" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, Ignia counts. Shut up.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjihmy77kbIAI5oQETWWxAsowG16Et3O_WugZ8XJvLesYaVbcPCTT6HqiF7y0YAnUJ0aMToC4OvwYWIeOOJhupgBWDhvR2exsW0aVcBis2LB7V9mFfYa0l7iCsigOOZ3Cz-brWYNLEuOz2pkUjqePEsSrn24uN6jc3su-lL3--NDXkWIByR95xKrHal=s855" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="537" data-original-width="855" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjihmy77kbIAI5oQETWWxAsowG16Et3O_WugZ8XJvLesYaVbcPCTT6HqiF7y0YAnUJ0aMToC4OvwYWIeOOJhupgBWDhvR2exsW0aVcBis2LB7V9mFfYa0l7iCsigOOZ3Cz-brWYNLEuOz2pkUjqePEsSrn24uN6jc3su-lL3--NDXkWIByR95xKrHal=w400-h251" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjEEKegRakaaIalo7jOESlMDqjGqIEDfqOsP5rwvVlBwMNbMceuS4dTFEj0Sf1k2WrwXAIO3xTVG7W4q7GUjSrIgrBCrWvOatPRWfqf2gyF152ESkl0cKFiJOtfvkCg7zNpB8uZy29noWXjlWB6UWSKz5EwJFMjSM15eJLlGNLb1avoFI0Jr8PqpOtv=s949" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="857" data-original-width="949" height="361" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjEEKegRakaaIalo7jOESlMDqjGqIEDfqOsP5rwvVlBwMNbMceuS4dTFEj0Sf1k2WrwXAIO3xTVG7W4q7GUjSrIgrBCrWvOatPRWfqf2gyF152ESkl0cKFiJOtfvkCg7zNpB8uZy29noWXjlWB6UWSKz5EwJFMjSM15eJLlGNLb1avoFI0Jr8PqpOtv=w400-h361" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhqOc-hE9Iqlxv0Znyz-FcvW07-iAFs4WTmWgTQuGQ8ippk6Cf_MdJLimD6FCvL7C5KTjelTWMaYROKPJ65bPxAQIwMSUBRN7buwJxTJ4nDXldtRAZdYkHVpzewppecQGHCY6e5x-3ZxL386PAZ12UVqJAqKC1unqRhirxMY4uNwYHlU4-fqQ_7XRjc=s952" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="722" data-original-width="952" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhqOc-hE9Iqlxv0Znyz-FcvW07-iAFs4WTmWgTQuGQ8ippk6Cf_MdJLimD6FCvL7C5KTjelTWMaYROKPJ65bPxAQIwMSUBRN7buwJxTJ4nDXldtRAZdYkHVpzewppecQGHCY6e5x-3ZxL386PAZ12UVqJAqKC1unqRhirxMY4uNwYHlU4-fqQ_7XRjc=w400-h304" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjArteGHuCsjZU4YIF2-Kzr2S9U-QO6G6ggPTyh7jm2LK8MxKvXsWBgnuL858Qoj27iJnxqm-13Kw5AHWM6cWJ5A-tEW0LkibMqvX4L18LSFRJkfcmtluxdSEl7y0wos05hwxoEO9mVGNopc0HTB6akJesWQEszPCIqcEgeUhMU_94VagLVaiw_vxmH=s619" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="507" data-original-width="619" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjArteGHuCsjZU4YIF2-Kzr2S9U-QO6G6ggPTyh7jm2LK8MxKvXsWBgnuL858Qoj27iJnxqm-13Kw5AHWM6cWJ5A-tEW0LkibMqvX4L18LSFRJkfcmtluxdSEl7y0wos05hwxoEO9mVGNopc0HTB6akJesWQEszPCIqcEgeUhMU_94VagLVaiw_vxmH=w400-h328" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg1AKSIbDKsNwaI79vG6PZx9BK9ZoniXwVnrMt09_dh2pTgD9kd2YauG_yovNg3xzRrdztnQkoHd9DRBlXVnvEMKvZORFpBZN4SbVcIOStQCPe-qQPMJ-hxHmc18hj7X3gg_0EVTKCkrBV2060EJkdYk6daxutfJDHTpb3KALNi6N9U6rmrA1TOOizZ=s265" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="238" data-original-width="265" height="359" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg1AKSIbDKsNwaI79vG6PZx9BK9ZoniXwVnrMt09_dh2pTgD9kd2YauG_yovNg3xzRrdztnQkoHd9DRBlXVnvEMKvZORFpBZN4SbVcIOStQCPe-qQPMJ-hxHmc18hj7X3gg_0EVTKCkrBV2060EJkdYk6daxutfJDHTpb3KALNi6N9U6rmrA1TOOizZ=w400-h359" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Shigginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16256099093521615360noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4926295868515831102.post-87199362318335260712022-01-16T07:53:00.003-08:002022-01-16T07:59:32.216-08:00Ranking 2021's Marvel Shows<p style="text-align: center;"><i> Written by Shiggins</i></p><p style="text-align: left;">Before the Moon rises.</p><p>Ok, one last look back at 2021's shows and films before I get into 2022... hopefully. I mean, I still haven't talked about 2021's best anime, but that might be because I missed a few I was recommended so I need to decide on that... what are we talking about? Oh yes, <i>MCU</i> tv shows of 2021! Here's my official ranking of them from least-best to best!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi6AnEJVucGBTU2552s_1aNeI0XNAAbbU8qeQw3e_rkRuOW0R6g1YgzAuPLDoCUDhDFhnzrqlJgdWiv27QYGvDSMSsXiR3A_TfZRtmiiV7JPd2y3mAfqoYh4cifVCgtCnpdRhnqVvxZ4PsahceWh84zadBIy5NQpmgekfcO4-_Yd7qAPg-tNuiZVtjs=s1999" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1125" data-original-width="1999" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi6AnEJVucGBTU2552s_1aNeI0XNAAbbU8qeQw3e_rkRuOW0R6g1YgzAuPLDoCUDhDFhnzrqlJgdWiv27QYGvDSMSsXiR3A_TfZRtmiiV7JPd2y3mAfqoYh4cifVCgtCnpdRhnqVvxZ4PsahceWh84zadBIy5NQpmgekfcO4-_Yd7qAPg-tNuiZVtjs=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span><a name='more'></a></span><p><u><i><b>Loki</b></i></u></p><p>God, people are going to get mad at me for this one... <i>Loki</i>, the return of Tom Hiddleston in his very own tv show, was probably the most anticipated of the five we have today. It's premiere broke records, everyone was talking about it, jumping with excitement over who might show up and if we'd ever see Owen Wilson on a jet-ski, and while all of that is legitimate, the show itself was... fine.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg83_j7-gl0kb_EZw-5KoDTKY_huSAKo_IF6jF8ROAZINRotn41CSeylD6XPlc0k9HuKPeigZ660PSO64ZnQ8bk_1EHSMpLdAO2TJ5mOhTN8y55MH5akIdwM8siWAb-aKkwc7pa1O8CxtzflA8ft0jvAoPovlrEL_VOIb-UyfTuomG79fiEwXp57EaR=s1250" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1250" data-original-width="844" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg83_j7-gl0kb_EZw-5KoDTKY_huSAKo_IF6jF8ROAZINRotn41CSeylD6XPlc0k9HuKPeigZ660PSO64ZnQ8bk_1EHSMpLdAO2TJ5mOhTN8y55MH5akIdwM8siWAb-aKkwc7pa1O8CxtzflA8ft0jvAoPovlrEL_VOIb-UyfTuomG79fiEwXp57EaR=w270-h400" width="270" /></a></div><p>As always, Tom Hiddleston is a treat to watch every episode and he plays this role as effortlessly as Hugh Jackman with Wolverine. This is an iconic role now and it's incredible we can still see new opportunities for him to develop as a character and an antihero, even making his first true friend in the form of Agent Mobius, which is made even better by the surprisingly endearing Owen Wilson performance. Other characters like Sophia Di Martino's Sylvie/Female Loki make the show entertaining too, and this cast is probably why the show is as good as it is.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiplkWwb1tbfdjTSBVgyY2tbrU6cL-3-9z2XkLc0tGmNA-VxE1-amaSfi4nmAj9N-MUlAlYap4yHoWm-8OiezZEmL7jmZXgvXRK8Z9Fc5V_fAGuIFHP5DzAGYAXmj424LStYmLsy4hsOii9hAmSgH4pSDbySSuj5XXJBDBn6ekG3ryYhsJHz3saNThc=s1600" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiplkWwb1tbfdjTSBVgyY2tbrU6cL-3-9z2XkLc0tGmNA-VxE1-amaSfi4nmAj9N-MUlAlYap4yHoWm-8OiezZEmL7jmZXgvXRK8Z9Fc5V_fAGuIFHP5DzAGYAXmj424LStYmLsy4hsOii9hAmSgH4pSDbySSuj5XXJBDBn6ekG3ryYhsJHz3saNThc=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div><p>Unfortunately, the pacing of every episode is a bit of a slog. The TVA (Time Variance Authority) have a lot of rules that have to be exposited and repeated constantly, the wacky charisma of a character like Loki is surprisingly subdued, and far too much of this show is simple conversation. Well-written conversation, many of which are intriguing or charming, but too many! The fifth episode feels like the only time Loki utilised it's fullest potential, and that's a massive shame because it really showed what could have been. But yes, the final mystery character is phenomenal and I am absolutely excited for season 2 of <i>Loki</i> because of it, as well as the future of the <i>MCU</i> too.</p><p><br /></p><p><u><i><b>What If</b></i></u></p><p>From one controversial pick to another, we have the only animated project of 2021! And... I don't hate the animation style like many others do, but I really wish they had gone for something else. Some of the action and landscapes look fantastic, like that penultimate battle which is probably the most anime-level bullshit <i>Marvel</i> has ever done, but a lot of faces and bodies do not translate well, and some don't even look like they were trying to do so. That is NOT Natalie Portman!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgL00_FPfGybWjXTMWwfr0qE5awuQT7QKuW1g5I2bB_5KoqRVFvpLbGW4Ocqy8zcKJJxtTODT8LLWZTgmalBUkVpSzhAJpu6AB9gl2q1reQ0Mq2D3GXxbEJ59R0ZNZTUuk6mMsnH7yfznsPEUACPfNmTvw8OIgQ9w_FUStTtveA8sn7KdoPr54PlgCh=s2500" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2500" data-original-width="1687" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgL00_FPfGybWjXTMWwfr0qE5awuQT7QKuW1g5I2bB_5KoqRVFvpLbGW4Ocqy8zcKJJxtTODT8LLWZTgmalBUkVpSzhAJpu6AB9gl2q1reQ0Mq2D3GXxbEJ59R0ZNZTUuk6mMsnH7yfznsPEUACPfNmTvw8OIgQ9w_FUStTtveA8sn7KdoPr54PlgCh=w270-h400" width="270" /></a></div><p>What I did truly love about <i>What If </i>was that it felt like the writers knew they could get away with anything they wanted, and took full advantage of it. They hired Josh Brolin to come back as Thanos but he's a good guy now thanks to T'Challa and the other characters like to poke fun at him for having a genocidal plan. They got Michael B. Jordan to return as Killmonger but he's using his love of gundams to manipulate Tony Stark into giving him an army to help him take over Wakanda. Nebula is blonde!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi2hLm_uN5hGC_qbOzrFpiI0lb3acKx8xwby2Mqe1fWYoRtdb5LvSf5oJk47diCPLbeTtwQ1tx0Ph_v8NaDn1NUTl95AKL1KaxXGEAvsOFOA9yAdPjsNqsrffqmO9kRWMzSm1Q0OxBi48akn_f9C10r6qp52guBKgYopPjdV1oY72_rcR4lmsviQR71=s2880" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1308" data-original-width="2880" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi2hLm_uN5hGC_qbOzrFpiI0lb3acKx8xwby2Mqe1fWYoRtdb5LvSf5oJk47diCPLbeTtwQ1tx0Ph_v8NaDn1NUTl95AKL1KaxXGEAvsOFOA9yAdPjsNqsrffqmO9kRWMzSm1Q0OxBi48akn_f9C10r6qp52guBKgYopPjdV1oY72_rcR4lmsviQR71=w400-h181" width="400" /></a></div><p>Oh lighten up, it's fun!<i> Marvel's What If</i> is the equivalent of children roleplaying with their favourite characters, and it's not asking to be taken too seriously because it knows it doesn't have to fit into any grand plan or worry about continuity. And if you aren't a fan of fun episodes because you're a jaded asshole, take a look at the Dr Strange episode. That's probably one of the best episodes of the entire <i>MCU</i> run of 2021, and it's fascinating, with a performance by Benedict Cumberbatch absolutely dripping with depth and effort. And speaking of performances, this is the official last time we ever hear Chadwick Boseman as T'Challa/Black Panther. For that alone, <i>What If</i> is worth a watch and an open mind.</p><p><br /></p><p><u><i><b>The Falcon and the Winter Soldier</b></i></u></p><p>This one was tough for me to decide on. On the one hand, it provided some of the best scenes and commentary that <i>Marvel</i> provided in 2021. Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan absolutely nail the characters once again, and we get to see Falcon evolve from a sidekick into his own fleshed-out hero with conflicts and personal goals. On the other hand, we have John Walker's confusing messy path, and a bunch of little stuff that makes watching this with other people an absolute pain.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh7SgK-4a48y-e1bogKO-YW6jwudIWlzEnrwhi-IUJnns8Q6tKczutLkJk2rwYCPeRmsKWVBuZemC3Bicwj0I-VygfbLpWupdqPekPwKt9q2REuGd-bAL-qb1VWTmPFG4x9eL_-A9LFe9cJ1jjdX6mE46Ki3LHMoue9aKla4hsnEvHY8h-Jw02A7BFt=s2500" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2500" data-original-width="1688" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh7SgK-4a48y-e1bogKO-YW6jwudIWlzEnrwhi-IUJnns8Q6tKczutLkJk2rwYCPeRmsKWVBuZemC3Bicwj0I-VygfbLpWupdqPekPwKt9q2REuGd-bAL-qb1VWTmPFG4x9eL_-A9LFe9cJ1jjdX6mE46Ki3LHMoue9aKla4hsnEvHY8h-Jw02A7BFt=w270-h400" width="270" /></a></div><p>The stuff with Carl Lumbey's Isaiah Bradley is perfect, and I won't hear a single complaint about it. His ending made me tear up, his outbursts stuck with me long after the week's episode was over, and everything he said is cruel and relevant. It's wonderful, he's wonderful, and he deserved the Emmy for that performance. And Anthony Mackie just makes the scenes even better, as we watch him absorb the information and let the full weight of his choices really come down on him, making what he will eventually become all the more significant. And that scene where he flies in, throws the shield, smashes through the window and catches the shield after it hits a bad guy... Beautiful.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg8NuYDnw-co0yHvNv3vkRrDaC8iRJ5Wa-2m3X54xhH7qE-OLy9MViV8GrRzDMkND4I2Eg5NzT1QarRKWP6GV3ubUo0zzRpOuwmNara8Mv7AmehQEg9KCNA__gIwWmyM100UOzKfdHMS8k4CXFFOozJP4Nl4BGS4SvHGiGXFEmQYYZ4Agi8IidK_XRL=s768" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="768" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg8NuYDnw-co0yHvNv3vkRrDaC8iRJ5Wa-2m3X54xhH7qE-OLy9MViV8GrRzDMkND4I2Eg5NzT1QarRKWP6GV3ubUo0zzRpOuwmNara8Mv7AmehQEg9KCNA__gIwWmyM100UOzKfdHMS8k4CXFFOozJP4Nl4BGS4SvHGiGXFEmQYYZ4Agi8IidK_XRL=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div><p>Unfortunately, the series is plagued by little problems here and there. John Walker bounces about the place with no consistency or payoff (presumably that's meant to happen in the future), Karli is severely lacking as an antagonist despite such an interesting motivation, and... how do I explain this... when a show talks about heavy stuff like this, it will cause the audience to overanalyse. Stuff like Zemo's return, while awesome, becomes controversial purely because of the kind of show that this has become. I saw people getting legitimately angry at the line "The Dora Milaje have jurisdiction wherever the Dora Milaje find themselves to be" as if it's a betrayal of everything the <i>Black Panther</i> movie was about and it represents this and that... guys, it's just a cool one-liner! Relax. Fuck. Still though, a great show with a few too many fumbles for me to take it up any higher.</p><p><br /></p><p><u><i><b>Hawkeye</b></i></u></p><p>Really? <i>Hawkeye</i> is number 2? I'm looking at this list again to make sure and yeah, seems that way. I am very surprised at myself here but it's true. <i>Hawkeye</i>, while playing it a bit too safe for my liking, managed to make a completely enjoyable and satisfactory series from beginning to end. Sure, the Christmas theme was probably just a gimmick but who honestly cares when you're having this much fun? For gods sake, they made a full scene of Rogers: The Musical! How can you not smile during this?!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjpCAVKzQwFavgi5gNgSUiPL9Xdfc64fb9Ea3doESjrlC-op4wfJ2gaXndz-OKM15NkcS18DjkuIFOJ6AeOofWNKtN8VXxJDof4qMUShd-AuOMnzcq2Txmfa3iSsY3vQlq_gwBDp9i2NBr-zZthhOuglgPdDBGc4NfnJVbIXtUSytWMxrgll1LRptXe=s1200" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="960" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjpCAVKzQwFavgi5gNgSUiPL9Xdfc64fb9Ea3doESjrlC-op4wfJ2gaXndz-OKM15NkcS18DjkuIFOJ6AeOofWNKtN8VXxJDof4qMUShd-AuOMnzcq2Txmfa3iSsY3vQlq_gwBDp9i2NBr-zZthhOuglgPdDBGc4NfnJVbIXtUSytWMxrgll1LRptXe=w320-h400" width="320" /></a></div><p>Clint Barton finally getting the sorta-lead role makes his character actually interesting, thereby validating one of my friends who has insisted for years that he's worthy of my love, and <i>Hawkeye</i> really does give justice to the death of Black Widow that was cruelly neglected the attention it deserved in <i>Avengers Endgame</i>. Oh and I love Hailee Steinfeld as Kate Bishop, she's so great in everything and this is yet another role of hers that is just fantastic, with a wonderful (if cliched) dynamic with her hero and mentor Clint. Love you, Hailee!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi63H7nlzwVtj5lc9ObihXkv2OV6sxdRaQY_KyTYKYQ5FjE5tGoYV4AowyI8JUnCwl6HlAGEili3rzQgdHQtCxK_Zl6-risxMRHI54zYZdL8rM_gwuzj3wDX0N2w5zml2tkDbTWtNunWE8HhlHvfUmcwS7aQqTGS9P3f-d_xn6Mg66SNEwXi5LgYCxI=s1400" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="1400" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi63H7nlzwVtj5lc9ObihXkv2OV6sxdRaQY_KyTYKYQ5FjE5tGoYV4AowyI8JUnCwl6HlAGEili3rzQgdHQtCxK_Zl6-risxMRHI54zYZdL8rM_gwuzj3wDX0N2w5zml2tkDbTWtNunWE8HhlHvfUmcwS7aQqTGS9P3f-d_xn6Mg66SNEwXi5LgYCxI=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div><p>And there's a Pizza Dog. His name is Lucky. He's known as the Pizza Dog. I mean... he's perfect. I want to kiss his loveable face forever. And we can eat pizza together. Yes, the action is tons of fun with trick arrows and weird stunts, and yes there's a strong heart throughout thanks to Kate and Clint bonding while tackling the badass Echo (who is getting her own spinoff show that I am very excited for) and the other badass Yelena, but does any of that matter when there is a Pizza Dog? Well of course it does but PIZZA DOG!</p><p><br /></p><p><b><i><u>Wandavision</u></i></b></p><p>While it may have made some dire mistakes during the finale, <i>Wandavision</i> is the show I most think back on and appreciate from the <i>MCU</i> during 2021. It was weird, it was experimental, it had a slow burn with intrigue and mystery, and while some of the questions didn't exactly end well, a lot of them did! And just like with the other shows, we finally get to see two underused characters get the screentime and love they deserve, both from each other and the audience.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiyAinJryi1kbNg6GlFB_8C7LtbG2m0FMneQ8Tq4YJmSdQYjpmDoeyxszI0MFmQxfuToQDNhOMdSgYy910do_ds9qwsak-cj_UhX9VIc6JT3BxircK5nfLtAUB1CCMDCssbxRn7zLEk1W6DHpOP2xF2-nZ6Q8r-fHBH0wwiM3D9-X1nx35Ey-ME6k5t=s1025" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1025" data-original-width="692" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiyAinJryi1kbNg6GlFB_8C7LtbG2m0FMneQ8Tq4YJmSdQYjpmDoeyxszI0MFmQxfuToQDNhOMdSgYy910do_ds9qwsak-cj_UhX9VIc6JT3BxircK5nfLtAUB1CCMDCssbxRn7zLEk1W6DHpOP2xF2-nZ6Q8r-fHBH0wwiM3D9-X1nx35Ey-ME6k5t=w270-h400" width="270" /></a></div><p>Each episode representing a different era of sitcoms, from<i> I Love Lucy</i> to <i>Full House</i> to <i>Malcolm in the Middle</i>, is absolutely inspired and makes each episode a delight for the senses. Elizabeth Olsen is making me nearly cry in some of these scenes, and Paul Bettany is an absolute delight alongside her. And casting Kathryn Hahn as the nosey neighbour with a dark secret is exactly the kind of role she deserves to sink her teeth into. There's so much to love here, and... damn I wish the finale didn't mess it up.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjYMwVGrBXU3ozquVl5DTzZ1q3akcgZCJDlFItnRsEAq_BRWBYsq4IaPOIJJLp5ZgrBlpQCp_3S2lq88x9PGgLebIuEYrXoWUxC-jaDnq1BwPCAW-apImQTmOuC40H5PTXtWSQnoGaWR1-EYrc3U3e1-gH7PEYJwVcYKLlhLztJnsajnSqZKc1zh1ln=s2500" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1626" data-original-width="2500" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjYMwVGrBXU3ozquVl5DTzZ1q3akcgZCJDlFItnRsEAq_BRWBYsq4IaPOIJJLp5ZgrBlpQCp_3S2lq88x9PGgLebIuEYrXoWUxC-jaDnq1BwPCAW-apImQTmOuC40H5PTXtWSQnoGaWR1-EYrc3U3e1-gH7PEYJwVcYKLlhLztJnsajnSqZKc1zh1ln=w400-h260" width="400" /></a></div><p>White Vision is terrible, coming across more like an attempt to reverse a tragic decision and remove consequences rather than an organic way to continue the life of Vision, the way Wanda is treated by the show after all the terrible things she did, accidental or not, feels off, and let's not even talk about Ralph... but damn, I hope we see more stuff like this in the future. I want to see <i>Marvel</i> experiment, and try new things and weird things and be absolutely ridiculous whenever it wants. I don't need CGI battles against villainous copies or big blue sky beams. I need existential discussions about what makes us human and how heartbreak is actually a natural response of love and care and... damn, I might need to watch this one again.</p>Shigginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16256099093521615360noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4926295868515831102.post-62273180867319328462022-01-01T08:12:00.001-08:002022-01-01T08:12:18.055-08:00Every Movie I Enjoyed in 2021<p style="text-align: center;"><i> Written by Shiggins</i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">Hey, watch it buddy!</p><p>2021 is finally over, and I doubt most of us are sad to see it go. I know I had a rough time of it, which you can tell from the lack of articles and reviews published this year (please forgive me, senpais and kouhais!), especially in the movie department, so I wanted to take this chance to just list a bunch of movies I enjoyed that year, why I enjoyed them, and why I hope you can enjoy them too. This is a fully positive article done for us all to have fun, so no terrible movies will even be mentioned here!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgfJtaSYAE241cLeXQkUz0OnidrM6fiv_9xqU7J-YtpzXma6ynQrzgWkTOMkW2xHNnAnw2rwR27PYCGl7HbciuTlgnTFGVksrFXIe0MWTDkVZ73gHNNfRX_faGxn-IfoYDKd3nim3ZcThPYdXMu8P8uyceF4vCr0xhfNxVIUZzQetnvMqOoLwSGlkur=s2500" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1351" data-original-width="2500" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgfJtaSYAE241cLeXQkUz0OnidrM6fiv_9xqU7J-YtpzXma6ynQrzgWkTOMkW2xHNnAnw2rwR27PYCGl7HbciuTlgnTFGVksrFXIe0MWTDkVZ73gHNNfRX_faGxn-IfoYDKd3nim3ZcThPYdXMu8P8uyceF4vCr0xhfNxVIUZzQetnvMqOoLwSGlkur=w400-h216" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span><a name='more'></a></span><p><u><i><b>Mitchells vs the Machines</b></i></u></p><p>I've certainly gained a new appreciation for animation over the past few years, and I've never been more thankful for that than when <i>Mitchells vs the Machines</i> released on <i>Netflix</i> in April. In fact, without exaggeration, this might be my favourite movie of the year. Yes, even above the <i>MCU</i> movies that you all know I slobber over every single time! (Although damn, <i>Spider-Man</i> was so good...) It's an addiction and I am <i>not</i> trying to get help for it.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhgx6kRJo4KjSEcU842N3rkk03z45-2YYL68mXDTOdGp98l_DRdyCcf8IrNvAnUKQQ7PNF9w2UxJhYDQSeJbE43KWgi9tPbas2wY7bLB8D0K6thYhLO7CdzpF_uVFivJ0-ilVacMMrD6agkMxE2tUkOF0HcK8B9b2Uv5ClYE7dL9w0-Bz2zbW6GfA1s=s2222" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2222" data-original-width="1500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhgx6kRJo4KjSEcU842N3rkk03z45-2YYL68mXDTOdGp98l_DRdyCcf8IrNvAnUKQQ7PNF9w2UxJhYDQSeJbE43KWgi9tPbas2wY7bLB8D0K6thYhLO7CdzpF_uVFivJ0-ilVacMMrD6agkMxE2tUkOF0HcK8B9b2Uv5ClYE7dL9w0-Bz2zbW6GfA1s=w270-h400" width="270" /></a></div><p>Directed by Mike Rianda, one of the creative directors and writers for<i> Gravity Falls</i>, another cartoon I adore, in his film debut, <i>Mitchells vs the Machines</i> is all about a family of four plus one dog as they take a drive across the country to drop off the teenage daughter Katie (Abbi Jacobson) to her new film school. Her dad, Rick, voiced by Danny Mcbride, is desperate to reconnect with her like the good old days, but their plans are put into hilarious chaos when the robot uprising begins, led by an AI known as PAL (Olivia Colman), and the family find themselves on the run. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgJgK7oCyClnagpzhQp3wTaFBVYWN0WzMvB0DDo-55KvOJmzNjQ4s0WyNFORqrAdCkj0cmct-JGxP70mIlTdZfq1FiY9idiZm4IDAEC9QENHezL6CiHJJ4ttId5cRmNVIC4AaMH1nukQSG42xCBbQi6XH0YUcFZvkc5QrX_joVOvcSPcwIYo5ge8jT5=s740" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="380" data-original-width="740" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgJgK7oCyClnagpzhQp3wTaFBVYWN0WzMvB0DDo-55KvOJmzNjQ4s0WyNFORqrAdCkj0cmct-JGxP70mIlTdZfq1FiY9idiZm4IDAEC9QENHezL6CiHJJ4ttId5cRmNVIC4AaMH1nukQSG42xCBbQi6XH0YUcFZvkc5QrX_joVOvcSPcwIYo5ge8jT5=w400-h205" width="400" /></a></div><p>Not only is the film gorgeous to look at, lovingly crafted in a way very distinct from other big budget animated movies, but it's also absolutely hilarious. Maya Rudolph plays the mother, Linda, and Mike Rianda appears as the youngest dinosaur-obsessed child Aaron, and their contribution to the story is as important as it is heartfelt. Every character, including the lovable Monchi voiced by Doug the Pug who actually has his own <i>Wikipedia</i> page, feel necessary to the story, and if you've seen any animated family movies, you know how rare that can be. The heart is in spades, the relationships all feel natural and never too mean-spirited or cruel, and again, it's so damn funny! Also, there's some LGBT+ representation that... wait for it... actually doesn't suck?! </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><u><i><b>Dune</b></i></u></p><p>You'll notice a lack of "artistic" films in this article, and while some of you might write me off as a lost cause in that regard purely because I love <i>Marvel</i> and animated movies, it is true that I avoided darker and heavier films this year due to feeling overwhelmed and pressured by life. I wanted fun movies. I'm not going to apologise for that. However, that didn't mean I wasn't going to check out <i>Dune</i>! Of course I went and saw <i>Dune</i>! It's <i>Dune</i>!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjjVy2l4UPyUdRDM_kYlUUUooNhlqp1yKL7N5YSfLtZ810e6-INKMz5PFeAHQC__NtcJIWoeec-BG4JfVAnVh2T0i6GFa8FbwQwfd5hc76Zccd_zi7QYrPPRFeWWabM0tM58INDeduXP0oL0yX3hjcNSfOo2xr9opuVqTZ2fyxp4oVQD7Xtg1kjVRF1=s1483" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1483" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjjVy2l4UPyUdRDM_kYlUUUooNhlqp1yKL7N5YSfLtZ810e6-INKMz5PFeAHQC__NtcJIWoeec-BG4JfVAnVh2T0i6GFa8FbwQwfd5hc76Zccd_zi7QYrPPRFeWWabM0tM58INDeduXP0oL0yX3hjcNSfOo2xr9opuVqTZ2fyxp4oVQD7Xtg1kjVRF1=w270-h400" width="270" /></a></div><p>Brought to us by Denis Villeneuve (<i>Arrival, Blade Runner 2049</i>), <i>Dune</i> is an adaptation of the 1965 classic novel by Frank Herbert, and is by far the best version you will most likely ever see in your lifetime. It follows the heir of House Atreides, Paul (Timothee Chalamet) in the year 10191 as they go to an alien planet to mine for the resource known as Spice, but find themselves involved in a conspiracy to wipe out the entire family and take over the universe.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiuwsZEGmUqHeN7Jdz2cTrooGTrezG9FOh7EFkOKWX3JDHutbPxRSI06tY5MOt5f9fKg6NJa82LejkNg0U1NWFb84f3oP8XSK4ceiqIk9gBVa_pN57xsfC3B5Wgcj2Oe8E5N1cQuOpLuAklRm7WubXPkogztunqY65Bj5pn_kbhkiLUqoFNl-n5FATj=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="714" data-original-width="1280" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiuwsZEGmUqHeN7Jdz2cTrooGTrezG9FOh7EFkOKWX3JDHutbPxRSI06tY5MOt5f9fKg6NJa82LejkNg0U1NWFb84f3oP8XSK4ceiqIk9gBVa_pN57xsfC3B5Wgcj2Oe8E5N1cQuOpLuAklRm7WubXPkogztunqY65Bj5pn_kbhkiLUqoFNl-n5FATj=w400-h224" width="400" /></a></div><p>We don't get enough movies like <i>Dune</i>. Every detail is flawlessly brought to life, every actor like Oscar Isaacs and Rebecca Ferguson are giving it their 110%, the world of <i>Dune</i> looks utterly fantastic, and the film takes it's time to let us drink in the atmosphere. Admittedly I found some of the characters a bit too dry, but the film is so dense and full of life and intrigue elsewhere that I found it difficult to complain. This is a slow-paced but meaty film, and I really can't wait for the sequel.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><u><i><b>Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings</b></i></u></p><p>To probably nobody's surprise, I've enjoyed every <i>MCU</i> movie this year. Yes, even <i>Eternals</i>, which I thought was packed with great ideas and stories but had too many characters to properly explore them all, and <i>Black Widow</i> which came out far too late to get the treatment it deserved, but was still a solid action movie. However, I don't want to make this list all about the superheroes so I decided to just focus on two of the MCU movies that will no doubt be remembered for a damn long time.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiKcTAjsvVHIhcKrE8qdibf0MJVlJ41l9vLfb8ukZkrO4BCn9E5EJDUsIgPVa7DnNj-xuSa6zLYeAsjBW24ZUtJ3VkjJBcJhvILua1uNnPvI6pqEgpC7q5bFT8Z5FmsNKbnY1Gewp6wWI77JRmL3fXebk2SZNYcBW6gnAjp_4ubywTPqa8cf-J_Qd0w=s2500" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2500" data-original-width="1688" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiKcTAjsvVHIhcKrE8qdibf0MJVlJ41l9vLfb8ukZkrO4BCn9E5EJDUsIgPVa7DnNj-xuSa6zLYeAsjBW24ZUtJ3VkjJBcJhvILua1uNnPvI6pqEgpC7q5bFT8Z5FmsNKbnY1Gewp6wWI77JRmL3fXebk2SZNYcBW6gnAjp_4ubywTPqa8cf-J_Qd0w=w270-h400" width="270" /></a></div><p>Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, best known for 2019's biopic <i>Just Mercy</i>, the film stars the titular hero Shang-Chi (Simu Liu) as he ends up having to battle his father Xu Wenwu (Tony Leung) and confront his past. Along for the ride are his best friend Katy (Awkwafina), his sister Xu Xialing (Meng'er Zhang) and a few surprising faces, one of which doesn't actually have a face!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi9_JBrpos4VBPNmD4Dd6zzA-Z8v3YD3LJxP99Get9gPhaQ4jEWq3pjZnTC1a83jMCbRm0dhfe9oYQ0Lqn7Rz-enpRISs_2R6CR-ol3W_4v6iu8qXraUEE04P4clj4SfGxSfUwsNeaGIwi2vGkRKaeSAhgG5ORKdt3ZYpEsBZkcKqu9rcICqCgkOmko=s1500" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="580" data-original-width="1500" height="155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi9_JBrpos4VBPNmD4Dd6zzA-Z8v3YD3LJxP99Get9gPhaQ4jEWq3pjZnTC1a83jMCbRm0dhfe9oYQ0Lqn7Rz-enpRISs_2R6CR-ol3W_4v6iu8qXraUEE04P4clj4SfGxSfUwsNeaGIwi2vGkRKaeSAhgG5ORKdt3ZYpEsBZkcKqu9rcICqCgkOmko=w400-h155" width="400" /></a></div><p>Unsurprisingly, I love the characters and the dynamics they share. Shang-Chi and Katy make a great pair of besties, and their father Wenwu is one of the <i>MCU's</i> best villains, with Tony Leung managing to bring out the character's darkness and mix it with his extremely human motivation. The choreography is wonderful too, with fewer cuts than we're used to from some superhero movies, and it all has me excited for the <i>MCU's</i> future.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><u><i><b>Spider-Man No Way Home</b></i></u></p><p>Wow, big shock. The guy who never shuts the hell up about <i>Spider-Man</i> or <i>Marvel</i> in general loved the new <i>Spider-Man</i> film. If this film was pure fanservice, as many have no doubt told you it is, I'd admittedly probably still enjoy it at least a little and I can admit that, but the personal conflicts and ideas brought forth are what make this film as great as it is.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjrwWnQRqwkDSEDAoV2Uwu9i7baNQhwFXaInJ33LaV_3hfNqDV3AD3jnjMr5egC7vnro_naZ9ED8kBFDPJVohBllylHaS3Se0UWLQL0UBrr9JS-nIF-8nyRv4xhBtzoH1EtNEejYnihMrZrEwgIa784ktsXD7D6WiHq5jVGPO613inm2USqFasqULop=s1500" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1012" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjrwWnQRqwkDSEDAoV2Uwu9i7baNQhwFXaInJ33LaV_3hfNqDV3AD3jnjMr5egC7vnro_naZ9ED8kBFDPJVohBllylHaS3Se0UWLQL0UBrr9JS-nIF-8nyRv4xhBtzoH1EtNEejYnihMrZrEwgIa784ktsXD7D6WiHq5jVGPO613inm2USqFasqULop=w270-h400" width="270" /></a></div><p>Tom Holland's Peter Parker returns once more to deal with the ramifications of <i>Far from Home</i>, in which he was framed and outed in front of the whole world. His friends MJ (Zendaya) and Ned (Jacob Batalon) are finding their lives ruined by being associated with him, so Peter begs Dr Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) for help. A spell goes wrong, and now foes from all across the multiverse are here to wreck havoc, including Alfred Molina's brilliant Doctor Octopus, Jamie Foxx's Electro, and more!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgYWOtzvvndC4_8vZ3FOtrM2AR4Kwsc3cN8QVda-bjECZOgLoHA1vLfywuT_6YMdGzVrMmP4hsNLUVCSS0KjqcNcRCNKyBdPEjEGV9t0WYr1hTTe8I2P5DeGRaLFPIvfd5-Md7j-U1hMXrTsFG7QHB83QCAOT9-nUUO02sQ0OfSlBLFYmj3Fc8kucS0=s768" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="768" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgYWOtzvvndC4_8vZ3FOtrM2AR4Kwsc3cN8QVda-bjECZOgLoHA1vLfywuT_6YMdGzVrMmP4hsNLUVCSS0KjqcNcRCNKyBdPEjEGV9t0WYr1hTTe8I2P5DeGRaLFPIvfd5-Md7j-U1hMXrTsFG7QHB83QCAOT9-nUUO02sQ0OfSlBLFYmj3Fc8kucS0=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div><p>Besides the action and the Saturday morning cartoon feel of how outrageously geeky everything gets, I love how much Peter and Aunt May (Marisa Tomei) try to combat the mental and physical trauma of these foes. Most, if not all, of these enemies are victims in their own way and the fact we're getting such a positive portrayal of therapy, admittedly the superhero version where we use technology instead of conversation, is pretty fantastic. Oh and Willem Dafoe's Norman Osborn is even greater than before, bringing a new depth to the character and a new intimidating aura to the Green Goblin. If only they had one more villain to create a Sinister Six...</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><u><i><b>Jungle Cruise</b></i></u></p><p>Yeah shut up, I liked this movie. It was one of the biggest laughs I had this year, and this list isn't about "the films that were amazing and great and deserve Oscars". It's the films I sat down, and watched, and had a great time with. I know there's someone reading this list and getting annoyed at my choices, but what else can I say? <i>Jungle Cruise </i>made me laugh. A lot.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjyUbVW8BJZr6CBwBYkHNGW1UhSddxlKL7nDzA8o0uP7TysgbLlV32gmRxN_9_1GVtI6O-aa7W6eekHkSahteKK7XMH92t4A2nK9Z3XLbk_3zfEApgs8D02bLUdCT65RQESMC6UuhY1JZFKQG3xzSUh1Bu89CzXIMYgeOFvmaeSyuylcaUbAeT4ytTx=s2500" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2500" data-original-width="1688" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjyUbVW8BJZr6CBwBYkHNGW1UhSddxlKL7nDzA8o0uP7TysgbLlV32gmRxN_9_1GVtI6O-aa7W6eekHkSahteKK7XMH92t4A2nK9Z3XLbk_3zfEApgs8D02bLUdCT65RQESMC6UuhY1JZFKQG3xzSUh1Bu89CzXIMYgeOFvmaeSyuylcaUbAeT4ytTx=w270-h400" width="270" /></a></div><p>Emily Blunt plays an explorer who wants to get a mystical flower so she can use it to heal the victims of World War 1 (this is set in 1916 by the way) so she travels to Brazil and enlists the help of Dwayne Johnson, as does her brother Jack Whitehall, while the evil Jesse Plemons is trying to get it first for evil purposes.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEijTlPtM_Q6S-slr-9S9lcGlLoyvfDz-72XQ0ySD0JGe9CUJkwZGBowUU_Cuoohf61a73B4ZbdHlb_QJWRqGU7oqXjjt1tNFKFyh8Wf_a3BgdYOVqIF2BP0-WgXOqx0NbYiqOhzSRmFHS3UkB45WmMczuiyh2Xv1dCrhLk-8FAJT4cG7jU-3POZMFif=s1600" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEijTlPtM_Q6S-slr-9S9lcGlLoyvfDz-72XQ0ySD0JGe9CUJkwZGBowUU_Cuoohf61a73B4ZbdHlb_QJWRqGU7oqXjjt1tNFKFyh8Wf_a3BgdYOVqIF2BP0-WgXOqx0NbYiqOhzSRmFHS3UkB45WmMczuiyh2Xv1dCrhLk-8FAJT4cG7jU-3POZMFif=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div><p>There's fantasy, bad CGI, good jokes, some harmless action scenes and so many puns! The Rock brings his usual charm, Emily Blunt makes a good argument for why she should play a live-action Jane Porter if <i>Disney</i> ever grab back the rights to <i>Tarzan</i>, and Jake Whitehall isn't doing an American accent like in that <i>Clifford</i> movie. And again, did I mention the puns? Because they're amazing and plentiful. I loved them, but to some of you, it will no doubt feel like a pun-ishment.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><u><i><b>Godzilla vs Kong</b></i></u></p><p>Big lizard fights big monkey.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhJl3ZLefQp3DNZuKGELoqEcx8XH-W-ht5jrPVdMk83Q9luLjxEa5JrqmkvT9AXmuMSA68eUJ85Y7svhIGjqFxLtGF828seLB6PqZNAZ0GgMLiLutmciSOwxMhHFYtLJJWBoyUqXWLjv89xYBl6nD4F-jXa_LZdRySzcO6VxAfNmnCaVaUcB2DoXXIb=s1620" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1620" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhJl3ZLefQp3DNZuKGELoqEcx8XH-W-ht5jrPVdMk83Q9luLjxEa5JrqmkvT9AXmuMSA68eUJ85Y7svhIGjqFxLtGF828seLB6PqZNAZ0GgMLiLutmciSOwxMhHFYtLJJWBoyUqXWLjv89xYBl6nD4F-jXa_LZdRySzcO6VxAfNmnCaVaUcB2DoXXIb=w266-h400" width="266" /></a></div><p>Big lizard and big monkey fight big goofy robot.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjALQA87UOKJ72_ZGpfOAxOptJYwZnqs1igUEhGyEhaBkCgVZDqJ6SbF2mU8ax8e9EUT86UcHUDb5VXAtzhWFtZZ2xRusNls5zn-hUF_muwVQwg_tl4eRIkHHUrKfxxZrc4T9O5KkVWfwcE-iZMAYNeIKb2n7hQVATuQKrxhQvbMeGKp4LFW0fviapD=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjALQA87UOKJ72_ZGpfOAxOptJYwZnqs1igUEhGyEhaBkCgVZDqJ6SbF2mU8ax8e9EUT86UcHUDb5VXAtzhWFtZZ2xRusNls5zn-hUF_muwVQwg_tl4eRIkHHUrKfxxZrc4T9O5KkVWfwcE-iZMAYNeIKb2n7hQVATuQKrxhQvbMeGKp4LFW0fviapD=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div><p>And that is why I enjoyed <i>Godzilla vs Kong</i>.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><u><i><b>Raya and the Last Dragon</b></i></u></p><p>I know the reviews were mostly positive, but I don't think this film won audiences over as well as a certain other <i>Disney</i> film has (we'll get to that one soon, don't worry). Well, I enjoyed it and I don't want you to forget about it just yet so here we go with one of the many films that skipped cinemas and went right to a streaming service. As far as I'm aware though, this is the only one with Kelly Marie Tran, so that instantly makes it a cut above the rest.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg3XN1HBysZCYr7BpKRk7ONdLcny8V-KRsZe3K8yY9A_0b97ehwMsKPXVAHYcIgV2phgbT7XOa4bqx1XsevuvL0fT72Iv1k6CiqksVaQw_SZTXGAcuN1LrIzVtkI3qMv7kzai-TPBlwa7vo4iflLYz-8SanLJPQnnE28I7o-gSpL1bx1Rqw4BLrtbdM=s2963" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2963" data-original-width="2000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg3XN1HBysZCYr7BpKRk7ONdLcny8V-KRsZe3K8yY9A_0b97ehwMsKPXVAHYcIgV2phgbT7XOa4bqx1XsevuvL0fT72Iv1k6CiqksVaQw_SZTXGAcuN1LrIzVtkI3qMv7kzai-TPBlwa7vo4iflLYz-8SanLJPQnnE28I7o-gSpL1bx1Rqw4BLrtbdM=w270-h400" width="270" /></a></div><p>After a dark storm starts to take over the world, princess Raya ventures out to locate the mystical dragon Sisu (Awkwafina's second appearance on this list! Didn't predict that!) and find a way to free her father. As she gathers allies, including a baby who is one of the worst <i>Disney</i> characters ever made, her rival Namaari (Gemma Chan) keeps up her pursuit.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi4s2eh5K1-ziAA6keTFc6THE0-iYhZ96-xvvHdpapy-Y8f2lZD6mJSR2Ql-5UPgwKfy8XLpHoAUZda3aStgh1O3kYWZL5N4AxwxPfGOShXBEKUUUZAnCatu1MEyMJICBBDOSz0Aom9N3i370Bwqm7TdBD4mMwlHDUSwjS5Np8FHB6UfVlsvI8axT6i=s1100" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="618" data-original-width="1100" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi4s2eh5K1-ziAA6keTFc6THE0-iYhZ96-xvvHdpapy-Y8f2lZD6mJSR2Ql-5UPgwKfy8XLpHoAUZda3aStgh1O3kYWZL5N4AxwxPfGOShXBEKUUUZAnCatu1MEyMJICBBDOSz0Aom9N3i370Bwqm7TdBD4mMwlHDUSwjS5Np8FHB6UfVlsvI8axT6i=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div><p>I'm not a huge fan of most of the supporting cast, especially that baby, but I love Raya herself. She's motivated and strong and resourceful, and there's a nice message about unity and trust going on that is very maturely handled. Oh and Raya and Namaari make a classic duo for the ages. <i>Disney</i> would be idiots to ignore them and not have them reappear in some way again.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b><i><u>The Suicide Squad</u></i></b></p><p>Hey look, it's the best <i>DC</i> movie since <i>The Dark Knight</i>, although for amazingly different reasons. I said it before in my <i>DCEU</i> Ranking, but <i>the Suicide Squad</i> feels like the film that best understands what the hell is going on and what it should be doing. I don't want to see Superman miserable and fighting a weird Jesse Eisenberg. I want to see my heroes bright and happy and as insane as the <i>DC</i> universe is capable of!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiYOAh3JtNRui8s37QZ0MJtf6zY0CBR-fd2jUZ6JrhRb-3iKzpIilXz6TWmCvgJE_k_aHf9wM2zb9RZA2I7AZ3ey-DXQMt6jsUffAQVA7NULBC7ayxYuiwwa5hBd0lodj3q4CM0HrLSHXppYqOB45CbBVoSULTorpUVwyUJl2V4zYeZDEUZ_ECGxP6G=s1080" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="760" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiYOAh3JtNRui8s37QZ0MJtf6zY0CBR-fd2jUZ6JrhRb-3iKzpIilXz6TWmCvgJE_k_aHf9wM2zb9RZA2I7AZ3ey-DXQMt6jsUffAQVA7NULBC7ayxYuiwwa5hBd0lodj3q4CM0HrLSHXppYqOB45CbBVoSULTorpUVwyUJl2V4zYeZDEUZ_ECGxP6G=w281-h400" width="281" /></a></div><p>Rebooting (or being a sequel to?) the original <i>Suicide Squad</i> movie from 2016, Amanda Waller sends off her new Suicide Squad team to take down a secret operation known as Project Starfish. Bloodshot, King Shark, Ratcatcher 2, Peacemaker, Harley Quinn, Rick Flag and even, somehow, motherfudging Polka-Dot Man all manage to be engaging as a team and fight together to save the day.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgK3_kr7SqzfEQxYgwXUGEBGjkGx4KRkityVUuMAc5Ogp0KDYnKaUpdX9YqDi0_byiUM1fHMEmXtWESc6m5uHzihS-n6JwBA4z5oRHybLlo_4Zpmdh2N1QmW__Rh0FN147fDYACOHjDZ6UlyJNJS98m2CBBLf3x9uaJxokHMBKXJMQLyJB9twQYc86-=s4306" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2422" data-original-width="4306" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgK3_kr7SqzfEQxYgwXUGEBGjkGx4KRkityVUuMAc5Ogp0KDYnKaUpdX9YqDi0_byiUM1fHMEmXtWESc6m5uHzihS-n6JwBA4z5oRHybLlo_4Zpmdh2N1QmW__Rh0FN147fDYACOHjDZ6UlyJNJS98m2CBBLf3x9uaJxokHMBKXJMQLyJB9twQYc86-=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div><p>Again, I want to emphasise this. A <i>DC </i>movie brought Polka-Dot Man to the big screen, and actually made him a compelling and enjoyable character. I should not be enjoying Polka-Dot Man more than Superman or Batman, but here we are. Everybody is fun, the action is wild, the comedy is hilarious and most importantly of all, the heart is strong, keeping us affected and endeared. Oh and there's a giant starfish. That's very important.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><u><i><b>Encanto</b></i></u></p><p>The most recent movie I've seen, and definitely one of the most colourful of the year, good ol' <i>Encanto</i>! Once again, <i>Disney</i> basically make a movie by picking a culture and using it to influence the music and characters as much as possible, but it's a formula that works and has done so many times. It also gives Lin-Manuel Miranda another opportunity to blow us away, so no complaints here.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgJR2ABESIrXvNg3XH9jKUz5bLITPUUBkSEMuygIBYPw6FM59aX59tyInqu_nTkzM_WAghCiEX4ZSyPv5y5eHT9T1FyxY2g6vvKnNRdlPlQUFfMKloS82qnfDGInTiZUmpWUhS-tiqrh5dlh65EEUbgxqUwhS4JaxNsQHCMSg2jUl287JKe-SiDGur_=s3034" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3034" data-original-width="2048" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgJR2ABESIrXvNg3XH9jKUz5bLITPUUBkSEMuygIBYPw6FM59aX59tyInqu_nTkzM_WAghCiEX4ZSyPv5y5eHT9T1FyxY2g6vvKnNRdlPlQUFfMKloS82qnfDGInTiZUmpWUhS-tiqrh5dlh65EEUbgxqUwhS4JaxNsQHCMSg2jUl287JKe-SiDGur_=w270-h400" width="270" /></a></div><p>In the Columbian family of Madrigal, the daughter Mirabel (Stephanie freakin' Beatriz) is the only one not to have been granted a magical power by the living house that protects them all. However, things seem to be going wrong and Mirabel begins realising just how much her family are hiding from both each other and themselves about how they're doing.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhor6Is-kTbb_dQ9eBMCpbXyCMBDFbiwJRtfqupVVkNYg2kZ00yspWRw77Prwb4eaNxGf7_cjm3otsuKXGFeTI5hMC_UNj91kLlwICKqmwuexBRb15u2JV_74q0QQK5jMn6jcfcQrzFQMsE-d8wNluKbYUOrCa45v2k05jYgnKomWwgIeZYUZosPd4n=s963" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="481" data-original-width="963" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhor6Is-kTbb_dQ9eBMCpbXyCMBDFbiwJRtfqupVVkNYg2kZ00yspWRw77Prwb4eaNxGf7_cjm3otsuKXGFeTI5hMC_UNj91kLlwICKqmwuexBRb15u2JV_74q0QQK5jMn6jcfcQrzFQMsE-d8wNluKbYUOrCa45v2k05jYgnKomWwgIeZYUZosPd4n=w400-h200" width="400" /></a></div><p>I do miss some of the villains like Maleficent and Cruella de Vil, but it's great to see how many <i>Disney</i> films manage to have conflict and adversary without having a character laugh evilly and try to steal the house or whatever. Mental health is important, and a film like <i>Encanto</i> shows just how much we need a break and how much we hide from our family to be accepted by them. It speaks to a lot of people in the audience. I also love the amount of hilarious expressions and line deliveries that Mirabel has, and I can't emphasise this enough... the songs are amazing. In fact, those millions and millions of views on <i>Youtube</i> for the songs? At least 30% of them are me listening to We Don't Talk about Bruno and Surface Pressure over and over again.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b><i><u>Venom: Let there be Carnage</u></i></b></p><p>So I did a big poopy on the first film, and my opinion of it hasn't really changed much. The first hour is boring, the shifts in tone are awkward and poorly-written, and Tom Hardy, while giving a great performance, doesn't feel like Eddie Brock. Well honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if Andy Serkis read my review and decided to direct this film with that in mind, because he seems to have just thrown his hands up in the air and given us a fun ride instead.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiPPIbQvIPZs89f5qgTZ9src-e_eUp219Z3uehhX88G3KEziJp5ufw7p3_Vc1ef6LzhOaAD342UlSRLf8vjqWoxG_ERD3PZ-ApSigdOl4cWlwcATB_3EbP5l_eZuR2eYDmpgEC_dTbakTA1SyCJA_ckDYs4TdzbgGtqJI2YCjjZfd2uKJ6fHxmDypBH=s2100" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2100" data-original-width="1400" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiPPIbQvIPZs89f5qgTZ9src-e_eUp219Z3uehhX88G3KEziJp5ufw7p3_Vc1ef6LzhOaAD342UlSRLf8vjqWoxG_ERD3PZ-ApSigdOl4cWlwcATB_3EbP5l_eZuR2eYDmpgEC_dTbakTA1SyCJA_ckDYs4TdzbgGtqJI2YCjjZfd2uKJ6fHxmDypBH=w266-h400" width="266" /></a></div><p>Eddie and Venom are back, constantly arguing about whether they should remain hidden or go out and fight crime together. Eventually, they make a mistake and evil psychopath Cletus Kassidy (Woody Harrelson) ends up getting his own symbiote Carnage, and begins a terrible rampage of murder and chaos. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhjziTxxLwmpqIERpfta5-NyW0A1Ep4xFczJNIS9uhsXetDV6D5YFK9hAw-0aXphpgGO8wA9u_GsSoB9khtrJceHa8x0Hy2KKbxpfkixNcZpQXrjkdm7asE4lGljuJ5q6wBtaQWjPb6jxQBV08tMVCyhZN9Olbq32PdppoIaojX4sSwwAKwNFR08HPQ=s681" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="383" data-original-width="681" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhjziTxxLwmpqIERpfta5-NyW0A1Ep4xFczJNIS9uhsXetDV6D5YFK9hAw-0aXphpgGO8wA9u_GsSoB9khtrJceHa8x0Hy2KKbxpfkixNcZpQXrjkdm7asE4lGljuJ5q6wBtaQWjPb6jxQBV08tMVCyhZN9Olbq32PdppoIaojX4sSwwAKwNFR08HPQ=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div><p>I love the <i>MCU</i> dearly, but it's great to see a superhero movie relax and not try to be a big universe-builder full of cameos and franchising. Tom Hardy's performance is fantastic fun, the banter is ridiculous and full of intended romance between the two characters Tom Hardy plays, and there's a bunch of good laughs throughout. I personally found Cletus miscast but all my complaints here feel nitpicky. <i>Venom 2</i> isn't trying to be a "big deal" and that's okay. It's fun, and that's all it needs to be. Also there's a scene where Carnage screams "Let there be Carnage" as the thunder strikes and his name echoes. How can I not enjoy that?!</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b><i><u>No Time to Die</u></i></b></p><p>I've been told by "purists" that this film breaks a lot of rules, but frankly I don't really care about that sort of stuff and never have. A new story should take risks, and even if not every idea doesn't work, I can still respect the choices made and see why they were chosen. Daniel Craig's last adventure as James Bond divided a lot of people, but I firmly enjoyed my time here.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj0-Ncd4ctSiU0kQYmvcvOiJfh4jW6Z-MwsbNf8CYyjJLeS5ou4vsqmsSoPvcvfbC-Ldj8_n2t5US-pTqdxPWKTHdxm7lZYgLXe46i5CTec8mfi2nCCOK__ivE4Mbt7qFlB6SN0uZbDjDdXnvm3rFbjPvLGqAnL0oj981zONVDKrJF3h--h_GYlgREl=s4096" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="2765" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj0-Ncd4ctSiU0kQYmvcvOiJfh4jW6Z-MwsbNf8CYyjJLeS5ou4vsqmsSoPvcvfbC-Ldj8_n2t5US-pTqdxPWKTHdxm7lZYgLXe46i5CTec8mfi2nCCOK__ivE4Mbt7qFlB6SN0uZbDjDdXnvm3rFbjPvLGqAnL0oj981zONVDKrJF3h--h_GYlgREl=w270-h400" width="270" /></a></div><p>The fifth and final Daniel Craig Bond film starts and ends with a bang, as James Bond finds himself coming out of retirement one last time for one last mission involving a secret weapon, traitors, his previous love interest Madeleine Swann (Léa Seydoux), and a new villain played by Rami Malek. Cars, explosions, gunshots and more, all designed to make us forget how boring <i>Spectre</i> was.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhitWOI0qlY81KNKyL2-R0t4l5vUlu6j9J7Ct3PHFEfoHR-jVNN84Tigzt-K0M9mFtsXdxMH6Re14Oju2aCiskAgN9f3Y6A2gWs2r4_zjT67FSEvZsCNzOKaMdeKdVADK8km9tZR8lQO0K8Dw3C8lOV0Uf7iVxlkPNhJWsC1mLcN82G_6ys_wqtG7Ji=s1920" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhitWOI0qlY81KNKyL2-R0t4l5vUlu6j9J7Ct3PHFEfoHR-jVNN84Tigzt-K0M9mFtsXdxMH6Re14Oju2aCiskAgN9f3Y6A2gWs2r4_zjT67FSEvZsCNzOKaMdeKdVADK8km9tZR8lQO0K8Dw3C8lOV0Uf7iVxlkPNhJWsC1mLcN82G_6ys_wqtG7Ji=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div><p>Daniel Craig gives a performance worthy of his final run, as does everyone else involved, which is no surprise considering the cast honestly, and the action is fast, tense and much more original and exciting than we've been expecting in Bond films (besides <i>Skyfall</i>, which I still say is the best of the bunch). There's so much to say but I don't want to spoil it. In the end, I'm glad I saw this one and I'm glad to remember it as worthy of a finale. Also, it means that all the bad Daniel Craig films are officially the even-numbered ones, and the good ones are all odd-numbered. We got us a classic <i>Star Trek</i> scenario in reverse!</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><i>What movies did you love in 2021? Which are you excited for? Let me know!</i></p>Shigginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16256099093521615360noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4926295868515831102.post-90127169887192273922021-12-18T14:41:00.000-08:002021-12-18T14:41:17.273-08:00Fairy Tail 100 Years Quest Chapters 94 to 97 Review<p style="text-align: center;"><i> Written by Shiggins</i></p><p style="text-align: left;">Love is against the air.</p><p>Man, fuck this year. Constantly tired, constantly frustrated, constantly busy. I just want to read my manga and write my articles! So yes, this review is late and yes it's yet another catch-up review of several chapters, not just two, but... uh... well at least Gajeel and Laxus showed up?</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhwmmLwfEq3xcFIiGYSG-AVSnbIzMRn2cSF3x9Ac36a3uc5DmQiAUHob_Swx77E_mDvQAjWQDoPQuGey20Qzq71osaHvHC2OrxbM0J7PSoJU9qvyVpmjtIamBQII2XZvzh1NeC0bOiIWs1FaOOFfsOud8WfwKt-ZQzaYDUJk0FYmLwMzfaYSkXFuxDP=s966" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="634" data-original-width="966" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhwmmLwfEq3xcFIiGYSG-AVSnbIzMRn2cSF3x9Ac36a3uc5DmQiAUHob_Swx77E_mDvQAjWQDoPQuGey20Qzq71osaHvHC2OrxbM0J7PSoJU9qvyVpmjtIamBQII2XZvzh1NeC0bOiIWs1FaOOFfsOud8WfwKt-ZQzaYDUJk0FYmLwMzfaYSkXFuxDP=w400-h263" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Already better than Romeo. But nowhere close to Chelia/Sherria/Whateveria.</td></tr></tbody></table><span><a name='more'></a></span><p>It's pretty clear at this point that the series is bending over backwards to find new ways to have characters fight each other, but not wanting to put in the leg work of building up a proper arc or story. So once again, we're seeing another instance of what is essentially a fanfiction scenario to push through to the "important stuff". I would complain about this, but after how poorly Elentir did, I'm honestly glad it's skipping right to the "important stuff" and not wasting time working on a boring world or monster.</p><p>I am enjoying the surprising mix-ups of Carla and Pantherlily though. Gajeel with Carla is unique enough that this could be a very big laugh or dynamic, so I'm ready to be impressed. Or at least amused. Wendy and Pantherlily could be fun too but I personally don't see how.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi5wH5ovncs3VniaZKgXcoPeSVOwGRDmoZftck0_q5H2oJsX-eaZBrXk_SOwi-1vbNvOinCYbqZKPP6RCokHqOUIdqmS9E4Le-I2aC8U0dBKF7IEgHdYDDeMGW898-48RHtJYoEeO2bf_e9l5Ps7v8Dh_u9U3n5cGgS3aUKtIDQbg7EzfQYX4oDJIFT=s949" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="483" data-original-width="949" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi5wH5ovncs3VniaZKgXcoPeSVOwGRDmoZftck0_q5H2oJsX-eaZBrXk_SOwi-1vbNvOinCYbqZKPP6RCokHqOUIdqmS9E4Le-I2aC8U0dBKF7IEgHdYDDeMGW898-48RHtJYoEeO2bf_e9l5Ps7v8Dh_u9U3n5cGgS3aUKtIDQbg7EzfQYX4oDJIFT=w400-h204" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We've all just accepted that this is Wendy's plot armour spell from now on, right? Geez.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Admittedly, I was disappointed in the new Diabolos members for seeming to be more gimmick than character, but that's slowly starting to change thanks to the newest battle between Wendy and Haru. It's not much but having him fall for Wendy while trying to fight her while also trying to gain her affection is a ridiculous combo and it's at least keeping things fun.</p><p>I mean, we all agree that Haru being able to turn Irene into a doll is solely for the plot, right? When else would Haru have a chance to turn a ghost/persona into one of those? It's the type of ability that would never fit anyone else, but it at least works to get Irene outside Wendy's body (temporarily I assume). Or who knows? Maybe this is actually how we get Irene to join the rest of the group and put on clothes for the first time since this series began! Either way, I have grown to surprisingly enjoy her being around so I'm hoping we don't take too long to get her back into play.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgbe_krGo3xaLeU3Xh3NeDe95wI53HbmE_ZQUhaDe-D3PDhW2eXhS6QyhbyRg5LoW3m8ubhd7-memV1XafZsf_bzxxd8yP0Fusi3igIn56Nhnedu506ZwUleMofTiarkgLlv1fpjpcsY0kWwfQtoVTPgKPiKQQ-cjB_o3hTnDM7B3iIzOZ51AXlL2gn=s1069" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1069" data-original-width="955" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgbe_krGo3xaLeU3Xh3NeDe95wI53HbmE_ZQUhaDe-D3PDhW2eXhS6QyhbyRg5LoW3m8ubhd7-memV1XafZsf_bzxxd8yP0Fusi3igIn56Nhnedu506ZwUleMofTiarkgLlv1fpjpcsY0kWwfQtoVTPgKPiKQQ-cjB_o3hTnDM7B3iIzOZ51AXlL2gn=w358-h400" width="358" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Does anyone outside of anime/manga do this? Do you personally wait to get punched in the face or lose a goal before you actually put in effort?</td></tr></tbody></table><p>The newest chapter ended with Laxus actually being in trouble for once, so I can't help but wonder if we're going to see something actually make him try and use a strategy. Doubtful but I want to be optimistic. I feel like Laxus hasn't struggled against an opponent in literal years, and usually he just powers through until he wins. Yes, yes, that's shounen for you but some characters like to bring on some new stuff. Or hell, maybe Kiria will show up next time! That'd be a treat. I just want <i>anything</i> that could keep this stuff entertaining.</p><p>The "fight" of the plushies was at least visually unique, if not exactly tense. Seeing plushie versions of Leo, Virgo and Aries was especially delightful in a "I want one of those" sort of way, but the fight itself lasted too long for my tastes considering it was mostly a display of toys. Still though, cute and not what I predicted going into this arc so I won't be too harsh towards it.</p><p>Anyway, here's all four of the covers. Imagine I said something witty about them all. And once again, huge thanks to all the translators, proof-readers, cleaners, redrawers, raw providers, type setters and quality checkers that help us read these chapters every time. Without you guys, we'd all be in peril. You're awesome.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEidJ-UI37dV3oBbh13-mTWuPKOK-ixbY1n8RF23XywlrqXxhuK5HhsYBST5xcxaHyWzhUZyQOC5BykxAaa4FHVuuC6ulOXHorkucJqHkls62dgx2X3B0dlrpGTNILgDNBl4bMwCmVMX_BKOO0BLddhcGOVaeMLtXnckpPV2vb9riqNqwJlwGIQTnLGt=s1421" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1421" data-original-width="992" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEidJ-UI37dV3oBbh13-mTWuPKOK-ixbY1n8RF23XywlrqXxhuK5HhsYBST5xcxaHyWzhUZyQOC5BykxAaa4FHVuuC6ulOXHorkucJqHkls62dgx2X3B0dlrpGTNILgDNBl4bMwCmVMX_BKOO0BLddhcGOVaeMLtXnckpPV2vb9riqNqwJlwGIQTnLGt=w279-h400" width="279" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEip12KWdca3tp8eHxGefn57xoA81IRj8imvLGttBTNnrHqJohEX2J5zG5AhqrdgcRHh7jSQi5BlyE8wy_xFC4VowLneOGZeb6xC9KJqWNCupUUuqTCj9vtcsx8x4pu10PINpBaQbn_5_WPMD35hnzNrphoXsItCxrw63_015-q2voYcUNHmmk1r_VR_=s1408" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1408" data-original-width="992" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEip12KWdca3tp8eHxGefn57xoA81IRj8imvLGttBTNnrHqJohEX2J5zG5AhqrdgcRHh7jSQi5BlyE8wy_xFC4VowLneOGZeb6xC9KJqWNCupUUuqTCj9vtcsx8x4pu10PINpBaQbn_5_WPMD35hnzNrphoXsItCxrw63_015-q2voYcUNHmmk1r_VR_=w281-h400" width="281" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgR7ymnCtE809X55yWK95fTmVTMbX9244fmg5xl908OG3PcG6vAwSCyR15lnQFnxUsCrmnCwXvaD7umEA0FGd1NDqHrH3uB8coWUqUKd_NK9DMe6DwnfHha53AdaNrEANtoMZXkemjcTpiXdShMavMxrcmzpgz6MAkiBURd-9nqTynf1SeAE-bzUrzk=s1458" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1458" data-original-width="981" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgR7ymnCtE809X55yWK95fTmVTMbX9244fmg5xl908OG3PcG6vAwSCyR15lnQFnxUsCrmnCwXvaD7umEA0FGd1NDqHrH3uB8coWUqUKd_NK9DMe6DwnfHha53AdaNrEANtoMZXkemjcTpiXdShMavMxrcmzpgz6MAkiBURd-9nqTynf1SeAE-bzUrzk=w269-h400" width="269" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhzZwGVc2_ZjNbB3CV6xcnC1ILU_ooWwZBDUgOnMYqIcK08XekE011NRwHtb0d-1rTX5RoeMIlKDO1mnUd2ZQ3mHQY4JiWk97rSigo9sFNVmNMh7SRlzAUyqyOgO9CbznPJyiOc3l9pd7zsLI-456Pes20cruUptlZbKMsll2S_YN_ltinxr5Lccn3S=s1379" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1379" data-original-width="978" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhzZwGVc2_ZjNbB3CV6xcnC1ILU_ooWwZBDUgOnMYqIcK08XekE011NRwHtb0d-1rTX5RoeMIlKDO1mnUd2ZQ3mHQY4JiWk97rSigo9sFNVmNMh7SRlzAUyqyOgO9CbznPJyiOc3l9pd7zsLI-456Pes20cruUptlZbKMsll2S_YN_ltinxr5Lccn3S=w284-h400" width="284" /></a></div><p><br /></p>Shigginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16256099093521615360noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4926295868515831102.post-78494768263326536722021-10-31T17:54:00.000-07:002021-10-31T17:54:49.596-07:00Ranking the DCEU Movies<p style="text-align: center;"><i> Written by Shiggins</i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p>What a bunch of Jokers.</p><p>The <i>DCEU</i> is such a ridiculous mess of movies, that it's almost fascinating to watch. There have been tons of failed attempts to make <i>MCU</i> ripoffs, from the planned "<i>Men in Black</i> crossover with <i>21 Jump Street"</i> franchise, to the <i>Dark Universe</i> that was trying to make a franchise before it made a film, but none have held on as long as the <i>DCEU</i> has. These films are so loosely connected and a complete mix of genres and styles that I can't help but basically watch them all and see if it's going to be a bomb or not. So let's take a look and see who ranks where and why!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcJKTEBCymRIYzyGcxxkMDAi8eC6msFjXxVGIJi0_QnEHTCKf4EsSveUOnPCDotJ6gT-ekHRsbjMa5s2wnQDeTiXksVkl5Wjk2O-AGVvT-m89tIRBf5ZkuBshOv5Q8EG9gcwtPuWPfvdc/s1200/DCEU+Movies+Ranked.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="870" data-original-width="1200" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcJKTEBCymRIYzyGcxxkMDAi8eC6msFjXxVGIJi0_QnEHTCKf4EsSveUOnPCDotJ6gT-ekHRsbjMa5s2wnQDeTiXksVkl5Wjk2O-AGVvT-m89tIRBf5ZkuBshOv5Q8EG9gcwtPuWPfvdc/w400-h290/DCEU+Movies+Ranked.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span><a name='more'></a></span><p><b><i><u>Suicide Squad</u></i></b></p><p>The movie so bad they made it twice. While this movie was the first to give us Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn, one of the best casting choices in this franchise, it also subjected us to Jared Leto's pimp daddy version of Joker, a billion scenes cut out by the studio, and one of the most dull villains in comic book movie history, so it evens out.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNoK9OdSs4ALMAyeijZCSZz5lBNqiaQ46qH1k06SlwsfsffEc91lrnd5xi-XxzZhTZ3UTru4G1gsRjLTuVLVU3-UYkgPkYVu6aq9bGZFPWvLk1p8lqfJ-uj9v0xOnt3F5EmSlFqQyQU1I/s2048/Suicide+Squad+Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1382" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNoK9OdSs4ALMAyeijZCSZz5lBNqiaQ46qH1k06SlwsfsffEc91lrnd5xi-XxzZhTZ3UTru4G1gsRjLTuVLVU3-UYkgPkYVu6aq9bGZFPWvLk1p8lqfJ-uj9v0xOnt3F5EmSlFqQyQU1I/w270-h400/Suicide+Squad+Poster.jpg" width="270" /></a></div><p>2016's <i>Suicide Squad</i> movie focuses on a secret government team, created by Amanda Waller (Viola Davis), full of supervillains to handle powerful threats. However, one of the villains chosen to be part of the team goes rogue and starts to destroy the world so the team have to take her down. And in the end, Amanda Waller will be proven right! Because if she hadn't formed this team, there'd be no team to take down the villain that was part of the team... yeah, that's the logic of this film.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqmsbPU05n2jWMsxBSMBbdw2GxgFjkBNhTub17o3LS4dehcprgJzAlt24VRIoRnKXDj8zTDiJYqMX0H94iM4TVWmHb1cy71rN4lk-emuRgc5AcFoptQPwoLC8BuLOn2NMzJW-shH_yq3s/s1280/Suicide+Squad+2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqmsbPU05n2jWMsxBSMBbdw2GxgFjkBNhTub17o3LS4dehcprgJzAlt24VRIoRnKXDj8zTDiJYqMX0H94iM4TVWmHb1cy71rN4lk-emuRgc5AcFoptQPwoLC8BuLOn2NMzJW-shH_yq3s/w400-h225/Suicide+Squad+2016.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>It is good to see the beginning of Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn, as well as Jai Courtney as Captain Boomerang, Will Smith as Deadshot and Viola Davis as Waller, but the script is terrible, the story is laughably bland and none of the "villains" in the squad ever feel bad in any way, let alone evil. Will Smith keeps telling us he's a bad guy though, so it must be true.</p><p><br /></p><p><b><i><u>Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice</u></i></b></p><p>Before any of you start, I have only watched the "Ultimate Edition" of this. People insisted this is the only version worth checking out, and so I did, and it still sucks! It might be better by comparison of the original, but that doesn't make it good. It makes it better than the original! Anyway, this is a dull, boring film with so many choices that seem like they could have been easily discussed away. Was there nobody in the writer's room to point out how bad some of these ideas were?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJcnJXYb4qaD-buqOBCv4ynVXUnvYXJSqlSzm5yhB9yFE-zRQa2CtjmHADl7VEYvKMNDeVPMI5grfg84dmyI4oWXU6EjEsC8ke-kGvYuTgZ2aOEANmm5QZYqRnqFogCvKrfuiT2Qi7bQA/s2048/Batman+vs+Superman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1383" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJcnJXYb4qaD-buqOBCv4ynVXUnvYXJSqlSzm5yhB9yFE-zRQa2CtjmHADl7VEYvKMNDeVPMI5grfg84dmyI4oWXU6EjEsC8ke-kGvYuTgZ2aOEANmm5QZYqRnqFogCvKrfuiT2Qi7bQA/w270-h400/Batman+vs+Superman.jpg" width="270" /></a></div><p>After the destruction caused in <i>Man of Steel</i>, Bruce Wayne/Batman (Ben Affleck) now views Clark Kent/Superman (Henry Cavill) as a threat to humanity that must be destroyed. Meanwhile, Superman has worries about the vigilante of Gotham known as the Batman, unaware he is taking part in the evil plot of Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg). Also Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) pops up to give Bruce an email for the upcoming Justice League heroes, basically skipping over their origin films so we can fast-forward to the big team-up movie.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSHQdHewDwOZa06ORMZLa6Fc6zaEetyWYcvIHci5G4z8gcXnoLgbjeCvKGkrRp8ET6K-VkSrg8ZWDgViHSNMa6W0N8GFAPedT4nsQQmChNyFOKvozcsQPOB4iFAWf-O4i9ZNf58D6TnuQ/s500/Batman+vs+Superman+Touch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="281" data-original-width="500" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSHQdHewDwOZa06ORMZLa6Fc6zaEetyWYcvIHci5G4z8gcXnoLgbjeCvKGkrRp8ET6K-VkSrg8ZWDgViHSNMa6W0N8GFAPedT4nsQQmChNyFOKvozcsQPOB4iFAWf-O4i9ZNf58D6TnuQ/w400-h225/Batman+vs+Superman+Touch.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Some of the ideas and themes presented here are interesting, like a world divided over Superman saving people, but that all gets swiftly abandoned before the climax. Everyone is miserable, Jimmy Olsen gets shot after two minutes of screentime, Jesse Eisenberg is giving the worst performance of his career, and the CGI abomination of Doomsday is just The Worst. Ben Affleck's Batman is an absolute highlight though, and his scenes feel like they had the most effort and thought put into them. It's just too bad he's spending his time focusing on fighting Superman instead of literally any of his own badass villains. I was going to make a joke about him fighting Gentleman Ghost, but there's no smiles to be had in this film, by anyone starring in or watching it.</p><p><br /></p><p><b><i><u>Wonder Woman 1984</u></i></b></p><p>After the fantastic display of the first instalment, <i>WW1984</i> was one I was very much keeping my eye on. I was admittedly disappointed to see Wonder Woman going on about Chris Pine again, but she also used her Lasso of Truth to swing on lightning, and her archenemy Cheetah was going to make an appearance! How could you go wrong?!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1ilzsZfL1sUzdrqqQt8Mw0guCyoyjd3onKT-2bMzAf_vtPzZvUZCiA9Gv5huoBow79NwOkwQZCBfCJGQ1gE1CdQllQD1vA9Eh4NoNFcn2geBDvzKUGdiTx_6el8a8czh7Is9C_VgAZhU/s2048/WW84+Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1382" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1ilzsZfL1sUzdrqqQt8Mw0guCyoyjd3onKT-2bMzAf_vtPzZvUZCiA9Gv5huoBow79NwOkwQZCBfCJGQ1gE1CdQllQD1vA9Eh4NoNFcn2geBDvzKUGdiTx_6el8a8czh7Is9C_VgAZhU/w270-h400/WW84+Poster.jpg" width="270" /></a></div><p>If the title didn't give it away for you, then allow me. <i>WW1984</i> is set in the 1980s, with Diana Prince/Wonder Woman doing the usual superhero stuff you'd expect of her, until the businessman Maxwell Lord (Pedro Pascal) gets his hands on a McGuffin known as the Dreamstone that allows him to grant wishes. Diana wishes for Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) to come back to life, while Barbara Minerva (Kirsten Wiig) wishes to become more like Diana. Somehow this eventually results in her becoming a catwoman, but not Catwoman. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl87VFZYJctdZtzAVgYBzgIS2aL3HAM0H4qOJ9CWCASuQmnTfjxHKRUOb0-oIp8MNzy0SoJ7TVaXV9Fx32S3r4Rob8pi1eY8raIr0YIRKN64RTzhZuHW8QEmeIbf23WKofGQz7pX2eaIM/s1000/WW84+Jet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="1000" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl87VFZYJctdZtzAVgYBzgIS2aL3HAM0H4qOJ9CWCASuQmnTfjxHKRUOb0-oIp8MNzy0SoJ7TVaXV9Fx32S3r4Rob8pi1eY8raIr0YIRKN64RTzhZuHW8QEmeIbf23WKofGQz7pX2eaIM/w400-h266/WW84+Jet.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Kirsten Wiig is pretty damn good as Barbara, and I don't mind the clichés as much as others most likely do, but a lot of the confidence and clever writing from WW's last movie is certainly missing during this time. The plot makes almost no sense, and there's a scene where Diana and Steve use an unwilling man's body to have sex. That is a horrible decision for this story to take, I hate it, and that alone would be enough to get this movie as low down on the list as you'd expect.</p><p><br /></p><p><b><i><u>Justice League </u></i></b></p><p>Whether you wanted to blame Zack Snyder (we'll get to his full cut soon), Joss Whedon or, my personal choice, the studio itself, it was clear to everyone that <i>Justice League</i> was released at the wrong time by the wrong people. It fell below expectations both critically and commercially, and there's been nothing but controversy about it since it's release. However, what matters most for this list is what we're seeing, not what happened behind the scenes... and yeah it's still pretty damn bad.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJsloH9O1pfm2b_c2yoFm9JEc3vYC4FvXyLeNrMFeqYqnBBtlL-sPFSnEUDnQCiz3PhBKelpm_AbCnGl8opeKkS6qLTH-WJZcXrXja7k_ET_k6InQ1t35BhneFaU7CtwtkK5o_wV1vNiI/s1094/Justice+League+Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1094" data-original-width="711" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJsloH9O1pfm2b_c2yoFm9JEc3vYC4FvXyLeNrMFeqYqnBBtlL-sPFSnEUDnQCiz3PhBKelpm_AbCnGl8opeKkS6qLTH-WJZcXrXja7k_ET_k6InQ1t35BhneFaU7CtwtkK5o_wV1vNiI/w260-h400/Justice+League+Poster.jpg" width="260" /></a></div><p>The big CGI villain Steppenwolf has arrived to gather the Mother Boxes so he can take over the world, and it's up to Batman to take him down by assembling Earth's Mightiest Heroes and getting into a big fight. This includes Wonder Woman, Aquaman (Jason Momoa), Barry Allen/The Flash (Ezra Miller) and Victor Stone/Cyborg (Ray Fisher). And then they'll resurrect Superman too and have a big ol' battle.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifg4zEpO23ZToZq-L-Jz-2OBEGUyoO0Oiv5EA1Br5n7l9Q06t2-EudCvwijjc3ut74rh1hlw67v0YMXDP9WNuaPaWS2de4bkOiYNZ8S0XsGL7NFUlezAAhsmggiBJVvn586HG_U_hhalo/s1200/Justice+League+Movie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifg4zEpO23ZToZq-L-Jz-2OBEGUyoO0Oiv5EA1Br5n7l9Q06t2-EudCvwijjc3ut74rh1hlw67v0YMXDP9WNuaPaWS2de4bkOiYNZ8S0XsGL7NFUlezAAhsmggiBJVvn586HG_U_hhalo/w400-h225/Justice+League+Movie.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Instead of each hero getting an origin story beforehand, this <i>Justice League</i> film feels like they skipped that important step to get to the action quicker and said the phrase "for the fans" to compensate. There's references to Green Lantern and Darkseid as well, just to confuse audiences even more. Everything about this film feels like a superhero movie checklist, from the scene where heroes fight each other, to the quips, to the Flash acting like <i>MCU's</i> Spider-Man, and then finally the big uninteresting CGI army at the end to wrap things up. The only reason this film isn't any lower on the list is because it's more boring than terrible, and both Ezra Miller and Jason Momoa are actually alright in this. It's heart-breaking to see Ben Affleck so disinterested though, when he did an amazing job last time we saw him as Bruce Wayne. </p><p><br /></p><p><b><i><u>Zack Snyder's Justice League</u></i></b></p><p>Years later, after so much screaming and anger for it, the fans finally got the <i>Snyder Cut</i> they had always wanted. This is the full experience of Zack Snyder, around 4 hours long in runtime and even more expensive thanks to all the extended scenes and reshoots and whatnot. Finally, it was here to redeem the Justice League! And... I mean it is better than the last version, but that doesn't mean I think it's actually a good film.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0LrS25eiMYR91yHKVwCElygcVDOo5lm1f1eQ87cuoJ4_3mZUurWlsXQone-5jgqrtXBwvK1CJRpDxx6tqlhIwHhSyqoI-61v7d9HId4E_hbLdd93p2BGHK_AFNqSV5k3Cei5DUxQR_y8/s1200/Zack+Snyder+JL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0LrS25eiMYR91yHKVwCElygcVDOo5lm1f1eQ87cuoJ4_3mZUurWlsXQone-5jgqrtXBwvK1CJRpDxx6tqlhIwHhSyqoI-61v7d9HId4E_hbLdd93p2BGHK_AFNqSV5k3Cei5DUxQR_y8/w400-h266/Zack+Snyder+JL.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>So yeah, same as last time. Superman dead, people are sad, Steppenwolf has shown up, Batman and Wonder Woman form the Justice League and resurrect Superman to stop him. Except we also have more slow-motion, improved CGI, extra scenes to pitch sequels that will probably never happen, and a Martian Manhunter cameo that just pisses me off because I'd rather he get a movie than see Batman go through his 100th movie reboot next year. Yes, I actually said that!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihVy_CN4pP8TXjq0tGJzXQ6o8jUMocYN52AvT0iaaj5Ao_71HMolqSEXro0F76AHLq328XQ_STfAKpc7VZ-EO84tpygXWszZGh9wXjZA4Vys-jwN8ZGboGm_wSz-grB9BeKrNZ1-6RHUc/s700/Zack+Snyder+JL+Darkseid.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="380" data-original-width="700" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihVy_CN4pP8TXjq0tGJzXQ6o8jUMocYN52AvT0iaaj5Ao_71HMolqSEXro0F76AHLq328XQ_STfAKpc7VZ-EO84tpygXWszZGh9wXjZA4Vys-jwN8ZGboGm_wSz-grB9BeKrNZ1-6RHUc/w400-h217/Zack+Snyder+JL+Darkseid.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>The best part about this film for me is the comparison from a filmmaking perspective, able to see all the differences in style and technique that were clearly left out from the original to make it more serviceable for a mainstream audience. I find myself looking back-and-forth between the original film and this one, to see all the differences big and small. And yes, there is something fascinating about seeing Ray Fisher's Cyborg actually be quite interesting when you know all the stuff that went on with him and his character. That doesn't mean I actually want to rewatch the film itself however, even if I am impressed.</p><p><br /></p><p><b><i><u>Man of Steel</u></i></b></p><p>Can we all agree that making Superman dark and gritty, trying to copy the <i>Dark Knight</i> trilogy formula, was a stupid idea? Even if you love this film, even if it's the best Superman film in your personal opinion, it's still a very weird choice to go for such a bright fantastical character. Personally, I think the film just barely manages to hang on because of this decision, but it's still watchable enough.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWNpPyT9phpi5fnI30rTZvhOxeS9GYjb3B1RCP6i6yl1YJzluOjxIDlvCXifcFqQ10IAgzI7uO9UQKbRNON3xIQia-_kKIYu6dRScxKnxNyJYBmeWjysmtohetfSUS0-VwgBoUVw1czP0/s1500/Man+of+Steel+Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWNpPyT9phpi5fnI30rTZvhOxeS9GYjb3B1RCP6i6yl1YJzluOjxIDlvCXifcFqQ10IAgzI7uO9UQKbRNON3xIQia-_kKIYu6dRScxKnxNyJYBmeWjysmtohetfSUS0-VwgBoUVw1czP0/w266-h400/Man+of+Steel+Poster.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><p>This is the origin story of Superman, from the destruction of planet Krypton to growing up in Smallville and then finally donning the outfit and learning to fly so he can take on the villainous General Zod (Michael Shannon) and keep him from getting a McGuffin that will kill a bunch of people. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5cnGqm4sFIlzzpM027Q223PV0ieLyqvmZVXTiF8XLYyQjN2j7WKDcUNsEy-lWtS8Tkic5njLG-hb1ezuag4eYKAGfka3vncOk7W-BCKFP9LGtleAlW17fbhhAenf3uoT_bi4khiMUzMc/s480/Man+of+Steel+Arrested.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="480" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5cnGqm4sFIlzzpM027Q223PV0ieLyqvmZVXTiF8XLYyQjN2j7WKDcUNsEy-lWtS8Tkic5njLG-hb1ezuag4eYKAGfka3vncOk7W-BCKFP9LGtleAlW17fbhhAenf3uoT_bi4khiMUzMc/w400-h225/Man+of+Steel+Arrested.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Like <i>Batman vs Superman</i>, there are ideas here that could have been great if explored more (like Zod getting his neck snapped) but the film is at least less boring and miserable throughout. Henry Cavill does a great job, as do Shannon as Zod, Russell Crowe as Jor-El, Amy Adams as Lois Lane and Laurence Fishburne as Perry White, and the action is exciting enough. I just struggle to get into it as much as the others, although that might be due to the tone and length. It's a looong time to spend in a film full of grey.</p><p><br /></p><p><u><b><i>Shazam!</i></b></u></p><p>It's kind of hilarious how we went from nobody ever hearing the words "Captain Marvel" to that character (technically) having two movies in the same year. One was obviously called <i>Captain Marvel</i>, and it was actually alright, and the other was the hero once known as Captain Marvel, now known as Shazam. And speaking of things that are hilarious, half of this movie is too! And this time it's intentional!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDfR5uBonwek7_aM2-2gp5TgjBECRDbIjenw-9v7qsqhN3wNcttsEWtvknqOqKCquvwTsO1leOi5QGEbz89h1E4zlAay9XtjB7IJPV7XBJFFd5M6KlmCJRnzzdfLM79J4D79yDsuYSBOg/s1437/Shazam+Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1437" data-original-width="970" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDfR5uBonwek7_aM2-2gp5TgjBECRDbIjenw-9v7qsqhN3wNcttsEWtvknqOqKCquvwTsO1leOi5QGEbz89h1E4zlAay9XtjB7IJPV7XBJFFd5M6KlmCJRnzzdfLM79J4D79yDsuYSBOg/w270-h400/Shazam+Poster.jpg" width="270" /></a></div><p>In this 2019 movie, we follow Billy Batson (Asher Angel), an orphan looking for his mother, who is placed into a foster family, which includes the superhero fan Freddy Freeman (Jack Dylan Grazer). Soon, Billy is chosen by a wizard (Djimon Hounsou) to become the adult superhero Shazam (Zachery Levi) so he can fight the evil Dr Sivana (Mark Strong) and his Seven Deadly CGI Blobs.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDuAQrxYn_VU3WLLaXTk-6qJ3MiBxv14xWyYBXoDoirPgBar-FHU10Mp0SzlWUsH5vV2zvNx0buLViPwJFPDaGubo7CGwdUTXUvGt8kC1P8SsxkzDNY5XJsqzQr_O-iEw5FjQjXarQPOQ/s2048/Shazam+Lightning.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="2048" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDuAQrxYn_VU3WLLaXTk-6qJ3MiBxv14xWyYBXoDoirPgBar-FHU10Mp0SzlWUsH5vV2zvNx0buLViPwJFPDaGubo7CGwdUTXUvGt8kC1P8SsxkzDNY5XJsqzQr_O-iEw5FjQjXarQPOQ/w400-h225/Shazam+Lightning.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Most of the comedy is surprisingly strong thanks to the performances, the foster family are actually nice real people instead of the comedy villains I expected, and there is quite a bit of heart in it. The film itself doesn't exactly break new ground and Mark Strong is wasted yet again as a generic villain that will be forgotten as soon as the movie is over, but if you want a <i>DC</i> film that is simply a good time, you can't go wrong with Shazam! Also it's set around Christmas. So that's something.</p><p><br /></p><p><u><i><b>Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)</b></i></u></p><p>So with Margot Robbie being the best part of the bad <i>Suicide Squad</i> movie, it was a big relief we'd get much more of her as the <i>DCEU</i> started to "grow". So while this film was technically about the Birds of Prey team from the comics, it's more "Harley Quinn and Friends". And with this chaotic style of writing and editing, you can see why so many people were divided on this one.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg40E4U4grc2PTmwwdzJDkEOJDLWNYoHtJQMn15c4DrMiSOng2CxpIzmW7Eph8DnXB0MH9qHfGjhEsfukM5vUNK9gWzki8rMqGvg2xvn_ZcGGOJFZgROkJAIG1Z5JWlLk9tX3b6tGx160k/s1600/Birds+of+Prey+Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg40E4U4grc2PTmwwdzJDkEOJDLWNYoHtJQMn15c4DrMiSOng2CxpIzmW7Eph8DnXB0MH9qHfGjhEsfukM5vUNK9gWzki8rMqGvg2xvn_ZcGGOJFZgROkJAIG1Z5JWlLk9tX3b6tGx160k/w270-h400/Birds+of+Prey+Poster.jpg" width="270" /></a></div><p>Harley Quinn is back, but without Jared Leto to drag her down! She's recently broke up with him and is now going to enjoy the single life, but that means she no longer has the Joker's protection and so everyone she's ever wronged before is now out for her head. Desperate to stay alive, Harley makes a deal with Roman Sionis/Black Mask (Ewan McGregor) to recover a diamond. Also the Birds of Prey have a subplot each all connected to this story.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho0ga4pRkEUaSYAzU2ftZ_lYiUPcJiHbq0OZyGGeCfVavIoGBXNtOqP8tgmHOPvVMFL9xp9iT8LN2ivTeY_7H5DE9_3eaf54-mL8e0C6xBaqxKqyIyyPm1EjBdGGaMcbj83fiYbif0hGQ/s960/Birds+of+Prey+Threat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="960" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho0ga4pRkEUaSYAzU2ftZ_lYiUPcJiHbq0OZyGGeCfVavIoGBXNtOqP8tgmHOPvVMFL9xp9iT8LN2ivTeY_7H5DE9_3eaf54-mL8e0C6xBaqxKqyIyyPm1EjBdGGaMcbj83fiYbif0hGQ/w400-h209/Birds+of+Prey+Threat.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>The constant narration and fourth wall-breaking, as well our antihero protagonist protecting a younger child and making a team at the end, smacks too much of the <i>Deadpool</i> films, but all the wonderful women are on top form. Mary Elizabeth Winstead is fantastic (as always) as the Huntress, as are Jurnee Smollett as Black Canary and Rosie Perez as detective Renee Montoya, and to my surprise, so is Ewan McGregor! The action is ridiculous, the characters are fun, the story is a mess but so fast you don't have time to care that much about it... it's just a shame that "those" youtubers (you know the ones I mean) couldn't stop whining about it's existence from day one and kept trying to compare it to... S<i>onic the Hedgehog</i>?</p><p><br /></p><p><b><i><u>Aquaman</u></i></b></p><p>I thought this movie was going to be a giant pile of shit. I really really did. I mocked it, I scoffed at it, I rolled my eyes, I did all the stuff. Then I finally sat down and watched it and (Aqua)man... I had a lot of fun! Yes there are problems, plenty of them, but it was a fun ride that fully endeared me to the character of Aquaman and I am sure he will be remembered well for years to come... wait, there's a new cartoon that looks like absolute dogshit? Well, forget that then!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgNKRrDyMMuumCbj78uksSoAULQjIDjiMJ4Xd6dghoWY44dmAX974jLoMyL9w3iheLgU-Tl_0AzC6m7RZvfqk1viOQ1bKPRNEu1KRZLnoeuI_o7H6b5f8OzR1Fb9pwvI7XIksXyrrTc14/s2048/Aquaman+Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1382" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgNKRrDyMMuumCbj78uksSoAULQjIDjiMJ4Xd6dghoWY44dmAX974jLoMyL9w3iheLgU-Tl_0AzC6m7RZvfqk1viOQ1bKPRNEu1KRZLnoeuI_o7H6b5f8OzR1Fb9pwvI7XIksXyrrTc14/w270-h400/Aquaman+Poster.jpg" width="270" /></a></div><p>Set after the <i>Justice League</i> movie we totally all cared about, Arthur Curry/Aquaman returns and finds himself in a dramatic battle against his brother Orm Marius/Ocean Master (Patrick Wilson) over the fate of Atlantis and the surface world. Along for the ride are his love interest and princess Hera (Amber Heard), his childhood mentor Nuidis Vulko (Willem Dafoe) and his future archenemy David Kane/Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II).</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvpPH2M4YPKtqUwjC5RPTlFOCjfH3X4Xxqxyvp__OVCAPJCK3l-CLGizxLbrQbqhjZ9KqeAXLyO9VxgT-Ev5fWuMJEeLa3FnxoVfmaNmW34YaJUSS9R36OU0AAjZaRfmd21LJg20NsCUU/s2496/Aquaman+Black+Manta.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1130" data-original-width="2496" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvpPH2M4YPKtqUwjC5RPTlFOCjfH3X4Xxqxyvp__OVCAPJCK3l-CLGizxLbrQbqhjZ9KqeAXLyO9VxgT-Ev5fWuMJEeLa3FnxoVfmaNmW34YaJUSS9R36OU0AAjZaRfmd21LJg20NsCUU/w400-h181/Aquaman+Black+Manta.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Thanks to the directing of James Wan, the action is utterly fantastic and easy to follow, making a huge difference from the majority of superhero movies, and they actually made Black freaking Manta look cool in live-action, although Ocean Master looks and sounds utterly hilarious to me. If they could have cut the film down by around 20 minutes, removed that pointless Trench scene, and maybe give Black Manta some more time to develop as a character instead of waiting for the sequel, we could have had a film in the top 2!</p><p><br /></p><p><b><i><u>Wonder Woman</u></i></b></p><p>Oooh so close to number 1! If it wasn't for that damn third act that completely affects my enjoyment of the movie as a whole, this would easily have made it to the top spot. After the terrible excuses for movies that were <i>Batman vs Superman</i> and <i>Suicide Squad</i>, it was a thrill to see a film do so damn well both critically and commercially, and remind us that live-action DC films still have a chance to succeed. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi67tQCMCTrQoi0m4xgGACuqVGCUk1PyN7ZhC5hNGP9AJEf2kovQj173ZPC7oB8tv3hR5pjamTjFNE1MA8Q5cYoMOjpimhNeazOMtSkje4lgF0xVOvnc63fj-ZQrTN7F9Op1eLdfsa3kOQ/s2048/Wonder+Woman+Poser.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1382" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi67tQCMCTrQoi0m4xgGACuqVGCUk1PyN7ZhC5hNGP9AJEf2kovQj173ZPC7oB8tv3hR5pjamTjFNE1MA8Q5cYoMOjpimhNeazOMtSkje4lgF0xVOvnc63fj-ZQrTN7F9Op1eLdfsa3kOQ/w270-h400/Wonder+Woman+Poser.jpg" width="270" /></a></div><p>When World War 1 pilot Steve Trevor crashes on an all-woman island, he meets our protagonist Diana/Wonder Woman and informs her about the great war that's taken over the planet. Believing this to be caused by the God of War Ares, Diana grabs the legendary sword known as the "God-killer" and takes her first trip into 1918.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCORmApLdSyaamBJT95QAlO7marKyNmxzfArAzmKSLCkjB6C5JbmJmyw9vgrP5abk06tYtdm8HE_nysz1657Gz-bN5C6cSFyc4xwa12TYtX3whUCN_3UpuRgwdKR8h6a2zgIZ5AcffY8k/s2048/Wonder+Woman+Cast.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCORmApLdSyaamBJT95QAlO7marKyNmxzfArAzmKSLCkjB6C5JbmJmyw9vgrP5abk06tYtdm8HE_nysz1657Gz-bN5C6cSFyc4xwa12TYtX3whUCN_3UpuRgwdKR8h6a2zgIZ5AcffY8k/w400-h266/Wonder+Woman+Cast.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>The action is amazing, with the No Man's Land scene being a particular highlight, and the chemistry between the two leads is so well-written, especially by comparison of it's sequel. There's a fitting balance of thrills and darkness here for this adventure, never going too dark but always keeping the stakes high... and then it all falls apart when a giant monologuing bore shows up to undermine the message of World War 1 and we get a terribly anticlimactic final fight. The CGI bodybuilder physique with that particular actor's head is just embarrassing too.</p><p><br /></p><p><i><u><b>The Suicide Squad</b></u></i></p><p>We end this list with almost the exact same title as we began it, but with an extra "The" at the beginning so we know this is the real experience that audiences deserve. Much like the <i>Justice League's</i> final cut, this is a director unrestrained and allowed to do everything he could ever hope for, except instead of slow-motion overkill and literal overkill of enemies, this is James Gunn with full wackiness and absurdity, and it makes for a great time!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC339o6kzItXwOj3TcYTs9XAHfD1Ob26z11VrzlFm5dROJuDhbSkSicd1F7C7XIp754vMPyjQpWFD2ZMauNkU9__s99JVwniyyMaNlKUfZSh3RVVvKTIEFTV-sH5zlsnhnLAezmn4onMs/s2048/The+Suicide+Squad+Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1382" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC339o6kzItXwOj3TcYTs9XAHfD1Ob26z11VrzlFm5dROJuDhbSkSicd1F7C7XIp754vMPyjQpWFD2ZMauNkU9__s99JVwniyyMaNlKUfZSh3RVVvKTIEFTV-sH5zlsnhnLAezmn4onMs/w270-h400/The+Suicide+Squad+Poster.jpg" width="270" /></a></div><p>In this sequel/reboot/spinoff, Viola Davis returns as Amanda Waller, but this time she has a mission for her Suicide Squad that actually does feel like a suicide mission this time. To find out what's going on with Project Starfish, Waller sends out not-Deadshot assassin with a daughter Bloodsport (Idris Elba), Amazon Prime's version of Captain America, Peacemaker, (John Cena), the teenage animal lover Ratcatcher 2 (Daniela Melchior), the return of Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman) and Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn. And theyend up looking like the normal ones when we get to meet King Shark (Sylvester Stallone) and Polka-Dot Man (David Dastmalchian). Oh and Peter Capaldi shows up as the Thinker to steal a scene because Peter Capaldi is awesome and he can make even the worst episode of <i>Doctor Who</i> cool by delivering a speech or two.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXg-MtsA8guygsdb-vC1seIDpbWr-_zii_VkYcFVp-GI3hs5pSDHWyUXyb9_ZdPVbXXBKU_dPTWla2S6XhF66ZHvcSGjjU1kgQjmrcGMpUWhidsbBDkkd7qiQ6cIFczXo72L-1OvfRUJU/s960/The+Suicide+Squad+King+Shark.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="408" data-original-width="960" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXg-MtsA8guygsdb-vC1seIDpbWr-_zii_VkYcFVp-GI3hs5pSDHWyUXyb9_ZdPVbXXBKU_dPTWla2S6XhF66ZHvcSGjjU1kgQjmrcGMpUWhidsbBDkkd7qiQ6cIFczXo72L-1OvfRUJU/w400-h170/The+Suicide+Squad+King+Shark.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>The <i>DCEU</i> is such a mess these days that I appreciate the films most when they're able to play up their absurdity. Billy has to say "Shazam!" to transform, Wonder Woman actually does have a golden lasso that makes you tell the truth, Aquaman wears the gold shirt and it somehow looks awesome! And <i>The Suicide Squad </i>understands that, but also makes sure not to lose the heart we've come to expect from a team-up movie like this. I do think the hype of having a full James Gunn experience did hurt this film a little and raised expectations a bit too much, but I had a great time and I would hate for people to miss out.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSYMEPDshdPj8QgnjEQPbz9pXVMuU4IVpN7Kd75_Q_X82jtWgrfH4LpphcLLn2uFS0vXTvmdxMHDx6xrDvbKz5nQ-bgVrhfT_F-oIt0wMJDc0-6Tn1tA5qj65LEb-VSem4cB5p1n3G00Q/s498/King+Shark+Hand.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="348" data-original-width="498" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSYMEPDshdPj8QgnjEQPbz9pXVMuU4IVpN7Kd75_Q_X82jtWgrfH4LpphcLLn2uFS0vXTvmdxMHDx6xrDvbKz5nQ-bgVrhfT_F-oIt0wMJDc0-6Tn1tA5qj65LEb-VSem4cB5p1n3G00Q/w400-h280/King+Shark+Hand.gif" width="400" /></a></div>Shigginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16256099093521615360noreply@blogger.com0