ScarJo Slays as Usual, but It's Florence Pugh Who Steals the Show in 'Black Widow'

Black Widow’s solo film came a tad few years too tale.  But it’s nevertheless a welcome addition to the MCU.  Further peeling off the layers of one of the MCU’s most beloved heroines, it finally allows us to learn in detail of Natasha’s dark past as a KGB spook – the “red in her ledger” that has been alluded to before.

'Nobody' Is an Awesome 'John Wick' Derivative

Nobody follows a middle-aged family man stuck in a rut named Hutch Mansell (Bob Odenkirk).  He’s been maintaining a monotonous lifestyle, and is working at a mind-numbing, dead-end job at his father-in-law’s company.  At home, his wife is distant with him, and his eldest son holds no admiration for him.  People tend to dismiss him as weak and bland because of the kind of disposition he gives off.  However, when burglars break into his house one night, it sets him out on a path where he finally unleashes his pent up frustrations, reverting back into the person that he used to be.  Apparently, in a past life, he was an “auditor” – a fearsome black ops assassin.  Soon after this reawakening, he finds himself earning the wrath of the Russian mob – or, rather, the Russian mob find themselves earning his wrath.

'Godzilla vs. Kong' Is Colossal Fun

Godzilla vs. Kong is the main event that the MonsterVerse franchise has been leading toward to.   A sequel to Godzilla: King of the Monsters and Kong: Skull Island, the film depicts the long-anticipated showdown between the two iconic cinematic titans (for the record, this isn’t actually the first time this happened.  There was a King Kong vs. Godzilla Japanese film released back in 1962).

Some More Thoughts on the 'Mortal Kombat' Reboot

So, I already wrote my review for Mortal Kombat. But I realized that there were still a few things I wanted to say about it.  Hence, I decided to compile those scattered thoughts in this article.  Just think of this as the “miscellaneous musings” section that I forgot to put in my original review. Spoiler warning.

My Enjoyment for the 'Mortal Kombat' Reboot Is Immediately Cut by Half Because Johnny Cage Is Not in It

The latest Mortal Kombat movie kicks off the second attempt for a live-action film series adaptation of the iconic fighting game.  Serving as a reboot, it features Mortal Kombat characters Sonya Blade (Jessica McNamee), Scorpion (Hiroyuki Sanada), Liu Kang (Ludi Lin), Jax (Mehcad Brooks), Kung Lao (Max Huang), Raiden (Tadanobu Asano), Kano (Josh Lawson), Sub-Zero (Joe Taslim), Shang Tsung (Chin Han), Mileena (Sisi Stringer), Kabal (Daniel Nelson and Damon Herriman), Goro (Angus Sampson), Reiko (Nathan Jones), and Nitara (Mel Jarnson).  It also has an original character named Cole Young (Lewis Tan), who actually serves as main protagonist.  The plot doesn’t depict the titular tournament yet (it’s obviously reserved for future sequels), but instead involves Shang Tsung sending out his warriors to assassinate the champions of Earthrealm before the next tournament starts.

'Earwig and the Witch' Isn't Bad, but It's Still a Misstep for Studio Ghibli

Finally.  Studio Ghibli returns after a six-year hiatus!  For its comeback, the prestigious anime studio ventures for the first time into producing a computer-animated film.  Titled Earwig and the Witch, it is an adaptation of the 2011 book of the same name by Diana Wynne Jones, who is also the author of the novel that Howl’s Moving Castle, one of Ghibli’s best movies, was loosely based on.

'Scooby-Doo! The Sword and the Scoob' Has One of the Most Notably Ludicrous Plots in the Franchise

After finishing a trilogy, the Scooby-Doo! direct-to-video franchise returns to a standalone adventure with Scooby-Doo! The Sword and the Scoob.  The silly logistical plot device this time is Shaggy turning out to be the rightful heir to Camelot based on an obscure chapter of Arthurian legend involving his ancestor.  This sends the Scooby Gang to a village in England named Norville der Morgana, which is suspected to be the modern location of Camelot.  There, they encounter the antagonist of Arthurian legend Morgan Le Fay, who casts a spell that sends them back to the past during the time of Camelot, Merlin, King Arthur, Excalibur, and the Knights of the Round Table.

'Coming 2 America' Is a Satisfactory Sequel

Coming 2 America is the sequel to Coming to America.  Set three decades after the events of the first movie (which is around the same time that passed between the release dates of the two movies), it sees Prince Akeem Joffer (Eddie Murphy) getting crowned as king of Zamunda, after the death of his father King Jaffe Joffer (James Earl Jones).  Soon after assuming the throne, King Akeem immediately faces a royal crisis.  Zamundan tradition dictates that only a male heir can ascend to the throne.  However, he’s only sired daughters with his wife Lisa McDowell (Shari Headley).  This makes Zamundan vulnerable for a hostile takeover by General Izzi (Wesley Snipes), the dictator of the neighboring nation of Nexdoria.

The New 'Tom & Jerry' Movie Sucks

The most recent Tom & Jerry movie combines live-action and animation.  The animals are animated, while everything else is live-action.  In it, the iconic cartoon archrivals bring their slapstick cat-and-mouse skirmishes into New York’s fanciest hotel, where a high-profile wedding is scheduled to take place.  As expected, chaos ensues, threatening the employment of fresh hiree Kayla (Chloë Grace Moretz) as well as the actual wedding itself.

'Run Hide Fight' Makes a Smart, Gripping Thriller Out of a Delicate Subject Matter

Run Hide Fight is easily one of the most interesting movies of 2021.  Unfortunately, it didn’t get much push or love because: a.) the movie centers on a school shooting, a very dark and awkward topic; and b.) the movie is distributed by conservative media company The Daily Wire, and since the entertainment-media complex is mostly left-leaning, you go figure.

The plot follows Zoe Hull (Isabel May), a high school student who’s been struggling to come into terms with the death of her mom, causing her to withdraw herself from others, which puts a strain into her relationship with her father, veteran  Todd Hull (Thomas Jane).  One day, four of her schoolmates, armed with guns and homemade explosives, besiege their school.  Those they don’t kill, they hold hostage in the cafeteria, from where they begin to livestream their crime.  Caught in the middle of this, Zoe must keep her wits about her, grit her teeth, and rely on her tactical mind and her father’s training in order to survive and save the lives of her classmates and teachers.

Taking Advantage of an Extensive Runtime and a Centralized Creative Vision, 'Zack Snyder’s Justice League' Delivers a Superior Experience

While I did enjoy the DCEU’s Justice League back in 2017, I also found it to be messy and uneven.  And when compared to the MCU’s first Avengers film, it objectively comes off as an inferior product.

Most of the fault for its failure is attributed to the production woes behind the scenes.  Zack Snyder, grieving the sudden death of his daughter, had to step down during post-production, and Warner Bros. brought in Joss Whedon to finish the film.  The final cut of the film released back then apparently turned out being more Whedon than Snyder.  Thus, the unsatisfactory performance of the film – which eventually came to be referred to as “Joss-tice League” – was mostly blamed on Whedon.

Soon afterward, rumors of the existence of a “Synder Cut” – a version of the film true to Zack Snyder’s original vision – spread around the Internet.  While there was skepticism, the legitimacy of the Snyder Cut only gained more traction when people that were involved with the production started suggesting that it exists.  Thus, fans began the #ReleaseTheSnyderCut movement.  After years of campaigning, fans got what they want as Warner Bros. finally decided in 2020 to let Snyder realize his vision of the film.  Warner Bros. had to shell out $70 million to cover the cost of finishing the visual effects and reshoots.

'Space Sweepers' Is a Blast

I don’t know if South Korea has made a science fiction blockbuster like Space Sweepers before, but it’s the first time I’ve personally encountered such kind of South Korean production.  Well, Snowpiercer was technically a South Korean production, but it didn’t really feel “South Korean” since it has a mostly Hollywood cast.  On the other hand, although it has non-Korean supporting characters, Space Sweepers are headlined by Korean actors playing Korean characters.  Thus, it feels like a legit South Korean production, and is the first of its kind that I’ve seen.

In 'Shadow in the Cloud', a Female WW II Flight Officer Takes on Misogyny, Japanese Fighters Planes, and a Gremlin

Set during World War II, Shadow in the Cloud follows Maude Garrett (Chloë Grace Moretz), a female Flight Officer who has been given a top secret mission to deliver top secret package from Auckland, New Zealand to Samoa.  In order to fulfiller her mission, she hitches a ride on a B-17 Flying Fortress named “Fool’s Errand”, where she’s assigned to its Sperry ball turret.  During the trip, the bomber meets a surprise ambush by Japanese fighter planes.  To makes matters worse, a gremlin appears to have attached itself to the plane, and has been gradually tearing it apart.

'Batman: Soul of the Dragon' Delightfully Brings Together Some of DC's Best Martial Artists in a 70's Martial Arts Caper

Batman: Soul of the Dragon is the second post-DCAMU film from the DCUAOM.  This isn’t set in the same universe as Superman: Man of Tomorrow as I originally thought.  I guess the DCUAOM won’t be doing a shared universe replacement for DCAMU anytime soon.