Zootopia 2

“Zootopia 2,” released last month, is every bit as fast and funny and socially agreed as the last film, which came out – if you can believe it – almost a decade ago. Given that amount of time, one couldn’t be blamed for noticing how both films happen to agree with certain Trumpian moments in history: The first film was released when Trump was the leading Republican candidate in the 2016 Presidential election, and now the sequel has been released near the end of his rowdy first year back in office. James Kendrick said in his review, “As I wrote nine years ago, Zootopia (2016) eerily presaged Trump’s penchant for eschewing facts and nuance in favor of fear-mongering and broad generalizations designed to strike fear in his political base. Nothing has changed, of course, and in fact those tendencies have been super-charged by his return to power and have found even more voice in scapegoating enemies that are more figments of his fevered imagination than actual threats—which is precisely what Zootopia 2 is about.”

The story location in the titular metropolis, which, as you may remember (and, if you don’t, the film gives a helpful recap at the beginning), is a fantasy city where every manner of mammals live together in complete peace. The city is divided into four districts that give ideal environmental conditions for the different types of animals that live there. The districts are separated by giant walls that keep the fighting environments (e.g., Tundratown and the Rainforest District) separate.

We start right were the first movie ended, with Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin), the determined, bright-eyed bunny who became the first rabbit police officer, and Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman), a sly con-artist of a fox, working together as a team. Having hugely (but not completely) overcome their differences, they still feel the need to prove themselves in a police force that is not used to rabbits and foxes being counted among their ranks (police officers normally are larger animals like zebras, hippos, and, of course, returning water-buffalo Chief Bogo, voiced by Idris Elba). Kendrick is right when he said, “If the first film was about breaking through stereotypes and the importance of digging beneath assumptions, Zooptopia 2 doubles down on that message by expanding beyond the inherent tensions within the city itself and bringing in a group of animals that has been expelled entirely: reptiles.”

We find out that there are no reptiles in Zootopia because they were forcibly expelled a century ago due to a snake being accused of murder. Kendrick said, “Those accusations happen to come from the wealthy Lynxley family, a dynasty whose paterfamilias was responsible for designing the walls that made Zootopia possible. So, we have a monied, powerful, politically connected family with a vested interest in maintaining its power by pushing a (possible false) narrative that demonizes another group and requires their expulsion.” Sound familiar?

Kendrick admitted, “I won’t dig too deep into the narrative details because part of the film’s pleasure is the way the mystery unfolds; it plays like a good ol’ fashioned police procedural crossed with Hitchcock’s wrongly accused man hijinks, wrapped up in computer-animated mania.” Safe to say that Judy and Nick come upon a deep conspiracy that involves, in one way or another, a trafficked snake named Gary, voiced by Ke Huy Quan. The awkward, black-sheep youngest member of the Lynxley dynasty (Andy Samberg), which is in charge by his gruff father (David Strathairn). The horse movie-star-turned-Zootopia mayor, voiced by Patrick Warburton. Finally, a conspiracy-theory-confused podcaster-beaver named Nibbles Maplestick, voiced by Fortune Feimster.

Kendrick pointed out, “There are a lot of twists and turns and hyper-funny action sequences, but the movie is constantly moored by the heart-and-soul ethos embodied by Judy and Nick’s odd-couple chemistry, which works (as they eventually learn) precisely because they are different. The film embraces diversity not as a bumper-sticker slogan, but as an ethos that creates a better world through understanding and acceptance. If that sounds too mushy, don’t worry—the film isn’t above sending up touchy-feeliness, which we see in the emotional breakthrough moment when Judy, the insecure overachiever, and Nick, the insecure swindler, admit to each other all of their personal and psychological shortcomings, which is both immensely touching and absolutely hilarious (“It’s true! I do need a herd of therapy animals!”).”

Kendrick continued, “Such moments suggest that returning screenwriter Jared Bush, who again co-directed with Byron Howard (they previous collaborated on Encanto), sees his characters as more than plug-n-play figures, and it helps that Ginnifer Goodwin and Jason Bateman give Judy and Nick such life. Granted, the film’s emotional contours tend to be drowned out by some of the visual excess, including an unexpectedly spot-on homage to the climax of The Shining (1980), and some of the characters feel like they’re trying too hard to be memorable (I’m looking at you, Nibbles).” However, on the whole, “Zootopia 2” admirably balances visual desire and genuine emotion.

The only complaint I have with this movie is that villain reveal is just like the first one. However, I still find myself loving this movie a lot and I’m glad I saw it. If you haven’t seen this film yet, go to the theaters and see it. I’m glad I finally got a chance to see this in the theaters yesterday, as it was one of the movies that I wanted to see. You will love this movie as it still is funny and does have a good message for kids to learn about. Shakira is back singing and does have a little bit of dialogue. Actually, the cast in this movie is phenomenal. Wait until the end credits to know and stay for a post-credits scene. I wasn’t surprised that they came out with a sequel and I wouldn’t be surprised if they come out with a third movie because I can see this franchise going somewhere, if they continue to teach kids about not judging people and the cons of prejudice, which is what they need to know. I think the first movie is a little better, but this is one of the better sequels Disney has come out with. Don’t miss your chance to go to the theaters to see this film.

With that, we have come to the end of “Disney Month 2025.” I hope everyone enjoyed this month, and hopefully I made some good recommendations for everyone, as this is the year that I did the least amount of reviews. Who knows if next year will be the same or not? We’ll just have to wait and see. Have a great end to this depressing year and let’s ring in the new year with the hope that it will be better for everyone. I’m going to take a couple of days off before I start the new year back with my usual Friday reviews. See all of you in the new year.

Tron: Ares

“Tron: Ares,” released in October, is a visually amazing and immersive experience that smartly combines light and sound. While some hardcore fans may be disappointed that the film doesn’t expand on the Tron story, the visual spectacle keeps you engaged throughout. Lupe R Haas said in his review, “The film does play up fan service, but perhaps not as much as some would prefer.”

Ares is sent from The Grid to the real world on a mission, but the computer program goes scoundrel.

Unlike the previous films, the plot is straightforward. Ares evolves into a feeling person who wants to live and discover the secret to a long life. Haas described, “The Pinocchio concept is easy to grasp, and the story sticks to the premise.”

Director Joachim Ronning keeps the story simple, but visually complex. The visual design is spectacular and beautiful on a big screen.

Haas credited, “TRON: ARES takes a refreshing approach to nostalgia, offering audiences a new take on this familiar world. Jeff Bridges’ role is limited to a cameo midway through the film, but the cool light show and booming soundtrack keep your senses busy, allowing you to forget about Bridges’ absence.”

The standout performance is Greta Lee as Eve Kim, a formidable character who cleverly outsmarts the villains.

Evan Peters continues the Dillinger legacy of competition as the evil genius.

Jodie Turner-Smith also delivers a good performance as Athena, a program with a master control program that is more engaging than Jared Leto’s Ares. Haas said, “Athena is stoic and follows orders as a program, while Leto acts more human than a generated being. While endearing as a character, the idea of the hero growing a conscious soon after its creation seems a bit far-fetched.”

Jeff Bridges’ scenes are short but is there as a way to return to the roots of the Tron realm. Legacy fans will enjoy seeing the original Grid.

The plot moves forward and rarely involves the story established in the first movie. It doesn’t dive deeply into the lore and serves more as a standalone movie that doesn’t require any prior knowledge of the franchise.

Haas said, “NIN’s soundtrack complements the thunderous sounds of the light show, but the theater’s sound systems were at times overbearing.”

Overall, “Tron: Ares” succeeds as a great sensory experience that reinvents the franchise’s visual for a new generation, even if it leaves longtime fans wanting more depth from its digital lore.

Former “The Daily Show” correspondent and comedian Hasan Minhaj is in here too. I’m not a hardcore fan of the “Tron” franchise, but this one I found myself thoroughly enjoying this film when I saw it in the theaters. I thought it was a great film to get into and I think people should see this one. I know people were not fond of the last film, but this one I think you will like. It may not be anyone’s favorite, but I think you will at least enjoy it. If you missed the chance to see this in the theaters, then see this on Disney+ or wherever it is streaming. Give it a watch and judge it based on your own opinion.

Tomorrow I will be ending “Disney Month 2025” with the latest film that came out last month. I will be seeing that later today, so expect a review on that tomorrow, as it is one of my most anticipated films to watch this year.

Marvel Zombies

The world of Marvel Animation’s “What If…?” takes a haunting turn with “Marvel Zombies,” released on Disney+ in September. Building on the look of zombies in the first season of “What If…?”, this new series goes into the depths of zombie story, giving a unique and interesting twist to the Marvel universe.

The series starts off with a team led by Ms. Marvel/Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani), Ironheart/Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne), and Hawkeye/Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld). As they move through the curse, desperately looking for a solution, the three struggle to keep everything together and stay safe in the heat of the zombie apocalypse is intense, showing a strong sense of empathy from the audience. Britany Murphy said in her review, “With a lack of non-infected superheroes milling about, Kamala, Riri and Kate are doing the best they can.” However, that’s evidently easier said than done in a zombie apocalypse.

The stakes are high, but when a Quinjet crashes, the group’s hope for possible survivors and the right gear comes back. The discovery they make is a turning point, promising a possible solution to their difficulty, and leaving the audience hopeful for the group’s survival.

Directed by Byran Andrews with a story by Andrews and Zeb Wells, “Marvel Zombies” is a good show to the Marvel Animation collection. Murphy said, “The series has a lot going for it in terms of concept, but that doesn’t mean it’s all executed perfectly. Without getting into spoiler territory, Marvel Zombies hits a few missteps as the episodes progress, and it doesn’t remain as strong as the first episode throughout the rest.” However, it thankfully picks back up the more you watch the series.

Murphy admitted, “While there are some very cool character moments within the series, such as the fight between Blade and Ghost, I wanted the series to lean harder into the horror aspect, especially considering the series has a TV-MA rating. After watching the show, it’s clear that the rating stems from the zombie killing scenes peppered throughout, rather than anything particularly frightening. That said, the character moments and well-animated kills do not make up for the show’s underdeveloped story. Truly, Marvel Zombies only having four episodes is probably one of the most significant drawbacks the series has.”

Murphy continued, “At times, the episodes don’t allow for certain moments to breathe, while others are overtaken by comedic beats that felt unnecessary, particularly from episode two onward. Some of this stems from the series focusing on too many characters that seemed superfluous to the storyline. Iman Vellani’s Kamala Khan does much of the show’s heavy lifting, and Vellani does a fantastic job voicing Kamala (not that there was ever any doubt based on her live-action performances as the character).” It was also enjoyable seeing characters interact on-screen that we might not see together elsewhere, especially in the form they take on, such as Todd Williams’ Blade as Moon Knight. IT was also great seeing Tessa Thompson’s Valkyrie back in action.

Murphy said, “While Marvel Zombies does have some incredibly cool moments sprinkled throughout the series, it doesn’t make up for an undercooked story that likely would have benefited from a few more episodes or the same number of episodes with a longer runtime.” Even though it doesn’t reach the same level as past Marvel Animation shows like “X-Men ’97,” the series is worth watching for its fantastic animation (made by Stellar Creative Lab) and voice acting performances, especially released at the time Halloween was coming fast.

I enjoyed this series a lot. I think this show is made for those who are crazy over zombies and are thinking that a zombie apocalypse might happen, even though I don’t think it will. You should check this out if you have seen other MCU shows because I think everyone will like this. With the way it ended, I think they might make another season, but we’ll just have to wait and see.

Tomorrow, we will look at another surprising sequel in “Disney Month 2025.”

Freakier Friday

With nostalgia being continuously lucrative, it was probably predicted that we would see a Lindsay Lohan revival. Alex Wheeler said in his review, “Her roundabout link to the recent Mean Girls movie aside, Freakier Friday marks the first time Lohan has returned to one of the iconic roles of her youth, and fans of hers (including myself), are sure to cheer.”

Wheeler admitted, “It was rough watching her all-too-familiar trajectory from child star to forgotten celebrity, especially since her early work showed remarkable skill to back up the fame. Two of her biggest roles involved twisted layers of characterization, with The Parent Trap having her play twins impersonating each other and her original iteration of Freaky Friday (itself one of several adaptations of the novel of the same name) had her channeling Jamie Lee Curtis for a body-swap farce. But the cruel messiness of growing up while famous ate her alive, as it has so many people, resulting in nearly a decade without a major role to her name.”

Now she and her fans are older, smarter, and tired, and we just want to enjoy. A return to one of her most beloved movies might be the substance she needs for the right career revival, but first, she has to pull off the difficult task of recapturing very certain memories.

Obviously, Curtis returns with her because they are an inseparable pair in this story. Back in 2003, their characters switched bodies when Lohan’s Anna was a rowdy teen and Curtis’ Tess was a widower finding love once more. Wheeler said, “The basic morality play of putting yourself in someone else’s shoes was made memorable by how fully the two dived into the scenario, so to make this sequel work, they’d both have to show up with the same full-tilt energy.”

This time around Anna is the single mother of a teenage girl, with Tess being an overly helpful grandma. Anna is also the one to find love again, this time with the very English Eric, played by Manny Jacinto. This upsets her daughter, Harper, played by Julia Butters, putting her in the same place Anna was in the previous film. Joining Harper in disagreement to the union is Eric’s teenage daughter, Lily, played by Sophia Hammons, even though the pair are enemies in every other way. Obviously, a body swap solved this issue last time, so another mystic is found and Harper switches with Anna and Lily with Tess.

Wheeler said, “The returning swappers are just as delightful as before, with Curtis once again channeling a much younger energy with gusto. She takes it further than just being spry; the calamitous feeling of events without comparison runs across her face multiple times, and it’s that naivete that makes the whole thing feel real.” Lohan pulls off similar tricks, proving once again to be on the same level with the great actress. However, most importantly, they show complete joy at being back. Lighthearted nostalgia attraction is all about showing the passing of time for a couple hours, and as Lohan and Curtis drive around in a cool car, faces light and happy, it’s easy to fall into the fantasy of feeling young again.

Butters and Hammons are on point too, along with the entire supporting cast (some others from the original return too). However, this film is about those two women, and everything is made to support them. Wheeler said, “Director Nisha Ganatra keeps it simple around them, at times too simple, with the workmanlike vibe of the production threatening to zap the fun. Ideally, the film would feel as light on its feet as its stars, but simplicity is hard to pull off when you have this many callbacks and a new story to get to.”

Wheeler continued, “The one production element that feels right is costume designer Natalie O’Brien’s work, which vary from photoshoot glamour to slacker beachwear. Outside of the actors, the costumes are doing the most work to remind audiences that the bodies don’t match the people, with clever modifications of preexisting wardrobes showing off the new person within. But more importantly, they are fun, with popping colors for the women and perfectly tailored outfits for the eye candy men.”

It's not much, but it’s enough to help out the excellent performances being shown. Really, no one wants this to do a lot. It’s a body-swap comedy, common with slapstick, wide humor. Wheeler ended his review by saying, “It’s about feeling good, and while watching Curtis and Lohan milk the silly premise for all its worth once again, it’s hard not to have a good time.”

“Freakier Friday,” which came out this past August, was a surprising sequel that came out. However, for a sequel that no one asked for or expected, this was good. I saw this in the theaters and I laughed when watching it. There are some heartwarming moments in the film that really make you feel the emotion. I think everyone should check this out on Disney+ if they didn’t see it in theaters because I think everyone will enjoy this film.

Tomorrow, I will be looking at the final MCU animated miniseries of the year in “Disney Month 2025.”

Eyes of Wakanda

Aaron Halls started his review by saying, “Watching Marvel Studios Animation’s Eyes of Wakanda feels like receiving thoughtful, hand-crafted, post cards from a friend who has recently visited a location you admire.” Despite not the long visit to the land of Wakanda that the “Black Panther” films gave, this four-episode, half-hour mini-series gives a beautiful and amazing set of animated short stories. They are great snapshots that satisfy the wanting to revisit the familiar. The series, from showrunner Todd Harris, is an anthology that takes an unexpected approach to the story, which may surprise audiences but is nevertheless satisfying.

Instead of returning to familiar characters like T’Challa or Shuri, each episode of “Eyes of Wakanda,” released on Disney+ in August, follows members of the Hatut Zaraze, or the War Dogs, throughout the history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The War Dogs are secret and elite agents of Wakanda, with a mission of retrieving artifacts of their nation that have been displaced around the world and beyond its borders. The first episode takes place in 1260 BC and follows Noni, voiced by Winnie Harlow, in Crete. Another is about B’Kai (Larry Herron) fighting in the Trojan War alongside Achilles (Adam Gold). The third follows Basha, voiced by Jacques Colimon, in 1400 AD China where his mission has unexpected consequences as he comes back to Wakanda. The final episode follows Tafar (Zeke Alton) and Kuda (Steve Toussaint) in 1896 AD where an apparently easy mission to get an object turns into one of great stakes.

Halls said, “There are multiple benefits to having relatively standalone episodes set throughout such a grand timeline. On one hand, it doesn’t rely on prior knowledge of the MCU to work – a rarity these days. If you’re someone who just wants to see the cool, afrofuturist technology of the Hatut Zaraze beautifully rendered with a painted style animation from Axis Animation, you’ll get that. At the same time, if you’re an MCU die hard, this is a show that has exciting pieces of information that expands the world of Wakanda and the overall universe. From costuming that looks tangible to stories that touch on real world issues – you can feel the same authenticity here that has been present in the entirety of the Black Panther series, so far. That should come as no real surprise though, as the series is produced by Ryan Coogler’s Proximity Media.”

When you put all four episodes of “Eyes of Wakanda” together, they really do feel like a type of beautiful art pieces that you put in the foreground of the “Black Panther” realm you know and love. Halls said, “Far from just a filler until the third movie, this is a series with depth, fantastic animation, and fun stories that add incredibly cool elements to the entire MCU mythos.” If you’re a fan of Wakanda, this is a series you won’t want to miss.

For a series that only has four episodes, this should be an easy watch for any MCU fan, especially if you binge watch it. The animation is great, the stories are engaging, the action is intense, you will love it a lot. I recommend this show for everyone, especially the MCU fans. This is not one to miss, so check it out and enjoy.

Tomorrow I will be looking at a surprising sequel that I wasn’t expecting and was released this past summer in “Disney Month 2025.”

Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires

In “Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires,” released on Disney+ in July, a summer road trip brings Zed and Addison with an encounter with two monster parties at war: Vampires and Daywalkers. To stop an even greater threat, they’ll have to help these two enemies join together before it’s too late.

Milo Manheim and Meg Donnelly pass the torch to Malachi Barton and Freya Skye, who are great as Victor and Nova. Kristen Maldonado said in her review, “The two are leaders of their respective clans caught in an almost Romeo and Juliet-esque rivalry. Both are pushing against expectations as they wrestle with themes of leadership, legacy, and inherited prejudice. The Zombies 4 soundtrack definitely delivers, mixing nostalgic throwbacks with new high-energy favorites.” Highlights include Skye and Barton’s romantic duet Dream Come True and Skye’s permitting solo My Own Way.

With a look at an ocean monster living beneath the surface, you can guess “Zombies 5” could be made soon.

I will say, for a franchise that has brought together all different types of creatures, this one is really pushing it. I don’t know how much more they can do, as I think this franchise is fine for what it is, as it does target young children and I can see and audience for it, especially with a good soundtrack, but will this continue to be loved by children or will it lose its spark soon? Only time will tell as I wouldn’t want this franchise to be overcluttered with too many creatures, as that would be too much. If you have children, you can put this on for them on Disney+ and they’ll love it and I think adults may like this too.

Tomorrow I will look at another animated MCU miniseries in “Disney Month 2025.”

National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation

The pure insanity of the holidays has never really been shown as brilliantly as in “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation,” released in 1989. Directed by Jeremiah S. Chechik and written by the late John Hughes, the family comedy has become one of the most quotable comedies of all time. Alan French said in his review, “Of course, it’s easy to sell your jokes when you have peak Chevy Chase in your back pocket. With a cast that has (mostly) aged well and some truly unhinged humor, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation has earned its legendary status.”

The Griswolds get ready to welcome their grandparents (John Randolph, Diane Ladd, E.G. Marshall, and Doris Roberts) to their home for the winter holidays. However, they soon find others arriving with them, including the crazy Uncle Eddie (Randy Quaid) and his family (Catherine Johnson, Cody Burger, and Ellen Hamilton Latzen). Even with the insanity, Clark, reprised by Chase, believes that he will be getting a big bonus, letting him finally get a pool for his family. As he tries to keep his hopes high, Ellen, reprised by Beverly D’Angelo, tries to keep his expectations on the right track.

French credited, “The power of the National Lampoon brand was still working overtime in 1989. In addition to Chase returning to the franchise, there are bit parts for future and current legends throughout the movie.” Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Diane Ladd, and Brian Doyle-Murray are the main highlights, but the Griswold children, Juliette Lewis and Johnny Galecki, would become the real stardoms in film and TV in the following years.

French credited, “The real powerhouse performance that goes toe-to-toe with Chase is Quaid. While the actor has embraced some strange ideas in recent history, his comedic timing in this movie is off the charts. Not only are the line readings near perfect, but his reactions and mannerisms are wholly unique in every situation.” This is honestly one of the comedic performances that you would think the Oscars would pay attention to.

French ending his review by saying, “Then again, it’s Chase who uses every ounce of his slime and his charisma in the role to keep Christmas Vacation moving along. He’s very funny, and his eye-popping expressions are still marvelous today. Chase had plenty of jokes to tell, but his rubber face was always his greatest weapon. While the off-camera issues slowed his career, there are few performances in the Christmas-movie genre that can blend the saccharine with the humor quite like Chase.”

This is a Christmas classic for everyone to watch each year. One of the best comedies that has a very heartwarming ending. You can probably relate to everything that goes on when it comes to family coming over, hoping for a bonus, the preparations with the decorations and the meal, everything is just stressful on everyone, especially Clark. I know that a few years ago I did some “National Lampoon” movies and left this one out, but now I have reviewed it because I was waiting for the right time. Check this out on Disney+, Hulu, or HBO Max and have an enjoyable time laughing at the movie from start to finish.

Happy Holidays everyone. I hope that everyone has exciting plans for today. Spend the time with the family and let’s all finish out this year on a positive note, seeing how this has been a stressful and bad year for a lot of people. Tomorrow I will be looking at another surprising DCOM sequel in “Disney Month 2025.”

Ironheart

As the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) sees themselves having to reset, 2025 has seen a lot of new heroes be introduced to the fans. We’ve got a new Captain American, a New Avengers team in “Thunderbolts*,” and now a pretender to Tony Stark’s tech lab in the “Ironheart” miniseries, released on Disney+ in June.

Dominique Thorne plays Riri Williams, the young engineering genius last seen helping out in 2022’s “Wakanda Forever.” Victoria Luxford said in her review, “Her leftfield ideas saw her thrown out of the prestigious MIT, forcing her to return home to Chicago with an Iron-Man-inspired suit she designed in her luggage.”

Desperate to copy Tony Stark but missing his billionaire background, Riri falls in with a criminal gang led by The Hood, played by Anthony Ramos, a mysterious figure with a cloak powered by magic. At first thinking she was taking part in harmless crimes, Riri slowly realizes what she’s gotten into, and must use her intelligence to prevent more people dying.

The problem with anything new released by Marvel is thinking whether you need to have prior knowledge in order to understand what’s happening. Thankfully, “Ironheart” is a largely independent show that doesn’t require any research in superheroes to understand. Luxford described, “The story is Marvel’s take on Breaking Bad – a highly driven person with good intentions turns to crime, and soon finds themselves in too deep.”

Luxford continued, “This means Riri avoids the po-faced morality of many heroes and becomes something more complex, with echoes of Tony Stark in Iron Man 3.” Rather than heroism, she wants to build a suit due to the grief of losing her stepfather (LaRoyce Hawkins) and best friend Natalie (Lyric Ross). She suffers from panic attacks, paranoia and flashbacks. Everything is seen through a powerful performance by Thorne.

This is where the series overcomes some of the more predictable aspects of the story. Luxford said, “Yes, you can probably guess things will blow up in Riri’s face, but there’s a beating heart underneath the steel armour that makes those consequences much more compelling.” Series creator Chinaka Hodge gives every character a story, normally through a terrific soundtrack. We must have seen tech-building montages in previous films (“Tony Stark built stuff in a cave with a box of scraps”) but having Nina Simone’s Sinnerman playing in the background gives it a different feeling.

Luxford noted, “We still get the expected dose of Marvel-style action though, as the audience is treated to a couple of thrilling heists early on.” The Hood’s gang is an enjoyable band of loners, mainly former “Ru Paul’s Drag Race” winner Shea Couleé as hacker Slug and Sonia Denis’ explosives expert Clown.

In another area, Alden Ehrenreich is fun as a weapons supplier with a connection to the start of the MCU. Then we have Ramos as The Hood. Luxford said, “Yes, his cloak is more than a little dramatic but beneath it, he’s a man possessed by the allure of power with the source of his magic explained in a jaw-dropping final episode reveal.”

In the end, “Ironheart” is a welcoming new antihero, with enough passion and arrogance to overcome the more predictable elements of the story. Some excellent cliffhangers mean there’s got to be more to come from this hurt genius, and that’s not a bad thing.

Williams did a great job in this role. She was believable as someone who is still going through grief and is mourning her loss, so Riri is a relatable character. I don’t like that before this show was released it was review-bombed because of the prejudice comments about having females, people of color, or LGBTQIA+ people in the lead roles. That’s just wrong because these people don’t believe in Equal Opportunities, which is not given equal rights to everyone, regardless of who they are. Still, I think this is a good show to watch, especially since this is the finale of MCU’s Phase Five. Check it out and enjoy.

Stay tuned later for my yearly Christmas review.

Lilo & Stitch (2025)

For over a decade now, Disney has been making such lifeless attempts of their classic animated films to make money quick by making live-action versions of the same material. Some are completely different versions on the material like 2020’s “Mulan,” and others are lifeless copies like 2019’s “The Lion King.” Their latest effort at this infuriating formula with “Lilo & Stitch,” theatrically released in May, ends up falling somewhere in between those two categories. Joshua Mbonu said in his review, “The original Lilo & Stitch film from 2002, despite coming out at a time when Disney Animation was in a slump, proved to last through multiple generations as a heartwarming story about the meaning of family.” Unfortunately, seeing the quality of the previous attempts, it’s no surprise that Disney’s latest live-action remake misses the main part from the original.

Mbonu said, “The new Lilo & Stitch, despite running 20 minutes longer than the original film, has so much less thematic substance than the original that it’s utterly confounding. When it’s not just following the beat-by-beat strokes of the original, it makes some of the most bizarre and haphazard changes and additions to the story that either add nothing to the film but fluff or actively harm what the remake is trying to accomplish. Young actress Maia Kealoha, as Lilo, seems to be the only aspect of this remake that the movie captures with the warmth of the original. Still, Lilo & Stitch appears to yet again render these remakes as pointless, sludgy-looking cash grabs for the company’s benefit.”

The story of this remake mostly remains the same with scientist Jumba (Zach Galifianakis) being put on trial for the creation of experiment 626, aka Stich (Chris Sanders, co-director and voice of Stitch in the original film). Still, Stitch goes on to escape his trial and lands on planet Earth in Hawaii where he is adopted by Lilo and Nani, played by Sydney Agudong. Mbonu noted, “However, the issues with this remake are apparent from the start with a weirdly breakneck pace through its first 20 minutes of introducing us to the characters while trying to hit beats that the movie knows its audience will remember.” The main problem is that this is another evidence where the lack of these moments in the remake will be filled in with the nostalgia that many have for the original film, which is the laziest way to tell this story to both newer and older audiences.

As said before, it’s very evident that the only performance here that manages to capture even an ounce of the original’s likability is Maia Kealoha, who brings a similar likability to the character that is there in the original. Mbonu said, “She manages to find a nice connection to Stitch even though the CG creature is not there with her on set, an incredibly impressive feat for such a young first-time performer.” Unfortunately, when looking at the performance there isn’t much else to talk about other than the incredibly awful performance from Zach Galifianakis. From the beginning, it is so obvious that his type of voice and mannerisms as an actor do not fit the character at all, and it doesn’t help matters when they completely change Jumba as the villain of the film. This disorganized change ruins the dynamic he is supposed to make with Stitch later in the film, when he realizes the creature has greater purpose than destruction.

Despite the main focus of the original is around Lilo and Nani’s family, there are a shocking amount of changes and new additions to the human cast of the film too. The most evident of them is including Tutu, played by Amy Hill, as a neighbor who lives next to Nani and Lilo, but as with the other remakes, it comes off as an insertion whose presence makes no difference to the film. Courtney B. Vance plays the film’s version of Cobra Bubbles who is also strangely changed to be a CIA agent who decides to be a social worker in disguise instead of the other way around. Mbonu said, “yet another unneeded fluff change that somehow doesn’t even compare how different Sydney Agudong’s Nani is in this version of the story.” Here, she is changed into wanting to be a marine biologist who can’t accomplish that dream because of her little sister. Mbonu said, “Not only does this change barely add anything new to the core of the story, but it forgets that what made Nani’s smaller regular life conflicts so important was that it could relate so much more to the struggles of the average person. It’s an utterly confounding change that takes so much more away than it adds.”

Mbonu continued, “The truth is, I wish I could say Disney’s Live-action Lilo and Stitch was even just mildly better than the bottom of the barrel quality we’ve been getting from these kinds of movies for years now, but that would just be a swerve further away from the truth than imaginable. It’s yet another limp reincarnation of such an lively 2D animated film that fails to even remotely capture the same sort of magic that was present in that 2002 film.” “Lilo & Stitch” is an empty case that will leave the memories of anyone watch it immediately after (like the rating Jeremy Jahns give some of the films he reviews).

This is another poor remake from Disney. Granted, it is nowhere near as bad as some of the others, seeing how this made a lot of money at the box office, unlike the “Snow White” remake, but that still doesn’t negate the fact that this remake was superfluous. No one wanted this remake, and it doesn’t do anything but take away what made the original so lovable. Don’t see this on Disney+ because there is nothing I can recommend about this movie. Just avoid it, like I have been saying about all of the live-action Disney remakes.

Tomorrow I will be looking at another MCU show in “Disney Month 2025.”

The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants

Tonight, I went and saw “The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants,” which came out four days ago. How is this one compared to the previous ones that came out before?

Ever since SpongeBob’s previous movie five years ago, everyone – and media franchise, of SpongeBob SquarePants has continued and expanded. Along with adding more episodes to the long-running television series, the franchise has included a few spin-off shows and a different type of spin-off movies. None of that matters to “The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants,” because everything about this realm is so simple and so simply silly that anyone can settle in and know exactly what’s in store within a couple of minutes or less.

Mark Dujsik said in his review, “Within that same amount of time, it's also clear that the animation team has finally—at least compared to the previous mainline movie—figured out how to bring the sea sponge, which looks like one of the ordinary household cleaning variety, and his pals and his world from the realm of traditional animation into three-dimensional computer animation. The last movie looked like an unconvincing compromise between the two forms.” This time, director Derek Drymon and the animators accept the fact that SpongeBob, voiced by Tom Kenny, and his friends now exist as 3D characters (for the purposes of these movies, apparently). However, that doesn’t mean they aren’t still cartoons.

Dujsik said, “The style and the movement of the characters in this film are fluid, which is vital for material that relies so much on the characters' exaggerated facial expressions, bodies that change depending on a gag, and the generally frantic energy of everything in this world and story.” The plot in Pam Brady and Matt Lieberman’s screenplay starts to simply that it’s difficult to keep track of each and every way where the story keeps adding new elements, until the part where the climax is set in a real world that still can act like a cartoon.

That’s part of the fun of this new film, because none of the characters in the film even looks like they have an idea of what they’re supposed to be doing (Dujsik noted, “At one point, a studio executive, animated as a paper cutout of a picture of a fish, stops the film in its tracks to try to put things back in some semblance of order, but that doesn't last long”). As a character, SpongeBob seems to work best when he isn’t stuck in some routine or predictable plot, because he responds to everything as if anything he stumbles on is completely new to him.

According to the legend of an undead pirate called the Flying Dutchman, voiced by Mark Hamill, SpongeBob is a completely innocent soul, but the ghost pirate has a few less generous ways of putting it when he realizes that SpongeBob might be the one to release him from a centuries-old curse. Before any of that, our sponge friend is excited to wake up one morning to see that he has finally grown to be 36 clams tall, meaning he’s a “big guy” now, complete with a theme song.

At first, SpongeBob’s goal is to ride a roller coaster as a nearby amusement park with his best friend Patrick, voiced by Bill Fagerbakke, a pink starfish who might be even more “innocent” than SpongeBob, given that he doesn’t recognize his best friend of many years just because he grew half a clam taller. Dujsik said, “The little jokes here are steady and sturdy, regardless of one's familiarity with or knowledge of any of these characters. They wear their natures on their sleeves or, in Patrick's case, the jock strap he adorns while dressing like a pirate (Apparently, he can only wear a full top or bottom of any outfit).”

The same goes for Mr. Krabs, voiced by Clancy Brown (who also appears as a pirate narrator at the start), SpongeBob’s boss at a local fast-food joint. The roller coaster turns out to be too scary for SpongeBob (Dujsik noted, “To be fair, the gigantic contraption is, quite amusingly, a death trap at every turn, climb, and drop”), and Mr. Krabs suggests that his employee might one day dare to get on the ride, if he earns a swashbuckling certificate, like the crab did in his youth as a sailor.

All of this eventually leads to the Flying Dutchman convincing SpongeBob and Patrick to join him on an adventure, traveling to the Underworld so that SpongeBob can prove his courage. Dujsik said, “The pirate, of course, actually wants SpongeBob to unwittingly sacrifice himself so that the undead swashbuckler can become alive again.” When realizing that his employee is in trouble (Dujsik said, “His old foe's diabolical laughter is a dead giveaway, and on a side note, is there any actor currently working who does a better diabolical chortle than Hamill?”), Mr. Krabs, the edgy Squidward (Rodger Bumpass), and SpongeBob’s meowing pet snail Gary (Tom Kenny) go out to rescue their friends.

There’s not much more to give here, since the film does joke after joke, with a joke or two in between them. Dujsik said, “Some of them are quite funny, and most of them are so silly that the whole film starts to feel like an exercise in kid-friendly absurdism. The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants is a good-natured bit of goofy fun, as well as a fine example of how to bring the sensibilities and aesthetic of a two-dimensional cartoon into the realm of three-dimensional computer animation.” Mostly, it’s for the fans, but the film is a reminder that, when this material works as silly entertainment, anyone watching it could and should become a fan in the moment.

From seeing all of the previous SpongeBob movies, this one is very funny. I think fans of the show will get into this one no problem. Sure, it might hit some of the notes as the previous film, like the characters go above surface, which they have done in just about every one of the movies, but they come up with new reasons for them to go above surface, so that’s good. This is one that I can see parents taking their kids to seeing. Check it out and enjoy yourself in the theaters during the holidays this year.

Thank you for joining in on this review tonight. Tune in tomorrow for more reviews for “Disney Month 2025.”

Andor (Season 2)

If the first season of “Andor” was the birth of a rebel through Cassian Andor’s, reprised by Diego Luna, eventual awakening, the second season, released on Disney+ in April, reveals the birth of the rebellion. Sure, the rebellion was already in process. It needed to be in order for someone to choose to be amongst its ranks. However, there’s a difference between isolated moments of revolution with Luthen Rael, played by Stellan Skarsgard, being a puppet master and a full-fledged enterprise including the regiments and chain of command. The missions he gives Cassian, Vel (Faye Marsay), and Wilmon (Muhannad Ben Amor) on were just what was being inserted across the galaxy. The words of Karis Nemik, played by Alex Lawther, became a strategy inspiring others to seek freedom. Now, Tony Gilroy and company have put it all together.

Jared Mobarak said in his review, “The show probably would have gone five seasons if it had begun production around the time of Rogue One (the story upon whose back it serves as a prequel). Between the COVID shutdown, industry strikes, and a bursting streaming bubble, however, we should be grateful we even received two. Gilroy makes it work by devoting this latest run of twelve episodes into four equal chapters spanning a truncated period of real-ish-time events labeled by their year in relation to A New Hope: BBY 4 (Before the Battle of Yavin) through BBY 1.”

First come the effects of the previous season via a three-branched narrative showing Senator Mon Mothma (Genevieve O’Reilly) sending her daughter into marriage, Cass trying to survive the end of a mission to steal an Imperial spacecraft, and Bix (Adria Arjona) hoping to evade an Empire inspection in the fields where she, Wil, and Brasso (Joplin Sibtain) work as undocumented laborers. Next are the consequences of an expanding rebellion causing there to be too many things going at once for both Luthan and Dedra Meero, played by Denise Gough, their inevitable collision course coming into larger focus while Cass questions his want to keep pushing himself by sacrificing his life for the cause.

Mobarak said, “BBY 2 is the coup de grâce culminating in two of the best episodes of television this century courtesy of "Who Are You?" and "Welcome to the Rebellion". The former is named after a line channeling the "Mad Men" meme exchange between Don Draper and Michael Ginsberg with all the withering heat of "I don't think about you at all" as well as the revelation that, despite his many attempts at the contrary, Syril Karn (Kyle Soller) is nothing more than a cog in the machine. Its epic faux "first strike" turning into massacre (the parallels to Stephen Miller fabricating a reason to put federal law enforcement on the ground in Los Angeles right now are uncanny) leads to a powerful, galvanizing moment for the rebellion that can only be rivaled by Mon and Senator Organa's (now played by Benjamin Bratt) sacrifices within a tense exfiltration during the latter episode.”

Mobarak continued, “And the final block serves as the connective tissue to Rogue One—a beautifully orchestrated last hurrah for those who don't make it into that film and a rousing ramp up to the drama ahead for those who do. Yes, even K-2SO (Alan Tudyk). I'll admit to being worried that it didn't seem like there would be enough time to do it justice considering all that occurred during BBY 2, but the cast and crew get it done with elegant precision and high-octane suspense courtesy of both Kleya Marki (Elizabeth Dulau) and Cass knowing what is at stake once they realize they might have finally compressed the information gap separating their efforts from those of Director Krennic (Ben Mendelsohn).”

Their ability to move so much story in so little time with these tightly inserted trios only works by giving audiences the respect they deserve as far as knowing we understand the connections without needing them spelled out (Mobarak said, “sorry, Netflix, not everyone wants "second screen" content with dialogue meant to keep us informed so we don't actually need to watch anything”). This shows how much they love these characters and they can handle the politics of both sides of a civil conflict that started with dictatorial tyranny (we also do seeing how much has happened in this county and beyond today). Mobarak said, “That they do so while also finding time to focus on smaller representations of that scenario (namely Kathryn Hunter's unforgettable, totalitarian mother) is our gain on an entertainment and educational level considering sympathizers must never be let off the hook.”

However, beyond the easy heroes and villains, “Andor” also gets to the core of a person like Syril – someone who might prove most interesting due to his thought about his place in the opposition. Because there’s a difference between him and ISB members like Debra and Partagaz, played by Anton Lesser. Mobarak noted, “He might be on the side of evil, but he exists there as an idealist earnestly pursuing a warped ideal fed to him since youth. They operate on ego and ambition, willingly trading their souls for a piece of the pie.” Syril operates on righteousness, thinking h is pursuit of justice is pure because he hasn’t seen that his justice is actually a way to strengthen his superiors’ injustice. It’s why Debra and Partagaz’s ends feel satisfying in their torture and Syril’s feels heartbreaking by contrast. Sadly, too many refuse to see the truth until it’s already too late.

This is not one of the best, or the best, spin-off of the “Star Wars” franchise, but it’s still one of the good ones. The second season ends off with a good segue into “Rouge One,” and it does feel very genuine and moving. It has a fire shown in the rebellion being ignited, so you can see this and enjoy it. Check it out if you have a Disney+. If you start off watching the prequel trilogy, then you can watch the two seasons of “Andor” before watching “Rouge One,” then start the original trilogy. See it for yourself and judge if you like it or not.

Tomorrow I will be looking at another Disney live-action remake that is still bad in “Disney Month 2025.”

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Road Trip

In 2014, Disney produced an adaptation of the 1972 Judith Viorst book, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. Brian Orndorf said in his review, “It wasn’t a slavish replication of the literary treasure, but the production found ways to maintain the idea of the writing while bringing it into a new age of family entertainment.” The picture was a big-time fascinator, but a sequel was never announced. A decade later, Disney tries again with “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Road Trip,” which is about a new family who must deal with all types of mishaps and torture while trying to get through a nice week of travel. While not as charming as the previous film, the 2025 film has its likability thanks to a brave cast and so much disasters, also looking at Mexican heritage to give the film its own personality.

Young Alexander (Thom Nemer) is fearful of his bad luck, believing he’s big trouble for everyone, including his older sister, Mia (Paulia Chavez). A road trip is planned for his family, as chef Frank (Jesse Garcia) attempts to hide his future unemployment, and mother Val (Eva Longoria), is in charge of the journey as a travel writer, getting access to the large Pathwinder XR RV for a drive to Mexico City, joined by her mom, Lidia (Rose Portillo). Her father, Gil (Cheech Marin, who doesn’t have enough screen time), stays behind to care for the family dog. Orndorf said, “Gearing up for a week of fun, Alexander struggles to find any enjoyment out of the journey after he unearths a cursed idol, believing his loved ones are doomed if they don’t return the “devil monkey” to the place where their ancestor initially stole it.” Instead of a safe drive south, the family faces accidents and misdirection, testing their time as they experience a Mexico they’ve never met before.

This sequel shows Alexander as a nervous kid aware that him being around causes problems all over. Orndorf said, “This includes his sibling, who backs the family car into a fire hydrant while interacting with her little brother, resulting in a smashed vehicle and phone privileges taken away from the teen, who’s eagerly waiting a “promposal” (awareness of this special time becomes a running gag). It’s enough to have the boy fear he’s filled with bad luck, but screenwriter Matt Lopez (2022’s “Father of the Bride” remake) goes full “Brady Bunch” with the situation, introducing a cursed idol that brings nothing but trouble for the family.” Some history of the statue is given, setting up personal connections and possible danger, and the object stays in play throughout the film, always finding ways to come into view, putting Alexander on edge as he tries to return it to its rightful owner.

The trip begins for the family, who drive in a luxury RV, ready to experience a Mexico they’ve never seen before, while driving to a luxury resort. Ideas on heritage are shown throughout the film, as Lidia has concerns the family isn’t connected with their people and past, even not speaking Spanish. Orndorf said, “However, this theme is periodically put on hold while director Marvin Lemus organizes slapstick sequences, as an innocent soda spill snowballs into an RV crash that destroys the massive vehicle. A beater replacement is inhabited by a skunk, forcing the clan to endure a gas station makeover. And a lack of phones inspires the use of a map, which tests Frank’s leadership skills as he decides to cross a river in the junker, and that doesn’t go well. Madcap antics are handled well in “Very Bad Road Trip,” presenting domino effect fun for viewers, capably performed by the excitable cast. “

Orndorf continued, ““Very Bad Road Trip” has a Disney to-do list to mind, and the writing gets a little bogged down while on the hunt for emotional substance, mostly found with family secrets that emerge during the disastrous journey, challenging trust.” Lopez gets a little distracted while trying to give the movie some weight. The picture is more focused as a comedy, managing nightmare scenes involving the idol’s influence, and there’s a trip to a local witch, played by Harvey Guillen, to help identify what type of evil the family is up against. “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Road Trip” loses a bit of momentum as it tries to find an ending, but there’s enough entertainment in the trip to a final destination, giving audiences a great time with discombobulated characters handling survival challenges.

This movie was released on Disney+ in March. When I saw it, I thought it was a funny movie and I enjoyed it a lot. If you saw the first one, you should see this and judge based on your own opinion if you like it or not. You might also get educated on Mexican heritage while you are watching it. Check it out and see for yourself.

Tomorrow I will be looking at another “Star Wars” show in “Disney Month 2025.”

Snow White (2025)

There’s no secret that Disney is having an identity crisis that has gone down to their ability to update their beloved fairy tales into modern remakes. Director Marc Webb’s 2025 live-action “Snow White” remake (which came out in March), sadly, falls victim much like the previous remakes.

Lindsay Clarke said in her review, “Both the film and its protagonist are directionless and emotionless.” When the Evil Queen (Gal Gadot) takes away Snow White’s (Rachel Zegler) kingdom, the archetype Disney princess is sad. When the Evil Queen threatens Jonathan, played by Andrew Burnap, a young man stealing to help feeds his friends, Snow White is upset. Clarke admitted, “I know this because she looks sad and upset. She doesn't put up a fight and barely sheds a tear, which the movie assures audiences is fine, because her father gave her a necklace telling her to be brave.” Looks like this will be her character arc: bravery. When you look at it, that’s what this era of Disney Princess has to be, right?

Luckily for Snow White, her enemy is just as boring. Just like in the original 1937 film, Snow White angers the Evil Queen by being prettier than her. That’s a strange idea not to update, seeing how the princess is supposed to be loved for her courage, not her beauty. Clarke criticized, “Gal Gadot gives the Evil Queen a lacklustre performance, awkwardly delivered lines and half-hearted singing, overall looking like she doesn't want to be on set at all.”

Then there are the Seven Dwarves themselves (Jeremy Swift, Andrew Barth Feldman, Tituss Burgess, Martin Klebba, George Salazar, Jason Kravits, and Andy Grotelueschen), and Jonathan’s motley crew of thieves (George Appleby, Colin Michael Carmichael, Samuel Baxter, Jimmy Johnston, Dujonna Gift, Idriss Kargbo, and Jaih Betote) – which are the most entertaining parts of the movie. Their funny, sincere, and goofy appearances are a reminder that Snow White is supposed to be entertaining.

Clarke is right when she said, “Unfortunately though, the no-longer-titular Seven Dwarfs look creepy, and leave audiences wondering if there would have been a better, more inclusive way to include them. The film uses CGI for the creatures of the film, so animating the people of short stature in the same way — and not even doing a very good job of it — comes off as tone deaf.”

Clarke continued, “Snow White isn't a feast for the eyes — more like concept vomit without a notable colour scheme. The computer-generated flowers clash with the tones of grass. The sets look like they were made by people who never agreed on a look for the town. Snow White's token dress seems silly, overly bright, and out of date compared to the other, more drab costumes.”

The songs, a combination of new symphonies and the songs we grew up with, aren’t memorable, but they aren’t terrible either. Waiting on a Wish is catchy enough, and Princess Problems gives the film a charming song, but this is likely because the scene-stealing Andrew Burnap sings in it.

For everything, the climax is oddly enjoyable, paying off a lot of what was set up and giving justice to every character audiences will cheer for and, of course, Snow White herself. Clarke rebuttal, “But a rewarding finale to a subpar film only functions as a staunch reminder that Disney knows how to make good stories, but doesn't know how to make them for the right reasons.” Telling girls to be brave because that’s what every other studio says isn’t the same as actually wanting to make a brave female protagonist.

Clarke said “What could have been an important update to a beloved but aged story ends up being contrived nothingness.” “Snow White” is a fight of colors and ideas that would be quickly forgotten if not for how memorably strange most of the creative decisions were.

Sorry guys, but this is another lifeless remake. Why did they even think of remaking this classic? The dwarves looked completely ugly and there was nothing in this film that made it look watchable. The updates made were bad enough, especially since the new songs didn’t leave much of an impact. Don’t watch this. This isn’t one of the worst remakes, but it’s still a remake that is unwatchable and bad enough that you will instantly forget about it. Especially since this was a disaster at the box office. Just don’t bother seeing this on Disney+.

Tomorrow I will look at a sequel to a film that was released straight to Disney+, but it was still an entertaining one, in “Disney Month 2025.”

Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning

Today while exercising, I finished watching “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning” on Paramount+, which was released theatrically in May but on Paramount+ at the beginning of the month. After waiting for months for this to be released, and seeing how this is another movie that is near three-hours long, how is the last chapter in the near-death spy saga that has lasted three decades?

Espionage has always been fascinating for audiences. Sarah Gopaul said in her review, “he clandestine operations, fantastic gadgets, perilous romances and inevitable confrontations truly offer something for everyone.” That’s one of the long list of reasons the James Bond and Jason Bourne franchises are still popular, taking audiences on high-risk missions where the world is repeatedly saved from near-death threats. In 1966, the Impossible Mission Force (IMF) was introduced in a popular television series that lasted seven seasons to fan and critical praise. Thirty years later, the secret agency would be released theatrically and still continue for almost another 30 years, now coming to the eight and final film, “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning.”

Beginning shortly after the ending to the last film, Ethan Hunt, reprised by Tom Cruise, has been protecting the gold cruciform key from everyone, not trusting that any government or agency would destroy the major AI known as The Entity rather than try to connect its endless power. Now, with the development of a possible poison pill, it’s time to get the team, reprised by Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, Hayley Atwell, and Pom Klementieff, back together so they can retrieve the source code from the bottom of the sea and stop The Entity before it destroys the world with its newly developed nuclear collection. Of course, The Entity has predicted their plans and has its own counterattack in place, while Ethan’s old enemy, Gabriel, reprised by Esai Morales, proves he is still a formidable opponent in this race for control.

Gopaul said, “It was obvious Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One was setting up an epic conclusion in which the fate of the world would once again be decided by its tried-and-true protagonist and his ragtag team of skilled rejects. This film opens with a trip down memory lane, recounting the journey so far via flashbacks that span the major events of the franchise’s three decades, essentially forming a highlight reel of Ethan’s wins and losses. Bringing the team back together is a bit like an overdue family reunion, but with more blood and violence since there’s always unwelcome party crashers.” There’s also a strange meeting with the American president, played by Angela Bassett, who has some generous decisions to make in the short time.

Ethan built his IMF career on near death for so long, never giving up until he’s completed his mission. Similarly, Cruise has admitted he’s preformed his own stunts no matter how dangerous, often pushing the limits in this famous franchise. Gopaul said, “These hazardous manoeuvres became a Mission: Impossible staple, bidding audiences to come watch the actor’s latest feat of bravery or insanity. But this final installment may have finally gone a step too far in its display of ability vs. probability. Viewers will find it difficult not to laugh at the absurdity of at least one of Ethan’s impossible stunts (especially if you’ve recently seen either the dramatized or documentary versions of Last Breath), while the other spectacular act is equally ludicrous but more convincingly impressive.”

If this is really Ethan Hunt/Tom Cruise’s last mission, it is a satisfying conclusion to the franchise. It connects storylines going back to the first film, while wrapping up everything that was left by the last couple of missions. Gopaul said, “The many ticking clocks keep everyone on edge for most of the picture with some unavoidable heartbreak, and a lot of breath-holding as decisions and actions come down to the wire.” It’s touching since audiences have possibly developed a liking to the top-secret team of underdogs, but it’s also a fond farewell…or maybe a “see you again” since nothing ever ends in Hollywood.

If you have been a fan of the franchise up to now, then this one you have to see, if you missed the chance to see it in theaters. The one complaint I have, which was probably the same complaint with the last film, is the runtime. Especially with the underwater segment, which did feel like it dragged. However, you can watch it in pieces on Paramount+, like I did. You need to see this because it is a fitting conclusion and you will love this one a lot. I think this might be the best in the franchise. Check it out, and enjoy the epic conclusion.

Thank you for joining in on this review. Stay tuned tomorrow for the continuation of “Disney Month 2025.”