Top 5 Unpopular Opinions

The greatest aspect of an opinion is that everybody is entitled to their own; while many may have a similar opinion on one thing, there may be some that think differently. For example, some may think it is great to have more Dragon Ball content on the air with the advent of Super and the new movies, others may think the franchise has long overstayed its welcome. Another example is in regard to Disney's direct to video sequels; some may think a majority of them are horrendous trash, others may think there are quite a few hidden gems (I am in the latter camp, I loved the Lilo and Stitch, Lion King, and Aladdin sequels). I am just as guilty when it comes to unpopular opinions, matter of fact, here are five examples of my own (along with an honorable mention):

• One Piece is an anime that has long overstayed its welcome 
• Before explaining this unpopular opinion, let me give you all a disclaimer; One Piece is by no means a bad anime at all. However, I think an anime (or any ongoing series for that matter) that has gone on for well over 900 episodes is a tad excessive, and creates a problem in terms of pacing. I understand this series is about a band of pirates traveling the globe in search of the titular treasure, but we do not need to see every second of their adventure. If its creator were to streamline the story to the most important moments of the Straw Hat Pirates' adventure, then this series would be much more palatable and easier to get into. I have attempted to get into this series multiple times, but failed each time because the massive episode count and horrendous pacing makes it a chore to watch completely. This series has been ongoing for over twenty years, I believe it is well beyond time for the Straw Hats to reach their final destination and end this series. The longer it goes, the more difficult it will be for a newcomer to get into.

• The Wii U is a genuinely great console
• This one is pretty self-explanatory; Nintendo's Wii U console is one that is gravely underrated. It combines the best aspects of home console and portable gaming, it is Nintendo's first High-Definition console, and its Virtual Console represents all of their previous systems with the exception of the Gamecube. Unfortunately, it was unable to realize its true potential due to Nintendo's poor marketing of the product. They marketed the console as an upgrade to the original Wii, rather than its successor like it actually was. Additionally, third-party developers found it difficult to create games for it. As a result, the Wii U was a commercial failure to the company, similar to their Virtual Boy, and was quickly phased out in favor of the Nintendo Switch. Personally, I loved playing games on the Wii U, and was disappointed to see its quick demise. Matter of fact, it is one of my favorite consoles from Nintendo, next to the Gamecube and Switch. While the third-party support was severely lacking, its range of first-party titles was phenomenal! Games such as Hyrule Warriors, Super Smash Bros., and Nintendo Land were great experiences, and their remakes of Zelda games such as Wind Waker and Twilight Princess were massive improvements over the original. I never beat the original versions of the latter two games, but I quickly beat their Wii U remakes. If you ever get the chance to play this console, I can assure you it will be an unforgettable experience. However, there are some glaring flaws, such as having to be in the same room if you wish to stream the game to the GamePad controller. If you wanted to play purely on said controller, you had to be less than thirty feet away from the main unit or else the signal would be lost. 

• X-Men Origins: Wolverine is a solid film
• Ironically, I believe the X-Men films that are considered "bad" in the eyes of the general consumer to be fairly solid (with the exception of the recent Dark Phoenix); X-Men Origins: Wolverine is no exception. It presents a solid interpretation of Wolverine's origin story, and serves as an excellent lead-in to 2000's X-Men film. The pacing is also solid, with no events being too quick or overstaying their welcome, in addition to having a good balance of action, drama, and comedy. However, I do agree with one criticism of the work, Origins' version of Deadpool. I am glad this version of the character was quickly retconned into the snarky, crude, fourth-wall destroyer the public is familiar with. Ryan Reynolds' initial version of Deadpool was the polar opposite and a far cry from his counterpart in the comics, to the point of his mouth being sewn shut; the character is supposed to be a chatterbox, why make him mute? That aside, it was interesting to see Wolverine's beginnings and the cause of his memory loss in his later appearances. If you catch this film out in the wild, I would highly suggest giving it a watch.

• Disney's live action remakes are not as bad as people think
• Disney's recent trend of live action remakes based on their animated films has been a polarizing subject, with a general consensus finding them mediocre at best to horrendous at worst. Personally, with the exception of Maleficent, I found these remakes to be very enjoyable, gladly defending them whenever possible. I grew up watching the original animated versions of these films, and I am always excited to see new interpretations of these stories. While some may see these remakes as "cheap, soulless cash-grabs", I find these as opportunities for Disney to bring back concepts that were cut from the original films (along with elements from their stage counterparts in some cases), and integrate them with the stories we all know and love. Additionally, it allows the company to address the flaws found in the originals and expand upon them, such as how Belle and Beast's backstories are addressed. However, I will admit these new versions have their share of flaws as well (if you would like to see my opinions on Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin and The Lion King, click on their respective italicized names, as I do not plan to re-address them here). In the case of Dumbo, we are not only re-acquainted with the original story, but shown what happens afterward. Perhaps it is time to give these remakes another shot, seeing them for their own merits instead of in the shadows of their source material; you might find them as "diamonds in the rough", to quote Aladdin.

• Honorable Mention: Sonic 06 is not the worst game ever
• In many lists of "worst video games ever made", the 2006 reboot of Sonic The Hedgehog is frequently mentioned. While it is a barely playable mess with a plethora of frustrating glitches, there is some merit to the game. It presents an experimental scenario of placing Sonic and his cast in a realistic setting, along with a new design for series antagonist, Dr. Eggman (a design I think would work so much better in the upcoming live-action film). The game also introduced a new character to the franchise (Silver the Hedgehog), along with solidifying Sonic Rush's Blaze the Cat's place among the franchise's cast (despite retconning her origin). I am probably one of the few that finds Sonic 06 enjoyable; matter of fact, it was the game that made me want to get an XBOX 360 in middle school. It is by no means a perfect game, nor is it great, but it is a solid title in the XBOX 360's library despite its flaws. It is not the worst game in history either (that goes to the Atari 2600 game based on E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial), and is one that definitely deserves a second look. However, in regard to the Wii U title, Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric, that mess of a game deserves to burn in the nearest dumpster fire.

• The Little Mermaid's Ariel is a selfish protagonist
• While I understand this may cause me to lose a few readers, I will preface this by saying that I do not think The Little Mermaid is a bad film by any means whatsoever. It has amazing animation (being one of Disney's last to use traditional cel-animation before switching to the CAPS system), a great score from Alan Menken and the late Howard Ashman, and great characters.... aside from the aforementioned protagonist. In terms of Disney heroes and heroines, Ariel is probably one of the most naive and selfish in the studio's history. Her actions and motivation not only endanger herself, but her supporting cast as well. Her exploring the sunken ship at the beginning of the film almost caused her and Flounder to become shark food, and her desire to be with a human prince puts her entire kingdom at risk from Ursula as well. Her father had every right to be protective, since I have a feeling he knew all of this would happen. She is a protagonist that really needed to learn that all of her actions have consequences, both good and bad; throughout the course of the film, she thought little of how her actions would affect others, thinking only for herself. I do admit I am being a bit harsh on the character, but this is one major flaw that I hope is addressed in the upcoming remake. Ariel is a character that desperately needed to gain a sense of humility and consideration for others. 

What are some of your unpopular opinions? Feel free to discuss them in the comments below and on social media, and be sure to give a follow for future Reviews and Retrospectives posts. 

Henry Cavill Calls it Quits? Advice to DC

According to an article from Comicbook.com, it seems DC may have to recast Superman in addition to possibly recasting Batman. Due to his obligation in Netflix's adaptation of The Witcher and negotiations for a cameo in Shazam falling through, Henry Cavill could be hanging up his cape and leaving the role of Superman in the DC Extended Universe. In my personal opinion, I would not blame him for wanting to leave the role; however, I do see potential as Justice League was a step in the right direction for the character. There is so much Cavill could do with this version of Superman that has not been previously explored, such as teaming up with their own version of Supergirl and a significant amount of lore pertaining to Krypton. Perhaps this will cause DC to realize their Cinematic Universe is an absolute mess due to the decisions they made, such as rushing into the team ups without establishing the major players first (cameos in the team ups to not count, by the way). If their previous actions had not ended in absolute disaster, then maybe Cavill would have stayed and we would have seen more of his Superman. Their best course of action is to simply keep the remaining DCEU cast and do a full reboot with Wonder Woman 1984 and Matt Reeves' The Batman. Additionally, DC needs to make their film franchises more standalone instead of interconnected like Marvel.

UPDATE (09/12/18 11:38 AM CST): According to another article from Comicbook.com, Ben Affleck is also on his way out as Superman. Maybe it is time to completely reboot, DC.

UPDATE (09/13/18 11:03 AM CST): It seems the source's report is merely speculation at this point, as nothing has been made completely official. However, they have not confirmed or denied Cavill's departure from the Superman role, stating that Cavill "still keeps the cape in his closet".

Disney's Christopher Robin (2018)

As I mentioned in my previous review of 2017's Goodbye Christopher Robin, A.A. Milne's series of children's novels were a substantial part of my childhood. However, I grew up more with Disney's version of the stories and came across the source material later on. While I admired Goodbye Christopher Robin for being relatable on a personal level, I liked Disney's Christopher Robin on a conceptual level in addition to being somewhat relatable. I found the concept of an adult Christopher being a bit jarring at first, since the first image that usually pops into mind is the character as a child. The film's overall premise is unprecedented, as this is something that has never been attempted in the history of Winnie the Pooh. (Yes, in Goodbye, we saw an adult Christopher, but that was only for a brief moment) It was a take on the concept that was fresh and new, and it was beautifully accomplished. Despite the tone being darker than one is used to with this franchise, it manages to take many of the right steps in achieving a solid result. For starters, it has the prolific Jim Cummings reprising his role of Pooh and Tigger. Additionally, it is littered with references to Christopher Robin's source material. Pooh, Tigger, Eeyore, Kanga, Roo, and Piglet are designed as stuffed animals, with an appearance hybridizing Disney's version and that of Christopher Robin's original stuffed animals. However, Rabbit and Owl were designed with a more realistic aesthetic, probably as a nod to the fact that A. A. Milne himself created them rather than his son.
 As a minor spoiler, the title sequence also contains some events in Christopher Robin's life that mirrored his actual counterpart, such as being sent to boarding school and serving in World War II afterwards, in addition to distancing himself from his plush animal friends. However, instead of resenting his father like what actually happened, the film takes an approach similar to the Robin Williams movie, Hook. Christopher Robin simply grows up, leaving the remnants of his childhood behind. Surprisingly, the beginning of the film portrays him similar to that of A. A. Milne himself, albeit to a lesser extent (this is a Disney film, after all). However, when Pooh and the gang re-enter his life, he slowly begins to rediscover his inner child and slowly begins to share his former life with his wife and daughter. Ewan McGregor once again nails his role as the title character, just as he did as he did with Obi-Wan Kenobi and Lumiere (has there ever been a bad role of his?). As mentioned previously, I found myself relating to this version of the character like I did in Goodbye; I am a total workaholic, and at times I have made decisions that involved choosing work over family and friends. After seeing this film, I have decided that when I am back in my hometown after graduating from college, I am going to spend more time with them and make up for any time that was lost. While it is alright to have a stable career and a dream to work for, one must never forget their loved ones, because the person could almost push them away in the process. I believe that if Christopher Robin never reunited with Pooh, he would have slowly lost everything that he held dear to him.
Overall, I would highly implore each and every one of you reading this post to see this movie! It is heartfelt, it brings on so many feelings, and its message is absolutely fantastic! You do not need to be a fan of Winnie the Pooh to enjoy it, it is a movie that is definitely for everyone; it will definitely resonate with you.

Goodbye Christopher Robin

Throughout my life, I have been intrigued by the works of Alan Alexander Milne, such as his famous stories of Winnie the Pooh and his son, Christopher Robin Milne (moreso the latter than the former). As a result, I was excited to learn from my friend Kyle that Fox Searchlight was in production of a film about A.A. Milne and the real Christopher Robin. However, before diving into the review I must give this disclaimer; if you grew up with the Disney adaptation of Milne's characters and their fictionalized version of Christopher Robin, then this movie may ruin your childhood. This film dives into topics such as A.A. Milne's PTSD from serving in World War I, along with the struggles Christopher Robin faced when his father essentially used him to propel his own success. After viewing this movie, I had a lesser amount of sympathy for one of my favorite childhood authors; however, I had more sympathy for his son and could relate to him on some levels. Like Christopher, I was put into the limelight with a short modeling career (which I admit was a tad overwhelming at times, while also being fun), and I was constantly bullied throughout my elementary and middle school years.
The story primarily focuses on its title character, and his role in the creation of his father's Winnie the Pooh. Us viewers are treated to Christopher's imaginative childhood, as he spends his days playing in the forest that served as the inspiration for Pooh's Hundred Acre Wood. We are shown the creation of the characters inspired by the child's stuffed animals given to him by his mother, how they received their names, along with A.A. Milne being inspired to write stories about his son (which sparks the main conflict of the story). Milne is portrayed as a struggling playwright returning from the horrors of war, struggling with multiple bouts of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. In staying true to his actual counterpart, he is a somewhat cold-hearted and distant individual due to his previous experiences. He seemed to care primarily about his work and little about his family, unless the situation was of some benefit to him. There was a reason I lost some respect for him (considering he is one of my favorite childhood authors), and that was his treatment of his son. Alan Milne and his wife essentially used poor Christopher Robin as a means of elevating their status, since the latter was also used as the protagonist of Winnie the Pooh (much to poor Christopher's later dismay).
The only thing young Christopher desired was to live like a normal child with a loving family, but unfortunately he was unwillingly thrust into the spotlight and consequently traumatized for the remainder of his life.
While I was viewing this film, my heart shattered seeing the poor child going through this at such a young age. Since he technically created these characters, he definitely deserved to express his opinions on his newfound stardom, and I applauded when he attempted to do so. He had every right to say no to his parents or refuse people prying into his personal life; under no circumstances should a child not be given a choice in being famous. If he was given that right when Winnie the Pooh rose in popularity, then he would not be bullied at boarding school and he would not try to distance himself from his parents in his later years. As much as I admittedly have a soft spot for the bear him and his father created, I can definitely say it was the bear that ruined his life. Christopher Robin was not in the wrong, but his parents definitely were.
While this film may not be a 100% accurate adaptation of the story of Winnie the Pooh, it captures the essence of the tale and nails it. Every member of this cast was on point with their roles, and managed to accurately portray their characters. I can definitely say the filmmakers did their research on the characters' historical counterparts, and made a beautiful film as a result. I would highly recommend this film if you are looking for a good biographical drama or curious about the life of A.A. Milne. For those that have experienced situations to Milne or Christopher Robin, you may find it as relatable as I did along with sympathizing with the characters. Now it begs the question as to how it stacks up with Disney's Christopher Robin film...

How to Make a Michael Bay Movie (Satirical)

Step 1- Hire Megan Fox, and cast her as the main lead. The average audience will follow her more than the true main characters, anyway. 

Step 2- Have explosions every five seconds; explosions are awesome so let's put a ton of them in!

Step 3- Make it as edgy as possible. Lighthearted is so overrated! 

Step 4- Make the title characters the side characters; make Megan Fox the main focus of the film.

Step 5- Make the same film over and over again, nobody will notice... (oh wait, we do!) 

Fullmetal February: Fullmetal Alchemist Manga

(Source: Wikipedia)

In celebration of the live action movie's Netflix release on February 19, 2018, I thought I would dedicate the month of February to reviewing other adaptations of the manga Fullmetal Alchemist. If this theme month is positively received, I may make February a theme month for other anime series such as Dragonball, Naruto, and My Hero Academia. To begin Fullmetal February, let's take a look at the source material; Hiromu Arakawa's manga, Fullmetal Alchemist.

The manga ran from July 12, 2001 to June 12, 2010 in Square Enix's Monthly Shonen Gangan, and follows the adventures of young brothers Edward and Alphonse Elric. The series takes place in a world where the concept of alchemy is as prevalent (if not more) than regular science. After a botched attempt to resurrect their mother through the forbidden use of human transmutation, Edward is left without an arm and leg and Alphonse is merely a soul fused to a suit of armor. To reverse the repercussions of their misdeed, the two brothers join the military in an attempt to seek out the mythological Philosopher's Stone. However, trouble stalks them from every turn; during their journey they are pursued by a scarred man from the nation of Ishval, as well as a group of artifical humans known as "Homunculi". As a whole, the series explores themes such as Alchemy vs. Science, the concept of human mortality, religion, and the consequences of defying nature for personal gain. Initially, this was not a series I could get invested in; and I would usually turn away after a certain point; matter of fact, the first attempts at going through this series would put me to sleep (then again, I was reading/watching this series late at night after school). However, after my concept art teacher started talking about it, I became curious and began digging into this gem once again. The manga, like its anime adaptations, is relatively short at a length of only 108 chapters across 27 volumes. Essentially, it is a pretty quick read as opposed to series such as One Piece and Naruto. The series has multiple twists, ending every chapter with the viewer desperately wanting to know what will happen next to the Elric Brothers. Will they ever get their bodies back? Will they find the Philosopher's Stone? Will they defeat the Homunculi? You will just have to read to find out; however, if you are illiterate or are too lazy to read, there are two anime adaptations as well. The first being released in 2003 and the second being released in 2009. I will not go into much detail about them since I plan to dedicate blog posts to these two versions, but they are both accurate representations of the source material! Give any of the three a look, you will definitely not regret it. My only warning is that this series is a violent one, considering one element is war. 

The History of Beauty and the Beast Chapter 3

After Purdum’s bitter resignation from the project, Katzenberg sought after a new director to lead the production team toward the film’s new vision. Initially, the studio asked Ron Clements and John Musker; who recently completed production on The Little Mermaid. Unfortunately, they both declined since they were both exhausted from working on the previous project. Instead, Disney asked rookie directors Kirk Wise and Gary Trousdale (who would later become the directors of The Hunchback of Notre Dame). Before Beauty and the Beast, the duo directed sections of EPCOT’s Cranium Command attraction. To create a “Broadway Musical” feel similar to Mermaid, Alan Menken and Howard Ashman were hired once again. The latter also served as an unofficial director on the project, despite experiencing severe health problems and working on a project of his own; an adaptation of Aladdin. To accommodate Ashman’s health, the production team moved from their original location in London to Fishkill, New York. It was at this point which Ashman, Menken, Trousdale, and Wise worked to retool the original script with Don Hahn and Linda Woolverton.

              To give the film a lighter tone than Cox and Purdum’s earlier drafts, the once-mute enchanted objects were given distinct identities and personalities, to serve as “guides” for the audience and as comic relief. Gaston returned from Purdum’s version, albeit in a drastically altered form; instead of being a foppish marquis, he was changed into a narcissistic hunter and “town-hero”-type of character. To quote Belle in the final film, this new version of the character was “boarish” and “brainless”. He was also given a sidekick in the form of LeFou, whose name fittingly translates to “the fool”. Belle and Beast’s personalities were also given a drastic overhaul, adding more development to their characters. In addition to being a simple peasant, Belle was also made a bookworm; she was fascinated by the worlds that books could show her, such as those that included “daring swordfights, magic spells, a prince in disguise”. Unfortunately, she and her father (who was once again an inventor) would be ostracized by their fellow villagers because of their lifestyles. Belle became an outcast amongst her peers, since she now preferred to read rather than what is typically expected of a woman in the village. One could say her intelligence made her stand out from the crowd. The Beast’s overall development as a character can be attributed to the ideas of Howard Ashman, such as reducing the character’s age and starting the film with a prologue that explains the cause of his grotesque transformation. In this new version, an arrogant prince refuses to let an old beggar woman seek shelter, purely based on her appearance and her small gift of a red rose. As a result, the old woman transforms into a beautiful enchantress; cursing the inhabitants of the prince’s castle. To raise the overall stakes, the same rose given by the enchantress served as a timer; “If he could learn to love another and earn her love in return by the time the last petal fell, then the spell would be broken. If not, he would be doomed to remain a beast for all time.” Essentially, this added a “race against time” element to the love story. The Beast has to learn how to love and be loved by the time the rose completely wilts. According to a 1990 draft, the team initially decided on a fully-animated prologue, which also included a chase sequence of the Enchantress trying to cast her spell on the prince; accidentally hitting the servants along the way. The animated prologue was (of course), abandoned in favor of the one seen in the final film. The same beggar was also planned to appear at the end of the initial draft, with the young royal and Belle meeting her as they leave the castle on a stagecoach. Comparing this draft to the final one, the story was nearly identical aside from some minor scenes being cut (such as Gaston and Lefou travelling to the Maison des Lunes) along with some musical numbers being added, one being shifted, and one being cut entirely.

              The first song Menken and Ashman wrote for the film served the purpose of introducing the female lead, as she goes about her day in the small village near her home. The late Ashman once said in an interview, “In almost every musical ever written, there’s a place, it’s usually the third song of the evening. Sometimes it’s the second, sometimes it’s the fourth, but it’s quite early. The leading lady usually sits down on something, sometimes it’s a tree stump in Brigadoon, sometimes it’s under the pillars of Covent Garden in My Fair Lady, or it’s a trash can in Little Shop of Horrors, but the leading lady sits down on something and sings about what she wants in life…” (Howard Ashman, Waking Sleeping Beauty) Belle was no exception, and introduces the audience to the “Beauty” of the story. The song was later reprised, further developing the character and revealing how trapped she felt in the village. Personally, these two numbers are my favorites in the film. To further develop the castle staff, the duo wrote a showstopper known as Be Our Guest, which would be performed when Belle’s father initially enters the castle. However, the team felt the sequence would have a greater impact if shifted to the point when Belle is in the castle instead of her father. Their development would be further expanded using the song “Human Again”, to be performed after Belle and Beast rescue each other from the wolves. As production progressed, Human Again would be cut in favor of a song that developed Belle and Beast’s relationship instead, titled Something There. Of course, these two needed a song that served as a culmination of both characters’ arcs, which is where the title song Beauty and the Beast comes in.   However, Human Again would later be added to the stage musical and reworked into the film’s 2001 IMAX release. They also needed a song or two for their villain, Gaston; the circumstances surrounding him being an interesting case.

Typically, Disney villains would be given a single song (and sometimes a reprise of that number) to develop their character. However, Gaston is a unique exception; he was given two villain songs during production. The first is his self-titled sequence (which fits his egotistical nature) and its accompanying reprise afterward, and the second is during the angry mob sequence when Belle returns home; this would later be titled The Mob Song. The latter scene served as a prelude to the climactic battle and to show Gaston’s psyche coming apart at the seams; his growing lust for Belle being the only aspect that remained.

Unfortunately, while it seemed production was moving smoothly as the release date quickly approached; a larger problem was brewing. Ashman’s health was drastically worsening with each day that passed; and the team was unsure if he would live to see the end of production. According to Peter Schneider and John Musker, after a successful press event to promote the movie, the entire crew “jumped into a cab and we raced downtown to St. Vincent’s… we were high from it when we came into the cold shock of Howard dying in a hospital room. His mother pulled back the sheets to show us the Beauty and the Beast sweatshirt he was wearing. He was eighty pounds, had lost his sight, and barely had a whisper of a voice. We shared with him what happened that day and how amazing it was, and how he was there in every way. Then, when it was time to leave, we said our goodbyes; before I left, I bent over and whispered ‘Beauty and the Beast was gonna be a great success. Who’d have thought it’, I said. Howard lit up and whispered, ‘I would have’.” Ashman passed away on March 14, 1991 and would never see the completed film. Thankfully, the film was dedicated to him in the end credits. Sadly, things would have to move on without this idea powerhouse. While Ashman’s passing was a massive blow to the team’s morale, higher powers blessed them with amazing opportunities such as presenting a rough cut at the New York film festival on September 22, 1991. Despite being unfinished, it garnered a massive standing ovation and hyped the public for the premiere on November 13^th of that same year and the public release nine days later.  

From the moment it was released, it was a critical and box office success, garnering universal critical acclaim and a total box office gross of 425 million (not including re-releases in 2001 and 2012). In addition to the aforementioned success came various accolades such as Oscar nominations for Best Original Song, Best Original Score, and Best Picture. The latter nomination came as a shock to everybody, as an animated film has never been nominated for that category and would not be again until the releases of Pixar’s Up and Toy Story 3. While it did not walk away with an academy award for best picture, it did snag awards for Best Original Song and Best Original Score. This was far from the end of Beauty and the Beast’s story; on the contrary, it was only beginning. The film was re-released again in 2001, with the deleted Human Again sequence reintegrated into the story. However,  this version of the song was based on that which was seen in the 1994 Broadway Musical adaptation of the film (the latter of which we will be covering in the next chapter of our tale). 

Justice League (2017)

(Image Source: Collider.com)

To recap the critical history of DC’s Extended Universe; Man of Steel was polarizing, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice bombed like a nuclear missile, as did Suicide Squad, and Wonder Woman managed to… somewhat redeem this dying cinematic universe. Did Justice League manage to replicate the success of its predecessor, or was it a massive, poorly-paced mess like Dawn of Justice? In my opinion, I can honestly say both “yes” and “no” to these questions.

To begin, I can confidently say Justice League was a MASSIVE improvement over Zack Snyder’s previous film in the DCEU, which was Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice. The pacing is definitely an improvement, and does not drag out like the latter film (which was even worse in the extended cut, despite the story improvements). There is also a smaller amount of plot holes, which was another major problem I had with Dawn of Justice. However, with that being said; there were still some minor story flaws that I need to address. First, while the pacing was an improvement, I feel like certain events moved rather quickly. Some moments in the story moved by so fast, I did not have a good amount of time to take them in. The overall tone was also improved to be more digestible to moviegoers, thanks to the involvement of Joss Whedon. While the tone was lighter than its predecessor, it was also very inconsistent (maybe because of the polarizing styles of the two directors). Some moments would be dark and brooding, while some would be goofy and lighthearted. It can be inferred the darker scenes were filmed under Snyder’s direction, while the lighter scenes were filmed under Whedon. The latter type of scenes felt more in line with the previous DCEU film, Wonder Woman (you may want to take notes from this movie, Snyder). Adding to that statement, Zack Snyder still does not understand how to write certain characters aside from Batman. Whedon thankfully understands and successfully manages to make each character as accurate to the source material as possible, while also fitting the world the film is set in.

I praise Joss Whedon more than Zack Snyder for finally getting the characters right! Unlike in Dawn of Justice and Man of Steel, Superman finally acts like more positively (instead of acting like an emo teenager). Batman was also adjusted to be more like his comic counterpart, instead of the brooding extremist from the previous film. However, what irked me this time was him being a tad insensitive towards his comrades, especially Diana Prince/Wonder Woman. Speaking of which, I loved the interactions between the two, and felt it was similar to their animated counterparts from the Justice League cartoon. I believe this could hint at a budding relationship between the two characters, as I can tell they have feelings for each other. If I had to choose one character to be the movie’s “breakout”, it would definitely have to be Ezra Miller’s Barry Allen/Flash. This version of Barry was hilarious, keeping me laughing almost every moment he was onscreen, and I love how Justice League acts as the starting point for his development. However, while I do enjoy his personality and character, I still think Grant Gustin is the better Barry. Gustin’s version of the character has a personality closer to the comics, while Miller’s felt more like a copy of Peter Parker in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. As for Aquaman, I felt like he could have had some more character development, as we do not learn much about him throughout the film. I honestly hope the upcoming Aquaman solo film manages to expand upon their title character. The character that does receive an ample amount (maybe the most amount) of development is Victor Stone/Cyborg, plus he is the character that is most accurate to his comic counterpart. He acts and feels like the Cyborg I grew up reading about in the Teen Titans comics and watching the tv series of the same name, even saying “boo-yah” at one point in the story.

Overall, while this film is a major improvement and a bright light for the future of the DCEU, there are still some problems that need to be fixed in future films. Zack Snyder needs to learn more about these characters, so he can give viewers accurate portrayals. Second, he needs to learn that not every DC film he makes needs a dark and brooding tone; it is alright to have some positivity. Not every film has to be like Watchmen. For example, Superman films need to be fun; as the title character is optimistic and always thinking of a positive outcome. Finally, he needs to learn about pacing in a film, and find some balance between the dragged-out Dawn of Justice and fast-paced Justice League. If he and DC can manage to iron out these three problems, then the future of the DC Extended Universe is a bright one. I look forward to the future of this cinematic universe, and I would hate to see it fail because of the movies always repeating their previous mistakes. I would highly recommend seeing Justice League, do not listen to what the other critics say; form your own opinions and feel free to discuss them in the comments below. 

The Flash Season 3 Episode 17: Duet!

I will admit it right here and now, I have a massive soft spot for musicals. As a result, I was excited when I learned of a musical crossover episode between CW’s The Flash and Supergirl. Unfortunately; since I am busy at the time the episodes air in their first run, I had to wait until the current seasons arrived on Netflix to watch the episode. Upon watching said episode, I came to a few conclusions. First, I felt the premise of Flash and Supergirl being trapped in a musical film was admittedly “tacked-on”. Second, I think the reason they made this a musical episode was to make it a Glee reunion (Melissa Benoist, Grant Gustin, and Darren Criss are all Glee alum). Finally, the overall premise of the episode felt similar to Batman: The Brave and the Bold’s Wrath of the Music Meister; replacing Batman with The Flash and Supergirl. 

              The episode’s premise follows Barry Allen (aka The Flash) and Kara Zor-El (aka Supergirl) as they are put in a comatose state by Music Meister (played by Glee alum Darren Criss) and forced to act in a musical. I have two theories as to why this episode was created. My first theory is the writers were desperate for an episode and thought “let’s make this episode a Glee reunion; maybe give Darren Criss a role”. My second theory is this episode was a partial promotion for the home release of La La Land (I doubt this was the case, as these two were not released around the same time; they were released a month apart). Despite having a weak premise, this episode significantly contributes to both shows’ storylines. The character arc between Barry Allen and Iris West is progressed further, along with Mon-El and Kara’s arc in their own series. Overall, this episode had a story as weak as La La Land, and the weakest link is undoubtedly where La La shined; the musical numbers.

              In musicals, the songs serve the purpose of advancing the plot. The work would not be able to survive without these songs, as the latter serves as a backbone. Musical plots are written around the songs. That is not the case with this episode. I understand Grant Gustin, Melissa Benoist, and Darren Criss have musical talents, and I admit they were amazing by utilizing these talents. However, the songs in this episode are totally unnecessary. The episode could have worked without them, and it could have relied solely on the plot. The songs were nothing more than a “shoehorned” gimmick. They were mostly unnecessary, save for the finale. Aside from the episode’s final song, I cringed at the lyrics for most of the musical numbers; especially Superfriends (even though it was a brilliant reference to the Hanna-Barbera cartoon of the same name). On a positive note, I will admit the songs are an excellent example of utilizing the chemistry between Gustin and Benoist, as the two fantastically worked through them. 

              While the plot and music were as bland as unbuttered toast, this episode shines in developing characters and world-building (or “multiverse building”, as Flash and Supergirl hail from two different universes). Utilizing Music Meister as the main antagonist was a fantastic choice, as he is one of DC’s lesser-known rogues. I hate to say this (as I was never a fan of Glee), but I begrudgingly admit Darren Criss was the perfect choice for this character. He nailed the role, and I cannot imagine anybody else as Music Meister.

              Overall, I would give this episode a seven out of ten. While the musical numbers and premise were weak, it was excellent in progressing the shows’ plots and adding significant amounts of character development. Since this episode is important to the plot, I would unfortunately advise against skipping it. However, if you have to watch this episode on your Netflix binge (assuming you have Netflix); I would suggest letting this episode play in the background or skip to the end after watching the beginning.

Wonder Woman (2017)

The DC Cinematic Universe, (or DC Extended Universe; as it’s now called, which I think is a dumb name) has been driving along a bumpy road since its conception. Originally, this universe was going to start with the 2011 Green Lantern film starring Ryan Reynolds. Unfortunately, due to the film being a massive failure; it was later considered a standalone film (and the butt of various jokes from Ryan Reynolds in Deadpool).

In 2013, the cinematic universe officially started with Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel. The film served not only to reboot and retell the origin of Superman, but it also served as a launching point for a shared universe (similar to what Marvel had been doing since 2008’s Iron Man). Man of Steel received mixed reviews such as a 55% on both Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic (I certainly liked it, but I can understand the flaws it had), but it was a box-office success for Warner Brothers. As a result, plans for a sequel were underway only months after the film’s release.

The sequel was finally released in 2015 under the title Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice. The purpose of this film was to introduce Batman and Wonder Woman to the DCEU, along with paving the path for the oncoming Justice League movie (the latter of which I am looking forward to when it releases in November of 2017).

The film achieved the intended purpose, but I feel it was released a bit too soon since the only previous movie was a Superman solo film. I feel this movie should have come later in the series, and if you have seen it you will know why (but I digress). The film was praised for Ben Affleck’s role as Bruce Wayne/Batman and Gal Gadot as Diana Prince/Wonder Woman, but it was slammed by critics for the sluggish pacing, lack of action sequences, various plot holes, depressing tone, and the overall mischaracterization of Superman. However, as the film was once again a “box office success” for Warner Brothers and DC, another entry would soon follow.

In 2016, it was time to let the villains take the lead in Suicide Squad. This movie (despite winning an Oscar for Best Makeup), is considered the worst entry in the DC Extended Universe, thus leaving a bad taste in the mouths of fans and critics. As a result, the future of this franchise was uncertain until July 2, 2017… the release date of Wonder Woman.

At the time of this review, this film is being heavily praised by fans and critics; earning a “Certified Fresh” stamp on Rotten Tomatoes, and single-handedly redeeming this dying Cinematic Universe.

Similar to Marvel’s Captain America: The First Avenger, Wonder Woman is told through a storytelling device known as a “frame story”. For those who are unaware, a frame story is a plot essentially told in flashbacks and bookended with segments set in the story’s future or present day. While the beginning and end of the movie are set after the events of Batman v. Superman, the flashbacks are set in the distant past to explain the origin of Wonder Woman. As for the origin story, it seems to borrow many elements from the New 52 incarnation of the character; something I shall not explain further to avoid spoilers.

The origin was also done much better than Superman’s in Man of Steel; it is better structured and more linear than the aforementioned film, thus making it easier to follow. However, my only complaint towards the plot (albeit an extremely minor one) is that some elements of the story (such as how the plot is handled) felt like they were ripped directly from Captain America: The First Avenger. I will not say which ones (once again to avoid going into spoiler territory), but if you have seen both films then you will know what I am talking about. I understand both films pertained to the two world wars, but I wish DC was a bit more original in that regard. Matter of fact, it seems one of the main characters was modeled after Steve Rogers aka Captain America.

Speaking of characters, I commend DC for sticking to the source material in terms of characterization. Gal Gadot’s interpretation of Diana/Wonder Woman felt like she leaped right out of an issue of the New 52 run of the character, while containing some elements from before that infamous run.

She nailed the character’s personality and mannerisms, and was totally dedicated to the role (even going so far as to participate in reshoots while pregnant). By far, she is the best actress that has portrayed this character; beating out her predecessors Lynda Carter and Susan Eisenberg. She had an excellent chemistry with her co-star, Chris Pine, who played Steve Trevor. Overall, Gadot did fantastically! However, I have some things to say about Pine’s character in particular… and some of it is actually not so positive…

To start, I felt in some aspects he was somewhat of a “Copy-Paste” of Steve Rogers; aka Captain America. While their personalities are not 1:1, I found some traits to be quite similar (except Pine’s character was a bit more snarky than Evans’); even their respective actors and characters share the same first name! There was also a scene pertaining to Steve Trevor towards the end that felt eerily similar to a scene from The First Avenger.  (Try to guess which scenes if you have seen both films)

As for the film’s main villain, it follows the previous formula established back in Man of Steel; a larger than life villain that initially seems impossible to defeat, and has some relation to the protagonists. (Can Diana manage to defeat Ares and turn the tide of The Great War? Watch the movie to find out!)

Ares has an amazing design; fitting for his character. I really liked his armored design that is faithful to his comic counterpart, and I liked his overall connection to Diana and her origin (again, you know the drill since I always say it, no spoilers).

Overall, this film is an excellent sight to behold! Unlike the two previous films, I was glued to the movie screen for every second of Diana’s journey to fulfill her destiny. This movie is indeed a significant improvement over the previous installments, as DC has finally learned from their previous mistakes and actually applied what they learned.

It is actually so much better than the movies that were released before Man of Steel, such as Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight trilogy and Zack Snyder’s Watchmen. I would highly recommend this movie to all fans of cinema, Wonder Woman, and comics in general. Diana of Themyscira, I welcome you with open arms in your theatrical debut, and I am definitely looking forward to seeing her, Batman, and Superman return in Justice League.