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  • The Odyssey review

    Christopher Nolan isn’t one of my favorite directors, but he is one that I really respect. His newest film the Odyssey was actually the most I’ve been excited to see one of his films. The Odyssey is an adaption of the famous Greek poem of the same name where after the Trojan War, King Odysseus played by Matt Damon goes through a long and difficult journey home full of monsters and obstacles. Meanwhile his wife Penelope played by Anne Hathaway and his son Telemachus played by Tom Holland have to deal with a bunch of suitors that want to take over especially Antinous played by Robert Patterson until Odysseus returns.

    Christopher Nolan’s films always have a grand and huge scale to them and the Odyssey might be his biggest and most epic film he has made so far thanks so Nolan’s always amazing directing. Every shot in this film feels so grand and well directed. The fact that this was the first film to ever be filmed completely on IMAX add to the epic feel. The film does have the same problem I had with Oppenheimer and that’s the long runtime plus the non-linear narrative this film has. It starts off a bit slow and but once Odysseus’s journey the film gets really going. The performances here are amazing with big standouts being Matt Damon and Tom Holland. Anne Hathaway is absolutely amazing as Penelope and you can really feel the frustration and sadness in her performance when having to deal with her husband being probably dead and having to merry one of those awful suitors especially the slimy and despicable Antinous played wonderfully by Robert Patterson. I usually picture John Leguizamo doing mostly comedic roles like Sid from Ice Age but I was very surprised that he can do more serious role such as his role here as Eumaeus.

    There are two scenes that really stood out to me. The first is the witch turning the men into pigs. It would’ve been creepy enough if the men just shapeshifted into pigs or even creepier if they did offscreen. This film however takes it to a whole new disturbing level by having the witch literally mold their bodies into pigs like clay. It is one of the most creative, unique and most disturbing depiction of shapeshifting I’ve ever seen in all media. The other is the film’s climax. SPOILER WARNING: Penelope challenge where she will marry whoever mends the bow and shoots the target. None of the suitors are able to except a disguise Odysseus. Once he completes the challenge, he then uses his bow to kill most of the suitors. It is an absolutely epic and crazy climax and it’s very satisfying to see all the suitors get their asses kicked by him especially Antinous. It reminds me of the church scene from Kingsmen.

    The Odyssey is up there with Oppenheimer as one of Nolan’s best and more epic films he has made. It has an epic scale, great acting, great music, and great directing. Everything that makes Christopher Nolan one of the most beloved and respected directors of all time. Honestly my pick for winning Best Picture at next year’s Oscars so far.

    Verdict:

    +Christopher Nolan’s directing

    +The acting

    +The climax

    +The epic scale

    +The witch

    -Long runtime

    Score: A

  • Toy Story 5 review

    Toy Story 5 takes place a few years after Toy Story 4. The toy’s new owner Bonnie is now older but is having trouble making friends due to still playing with toys while the other kids play with technology. Her parents get her a new tablet called Lilypad in order to connect with them. Seeing that technology has started replacing toys, Jessie worries that Bonnie will end up replacing them with Lilypad and end up throwing them out like how her original owner Emily did. So, Jessie plans to help Bonnie make friends while coming into conflict with Lilypad while also finding closure to her trauma.

    Unlike the previous films which had Woody as the main protagonist, here Jessie is in the spotlight which I thought was an interesting and refreshing idea. I like how this film deals with her trauma when she actually returns to Emily’s old farm and actually finds out how much she really meant to her. Toy Story 5 came out at the perfect time when technology such as phones and tablets has become more of a priority than toys and how much AI has been all over the place. In most media technology would be considered evil but this film surprisingly shows the pros and cons of technology that’s done very well. Yes, the film does show that tech can cause us to be too preoccupied and how we can end up making the wrong friends. Still the film does show the good side of tech. Jessie starts with a prejudice against tech toys which is understandable because it ties to her backstory. It’s only when she meets Blaze’s old tech toys led by Smart Pants that care very deeply for their owner is where she realizes that not all tech is bad. Heck, Lilypad isn’t really a villain in this, she’s just doing what she was programed to do, and even feels regret after her actions cause Bonnie’s “friends” to mock her.  I also really liked the Buzz Lightyear army side plot. It’s really charming, funny and well told with little to no dialogue. It honestly could serve as its own Pixar short.

    Like pretty much every Pixar film, the animation here is amazing. I love how Bonnie’s play sessions are animated using painted CGI and it’s absolutely amazing to look at. It would’ve been so easy to have them animated exactly like Andy’s play sessions but I felt that this was a clever way to show that every kid has their own different way to play. SPOILER: A great detail is that Blaze’s play sessions also have the same animation style as Bonnie’s which brilliantly foreshadows them becoming friends in the end. I will admit the set pieces in this film are probably the weakest in the whole series. One of the neat things about the Toy Story series is that they manage to make typical locations feel more epic and grander. toy store, the airport, a daycare center, and the junkyard. Here, the only set pieces are Bonnie’s house and Blaze’s farm and they’re not very memorable.

    Toy Story 5 isn’t as strong as the original trilogy but it’s still a really fun continuation that handles the pros and cons of technology and both toys and tech can live in harmony if we work to. Did it really need to exist, probably not but I you can tell the people who made this care very deeply for the series and really wanted to tell this story. Toy Story 5 is proof that this long running film series still and always will have the same heart from 1995 for infinity and beyond.

    Verdict:

    +Buzz Lightyear army side plot

    +Jessie in the spotlight

    +The animation

    +Theme of technology

    -Weak set pieces

    Score: B+

  • Disclosure Day review

    Steven Spielberg is my favorite film director of all time. Films that he has directed such as Jaws, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Schindler’s List, and my personal favorite Jurassic Park are all in my top 20 favorite films list. Whenever he announces a new film, it will usually be in my top 10 most anticipated films list of that year. His newest film Disclosure Day is about journalist Margaret Fairchild who during a live broadcast starts speaking alien and cybersecurity analyst Daniel Kellner who came across hidden info about alien activity. Both must find a way to leak this new info while on the run from a government branch WARDEX who wants to keep the alien activity under wraps.

    The film does start off a bit slow with the film mostly just setting up the characters, and the story but it starts to really ramp up when we get to the fun car chase scene. Much like his other alien thriller film Close Encounters, Disclosure Day also has a huge mysterious tone that makes you excited to see what’s going to happen. What helps give this film such a mysterious feel to it is Steven Spielberg’s always amazing directing. While he is great at making a film thrilling he also manages to give his film a dash of whimsy. Of course, what is a Steven Spielberg movie without John William’s always terrific score. John’s score here is some of the best he has done and still shows that even in his 90s he’s still got it. The acting in this film is also amazing especially the two leads Emily Blunt and Josh O’Connor. I really enjoyed Josh O’Connor in Wake Up Dead Man last year and I enjoyed him just as much here as Daniel Kellner. The scene where Margaret starts speaking in a different language during a live broadcast is definitely Emily Blunt’s best scene in the film. I also thought Colin Firth was great as the villain.

    Disclosure Day is a return to a vibe similar to his early alien films like Close Encounters of the Third Kind and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. This film is proof that after more than 50 years Steven Spielberg still has the spark. It has great acting, directing, and music, all the things that make a great Steven Spielberg film.

    Verdict:

    +John Williams’ score

    +Steven Spielberg’s directing

    +Suspenseful mystery

    +The acting

    -Slow first half

    Score: A-

  • Dragon Striker review

    This year Disney is releasing two new cartoons from France, Dragon Striker and the Doomies. Dragon Striker was created by Sylvain Dos Santos who also created another French animated show Droners (very underrated show that I would strongly recommend). The show is about a boy named Key who is a huge fan of Gorotama and dreams of playing it. Gorotama is a sport similar to soccer where every player has an ability called a tama. During a game Key accidentally activates his tama (the same one his mother had) while defending another Gorotama fan Ssyelle. Both are invited to attend Gorotama school Kal Asterock where they must form their own team called the Knights in order to compete while Key must learn how to control his own tama.

    The opening song “Power of the Dragon” is awesome and while I’m not a huge fan of show openings that use episode clips, I think Dragon Striker’s opening does a great job setting up the characters, world and tone of the show. Just listening to the theme song was enough to make me a fan of this show. I don’t think a show has ever hooked me on its intro since Hilda. It feels so great to see Disney do a serialized cartoon again since the Owl House ended. What I found interesting is that the first episodes of the season actually focus more on introducing the protagonist, meeting his new friends/team members, setting up a new team, finding their own field, and their own armor. You’d think that each episode would have a different match much like Sylvain Dos Santos’ other show Droners but this show actually takes it’s time to set up everything and every episode progresses the story fluently. Heck, the Knights don’t even play an official game until episode 7.

    The animation in Dragon Striker is absolutely gorgeous and some of the best animation I’ve seen from any Disney show. Everything from the character designs, color pallet, and backgrounds make this show amazing to look at and really makes the world one that you really want to visit. The main setting Kal Asterock feels like a combination between Hogwarts from Harry Potter and My Hero Academia (two pieces of media that I very much adore) while still feeling like its own unique thing. Also, I’m a giant sucker for floating island settings. Much like the houses from Hogwarts, Kal Asterock has four teams (not counting the Knights) that. All the students at Kal Asterock have their own unique and creative tamas that perfectly ties into their unique designs and personalities. It’s really fun to see the players use their tamas either against or together during a game. Key and Milo discovering the that they could combine their own tamas really opens up many possibilities of tama combinations later in the series.

    The characters that stand out though are the Knights. Key is a great protagonist. Ssyelle is also a great character and I found it very refreshing that she’s the captain of the Knights when in most stories you’d expect the main character aka Key to be the captain. FYI yes, I do ship Key and Ssyelle. Ameline is definitely my favorite character so far and I really hope we learn a lot more about her in the future. Fun fact: Her voice actress Evanna Lynch also played Luna Lovegood in the Harry Potter films. Then we have the goyens (coaches)………I freaking hate hate hate the guys!!! There all horrible and toxic people in their own different way. Sugoi I guess isn’t the worst one but even so, she has way to high standard for Key and her team the Dragons. Also, she shows a memory of Key’s mother winning a Gorotama game yet she only tells him about the incident that caused her death instead of actually showing him. Seems way too suspicious to me but we’ll probably find out more later in the 2nd half of the season, but I’m keeping my eye on you Sugoi! The other goyens have it out for the Knights especially Surya (he’s the worst!) and they (and their teams) have even attacked the Knights at one point. How none of them have been fired is anybody’s guess.

    Dragon Striker is the best show of 2026 so far. It has well-written and likable main characters, well thought out worldbuilding and gorgeous animation. This really feels like the return of. I am absolutely looking forward to watching the rest of the series especially after that epic and intense cliffhanger.

  • The Amazing Digital Circus Episodes Ranked

    The Amazing Digital Circus, it’s amazing and it’s digital

    The Amazing Digital Circus is an amazing indie animated series. It has well developed characters, hilarious comedy, great animation, deep emotional moments, and a wonderfully eerie premise. Now that the finale has officially released on YouTube, it is time for me rank every episode from worst to best. Keep in mind, none of these episodes are bad it just that some are stronger than others. This list is also based on my opinion. SPOILER WARNING for the whole show so if you haven’t seen the show yet, do it now before you read this list.

    9. Episode 2-Candy Carrier Chaos!: There are no bad episodes of this show, but episode 2 is probably the weakest episode in my opinion and just felt like a typical adventure. The episode tries to do something interesting with having an NVP becoming self-aware with Gummygoo who is a very likable character but Caine gets rid of him and the show doesn’t do anything with this idea afterwards. I do think the ending where Pomni comes to term with her new life in the circus and realizes that she’s not alone is very sweet.

    8. Episode 1-Pilot: The most important thing a pilot must do is establishing the show’s premise, the characters, world, and tone well enough to make you excited for what’s to come and like most great show pilots, the first episode of the Amazing Digital Circus managed to accomplished that job perfectly. Sure, the animation isn’t the best compared to future episodes but it has that old school CGI charm to it.

    7. Episode 4-Fast Food Masquerade: This was the very first episode where I watched the premiere live. Episode 4 is one of those examples of taking well developed characters and putting them in a situation and the writing writes itself. Gooseworx apparently worked at a McDonalds before and you can tell she used her experience as inspiration for this episode. I really liked that this episode focused on Gangle and the running scene near the end was great. Also, Ragatha on stupid sauce is hilarious and I loved the Raggedy Anne reference.

    6. Episode 3-The Mystery of Mildenhall Manor: I started to get into this show around the time episode 3 premiered. Caine is my favorite character of the show but if I had to pick a favorite player it would definitely be Kinger who this episode puts in the limelight. Seeing Pomni and Kinger bond is very enjoyable and finding out that he had a wife who abstracted was very emotional. The episode itself has a very creepy feel to it that felt like a combination of Luigi’s Mansion and Silent Hill.

    5. Episode 7-Beach Episode: The irony of calling this a beach episode (which are usually considered breather episodes in most shows) that transitions to a completely different plot. This episode is definitely a “take that” towards fans making theories that ends up throwing all those theories out the window with probably the worst thing Caine has ever done on the show. The Jax “almost” abstraction scene was absolutely stunning and Zack Handal’s cameo as the Orange Crappy Looking Fish was hilarious. This episode is definitely the calm before the storm (actually more like a hurricane).

    4. Episode 5-Untitled: I’m not sure if this was intentional or not but the fact that the intermission scene happens in the midpoint of not just the episode but the show (episode 5 of 9) is absolutely brilliant. Episode 5 in my opinion is the most enjoyable episode of the series. The idea of a lighting round with multiple adventures is clever and all the adventures we see are really fun. Much like the previous episode, this one also pulls off the “put the characters in scenarios” bit extremely well. We also get little glimpses at the character’s lives before entering the digital circus.

    3. Episode 6-They All Get Guns: Another very fun episode with a neat premise. Seeing the characters team up in pairs to shoot each other and work off each other is absolutely hilarious and leads to a lot of fun writing between the characters. The conversations between Ragatha/Kinger and Gangle/Zooble are very touching and show how much they do truly care for each other. The main focus is definitely Pomni’s “friendship” with Jax which leads to a very heavy but wonderfully acted scene near the end that is pretty much the beginning of Jax’s downhill spial in abstracting.

    Before we get to the top 2 I just want to point out that these next episodes are almost a tie for my favorite episode. Ironically both episodes were paired together as the feature length film The Last Act (PEAK cinema btw).

    2. Episode 8-hjsakldfhl: The penultimate episode of the Amazing Digital Circus is as perfect an episode of this show that you could get. The MVP here of course is my favorite character of the whole show Caine played by the absolutely amazing Alex Rochon. There are so many memorable Caine moments in this episode such as his backstory, Bubble calling him defective, his amazing musical number “Who’s Running the Show” and especially when the characters finally call him out which leads to his ultimate crashout and demise in the end. The cliffhanger ending where he’s deleted really made you wonder how this show was going to end and made you really excited for the finale. This is apparently Gooseworx’s favorite episode and for good reason.

    1. Episode 9-Remember: The series finale of the Amazing Digital Circus wasn’t an emotional roller coaster; it was an emotional amusement park! Everything about this finale such as the directing, animation and music is pretty much the best of the whole show. The twist of the players being brain scans is shocking but feels right. This finale puts a lot of focus on Jax who unsurprisingly abstracts. I did find it odd that we never see Jax abstract on screen but I guess it was Gooseworx’s choice to leave it up to our imagination. We also finally get to see his origin, his tragic friendship with Ribbit, and what his life was in real life all shown through his point of view. A detail I absolutely love from this episode that I thought was absolutely brilliant storytelling is from the scene where Jax opens up to Ribbit and the camera transitions from first person to third person. It’s that moment where we really see who Jax truly is and what really helps is Michael Kovach’s amazing performance as Jax. What I also like that his tragic life isn’t made to excuse his action but to make you understand and empathize with him. I was also glad to see that Caine was still alive. Caine’s redemption here was amazing and all done with minimal or no dialogue. The scene where Caine makes up for what he’s done by showing the players what happened to their real selves is very sweet. Having the players know that their real selves are living their best lives wonderfully gives the characters closure and makes for a very bittersweet ending. Also, the post credit scene seeing all the real-life players at a bus stop was brilliant. Episode 9 is honestly much up there with Avatar’s Sozin’s Comet, Gravity Falls Take Back the Falls and Hilda’s the Fairy Isle as one of the best finales I have ever seen and an absolute emotional conclusion to this amazing show.

    Thank You Gooseworx and everyone at Glitch who helped make this amazing and digital show. How would you rank the episodes? Feel free to share your ranking.

  • Invincible Season 4 review

    SPOILER WARNING for Season 4: Ever had that one season of a TV show where it finally clicked with you and the show goes from good to great? For me it was season 4 of Invincible. I’m not saying I didn’t like the show at first but it did feel like it was juggling to many plots that get in the way of the Vilrumite stuff which is think is more important. Also, I don’t think it is a hard take that the animation isn’t exactly the best in terms of superhero shows except when it gets violent. The first half of the season is good with episode 2 focusing on Nolan and Allen being the highlight. Episodes 1 and 3 are good too but much like the previous seasons those episodes definitely try to jungle a lot more than they should. Episode 4 however is definitely the weakest not just of the season but probably the whole show in general. I get that the creator wanted to do a Hell side plot for the comics but couldn’t but this felt like filler. The season 3 finale really shouldn’t have had a post credit scene setting up a filler episode.

    Then we get to the 2nd half of season 4 and this is when Invincible absolutely PEAKS! Pretty much every episode of this season’s 2nd half would be in my top 5 favorite episodes of the show. Debbie’s confrontation of Nolan is absolutely emotional and it was satisfying to see her call out on all the horrible things Nolan has done even if he feels regret for his actions. I really hope Sandra Oh is nominated for Best Voice Performance at next year’s Annie Awards thanks to this scene. I also really liked Tech Jacket. She’s very likable and plucky and I actually didn’t mind the gender switch. She’s kind of like a mix between Stella Zhau from the Loud House and Marcy Wu from Amphibia. The rematch between Mark and Conquest was amazing. Episode 6 is also really good and I love seeing Nolan and Oliver bond while Mark recovers. The post credit scene is also the funniest of the whole show LMAO. Then we get to episode 7 which is not only my favorite episode of the season but also my absolute favorite episode of the whole show so far. IGN gave this episode a 10 and I couldn’t agree more. The great purge scene which happens at the beginning is my favorite scene of the whole show. The animation is amazing and violent and that combined with the classical music makes this even better. This is also the episode where see the main villain of the whole show Thragg finally front and center and he did not disappoint. Lee Pace is absolutely amazing as Thragg and you really feel like he is an unstoppable force whenever he’s onscreen. The fight scene between the Coalition of Planets and the viltrimutes is absolutely epic and violent especially the end where Mark, Nolan and Thadeus blow up planet Viltrum. Unlike the previous season finales which had huge action scenes, season 4’s finale serves more of an epilogue to the space arc which fits considering the absolute carnage we experienced. Mark finding out that Thragg and the remaining viltrimites are living on Earth really does add a sense of dread that will lead into the next season.

    Invincible season 4 is the best season of Invincible so far. It is the most action packed and focused of the seasons and some of the best character work of the whole show. I can now officially call myself an Invincible fan and I am absolutely looking forward to season 5. Now that this year’s season of Invincible is over, it’s time to look forward to the other amazing superhero cartoons such as My Adventures With Superman season 3 and X-Men 97 season 2.

  • My Top 10 Favorite Animated Series Finales

    Happy Birthday to me! I was having trouble thinking of what kind of list to do. Then I remembered that the series finale of the Amazing Digital Circus was releasing next month (expect an episode ranking after episode 9 releases on YouTube) and that inspired me to make my top 10 favorite animated series finales list. A great series finale is one that perfectly wraps up everything in an emotional and satisfying way and these are the ten finales that I thought concluded the series wonderfully. There are some rules in terms of which finales will be included. I will not be including full-length animated films that act as the series finale such as Ed Edd n Eddy’s Big Picture Show (it would definitely be on this list if it counted). I will also not count shows like Futurama or King of the Hill which had series finales but were then renewed. One last thing, this list is based on my personal opinion.

    Honorable Mentions: Ducktales 2017, Regular Show, The Ghost and Molly Mcgee, Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts, She-Ra and the Princesses of Light, Craig of the Creek

    10. Arthur – All Grown Up:

    It was absolutely shocking when it was announced that PBS’s longest show Arthur would be ending. Seeing the author of the book series Marc Brown talk to Arthur was very sweet. Having the original actor for Arthur reprise his role during the timeskip was a brilliant bookend to the series. I also almost got teary eyed when he shows his graphic novel which is a cute reference to the opening.

    9. BoJack Horseman – Nice While it Lasted:

    Every finale of BoJack Horseman is traditionally calmer compared to the always intense penultimate episode and after the existential nightmare that was “The View from Halfway Down” the series finale is defiantly needed to be the show’s calmest yet most poignant finale. “Nice While it Lasted” brilliantly gives each of the main characters one last goodbye by having BoJack have one last bittersweet conversation with each of them. BoJack’s conversation with Diane being the most poignant.

    8. My Little Pony Friendship is Magic – The Last Problem:

    Much like BoJack Horseman’s series finale, MLP FIM’s serves as more like an epilogue after the previous epic two-parter. Having Twilight Sparkle (who has become the new Princess of Equestria) help her new student learn about friendship brilliantly harkens back to when Twilight was sent to live in Ponyville by her mentor Princess Celestia at the beginning of the show. It really shows how much Twilight has grown throughout the show.

    7. The Owl House – Watching and Dreaming:

    While it would’ve been cool to see a whole third season rather than three long episodes (thanks Disney), each extra-long episode was still amazing especially the finale. Seeing Luz reunite with Eda and King was great and her unlocking her mega witch form was awesome. For as little screentime the Collector had in the show, this finale managed to make them an interesting and sympathetic character while still making them very entertaining. Belos’ death is also one of the most satisfying villain deaths in any animated series.

    6. Amphibia – The Hardest Thing:

    Matt Braly woke up one day and thought, let’s have the final boss of Amphibia be the literal moon, and history was made! I couldn’t imagine this showing topping the already epic penultimate episode “All In” but it did. Seeing the Calamity Trio unlock their full Calamity powers is amazing and the fight between them and the Core is awesome. The Calamity trio saying goodbye to Amphibia and the characters that have helped them grow as better people made for one of the most bittersweet endings of any animated series.

    5. Over the Garden Wall – The Unknown:

    Having the show’s cozy autumn aesthetic change to the cold and intense winter in the last episode brilliantly adds more tension to the story and signifies the end of the adventure. I’ve always loved stories where the changing of the seasons tie into the story. The confrontation of the Beast is definitely the highlight of the finale thanks to the scene’s eerie music, creepy atmosphere, emotional story beats, and of course Samuel Ramey’s amazing performance as the Beast. An amazing conclusion to Cartoon Network’s most cinematic show.

    4. Steven Universe/Steven Universe Future – Change Your Mind/The Future:

    I’m placing both these finales as a tie because I feel like both of them perfectly represent the climaxes of two different types of conflict in the show. Steven Universe’s finale Change your Mind acts as the climax of Steven’s external conflict where he succeeds in defeating White Diamond, fixing the corrupted gems and making peace with Homeworld. Steven Universe Future’s The Future acts as the climax of Steven’s internal conflict where he solves his personal trauma and chooses what to do with his life after saving Earth. Each of these finales wonderfully wrap up each important conflict in Steven’s character arc.

    3. Gravity Falls – Take Back the Falls:

    The inconsistent release dates of every Gravity Falls episode made each of them feel like an event and the series finale was definitely their biggest one. I remember having to leave my college class early so I wouldn’t miss it. I love finales that bring back almost character and Gravity Falls managed to do that. There are callbacks to pretty much every episode of the show here which help make the more “episodic” episodes feel much more important. Take Back the Falls is pretty much Gravity Falls at it’s best and at the time it was my favorite series finale of all time.

    2. Avatar the Last Airbender – Sozin’s Comet:

    I’ll admit I wasn’t the biggest fan of Avatar when it first aired on Nickelodeon but I do remember watching the series finale live and liking it just fine, but now that I’ve seen the whole show multiple times, I completely agree that this is one of the most epic series finales ever. The fights between Aang vs Ozai and Zuko/Katara vs Azula are some of if not the most epic fight scenes in any animated series and perfectly cap off the great character arcs of Aang and Zuko. Micheal and Bryan knew that it was important that a story-driven show like Avatar deserved to have a satisfying and epic conclusion and Sozin’s Comet did not disappoint.

    1. Hilda – The Fairy Isle:

    For those who don’t know, Hilda is not only my favorite animated series but also my favorite show of all time. So of course, this show’s finale had to be my number one. Everything about this finale is perfect from the gorgeous animation, the amazing music and especially the emotional story beats. The heart of the show has always been the relationship between Hilda and her mum Johanna and the Fairly Isle puts them up and front. Seeing Hilda choose to return to her new life in Trollberg rather than stay in the Fairy Isle really show how much she has grown throughout the show. The ending of this finale is not only my favorite ending of any TV show but it’s up there with Pixar’s Up and Kingdom Hearts 2 as one of my favorite endings in all of fiction and I cry every time the credits begin. The Fairy Isle has everything that makes Hilda my favorite show and that’s why it deserves to be my number one favorite animated series finale.

    What are your favorite animated series finales?

  • Project Hail Mary review

    Project Hail Mary is about a middle school science teacher named Ryland Grace who is forced to join a space mission to save their sun from dying. When he wakes up in space, he finds that he has suffered amnesia and that he’s the only crewmember to survive. Later he comes across another spaceship being fun by an alien named Rocky. Much like Grace, Rocky is also the sole survivor of his crew and trying to save his sun. Both decide to work together to help each other save their suns.

    The thing that surprised me when I saw this was how funny this film. The book this film was based on was written by Andy Weir who also wrote the Martian. Much like the film adaption of the Martian this film has the perfect balance between humor and heart.  What helps is the amazing performance from Ryan Gosling as Ryland Grace. His performance balance being both hilarious and emotional. You really feel for him since he was forced to do this mission against his will and. I also really liked his alien partner Rocky. He has such a unique alien design and makes him standout from aliens in different films. Both these characters work off each other very well and their friendship is the heart of the film.

    The visual effects in Project Hail Mary are absolutely amazing and so far, this film is my contender for winning Best Visual Effects at next year’s Oscars. I was actually lucky enough to see this in 70mm one week before this film released and the format really makes you feel the weight and scale of being in space. It’s kind of like watching a modern version of Stanley Kubrick’s 2001 A Space Odyssey. What’s also great is that this film uses a lot of practical effects instead of mostly CGI or green screens like other science fiction film.

    I will admit my major complaint about this film is that the third half really drags. SPOILER WARNING: Ryland and Rocky manage to receive the organism that would help their suns and then go their separate ways. That would’ve been a good and serviceable place to end the film. Yet the film keeps going when the orgasm escapes which Ryland fixes but realizes that Rocky is in trouble and has to go save him. I know not every film has to be short but they should I least have good pacing throughout the runtime, and the third half of this film does not.

    Hard to believe that the directors of this film also created and directed Clone High, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs and the Lego Movie. Watching Project Hail Mary in 70mm was one of the best movie going experiences I had this year so far.

    Verdict:

    +Ryan Gosling as Ryland Grace

    +Rocky

    +The comedy

    +Visual effects

    -Long third half

    Score: A

  • Hoppers review

    Lizard…..lilzard…..lizard……lizard……lizard

    We Bare Bears is one of my favorite Cartoon Network shows that was created by Pixar storyboarder Daniel Chong. I’m saying this because he has returned to Pixar to direct his own Pixar film. Hoppers is about a college girl named Mabel who is trying to stop the greedy Mayor Jerry from building a highway over a special part of the forest called the Glade. She comes across technology invented by her biology teacher that gives humans the ability to hop into robotic animal minds (it is nothing like Avatar). Mabel uses it to hop into the mind of a robotic beaver to bring back the animals and save the Glade.

    Hoppers is one of Pixar’s funniest films. SPOILER WARNING: One of the biggest laughs when I saw this was when Mabel accidently squishes the Insect Queen. That alone is funny but then Mabel wipes what’s left of her on the wall and that adds an extra layer of comedy to an already hilarious moment. It sort of reminds me of the comedy from the Wild Robot. The film’s zanier animation also helps make the comedy great. One of the things Pixar is great at is hair/fur animation, examples being Sully’s fur and Merida’s hair. The animation of beaver Mabel’s fur in this film is very impressive and a cute little detail I like is that her fur or hair gets fizzled up when she gets angered. It really helps add a lot to her personality.

    The voice acting in this film is great. Mabel is a very likable protagonist thanks to Piper Curdas’s performance and great character design. Her relationship with her grandmother is also sweet. The other actors such as Bobby Moynihan as King Geroge, John Hamm as mayor Jerry, and Kathy Najimy as Dr. Sam Fairfax all give tremendous performances that both funny and full of heart. Even Meryl Streep as the Insect Queen who isn’t in the film that long does a great job. The best performance however doesn’t even show up until the last third of the film. SPOILER WARNING: After Mabel accidentally squishes the insect queen, her son Titus takes over and forces the scientists to make a mayor Jerry robot so he can squish all the human. Dave Franco absolutely hams it every moment he is on screen as Titus and the animation and facial expression when he’s in the Jerry robot feels so enjoyably deranged.

    You can tell this has the same charm, humor and heart that Daniel Chong’s other show We Bare Bears had. Hoppers is one Pixar’s most entertaining and craziest films and the best film the studio has made since Luca. People will say that this is exactly like Avatar but I say it’s way better than any of the Avatar films.

    Verdict:

    +Mabel

    +Titus

    +The animation

    +The comedy

    +The voice acting

    Score: A

  • 98th Academy Awards Predictions

    With the 98th Academy Awards in one week, it is time to share my Oscar predictions. The films that I predict will win have the word winner in caps next to them and keep in mind, these predictions are a mix between what will obviously win and my personal opinion.

    Best Picture:

    Bugonia

    F1

    Frankenstein

    Hamnet

    Marty Supreme

    One Battle After Another “WINNER”

    The Secret Agent

    Sentimental Value

    Sinners

    Train Dreams

    Best Actress:

    Jessie Buckley, Hamnet “WINNER”

    Rose Byrne, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You

    Renate Reinsve, Sentimental Value

    Emma Stone, Bugonia

    Kate Hudson, Song Sung Blue

    Best Actor:

    Timothée Chalamet, Marty Supreme “WINNER”

    Leonardo DiCaprio, One Battle After Another

    Ethan Hawke, Blue Moon

    Michael B. Jordan, Sinners

    Wagner Moura, The Secret Agent

    Best Supporting Actress:

    Elle Fanning, Sentimental Value

    Inga Ibsdotter LilIeaas, Sentimental Value

    Amy Madigan, Weapons “WINNER”

    Wunmi Mosaku, Sinners

    Teyana Taylor, One Battle After Another

    Best Supporting Actor:

    Jacob Elordi, Frankenstein “WINNER”

    Sean Penn, One Battle After Another

    Stellan Skarsgård, Sentimental Value

    Benicio del Toro, One Battle After Another

    Delroy Lindo, Sinners

    Director:

    Paul Thomas Anderson, “One Battle After Another” “WINNER”

    Ryan Coogler, “Sinners”

    Chloé Zhao, “Hamnet”

    Josh Safdie, “Marty Supreme”

    Joachim Trier, “Sentimental Value”

    Original Song:

    “Golden” from “Kpop Demon Hunters” “WINNER”

    “Train Dreams” from “Train Dreams”

    “Dear Me” from “Diane Warren: Relentless”

    “I Lied To You” from “Sinners”

    “Sweet Dreams Of Joy” from “Viva Verdi!”

    Original Score:

    “Bugonia,” Jerskin Fendrix

    “Frankenstein,” Alexandre Desplate

    “Hamnet,” Max Richter

    “One Battle After Another,” Jonny Greenwood

    “Sinners,” Ludwig Göransson “WINNER”

    Animated Film:

    “Arco”

    “Elio”

    “KPop Demon Hunters” “WINNER”

    “Little Amélie or the Character of Rain”

    “Zootopia 2”

    Casting:

    “Hamnet”

    “Marty Supreme”

    “One Battle After Another”

    “The Secret Agent”

    “Sinners” “WINNER”

    Best Sound:

    “F1”

    “Frankenstein”

    “One Battle after Another”

    “Sinners” “WINNER”

    “Sirāt”

    Cinematography:

    “Frankenstein”

    “Marty Supreme”

    “One Battle After Another”

    “Sinners” “WINNER”

    “Train Dreams”

    Original Screenplay:

    “Blue Moon

    “It Was Just an Accident”

    “Marty Supreme”

    “Sentimental Value”

    “Sinners” “WINNER”

    Adapted Screenplay:

    “Bugonia”

    “Frankenstein”

    “Hamnet”

    “One Battle After Another” “WINNER”

    “Train Dreams”

    Visual Effects:

    “Avatar: Fire and Ash” “WINNER”

    “F1″

    “Jurassic World Rebirth”

    “The Lost Bus”

    “Sinners”

    Production Design:

    “Frankenstein” “WINNER”

    “Hamnet”

    “Marty Supreme”

    “One Battle After Another”

    “Sinners”

    Film Editing:

    “F1”

    “Marty Supreme”

    “One Battle After Another” “WINNER”

    “Sentimental Value”

    “Sinners”

    Makeup and Hairstyling:

    “Frankenstein” “WINNER”

    “Kokuho”

    “Sinners”

    “The Smashing Machine”

    “The Ugly Stepsister”

    Costume Design:

    “Avatar: Fire and Ash”

    “Frankenstein” “WINNER”

    “Hamnet”

    “Marty Supreme”

    “Sinners”