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  • 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”

  • GOAT review

    Sports have never really been my thing but if you had to make me choose one it would be basketball. GOAT is about a young goat named Will who wants to compete in a basketball-like game called roarball. After playing a one-on-one game against Claw champion Mane Attraction, he is signed up to play on the Thorns roarball team with his idol Jett Fillmore. As you can see from the plot, GOAT is kind of your basic sports film about an underdog that wants to join the big leagues. The only difference is that the characters are animals. I also thought the humor was kind of your basic kid’s film humor. There’s a lot of product placement, influencer jokes that usually make me cringe and even an unfunny fart joke. I was really hoping that this film wouldn’t have that damn goat scream joke, but it sadly did.

    The animation was what hooked me on to this film when I first saw the trailer. This film uses the same animation style as the Spider-Verse films and it looks absolutely gorgeous. Goat is still   able to stand on its own without anchoring too much on Spider-Verse’s success. Another thing that stood out to me were the roarball stadiums. This film could’ve gone the easy route and just make design each stadium basic to look like your basic basketball stadium and the awesome animation would’ve been the only think to help them stand out. But that’s not what Sony Animation did, instead they went all out by designing each stadium to be unique and full of personality. There are stadiums that have stalactites, vines, ice, and lava. It reminds me a lot of the districts in Zootopia. The unique stadiums really help the film’s worldbuilding and it makes you want to visit this world. I also really like the Thorns team; each member has their own unique design personality and little arcs. Modo is my favorite character.

    I wouldn’t say Goat is the “GOAT” but it is still a very fun sports animated film. While it has familiar story beats and typical children’s film humor, it makes up for it with a visually amazing world, great animation, and likable characters.

    Verdict:

    +The animation

    +The stadiums

    +The Thorns

    -Familiar sports film story beats

    -The humor

    Score: B+

  • Avatar: Fire and Ash review

    Avatar Book 3 Fire

    Avatar: Fire and Ash is the third film in the Avatar film series. The film starts shortly after the previous film. Jake Sully and his family are still grieving the death of their eldest son. They decide to send their adopted human son Spider back to the human lab since he can’t survive without air. While traveling they are ambushed by the Mangkwan clan, a volcanic themed and more aggressive version of the Navi who have also joined forces with Jake’s mortal enemy Quaritch. The family is split up so now they much reunite before Quaritch and the Mangkwan clan find the,

    One of the things that the Avatar films are usually praised for are the visual effects. This film is amazing to look at especially on the big screen. Sure it pretty much uses CGI in every shot but it’s really good CGI. One of the locations that stood out was the land of the Mangkwan clan. It has a burned volcanic look to it that makes it unique compared to the other locations in the series. Speaking of which, the Mangkwan clan being an evil version of the Navi is an interesting idea and I really hope we see more of them in future entries in the series. I also really like the friendship between Kiri and Spider. This connection I feel makes perfect sense since they both have ties with humans and were adopted by Jake and Neytiri.

    The film does share the same problems that the previous film the Way of Water and even the first Avatar film had. One is the long runtime. I know this is supposed to be an epic film which are usually long but it still drags a lot of the time. Another is that the film has almost the same plot beats that we’ve seen before. It’s the typical nature is good and humans are evil story we’ve seen a million times already. The film does try to add something new with the Mangkwan clan showing the evil side of nature but.

    Avatar: Fire and Ash has the same pros and cons of the previous films, but it is still another visually amazing film in an already visually amazing film series. With Avatar 2 being about water and this being about fire, I wonder if Avatar 4 will be about earth or air?

    Verdict:

    +Kiri and Spider

    +The Mangkwan clan

    +The visual effects

    -Long runtime

    -Same plot beats

    Score: B

  • My Top 10 Favorite Films of 2025

    Happy New Year everyone! It’s hard to believe that I’ve been doing movie reviews for 10 years now. 2025 was a really great year for cinema and possibly the strongest year next to 2022 of this decade so far. At this time, I usually post my top 10 favorite films of the year so that’s what I’m doing now. These are the films that stood out to me the most of 2025.

    Honorable Mentions: Not Just a Goof, Ne Zha 2, K-Pop Demon Hunters, The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Dog Man, The Bad Guys 2, The Long Walk

    10. Frankenstein:

    Guillermo del Toro managed to make possibly the best adaption of Frankenstein. It has amazing directing and stupendous acting from Oscar Issac and especially Jacob Elodi as the creature who I think should win Best Supporting Actor this year. The wide shot of the creature in front of the sunset at the North Pole is my favorite shot of any film this year and it perfectly sums up all the themes of the film.

    9. The Phoenician Scheme:

    Probably the funniest film of the year (with Naked Gun being a close 2nd). The Phoenician Scheme has the same amazing style that that has made Wes Anderson one of my top 5 favorite film directors of all time. Beautiful cinematography, sharp and witty writing and performances especially from Benicio del Toro.

    8. One Battle After Another:

    My first Paul Thomas Anderson film and boy was it a great one to start with. If there was any film I think should win Best Picture, it’s One Battle After Another. It has great directing, great music (particularly the piano bits) and great acting from Leonardo Dicapio and Sean Penn.

    7. Marty Supreme:

    The best way I can describe Marty Supreme is that it felt like an extra-long South Park episode. This film is absolutely bonkers and so much chaos happens all for ping pong tournament (are there even any other ping pong movies?). Timothée Chalamet absolutely nails it as the titular character being both likable and unlikable at the same time.

    6. Zootopia 2:

    It’s been a while since a Disney animated film has been on one of my top 10 films of the year lists. Zootopia 2 expands on the already great worldbuilding from the first film by introducing reptiles and the origin of the city. The new characters are enjoyable and the animation gives the setting so much personality.

    5. Superman:

    This film managed to be better than every film in the DC Extended Universe (except the Suicide Squad). It felt like the perfect combination of the lightheartedness of the 78-film combined and the fast-paced action and visuals of the 2013 film making for possibly the best Superman film. David Corenswet absolutely nailed what type of hero Superman should be and this film’s Lex Luthor is one of the vilest, petty, and most evil versions of the Man of Steel’s arch enemy I’ve ever seen thanks to Nicholas Hoult’s amazing performance.

    4. Wicked For Good:

    I wouldn’t say this is better than part 1 or a lot of the films on this list but it does mean the most to me since Wicked is my favorite Broadway musical. The production design and song numbers (especially No Good Deed) are just as incredible as the one’s from part 1. Cynthia Erivo is still great as Elphaba and Ariana Grande is absolutely going to earn her Oscar win for Best Supporting Actress this year as Glinda after unfairly losing to Emilia Perez (yuck) last year.

    3. Sinners:

    This is the film that caught me the most surprised on this list. Sinners has the best music of any film this year thanks to the amazing Ludwig Göransson and it better win Best Score as the Oscars this year. Ryan Coogler’s directing is phenomenal and Micheal Jordan is great as both twins. The Lied to You scene especially was what made me realize this film was something special. It is my favorite movie moment of any film in 2025 and one of my favorite movie moments of all time now.

    2. Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery:

    My most anticipated film of 2025 and it did not disappoint. Everything that has made the Knives Out trilogy my favorite is all right here. The mystery which had clues cleverly established throughout the film legit had me on my toes wondering who did it and what was going to happen. Danial Craig still proves that Benoit Blanc is the greatest detective in all of fiction (eat your heart out Sherlock) thanks to his sharp and witty performance.

    1.The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie:

    Technically this released internationally last year and, in a way, this would’ve been my favorite film of 2024 if it released here in the US. This is a film that was made by people who love and respect the original cartoons. The 2d animation is absolutely gorgeous especially since we rarely get any 2d theatrical films anymore. Seeing a Looney Tunes film with a looney version of Daffy Duck is very refreshing thanks Eric Bauza amazing performance as him and Porky Pig. As someone who’s not a huge fan of Looney Tunes this film absolutely blew me away and was absolutely worth the wait which earned this the number one film of 2025.

  • Zootopia 2 review

    snakes, why did it have to be snakes?

    Zootopia 2 is the long-awaited sequel to the 2016 Disney film. The sequel takes place right after the first film where Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde are now partners. After a botch police chase, the duo is assigned a new case involving a snake named Gary. After an incident at a gala where Gary steals an old journal detailing the creation of the weather walls and accidently paralyzing Chief Bogo, the duo is accused of helping the snake. The duo ends up on the run and now have to clear their names by finding Gary while also uncovering a huge conspiracy on who actually created Zootopia.

    One of the best things about the first film is the worldbuilding. The city of Zootopia has different districts each with their own ecosystems designed to help specific animals live. What helps is the amazing animation. Each district has their own unique look and the way each of them work is shown wonderfully. Zootopia really goes feel like its own character and is one of the most complex settings in any Disney movie. Zootopia 2 builds upon that by introducing reptiles and new locations such as the Marsh Market. We see all kinds of reptiles such as snakes, lizards and turtles (yet surprisingly no alligators or crocodiles). Having the film focus on reptiles really does help make the world of Zootopia feel bigger. SPOILERS: I always felt a sequel to Zootopia should introduce the origin of the city and we actually do get more detail on that here. In this film we not only find out the origin of Zootopia but also find out that Gary’s aunt was the true founder and creator of the weather walls.

    The voice acting is really good and is surprisingly one of the biggest casts of any Disney movie. Ginnifer Goodwin and Jason Bateman are still great as Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde. Their dynamic in this film is a lot stronger. Great newcomers include Ke Huy Quan as Gary Snake, Fortune Feimster as Niddles, and Andy Sandberg as Pawbert. There’s also a bunch of cameos from actors that have been in previous Disney films such as Patrick Warburton (from the Emperor’s New Groove) as Mayor Windancer, and even Micheal J Fox (from Atlantis) as an actual fox. Honestly this felt more like Disney Animation’s 100 anniversary celebration than Wish.

    SPOILERS: One of the first film’s biggest issues was the twist villain. Bellwether was a very weak villain due to being revealed during the climax, her personality going a complete full 180, and she barely had enough screentime to be evil. Zootopia 2’s twist villain Pawbert however is a huge improvement. What works is that there’s already a set up villain being his father, Milton Lynxley. Pawbert also has a lot more time to be a villain and even then, his personality doesn’t change that much. What’s also unique is that he’s more tragic compare to other Disney villains. All he wants is to just. Probably my biggest issue with the film is technically not even in the film. The first teaser had this mysterious hooded figure that was supposedly the main villain yet it never shows up in the film at all. It felt like there was supposed to be but was changed right after the teaser released.

    SPOILERS: there is a post credit scene that hints that the possible third film will introduce birds. I’m pointing this out because last year I jokingly predicted that the third film should be about birds. Zootopia 2 is the best Disney animated film since the original Zootopia and one of if not the best sequel in the canon. It has the same great characters, animation, and worldbuilding that made Zootopia so great. I’d even goes as far as say this is better than the first film.

    Verdict:

    +The animation

    +The voice acting

    +Twist villain

    +Worldbuilding

    -Hooded figure wasted

    Score: A

  • Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery review

    I love the Knives Out films! They all have amazing directing and writing from the amazing Rian Johnson. The characters are well written especially Benoit Blanc who is not only my favorite detective in fiction, but also one of my favorite characters of all time. You better believe that when a third film was announced it immediately became my most anticipated film of 2025. Wake Up Dead Man is about Rev. Jud Duplenticy being sent to a small town called Chimney Rock where he is assigned to the church led by Monsignor Jefferson Wicks. During the Good Friday service, Wicks is mysteriously murdered in a secret room and Jud is branded as the prime suspect. So, he hires famous detective Benoit Blanc to help him clear his name and solve who really killed Wicks in what’s possibly his most difficult case yet.

    One of the things I love about the Knives Out films is that a majority of the characters are legit awful people, yet what keeps them from being too unlikable is that the actors give out amazing performances that make them enjoyable. One big standout was Josh O’Conner as Father Jud. He’s definitely one of the most sympathetic characters in the trilogy and very easy to root for him when he tries to fight back against Wick and his flock. Other standouts are the murder victim Jefferson Wicks played by Josh Brolin and his assistant Martha Delacroix played by Glenn Close. Wicks is such an enjoyable vile and despicable character and you really feel the corrupting influence he has put on the citizens of Chimney Rock. It’s one of the rare times where the murder victim’s death feels cathartic. His assistant Martha gets a lot of great moments especially near the end. Of course, the true MVP of the series is Danial Craig as Benoit Blanc. Danial Craig is my favorite James Bond yet Blanc is my favorite performance that he has done. His charm, and wit make him so enjoyable and every time you think he’s saying nonsense is actually deeper than you think.

    Much like the other films, Wake Up Dead Man is wonderfully shot thanks to the amazing Rian Johnson. This film has such a great gothic feel to it that makes it stand out compared to the other Knives Out films. In terms of the mystery, this is possibly the most unpredictable of the trilogy. SPOILERS: If you look at the cast order from the previous films, it’s always a certain order. Danial Craig is listed first, then the culprit, then the supporting protagonist and lastly the murder victim. Yet here, Josh Brolin who’s listed fourth is the victim. It’s like Rian Johnson did this deliberately just throw us in a loop. I had no idea how the murder could’ve been done or who it could be. The film cleverly lays out clues and foreshadowing throughout the entire film and even when you think you’ve figured it out the film turns on its head. This might also be the funniest film in the trilogy. A lot of the jokes are smart and witty thanks to the amazing performances from the cast. One of my favorite gags is when Blanc plays Phantom of the Opera on the organ.

    Wake Up Dead Man has everything that makes the Knives Out films so great. Great acting, directing, and writing that keeps you on your toes throughout the entire runtime. It’s not a huge mystery on why the Knives Out trilogy has become my absolute favorite film trilogy of all time (at least until Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse releases).

    Verdict:

    +Benoit Blanc

    +The acting

    +The directing

    +The writing

    +Unpredictable

    Score: A+