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The Toxic Avenger (2023) Review

Positives

I mean this in the best way possible: The Toxic Avenger is the trashiest movie of 2025. As a newcomer to this ‘80s cult franchise, I get the appeal. This reboot, directed by Macon Blair, has the gore, practical effects, and gonzo sensibilities to satisfy fans.

Peter Dinklage’s performance as Winston/the voice of Toxie (paired with the suit performance of Luisa Guerreiro) brings the right balance of crass humor and heart needed to bring the film’s green mutant hero to life as Winston tries to become the hero and stepdad to Wade (Jacob Tremblay) he knows he can be. Supporting cast is solid, with Elijah Wood being the big standout:

Once Winston becomes Toxie, the film finds its groove and sticks with that tone. The kills are over-the-top in (mostly) the right ways, with the titular hero absolutely mutilating businessmen and armed assailants alike. Jaws, skulls, and arms are torn apart in gleefully gory displays that border on animated absurdity.

Negatives

The humor is up-and-down. Visual gags (including the film’s infamous joke involving Toxie’s…you get the idea) really work for me, but the film’s self-awareness gets a tad tedious.

Not a giant fan of the CGI blood at times. The Toxic Avenger’s more practical moments of violence look great, so it’s a bit underwhelming to see as much digital human juice as there was. Give me good ‘ol squibs and geysers!

By far, the biggest issue with this movie for me is its sluggish first act. It takes far too long to see Toxie arrive; proceeding the film’s actual fun stuff is 20-25 minutes of uninteresting family drama, BTH conspiracy (the evil corporation Kevin Bacon runs), and setup that could have easily been accomplished more efficiently.

The Toxic Avenger gets a B-

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The Departed (2006) Review

Positives

Martin Scorsese! One of the best to ever do it, whether it’s a somber historical piece like Killers of the Flower Moon or The Departed, the pulpy remake of Internal Affairs. This 2006 crime thriller RIPS in every way, where no character is truly safe and we’re left appalled at the corruption present in our own systems.

I love a great plot, and The Departed is the definition of that. From the opening shot of simmering Bostonian violence, Scorsese throws you into a spiraling saga of deception, corruption, and fragile masculinity that explodes with blood and bullets. The use of cross-cutting between storylines (anchored by Colin Sullivan and Billy Costigan) is propulsive, thanks to the razor-sharp editing done by Thelma Schoonmaker.

There’s not a single dull performance in this thing. DiCaprio. Damon. Farmiga. Sheen. Baldwin. But the two standouts are Nicholson and, in his career-best, Wahlberg, which earned an Oscar nom for his supporting role. Nicholson’s spiral into maddening frustration and desperation is conveyed through his increasingly slurred diatribes (some of which Nicholson improvised) and Costello’s wardrobe, which loses its professional look as the film goes on.

Like with his other work, Scorsese masters the American tragedy, this time with the Irish Mafia set in the forefront. As Billy works for the MSD and Colin feeds info back to his surrogate father crime boss, The Departed digs deeper into its criticisms of U.S. institutions, blurring the lines between who can and cannot be trusted until we’re left with nothing but rats in an open, gold-tinted cage.

Negatives

If you prefer Scorsese’s more stripped-down character studies, The Departed isn’t that kind of movie. This is no Taxi Driver or The King of Comedy, but it totally succeeds in what it’s trying to be.

The Departed gets an A+

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Sharknado (2013) Review

Positives

I'm fairly sure that Sharknado knows that it's so-bad-it's-good. How can a movie about sharks eating people while being flung around by a hurricane/tornado combo be taken seriously at all? For all it's very obvious flaws, I respect this SyFy original for at least embracing it's schlocky nature. And, hey...I was never bored. For that, I can't, in good conscious, give this the easy "F" grade.

Negatives

In the modern age, Sharknado's cult classic status is evident from it's terrible CGI alone. The sharks' rubbery textures and lack of tangible weight speaks for itself amidst this nonsensical plot, the effect only worsening when they're composited into real environments. Not only do the sharks look totally fake, but the destruction - wind, tornadoes, falling ceilings, flooded streets - is remarkably unconvincing. Don't you love how there's no wind or cloudy skies during on-set footage as this chaos is happening?

As I predicted, the acting and writing doesn't fare better. When we're not frantically escaping ravenous fake-looking sharks, we're treated to terrible dialogue, dull family drama, utterly dumb decisions, and misogynistic treatment of women (George's creepy attitude toward Nova especially has not aged well at all). Their serious, played-straight reactions makes the whole thing laughably unserious.

Sharknado gets a D-

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Honey Don’t! (2025) Review

Positives

Chris Evans is consistently entertaining as Reverend Drew Devlin, the film’s main “antagonist.” Evans’ comedic chops speak for themselves, and he brings a level of charisma befitting the pleasure-craving cult leader.

Margaret Qualley and Aubrey Plaza’s chemistry is sure to delight audiences looking for an appealing romance between two good-looking people. It’s made all the better by the two being very good actors, and while this is nowhere near their best work, at least they work well together. In a better movie, their relationship would’ve made for a solid romantic foundation.

Negatives

Honey Don’t unfortunately confirms my suspicions that Ethan Coen just doesn’t work as a solo director. Drive-Away Dolls was underwhelming, but this is unacceptable for a myriad of reasons.

For one, this movie suffers from too many plot-lines that end up going nowhere. Honey is trying to both uncover a murder and has both familial and relational issues; there’s also Drew, the church, and his dealings with a shady crime group; then the movie tries to be about estranged fathers and daughters for a minute. None of these disparate story threads come together naturally, nor do they conclude in a satisfying way, and many of which end abruptly without any effect on the plot.

Unlike Drive-Away Dolls, this movie moves at a glacial pace. We go from scene to scene with zero buildup or momentum, resulting in a tedious viewing experience.

Ultimately, the ending is the final nail in the coffin. Not only does it feature maybe the worst fight scene of the year (why are y’all just STANDING THERE), but the twist that happens genuinely makes zero sense and carries with it a weird connotation. Zero clue what this movie is trying to say about anything.

Honey Don’t! Gets a D+

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Ne Zha 2 (2025) Review

Positives

You are not prepared for what Ne Zha 2 has in store. The highest grossing animated film of all time and 5th most successful movie ever, and its quality reflects that. Recency bias or not, this is one of best animated movies I’ve maybe ever seen. When creatives are given time, money, and passion, they can create something undeniable.

I like the first film, but this - in every way - blows it out of the water. Its story clarifies the rules and power structures of this world far better than the first’s underbaked worldbuilding, bringing to life a vivid mythology that blends gigantic scope with emotional storytelling and potent societal themes.

How can I explain this animation in one bullet point? It’s godly. Every frame is gorgeously rendered and designed; from its characters - human, spiritual, and demonic alike - to the various landscapes, lava pits, and heavenly temples. On an IMAX screen, the scale is almost overwhelming, and every time you think you’ve seen the best of what the film has to offer, it steps up its creativity once more.

Is this the best action of any animated feature? Like I mentioned before, each fight is followed by one even crazier than the last, marking a key moment in Ne Zha’s arc as both a warrior and a young man forced to grow into something greater. Certain abilities are maximized to their fullest extent, be they weapon-based or superpowered. Act 3 is Avengers: Endgame-level of pure insanity as the film morphs into a full-on war movie set in the heavens above.

This sequel reaches into deeper emotional depths than the predecessor. Building off of Ne Zha’s self-acceptance, the child born of the Demon Pill is thrust into trial after trial, forcing him to reconcile with the way the world works and choose a side. What begins as a fun action adventure buddy movie morphs into something far darker at the midway point during a pivotal and, frankly, horrifying scene that sets a darker, stakes-filled back half.

Writing-wise, Ne Zha 2 successfully rounds out its entire cast, packing in meaningful character writing and evolution for damn near every player. It’s not just the title protagonist - characters like Ao Guang, Ao Bing, Shen Gongbao, Taiyi, Master xian Wuliang, and even Lady Yin and Li Jing are given meaningful arcs that gloriously pay off.

Negatives

If there’s anything about this movie that I can see some folks not clicking with, it’s the 2 hour and 24 minute runtime. Any animated movie behind above 1 hour and 45 minutes is almost unheard of over here in the states, yet this is longer than most movies coming out in general. That’s not a bad thing for me - I was loving every minute. But it’s certainly a sizable undertaking, and the final battle may lose some with its in-your-face overindulgence.

Ne Zha 2 gets an A+.

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Primitive War (2025) Review

Positives

This is the best attempt at a non-Jurassic dinosaur movie that I’ve ever seen, one that succeeds in both delivering the prehistoric goodness and tells a fun story. Get that 65 laughing stock outta here!

Director Luke Sparke adapts the first installment of the popular book series of the same name with impressive ambition, not allowing the indie budget to hold him back from delivering something memorable. The film is well-shot and feels as big as the dinosaurs, even boasting an assortment of creative camera tricks, like steadicam and even Raimi-esque crash zooms.

You come for the dinosaurs, and boy you get some AWESOME dinosaur action while still seeing them act animalistic at times. You’ve got T.rex, Spinosaurus, Utahraptor, Deinonychus, Triceratops, and more. The CGI used to bring them to life is consistently high-quality despite the low budget; as an added bonus, their designs are some of the most scientifically accurate to ever come out of a theatrically-released movie (lots of feathers, yay!). One sequence involving the T.rex may go down as one of the all-time greatest cinematic moments featuring the tyrant lizard king for me.

Primitive War doesn’t hold back in its violence, which managed to actually surprise me. I knew it was rated-R going in, but people get torn apart by dinosaurs in ways that I’ve never seen. I’ll say this: there’s a moment with a Quetzalcoatlus that’s top-5 grossest moments of gore to come out of any movie this year.

When we don’t see dinosaurs, the movie remains entertaining thanks to its cast of likable characters. As mostly a war movie with dinosaurs, you get a classic lineup of squadmates sent out to accomplish a mission of utmost secrecy. Ryan Kwanten convinces as Sgt. 1st Class Ryan Baker, the leader of Vulture Squad and bonafide badass who really does care about his squad outside of their combat capabilities.

The other characters are given enough personality and quirks to distinguish one from the other. You care about them just enough to not want to see them get eaten, which is bare essentials in terms of “monster” action movies. Jeremy Piven as Jericho was honestly such a fun role; Piven clearly had a great time as this high-ranking, douchebag Colonel.

Negatives

It’s important to remember that Primitive War is an indie movie, made on a tiny budget compared to something like Jurassic World: Rebirth. The VFX look consistently high-quality for the most part, which makes the lesser moments of CGI - be it a lighting issue or simply needing more time to cook - stand out like a sore thumb.

Acts 1 and 3 steal the show, but Act 2 (which mostly works, ultimately) highlights the film’s biggest issue: the pace. Whether it’s an unneeded subplot involving soldiers of an enemy entity or the, at times, cliche dialogue (lots of lines and song choices that feel ripped from other Vietnam War movies), you feel the movie’s 2+ hour length during Act 2.

There’re plenty of references to the Jurassic franchise, far more than I was expecting…and, honestly, more than I really needed. I understand Sparke wanting to acknowledge the dinosaur franchise that catapulted these animals into public adoration, but these allusions could’ve used trimming to allow the film to stand more on its own.

Primitive War gets an A-

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Ne Zha (2019) Review

Positives

The action within Ne Zha is some of the coolest you’ll see in a modern animated blockbuster, regardless of country of origin. This Chinese production boasts some truly epic battles between warriors, demons, and spirits. I’m in love with the choreography, how fluid and dynamic it is, and how creatively the abilities of Ne Zha, Ao Bing, Taiyi, and Shen manifest. The final 25 minutes had me genuinely glued to my screen, where spectacle and heartfelt storytelling combine into something genuinely awesome.

Ne Zha himself fits the classic shunned hero archetype. Due to his nature as the child of the Demon Orb and his destructive abilities, Chengtang Pass hates his mere existence. Though Ne Zha’s recklessness, immaturity, and capacity for destruction make up his core flaws, the film’s ability to make you sympathize and eventually root for this character is executed very well.

Surrounding Ne Zha is a very solid supporting cast of characters that shine once the film’s actual plot kicks in. Li Jing and Lady Yin’s love for their child despite knowing what he is lays the foundation for the film’s emotional moments, which hit hard by the third act. Taiyi not only serves as Ne Zha’s master and gateway to the wider mythological aspects of the world, but his bumbling personality adds solid humor to this epic story, opposite Shen’s more calculating, jealous mentoring of Ne Zha’s Chaos Pearl opposite, the dragon Ao Bing.

Negatives

The biggest thing holding Ne Zha back from being truly great is its world-building; more specifically, its execution leaving more to be desired. Instead of beginning with Ne Zha wanting to escape the confines of his home and allowing to truly become part of the larger world, the film opts to front-load the opening 20 minutes with clunky exposition and poorly-placed jokes. Exposition is necessary, but this came off as forced rather than natural.

A subplot involving imprisoned dragons ultimately feels unnecessary, and comes off as mere sequel bait. Further context felt needed in order to clarify their role in the story, which ends up feeling underbaked despite their imposing designs. They hint at the forces of Heaven being not as pure as we’re lead to believe, but this goes nowhere by the end.

For much of the movie, the animation style really works. That said, I don’t love certain design choices when we’re not witnessing the more fantastical elements. Something about the designs of the regular villagers of Chengtang Pass looks a little…ugly, for lack of better term.

Ne Zha gets a B

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Shin Godzilla (2016) Review

Positives

What Hideaki Anno did with Shin Godzilla is nothing short of remarkable. Bringing his sensibilities from his work on Evangelion over to the iconic Japanese staple, Anno crafts a fresh take on Godzilla that's both terrifying in a modern sense and searingly relevant to the country's recent natural disasters (specifically the Fukushima nuclear disaster and the Tōhoku earthquake).

Godzilla reaches a Lovecraftian level of horror in a way never seen before. Evolving from form to form, this Goji is anything but a global protector. Rather, this iteration sports tumor-riddled skin, mangled teeth, and still, unblinking eyes that encapsulate both an unawareness and blind rage. It's attack on Tokyo is perhaps the most destructive, haunting piece of official Godzilla media in the 2010s.

Outside of the titan, Shin Godzilla is more so about government bureaucracy. The deluge of information across the film's duration captures the frantic chaos that would be felt in a situation like this, while also highlighting Anno's dissection and critique of the Japanese government's slow response during the 2011 disasters. Your attention is required to take in every detail, unlike other, more rock-'em-sock-'em monster matchups Godzilla has been a part of.

Despite Anno's film being very critical of the government, Shin Godzilla maintains a level of hope and optimism during this catastrophe. Characters like Yaguchi act as the audience surrogate, wanting to act with purpose and speed; the Prime Minister, while wanting to protect his country, partakes in red tape after red tape to ensure democracy stands. Each main player works with the best intentions, but the system - which is slow and meanders, holding press conferences instead of acting - prevents action.

Negatives

The human story is compelling in it's own way, but those searching for deeper exploration of the cast won't find it in Shin Godzilla. On one hand, the plot allows little time for more complex protagonists, so Hideaki Anno instead opts to create a film that moves at breakneck speed, thrusting the country into a situation they are wholly unprepared for. On the other, the characters lack the nuance and depth of, say, a Dr. Serizawa, or a Kōichi Shikishima.

Shin Godzilla gets an A-

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Nobody 2 (2025) Review

Positives

Bob Odenkirk remains the big highlights of these films. He’s great as Hutch, this husband and father trying to be a regular dad but keeps getting pulled back into his life of assassination and taking down criminal underworlds. He’s not even free of violence when on vacation, as this sequel demonstrates.

Action remains entertaining, making good use of surrounding environmental items and weapons. It’s shot well and edited with clarity; Nobody 2’s third act boasts my favorite action in the movie. It goes all-out on the Home Alone-esque traps as Hutch fights his way through yet another assortment of baddies in this amusement park setting. There’re a few pretty vicious kills, even.

Hutch’s family, rather than being relegated to a plot device, gets in on the action at a few points. You have his father (played by Christopher Lloyd) of course, but even his wife and son get their licks in at certain moments and have more stake in this story than the previous movie.

Negatives

Unfortunately, this is a fairly big step-down from the first film for me. Nobody 2 suffers from the “bigger is always better” mentality that so many other action sequels become trapped in. The story feels like it’s relying on the first film’s template, but it ends up feeling very contrived because of it. In the end, Hutch goes through essentially the same arc as he did in the first movie.

I’m not sure leaning more into the comedy side of this action-comedy franchise was the smart decision. The jokes, while funny in bursts, largely falls a little flat, a letdown compared to the first’s more understated sense of humor.

Far too many characters are crammed into this plot, and very few of the new additions have anything valuable to offer. There’s one character that Hutch had a personal connection with in his past, yet he’s barely a character at all before the final battle. Then you have the antagonists, who aren’t interesting in the slightest. The main villain? Shows up about halfway through the movie and doesn’t do anything of consequence.

Nobody 2 gets a C+

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WandaVision (2021) Review

Positives

Watching this show week by week was generational. Everyone was talking about it, theorizing what’s going on, and connecting to Wanda and Vision in ways few other characters have had the privilege of accomplishing. That’s because it’s damn great!

Wanda and Vision are the witchy heart and android soul of this entire show. Their love for each other is felt in each episode, but both are caught in an identity crisis shaped by faux-suburbia. Elizabeth Olsen’s performance is rich in emotion, grief, joy, and denial of what’s real, whereas Paul Bettany taps into Vision’s android awkwardness (easily the funniest that character has been), his sense of logic over human delusion, and the very real love he has for the woman imbued with the same energy the Mind Stone gave him. Olsen’s ability to channel Wanda’s all-consuming sadness as something that gradually manifests over the course of the show continues to astound.

I’m shocked Marvel didn’t keep Matt Shakman on to plot the course of Phase 4-onward after the success of this show. His (Wanda)vision for the first Disney+ series set within the MCU is totally singular; there is nothing quite like WandaVision, to the point where it comes off as almost experimental. Combining sitcoms from the 50s to the 2000s with an overarching sci-fi mystery that taps into themes of identity, the grieving process, and parenthood, all done within each episode, has set the bar for the rest of the MCU TV shows going forward.

I’m OBSESSED with this show’s set design and overall direction. Shakman perfectly emulates the eras of the show’s respective sitcoms, to a point where I wish we had more superhero shows in this same vain. The influences of past shows are worn on WandaVision’s sleeve, and yet they’re re-contextualized in the penultimate episode in a way that emphasizes the tragedy of the Scarlett Witch.

Teyonah Parris, Randall Park, and Kat Dennings work as the show’s vessels to help explain and uncover the mystery of the Westview Anomaly, but the star of the show’s supporting cast is, without a doubt, Kathryn Hahn as Agatha Harkness. What a cackling, scene-chewing presence that Hahn has a BLAST with. So glad this isn’t the last time we’ll see Agatha.

Negatives

The finale is where the show’s issue pop up, the episodes proceeding being near-perfect comic book television for me. This ending episode, while not being completely bad, comes off as the most generic part of the show. The intricacy, detail, and genre-bending mystery of the previous episodes is traded for CGI magic fights and two robots bashing into each other prior to debating about the who’s the real Vision. Wanda’s transformation into the Scarlett Witch is awesome (great first costume IMO), but the proceeding fight in the sky suffers from annoyingly obvious green screen compositing.

Hayward sucks. Genuine nothing-burger of a “villain.” He wants to stop Wanda because she’s a “threat,” and literally nothing else. Just such a one-dimensional character that adds little to the story.

WandaVision gets an A-

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War of the Worlds (2025) Review

Positives

Nope.

Negatives

This is not only the worst film of the year, but legitimately one of the worst movies I’ve ever seen. Not a single thing works. Not Ice Cube’s unconvincing performance, not the webcam style, not even the invading alien CGI. An unmitigated disaster on every level.

Not only is this movie technically abhorrent, but it’s morally bankrupt. It literally has our heroes save the world by trusting that Amazon has our best interest. AMAZON. The company that continuously mistreats its workers and keeps us in a state of mind-numbing consumerism for their own gluttonous gain. The whole movie is pure product placement. Fuck off, Bezos.

War of the Worlds gets an F

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Freakier Friday (2025) Review

Positives

If any legacy sequel would benefit from sticking to what worked about the original, Freakier Friday makes the most sense. It’s a mostly-solid follow-up with just enough new elements to keep things interesting, but it refuses to switch places with anything that would make this body-reshaping comedy unrecognizable.

Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan haven’t missed a single step as Anna and Tess. This time, Lohan gets to act as a teenager when Anna’s daughter, Harper, is sent into the form of her mother. Curtis, likewise, embraces the same energy when Lily, Harper’s rival and soon-to-be stepsister, switches places with her. Everyone does good work.

It’s great to see Manny Jacinto in a big movie! He essentially plays the to-be-wed husband that Ryan played in the first movie, but there’s more stake in his side of the story since he and his daughter are trying to make a new life for themselves.

The movie largely works on a humor level, even if the jokes surrounding the age of the characters can get a bit stale at times. Oddly enough, I felt that Curtis is on-point in her comedic delivery more so than she was in the first film. She’s honestly really funny here.

Negatives

While Freakier Friday does stay true to the original’s formula, it doesn’t exactly result in a story that’s hard to predict. Some callbacks are pretty on-the-nose and makes the film feel like a greatest hits playlist rather than a story.

I think the story suffers from coming off as overstuffed with too many characters, and as a result the pacing can drag at times. This is a bummer, since the first movie felt so snappy in its plotting compared to this.

Freakier Friday gets a B-

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Freaky Friday (2003) Review

Positives

Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsey Lohan? Absolutely GOATED pairing. Their chemistry works on comedic and emotional levels, honing in on Tess and Anna’s relatable struggle to better understand each other when they’re forced to literally walk in the other’s shoes.

While Freaky Friday is primarily a comedy, the film can actually get quite tense in some situations. Act 1 succeeds at making you understand both sides of the switch-up, not just Anna’s need to break free of her mother’s overreach. Tess is going through just as much as her daughter is, and she messes up as much as Anna does. You want both characters to make the other’s life better because you sympathize with their plight.

Pacing-wise, the movie moves at a consistent rhythm without rushing over important character development. We go from situational misunderstanding to heartfelt progression of Anna and Tess’s understanding of each other’s needs without one overshadowing the other. And the film is very funny, mostly in how each actor plays against type.

HEAVY early-2000s nostalgia throughout this thing, but in a charming way. It’s an earnest mid-budget comedy, and that’s all too rare nowadays.

Negatives

Is this movie world-changing or genre-defining? No. It’s just a fun watch. I guess some aspects of the romance between Anna and Jake haven’t aged all that well? Like…how much older is he than Anna? And why is he falling for her MOM? I know they play it up for laughs, but like…nah.

Freaky Friday gets a B

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Weapons (2025) Review

Positives

This is one of 2025’s best horror flicks. Go in knowing as little as possible, because director Zach Cregger is strangely great at making movies that reel you in and make you think it’s going to go one way, only to pull the rug out from under you and go in a completely different avenue.

Weapons is GREAT because it’s entirely its own entity. Like Barbarian before it, it’s a mashup of horror, mystery, and sharp comedic twists. Cregger, like in 2022, directs with unflinching confidence in both story and style, implementing a host of creative camerawork and tracking shots (my goodness, those tracking shots) that ramps up tension.

The premise - a group of kids, all belonging to one teacher’s class, get up in the middle of the night and run out, never coming back - is expanded upon with each chapter of the film’s story in a very Magnolia/Pulp Fiction kind of way. In fact, it’s like what Cregger did with Barbarian, only of a much larger scale. It results in a story that deepens the mystery and offers little clues with each perspective, concluding in one of the most fun third acts in any horror movie this year.

Without going into spoilers, the characters are surprisingly well-rounded despite there not being a conventional “main character.” You have Justine, the teacher; Archer, the parent; Marcus, the principal; Paul, the cop; James, the addict; and Alex, the child. Each character is enhanced by a colorful script and the performances by Julia Garner, Josh Brolin, Benedict Wong, Alden Ehrenreich, Austin Abrams, and Cary Christopher (who was MY favorite in the entire cast).

While this movie is half horror, half mystery, each half of the film’s identity works in tandem to create something utterly singular. It’s scary when we see crazed individuals running with their arms splayed out in a ‘T’ shape; the real hook is why they’ve suddenly gone into a mad state, and the answer to that very question reveals just enough without giving everything away.

Negatives

While none of the individual chapters are bad in the slightest, some are more compelling than others. The more direct focus on the kids’ disappearance and the social fallout the ensues for Garner and Brolin’s characters is by far the most engaging element of the narrative. Those not explicitly connected to this incident are, inherently, not as interesting to follow. But even then, I was never bored, and every piece of the puzzle comes together in the utmost satisfactory way.

Weapons gets an A

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Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019) Review

Positives

At the halfway point of Spider-Man: Far From Home, the illusion that Quinten Beck has been putting over Peter’s mask is unveiled. It’s here where this sequel drastically improves and becomes a kick-ass continuation of Tom Holland’s time as the web-head and ends the Infinity Saga on a satisfying epilogue.

Peter’s arc is a natural continuation of what he’s learned thus far. At first, he accepted his role as a friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. Now that he’s not only been to space, fought Thanos, died, and came back, the world has now thrust him into the spotlight following Tony Stark’s death. Thing is, he’s not ready for that responsibility, and this inadequacy is the driving force of his arc.

Though this isn’t Holland’s greatest performance as Peter - that would come in the next movie, (hint hint) - he brings that trademark dorky attitude and heart integral to the character. The moments where Peter doubts himself (culminating in his confession to Happy on the plane) allows Holland to fully tap into the depths of his emotions, making the web-head feel even more relatable.

Jake Gyllenhaal is really, really good as Mysterio. Quentin Beck presses Peter’s buttons and brings out his insecurities with subtle precision, making rewatches even more rewarding. He simultaneously boosts Peter’s intelligence and makes him feel more inadequate as a superhero, all in his plan to retrieve E.D.I.T.H. Once the truth of Beck and his illusions is revealed, Gyllenhaal shifts into this vindictive, spiteful, jealous person, who’s so petty that Tony Stark calling his tech “B.A.R.F.” drives him to perform attempted child homicide.

Jon Watts massively stepped up his game as an action director, something that was lacking in Homecoming. The fight with the water monster in Venice; Mysterio and “Night Monkey” saving Ned and Betty from the lava Elemental; the final fight in London, which somehow makes Spidey fighting a horde of drones feel intense. Far From Home forces Peter to solve problems in other ways than punching the bad guy and webbing them up.

Mysterio’s illusion showcase is, BY FAR, the best scene in the movie. Visually, stylistically, and even musically (another great Giacchino score), Beck shrouding Peter in his own illusion is Far From Home’s crowning achievement.

Negatives

The high school antics, in my opinion, really drag the movie down. It worked in the first film because it fit the John Hughes comedic tone. Here, it distracts from the higher stakes. Was Ned and Betty getting together and breaking up like it never happened needed? Why is Brad Davis a thing at all? I’m cool with Peter, MJ, Ned, Betty, and Flash, because they’re Spider-Man characters; everyone else is either a nameless extra, or takes up unnecessary space.

Peter and MJ’s romance, while cute (Holland and Zendaya have very natural chemistry), isn’t given enough buildup to really connect emotionally. The next movie improves upon those two and really makes you care about their romance, but here it feels like a radical shift in Peter’s character that wasn’t established in the previous films.

I find it very odd that Peter wouldn’t be distraught about losing Uncle Ben’s suitcase. As a Spider-Man fan, the MCU’s avoidance of bringing up Ben has been the number one complaint I’ve had with its version of Spidey. How did he die? Was it as important to Peter’s growth as it normally is? It’s bugged me for years, and will likely bug me forever.

Spider-Man: Far From Home gets a B

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The Bad Guys 2 (2025) Review

Positives

I enjoyed the first The Bad Guys, and I’m happy to say I enjoyed this about as much! Dreamworks has quite the fun Oceans 11 pastiche franchise on their hands that, if it were to continue, could end up being one of their strongest series’ yet.

Animation-wise, these movies really stand out amongst the crowd. They have their own little style without outright copying the tone of Spider-Verse. With The Bad Guys 2, it boasts yet another dash of stylized, slick animation that’s as cool as this team of thieves. It POPS during the action scenes, especially in the third act when things are taken to an orbital level. Combined with Daniel Pemberton’s score, the visuals make even more of an impression.

This sequel feels less of a retread of the first, and more a continuation of its story. Now that the Bad Guys have gone good, how do they take being thrust into yet another heist against their will? Wolf, Shark, Tarantula, Piranha, and Snake remain consistently enjoyable to watch; Sam Rockwell, Anthony Ramos, Awkwafina, Marc Maron, and Craig Robinson’s comedic timing and grasp on their characters’ personalities shines.

The plot moves at a very snappy pace, prioritizing character dynamics and clever jokes over convoluted plotting. It’s a goofy premise, but it’s simple enough and tonally consistent with how energized this world is. Great new characters as well (loved Kitty Kat and Doom especially).

ROMANCE. More romance than I thought, and yet it works. You’ll know it when you see it.

Negatives

While these movies are fun, they rarely shoot for anything above being simple enjoyment. They do a damn good job at doing that, and it’s clear a lot of talent and effort was put into both films, but any kind of particularly deep character exploration is exchanged for more plot-centric narratives.

This sequel almost doesn’t even try to incorporate any dilemma from the first. The Bad Guys have turned good, and they never deal with any kind of relapse. On one hand, that pushes away any narrative retreading. On the other, it results in a movie that doesn’t exactly have a lot to offer underneath the surface.

The Bad Guys 2 gets a B

[arjay-bee-04]

Eyes of Wakanda (S1, 2025) Review

Positives

Exploring the history of Wakanda is the greatest strength of this little miniseries. The African country is already an iconic staple of the MCU’s lore, so naturally getting to witness pieces of its history going back all the way to the 13th century is a refreshing departure from the modern-day timeline. Seeing the beginning of the War Dogs and witnessing a few of their missions throughout history opens the door for countless stories in the future, should Marvel continue making these episodes (which they should).

Very much digging the animation style. The inspirations from various paintings and Black artists is apparent, and the translation into this form works well. The character designs do admittedly take a moment to get used to - I will admit, I wasn’t a fan at first - but I grew to appreciate the approach. Eyes of Wakanda’s art design especially is really unique, enhancing both the locations and the exciting action scenes, giving this anthology a wider scope than expected.

Episodes 2 is easily my favorite - B’Kai and Achilles have an unexpectedly engaging camaraderie that results in the best episode of the show by far - but each chapter has something to offer, be it the villain of the first, Iron Fist in the third, or a reveal in the fourth that ties what we’ve seen together in a way that gives greater importance to something we’ve seen before. Plus, the action and violence leaves a strong impression (some brutal deaths, even).

Negatives

This show is too damn short! 4 episodes is CRIMINAL, considering how good these stories ended up being. It’s hard to get fully wrapped up in something, knowing that you’re barely scratching the surface of what’s even possible with a format like this. That’s the biggest hindrance on this entire season: it ultimately feels like this wasn’t living up to its potential the moment you saw the episode count.

Eyes of Wakanda (S1) Gets a B