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[effypcfcwrites]

K-Pop Demon Hunters

Full disclosure, as someone who grew up enjoying hip-hop and rock music, I never thought of myself as a devout fan of K-pop. I've never gotten around to following the music, the artists, and the fan culture around it. Although, in the spirit of keeping an open mind as I got older, I've dabbled in the genre more than once and have found favorites to add to even my skateboarding and workout playlists to listen to regularly. The moment I saw the trailer, I thought to myself, "such a B-movie sounding title," skeptical, but curious. Then I noticed a lot more of my friends singing its praises on social media, so the curiosity grew even more, until I finally gathered the spoons to give it a spin.

From the studio that brought us Mitchells vs. The Machines and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, co-directed by Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans, K-Pop Demon Hunters tells the story of HUNTR/X, a fictional K-pop girl group consisting of lead singer Rumi, vocalist/lead dancer Mira, and vocalist/rapper Zoey, who come from a long line of generational demon hunters tasked with keeping the Honmoon – a spirit barrier between earth and the demon realm – active. They soon encounter and develop a rivalry with the Saja Boys, a K-pop boy group consisting of demons in disguise, led by Jinu Saja, which leads them to find a way to defeat them, preventing them from consuming the souls of their fanbase and destroying the Honmoon.

I was pleasantly surprised by this surprise release on Netflix, and I just knew this was something that demanded my full attention. The opening moments of the film were a perfect preview of what these girls are all about: slaying demons while serving vibrant and energetic song-and-dance numbers, and just allowing themselves to be regular adults behind the scenes. It draws its humor and melodrama from various K-Drama and Anime tropes, and I can't help but think of Totally Spies, Sailor Moon, Turning Red, and Jentry Chau vs. The Underworld as the story and animation unfolds. Part of the conflict stems from Rumi's heritage as a human-demon hybrid, which leads her to gradually sympathize with Saja Boy Jinu, while keeping her demon half a secret from Mira and Zoey as the trio prepare a performance to reinforce the Honmoon for another 10 years. The film provides a good look at K-pop fandom culture and how at times it can get rigorous and demanding, and I appreciate how it does not shy away from the fact that performers like HUNTR/X realistically need plenty of nutritious food and rest to meet the physical demands of their routines for 2 or more hours each night. (As an aside, Korean cuisine has become one of my personal favorites because of how balanced its use of ingredients is, all while being delicious and appetizing in its own way.)

Thematically, it discusses ideas and concepts like heritage, self-love, and self-acceptance, in a manner that kids can easily digest and adults can enjoy and appreciate. Its message of embracing your imperfections and making something beautiful out of them, and that love and positive connection, maintaining healthy interpersonal relationships with one another, are what keep the darkness from creeping into your soul, is clear as day; well-worked into the film with an emotional climax and song to boot.

I need to mention how I can't help but think it similar to Sinners in concept: the idea that music can be a powerful force to uplift communities and bring them together, but at the same time, its potential for being something that people with cruel intentions can appropriate and use to take advantage of others to serve their selfish means.

Like every eventual classic, it is not without its weak points. Rumi and Jinu's arcs were emphasized so much more as to develop romantic tension between them, gradually moving Mira and Zoey to the back. Yes, the former two have great chemistry together, but it would have been better if their backgrounds and relationships with each other were fleshed out even more. Also, the ideas of reclaiming one’s voice and identity may have been rushed, especially near the end of the film. Perhaps they intended this to leave us wanting more, in case the studio greenlights a sequel or spin-off in the future.

The music was one of the film's selling points. A lot of its tracks borrow sounds and energies from 3rd-generation K-pop acts like BLACKPINK and BTS, even having TWICE featured on the soundtrack. I also can't help but detect a Rina Sawayama vibe to climactic pop-ballad "What It Sounds Like", but that's just me, I guess. A lot of its lyrics are written in English with sparse Korean lyrics, which slightly defeats the purpose of featuring a K-pop soundtrack, but that's understandable, a necessity to draw in audiences who are alien to the genre. I love how scenes are synced so well with the music, reminding me of the kinetics of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Guardians of The Galaxy, and Baby Driver. Admittedly, I have now found myself repeating the line “fit check for my napalm era” to myself and humming the melodies from “Soda Pop” and “Golden” at random points during the day.

Even with its flaws, which don't take away from its good parts, K-Pop Demon Hunters was a great, wholesome, heartfelt watch in its own right, and I appreciated it for what it is: a warmly-welcome breath of fresh air in a stream full of recycled properties milked until bone-dry. It's not perfect, but it doesn't have to be.

[effypcfcwrites]

Superman (2025)

At this point, Superman needs no introduction. From casual everyday moviegoer to avid comic book enthusiast, everybody and their mother knows the Man of Steel, the Last Son of Krypton. I've found myself quite jaded by comic book movies as of late, and I found it hard to care much about Brandon Routh and Henry Cavill’s takes on Supes (my opinion on this is subject to change). However, the moment I saw the 1st trailer of this iteration of the Superman story, I felt... optimistic. Like a ray of yellow sun has empowered me. Alongside fellow 2025 outings like Sinners and K-Pop Demon Hunters, it made me feel hopeful for the state of cinema again.

Starring David Corenswet (Twisters, The Politician), Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Manhattan), and Nicholas Hoult (Skins [UK], Warm Bodies, Mad Max: Fury Road), Director James Gunn's take on the character and lore sets the scene 3 years into his superhero career, where Superman works to prove that he truly is Earth’s protector, pitting him against Lex Luthor and his plans to destroy Superman's reputation and rid the earth of fellow metahumans like him.

Its writing and direction features Gunn’s signature comedic timing, allowing the movie the freedom to feel weird. Surreal. Fantastical. Letting the very idea of comic book goofiness take free rein and just run with it. The story does not open with Clark Kent’s journey from Krypton to Earth, his childhood, and the beginnings of his career, which is a bold choice rarely done in superhero movies, making it great and refreshing all the more for it.

Gunn describes the movie as “a story of America,” and it rings true. Hoult’s Lex Luthor is acted as a maniacal tech-bro reminiscent of real-life right-wing grifters influencing the modern socio-political climate, specifically in the US, where their actions ultimately affect global affairs. Gunn does his best to portray Corenswet’s Superman as the best of humankind, an ideal we should all aspire to be in these trying times. With a mix of heart to go with the humor, he also lets Superman the freedom to be vulnerable, to express that he, too, feels sadness, frustration, fear, and above all, love and joy, just like everybody else. Long story short, what Gunn’s saying here is that anyone and everyone can be a hero, and that it’s punk rock to care for your fellow person and to fight for them.

As an addendum, I remembered this quote by Mewtwo from Pokémon: The First Movie, which goes: "the circumstances of one's birth are irrelevant. It's what you do with the gift of life that determines who you are," and I think it fits this movie's core theme so well, applying the most to Clark Kent/Superman as he's down on his knees, questioning his true purpose in life, during one pivotal moment nearing the climax.

Its soundtrack and score interpolate John Williams’ 70s Superman theme and reinterpret it for the present day, providing rousing anthemic accompaniment to go with the movie’s action and its more somber and quiet moments. Its cinematography and composition features a bright hyperfocus on fluidity of movement and action, incorporating technology that allows for in-shot focal shifts, truly making it a stunning attention-grabber that encourages and rewards repeat viewings.

An overall great film that doesn’t bash you in the head with setups and easter eggs to the deeper lore of the DC multiverse, James Gunn’s Superman is indeed a comic book come to life, and I’m excited for him to channel this same energy in future projects.

[effypcfcwrites]

Andor

(CONTENT WARNING: mild spoilers, one-time mention of S.A.)

To start this writing exercise, I fondly remember that my first exposure to the Star Wars universe were the Genndy Tartakovsky-helmed 2003 Star Wars: Clone Wars 2D animated microseries on Cartoon Network (no longer canon since Disney's 2012 acquisition of the property), and seeing Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of The Sith in cinema back in May 2005, and I've never fully outgrown the world of a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, even as I enter my 30s.

Now, to the main points of my essay.

First off, I swore to myself that I would never find myself writing about something part of a large mainstream franchise such as this.

Second, this should not be just a Star Wars show.

THIS SHOULD NOT WORK AS JUST A STAR WARS SHOW!

It would work great as a standalone TV event unattached to any pre-existing IP, and I would still obsess the hell over it.

But it did work. It went and supplemented the broader universe in a way that The Mandalorian and Star Wars: Rebels could only ever dream of doing.

And it's glorious.

This 2-season sci-fi political spy thriller serves as a prequel to 2016's Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, which itself is a prequel to 1977's original Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. It tells the tale of Cassian Andor (portrayed by returning Rogue One actor and executive producer Diego Luna), a cynical thief-turned-valiant captain of the Rebel Alliance, chronicling his radicalization and formative 5 years in the Rebellion and the difficult missions he undertook leading up to the Battle of Yavin, where Luke Skywalker and co. famously obliterated the Death Star. Throughout the series, Andor is recruited by the enigmatic Luthen Rael (Stellan Skarsgård), overcomes his hesitations in fitting into the role he's been assigned, and learns what it takes to play his part in rising up against a tyrannical, galaxy-wide authority.

Creator and showrunner Tony Gilroy depicts the sacrifices that not just Cassian, but characters like the aforementioned Luthen, Senator Mon Mothma (Genevieve O'Reilly), and Bix Caleen (Adria Arjona) make to serve their individual roles in the efforts of the Rebellion.

Each character on both sides of the conflict are given their moments to shine. Notable examples include antagonists Syril Karn and Dedra Meero (Kyle Soller and Denise Gough), whose goals to rise above their stations as part of PreOx-Morlana and the Imperial Security Bureau, respectively, are vain excursions to serve institutions that ultimately do not give a damn about them in the end; Rebel sisters-in-arms Vel Sartha and Cinta Kaz (Fay Marsay and Varada Sethu), who are entwined in a doomed romance that hurts not because you know their relationship is unlikely to thrive in the overall fight for liberation, but because of how it plays out as you were secretly rooting for them, affected by consequence of another soldier's mistakes; and Kino Loy (Andy Serkis, who previously played Supreme Leader Snoke in the Sequel Trilogy of films), an Imperial prisoner who does not get to enjoy the freedom he and his fellow inmates banded together for. These are not happy endings for these folks, but in the pursuit of something greater than the sum of its parts, some things just aren't meant to last. After all, this is but a necessary page in a chapter that almost everyone knows is a high point in an expanding saga filled with its bright and dark moments.

Gilroy does not shy away from the grim, grounded realities of struggle against fascist rule, with later episodes depicting propaganda, torture, mistreatment - sexual assault, even - towards undocumented migrants, and genocide, which reflect the reality of victims trapped in similar circumstances in current events.

With writing, sets, tone, and action sequences that rival even the prestige dramas of HBO, this is what Star Wars could commit to being, whether you love it for its nostalgia value, inspiring narratives of heroism, and limitless potential for merchandise, or hate it for its creative inconsistencies, Disney's directional meddling, or disagreements with its overarching lore. With a runtime close to an hour per episode, its slow-burn efforts to flesh out characters, events, and settings demand your undivided attention. It is not something that you can leave idly playing in the background as you clean your house, do work, or any other everyday thing you attend to. Understandably, it would be a more mature, grounded, acquired taste for fans of the franchise who are more accustomed to the high-flying fantastical space opera action-adventure of the mainline films with the Solos, Skywalkers, and Palpatines of it all. If you're a fan of shows with such stellar levels of production, then maybe Andor is the right slice of the Star Wars pie that's perfect for you.

Screw it. Maybe I will write about Rogue One soon after, because it hits so much harder after finishing this show.

[effypcfcwrites]

Sinners

It's been a hot minute since I've enjoyed myself watching a movie, and it's been a while since I've done these writing exercises. I may be a little bit rusty, this all comes off the top of my head, but it feels pertinent.

Directed by Ryan Coogler, Sinners is a story set in the Jim Crow-era American south in the 1930's, with themes that deal with identity, legacy, racial solidarity, and cultural appropriation. Centered on identical twin brothers Elijah "Smoke" and Elias "Stack" Moore, a dual role portrayed by Michael B. Jordan (Creed, Black Panther), who establish a juke joint (a venue for live music popular during the era, which featured predominantly African-American blues and gospel musicians) after coming home from World War 1 and their old lives of crime in Chicago.

Jordan is accompanied by a diverse cast featuring Miles Caton in his major film debut; Jayme Lawson (The Batman [2022], The Woman King), Hailee Steinfeld (True Grit, Dickinson, Arcane), and Jack O'Connell (Skins), among others, whose backstories add something new to the table. Each cast member had their time to shine, and you can't help but admire and root for them, particularly MBJ as Stack. His performance as that character just serve Jamie Foxx realness.

One of the best parts for me was the music. The soundtrack and score took me by surprise, as I was not expecting this vampire horror flick to have such a great soundtrack. It just had me on the edge of my seat, unapologetically stomping and clapping my hands in the theater to the rhythm of all that blues music, and composer Ludwig Göransson (New Girl, The Mandalorian, Black Panther) delivers the goods yet again with his blend of swampy Mississippi delta blues, invoking the bayou heat of Great Depression-era Amerca, with haunting heavy metal-flavored gothic choir that just emphasizes the darkness, the drama, the slow-burn terror of it all.

I loved the writing, there's definitely so much thought put into it. It may not be the first, but its social commentary on religion, spirituality, and white supremacy is always timely and relevant. One of the lines that stuck to me was something to the effect of "they love the blues, they just don't like the people that make it", and I can't help but relate it to the modern day, where art forms like rap music and drag are enjoyed by mainstream audiences who are complicit in leaving communities like African-Americans and the LGBTQ+, its originators, to the wolves, to perpetual systemic racism and bigotry.

One of its sequences, which is already a given at this point, just speaks truth to how art, like the blues, is timeless and transcends generations, styles, and presentation.

Its storytelling does a great job with complementing contrasting moods and feelings. Its transitions between buddy-buddy humor, steamy sensuality, melancholic heartache, and impending despair, all feel so natural. Nothing rushed, nothing forced.

The cinematography? Nothing else needs to be said. Go watch it in IMAX. There's a lot of interesting things going on with it. *wink*

Overall, it was a multi-layered, well-crafted, sexy, rollicking, sinfully-good time. Probably my favorite film of 2025, so far, and may just as well be Ryan Coogler's magnum opus. I need to watch it again and again and again.

[effypcfcwrites]

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

WITNESS ME!!!

... as I write another mini-review of another piece of media that I enjoyed. This time, about a film.

Furiosa is the fifth installment in director George Miller's Mad Max franchise, serving as both a prequel and spin-off to 2015's Mad Max: Fury Road, which I am a huge fan of 'til this day, even more so now since watching it. The movie tells the story of Fury Road's Imperator Furiosa, originally portrayed by Charlize Theron, portrayed here by Anya Taylor-Joy (The Queen's Gambit, The Menu) and Alyla Browne, as a younger version of her. Taylor-Joy stars alongside Chris Hemsworth (Thor, Extraction, The Cabin in The Woods) and Tom Burke (The Musketeers, Strike, Mank).

In the film, set in post-apocalyptic Australia, the warlord Dementus (Hemsworth) kidnaps Furiosa as a child (Browne), executes her mother, and sells her to Immortan Joe as a slave. Within a decade, Furiosa manages to escape slavery, adopts a new identity as a mechanic under Joe's army of irradiated War Boys, eventually becomes a soldier (Taylor-Joy) serving under Praetorian Jack (Burke), then avenges her mother by defeating and capturing Dementus, and is promoted to Imperator afterward, leading up to the events of Fury Road, where she, with the aid of Max Rockatansky (Tom Hardy), helps Joe's "wives" - his remaining sex slaves, referred to in-universe as Breeders - escape to Furiosa's home, the "Green Place of Many Mothers," incurring the wrath of Immortan Joe and his war boys in a lengthy battle across the wasteland.

I saw this film one June weekend ago on a date with my girlfriend, and I must say: personally, there was never a dull moment the whole time, commercial reviews of the film during its opening weekend be damned. Every moment had me at the edge of my seat, in anticipation of what's gonna happen next. Anya Taylor-Joy is well on her way to becoming Hollywood's next big action star. Furiosa's entire character arc, her struggles to survive and rise above, and her desire for revenge were portrayed well. Chris Hemsworth's unhinged delivery as Dementus had truly left its mark on me, as until the time of this writing, my lasting impression of him was his Shakespearean portrayal of Marvel's Norse God of Thunder. It was as if George Miller gave Hemsworth full permission to just let loose as an everyday Aussie, albeit with more villainous bloodlust and melodrama than the average bloke. I swear, the dude goes through so many eras in the movie, that he might as well just compete with Taylor Swift. It had left me both amused and genuinely impressed by his acting chops.

The setting, backdrop, and score are also worthy of my praise. The whole thing just served as a welcome expansion of Fury Road's wonderfully bleak dystopian landscape. No words can ever do justice to Junkie XL's musical accompaniment; it just complements the film's tense high-octane action and more somber dramatic moments really well.

Simply put, I would say that this movie is just one big modern-day Greek epic, and it shall ride forever shiny and chrome, along the hallowed halls of Valhalla.

[effypcfcwrites]

Percy Jackson and The Olympians

(Originally posted on my personal Facebook dated February 1, 2024)

I've been meaning to write another review of a piece of media that I liked for a while now, following my extensive review of The Owl House back in mid-2023, so here goes me again, rambling about it.

When the Disney+ adaptation of Percy Jackson and The Olympians was announced some time ago, me and my high school self were excited to know the series would be in good hands, coming from the same place that gave us gems like Star Wars: Andor and WandaVision, this time, with much more participation from author Rick Riordan himself, AKA, the cooler, less-problematic version of J.K. Rowling. For context, Percy Jackson and The Olympians is technically a Disney property, since it was distributed by Disney-Hyperion Books back in the day. Don't get me wrong though. At this point, I have no love for the multi-billion corporate titan that is Disney. I am more invested in the stories they tell, which I wish would just exist as their own thing, independent of the looming shadow of The Mouse.

Disney+'s Percy Jackson and The Olympians did a good job so far, in my opinion as a fan of the books, to adapt The Lightning Thief (the 1st entry in the OG series) into the age of streaming with a Herculean debut 1st season. Writing-wise, I acknowledge the effort put into it being a more loyal adaptation of the source material compared to the cheesy and gods-awful movies of the early 2010s, even though it threw in some creative liberties here and there, which I have no qualms with. I felt like what it did best was to focus less on all the wide-eyed fantasy of Greek Mythology and all its gods, monsters, and heroes, and explore more of the grounded human emotion and familial relationships of its cast of characters, from Percy and his mother and the subsequent quest to save her from the Underworld; the messy family of the Greek Pantheon and its bloody history; to even Medusa, whose story is a grim reminder that the Greek gods are problematic and flawed figures that should not be put on a pedestal willy-nilly.

Acting highlights for me were Walker Scobell's performance of Percy, that managed to portray the witty and world-weary personality of his character properly; Jason Mantzoukas (Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Close Enough) as the sarcastic Dionysus, who makes it clear he is not enjoying his punishment on Camp Half-Blood, denied the hedonism of alcohol and festivity, which he is best known for; Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hamilton, In The Heights, Encanto) as Hermes, who plays a more serious role of a father acknowledging his part in the emotional damage he has caused his family; Lance Reddick (John Wick, White House Down) as Zeus, who was stern and imposing as you'd know the head Olympian to be, making it a memorable posthumous performance, following his passing back in March 2023; and Adam "Edge" Copeland as Ares, who channeled the feral energy of his WWE persona into the unhinged fire-starter god of war.

The music and score were able to instill all the drama of Greek hero stories, mixing glory, tension, and melancholy well, and the cinematography and effects wonderfully brought to life the worlds and the multiple monsters of Greek myth as well as other concepts from the books, like gods showing their true forms, which was said to be fatal to mortal beings should they lay eyes on them. Fortunately, unlike what I just mentioned, it was all a great sight to witness.

If you're a fan of the entire PJO/Heroes of Olympus/etc. universe that Rick Riordan has brought out into the world, then I think you'd be in for a treat when you give this series a spin.

[effypcfcwrites]

The Owl House

(Originally posted on my personal Facebook dated April 25, 2023)

This is probably the first time I'll be posting a detailed review of a piece of media that I like, so witness me sing all of my praises for this animated series from the House of Mouse, because wow, I've never been so invested in a Disney show after rewatching Gravity Falls.

For those unfamiliar, The Owl House revolves around Luz Noceda, a teenage girl who stumbles upon a portal to an alternate world called The Boiling Isles, meets a witch named Eda Clawthorne, learns magic under her tutelage and eventually enrolls in Hexside, a magic school where she makes many friends and goes on multiple adventures.

I binged this whole show in a span of weeks and even stayed up all night on my day off to finish it up to Season 3, the first 2 Seasons being on Disney+ and the latter on Disney Channel's YouTube page.

Simply put, I love it so much! I love how it reminds me of Avatar: The Last Airbender, Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, and, dare I say, Harry Potter, which it even poked fun at, at times. Well-deserved, considering J.K. Rowling’s transphobic views and HP’s underlying anti-Semitic undertones.

I loved the pop culture references to Thor: Ragnarok, Howl's Moving Castle, Metal Gear Solid, and even Hades, among many others! I thought those were very clever and funny, and just a treat for fellow nerds, geeks, and fans of fantasy stories, anime, and video games.

I love the LGBTQ+ representation all throughout the show, which was such a bold move considering Disney’s iffy stance on the subject. None of them were antagonized for it, and it was treated as something normalized in both the Human and Demon Realms. The show featured 2 gay dads, non-binary and aromantic-asexual characters, and one of the internet’s favorite sapphic/WLW couples Lumity, which is the ship consisting of canonically bisexual Luz and implied lesbian Amity Blight, whose rivals-to-friends-to-lovers relationship was just so wholesome, so natural, and very healthy, considering they're both teenagers. Suprisingly, there was very little melodrama, not once were they petty towards one another whenever either party did something wrong, and they never got tired of showing affection towards each other. I found myself shamelessly gushing over how cute, adorable, and supportive they were together, and tearing up a lot during key moments of their relationship, especially when they both found themselves in dire straits as the story progressed.

I love the writing and the character development of them all! None of them felt static, they all grew throughout the series, maturing, getting better, and healing from their own insecurities, trauma, and guilt. The humor and comedic timing was a nice touch, and I was really taken aback by how S2 ended on such a dark cliffhanger with all stakes raised to the roof, similar to A:TLA S2 and The Empire Strikes Back, as mentioned earlier. That season wasn’t afraid to have such a grim ending, with such a great payoff by the end of S3 which is worth celebrating.

I love the animation and art style, which blended colorful and whimsical with eerie and ominous in just the right amounts. As a sucker for animated movies and series such as Adventure Time, The Prince of Egypt, and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, it was just such a delight watching it.

I love the overarching message of the show, which is to be truly yourself, to embrace your quirks, and never to limit yourself and your potential based on what the majority of society and the powers-that-be expect from you. All throughout, you’ll find the characters challenging pre-established norms and roles, and it’s just so satisfying seeing them all win.

11/10 top-tier show. Don’t @ me, it’s hard for me to find something I disliked about the series. It's definitely a must-watch, especially if you're sick and tired of all the bleak nihilism of modern adult animation, and you just want to baby your inner child and escape to a whimsical fantasy world with characters you can all relate to. Betting my bottom peso you'll all be hooked, like I was.

[effypcfcwrites]

Hey, all!

This is just me making a writing dump of stuff that I like.

I've often been doing this on my Facebook, yet my visibility on it is limited, so I'mma take it all to Tumblr.