By: Philip Sayblack

​Superhero movies are big business in today’s cinema world.  That was not always the case, though.  Going as far back as 1994 and Marvel’s then earliest Fantastic Four movie, the superhero genre was not a big draw until somewhere in the early 21st century, so when New Line Cinema released its cinematic adaptation of Image Comics’ hit title, Spawn in 1997, the movie was met with a mixed response from audiences.  In the nearly three decades since it made its theatrical debut, Spawn has actually gone on to achieve cult status and thanks to Arrow Video, will get new life next week on a new 2-disc 4K set and separate 2-disc Blu-ray set.  This in itself is important in its own important way and will be discussed shortly.  The movie’s sound and video quality – its production – also plays into the appeal.  This will be discussed a little later.  Rounding out the most important of the new re-issue’s most important elements is its bonus content.  Each item noted is key in its own way to the whole of the movie’s new re-issue.  All things considered they make the forthcoming re-issue of Spawn a welcome offering from Arrow for the most devoted fans of this now modern cult classic.
Arrow Video’s forthcoming re-issue of New Line Cinema’s 1997 superhero cinema flick Spawn is an example of a re-issue done completely right. In a year when so many movie re-issues have come up short and/or just outright failed, it makes that statement all the stronger and important.  Set for release Tuesday, the movie’s forthcoming re-issue succeeds in part through its general presentation.  As noted, it will be released separately on a 2-disc 4K and 2-disc Blu-ray platform.  The discs in each set are the movie’s separate theatrical and director’s cut, with the director’s cut being the “darker, more violent” cut than the theatrical cut that ended up being PG-13 instead of “R”.  On one hand, one could look at this and ask why Arrow Video did not just combine all four discs into one full, 4-disc collection.  That is a valid question.  The immediate response however, is that had the company gone that route, it would have made such a set quite expensive. 
In looking at prices listed through Amazon, Walmart, Target, and Barnes & Noble Booksellers (the movie was not listed through Best Buy and Books-A-Million), the 4K’s average price is $37.87 while the Blu-ray’s average list price is $30.24, with Barnes & Noble Booksellers having the most expensive listing for both releases.  Now, taking those prices into account, imagine having the Blu-ray and 4K sets all together in one set.  Odds are the average price of such a box set would be even more especially considering that Arrow Video is a British boutique label, making all of its re-issues imports.  To that end, the release of both sets separately is actually a good thing.  Sure, it would have been nice to have had both sets in one collection for audiences who are considering buying 4K tech but who still have Blu-ray players.  The thing is that 4K tech is still so price restrictive and Blu-rays honestly look and sound nearly as good as 4K releases (if not as good as those offerings).  Keeping that in mind, Arrow Video has gone the proper route in this case in regard to the general presentation.
The general presentation of Arrow Video’s Spawn re-issue is just one of its positives.  Another positive worth noting is its production (IE the video and audio quality).  The audio and video quality alike are impressive in their own right.  This applies in the 4K and Blu-ray presentation.  This is evidenced from the movie’s beginning to its end.  The soundtrack (composed of so much metal and nu-metal) expertly compliments the dialogue, the explosions and everything else while the video clearly has been touched up.  The grain of the original film is still evident.  That is obvious.  At the same time, it is not overpowering.  The result therein is a great sense of nostalgia among viewers while also giving a relatively clear picture along equally clear audio.  To that end, the production presented here builds on the general presentation to make for even more for audiences to applaud.
Rounding out the most important of the elements in Spawn’s 4K and Blu-ray re-issue is the bonus content.  The bonus content is the accent on top of the “structure” that is this re-issue.  That is because audiences get not just the bonus content featured in the original DVD and Blu-ray releases, but adds to that content with even more new material that adds so much to the viewing experience beginning with the new feature-length audio commentary from podcast host and comic book expert Dave Baxter.  At times Baxter’s commentary does feel a little bit scripted.  That cannot be denied but at the same time he also manages to make it feel fluid.  Audiences will be impressed as Baxter compares the original Spawn comic book to the cinematic adaptation, pointing out so many similarities and differences.  That he does this throughout the course of the movie is sure to lead to plenty of discussions on the pros and cons of those similarities and differences among certain circles.  That means that Baxter’s discussion on this matter alone makes for plenty of engagement and entertainment.
Baxter also takes on the special effects presented throughout the movie in his commentary.  The special effects are especially important because they are really a cornerstone of the movie’s visual presentation.  As Baxter points out, the visual effects used here were at the time a fledgling technology.  To that point, yes, the visual effects are questionable but keeping in mind their use in the cinema industry at the time, it makes their presentation ahead of their time.
Speaking of the visual effects, the VFX team of special makeup effects artists Howard Berger and Greg Nicotero discuss those effects at more length in their own lengthy discussion.  The duo points out the infancy of the tech that was used for the movie’s special effects, and even points out in the process that they actually did not want to use as much of the tech as was used.  There is note of how the pair went so far as to make a “prosthetic” cape for lead actor Micheal Jai White but because it was so bulky, ended up going the CGI route instead.  The same applied for the sequences involving the “devil.”  The duo discusses having actually made a model of the evil figure to use instead of a CG big bad. 
On yet another note, the duo’s discussion White’s prosthetic suit was so heavy and bulky that when they got him out of the costume, they had to actually dry it off because it caused him to sweat so much.  This is in line with White’s own comments in the new interview with him that sees him discussing exactly that topic.  In his new extra, White also talks about some other interesting aspects, beginning with the revelation that before joining the Spawn cast, he had actually been tapped to play the character Jax for yet another New Line movie, 1995’s adaptation of Sega’s Mortal Kombat game.  As White explains it, right around the time that he was tapped to become Spawn, the writers behind Mortal Kombat were reducing the role of Jax in that movie, so White still won out in the end, this even though he did not know anything about Spawn’s back story.  As White closes out his interview, he echoes the statement made by Spawn’s creator, Todd McFarlane in one of the original extras, that being the frustration of how  the MPAA handled the movie’s rating and that he thought an “R” rated cut should have been released regardless.
White is not the only one who discusses that treatment of the movie.  Bringing everything full circle, Baxter also addresses how the MPAA handled the movie’s treatment just because of its “darkness” since so few if any other movies at the time had been like Spawn.  It serves as a reminder of just how the MPAA (now MPA) uses what feels like bias in its rating system.  This is just one more of so many items that Baxter addresses and in turn adds so much to the viewing experience here.
On yet another note, Baxter also adds a lot of enlightenment to the movie as he explains Todd Mcfarlane’s time with Marvel comics and specifically his role in the creation of Venom in the company’s Spiderman series, and how that tied into the look of Spawn in the comics series.  Less seasoned comics fans will certainly appreciate this little six degrees of separation so to speak.  There is just so much more from here but not enough time or space to go into it all.  Putting things simply, Baxter’s feature length commentary adds so much appreciation to this modern cult classic alongside White’s interview.
As if everything noted is not enough, the movie’s nu-metal soundtrack also gets its own new in-depth examination and so does the editing.  Editor Michael Knue will entertain and engage audiences right from the outset of his interview as he discusses his dislike of having worked as an editor on the 1996 Alliance Films/Dimension Films sequel to The Crow, The Crow: City of Angels.  He said of that experience that it was so negative that he made him look for anything better, leading him to become part of the crew on Spawn.  It would be interesting to learn what made that experience so negative, working on The Crow: City of Angels.  His calm, matter of fact demeanor as he recalls his experience working on Spawn is enlightening.  It really brings the movie to audiences in a rarely addressed avenue so to speak.  This adds a whole new layer of appreciation for the final product.
Putting the final touch to the bonus content is its new companion booklet.  The notes, penned by John Torrani, coincide with everything discussed by Baxter.  From audiences’ dislike of the CG effects to the casting rumors (which will really surprise a lot of readers – thank goodness those rumors were just that) to the role of Spawn in rejuvenating the comics industry both on the printed page and on screen, and more, his insight completes the bonus content showing once more the importance that said content plays in the home presentation of any movie.
When all of Spawn’s expansive bonus content (the original and new collectively) is considered along with its production values and its general presentation, the whole therein makes the overall presentation that is this re-issue one of this year’s top new movie re-issues if not its best so far.
Arrow Video’s forthcoming re-issue of New Line Cinema’s Spawn is one of the most welcome surprises of this year’s movie re-issue field, along with its re-issue of Dark City earlier in the summer.  This re-issue shines in part because of its general presentation, which delivers the movie on two separate 2-disc sets, one being Blu-ray and the other 4K.  This is actually a money saving move by Arrow Video, believe it or not.  The production (the look and sound of the re-issue) adds to the appeal because of that presentation.  The expansive new bonus content that pairs with the original releases extras, puts such a rich finishing touch to the presentation.  Each item examined is important in its own way to the whole of the movie’s re-issue.  All things considered they make the forthcoming re-issue of Spawn one of the year’s best in the movie re-issue community and more proof of why Arrow Video is currently the leading company in home video releases.
Spawn is scheduled for release Tuesday.  More information on this and other titles from Arrow Video is available at:
Website: http://www.arrowfilms.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ArrowVideo
Twitter: http://twitter.com/ArrowFilmsVideo

By: Philip Sayblack

​October is going to be a busy month in regard to physical media releases.  Early on, Warner Brothers is going to release a brand-new Blu-ray box set featuring 40 classic Peanuts television specials.  Also early in the month, Arrow Video will re-issue New Line Cinema’s classic comic book adaptation of Image Comics’ flagship series, Spawn in a new 4K restoration.  Roughly two years after its then most recent 4K release, Clue will get another 4K release, the previous re-issue being delivered via Shout! Factory in 2023.  This latest re-issue will come via Alliance Entertainment in a new 40th anniversary presentation that boasts absolutely nothing new this time out in comparison to Shout! Factory’s 2023 release.  Later this month, one of the most exciting new releases will come (Oct. 28) in the form of the long-awaited home release of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, which saw a very limited theatrical release in late 2024.  This critic was lucky enough to see this surprisingly enjoyable movie, too, and has been waiting ever since for its official home release. 
As if all of that is not enough, one more movie, Marvel Studios’ latest reboot of The Fantastic Four is set for release Oct. 7, in the form of The Fantastic Four; First Steps.  This latest iteration of “Marvel’s First Family” on the big screen is an interesting but imperfect presentation.  To the good (and bad) is its story.  This will be discussed shortly.  On a related note, the bonus content that accompanies the movie’s home release (including its current streaming presentation) is something of a negative as the lack of one key item as an extra definitely detracts from the viewing experience and the appreciation of the story.  This will be examined a little later.  Knowing that this issue is not enough to make Fantastic Four: First Steps unwatchable, there is one more positive to note, that being the collective work of the movie’s main cast.  Each item noted plays its own important part to the whole of the movie.  All things considered they make The Fantastic Four: First Steps a work that while enjoyable, is still far from the best of Marvel Studios’ MCU offerings to date.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps, the latest entry in Marvel Studios’ Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), is an interesting new presentation that even with its interest, is imperfect.  It is a presentation that proves worth watching at least once.  That is due in large part to its story.  The story clocks in at just under two hours (roughly one hour, 54 minutes to be exact – not counting end credits).  That is rare for a Marvel movie to say the very least.  It is a welcome change, considering the last time audiences saw a Marvel Studios offering that short a movie was in 2013 in Thor: The Dark World.  Actually, that movie is the shortest MCU movie to date at one hour, 52 minutes.  That is something to keep in mind especially considering the ability of that movie to keep audiences engaged versus this movie’s ability to do the same.  In just under two hours, The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ story accomplishes everything that it set out to do.  Kudos to the writing team of Josh Friedman, Eric Pearson and Jeff Kaplan as they succeed in doing what James Gunn honestly failed to do with his new Superman project for his DCU project.  The trio establishes the F4’s history solidly while managing just as easily to jump right into the group’s story, with Reed and Sue Richards celebrating the pending birth of their baby, who would later gain the name Franklin in the opening scene.  What is interesting in this moment is something that so many families will appreciate, the struggle of the couple to have children.  The subdued conversation puts that topic on the table without being preachy about the matter.  There are so many parents out there in this world, the real world, who face the same struggle.  They will appreciate how Friedman, Pearson, and Kaplan tackled the matter.  The trio also wastes little time getting to the heart of the story, that being the coming face off between the Fantastic Four and Galactus, the world eater.  The transition from all the happiness to this sudden sense of gloom and fear is handled so smoothly.  The fluidity of that transition is more proof of why the writing team is to be commended.
On another note, the way in which the trio ties Franklin’s pending introduction into the story at the center of the whole makes for its own share of interest.  It is also where some of the problems come into play.  For those less familiar with the Fantastic Four’s various story arcs, Franklin was in fact part of the family’s story early in the franchise’s history.  In doing research on Franklin, it turns out Franklin was indeed introduced into the Fantastic Four comics series way back in the 1960s, so that and the look of this film are a great pairing.  However, it was not until 2012 in Jonathan Hickman’s time on Fantastic Four, that Franklin and Galactus (this movie’s big bad, and a longtime foe of the F4), become entwined.  Franklin actually resurrected Galactus in Hickman’s time on the comic in order to get help battling a group of Celestials bent on world domination.  The pair ironically uses the exact same bridge tech used here that also stopped Galactus, in order to stop those Celestials.
This is where the story’s most glaring problem comes into play.  For those not so familiar with Franklin’s story, having this “chosen one” story at the center of the whole can be very problematic.  That especially considering Franklin’s rich history in the Fantastic Four comics history.  Franklin’s incredible power does not even come into play until the end of the story’s third act.  How this happens will be left for audiences to discover for themselves, but in reality, having that power not displayed until the story’s finale leaves audiences wondering the whole time what Galactus knows about Franklin and why he is so important.  The reasoning for withholding that information does make some sense in hindsight, but the writing team could have given audiences (especially those more casual audiences) at least a little something.
Staying on that same note, at no point in the bonus content is Franklin’s back story examined.  It is not even discussed in the bonus feature length audio commentary.  As a matter of fact, the majority of the discussion on that bonus audio track is about the movie’s production values (E.g. special effects, acting, etc.)  Sure, the deleted scenes’ standard inclusion helps make for some appreciation.  That is because each scene clearly was better left on the cutting room floor, but the other features, which focus on the cast and the special effects, is secondary to the importance of that one key bonus that was lacking here.  Having that extra retrospective would have done so much to make the viewing experience all the more enjoyable for audiences in general.
Staying somewhat on that same note, there is also no bonus content addressing the post credits scene involving the Fantastic Four’s appearance at the end of another recent Marvel movie, Thunderbolts*.  The scene in question finds the Thunderbolts relaxing in what used to be Avengers Tower when an alert comes up and the F4 shows up in its rocket on screen coming into their universe.  Nowhere in this movie does that come into play, though one Doctor Doom does come into play in this movie’s post credits scene.  That scene will not be spoiled here, but one can only hope that the two post credits scenes will meld together in the coming Avengers: Doomsday movie since it was revealed the Fantastic Four will be part of the forthcoming expansive multiverse movie.
Knowing that the lack of the Franklin’s history and how it was tied into this story is problematic but not enough to doom the movie (and the lack of anything explaining the family showing up at the very end of Thunderbolts*), there is at least one more positive to note, that being the work of the movie’s cast.  All four members of the superhero family – Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and Joseph Quinn – is deserving of praise.  Pascal, as Reed Richards, is impressive as he presents on one side, a figure who on the surface is so calm and collected.  As a scientist, there is almost an obsessive quality that Pascal brings to Reed’s persona.  As things progress, Pascal does just as well to bring out Reed’s vulnerability, his less confident side.  Audiences see a man who is in essence, like so many men out there, someone who tries to be strong for everyone but deep down is likely fighting to keep it all together.  This is something that so many people need to appreciate and take into note.  The duality that he brings to Reed is to be commended because it would have been so easy for him to just ham it up but instead, he gave an outstanding performance throughout.
Kirby meanwhile is just as impressive as she displays a woman who is both vulnerable and confident in her own right.  At the same time, her motherly actions are to be lauded by every female viewer.  She shows the lengths to which a mother will go to protect her family.  This especially, as she battles Galactus in the story’s final act.  The look of anger, determination, etc. in her eyes as she uses her powers to push Galactus toward the bridge says more than any words could ever speak. 
Ebon Moss-Bachrach deserves his own kudos as he brings Ben to life.  What audiences get from him is a guy who just wants to live his life but also knows that when it’s time to go to work, it is time.  Whether it is interacting with a group of young children to entertain them, working to help the family escape from the gravitational forces of a black hole, or being that “fun uncle” to Franklin at points, Moss-Bachrach brings the best of Ben to the screen.  He shows such great versatility in his own right and is just as deserving of praise.
In regard to everyone’s favorite “hot head” (yes that horrible pun was intended), Johnny Storm, Joseph Quinn so wonderfully channels Chris Evans’ time in the role while also bringing his own touch to the whole.  That sense of bravado is there, but when he gets serious, such as when he finally confronts the Silver Surfer (Julia Garner) with the voices of those whose worlds were destroyed, his serious nature is just as impressive.  Again, his ability to so expertly show both sides of his character is impressive in its own right.
While the noted performances are memorable in their own right, they are not the only stars of this movie.  Herbie, the family’s robot friend, is the real star of this movie.  Voiced by Matthew Wood and controlled by a team behind the scenes, kids will absolutely love Herbie.  There is something about his presence that is so innocent.  It conjures thoughts of another famous little robot, none other than R2D2 (of Star Wars fame).  All involved in bringing him to life on screen deserve their own praise, too.
Whether it be the performance of all noted on screen, the work of those who crafted this movie’s story or even those who gave the movie its impressive look, there is a lot to applaud here.  At the same time, there are some concerns herein, too.  In hindsight they do detract considerably from the viewing experience, and in turn appreciation for the movie.  Even with those concerns noted, the movie still proves itself a mostly positive addition to Marvel’s MCU that is worth watching at least once.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps is scheduled for home release Oct. 7. More information on this and other titles from Marvel Studios is available at:
Website: https://www.marvel.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marvelstudios
Twitter: https://twitter.com/marvel

By: Philip Sayblack

More than 40 years ago, Walt Disney Studios took a chance on a little movie titled Tron and since then, that movie has essentially created a whole cottage industry.  From cult status to major mainstream franchise, Tron has since gone on to spawn a sequel, a short-lived animated series and a whole following of audiences the world over.  Now today as those audiences and a whole new generation of audiences await the release of that movie’s second sequel, Tron: Ares (which is scheduled to make its theatrical debut Oct. 10), the movie that started it all and its sequel, Tron: Legacy have gotten new life in brand-new 4K steelbook re-issues.  As anticipated as these two re-issues have been among the franchise’s most devoted audiences, they are in reality largely disappointing.  That is because other than the story in the original 1982 movie, there is only one other positive to these presentations, that being their general production, and even that is a minimal positive.  This will be discussed later.  The bonus content featured in each movie greatly detracts from the appeal of either set, too.  This will be discussed a little later.  When it and the sets’ packaging are considered collectively, the result is two movie re-issues that are just as disappointing as those from the studios owned by Walt Disney Studios.
Walt Disney Studios’ brand-new 4K UHD steelbook re-issues of Tron and Tron: Legacy are sadly nothing for audiences to get excited about.  That includes the most devoted of the franchise’s fans.  The reason being is that the re-issues give audiences next to nothing to praise despite the years-long anticipation of the re-issues.  If any one thing can be noted of either movie, it is the story behind the original 1982 movie.  The story in question is a political commentary about autocratic rule and stopping it.  That commentary is set against the backdrop of a hacker who gets pulled into a cyber world that matches said commentary what with its clear militaristic look and feel.  Along the way, our main protagonist, Flynn, works with the computer program, Tron, to defeat the big bad cyber dictator, Sark and return freedom to the cyber world.  It is an allegorical tale that is just as pertinent today as it was more than four decades ago when this movie first premiered in theaters nationwide.
As if that is not enough, the movie’s look at that time was just as important to its presentation.  That is because no other movie at the time was using computer graphics at all.  For this movie’s heads to go that direction was a huge risk.  This is discussed at more length in the movie’s bonus content, which has been carried over to the new re-issue.  Speaking of which, the bonus content featured in the new 4K re-issue of Tron: Legacy has also been carried over, offering audiences nothing new there, either.  This will all be discussed later.
Getting back to the subject at hand, Tron remains in important part of Walt Disney Studios’ history and that of modern cinema.  Its dual-pronged story, which is one part science fiction epic and one part political allegory that is still as relevant to day as then and its first of its kind special effects make that clear.  By comparison, the story featured in Tron: Legacy is the exact opposite.  Much in the vein of Blues Brothers 2000, it is a virtual rehashing of its predecessor.  In this case, Kevin Flynn’s son, Sam, goes in search of his father, who has been missing since Sam was a boy.  Not to give away too much for audiences who have yet to see the movie, it turns out that Kevin essentially got trapped in the grid.  This is where the problems begin.  Throughout it all, this movie becomes more about its visuals than its story.  That is because the story is so basic. It finds one of Kevin’s original Clu programs having turned evil dictator (sound familiar?) and leading a massive army to try and come into the human world in order to take over.  Yes, this has been done before.  To that end, the story here is essentially a retelling of the first movie, with the protagonist intentionally going into the grid this time instead of accidentally, as in the first movie.  All the while, the light cycle sequences are there but this time are accented by new vehicles that take center stage but little other reason to watch.
The matter of Clu turning bad becomes even more of a concerning plot device.  That is because those who have watched the original Tron will recall, again, that Kevin Flynn created a number of Clu programs, so which Clu program is this?  What happened with all of the other Clu programs that he wrote between the ending of Tron and this movie?  Where are they?  Are they all part of this Clu’s army?  For that matter, how did the movie’s titular character turn bad along with Clu?  This is never explained, either.  Keeping all of this in mind, Tron: Legacy offers becomes just another special effects extravaganza than anything memorable.
Moving on from here, there are plenty of concerns, not the least of which being that the bonus content featured in the movie’s most recent Blu-ray releases – both of which released in 2011 – were carried over to these 4K steelbook re-issues.  There is no new bonus content included in either movie’s new presentation.  The special effects extra, “The Speed of Light” is the anchor for those extras as it focuses on each of the noted vehicles and special effects sequences that are the real center of attention in this movie.  On a related note, the “Digital Imagery” extras and the “Making of” featurette included in Tron’s new 4K re-issue are the most notable of that movie’s extras.  Keeping that in mind, audiences who already own the movies’ previously released Blu-rays would be well-served to stick with those copies.  The same applies to audiences who do not own one or the other.  All involved will be saving roughly the roughly $40 price tag on each; $40 that could and should go to something else.
While the issues raised by the bonus content is hugely problematic for each re-issue, there is at least one more positive to note, that being the sound and video quality.  Each movie’s sound and video quality has been improved in its presentation.  Now, on the surface this may seem like a good thing.  However, even in this case it is not necessarily a winning item.  That is because even Blu-ray discs upscaled through a 4K player and played back on a 4K television look and sound quite impressive in their own right.  They honestly look and sound almost theater quality, especially when a sound bar or nice sound system is part of a viewer’s home entertainment system.  Even without the extra audio equipment the viewing experience for the Blu-ray presentation on the 4K television is still reason enough for audiences to hold off on these 4Ks.  To that end, neither set really gives audiences any motivation to own them.  They become, like so many other 4K steelbook re-issues released by Disney and the studios owned by the company, forgettable.
Walt Disney Studios’ brand new 4K steelbook re-issues of Tron and Tron: Legacy are presentations that audiences have anticipated for years.  However, in examining both movies’ new re-issues, audiences will agree that they do not live up to expectations.  The story in the sequel still does not hold up to that featured in the original movie.  The bonus content featured in each re-issue is the same presented in the previously released Blu-ray presentations, each of which was released in 2011.  The movies’ production is positive but only to a point when one considers the sound and video quality in Blu-ray presentations upscaled on 4K players and televisions.  Keeping all of this in mind, these re-issues do not live up to expectations and end up being as forgettable as other 4K re-issues released this year by Walt Disney Studios and the studios that it owns.
Tron and Tron legacy are available now on their own 4K steelbook presentations.  More information on these and other titles from Walt Disney Studios is available at:
Website: https://waltdisneystudios.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WaltDisneyStudios
Twitter: https://twitter.com/disneystudios

By: Philip Sayblack

Monty Python and the Holy Grail is without question one of the greatest movies in the history of cinema.  It is an all-out screwball comedy that uses every second of its 91-minute run time to make audiences laugh and succeeds in so doing, too.  It is everything that is right with comedy and movie making in general.  This year, the iconic movie celebrates its 50th anniversary, which proves its longevity.  In celebration of the occasion, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (SPHE) has re-issued the movie in a new two-disc steelbook 4K/Blu-ray combo pack.  Released Aug. 26, this latest presentation of the movie honestly falls somewhat short of expectations, much like so many classic movies that have been re-issued on 4K in recent months.  It does have one key positive, that being the story.  The movie’s problems start to arise in the bonus content.  There is one (yes, one) new extra included in this latest re-issue of Monty Python and the Holy Grail and it is only presented on the set’s 4K disc.  The reality is that it honestly does little to enhance the presentation.  This will be discussed at more length a little later.  Getting back to the positives, there is one more positive to note, that being the collective audio and video.  Each item noted here is important in its own way to the whole of the movie’s latest presentation.  All things considered they make the new 4K/Blu-ray presentation of Monty Python and the Holy Grail a slightly disappointing offering among this year’s new movie and television re-issues.Sony Pictures Home Entertainment’s recent 4K/Blu-ray re-issue of Monty Python and the Holy Grail is sadly a somewhat disappointing new presentation of what is otherwise one of the greatest comedies, if not movies in general, in cinema history.  The movie succeeds in at least one aspect, that being its story.  The story is simple:  King Arthur and his knights of the Round Table make their way across Europe in search of the Holy Grail after God commanded them to embark on the quest.  The whole thing is a fully tongue-in-cheek spoof of the Arthurian legend that does anything but take itself seriously, which is why it is so fun.  That very scene in which they are commanded by God to seek the grail is hilarious in itself.  One cannot help but imagine it had to have been at least some influence behind the creative process behind South Park.  The silliness that happens from there on out ensures nonstop laughter.  From Sir Lancelot going on a mad killing spree because he thought he was saving a princess being held by her evil father, to Sir Galahad essentially being held captive by a group of overly hormonal women who live in a castle by themselves, to the group encountering “The Knights Who Say Nee” and so much more, the sketches that make up this movie’s story are a laugh riot.  Add in the cast’s acting in every single one of its roles and audiences get so much to love.  Every scene is loaded with timeless lines that most audiences can quote by heart by now, proving even further, what makes this movie to this day, so great.  The finale puts a wonderfully silly point to the story.  For those who have yet to watch this movie, that moment will be left for them to discover for themselves.  No doubt it will leave those audiences laughing just as much as audiences who know the movie by heart by this point.
While the story featured in Monty Python and the Holy Grail is the movie’s cornerstone, its latest detracts from its legacy.  That is because of the bonus content included in the new set.  More specifically, the retrospective “examining” what continues to make the movie timeless is the problem.  The featurette, which is essentially just a bunch of celebrities recalling what makes the movie great to them, is included only on the 4K disc.  Knowing this, it really is not much of a memorable extra.  It could have been some kind of academic examination of the movie’s role in cinema history but instead is basically just a celeb showcase with comments about why they love the movie.  Nothing more.  All of the bonus content from the movie’s previous Blu-ray re-issue has been carried over onto this collection and is presented once more on the set’s Blu-ray disc.  That means that audiences who do not own the noted previous re-issue will still be able to enjoy all of said content once more, especially if they do not own a 4K player and/or television (which is to this day still very cost restrictive).  To that end, the movie’s new 4K/BD re-issue proves somewhat less worth owning.  Consumers honestly may actually do better just buying that previous Blu-ray re-issue, all things considered.
Should the previous Blu-ray re-issue not be available and this presentation be the only option, at least audiences know that the audio and video quality in this presentation is passable.  It is obvious in watching the movie on the set’s 4K disc that little to no effort was made to restore the movie for presentation here.  Thankfully though, that did not hurt the presentation.  Audiences will be glad to find that at no point do they have to adjust the volume.  That sound stability is positive to the viewing experience.  The video still has the grain of its original presentation from all those decades ago but is still clean enough here.  To that end, the overall viewing experience herein is mostly positive.  It makes this re-issue at least slightly more bearable but still not enough to make the set worth buying if the previous BD re-issue is available to purchase.
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment’s recently released 4K/BD combo set re-issue of Monty Python and the Holy Grail is a somewhat disappointing new revisiting of what is one of the greatest comedies in cinema history.  The movie’s story continues to shine in this latest presentation.  The one major problem with the re-issue is its bonus content.  All of the bonus content from the previous Blu-ray presentation has been carried over onto this set’s BD disc.  The one extra bonus included in the 4K disc proves to be anything but memorable.  It is just a random grouping of comments from celebrities talking about what the movie means to them.  To that end, it makes the movie’s BD disc more worth it and the set overall less worth owning.  Keeping that in mind, if the BD standalone is still available to own, audiences would honestly do better buying that re-issue.  It will be far less expensive and more worth the purchase.  The only other positive to this set is the production, if one can call it a positive.  Clearly no effort has been made to touch up the movie’s audio and video for its 4K presentation but even with that in mind, the sound and video is still clear enough that audiences can remain engaged and entertained by the story and acting.  Overall, this new 4K/BD steelbook re-issue of Monty Python and the Holy Grail proves to be sadly anything but a fitting tribute for a legendary comedy and movie in general.
Monty Python and the Holy Grail is available now on 4K/BD combo pack.  More information on this and other titles from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is available at:
Website: https://sonypictures.com/movies
Facebook: https://facebook.com/SonyPictures
Twitter: https://twitter.com/sonypictures

BY: Philip Sayblack

​Hollywood’s major studios have, in recent years, given audiences very little to applaud both in theaters and at home.  All of the prequels, sequels, reboots, movies based on books and actual events (which are more often than not overly embellished with untruths), and all of the unappealing re-issues have made, and continue to make that clear.  This summer though, Pixar Animation has actually offered a diamond in the rough, so to speak in the form of its latest offering, Elio.  Having made its theatrical debut June 20, it is streaming now and will be available on DVD, Blu-ray and 4K UHD Sept. 9.  The movie, especially in its forthcoming home release is a surprisingly enjoyable work, due in part to its central story, the story’s themes and its science fiction throwbacks.  Speaking of the throwbacks, the lack of any discussion on those items in the otherwise positive bonus content is another of the key items in the movie’s home presentation.  The movie’s production in its 4K release rounds out its most important elements.  When it is considered alongside the other noted items, the whole therein makes Elio one of the rare movies released so far this year that is actually worth watching and maybe even owning.
Elio, the latest movie from Pixar Animation and its parent company Disney, is one of the biggest surprises of 2025 in terms of new movies.  That is because it proves itself to be worth watching and maybe even owning all things considered.  Its appeal comes in large part through its story and the themes and science fiction throwbacks connected to the story.  The story is a touching tale of its young titular character, who following the death of his parents, is taken in by his aunt, Olga (Zoe Saldana – Guardians of the Galaxy 1-3, Star Trek 1-3, Colombiana).  Both Elio (Yonas Kibreab – Sweet Tooth, Into The Dark, Obi-Wan Kenobi) and Olga struggle with their relationship — Olga because she is single, making her rather new and unpracticed at parenting and Elio because he increasingly feels alone (like an alien figuratively speaking) – as the story opens.  After slipping into a high security room at the base where Olga works and sending a message to outer space, he is “abducted” by a group of interstellar “ambassadors” in what is known as the Communiverse.  This matter ties into the movie’s themes and will be discussed a little later.  In joining the Communiverse, Elio finds that he has finally found his place in life and in the universe for lack of better wording.  However when a big bad alien named Lord Grigon (Brad Garrett == Everybody Loves Raymond, Tangled, Ratatouille) threatens the Communiverse things change, even as Grigon’s son, Glordon (Remy Edgerly – Sing 2, Helluva Boss) befriends Elio.  In the end, the events that unfold lead Elio and Olga to become closer and to Elio realizing his true home and place.  Simply put, the story of friendship, family, and personal growth is anything but new.  At the same time, there the way in which the familiar themes are delivered herein is original, making it not necessarily one of Pixar’s best movies but still an enjoyable unique story from one of the leading names in today’s animation community.
Leaning back on the noted themes of family and friendship, they are just a couple of the themes that are tied into Elio.  It is very easy to also note that the story also incorporate themes of diversity, equity, and inclusion (yes, DEI) through the use of the Communiverse.  That is because the Communivers is comprised of beings from across the universe in one community (community, universe, get it?)  Considering all that is happening in America right now, maintaining and promoting DEI herein is so welcome.  On the same note, it makes this movie a great way to torture all of the braindead, brainwashed MAGA cultists out there who hate anyone who does not look and talk like them.  To that end, the movie’s creative heads are to be commended for including this clear theme into the story.
The equally familiar theme of personal emotional growth is again nothing new for Pixar’s movies.  It is still welcome here, nonetheless.  That is because of the unique scenario that leads to Elio’s situation.  Few if any other movies out there touch on the topic of fostering, which is essentially what happens here.  Olga becomes a foster parent of sorts to Elio.  There is one other movie out there that immediately comes to mind.  It is the 2007 movie, Martian Child, which was distributed through independent studio Anchor Bay.  Watching the growth that both Olga and Elio experience as the story progresses is engaging in its own right.  Each sees things one way until things change, leading them to become closer and true family in the end, leading to the happy ending, which will not be revealed here.
Moving on to another topic related to the story is its clear homage to so many other vintage science fiction properties.  The one throwback that immediately comes to mind is that to the vintage sci-fi sitcom, Alf.  The throwback comes in a simple way, courtesy of Olga’s co-worker, Gunther Melmac.  For those who might not know, Alf’s home world is the planet Melmac.  To that end, one has to know that this throwback was intentional.  Gunther (Brendan Hunt – Ted Lasso, Horrible Bosses 2, Bless This Mess) is a secondary character but actually plays a key role late in the story’s third act.  This will also be left for audiences to discover for themselves. 
The scene in which the space pod is being kept in the bay at the Air Force base is another throwback in its own way.  It is actually a throwback to not one but two classic Disney science fiction movies, The Cat From Outer Space (1978) and Flight of the Navigator (1986).  The throwback comes from the delivery of the pod into the hangar and how it is displayed therein.  This is another item that longtime movie buffs will appreciate.
On yet another note, the very use of clones of Elio and Glordon is a throwback to the classic 1956 science fiction flick, Invasion of the Bodysnatchers.  In this movie, seed pods land on earth and the contents become clones of the people, just lacking any human emotion.  Unlike that case, the clones of Elio and Glordon are way too happy.  This actually plays directly into the story in Elio, as Olga starts to realize over time that her nephew is too happy and sociable all the time.  So yes, there is that throwback, too.  It is just one more of so many science fiction throwbacks throughout the 98-minute movie.  It also makes subtle references to the likes of Close Encounters of the Third Kind and even Fire in the Sky, albeit in a kid friendly fashion.  Those collective throwbacks are sure to appeal to so many older established science fiction fans.  They in turn make for even more engagement and entertainment.
Staying on the matter of those classic science fiction references, it is sad that in the bonus content, there is zero discussion on their inclusion.  Why there is on discussion thereof is anyone’s guess, but even mention in an audio commentary (which is also lacking among the bonus content) would certainly have enhanced the viewing experience.  Now, on that note, the bonus content that is included in the movie’s home release actually does add to the experience, even with that in mind.  The deleted scenes, for instance, include introductions from co-directors Domee Shi (Turning Red, Inside Out, Incredibles 2) and Madaline Sharafian (Turning Red, Coco, We Bear Bears).  Those introductions help to explain why the deleted scenes in question were left on the cutting room floor.  That understanding, in watching the scenes in question, make it easy to understand why they were left out as viewers take in each scene.  Interestingly enough, one of those scenes, which involves Elio having to go through an obstacle course, actually includes a clear throwback to yet another older Disney franchise, none other than Recess.  More specifically, it references the modern classic series’ debut episode, which included the short, “The New Kid.”  In this short, new kid Gus has to fight to “earn” his name and not just be “the new kid.”  It is a great throwback that fans of the series will truly love.  At the same time, in taking the introduction from Shi and Sharafian, it makes sense why it was left out of the final presentation.
Two other deleted scenes, which focus on the Communiverse’s other ambassadors, make sense having been cut, again after hearing the explanation.  The explanation is that they center on the ambassadors’ character development and that in one scene, Grigon was already a member of the Communiverse instead of the main antagonist.  Shi and Sharafian are right that the focus needed to remain on Elio’s development, not that of the ambassadors, and that the original setup for Grigon simply did not work.  All things considered the bonus content featured with the movie prove the most important of the movie’s extras.  The “making of” featurette adds a little bit to the whole, but in all honesty, not much.  The same applies to the little Q&A session that Kibreab and Edgerly hold with a NASA astronaut.  All things considered the bonus content (and lack thereof) helps and detracts from Elio’s presentation.
Rounding out the most important of Elio’s elements is its production.  Throughout the course of its nearly 2-hour run time, the movie’s sound and picture are crystal clear in the movie’s 4K presentation.  Viewers will be amazed at said clarity in the overall presentation.  There is no need to adjust the volume at any point from beginning to end and no need to strain one’s eyes, either.  Keeping that in mind, the aesthetic aspect of Elio in its home release makes for just as much to appreciate as the movie’s story, its themes, sci-fi throwbacks, and even bonus content.  All things considered, the forthcoming home physical release of Elio (and its current digital presentation) prove it to be one of the most surprisingly welcome cinematic offerings of 2025 that is worth watching and maybe even owning.
Elio, the latest cinematic offering from Pixar Animation, is a surprisingly positive offering from the studio, which has also released even greater movies, such as Coco, Up, and Cars.  This movie’s appeal comes in part through its story, which follows its titular character.  After the death of his parents, Elio is “adopted” by his aunt, Olga, but still feels alien (figuratively speaking).  He feels alone on Earth and in the universe, until circumstances change.  The themes and vintage science fiction throwbacks that connect to the story add to the appeal, as does the bonus content (if only to a point).  The movie’s production in its 4K presentation puts the finishing touch to the movie, giving audiences a fully positive aesthetic aspect.  Each item noted is important in its own way to the whole of Elio.  All things considered they make Elio one of the most surprisingly welcome cinematic offerings of 2025.
Elio is streaming now through Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, and Fandango at Home.  It is scheduled for home physical release Sept. 9 on DVD, Blu-ray and 4K.  More information on this and other titles from Disney and Pixar is available at:
Website: https://www.pixar.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Pixar
Twitter: https://twitter.com/pixar

BY: Philip Sayblack

Prequels, sequels, and reboots are big business for Hollywood’s major studios and have been for a long time.  They are not the only big business for the cinema industry, though.  Re-issuing movies is another major practice for those major studios and for distributors.  Due to advancements in technology, countless classic and modern classic movies have gotten the 4K treatment, some good, some not so good.  With so many movies having been re-issued in recent years on 4K, the list feels as endless as all of the prequels, sequels and reboots that Hollywood’s major studios have released and have planned for release.  That is important to note because like those prequels, sequels, and reboots, some re-issues are memorable and some not so much.  Early this month, 20th Century Studios/Universal/Disney released another of those somewhat less memorable offerings with the re-release of the 2003 high seas drama, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World.  Released on a 2-disc 4K/Blu-ray combo pack, it marks at least the third time the movie has been re-issued, with previous re-issues of the movie in 2008 and 2015.    The one true shining positive of this movie is its story.   On the other side of things, this re-issue suffers from not one but two negatives:  Its packaging and its bonus content.  The bonus content itself is interesting but not new to this presentation.  Therein lies the major problem.  While those negatives greatly detract from the movie’s presentation, there is at least one more positive to the re-issue, that being the general audio and video.  Each item noted is key in its own way to the whole of this latest re-issue of Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World.  All things considered, they make this presentation proves itself yet another re-issue that is recommended for a very targeted audience.
20th Century Studios/Universal/Disney’s recently released 4K re-issue of Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World is a presentation with a very specific audience.  It is one of those re-issues that is meant only for viewers who do not already own one of its previous re-issues.  That is due in large part to its packaging and its bonus content.  Those concerns will be examined later.  Its primary positive point is its story.  The story, which centers on leads Russell Crowe (Les Miserables, American Gangster, Gladiator) and Paul Bettany (Avengers 1-4, Mortdecai, The Da Vinci Code) is a high seas drama.  On one side is Crowe as Capt. Jack “Lucky” Aubrey and on the other is Bettany as Dr. Stephen Maturin.  It opens as Aubrey’s ship, the H.M.S. Surprise, is being pursued by French warship, the Acheron (pronounced ACK-eron).  After the Surprise is attacked by the Acheron, Aubrey takes it on himself to pursue the Acheron to the “far side of the world.”  It is only revealed late in the nearly two-and-a-half-hour (two hours, 18 minutes to be exact) movie that he was only authorized to pursue the Acheron to a certain point before turning back for home.  This is where things really get interesting.  This is not the swashbuckling movie of Hollywood’s silver age nor is it just some turn off your brain blockbuster.  This is more of an emotional journey of friendship and personal determination between Aubrey and Maturin.  The comparisons are possible between this movie and the likes of Mutiny on the Bounty or Moby Dick, but at the same time, Aubrey is neither the infamous Capt. Ahab (from Moby Dick) or Capt. Bligh (from Mutiny on the Bounty).  He is a beloved, respected leader among his crew.  Only once does any dissention arise between Aubrey and Maturin throughout the journey and even then it is momentary. 
Even more interesting is that unlike so many action movies and other blockbusters, Aubrey is the protagonist, but there is no real antagonist.  Rather the “faceless” crew of the Acheron is the antagonist and is not even shown until the climactic final battle between the ships and their crews.  It is a great, unlikely approach that is certain to appeal to audiences who tire of that usual good guy/bad guy format.  Rather it is more of that literary “man v. himself” and man v. nature” story.  Speaking of nature, the intense scene in which the crew struggles against mother nature as it sails around the southernmost tip of South America, almost into Antarctic waters, are gripping in themselves.  Between those moments, the emotional moments that the crew face, and other moments, the story in whole, which has a happily surprising finale, considering the story’s opening minutes, the story in whole is reason enough to take in this movie at least once.  It should be emphasized here that again, this is not a typical blockbuster loaded with action sequences.  It is a story that requires audiences to immerse themselves in the story in order to appreciate this element.
The story featured in Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World is a solid starting point for the movie.  As much as it does to make the movie interesting, the movie’s new re-issue has some problems that weaken its foundation.  One of those negatives is its packaging.  In regard to the packaging, the movie is presented in a two-disc 4K/Blu-ray platform.  The discs overlay one another inside the steelbook packaging.  This is a packaging method that few if any studios and distributors use with home physical releases anymore.  It was used ages ago at the advent of DVDs on multi-disc sets.  The thing is that studios and distributors finally listened to consumers about the scratching that resulted from having to move discs around and changed their packaging methods.  This led to few if any studios and distributors using this packaging method anymore.  Sadly 20th Century Studios/Disney/Universal did not listen here.  So as a result, audiences are forced to remove one disc to use the other depending on whether they are using the movie’s Blu-ray disc or its 4K disc.  The scratching that likely will result from this is certain to shorten the life span of one if not both discs.  To that end, this is a negative in itself that could have been alleviated ahead of the movie’s latest re-issue.
On a related note, those who may not be so familiar with video quality, Blu-rays upscaled on 4K televisions are cinema quality.  They are just as good as any 4K disc in most cases.  To that end, audiences may find themselves questioning the validity of the nearly $50 price listed through Barnes & Noble Book Sellers.  Neither Walmart nor Target list the movie, nor does Books-A-Million.  Amazon lists the movie’s re-issue but has no pricing.  Barnes & Noble Book Sellers lists the movie at nearly $50 in its latest presentation.  The Blu-ray presentation is far less expensive, making for even more concern about buying this release.
The other negative to this re-issue is its bonus content.  In regard to the bonus content, all of the extras featured here are the same as the ones presented in the movie’s most recent 2015 re-issue.  In other words, there is nothing new for audiences who already own that noted Blu-ray re-issue.  That is far less motivation to own this set.  Now in regard to the extras themselves, it should be said that they are interesting.  The hour-plus behind the scenes featurette makes for so much appreciation for the movie because it shows the time and effort that went into making this film.  From handcrafting the ships to the real on-site shooting in the Galapagos islands and on the water (as well as in a tank) to the very training that the cast (and crew) underwent for this movie, to the efforts that director Peter Weir took to make the movie look and feel believable, this feature adds so much appreciation for this movie.  Speaking of Weir, he gets his own featurette in which he discusses his dedication to making the movie as believable as possible while not straying too much from the literary source material on which the movie is based.  It adds to the respect for this director’s director.  The deleted scenes even make for their own interest as they reveal that they in fact would not have fit into the movie’s final cut.  So, in essence, the extras do add to the viewing experience but again all of these bonuses are also featured in the movie’s previous re-issue.  To that end, audiences who own that presentation of the movie have less reason to own this presentation.  Those who do not own the movie already may even find themselves buying the previous Blu-ray pressing considering the aforementioned pricing for this new release.
Clearly this latest re-issue of Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World has some concerns.  For all of the concerns that the movie presents in this presentation, there is at least one more positive to note, that being the general production.  The sound and video quality throughout the movie is applause-worthy.  This is especially evident in a moment such as the noted storm scenes.  Obviously, the moment had at least some CG incorporation, but audiences would really not notice that, considering how realistic the sequence looks.  The loud bursts of wind, the sound of the Surprise battling the swells, and so much more make this moment so believable and immersive.  On another note, the panoramas that are used at points, the expert shots aboard the ship and other moments make for their own engagement.  The climactic final battle between the Surprise and Acheron is yet another moment in which the production shines.  The boom of the cannons, the clanging metal of the swords, the roaring shouts of the crews, and so much more make that sequence just as powerful in its own right.  Between this sequence, the others noted and so many other scenes, the overall sound and video in this presentation is of its own note.  When the production is considered alongside the story, the whole therein makes for something more for new audiences to appreciate.  This even despite the issues raised by the packaging and the bonus content.  To that end, those audiences who do not already own this movie in its previous releases will appreciate what it has to offer here.  At the same time, viewers are still likely to find themselves questioning the validity of paying a potentially high price for this re-issue when it has everything that the movie’s previous Blu-ray re-issue boasts and with less concern about damage to the disc.
20th Century Studios/Universal/Disney’s new re-issue of Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World is another questionable re-issue from 20th Century Studios, its parent company, Disney, and Universal.  That is due partly because of and despite its story.  The story is not one of those movies that will allow audiences to just turn off their brains.  It is a presentation that much like its literary source material, requires audiences to fully and actively immerse themselves in the presentation in order to appreciate this element.  Considering the general mindset of so many audiences this is going to once again limit its appeal.  The packaging and bonus content featured in this re-issue is its own concern.  The packaging of the two-disc set risks the discs being marred as they are removed and replaced while the bonus content offers nothing new  here.  The bonus content in this re-issue is the same as that in the movie’s previous Blu-ray re-issue.  The other positive (really the only pure positive) in this presentation is its general presentation.  The sound and video quality throughout the movie is impressive to say the least.  It makes for an aesthetic experience that gives audiences at least some more reason to take in the presentation.  To that end, those who immerse themselves in the story will appreciate that and the production.  The result will be appreciation for the movie if not for its general presentation in this latest outing.  Each element examined here is key in its own way to the whole of Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World in its new 4K release.  All things considered they make the movie’s new re-issue another presentation that continues to cause question regarding Hollywood’s ongoing trend of re-issuing so many movies.  It is another offering from 20th Century/Disney/Universal that will appeal to a very targeted audience.
The new 4K/Blu-ray combo pack re-issue of Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World is available now.  More information on this and other titles from 20th Century Studios is available at:
Website: https://20thcenturystudios.com
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/20thcentury

BY: Philip Sayblack

​There is an old adage in the movie industry that the sequel is never as good as the original.  In recent years, that adage has clearly changed (thanks to Walt Disney Studios) that the reboot is also never as good as the original.  The studio’s reboots of Aladdin, Dumbo, Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, and others have proven that statement.  Now audiences can add yet another reboot to the list of movies proving that updated adage true in the form of Lilo & Stitch.  Originally released as an animated feature by Walt Disney Studios in 2002, Disney reimagined and re-issued the movie this year with a whole new cast and writing team, with the result being far less successful than the original.  That is not to say that the reboot is a complete failure, though it certainly proves itself yet another movie that still should never have been rebooted.  The movie, in its reboot, is accompanied by only a handful of extras, one being a 16-minute making of featurette, another being the standard blooper reel, and a 6-minute featurette focusing on the creation of the original movie in comparison to the reboot.  There are also the standard deleted scenes but even they are limited in quantity.  To that end, the bonuses add little if anything to the presentation. To that end, the only positive to the reboot is the work of Sanders once again as Stitch and the shooting.  All things considered, they make the reboot of Lilo & Stitch yet another entry from Walt Disney Studios that ultimately will be forgotten in the annals of cinema history. 
Walt Disney Studios’ 2025 reboot of its 2002 animated feature, Lilo & Stitch, is a disappointing updated take of the original movie.  The movie’s new take is not a complete failure but certainly does not live up to the legacy of its source material.  The biggest problem of all with this movie is multifaceted.  Throughout much of the 1 hour, 47 minute presentation, the writing trio of Mike Van Waes, Chris Sanders (who directed and reprised his role as Stitch), and Chris Kekaniokalani Bright audiences can see the original animated movie with some minor changes.  Herein is the biggest issue.  If a movie can be redone nearly shot for shot, then what reason is there to redo the movie, other than to simply make more money off of the legacy of the original?  That has been Disney’s approach for years, so that makes sense. 
On another hand, there is just as much that has been changed in reimagining the original movie.  Capt. Gantu, for instance, is nowhere to be seen.  According to director Dean Camp in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Gantu was removed from the updated take because allegedly he simply did not fit the reworked script.  The irony is that in a number of scenes that originally saw Gantu interacting with Stitch (including the climactic final act), Jumba took the place of Capt. Gantu.  To that end, Camp’s argument holds almost no water.
As if that is not enough, the whole matter of Agent Cobra Bubbles was reimagined here, too.  Yes, he was still a special agent here, but it was not until late in the script that he went undercover as a social worker.  The rest of the time, Agent Bubbles (played by Courtney B. Vance – The Hunt For Red October, Space Cowboys, Dangerous Minds) was replaced by a social worker played by Tia Carerre (Wayne’s World 1-2). Even at the movie’s end, he and the grand councilwoman (Hannah Waddingham – Ted Lasso, The Fall Guy, The Hustle) just so happen to already know each other, unlike in the original in which they were not so familiar with one another. This whole reimagining detracts so much in its own way from the story and is just as unnecessary as so many other changes. 
Speaking of changes, even the final act of this movie drags on way beyond that of the original movie’s finale that completely redoes the original movie’s ending.  There is even a lifting from Lilo & Stitch 2 herein in which Stitch drowns and has to be brought back to life (not to give away too much).  What’s more the use of Jumba and Pleakley throughout feels like the writing team took a bunch of inspiration more from the animated series that the original movie spawned than from anything else.  The whole simply did not work and ends up making this movie and its story ultimately forgettable.
The bonus content that accompanies the reboot in its new home release, detracts just as much from the experience.  That is because of how little it adds to the experience.  The only featurette that really adds anything to the experience is the noted 6-minute featurette that outlines the return of voice actors from the original movie to this work.  There is also a revelation about all of the native Hawaiian actors who took part in bringing the movie to life.  That revelation showed that at least Disney tried to be accurate in that aspect.  The three deleted scenes included as extras add little if anything either.  Though it can be seen why they were deleted.  To that end, even the extras add next to nothing to this reboot, making for even less reason to take in this movie.
For all of the negatives to this reboot, there is maybe one positive, that being the collective work of Sanders and the on-site shooting.  Sanders shines once again as the wild, rambunctious Stitch throughout.  He gives the movie the very little heart that it boasts here.  The on-site shooting in the Hawaiian islands makes for at least some visual appeal, so that whole makes this reboot at least somewhat bearable at most.  Other than that there simply is little if anything that makes the new reboot of Lilo & Stitch another forgettable offering from Walt Disney Studios and more proof that this studio has got to stop with the reboots.
Walt Disney Studios’ brand-new live action/CG reboot of Lilo & Stitch is anything but a memorable offering from the once legendary studio.  It has little if anything that makes it memorable.  The only true positives to this presentation are the return of Chris Sanders as the voice of Stitch and the on-site shooting.  Other than that, all of the re-imagining coupled with the near shot-for-shot re-working makes this movie come across as nothing more than just another cash grab for Walt Disney Studios.  To that end, this movie is worth watching maybe once but not really any more than that.
Lilo & Stitch is streaming now on Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, and Fandango at Home.  It is scheduled for physical home release Aug. 26 on DVD, Blu-ray, and 4K HD.  More information on this and other titles from Walt Disney Studios is available at:
Website: https://waltdisneystudios.com
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/disneystudios

BY: PHILIP SAYBLACK

​Executives at Warner Bros. and DC got more good news this weekend about their James Gunn-helmed reboot of Superman.  According to a report from The Wrap, the movie led the way for the second consecutive week this weekend, bringing in an estimated $57 million in ticket sales.  That is a 54% drop from its opening weekend, according to The Wrap’s report, but still easily outpaced the reboot of I Know What You Did Last Summer, which came in second this week. Gunn’s Superman has made a lot of headlines particularly because it has somehow (and happily) upset so many uber conservatives and Maga-ites who have called it “woke.”  This ever since Gunn openly called the movie a story “about an immigrant.”  The thing is that the story of Superman has always been an immigrant’s story, going back ages, so really Gunn is doing nothing new here in stating this.  What Gunnn has done different here is his approach to the opening chapter of his Superman saga.  His approach was a very calculated risk and honestly hurt the movie somewhat even with its positive outcome.  This will be discussed shortly.  On a more definitive positive note, the acting of certain cast members really shines throughout the movie.  This will be discussed a little later.  Rounding out the most important of the movie’s elements is its look in comparison to so many other superhero movies out there today.  It will also be addressed later.  Each item noted is key in its own way to the whole of Superman.  All things considered they make Superman not the best of the Superman movies ever crafted but at least worth watching once.
Warner Bros./DC’s new James Gunn-helmed adaptation of Superman is an intriguing new take on the timeless franchise that honestly comes up somewhat short of expectations.  That is not to say that it is a failure, but its current domestic and global ticket sales do not speak to the presentation.  They just show that there has been a lot of interest in the presentation.  The movie comes up short primarily because of the mixed bag that is the writing approach.  Gunn, who not only directed this outing but also wrote its script, wasted no time setting up the story here, using only a few lines in the opening scene to tell Superman’s back story as he prepares viewers for the action to come.  From there he jumps head first into things with Superman crashing into the snow and ice of the Antarctic following a battle with a big bad.  The remainder of the story’s first half speeds through at near breakneck speed.  It moves so fast that it forces audiences to be fully engaged in the story and then some.  Anyone not completely engaged in the story will miss so much.  Thankfully as the second and third acts progress (at a somewhat more controlled pace), viewers are able to catch up somewhat. 
The story is real simple.  After much research (and Superman being beaten up a bunch), Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen discover that everything Lex Luthor was doing to Superman in the movie’s first act was basically another plan to get rid of Superman.  He had partnered with the evil head of another nation and concocted a plan to get a big part of the nation so that he could become the king (yes, king – this is perhaps where the Maga cultists got mad) and rule his cult.  The word cult is even used in the dialogue.  He made Superman (an immigrant) a scapegoat in his plan so that he could sell arms to that hostile nation, furthering the plan to take over another nation and become king of what was left.  So yes, obviously this is a direct mirror of what is happening today in America and globally.  Let’s set this aside though, for the moment being that we have acknowledged this reality.  What is more important here is that while Gunn has openly said in interviews prior to the movie’s release, he intentionally avoided making this just another origin story, it might have actually been better for him to go this route.  That is because overall, the story here feels like something that should have come along later.  It feels like a random episode of Smallville, from which he clearly lifted influence here.  That is a statement in itself of how audiences have become conditioned a certain way, but it is true.  Because this first entry in Gunn’s DC universe just jumps in so fast and direct, it leaves one feeling somewhat unfulfilled.  This even though Lex is ultimately defeated in the end. That is perhaps the one shining positive of the writing, that good ultimately triumphed over the evil of Lex Luthor and his minions who so blindly did Luthor’s bidding.
Knowing that the writing eventually works itself out and salvages itself by the script’s end, there are other positives to note, most notable being the work of certain cast members.  While David Corenswet is the lead, his acting honestly takes a back seat to that of his cast mates.  Nicholas Hoult (X-Men: Days of Future Past, A Warm Body, Mad Max: Fury Road) leads the was as the diabolical Lex Luthor.  Hoult makes it so easy to absolutely hate Luthor here because of his absolute obsession with Superman and his drive to destroy “big blue.”  He even admits in the final act, to Supes, that yes, he is envious and that he has let his envy of Superman completely take over.  In other words, yes, he knows he is nuts and he does not care.  He shows this throughout the course of the movie’s barely more than 2-hour run time.  His willingness to make Superman a scapegoat for his own nefarious means (a la Donald Trump, again) makes him absolutely despicable.  His attitude throughout is abhorrent, perfectly presented by Hoult.  Hoult’s performance is so engrossing that by the final act when all of the news agencies start sharing the story of what Luthor was really up to and Luthor starts crying, one hopes that Luthor would pay the ultimate price for his evil deeds, not just be arrested.
On another note, the members of the “Justice Gang” (hopefully this will change to Justice League in later movies) shine just as much in their own way.  Edi Gathegi (Startup, For All Mankind, Princess of the Row) leads the way as Mr. Terrific.  His confidence and attitude throughout is controlled but there is still a certain edge that he gives Mr. Terrific.  It is a performance type that is comparable to another legend, one Samuel L. Jackson.  Nathan Fillion (Firefly, Castle, Serenity) brings his own great presence as Green Lantern Guy Gardner.  The ego and comic timing that Fillion brings out of Gardner makes for so many laughs, just as Gathegi does in his own deadpan but still sharp deliveries.  The pair collectively makes for so much for audiences to enjoy.
On a lighter note, the casting heads made wonderful choices for Clark’s adoptive parents, Jonathan and Martha Kent.  Those two have always been pivotal in Clark’s life.  In the original 178 Superman movie, Jonathan even died in the movie’s first act.  One cannot help but wonder if that played into DC’s late 90s “Death of Superman” story arc, what with Jonathan having a heart attack and seeing Clark in the afterlife.  Getting back on topic, Pruitt Taylor Vince (Identity, Constantine, Angel Heart) and Neva Howell (Greedy People, Run The Race, Ghosts of the Ozarks) show that they know they are supporting cast here but still make the most of their time on screen.  Vince’s brief line about parents’ roles in the lives of their children is such a powerful moment.  It is in direct contrast to his earlier on screen moment alongside Howell in which the couple is talking to Clark on the phone.  In that moment, the duo comes across as this lovely pair of simple country folk.  The two moments say so much about who Clark’s adoptive parents are and the actors are to be commended highly for their work therein.  When their work and that of the others examined here is considered collectively, their work clearly shows how much the cast’s work plays into this movie’s presentation.
Building even more on the presentation is the movie’s look.  The look of this movie rounds out the most important of its elements.  Where director Zach Snyder’s Man of Steel (2013) had a heavy, gritty look (much like all of his DC flicks), this movie has something of a softer look.  There was plenty of bright light and the tones in the scenes were controlled.  Simply put, the overall look of the movie clearly was meant to look like it jumped off the pages of the Superman comics from a bygone era.  That visual appeal is enough to make for at least some appeal.  When that positive aesthetic impact is considered alongside the work of the movie’s main cast (and that the script does salvage itself), the result is a movie that while it is not the best Superman adaptation, is still worth watching at least once.
Superman, the latest tentpole offering from Warner Bros. and DC, is an interesting new take on one of the world’s most beloved superheroes.  It was hyped in a big way leading up to its release last week but sadly comes up somewhat short of expectations thanks to its script.  Interestingly director/writer James Gunn has openly said he is not going to have movies head to screen unless the scripts are 100% done.  The script here may have been done in his eyes but feels incomplete considering how fast its first act moves and from other issues.  In hindsight this script really should have been an origin story, being the first new introduction from this new DC universe.  Luckily the script does salvage itself as it progresses.  The work of the movie’s main cast serves as the real saving grace here.  From the presentation of Lex to those from the “Justice Gang,” the cast’s work goes a long way toward making this movie at least somewhat engaging.  The movie’s look, at least in comparison to its most recent predecessor, Man of Steel, is an improvement from that movie.  It looks like it jumped off the pages of some vintage Superman comics, even being presented in the 21st century.  That element and the work of the movie’s cast do just enough to make Superman worth watching at least once.
Superman is playing in theaters nationwide now.  More information on this and other movies from Warner Brothers is available at:
Website: https://warnerbros.com
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BY: Philip Sayblack

​Late this past April, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment re-issued the modern classic western flick, Tombstone on a new 4K restoration.  Just one of so many movies receiving the 4K re-issue treatment, this latest presentation is a little bit of a mixed bag.  Coming roughly 15 years after its then most recent release (on Blu-ray), the movie offers nothing new in its latest presentation.  To that end, this latest presentation of Tombstone is more for those who do not already own the movie in its previous DVD and Blu-ray presentations.  So, for said audiences, Tombstone is grounded in its story, which will be discussed shortly.  The bonus content that accompanies the movie in its latest re-issue is the exact same content as that featured in the 2010 Blu-ray re-issue, again pointing back to it being more for those who do not already own the movie in some form.  This will be addressed a little later. The playback quality (the sound and picture) round out the re-issue’s most important items and will also be examined later.  Each item noted is important in its own way to the whole of the new 4K re-issue of Tombstone.  All things considered this exhibition is such that a very specific audience will appreciate the re-issue.
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment and Hollywood Pictures’ recent 4K re-issue of the modern classic western, Tombstone, is a presentation that is meant for a very specific audience group.  The audience in question is those viewers who do not already own the movie on its 2010 Blu-ray release.  That presentation is its most recent re-issue.  For said audiences, the movie is grounded in its story, which is not just another typical telling of Wyatt Earp and company’s shootout at the O.K. Corral with the Clanton brothers.  Yes, that event is part of the movie, which runs just over two hours but there is much more.  As is noted in one of the carryover bonus features, the story is more focused on Wyatt Earp (played here by Kurt Russell – Overboard, Stargate, The Thing).  It portrays, as noted, the more human side of Earp as he and his brothers Virgil (Sam Elliot – Hulk, Contender, The Hero) and Morgan (Bill Paxton – Twister, Aliens, Apollo 13) come into Tombstone not as lawmen but as a group looking to just start a business and make money.  Wyatt even makes that clear as a member of the outlaw group, The Cowboys, confronts him one night at the brothers’ saloon.  It is not until the town’s head lawman, Marshal Fred White (Harry Carey, Jr. – Gremlins, The Exorcist III, The Searchers) is gunned down by one of The Cowboys, Curly Bill (Powers Boothe – Sin City, The Avengers, Frailty) that things start to change.  What follows leads Virgil to make the change first and take over as a lawman.  Wyatt and Morgan then follow, along with longtime friend Doc Holliday (Val Kilmer – Top Gun, Top Gun: Maverick, The Doors). 
Things escalate between the Earps and Holliday and the Cowboys (whose ranks here include some actors who would go on to be stars in their own right including Michael Rooker – Days of Thunder, Guardians of the Galaxy 1-2 – and Thomas Haden Church – Sideways, Spiderman 3, Wings) and reach a climax at the now infamous shootout at the O.K. Corral.  Things do not end there, though, unlike in so many other movies focused on these events.  The story of Holliday and the Earps’ feud with The Cowboys continues afterward and remains fully engaging.  It has a little bit of a bittersweet ending.  The full details herein will be left for the noted viewers to discover for themselves but is still fulfilling regardless.  Needless to say, the Cowboys are wiped out and an epilogue ties up all of the loose ends.  Overall, all of the familiar western flick fare is there; the gunfights, the bravado of the bad guys and good guys, the dusty streets and candlelit buildings, etc.  The buildup to the exciting showdowns is there, too.  Audiences get, in other words, plenty of what’s been done before throughout the story but at the same time they get something far lesser done with this story.  Keeping that in mind, it gives reason enough to watch this movie at least once.
Building on the foundation formed by the story is the bonus content that accompanies the movie in its latest presentation.  As noted already, the bonus materials featured this time out is just carryover from the movie’s previous 2010 Blu-ray presentation.  In other words there is nothing new here so viewers who own that 2010 release have no reason to replace it with this presentation.  The bonus content in question is composed of three features: “An Ensemble Cast,” “Making An Authentic Western,” and a storyboard to film comparison that runs only four minutes.  The “Making An Authentic Western” feature runs just over six minutes.  The “Ensemble cast” featurette is the longest of the extras. 
“Making An Authentic Western” outlines the efforts undertaken to make this period piece look as authentic as possible.  That included on-site filming and period accurate costumes and weapons.  That such efforts were made to make the movie look so true is applause-worthy.  At the same time, audiences also have to remember that this movie was released pre-CGI.  So the only choices were (as Sam Elliot points out) either on-site filming or filming on a back lot.  Keeping that in mind, yes, it is a good thing that the movie’s creative heads went to such extent but thankfully that was because options of going the lazy route (IE CG) did not exist.
The “Ensemble Cast” featurette allows the movie’s cast to shed light on the history of the conflict between the Earps, Holliday, and The Cowboys.  That historical background alongside the movie helps create more appreciation for the approach taken here.  It is one of those extras that clearly proves the importance of bonus content in a movie’s appeal.  It helps to separate Tombstone from other westerns of that era, such as Young Guns and its sequel.
Again, for audiences who have not yet seen these features or the movie itself, all of this combined content is sure to make the presentation engaging and entertaining.  For all others though, the Blu-ray copies owned are enough.
Moving on from there, there is still one more item to examine in this re-issue.  That item is the movie’s playback quality (IE its picture and sound quality).  Viewers will be happy to know that both the sound and picture in this re-issue are exemplary.  The picture quality is clear and the sound quality – the gunshots and music score – are just as powerful if not more so than in the movie’s previous releases.  Add in a sound bar and audiences get one heck of an audiovisual experience.  When the positive of the movie’s playback quality is taken into consideration alongside the story and the movie’s bonus content, the whole therein makes this re-issue a presentation that western fans who do not already own this movie will appreciate.
Now while the playback quality is impressive, it should also be noted that this set also includes the movie's previously released Blu-ray presentation.  For thow who may not know, typically, Blu-ray presentations upscaled through a 4K player look almost as good as 4K presentations if not as good as them.  Keeping this in mind, audiences who own that Blu-ray presentation yetagain have that much less reason to purchase this collection.  So there is one more concern for the re-issue.
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment and Hollywood Pictures’ recent 4K re-issue of Tombstone is a presentation that will appeal to western fans who do not already own the movie.  This is proven in part through its featured story, which takes the familiar story or Wyatt Earp and gives it a whole new depth.  The bonus content that accompanies the movie, which are carried over from the previous Blu-ray re-issue add to the interest because of the background that they provide to the presentation.  The quality of the footage in its restoration is impressive in its own right. It sounds as good as if not better than that of the movie’s previous releases. However Blu-ray disc presentations upconverted on a 4K player and monitor look as good as 4K presentations, so this detracts again from the presentation.  Each item examined is important in its own way to the whole of the movie’s re-issue.  All things considered they make the 4K re-issue of Tombstone worth watching (and owning) among western fans who do not already own the movie in its previous releases.Tombstone is available now on 4K UHD.  More information on this and other titles from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is available at:
Website: https://sonypictures.com/movies
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BY: Philip Sayblack

​Early this past May, Thunderbolts*, the latest entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, made its theatrical debut.   Now later this month – not even three full months after hitting theaters – the movie is officially streaming through Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV and Fandango at Home and is scheduled for physical release July 29.  That is a heck of a turnaround for this movie, whose story (its foundation) bridges marvel’s cinematic and television universes.  Why Marvel and its parent company, Disney, decided on such a fast turnaround is anyone’s guess, but that is beside the point here.  As noted, the movie’s story serves as its foundation and does surprisingly well at that.  This will be discussed shortly.  The work of the movie’s cast adds to its appeal and will be addressed later.  For all of the positives herein, there is one notable negative to the whole in its new and forthcoming home releases.  That sole negative is the bonus content that accompanies the movie.  More specifically, there is one glaring omission from the bonus content that detracts from the presentation.  This will be discussed a little later.  It is not enough to doom the movie in its home release, but certainly would have improved the viewing experience.  To that end, the movie still proves a surprisingly positive addition to any Marvel fan’s library and really the best movie that Marvel has offered audiences in some time.
Thunderbolts*, the newest entry in Marvel Studios’ ever-expanding cinematic universe, is the first largely positive offering from the company in some time.  Its overall success is based largely in its story.  The story is simple.  A group of former villains unwittingly comes together thanks to the efforts of one Valentina de Fontaine to cover up her illegal actions.  De Fontaine brings the group – John Walker/U.S. Agent, Ava Starr/Ghost, and Yelena Bolova – together in an Oxcorp facility to have the trio killed as part of her efforts to cover up her actions.  Of course, the group does not die, but instead survives, bringing along with them the unlikely “friend,” Robert Reynolds.  At first Reynolds seems useless to all involved, but later on becomes the center of the story as he becomes another Marvel hero, Sentry due to De Fontaine’s nefarious work.  The group, who is eventually joined by Bolova’s adopted father, Alexei Shostakov (Red Guardian), sets out to reveal De Fontaine’s illegal work after surviving the attempt on their life, not knowing at first what is happening to Robert until the group reaches New York.  Once the revelation is made, that becomes the center of the story as the quartet is left to stop his evil alter ego, “The Void.”  The quartet defeats “The Void” if only temporarily, leading to the surprise finale.
Keeping in mind everything noted, the story herein is relatively easy to follow from the beginning to the end of its run time, which barely surpasses the two-hour mark.  That run time alone is positive, considering how long so many Marvel movies have been in recent years.  Adding to the positive therein is its pacing.  The story’s pacing adds to its appeal thanks to the attention to detail clearly put into the writing.  At no point will viewers feel lost or left behind.  Act I sets up the situation – De Fontaine is in trouble with the government and plans on how to get out of her hot water.  Act II finds the unlikely anti-heroes coming together to form the new team of heroes.  Act III finds the group facing the big bad (“The Void”) and overcoming that evil.  It’s simple enough.  Keeping this in mind, the story and its pacing go a long way toward making this movie appealing.
While the movie’s story and its pacing are clear positives to its presentation, the movie has one minor flaw in its new home release.  That flaw comes through its bonus content.  Three bonuses accompany the movie in its new home release: a bonus focusing on Yelena’s early base jump titled “Around The World and Back Again,” “Assembling a Team To Remember,” which features snippets of interviews with the movie’s cast, and “All About Bob, Sentry & The Void.”  This latter bonus is the problem.  Its title is misleading to say the least.  It provides absolutely no background on the comics history of Sentry.  Established comics fans obviously know that history but for the less initiated, those audiences will know far less.  Not having that introduction to the character and his place in the Marvel universe only hurts the movie.  It does not doom the movie, but certainly would have helped the presentation.
On a related note, the movie is subtitled, “The New Avengers.”  De Fontaine even calls the group “The New Avengers” in the movie’s scene (not to give away too much).  The problem here is that only two of the characters in this movie – Bucky and Sentry – would eventually be part of the New Avengers in the Marvel comics universe.  None of the others were ever part of the New Avengers, so having that very title used both in the movie and its title is inaccurate and misleading.  There is no discussion on this aspect of the movie, either.  So that detracts from the appeal in its own right, too. 
The bonus feature “Around The World and Back Again” simply focuses on the base jumping sequence in the movie’s opening minutes.  Bolova (played by British actress Florence Pugh – Lady Macbeth, The Falling, The Commuter) jumps off of the Merdeka 118, which is the second tallest building in the world in the sequence.  Knowing how many safety efforts were undertaken to make the sequence happen is interesting.  Knowing that Pugh clearly did not make the jump herself is not surprising, either.  To that end, the whole of the brief featurette is largely forgettable.
Perhaps the most notable of the bonuses is the noted extra, “Assembling A Team To Remember.”  It is through this bonus that viewers gain more appreciation for the movie’s story.  That is because it is explained throughout the segment, the secondary story within the movie is more about people who are trying to find their place in the world; It is about not wanting to be alone.  This in-depth discussion as it applies to each character will hit viewers in the feels so to speak.  That is because of its ability to connect with viewers, considering that everyone faces those thoughts daily.  It is this bonus feature that together with the story and its pacing, makes for more appeal for this movie, but not the last positive.
Rounding out the most important of the movie’s positives is the work of its cast.  Pugh leads the way alongside Wyatt Russell (22 Jump Street, Overlord, Night Swim), Lewis Pullman (Top Gun: Maverick, Lessons in Chemistry, Outer Range) and David Harbour (Black Widow, Hellboy, Revolutionary Road).  Pugh’s deadpan reactions to Pullman’s delivery early on makes for so many laughs.  That is because it is that classic odd couple type of presentation that has made for so many laughs in movies and television shows throughout the modern history of entertainment.  Pugh is the straight man…er…woman in this case to Pullman’s dopey comic character (at least early on). Meanwhile Harbour and Russell generate comic relief of their own throughout the movie.  At the same time, that latter pair also provides some heartfelt moments that thankfully do not go over the top.  One has to feel somewhat sorry for fellow cast member Hannah John-Kamen (Ant-Man and The Wasp, Ready Player One, Resident Evil: Welcome To Raccoon City), who plays Ava/Ghost.  She makes the most of her time on screen but it seems is used more as a foil to her cast mates throughout the story.  Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who reprises her role as Valentina (from Marvel’s The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, which streamed on Disney+), does just as well to make it easy to despite Valentina.  All of the work noted combined, the cast makes it so easy to want to keep watching this movie.  When the collective’s applause-worthy work is considered alongside the movie’s story, its pacing and writing, the whole therein does more than enough to make this movie worth watching, even despite the lack of any memorable bonus content.  All things considered, Thunderbolts* proves to be one of the best of Marvel Studios’ entries to date and worth watching at least once.
Thunderbolts*, the latest addition to Marvel Studios’ cinematic universe (and its second movie so far this year behind Captain America: Brave New World), is a strong new entry in the bigger MCU.  That is due in part to its story and its related writing and pacing.  The story briefly tells how its unlikely band of misfits comes together and eventually has to stop an unlikely force from destroying the world.  It is that simple.  The story’s pacing and execution add to the appeal in that they make it so easy to follow the story.  The bonus content adds at least a tiny modicum of appeal, but only through one of its extras.  The other additions do little if anything to make themselves memorable.  The cast’s work on screen rounds out the movie’s positives.  That is because it makes for so much entertainment in its own right.  Each item examined is important in its own way to the whole of the movie.  All things considered they make Thunderbolts* well worth watching.  In watching, viewers will agree it is one of Marvel Studios’ best offerings in a long time.
Thunderbolts* is streaming now through Amazon Video Prime, Apple TV and Fandango at Home.  It is scheduled for physical home release July 29.