20s Movie Review - Zootopia 2

Director: Jared Bush, Byron Howard
Genre: Animation/ Family/ Adventure
Runtime: 118 minutes
Year: 2025
Starring: Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Idris Elba, Ke Huy Quan, Fortune Feimster, Andy Samberg, David Strathairn, Shakira, Patrick Warburton, Danny Trejo, Bonnie Hunt

Description: Brave rabbit cop Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) and her friend, the fox Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman), team up again to crack a new case, the most perilous and intricate of their careers.

Review: “Zootopia 2” is a fantastic, fast-paced, and socially relevant sequel that lives up to the high expectations set by the first film.

The detective duo Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde are back. This time, they dive into a mystery that takes them to a whole new part of their city where the reptiles used to live.

Like its predecessor, the film dares to tackle bold social themes. Topics such as gentrification, abuse of power, and historical segregation are cleverly woven into the plot. Despite the heavy themes, the story remains manageable and understandable for the whole family thanks to its humor.

Adults will revel in the countless pop culture reference and clever puns and there are some new characters like Gary De’Snake and Nibbles Maplestick, bringing a fresh, dynamic energy to the film.

The film is an absolute must-see for Disney fans and people who loved the first “Zootopia” film. Rock-solid humor, stunning animations and a layered message.

Rating: 4/ 5

TV Show Review - The Book of Boba Fett (Season 1)

Season: 1
Genre: Science Fiction/ Adventure/ Action
Number of episodes: 7
Year: 2021
Starring: Temuera Morrison, Ming-Na Wen, Pedro Pascal, Timothy Olyphant, Rosario Dawson, Sophie Thatcher, Jordan Bulger, Jennifer Beals, Amy Sedaris, Stephen Root, Danny Trejo

Description: Bounty hunter Boba Fett (Temuera Morrison) and mercenary Fennec Shand (Ming-Na Wen) navigate the underworld when they return to Tatooine to claim Jabba the Hutt’s old turf.

Review: “The Book of Boba Fett” may seem like an interlude while we wait for the third season of “The Mandalorian”, but this series about the tough bounty hunter is a worthy successor to the Disney+ original. But you first have to get through the first four episodes. Because at the point, you might have the feeling you want to give up on the series. It feels a bit directionless. But when we get to episode 5, the series becomes more interesting and worth your time. Just sad that a number of old acquaintances are needed to bring this about.
Boba Fett is one of the most popular characters in the Star Wars universe. We get to know more about his background in this series and we get so see his face more often.
The show has a fragmented narrative style. Fett moves into the former palace of the late Jabba the Hutt to run the city of Mos Espa on the desert planet Tatooine. The moments when the fearless Fett takes things in his stride and takes on a corrupt cowardly mayor are interspersed with his backstory. We see how Fett wakes up more alive than dead and seeks refuge with a Tusken tribe, retaliates their brutal slaughter, and recruits Fennec Shand, whom we remember from “The Mandalorian”.
The many flashbacks take place s Fett recharges himself in his bactatank. It results in unfortunate and endless alternations of snippets of his memoirs from the past and macho behavior and competitions to squash the present. Where it’s all supposed to lead becomes clear only when a concrete goal and enemy loom.
Like “The Mandalorian”, “The Book of Boba Fett” comes from the min of Jon Favreau, who has apparently received approval from Disney to work on several Star Wars spin-off series. Understandably so, as “The Mandalorian” was a hit despite its completed missions that always spanned an episode.
This time around, Favreau has a longer story arc in mind, but it will take event the true fan of the Star Wars universe to hold their attention. This all changes when the fifth episodes comes along. Then we get the level we wanted to experience all along. It’s then that Favreau’s larger plan becomes clear.  
The last three of the total seven episodes are not only a feast for the eyes, but also a mix of new angles and a feast of recognition. It’s just sad for “The Book of Boba Fett” that the main character hardly had anything to do with the success of these final episodes, because he’s barely in episode 6 and not at all present in episode 5. I think Boba Fett is such a popular character because he is so mysterious and we didn’t know much about him. He is probably not interesting enough to devote an entire TV-show to.
All in all, “The Book of Boba Fett” has a slow start, but eventually redeems itself due to some familiar faces and a great build-up to “The Mandalorian” season 3.

10s Movie Review - Predators

Director: Nimród Antal
Genre: Action/ Thriller/ Adventure/ Science Fictions
Runtime: 107 minutes
Year: 2010
Starring: Adrien Brody, Danny Trejo, Topher Grace, Laurence Fishburne, Alice Braga, Walton Goggins, Mahershala Ali

Description: A group of elite warriors parachute into an unfamiliar jungle and are hunted by members of a merciless alien race

Review: In 1987 director John McTiernan made the manly action thriller “Predator”. Here a team of American military men, led by Arnold Schwarzenegger, were dropped in a jungle for a mission and ended up being hunted by a killing machine from outer space. There was a less successful sequel, starring Danny Glover. “Predators” is the second sequel, forgetting all the “Alien Vs. Predator” movies. “Predators” never reaches the level of its original, but much better than the second film.
In 1994 Robert Rodriguez was asked to write a sequel, but that script was set aside for fifteen years. In 2009 two new writers turned it into the script for “Predators and Rodriguez became a producer. Nimrod Antal directs, but if Rodriguez had done it himself, it would probably be even better.
Like the first film, it takes a while before we see the hunting creature. Which is a good choice, it holds the tension. They also choose a non-typical action star lead in Adrien Brody. It’s hard to follow Schwarzenegger. So by picking a star that’s not your typical action hero, makes it fresh and original. And Brody does a fine job.
The action is okay, but never special or original. And some characters are plain annoying or unnecessary. But overall, “Predators” is a good sequel and an entertaining action thriller.

Rating: 3/ 5

10s Movie Review - Muppets Most Wanted

Director: James Bobin
Genre: Comedy/ Adventure/ Family/ Musical/ Crime
Runtime: 112 minutes
Year: 2014
Starring: Ricky Gervais, Tina Fey, Ty Burrell, Zack Galifianakis, Tom Hiddleston, Ray Liotta, Danny Trejo, Christoph Waltz, Josh Groban, Céline Dion, Peter Serafinowicz, Usher Raymond, Salma Hayek, Stanley Tucci, Lady Gaga, Chloë Grace Moretz, Hugh Bonneville, Tom Hollander

Description: While on a grand world tour, The Muppets find themselves wrapped into an European jewel-heist caper headed by a Kermit the Frog look-alike and his dastardly sidekick.

Review: In 2010 The Muppets made their comeback with an amazing film that was filled with humor, emotion and great music. Off course there had to be another sequel, hoping for that same success.
In “Muppets Most Wanted” the Muppets go on a world tour, led by Dominic. They don’t know that Dominic actually has some evil plans, he is the right hand of Constantine, the most dangerous frog in the world and Kermit’s doubleganger. During the tour, Dominic makes sure Kermit and Constantine switch places. Constantine will tour with the Muppets and Kermit will be send to the Goelag. This way Constantine and Dominic can plan big heists in each city the visit.
The movie starts with a fun song about sequels, mocking Hollywood and themselves. Sequels are never as good, but bring in the money. This is also the fact for “Muppets Most Wanted”. It’s never the same level as “ The Muppets” from 2011. It’s still a fun movie, with lots of humorous moments and fun cameos. And the songs are fun too.
I likes Ricky Gervais as villain Dominic and I especially loved Ty Burrell as the French Interpol agent. And I have to admit, The Muppets always make me smile. No matter what.

Rating: 3 / 5

100 Movie Challenge 2017 - # 64: The Devil's Rejects

Director: Rob Zombie
Genre: Horror/ Thriller/ Crime
Runtime: 109 minutes
Year: 2005
Starring: Sid Haig, Bill Moseley, Sheri Moon Zombie, William Forsythe, Ken Foree, Leslie Easterbrook, Danny Trejo, Diamons Dallas Page

Description: The murderous, backwoods Firefly family take to the road to escape a vengeful police force which is not afraid of being as ruthless as their target.

Review: Four years before Rob Zombie directed “The Devil’s Reject”, he made “House of 1000 Corpses”. I never saw that film, but I was told it was basically “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” done worse. “The Devil’s Rejects” is the sequel to that.
The film starts with cops surrounding the house of family Firefly. They are a murderous family. Lead by sheriff Wydell, they are trying to finally get this crazy family. Otis and Baby manage to escape and they flee. They are joined by their companion Captain Spaulding. And they continue their killing spree.
“The Devil’s Rejects” is basically an orgy of violence. And Sid Haig and Bill Moseley are really hard to look at. They look aweful in this movie and it’s a torture for the eyes. And the acting isn’t great either, by most of the cast.
It’s obvious that Rob Zombie took a close look at Robert Rodriguez, Quentin Tarantino and Tobe Hooper. But he has a lot to learn. I’m not a fan of “The Devil’s Rejects”. It’s not a very good film.

Rating: 2/ 5