Movie Review - The Mandalorian and Grogu

Director: Jon Favreau
Genre: Science Fiction/ Adventure/ Action
Runtime: 132 minutes
Year: 2026
Starring: Pedro Pascal, Jeremy Allan White, Sigourney Weaver, Martin Scorcese, Steve Blum
 
Description: Once a lone bounty hunter, Mandalorian Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and his apprentice Grogu embark on an exciting new Star Wars adventure.
 
Review: It’s always a dangerous thing to say, but when you have a most anticipated film of the year, it often doesn’t meet your expectations. Luckily “The Mandalorian and Grogu” did not disappoint and was the epic space adventure I was hoping for.
The film’s atmosphere is spot-on from the very first minute. Director Jon Favreau knows exactly what the fans want to see. You get stunning planets, epic battles, lots of action and many cute Grogu moments that will make you go “aaaw” constantly. The film is pure fun and entertainment for all ages. You don’t even need to have seen the series to follow the story.

The bond between Din Djarin and little Grogu is still the beating heart of the story. Grogu is cuter than ever. Thankfully, he still feels like a real character. His funny moments and his bond with Mando constantly put a smile on your face.

The action really pops off the big screen. The film really comes into its own, especially in an IMAX theater. Ludwig Göransson’s soundtrack is an absolute banger (not me immediately ordering the vinyl).  The music really amps up the energy during every action scene.

The film is great and everything I could have hoped for, but as a story, it sometimes feels more like a series of separate side missions than a cohesive story.

For fans of the “Star Wars” franchise and specifically the show “The Mandalorian”, this movie is a feast for the eyes. And I will definitely be rewatching this many times. Loved it!

Rating: 4,5/ 5

Movie Review - The Fantastic Four: First Steps

Director: Matt Shakman
Genre: Action/ Science Fiction/ Adventure
Runtime: 114 minutes
Year: 2025
Starring: Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby Joseph Quinn, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Julia Garner, Ralph Ineson, Paul Walter Hauser, Natasha Lyonne, Sarah Niles, Mark Gadiss
 
Description: Forced to balance their roles as heroes with the strength of their family bond, the Fantastic Four must defend Earth from a ravenous space god called Galactus and his enigmatic herald the Silver Surfer.  
 
Review: Genius Dr. Reed Richards can stretch his body, his wife Sue can turn invisible and create force fields, her brother van burst into flames on command, and their best friend is a walking chunk of granite with massive strength. They are the protectors of Eart No. 828. But then an alien creature, all covered in silver, falls from the sky and tells them the world is doomed. At least, unless Reed and Sue sacrifice their unborn baby to the space god Galactus.
 
They have tried before, to put Marvel’s ‘first family’ on the big screen. The first, from 1994, was never released. And since then we had a financially successful version in 2005 that also got a sequel. The dark reboot, with the strange title Fant-4-Stic, wasn’t a success at all. “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” is definitely the best of the bunch.
 
They didn’t only have to proof that this comic series is filmable at all, but the commercial future of Marvel’s Cinematic Universe rests just a little bit more heavily on its shoulders than on other titles.
 
Director Matt Shakman was also responsible for the most inventive series of the MCU: “WandaVision”. And this film, in my eyes, is great too.
 
The origin story of the Four is quickly rushed through a TV recap. And we can accept that you can still end a superhero movie with a big world-threatening final battle. As long as it’s done right. Shakman and his writers understand it all too well.
 
The film is strong, and this is first and foremost because of the excellent casting of the four main characters. Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards, Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm and Ebon Moss-Bachrach all fit their roles very well, but it’s Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm who impresses the most. The dynamic between these characters is convincing, in details and grand gestures. There is bickering, teasing, back and forth irritation. But when it comes down to it, they always choose each other and fight together.
 
The villains were portrayed well, especially Silver Surfer, played by Julia Garner. Because of Johnny Storm’s  immediate fascination with her, it gives the story a chance to delve a little deeper into her background. Which in terms gives her the necessary depth. Galactus is a bit more one-dimensional then, since he just wants one thing.
 
I highly enjoyed “The Fantastic Four: First Steps”. An excellent superhero film and a nice stepping stone to the next chapter in the MCU.
 
Rating: 4,5/ 5

Movie Review - Materialists

Director: Celine Song
Genre: Romance/ Drama
Runtime: 116 minutes
Year: 2025
Starring: Dakota Johnson, Chris Evans, Pedro Pascal
 
Description: A young, ambitious New York City matchmaker (Dakota Johnson) finds herself town between the perfect match (Pedro Pascal) and her imperfect ex (Chris Evans).
 
Review: With “Materialist”, director Celine Song breathes new life into the romcom genre. But don’t expect anything sugar sweet or cheesy; the romance in Song’s second film is raw and brutally honest.
Beautiful A-list actors gazing sultrily at each other, cheesy one-liners about eternal love, and passionate relationships in the heart of New York: judging by the synopsis and the trailer for “Materialists” moviegoers could look forward to a sweet rom-com. But it’s nothing like that. And that’s why I, a movie lover that is not the biggest fan of romcoms, loved “Materialists” so much more then I expected to. And it’s one of my favorite movies of 2025 so far.

Romantically inclined viewers would do well to adjust their expectations somewhat, because “Materialists” will not have you swooning or laughing out loud. Not that there isn’t any flirting or passionate longing in Song’s film, but she is more concerned with the psychology behind love than with its romantic portrayal. The main characters’ reflections are at the forefront.

The film follows Lucy, a highly successful professional matchmaker with nine marriages on her credit. For her, love is a matter of supply and demand: you “market value” is determined by your appearance, your income, and other material things. Lucy scours New York, pairing one perfect match after another.
Her own love life is less successful; her friends teasingly call her the eternal bachelorette. But then she meets the charming harry, who on paper is her perfect match. Lucy makes no secret of the fact that she wants to marry a rich man, and with Harry, she doesn’t have to worry about money. Ans besides his exorbitantly expensive apartment, designer clothes, and preference for high-quality restaurants, Harry also has good manners, is eloquent, and smart. Perfect, right?

When her ex John suddenly reappears in her life, Lucy begins to have doubts. This penniless, aspiring actor may not have money, but to Lucy he is a soulmate who really listens to her, is always there for her, and effortlessly makes her laugh.

It sounds like the classic premise for a lighthearted romcom, but in Song’s hands it becomes a very honest reflection of modern love. “Materialists” is emotionally charged and manages to get a grip on the deepest emotions of its characters. I went to see this movie, mainly for the amazing cast, expecting a solid romcom that I was going to enjoy just fine. But I got a completely different film, that totally surprised me, with a cast so strong and such an emotional load, and romance on a much deeper level. In my eyes, it’s definitely not a romcom, which is a good thing. Fans of the romcom genre might be disappointed, but as a non-romcom girlie I absolutely loved “Materialists”.

Rating: 5/ 5

20s Movie Review - Gladiator II

Director: Ridley Scott

Genre: Action/ Adventure/ Drama

Runtime: 148 minutes

Year: 2024

Starring: Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Denzel Washington, Connie Nielsen, Joseph Quinn, Fred Hechinger, Derek Jacobi, Matt Lucas

Description: After his home is conquered by the tyrannical emperors who no lead Rome, Lucius (Paul Mescal) is forced to enter the Colosseum and must look to his past to find strength to return the glory of Rome to its people.

Review: Director Ridley Scott returns to one of his greatest triumphs. Along with Paul Mescal and Pedro Pascal, two of today’s biggest stars, Scott treats audiences to an old-fashioned spectacle from ancient times. Although “Gladiator II” functions just fine as a solid action adventure, it’s more of the same but not quite as good as its predecessor.

The film opens in Numidia, a Roman colony in North Africa. Under the leadership of General Acacius, the Roman Empire invades the last free city and captures much of the male population into slavery. So does the simple soldier Hanno, who impresses in local arenas. Impressed by his boundless hatred for the Roman Empire, slave trader Macrinus buys Hanno and promises him the head od Acacius if he fights for him in the Colosseum.

Initially, “Gladiator II” seems to take a different path than its predecessor, but once Hanno begins to make a name for himself in gladiatorial combat, it becomes increasingly clear how connected the two films are. Joaquin Phoenix’s Emperor Commodus is now split into two characters, played by Joseph Quinn and Fred Heckinger. The twin brothers Geta and Caracalla share the imperial throne together, going delightfully over the top with thei blood lust. Connie Nielsen reprises her role as Lucilla, with yet another personal connection to the star of the Colosseum.

Denzel Washington also plays a seemingly similar character that the first film had. Like Oliver Reed, he is an ex-gladiator who won his freedom and now trains gladiators. But his Macrinus has much bigger ambitions than just entertaining the Roman public, and Washington is drawing more and more attention to himself. Even though being a side character, his performance steels the show.

Paul mescal is a lot less impressive than Russel Crowe, but he is still a believable warrior. Biggest difference is that Crowe could and still can easily carry a film, Mescal as not there yet. Pedro Pascal was the main reason for my excitement for this film, but that was quite disappointing. His character doesn’t really have a lot to do and he is not in the film that much. What he does do, he does well, but his talent if very underused in the film.

As for the first film, “Gladiator II” impresses the most with its visuals and its battle scenes. The scenes in the arena are amazing. There we did see some changes, adding a water filled arena battle to it. But bigger does not always mean better.

If Maximus would ask me if I was entertained, I would definitely say yes. For an action and adventure movie it checks many boxes. But I also have to admit I was a bit disappointed in the overall execution of it all. “Gladiator” is not a favorite movie of mine, but it’s a really good film. “Gladiator II” did everything the first film did, but not as good. And that’s my overall feeling for this film.  

Rating: 3,5/ 5

Movie Review - The Wild Robot

Director: Chris Sanders
Genre: Animation/ Science Fiction/ Adventure/ Family
Runtime: 102 minutes
Year: 2024
Starring: Lupita Nyongo’o, Pedro Pascal, Kit Connor, Bill Nighy, Matt Berry, Mark Hamill, Ving Rhames, Catherine O’Hara
 
Description: After a shipwreck, an intelligent robot called Roz (Lupita Nyongo’o) is stranded on an uninhabited island. To survive the harsh environment, Roz bonds with the island’s animals and cares for an orphaned baby goose.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2024 MOVIE CHALLENGE
WEEK 52: A FILM THAT’S A 2024 FAVORITE FOR MANY PEOPLE
 
Review: At the center of “The Wild Robot” there is Roz, a robot that seems far too complicated to serve as a household helper. But would probably be given that function in most cases. Were it not for the fact that this particular one is stranded on a desert island. As far as people go, that is. This island is inhabited by animals and most of them see her as an enemy. Until she finds a goose egg.

When the egg hatches, the little goose latches on to Roz. She needs to teach him how to swim and fly and eventually get ready for migration. Roz makes it her task, with the help of Fink, an seemingly unreliable fox that feels just as an outsider as Roz does.  

Robots are supposed to be emotionless, trying to solve problems with logic, using algorithm. But when Roz’ algorithmic thought processes fail, she must learn to rely on her intuition and feelings. On the contrary, the animals of the island do nothing but act from gut instinct. They must learn to turn off their instincts in order to survive together. And it turns out that programming and instinct are not so different after all.

The sympathy you feel for Roz, from the start, is partly due to Lupita Nyongo’o’s excellent vocal performance. With only her voice, she manages to convey so much feeling and nuance. As Roz develops, we see her create her own consciousness. Her character growth is accompanied by universal themes of parenthood, friendship, belonging and (self-) acceptance, with the story emphasizing that the relationships we form are enough to lead fulfilling lives.

The breathtaking animation, vulnerable emotions and moving story are perfectly brought together. This results in countless enchanting scenes that really make something happen to you. I felt every emotion while watching “The Wild Robot”. Director Chris Sanders has outdone himself once again with this wonderful Dreamworks animation and it is indeed my favorite film of 2024.

Rating: 5/ 5

20s Movie Review - Strange Way of Life

Director: Pedro Almodóvar
Genre: Western/ Drama
Runtime: 31 minutes
Year: 2023
Starring: Ethan Hawke, Pedro Pascal
Description: After twenty-five years Silva (Pedro Pascal) rides a horse across the desert to visit his friend Sheriff Jake (Ethan Hawke). They celebrate the meeting, but the next morning Jake tells him that that reason for this trip is not to go down the memory lane of their friendship.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2024 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 34: A FILM FROM 2023
 
Review: It is clear that Pedro Almodóvar wants to make a statement, making “Strange Way of Life as a classic western, one of the most masculine film genres out there. From the sets through the characters and to the music breathes the Wild West.

The dhort film begins promisingly, with the introduction of the two men and a mesmerizing version of the title song “Extraña forma de vida”.

There is murder, there is blood vengeance and honor, there is family loyalto. And there is a secret that took place twenty-five years earlier between the two men, sheriff Jake and hitman Silva. The film focuses mainly on the interaction between these two main characters, who have taken different paths yet never forgot each other.

But even though the film is only half an hour long, it feels like it contains unnecessary scenes. The flashback scene was not needed, from the interaction alone you can figure out what happened all those years ago.

I love both Ethan Hawke and Pedro Pascal as actors, and these is an attraction between the two. But it doesn’t feel like a deep, inescapable connection. The dialogues feel a bit flat.

“Strange Way of Life” is undeniably solidly made, the camerawork is impeccable, as is art direction, editing and music. But it stays too much on the surface. Perhaps this movie would work better as a full-length film instead of a short movie. Hawke and Pascal do make up for a lot, individually.

Rating: 3/ 5

TV Show Review - The Mandalorian (Season 3)

Season: 3
Genre: Science Fiction/ Adventure/ Action
Number of episodes: 8
Year: 2023
Starring: Pedro Pascal, Carl Weathers, Giancarlo Esposito, Katee Sackhoff, Jack Black, Lizzo, Christopher Lloyd

Description: The travels of a lone bounty hunter in the outer reaches of the galaxy, far from the authority of the New Republic.

Review: Mandalorian Din Djarin has quite a bit to recover from after taking off his helmet against all rules. To save his honor, he must travel to his home planet for a cleansing ritual. Mandalore is badly scarred and now largely deserted. In addition having to care for Grogu, Din Djarin comes to the aid of an old acquaintance and former enemy in the fight against pirates on the planet Nevarro. Supporters of the old Empire are also still asserting themselves.

The nice thing about “The Mandalorian” is that while there is a large story arc that spans a season, each episode also contains a completed story. Often a mission. This continues on in the third season, but creator Jon Favreau gradually tries to tie in more and more to the larger “Star Wars” universe as well as characters from earlier seasons.

A major factor is Bo Katan Kryze, who has a large and important role in this season. I loved that. Despite the many contradictions Bo Katan and Din Djarin have, it makes for an interesting interplay between the two characters who are clearly matched but also complement each other. And Grogu, cute as ever, is also present. Can’t get enough of him.

Despite the familiar approach, this new season explores a number of separate side paths, the function of which is not always immediately clear. For example, an entire episode is devoted to two defectors from the former Empire trying to find amnesty on planet Coruscant. This episode only gains momentum towards the end . Later in the season, these Mandalorian-less events are given a bit more context.

Totally bizarre and even more self-contained is a trip to a strange planet called Plazir 15, where actors Jack Black and Christopher Lloyd and singer Lizzo make an appearance. It is the most bizarre episode in the series so far, even though I found it highly entertaining. But it’s not the show’s best. The last two episode on the other hand, make you quickly forget about that and are of the high level we are used to. And it has a heart-warming conclusion.

Even though this season wasn’t as good as the previous two, I still really enjoyed it and I can’t get enough of this amazing series.

TV Show Reviews - The Last of Us (Season 1)

Season: 1
Genre: Drama/ Action/ Adventure
Number of episodes: 9
Year: 2023
Starring: Pedro Pascal, Bella Ramsey, Anna Torv, Lamar Johnson, Melanie Lynskey, Nico Parker, Gabriel Luna, Nick Offerman, Murray Bartlett, Storm Reid, Ashley Johnson

Description: After a global pandemic destroys civilization, a hardened survivor (Pedro Pascal) takes charge of a 14-year-old girl (Bella Ramsey) who may be humanity’s last hope.

Review: “The Last of Us” is a film adaptation of the popular video game of the same name. At the beginning of the twenty-first century, a parasitic fungus emerges that turns people into infectious zombies. The disease spreads rapidly and affects Joel as well as his daughter. He survives, she does not. Twenty years later, the remaining society is different; it is not the best. Joel is tasked with smuggling a package from Boston to the western United States. That package turns out to be a girl named Ellie, about the same age as Joel’s daughter. What’s so special about Ellie? She is immune.

I never played the game, but I was familiar with it. And if I have to believe the fans, the screen adaptation is very close to the game. The creators have paid extreme attention to the characters, their stories and emotions.

I think that “The Last of Us” is the best screen adaptation of a video game I have ever seen. This series is packed full of amazing shots, emotion, interesting characters, developments.

I fell in love with Joel and Ellie’s bond. And that’s all thanks to the amazing performances by Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey. You know, when you have certain movies or series, and you just can’t imagine another actor playing the role? That’s what I felt with “The Last of Us”. Pascal and Ramsey were both perfectly cast for their respective roles and they work well together and apart. The growing bond that develops between the two is the heart of this show.

Even though the show focuses on Joel and Ellie, as does the game, the series adaptation also takes some time to explore other characters. For instance, episode 3, where we meet Bill and Frank. In the game we never meet Frank, which makes Bill’s story so much more interesting now we get to know both of them and their relationship. This episode really made me cry (as did many other episodes).

My favorite episodes were episode 5, where Joel and Ellie are accompanied by the brothers Henry and Sam, and episode 8, where Ellie comes across a vengeful group of survivors. Both episodes have a scene in it, that made me feel all the feels. And I can easily say that these episodes are both some of the best TV moments I have ever seen.

So much praise for this series, I cannot say enough good things about “The Last of Us”. I keep recommending this show to everyone. And you don’t even have to know the game, because I never played it either. I loved it, one of the best shows I have ever seen.

Movie Review - The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent

Director: Tom Gormican
Genre: Comedy/ Action/ Crime
Runtime: 107 minutes
Year: 2022
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Pedro Pascal, Tiffany Haddish, Sharon Horgan, Neil Patrick Harris, Ike Barinholtz, Lily Sheen
 
Description: Nic Cage (Nicolag Cage) is channeling his iconic characters as he’s caught between a superfan (Pedro Pascal) and a CIA agent (Tiffany Haddish).

Review: The past decade did no go very well for actor Nicolas Cage. He seemed to be in every movie he was offered. This created a huge stream of bad movies, with some exceptions of course. With that, Cage became a joke on the internet. The sometimes it’s best to go along with the joke. In “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent”, Cage plays a version of himself, Nic Cage, and shows why he is still one of the most beloved actors of his generation.

Things are not going well for Cage in this film either. He has just gone through a divorce and is living in a hotel. Films are no longer offered to the actor, but there is a millionaire who wants to meet him, to show up at his birthday, for a large sum of money. Since Cage is desperate for work, he decides to accept the offer. The eccentric millionaire, Javi, has a plan to make a movie with Cage.

However, Javi is also being followed by the CIA. They suspect him of being a ruthless criminal. For example, he allegedly kidnapped the daughter of a prominent politician. The American spies more or less force Cage to work for them and spy on Javi. The result is a hilarious comedy with a nice pace, funny dialogues and above all a delightful interplay between Nicolas Cage and Pedro Pascal, who are constantly outdoing each other in craziness.
You never know it with Nicolas Cage, he’s sometimes super good, sometimes super bad. In this movie, it’s him the way we love him the most. He always does something unexpected and does not shy away from self-mockery. The film is a joy to watch, has great humor and action in it. Only the subplot of the kidnapping and the CIA didn’t always work for me.

This movie is mainly about Cage, but lets talks about Pedro Pascal and how amazing he is in this film. He holds up very well opposite Cage and they work so well together. I loved their growing friendship and how Javi was a Cage super fan. My favorite part was when Javi is listing his 3 all-time favorites. One of the is, of course a Cage film, another is “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari”, which is also a favorite of Cage. The third is a surprising and hilarious choice (although I understand why, because it’s a favorite of mine too) and they start watching it together. It’s been a while since I laughed out loud over a movie.

“The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent” may well mark Nicolas Cage’s definitive return. With this film, Cage seems to be able to transcend all jokes and parodies. It’s definitely a favorite of 2022 for me.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

Movie Review - The Bubble

Director: Judd Apatow
Genre: Comedy
Runtime: 126 minutes
Year: 2022
Starring: Karen Gillan, Leslie Mann, David Duchovny Pedro Pascal, Keagan-Michael Key, Iris Apatow, Peter Serafinowicz, Kate McKinnon, Fred Armisen
 
Description: A group of actors and actresses tuck inside a pandemic bubble at a hotel attempts to complete a film.

Review: Judd Apatow directs a film, which can be streamed on Netflix now. A group of actors is stuck in a lockdown situation in a hotel, while trying to finish the movie “Cliff Beasts 6”. The trailer looked fun and Judd Apatow is one of the better comedy directors.

Unfortunately the film wasn’t well-received, by both critics and the audience. And I can actually agree with them and saying this is one of Apatow’s worst movies ever made.

Apatow was inspired by the evets of the filming of the movie “Jurassic World: Dominion” in which the entire cast was stuck for months in the heavy lockdown in Britain, filmind had to be stopped each time die to positive tests and the actors were given a stick up their nose daily.

So too in this comedy, with the fun-loving Karen Gillan playing the female lead. About the movie business, the film can be quite funny at times. But the overall films is just very unfunny. Moreover, the film runs a half hour too lone, and three are fewer and fewer laughs toward the very mediocre finale.

Rating: 2/ 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 - The Equalizer 2

Director: Antoine Fuqua
Genre: Action/ Crime/ Thriller
Runtime: 121 minutes
Year: 2018
Starring: Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal, Ashton Sanders, Bill Pullman, Melissa Leo

Description: Robert McCall (Denzel Washington) serves an unflinching justice for the exploited and oppressed, but how far will he go when that is someone he loves?

Review: Four years before, “The Equalizer” made it clear to us that ex-CIA agent Robert McCall, who lives in anonymity, doesn’t stand injustice very well. This made for an exciting and strong crime thriller, that I liked more then I thought I would.
And then there was the sequel. It has a slow start and the mission stays unclear for some time. The biggest problem of the film is that it has many side stories, or smaller missions, that eventually lead to the big one. This way “The Equalizer 2” lacks focus and makes you less invested then the first film.
I do still like the character, especially during that one mission where he is teaching some cocky business men a lesson, after them sending a young female intern intoxicated home in the cab that McCall is driving.
Of course, the fact that McCall can continue doing what he is doing without any law enforcement cutting in, is a but implausible. That’s the fact for both movies. But here is started to bother me a bit, since he leaves many dead bodies or injured people behind.
I didn’t hate this movie, it was entertaining enough. But I wasn’t as invested as I was in the first movie and that’s clearly the better of the two. I don’t think we need a third film.

Rating: 3/ 5

Movie Review - Wonder Woman 1984

Director: Patty jenkins
Genre: Action/ Adventure/ science Fiction
Runtime: 151 minutes
Year: 2021
Starring: Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Kristen Wiig, Pedro Pascal, Robin Wright, Connie Nielsen

Description: Diana (Gal Gadot) must contend with a work colleague (Kristen Wiig) and businessman (Pedro Pascal), whose desire for extreme wealth sends the world down a path of destruction, after an ancient artifact that grants wishes goes missing.

Review: Compared to the first theatrical adventure revolving around superheroine Wonder Woman, the sequel offers mostly repetition. Despite the generous running time, the filmmakers never make it clear why the film had to be set in the year 1984. Where the first “Wonder Woman” film had us all applauding DC again, “Wonder Woman 1984” sadly doesn’t.
“Wonder Woman 1984” revolves around Diana Prince, aka Wonder Woman. This superheroine lives an anonymous life, trying to forget her late love Steve Trevor. When she hears about the Dreamstone, a relic that allows dreams to come true, she wishes her great love would come alive. The financially troubled Maxwell Lord also covets this stone. Meanwhile, Diana’s shy and geeky co-worker Barbara Ann Minerva also makes use of the magical object and transforms into the monstrous Cheetah. However, the Dreamstone has a dangerous side and takes its toll on all its users.
Director Patty Jenkins unfortunately failed to meet the success of the 2017’s “Wonder Woman”. This is due to several factors. First, the story. “Wonder Woman 1984” tries to be more light-hearted and comedic, and in that Jenkins fails quite a bit. The choice was made to set the story in 1980’s, but I believe the sole purpose is just the fashion and neon colors. Chris Pine is a great example, as he is mainly used to walk around dressed in strange clothes. He is supposed to be the comedic note and has little depth, whereas his return is supposed to be emotional.
Cheetah’s origins is also a negative. The caricatured Barbara, stereotypical geeky girl with glasses and frizzy hair. She wishes to be as strong and confident as Diana, and after losing the glasses and changing her outfits, all of a sudden all heads turn and she is smoking hot. Jenkins doesn’t manage to avoid clichés here. And when Barbara eventually turns into Cheetah, it doesn’t look great either.
“Wonder Woman 1984” lacks heart. But Gal Gadot is still a perfect Diana Prince. Her charm, charisma and warmth are what somewhat save the film from being a total fail. She makes Diana sympathetic. However, this isn’t enough to captivate for the full runtime.

Rating: 2,5 / 5

10s Movie Review - If Beale Street Could Talk

Director: Barry Jenkins
Genre: Drama/ Crime
Runtime: 120 minutes
Year: 2018
Starring: Kiki Layne, Stephan James, Regina King, Michael Beach, Bryan Tyree Henry, Pedro Pascal, Diego Luna, Ed Skrein

Description: A young woman (Kiki Layne) embraces her pregnancy while she and her family set out to prove her childhood friend and lover innocent of a crime he didn’t commit.

Review: The moment at the 2017 Oscar ceremony when “Moonlight” managed to walk away with the top prize after all is still vividly remembered by many film fans. The win means a dream start for the career of then still debutant director Barry Jenkins. It raised expectations for his next project, but with a breathtaking adaptation of James Baldwin’s novel “Is Beale Street Could Talks”,  Jenkins more than lived up to them.  
Baldwin’s novel describes the tragic romance of two young African-America lovers from Harlem. Nineteen-year-old Tish and twenty-four-year-old Fonny are head over heels in love with each other and ready to build a future together, but are suddenly brutally separated when the latter is unjustly detained on suspicion of a brutal rape. And as if that fact wasn’t wry enough, Tish also turns out to be pregnant. Whether the father will ever be able to see his child grow up outside prison, however, remains to be seen
Baldwin has a past as an activist. “If Beale Street Could Talk” contains the necessary social criticism of the unjust treatment of black citizens in the American legal system, which despite its setting in the 1970s still feels painfully relevant. On the other hand, a rock-hard indictment is not Jenkins’ film. Rather than a grueling legal drama, his film is primarily a tragic yet hopeful love story. Although the run-up to and repeated postponement of the trial may be the red line of the story on paper, the film regularly flutters back and forth between loving memories from the past and present.
This non-chronological structure immediately forms a nice stylistic break with Jenkin’s debut film “Moonlight”, which was neatly divided into three separate acts. The nice thins is that in some respects “If Beale Street Could Talk” is almost a direct counterpart to Jenkins’ predecessor, but in other respect it manages to further perfect his recognizable stamp as a director.
Starting with the chose color palette. Where “Moonlight” was characterized by many cool, blue tones, symbolic of the state of mind of its main character, “If Beale Street Could Talk” is full of warm autumn colors, with many shades of yellow, red and brown. The musical accompaniment by Nicholas Britell also fits in seamlessly.
What hasn’t changed is Jenkins’ tender and empathetic directorial style. This guarantees once again a number of eye-catching camera performances by his cinematographer James Laxtn. For example, the impressice overhead show with which the film opens. But it’s mainly the close-ups that make the biggest impression. Using a number of clever tricks, such as slowing down time or zooming in on small details of someone’s face. Here he created intimacy. By of the having his characters look straight into the camera without saying anything, Jenkins regularly treat you to a kind of lifelike mini-portrait. It feels almost as if the person on the screen is sitting right across from you.
Extra clever is that Jenkins also succeeds effortlessly, without dialogue, in allowing the viewer to empathize with the emotional world of his characters. Jenkins is able to translate the story on paper into visual language in an extraordinary way without having to lose any of its power.
Just as effortlessly, “If Beale Street Could Talk” captures viewers with the sincere love of Tish and Fonny. So much so, that at times you would almost forget what a desperate premise the film opens with. The injustice stings, but at the same time Jenkins’ portrait remains as hopeful as it is heartbreaking, showing that love can survive even the most difficult obstacles.

Rating: 4,5 / 5

20s Movie Review - We Can Be Heroes

Director: Robert Rodriguez
Genre: Family/ Adventure/ Fantasy/ Action
Runtime: 100 minutes
Year: 2020
Starring: Pedro Pascal, Boyd Holbrook, Christian Slater, YaYa Gosselin, Priyanka Chopra, Christopher McDonald

Description: When alien invaders capture the Earth’s superheroes, their kids must learn to work together to save their parents and the planet.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2021 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 6: A SUPERHERO MOVIE

Review: Superhero movies for a younger audience. Director Robert Rodriguez has had varying degrees of success with it, since the first part of the “Spy Kids” franchise was released in 2001. In the Netflix film “We Can Be heroes”,  he continues his efforts with accessible superheroes in a lighthearted story without heavy moral dilemmas.
A group of superheroes, called the Heroics, have been struggling among themselves since their leader Marcus Moreno decided to stop going on missions since his wife died, ad he now devoted himself entirely to being a father to Missy. During a routine mission, Tech-No and Miracle Guy stumble upon a group of alien ships that want to attack Earth. The head of the Heroics, Ms. Granada, immediately deploys all the superheroes to stop the invasion. But when the heroes are captured, it is up to their children to stop the alien invasion.
Missy follows in her father’s footsteps and immediately takes charge of making sure the rescue mission succeeds. Every child in the group has special powers, with the exception of Missy.
Rodriguez didn’t have a big budget to work with and it shows in the visual effects that come across as cheap. But in the end the story gets the live-action drama it needs. Rodriguez’s script is filled with jokes surrounding the kids and their physical powers.
The kids, of course, set out to save their parents, but the mission is ultimately not the main message Rodriguez wants to convey. The various forces aside, it’s as much about the strength of the individual as it is about be stronger together when you work for the greater good. It seeps in that the children represent the next generation.
Since it is targeted at a younger audience, I forgive the cheesiness. But it also doesn’t take itself seriously and is self-aware. It’s entertaining for a fun family movie night. And for the mom’s there is Pedro Pascal.

Rating: 3/ 5