How does one really sum up One Piece, the Netflix adaptation of the famed anime series that first got its start in the late ’90s, to those unfamiliar with the material? Lord knows I had little-to-no knowledge of it myself prior to its first season as a live action series in 2023, but once again, my now-grown kid introduced me to something I knew next to nothing about that I ended up enjoying.
This season finds our heroes (or “pirates”) – Monkey D. Luffy (Inaki Godoy), Nami (Emily Rudd), Roronoa Zoro (Mackenyu), Usopp (Jacob Romero Gibson), and Sanji (Taz Skylar) – traveling the seas to “The Grand Line” to finally find the “One Piece.” Along the way, they pick up a new member of the gang, Viv (Charithra Surya Chandran), an agent for the Baroque Works (a.k.a. “the bad guys) who actually turns out to be a Princess in her homeland, while encountering further dangers and/or allies with each island they set foot on, all the while still dodging evil agents hot on their trail.
There’s also a backstory that includes two doctors (played by Katay Sagal and Mark Harelik) and a talking reindeer (yep) named Chopper (voiced by Mikaela Hoover and destined to be on someone’s Christmas list this year) that eventually intertwine with our main characters.
Think Pirates of the Caribbean meets The Neverending Story; just a massive, imaginative adventure that takes viewers for a journey on a massive scale. Escapist entertainment (usually) at its finest for those willing to go in open-minded.
Few shows in recent memory have come along and reached the pop culture phenomenon status the way Stranger Things has (The Walking Dead comes to mind in comparison, although that turned out to be a case of not knowing when to quit while you’re still ahead for sure).
When Stranger Things first dropped on Netflix in 2016, it felt like this nostalgic little secret that the wife and I (and eventually our son) stumbled upon that was of course a fun ride, though none of us could’ve possibly ever predicated then just how huge this show created by The Duffer Brothers would become.
Fast foreword to season five, where audiences have by now seen the beloved group of friends enter the upside down and fight evil in more ways than one by now. I honestly had some doubts at the onset of the season, where many of our heroes are now looking far too old to pass as believable high school students still getting bullied the way Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) is in the first episode.
But as things progress, the season gets steadily better. This time around, the entire town of Hawkins is under military control after the events of the fourth season, with the entire gang keeping a steady eye on both them, and the upside down while Hopper (David Harbour) prepares Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) for her ensuing final battle. Meanwhile, there’s another “bad guy” in the form of Dr. Kay (played by an over-the-top Linda Hamilton) trying to to catch El in the middle of it all.
There’s one subplot after another, as the evil Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower), disguising himself now as “Mr. Whatsit” to a select few of the town’s children, imprisons a group of kids lead by Holly Wheeler (Nell Fisher) – Mike (Finn Wolfhard) and Nancy’s (Natalia Dyer) younger sister – who at one point finds herself in the same world as the still-comatose Max (Sadie Sink), who shows her the way to navigate through this new world.
This all leads to one final, huge confrontation with Vecna (who we also learn some more backstory on along the way), which I’ll stop at here before giving away any potential spoilers. (Though be advised, there are certainly a few tearjerker moments.)
Aside from all those previously mentioned, many other familiar faces return here, including (among others) Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin), Steve (Joe Keery), Jonathan (Charlie Heaton), Robin (Maya Hawke), and of course Winona Ryder returns as Joyce once again, though her character feels a bit pushed to the wayside here. And of course the “coming out” of Will (Noah Schnapp) has been much-talked about, which is fine and all because it feels like a natural progression for the character, but the moment itself just feels a bit forced and awkwardly placed. Newcomer Jake Connelly also adds some much-needed comic relief as Derek.
It’s bittersweet to watch the series come to its inevitable end after all that it’s meant to so many over the years (my aforementioned kid once went as Dustin for Halloween one year at the top of its hype, and I cannot count the number of collectible items that have since been accumulated in our household). Watching the finale on the big screen with the family among a packed theater felt like the only way to say goodbye to this show that has meant so much to so many, truly felt like the only way to do so.
The show that once filled countless minds with so much wonder and had us all united in longing for a bygone era known as the 1980’s, is now a part of the history books itself. And what a ride it has been.
I had initially planned on watching a very different kind of Christmas movie (the new Silent NightDeadly Night remake, to be specific) before I settled on watching a newer Netflix romantic family comedy (of course with my own family) the other night titled A Merry Little Ex-Mas, starring Alicia Silverstone and Oliver Hudson.
The plot is nothing all that original; recently divorced (or “uncoupled” as they prefer to call it) husband and wife Everett and Kate (Hudson and Silverstone) conflict as they try to co-parent their two adult children (and one child’s quirky Harry Potter-obsessed boyfriend, played by Timothy Innes) at Christmas with their own new significant others (played by Jameela Jamil and Pierson Fode).
Melissa Joan Hart of Sabrina the Teenage Witch fame and Geoffrey Owens from The Cosby Show also add to the ordeal, and for the most part things stay pretty harmless (albeit predictable) and the proceedings never get too over the top like other similar affairs have in the past (Lindsay Lohan’s Falling For Christmas in 2022 comes to mind). Far from perfect, but worth at least one watch this Christmas season.
While I did watch the inaugural season of Wednesday with the fam when it first dropped on Netflix back in 2022, to be honest I found it somewhat…forgettable. But the three year gap in between seasons proved to be helpful here, as the writers truly hit the mark this time around.
At the onset of season two we once again find our titular character (portrayed once more by Jenna Oretga) returning to Nevermore, this time with a bit of “celebrity” status behind her, as well as younger brother Pugsley (Isaac Ordonez) now in tow. It’s immediately clear there’s trouble in paradise, as Wednesday has a stalker hell-bent on inflicting some damage.
As if this were not enough, Wednesday must now juggle an evil new headmaster (Steve Buscemi), zombies (Owen Painter), dangerous escapees that also transform into Hydes (Hunter Doohan), and the safety in question of her roomate, Endid (Emma Myers). Other series regulars such as Luis Guzman as Gomez Addams and Catherine Zeta-Jones – who by far wins the gold medal as sexist Morticia Addams thus far – also return.
Aimed mostly at teens/young audiences (think Riverdale meets Harry Potter), the formula works enough to hold the attention of nearly any and all age groups that are willing to give it the time of day. Not perfect, but a fun ride nonetheless.
The original Happy Gilmore was Adam Sandler in his prime; I can remember sitting there in the theater laughing with friends in 1996, just one year after he began his domination of modern comedy with 1995’s Billy Madison. It was harmless enough fun that we relished in back in those days.
Happy Gilmore 2 is definitely…a different story. It starts off innocently enough, with Happy (Sandler) washed up and at rock bottom. With the help of his (mostly grown) kids (one of which is played by one of Sandlers’ real-life children to appear in the film, Sunny Sandler), he reaches sobriety and returns to professional golf while battling a new competitive league called Maxi Golf.
The premise/setup alone is fine, but the execution is muddled with far too many crude, over-the-top jokes that often fall flat. The nostalgia and throwback references are definitely there, as are many familiar faces (Julie Bowen, Christopher McDonald, and Ben Stiller all return from the first film, among others), and the supporting roles and cameos are far too many to even mention (though real-life pro golfer John Daly is perfect in an extreme version of his self, and modern WWE legend Becky Lynch is always pleasing on the eyes no matter what she may be in).
Whereas the first Happy Gilmore was ripe with quick one-liners and had it’s own unique, quaint charm, this belated sequel tries to cram in as much absurdity as it can within its two hour runtime and hopes you overlook all of its many flaws (much like another recent Sandler vehicle, Hubie Halloween). Again, the concept is there, but the heart of it mostly falls through the cracks; a little less would’ve likely gone a lot further this time around.
After a lackluster season or two (especially the forgettably generic Season IV), the writers of CobraKai were thankfully able to return the show to form just in time for its sixth and final season.
Unlike previous seasons, this one was broken into three, five-episode parts that actually started as far back as last July, and finally culminated this past February 13. Once again the usual faces – including cast from the original Karate Kid film series Daniel (Ralph Macchio), Johnny (William Zabka), Kreese (Martin Kove), Chozen (Yuji Okumoto), and Silver (Thomas Ian Griffith) – are all back on board for another round.
At the offset we find the next generation of fighters, lead once again by Miguel (Xolo Mariduena), Robby (Tanner Buchanan) and Samantha (Mary Mouser), headed to Barcelona to take part in a premiere international tournament known as the Sekai Taikai. Along the way there’s plenty of subplots involving individual journeys and self-growth, including one that finds Daniel digging deep into the past of his late mentor Mr. Miyagi (originally played by Pat Morita, who makes an appearance by the end of the season via some questionable CGI).
By the time we make it to the final episode, the nostalgia is on point (complete with a full montage featuring Joe Esposito’s “You’re the Best” from the 1984 original), leaving fans primed for the upcoming Karate Kid: Legends film no doubt.
When Netflix originally announced a new Terminator anime series to drop on August 29, I initially did not make the connection that it landed on “Judgement Day” (the day the machines become self-aware within the now four-decade long franchise’s lore). I knew right then and there I needed to speed watch the new series immediately.
Although not much of an anime fan, I have been known to dabble occasionally (most recently with the likes of Aggretsuko), and it’s a safe bet I’ll give just about anything with the Terminator label on it a try (for better or worse as of late). In this case, I’m glad I took the chance on it.
The plot is not too far of a stretch from previous films and television shows already made in the series, although this time instead of focusing on John or Sarah Conner, the primary prey for the time-traveling Terminator (Timothy Olyphant) is a scientist named Malcolm Lee (Andre Holland), whose competitive research to Skynet quickly finds him targeted by the deadly assassin from the future.
Along with Olyphant and Holland, the talented voice cast is also rounded out by Rosario Dawson and Sonoya Mizuno (among others). All in all its worth a watch for just about anyone who grew up quoting Arnold’s famous “I’ll be back” and “Hasta la vista, baby” lines.
My initial thoughts on Beverly Hills Cop IV (other than why couldn’t it had just been titled that to begin with instead of Axel F?) was of skepticism; while bringing back established franchises might look good on paper, they’re often filled with disappointment (I’m looking right at you, Coming 2 America).
But for what it’s worth, this fourth entry is world’s above the last time we saw Eddie Murphy portray his greatest role ever as Axel Foley since the third entry back in 1994. Almost instantly the movie checks all the boxes, starting the action at a Detroit Red Wings hockey game that filters out onto the streets and becomes a massive car chase reminiscent of the 1984 original (complete with The Pointer Sisters’ “Neutron Dance” for good measure).
The plot is fairly standard though; Foley is called back to Beverly Hills after receiving a tip from old friend Billy Rosewood (Judge Reinhold) that his adult attorney daughter (Taylour Paige) is in danger after representing a high stakes client being framed by police.
Again, the action is generally spot-on, while most jokes hit their intended marks (the meter maid scene is fairly humorous). The throwbacks themselves are undeniably likable (even Bob Seger’s “Shakedown” from 1987’s Part II is represented here). Original cast members John Ashton, Paul Reiser, and Bronson Pinchot all help add to the nostalgia, while newcomers Paige, Kevin Bacon, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt all help contribute to the fun in some way or another.
Perhaps the only other thing I would have liked to had seen done differently would have been a theatrical release in order to watch on the big screen at least once rather than just on Netflix. But otherwise, Axel F is at the very least worth a watch all things considered.
Since it first dropped earlier this month, fans of the original That ’70s Show have been divided by its latest sequel series, That ’90sShow. But having even been a fan of the brief (and since forgotten) That ’80s Show in 2002, I’ve got to say, it’s not as bad as I had anticipated.
The show centers around veterans of the series Kitty (Debra Jo Rupp) and Red (Kurtwod Smith), once again opening their home to the local teens of the neighborhood when their granddaughter Leia (Callie Haverda) decides to stay with them for the summer. As the daughter of Eric (Topher Grace) and Donna (Laura Prepon), newcommer Haverda takes on the role of the main awkward teen of the bunch perfectly, with most storylines following the trials of”fitting in” among her new peers.
Mace Coronel takes the place of the comedic relief as the newest Kelso, Jay, son of Michael Kelso (Ashton Kutcher) and Jackie Buckhart (Mila Kunis), who also make guest appearances. The remainder of the young cast come off with mixed results, with the character of Ozzie (played by Reyn Doi) possibly the most obnoxious new character to hit a screen since Jar Jar Binks.
But still, it’s the nostalgic aspect that keeps things afloat here. Sure, the theme song this time around is butchered, and the lack of relatable jokes or certain, other “original” cast members is disappointing. But seeing the likes of Wilmer Valderrama and Tommy Chong return as Fez and Leo, respectively, among the other returning cast members, is enough to tune in at least once around in my book.
Hailed as Lindsay Lohan’s “comeback” film (it’s been nearly a decade since her last major starring role), Falling For Christmas at best is a bag of mixed emotions that can’t decide if it’s a straight romantic comedy, or a parody of every Hallmark Christmas movie ever made.
Lohan plays the spoiled diva daughter of an Aspen business tycoon who suffers amnesia immediately after her uppity boyfriend (George Young) proposes to her on a mountain top. But she’s of course taken in by a local lodge owner (Chord Overstreet) who happens to be a single father. Of course, sparks eventually fly, and without giving away too much, the two realize their respective destinies (despite seemingly not the best real life “match”).
The material isn’t always concise, but Lohan is undenibly likeable here, especially in the many the fish-out-of-water scenarios her character is thrown into. Nothing life-changing here, but a harmless film and Lohan vehicle no doubt.
