TL;DR –.We explore the highs and lows, and lows, of the Transformers film series.
Disclosure – I paid for the Paramount+/Amazon Prime services that viewed these films.
Transformers –
We might be in the era of nostalgia, but that does not mean that current films can capture what made those original properties soar. An excellent example of this is Transformers, a series that swings wildly in quality and in how it connects with the series it is based on, and now I have watched them all.
TL;DR – This is a solid entry in the series that shows that there are still legs under this franchise, even if it does end in a very predictable way.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3.5 out of 5.
Post-Credit Scene – There is a mid-credit scene.
Disclosure – I paid to see this film
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts Review –
For a long time, it felt like the Transformers Franchise was destined to but absolute garbage, maybe occasionally dipping into mediocre. Then Bumblebee happened, and for the first time since maybe 2007, it felt like someone who understood the characters was taking a crack at the series, and good things happened. However, was this an anomaly or a start of a new trend? That is what we are exploring today.
So to set the scene, on a world a long time ago, a planet is under attack in a galaxy far away. But this is not just an invasion, for the planet eater Unicron (Colman Domingo) is here to not only consume the planet wholesale, but he sends his minion Scourge (Peter Dinklage) down to secure the Transwarp Key from the Maximals so that he can warp to any planet in the Universe and consume it. Apelinq (David Sobolov) fights to give his Maximals time to escape, and the key is lost. Back on Earth, it is 1994, and it has been seven years since the Autobots arrived at the end of Bumblebee, and their short pitstop has turned into a prolonged stay as they can’t find a way off the planet. This pains Optimus Prime (Peter Cullen). Still, when Elena Wallace (Dominique Fishback) accidentally reveals part of the Transwarp Key, he sees an opportunity, but the Autobots are not the only ones who spotted the key’s energy signature.
TL;DR – This is a delightfully eccentric look at a more than absurd scenario.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Disclosure – I paid for the Amazon Prime service that viewed this series.
Jury Duty Review –
I have seen a lot of different setups for a tv show, but whenever I have watched a scenario where one of the participants is not in on the joke, it always falls flat. Which meant I came into this with a bit of trepidation. It is so easy to slip into cruelty when everyone knows what is being withheld. You are walking on a high wire perched precariously with disaster all around. That is why it is so much fun that it actually worked.
So to set the scene, an ad was put out there to join a documentary about jury duty, and Ronald Gladeen (Ronald Gladeen) signed up. He is told that he is part of Judge Alan Rosen’s (Alan Barinholtz) final court case recording. Trevor Morris (Ben Seaward) has been alleged to have passed out work and destroyed an order for boss Jacquiline Hilgrove (Whitney Rice). It is an exciting case even before we discover that one of the potential jurors is X-Men actor James Marsden (James Marsden). However, when the paparazzi arrive, all the jurors are sequestered away, and the short court case turns into a three-week slog. The only issue is that everyone, but Ronald, is an actor. Now from here, we will be looking at the series as a whole, so there will be some [SPOILERS] ahead.
TL;DR –.We look at the varied highs and lows of the Indiana Jones franchise up to now.
Disclosure – I paid for the Disney+ service that viewed these films
Indiana Jones –
There are moments when you sit around with nothing to do for a weekend and decide it is time to dive into some nostalgia from the past. With Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny coming out later this month, and it has been years since I had seen the older films, some not since cinemas, it was good timing when they all appeared on Disney+ this week. Well, good time with a massive dash of marketing. So we dive back in time not quite to a galaxy far, far away, but not, not a galaxy far, far away.
TL;DR – We map the route that Indiana Jones took on his adventures in the first trilogy of films.
Mapping Indy –
Whenever I upload one of my maps, I ask if there is anything else people would like to map? Often I get some excellent suggestions. After I uploaded my Independence Day Map, I probably got the best suggestion [and well timed one] so far because with the new Indiana Jones coming out later this month, it was the perfect time to jump back in and revisit the old films. Also, unlike many films today, the Indiana Jones films know how to use a map.
Flying through the East Coast of America. Image Credit: Brian MacNamara.
So to set the scene, It has been one year since the event of the last film, and Gwen (Hailee Steinfeld) has been struggling with being all alone again after finding a kindred spirit with Miles (Shameik Moore). However, when a Vulture (Jorma Taccone) from a Renaissance-style universe trashes the Guggenheim Museum, she discovers that the Spider-verse is not closed off. But also her dad George Stacy (Shea Whigham), finds out she is Spider-Woman, and tries to arrest her. This could have ended badly without the rescue from Miguel O’Hara / Spider-Man 2099 (Oscar Isaac) and Jessica Drew / Spider-Woman (Issa Rae), for a Spider-Society is protecting the Multiverse from all threats, and Gwen is the newest member.
TL;DR – Builds upon everything that made the series great by focussing on the character development of every kind
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Disclosure – I paid for the Apple TV+ service that viewed this episode.
Ted Lasso Review –
If there has been one consistent feature over the last few years of that evert the 2020s has been so far, it has been the joy that has come from Ted Lasso. I know this show is stylised, so it could almost be magical realism like The West Wing. But I don’t care. Every moment, every kick of a football, had me on the edge of my chair, and this final season of the show that maybe/probably/we’ll see was no exception. With today’s review, we will first look at the final episode aptly titled So Long, Farewell, and then we will look at the season as a whole.
So to set the scene, at the end of Season 2, the Richmond Greyhounds fount back from relegation to make it back into the Premier League. This is a triumph for the coaching staff Ted Lasso (Jason Sudeikis), Coach Beard (Brendan Hunt), and Roy Kent (Brett Goldstein). As well as team owner Rebecca Welton (Hannah Waddingham). As the season went on, there were struggles as “The Wonder Kid” Nathan “Nate” Shelley (Nick Mohammed) and his West Ham United team destroyed the team leading to a massive slump. However, as we come into this final episode, things are looking up, but in Mom City, Ted reveals to Rebecca that it is his time to drop a bombshell, and we open this final episode with Rebecca having breakfast in her house and Ted coming out to join her. Now from here, we will be looking at the episode and season as a whole, so there will be some [SPOILERS] ahead.
TL;DR – We dabble in some dinosaurs and music as we take a trip down to Brisbane
Disclosure – I paid for my entry and everything you see purchased in this article.
Dinosaurs and Music –
As we slowly get back to a newish normal, I have been trying to get out of the house a little bit more, not that I did it a lot before. But it is time to get out and explore some more, and where best to start is always with a map.
TL;DR – A stunningly beautiful game that pulls at the heartstrings as it reveals the world one puzzle at a time.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Disclosure – I paid for the Game Pass service that viewed this game.
Planet of Lana Review –
One of the things that you are always looking for when you boot up a new game is to experience something that pulls on your emotions. Does it build upon strong mechanics and art design to bring a world alive? Today we are looking at a game that does just that as it charms and uplifts you.
So to set the scene, on a planet off somewhere in the galaxy, we meet Lana (Bianca Zoe Mantelli), who lives in a small but friendly fishing village on the coast of a giant sea. Running through the town with her big sister Elo (Rossmary Petruzzelli), they climb up the nearby hillside to visit a place of sadness and to reflect on their bond. But when they get there, they see objects falling from the sky, and soon grand machines capture Elo and take her up into the sky. The village is in ruins by the time Lana can get back, everyone has been taken, but nothing will stop Lana from trying to save her family, where she meets a little animal friend who may be the hope of her salvation.
TL;DR – While it sort of sticks the landing, it is a season where the issues greatly outnumbered the positives.
⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 2.5 out of 5.
Disclosure – I paid for the Amazon Prime service that viewed this series.
Citadel Review –
I am unsure what I expected when I sat down to watch the groundwork for a new multi-series spy universe. Maybe I was hoping for some good spy shenanigans, boundless chemistry, or even the odd action scene. However, while it started strong with The Human Enigma, it soon fell apart as the seams became apparent. Today we are looking at the finale and this season as a whole to see if they stuck the landing or floundered like a ship on the rocks.
So to set the scene, at the end of Tell Her Everything, we discover what Nadia (Priyanka Chopra Jonas) has been hiding from Mason (Richard Madden). She has a daughter she did not tell Mason about, and Dahlia Archer (Lesley Manville) has now captured her. They must land on a Russian automatic submarine and then steal all their nuclear cores to see her alive again. Oh, and only Mason can do the jump, and he still can’t remember his time as a spy. Now from here, we will be looking at the episode and season as a whole, so there will be some [SPOILERS] ahead.
TL;DR Movie Reviews and Analysis 