Tag Archives: Fantasy

Damsel – Movie Review

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TL;DR – While a bit messy in places, strong casting and a solid central premise combine to make a fascinating film at times.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Post-Credit Scene – There is no post-credit scene.

Disclosure – I paid for the Netflix service that viewed this film.

Shadows encroach over the kingdom.

Damsel Review –

I have always loved a good schlocky fantasy film. One that knows its premise and its voice and excels from there. It is in this space that we get gems like The Mummy and Dungeons and Dragons. Today, we are looking at a film that is trying to capture that kind of energy and see if they can pull it off.   

So to set the scene, we open in as a platoon of knights crawl into a dragon’s (Shohreh Aghdashloo) lair, hoping to slay the beast before ending in a conflagration of flames. Centuries later, in a faraway land on the verge of ruin lives Elodie (Millie Bobby Brown), a princess. It is at this dark moment when an envoy from the Kingdom of Aurea arrives looking for Elodie’s hand in marriage for their prince. This marriage would give Elodie’s kingdom enough resources to make it to the thaw. As the family arrives at Aurea, its wealth greets them, and also a sense that not everything is as it seems, for the mountains behind the kingdom cast long shadows.

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Mapping Percy Jackson’s Quest – Map-It

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TL;DR – We map Percy’s Quest to the underworld and back again.  

Percy approaches the tree.

Mapping Percy Jackson –

Well, we have reached the end of the first season of Percy Jackson and the Olympians, and you can read our review HERE, but spoiler alert, it’s good. However, when you have a quest that takes you across a continent, well, you know I will have to map it, and here is no exemption.

With our map, we used the locations where they state them in the show; sometimes, these are pretty vague, and we have to make educated guesses. Sometimes, it is the Empire State Building where you can list its address (350 Fifth Avenue for those playing at home). Now, where we are given no location whatsoever, I went back to the books and used the information we have there.

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Percy Jackson and the Olympians: We Find Out the Truth, Sort Of – TV Review

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TL;DR – It is time for things to come together and for answers to be given … maybe …

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Disclosure – I paid for the Disney+ service that viewed this series.

Post-Credit Scene – There is a mid-credit scene.

Hades' Palace

Percy Jackson and the Olympians Review –

We are getting to the pointy end of the season, and we are about to dive into the penultimate episode of the season. It is the time when you have to stop holding your cards close to your chest and to use the metaphor from We Take a Zebra to Vegas, you have to go all in. Well, I am not sure we quite get that, but maybe something close.  

So, to set the scene, after being given a hint as to where there might be a portal to the underworld, our gang of Percy (Walker Scobell), Annabeth (Leah Jeffries), and Grover (Aryan Simhadri) just have to get by Procrustes or as he likes to be known Crusty (Julian Richings), kin he may be to Percy, but danger is his game. But no matter what your obstacles are, walking into the underworld is no mean feat. We will be looking at the episode as a whole from here, so there will be some [SPOILERS] ahead. 

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Percy Jackson and the Olympians: We Take a Zebra to Vegas – TV Review

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TL;DR – We’re in Vegas baby, so surely everything is going to go well, and nothing will derail their plans at all.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Disclosure – I paid for the Disney+ service that viewed this series.

Post-Credit Scene – There is a mid-credit scene.

Grover pokes his head out of the top of the truck.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians Review –

Time is coming close to the end, and the quest does not have long to run, which makes things complicated when The Gang are stuck in the middle of America with everyone up to the FBI on the lookout for them, monsters on the hunt, and some pissed off gods. I mean, if there is time for a Hail Mary, this is it.

So to set the scene, since meeting Aries (Adam Copeland) in A God Buys Us Cheeseburgers, our gang of Percy (Walker Scobell), Annabeth (Leah Jeffries), and Grover (Aryan Simhadri) have taken a lorry smuggling animal to Las Vegas, because if they have one chance to get their quest done in time they need to find Hermes (Lin-Manuel Miranda). I mean, one god in all of Las Vegas, how difficult could that be? We will be looking at the episode as a whole from here, so there will be some [SPOILERS] ahead.   

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Percy Jackson and the Olympians: A God Buys Us Cheeseburgers – TV Review

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TL;DR – This is the episode where the quest, the gods, and the half-blood’s stories all coalesce together in a way that makes it the strongest episode so far.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Disclosure – I paid for the Disney+ service that viewed this series.

Post-Credit Scene – There is a mid-credit scene.

Gateway Arch smoking.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians Review –

There is one thing that can make or break your show, movie, video game, or even radio play, and that is the casting. It is so important to find people who can embody the characters and bring them to life. Add in the added pressure of playing new interpretations of old characters, and you have a recipe for disaster. But as we see today, this might be Percy Jackson’s biggest strength.

So to set the scene, since feuding with the Chimera at the top of the Gateway Arch and maybe causing a bit of destruction to a national monument in I Plunge to My Death, our gang of Percy (Walker Scobell), Annabeth (Leah Jeffries), and Grover (Aryan Simhadri) are forced to start hitchhiking as the cops are starting to get suspicious about them. But their day goes from bad to worse when Annabeth spots The Fates (Joyce Robbins, La Nien Harrison & Cindy Piper), and a gentleman (Adam Copeland) in a motorcycle rides up to them. We will be looking at the episode as a whole from here, so there will be some [SPOILERS] ahead.    

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The Films from 2023 That Put Some Fun Into Our Lives

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We looked at the films that hit us in the feels with emotions in our last awards. Now it is time to hard pivot to the other side of the spectrum with a look at the films that were a riot of fun. So today, I take a moment to champion those films that brought the joy, whether through upbeat action, one laugh after another, or that silliness that brings a smile to your face.

Our Highly Commended in 2023 are Anyone But You, Barbie, Blue Beetle, Cocaine Bear, Fast X, The Marvels, M3GAN, No Hard Feelings, Tetris & Wonka
Our Best TV Fun in 2023 are Aunty Donna’s Coffee Café: Season 1, Deadloch: Season 1, FUBAR: Season 1, Jury Duty: Season 1 & Letterkenny: Season 12

So, without further ado, these films brought fun in 2023. Be warned that there may be slight spoilers for the films in question.

The Nominees Are –

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Percy Jackson and the Olympians: I Plunge to My Death – TV Review

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TL;DR – A more contained story that brings with it strengths and weaknesses.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Disclosure – I paid for the Disney+ service that viewed this series.

Post-Credit Scene – There is a mid-credit scene.

The Gateway Arch

Percy Jackson and the Olympians Review –

When you have a ticking timebomb with regard to your quest, you need to start moving it. Indeed, our team has to make it across the continental USA in a couple of days, or all is lost. I just hope you don’t have a wave of upset monsters and feuding gods chasing after you.

So to set the scene, after tangling with the Medusa in We Visit the Garden Gnome Emporium, the gang  Percy (Walker Scobell), Annabeth (Leah Jeffries), and Grover (Aryan Simhadri). Decide to hop on a train to make up some missed time. But things start looking dire when their train cabin is trashed while they are out to breakfast. Good thing there is a friendly lady (Suzanne Cryer) that can help … right … ? We will be looking at the episode as a whole from here, so there will be some [SPOILERS] ahead.    

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Percy Jackson and the Olympians: We Visit the Garden Gnome Emporium – TV Review

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TL;DR – We get a slightly updated look at a tragic story.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Disclosure – I paid for the Disney+ service that viewed this series.

Post-Credit Scene – There is a mid-credit scene.

Starting a quest.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians Review –

Well, we have been running through this story at a decent clip. I Accidentally Vaporize My Pre-Algebra Teacher was all about introducing us to this world, and I Become Supreme Lord of the Bathroom set up Camp Half-Blood. But episode three is here, and it is time to go on a quest, I sure hope nothing untoward happens.

So to set the scene, after declaring that there is a quest, Percy Jackson (Walker Scobell) is sent to visit The Oracle (Jennifer Shirley), who reveals what is coming but also that a friend will betray him. Well, all Percy needs to do is pick the two people who will come with him on the quest and without thinking, he chooses Annabeth (Leah Jeffries) and Grover (Aryan Simhadri). Okay, a quest is starting, and they need to get to Los Angeles, but wait, why are they taking the bus and not a plane? We will be looking at the episode as a whole from here, so there will be some [SPOILERS] ahead.    

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Percy Jackson and the Olympians: I Become Supreme Lord of the Bathroom – TV Review

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TL;DR – We build on the foundation and enter the fun world of Camp Half-Blood.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Disclosure – I paid for the Disney+ service that viewed this series.

Post-Credit Scene – There is a mid-credit scene.

Percy sits in front of a fire.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians Review –

Well, our first episode, I Accidentally Vaporize My Pre-Algebra Teacher, was all about dipping our toes into the universe of Percy Jackson (Walker Scobell) and the world of hurt that is coming for him. In the follow-up, it is time to rip off that Band-Aid because we are diving into the deep end with the gusto of a charging Minotaur.

So to set the scene, Percy wakes up from a dream with his mother (Virginia Kull) gone and Grover (Aryan Simhadri) looking down on him. He is not in the city anymore, for he is in Camp Half-Blood, a place that is safe for people like him. It might be the only safe place on Earth. Well, as long as he can survive a beat down from Clarisse La Rue (Dior Goodjohn), the daughter of Aries. We will be looking at the episode as a whole from here, so there will be some [SPOILERS] ahead.    

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Percy Jackson and the Olympians: I Accidentally Vaporize My Pre-Algebra Teacher – TV Review

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TL;DR – This is a fantastic introduction to the character and the world.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Disclosure – I paid for the Disney+ service that viewed this series.

Post-Credit Scene – There is a mid-credit scene.

Percy in the rain.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians Review –

Can you hit lightning a second time with the first strike? It was a bit of a whiff. That is the question that we are looking at today with the second bite at the apple with a Percy Jackson adaptation. I had found the first Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief movie to be okay, nothing to write home about, though very famously, it has a terse relationship with the original author. The Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters worked even less. I didn’t think much more about this until one day, I came across the novels and thought I would give it a go, and well, I got hooked. But can they learn from their mistakes with this second adaptation? This is what we are going to look at today.

So to set the scene, Percy Jackson (Walker Scobell) has had a difficult life. He struggles to focus at school, he is always daydreaming and seeing things that are not there, he never knew his father, and while his mother Sally (Virginia Kull) loves him dearly, her partners tend to suck. The only things working in his life are his friend Grover (Aryan Simhadri) and Mr Brunner (Glynn Turman), the one teacher who believes in him. Well, when he is on a trip to the history museum, he wanders through the rooms full of statues of Greek Gods when he is attacked by one of his teachers, Ms Dodds (Megan Mullally), and his life forever changes. We will be looking at the episode as a whole from here, so there will be some [SPOILERS] ahead.    

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