Perhaps the most notable thing about Andor is how immediately it establishes itself as different from the usual Star Wars fare. What little I’ve seen of more recent Mandalorian projects suggests this isn’t an isolated affair, but it is to me.
It’s been a long time since the first season of The Mandalorian came out. And, while I finish tackling reviewing some of the newer Disney+ Star Wars entries, let’s look back at what worked in the first three episodes and how much the series has (or hasn’t) changed.
I dismissed Lockwood & Co. during my first exposure to it. A random segment of the show I walked past didn’t impress me. But now, having seen the first three episodes, I must admit how wrong I was. This is not only one of the best recent paranormal thrillers/horror urban fantasies, but it’s a good show in any context.
I’m late to the party to review Thor: Love and Thunder. So late that I’ve been spoiled somewhat by consensus. Going in, I knew people didn’t like the goats and that the comedy was apparently overbearing.
Almost two years ago to the day, I reviewed Kid Cosmic. I said I wasn’t planning on continuing the show. Well, apparently, I lied. While eating dinner one day, I pulled it up and basically binged.
Strange World wears its influences on its sleeve, and it informs a ton of the movie’s pacing, sense of adventure, and how it approaches danger in any scene. It’s based on old-school pulp comics, novels, and radio plays—even as someone who didn’t grow up with that being commonplace, it’s obvious.
The School for Good and Evil is a fun fantasy movie with a surprising amount of narrative depth while also being goofy, self-indulgent, and occasionally seriously questionable. I’ll spend some time ragging on it, mostly for its botched train wreck of an ending, but if you want an escapist movie full of fairy tale shenanigans, this has some promise. Read the whole review to see what I mean.
Now it’s time for the negativity. The stuff I least enjoyed reviewing. I’ve sandwiched this part between two positive articles, so we don’t end this retrospective on a low note.
I’ve written many articles this year and reviewed piles of movies, tons of shows, and even a few books. And while a lot of media flees my memory once I’m done reviewing it, a few things were so good and memorable that they’ve stuck with me throughout the year. And in the same vein, some media pieces were so disappointing that I still wish for a better version.
Klaus is a heartwarming, magical, wonderful film that does what the best Disney and Pixar movies manage and is instantly a classic.
Wednesday is such an odd project conceptually. If you told me a few years ago that Tim Burton would direct a new show about The Addams Family that starred Wednesday in a paranormal high school and barely featured Morticia and Gomez—at least in its first three episodes—I would’ve called it a blatant nostalgia grab.
Hamster & Gretel hit my radar for one reason: it was made by Dan Povenmire. You likely know his voice and creations, even if you don’t know his name. He’s part of the team that made Phineas and Ferb, and he voices Dr. Doofenshmirtz.
