Tag: Action

Movie Review: Supergirl (2026)

~ Liam ~ Leave a comment

Title: Supergirl
Release Date: June 26, 2026
Director: Craig Gillespie
Production Company:  DC Studios | Troll Court Entertainment | The Safran Company
Main Cast:

  • Milly Alcock as Kara Zor-El / Supergirl
  • Matthias Schoenaerts as Krem of the Yellow Hills
  • Eve Ridley as Ruthye Marye Knoll
  • David Krumholtz as Zor-El
  • Emily Beecham as Alura In-Ze
  • David Corenswet as Kal-El / Clark Kent / Superman
  • Jason Momoa as Lobo

Synopsis (via Letterboxd):

When an unexpected and ruthless adversary strikes too close to home, Kara Zor-El, aka Supergirl, reluctantly joins forces with an unlikely companion on an epic, interstellar journey of vengeance and justice.

My Thoughts:

A woman loses everyone she loves and drowns her sorrows on an endless pub crawl across the galaxy.  A girl thirsts for revenge for the murder of her family.  Together they go on a multi-planetary quest to save the life of a dog.  This is the premise of Supergirl, adapted from comic mini-series Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow by Tom King. While last year’s Superman brought a refreshing return to optimism in superhero film’s Supergirl strikes a darker chord.  This is not the Helen Slater or Melissa Benoist Supergirl. Jason Momoa adds comic relief as Lobo, an antihero mercenary, who at least is also pursuing the movies villainous Brigand Krem of the Yellow Hills.

Plotwise the movie has a lot of elements that feel familiar, even derivative of other recent movies.  The assemblage of different types of aliens in everyday settings is reminiscent of Guardians of the Galaxy, as is the needle drops of pop songs.  The Brigands are right out of the Mad Max series with their abduction of young women as brides similar to Mad Max: Fury Road.  And as with many movies over the past decade or so, it makes you want to shout at Hollywood producers to hire people who know how to do proper lighting.

While there are many entertaining action scenes, the movie works best when it’s a two-hander with Kara and Ruthye working through their respective pain, and become surrogate sisters to one another.  Milly Alcock and Eve Ridley bring a lot of humanity to their roles, and Craig Gillespie is smart enough to trust them in the more subtle moments.  While not the revelation that Superman was last year, it’s another well-done reintroduction to part of the DC Universe.

Rating:  ***1/2

Movie Review: Star Wars:The Mandalorian and Grogu (2026)

~ Liam ~ 4 Comments

Title: Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu
Release Date: May 22, 2026
Director: Jon Favreau
Production Company: Lucasfilm Ltd. | Fairview Entertainment
Main Cast:

  • Pedro Pascal as Din Djarin / The Mandalorian
  • Baby Yoda as Grogu
  • Jeremy Allen White as Rotta the Hutt
  • Jonny Coyne as Janu Coin
  • Martin Scorsese as Hugo Durant
  • Sigourney Weaver as Ward
  • Steve Blum as Garazeb “Zeb” Orrelios

Synopsis (via Letterboxd):

The evil Empire has fallen, and Imperial warlords remain scattered throughout the galaxy. As the fledgling New Republic works to protect everything the Rebellion fought for, they have enlisted the help of legendary Mandalorian bounty hunter Din Djarin and his young apprentice Grogu.

My Thoughts:

The Star Wars spin-off series The Mandalorian gets the full-camp popcorn movie treatment.  The Mandalorian Din Djarin and his apprentice Grogu (a.k.a. Baby Yoda) are now working for the New Republic hunting down the remaining Imperial warlords holding on to various parts of the galaxy.  Mando is assigned to help the Hutts rescue Rotta the Hutt in exchange for information.  But it turns out that Rotta doesn’t want rescuing and the Hutts and the Empire have a secret plot.

This movie has a single-shooter video game level of violence and it gets a bit tiresome seeing the Mandalorian easily defeat everyone in the room.  But the movie leans so hard into the action movie tropes so much that it all becomes goofy fun.  As stupid as much of it is, I couldn’t help smiling while watching this movie.  I mean, having one of the characters be a buff Hutt who talks like a surfer being put in increasingly unlikely situations, what’s not to love?  And when Grogu has to take turn rescuing his foster father, it is sweet and adorable.

I’m sure this movie is not for everyone, but it is enjoyable summer movie schlock which is more than can be said about the prequel trilogy.

Rating: ***

Anniversary Year Movie Review: The Black Pirate (1926)

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All throughout this year I will be reviewing movies celebrating an anniversary year.  Happy 100th birthday to The Black Pirate.

Title: The Black Pirate
Release Date: March 8, 1926
Director: Albert Parker
Production Company: The Elton Corporation | Technicolor Motion Picture Corporation
Main Cast:

  • Douglas Fairbanks as The Duke of Arnoldo / “The Black Pirate”
  • Billie Dove as Princess Isobel
  • Anders Randolf as Pirate Captain
  • Donald Crisp as MacTavish
  • Tempe Pigott as Duenna
  • Sam De Grasse as Pirate Lieutenant
  • Charles Stevens as Powder Man
  • Charles Belcher as Chief Passenger (Nobleman)
  • E. J. Ratcliffe as The Governor
  • John Wallace as Peg-Leg Pirate
  • Fred Becker as Pirate

Synopsis (via Letterboxd):

A nobleman vows to avenge the death of his father by the hands of pirates. To this end, he infiltrates the pirate band; Acting in character, he single-handedly captures a merchant vessel, but things are complicated when he finds that there is a beautiful young woman of royal blood aboard.

My Thoughts:

Douglas Fairbanks produced and starred in one of the first color feature films and made it an adventure with pirates!  Much swash is buckled in this film that may just have introduced many of the tropes of pirate movies.  As the only survivor of a pirate attack, Fairbanks’ Duke of Arnoldo disguises himself as The Black Pirate in order to exact revenge.  His plan includes capturing a ship, which turns out to have Princess Isobel as a passenger with whom he finds love at first sight. The movie is admirable for its stunts and action set pieces but gets pretty dull in-between.  Watching this I was reminded that I saw a scene from this movie in my high school film studies class.  It involved Fairbanks swimming, which he does a lot in this movie which is probably why his costume is a tank top and shorts rather than a typical pirate outfit.

Rating: ***

Movie Review: Miss Congeniality (2000)

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Title: Miss Congeniality
Release Date: December 22, 2000
Director: Donald Petrie
Production Company: Castle Rock Entertainment | Village Roadshow Pictures | Fortis Films
Main Cast:

  • Sandra Bullock as FBI Special Agent Gracie Hart/Gracie Lou Freebush
    • Mary Ashleigh Green as Gracie (age 10)
  • Michael Caine as Victor Melling
  • Benjamin Bratt as FBI Agent Eric Matthews
  • Candice Bergen as Kathy Morningside
  • William Shatner as Stan Fields
  • Ernie Hudson as FBI Assistant Director Harry McDonald
  • John DiResta as Agent Clonsky
  • Heather Burns as Cheryl Frasier (Miss Rhode Island)
  • Melissa De Sousa as Karen Krantz (Miss New York)
  • Steve Monroe as Frank Tobin
  • Deirdre Quinn as Mary Jo Wright (Miss Texas)
  • Wendy Raquel Robinson as Leslie Davis (Miss California)
  • Asia De Marcos as Alana Krewson (Miss Hawaii)

Synopsis (via Letterboxd):

When the local FBI office receives a letter from a terrorist known only as ‘The Citizen’, it’s quickly determined that he’s planning his next act at the Miss America beauty pageant. Because tough-as-nails Gracie Hart is the only female Agent at the office, she’s chosen to go undercover as the contestant from New Jersey.

My Thoughts:

A serial terrorist’s coded message indicates his next target is the Miss United States pageant in San Antonio.  As the only woman agent on the team, the tomboyish and disheveled Gracie Hart has to go undercover as the contestant from New Jersey.  This is the type of comedy that people say isn’t made anymore. While I mourn the loss of mainstream comedy movies, I also would hope that if this movie was made today they would avoid making most of the jokes be about FBI agents behaving like horny frat bros, the pageant contestants being ditzy and vain, and the ludicrous idea that we’re supposed to consider Sandra Bullock to be “ugly.”  There’s also a romantic subplot that feels tacked on with agent Eric Matthews being kind of a drip.  That being said the movie overcomes it’s weak material with some terrific comic performances by Bullock, Michael Caine, William Shatner, and Heather Burns as the sweet and clever Miss Rhode Island.

Rating: ***

365 Movies in 365 Days: Malaria (2013)

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This year I’m trying to watch one movie every day of the year, with the provision that the movie be no longer than 36.5 minutes long. I’ll be selecting movies randomly from this list that’s already way too long, but I still welcome suggestions for short films.

Title: Malaria
Release Date: January 10, 2013
Director: Edson Oda
Production Company: Zeeg Productions
Main Cast:

  • Antonio Moreno – Morte
  • Rodrigo Araújo – Mercenario

Synopsis (via Letterboxd):

A young mercenary is hired to kill Death.

My Thoughts:

A comic book come to life, a western, an existential crisis, and a hand-made film.  This Brazilian short has it all.

Rating: ****

Movie Review: KPop Demon Hunters (2025)

~ Liam ~ 1 Comment

Title: KPop Demon Hunters
Release Date: June 20, 2025
Director: Maggie Kang, Chris Appelhans
Production Company: Sony Pictures Animation
Main Cast:

  • Arden Cho – Rumi
    • Ejae – Rumi’s singing voice.
    • Rumi Oak – young Rumi
  • May Hong – Mira
    • Audrey Nuna – Mira’s singing voice.
  • Ji-young Yoo – Zoey
    • Rei Ami – Zoey’s singing voice.
  • Ahn Hyo-seop – Jinu
    • Andrew Choi – Jinu’s singing voice.
  • Yunjin Kim – Celine
    • Lea Salonga – Celine’s singing voice
  • Daniel Dae Kim as Healer Han
  • Ken Jeong as Bobby
  • Lee Byung-hun as Gwi-Ma

Synopsis (via Letterboxd):

When K-pop superstars Rumi, Mira and Zoey aren’t selling out stadiums, they’re using their secret powers to protect their fans from supernatural threats.

My Thoughts:

Huntr/x are a popular KPop girl group trio who also defend the world from demons who capture human souls and feed them to Gwi-Ma. Their music and the joy that it brings to their fans forms a magical protective shield called the Honmoon.  But the girls of Huntr/x also fight the demons in hand-to-hand combat with swords and knives.  Their busy lives have earned them a break, and Mira and Zoey just want to spend time on the couch consuming foods high in carbohydrates.  But the group’s leader Rumi is determined to defeat Gwi-Ma once and for all, because she’s harboring a deep secret that she won’t be able to hide from her friends for much longer.

Enter Jinu, a demon whose soul was harvested centuries earlier, who presents Gwi-Ma with a solution.  He forms an all-demon boy band called Saja Boys to defeat Huntr/x at their own game.  Saja Boys and Huntr/x begin openly competing for the fans’ affections, while secretly fighting over the fate of the world.  And yet Rumi and Jinu begin to make a connection that may offer another way out of their problems.

The movie is inventive and visually impressive in its animation.  I have little knowledge of KPop, but every song on this soundtrack is a banger.  And while this movie may seem silly on the surface, I think it does a great job of explore issues of mental health and being one’s authentic self.  Also, Zoey is my favorite.

Rating:  ***1/2

365 Movies in 365 Days: Life of an American Fireman (1903)

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This year I’m trying to watch one movie every day of the year, with the provision that the movie be no longer than 36.5 minutes long. I’ll be selecting movies randomly from this list that’s already way too long, but I still welcome suggestions for short films.

Title: Life of an American Fireman
Release Date: January 21, 1903
Director: George S. Fleming, Edwin S. Porter
Production Company: Edison Studios
Main Cast:

  • Vivian Vaughan – The Girl
  • James H. White – The Fire Chief
  • Arthur White – Fireman
  • Edwin S. Porter – Policeman

Synopsis (via Letterboxd):

Porter’s sequential continuity editing links several shots to form a narrative of firemen responding to a house fire. They leave the station with their horse drawn pumper, arrive on the scene, and effect the safe rescue of a woman from the burning house. But wait, she tells them of her child yet asleep in the burning bedroom…

My Thoughts:

In this early narrative drama, firefighters respond to a call and rescue a woman and child from a burning house. This movie is sometimes credited with pioneering cross-cutting although historians have learned that the movie was re-edited at a later date.  Nevertheless, it’s another fascinating glimpse into early American filmmaking.

Rating: ***

Movie Review: The Naked Gun (2025)

~ Liam ~ 4 Comments

Title: The Naked Gun 
Release Date: August 1, 2025
Director: Akiva Schaffer
Production Company: Fuzzy Door Productions
Main Cast:

  • Liam Neeson as Lt. Frank Drebin Jr.
  • Pamela Anderson as Beth Davenport
  • Paul Walter Hauser as Capt. Ed Hocken Jr.
  • Danny Huston as Richard Cane
  • CCH Pounder as Chief Davis
  • Kevin Durand as Sig Gustafson
  • Liza Koshy as Detective Barnes
  • Eddie Yu as Detective Park
  • Moses Jones as “Not Nordberg Jr.”
  • Cody Rhodes as Bartender
  • Busta Rhymes as Bank Robber

Synopsis (via Letterboxd):

Only one man has the particular set of skills… to lead Police Squad and save the world: Lt. Frank Drebin Jr.

My Thoughts:

I did not think that The Naked Gun needed a reboot but the reviews were good so I decided to see it.  While not as good as I had hoped, it is still a quite entertaining movie.  While remaining true to the spirit of the original, it is appropriately not too respectful to the past.  In fact the strengths of this movie is that it takes a contemporary approach to the ZAZ formula.  This means spoofing modern crime and action movies where the explosions are bigger and the fighting is constant.  Liam Neeson is far more violent than Leslie Nielson ever was.  The film also satirizes the real world with a theme of police violence and irresponsibility a constant target.  Meanwhile the villains of this film are the same type of libertarian techbros who have declared themselves the superior people of our world.  I’m honestly surprised that I haven’t seen any complaints from the usual sources that they made The Naked Gun “woke.”  Neeson embraces the role and does a decent job as Nielson’s heir, but the bigger success is Pamela Anderson who shows wonderful comic timing as the sister of a murder victim who becomes Frank Drebin, Jr.’s love interest.

Rating:  ***

Movie Review: The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025)

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Title: The Fantastic Four: First Steps
Release Date: July 25, 2025
Director: Matt Shakman
Production Company: Marvel Studios
Main Cast:

  • Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards / Mister Fantastic
  • Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm / Invisible Woman
  • Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm / The Thing
  • Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm / Human Torch
  • Julia Garner as Shalla-Bal / Silver Surfer:
  • Sarah Niles as Lynne Nichols
  • Mark Gatiss as Ted Gilbert 
  • Natasha Lyonne as Rachel Rozman
  • Paul Walter Hauser as Harvey Elder / Mole Man
  • Ralph Ineson as Galactus

Synopsis (via Letterboxd):

Against the vibrant backdrop of a 1960s-inspired, retro-futuristic world, Marvel’s First Family is forced to balance their roles as heroes with the strength of their family bond, while defending Earth from a ravenous space god called Galactus and his enigmatic Herald, Silver Surfer.

My Thoughts:

The good news: Sue Storm and Reed Richards are having a baby.  The bad news: the god-like Galactus is coming to devour Earth.  Worse news:  Galactus will spare Earth in exchange for the baby, and the people of Earth are pissed off when Sue and Reed say no.  This is the central conflict of this superhero story in which our heroes battle to save the world not just with a punch-up but with their intellect.  Reed is a scientist, Sue is a diplomat, Johnny Storm is good with languages, and Ben Grimm has compassion.  Oh, and they’re a family taking care of a baby who struggle to install a car seat.  To me, the Fantastic Four feel like the most “grown-up” of superheroes.

I haven’t seen any other Fantastic Four media to compare it with, but I thought this iteration of their story was well done.  Much like Superman, they skip the origin story and fill in the details of their back story with a talk show montage.  Also like Superman, the movie deals with serious, real life issues but avoids the cliches of “grim dark” storytelling while centering human kindness.  The aesthetic of this film is terrific, an alternate Earth with a retrofuture mid-century modern design, as if the whole world looked like the 1964 World’s Fair.  Michael Giacchino’s score also fits the vibe and stands out from the music of other movies in the genre.

Rating: ***1/2

365 Movies in 365 Days: The Mechanical Monsters (1941)

~ Liam ~ Leave a comment

This year I’m trying to watch one movie every day of the year, with the provision that the movie be no longer than 36.5 minutes long. I’ll be selecting movies randomly from this list that’s already way too long, but I still welcome suggestions for short films.

Title:  The Mechanical Monsters
Release Date: November 28, 1941
Director: Dave Fleischer
Production Company: Fleischer Studios | Paramount Pictures
Main Cast:

  • Bud Collyer  – Clark Kent/Superman/Scientist
  • Joan Alexander – Lois Lane
  • Jackson Beck – Narrator

Synopsis (via Letterboxd):

Superman battles a criminal mastermind and his robot army.

My Thoughts:

A villainous scientist, who never even gets a name, invents flying robots and uses them to carry bank heists and jewelry robberies.  Lois, as is here way, jumps right into one of these drones to get the story.  Naturally, Superman has to save the day, but I like her gumption.

Rating: ***