Aladdin 2019

Aladdin 2019 is Disney's latest live action remake based on one of their most popular animated films, one that I fondly grew up with and loved. Ever since the film was announced everyone knew it would be impossible to top the 1992 original with Robin Williams, and while that is true it's still a good film. While having the same story it does do things differently such as Jasmine leaving the palace from the start but doing so to know the people, Jafar not disguising himself to convince Aladdin to get the lamp, and what happens to Genie after he's wished free. Most of the changes made were done well and made some sense, though some odd and a few that feel forced at trying to be different. It tells its story well and many of the reused and new songs are just as well done as the animated version. The performances from Mena Massoud, Naomi Scott, Nasim Pedrad, and the rest of the cast are very powerful. Will Smith's take on Genie is a lot different from Robin's, where instead of doing it as a showy comedian with a lot of pop culture references the new Genie is more of an entertainer that wants to get the specifics right while trying to find the fun in anything. The direction of Aladdin 2019 is good, but Guy Ritchie's usual style isn't present so it's hard to remember a lot of the time that he directed. But still the effects are for the most part really good, especially when dealing with Genie, the set design and production value really makes you believe they're in the desert, and the costumes are beautiful. As for the pacing, there are times when certain scenes happen too quickly and then just go to the next to really enjoy them. Giving Jafar a bigger motivation in which he wants to rule Agrabah because of fear of other kingdoms attacking and having some similarities to Aladdin are great changes and thus foreshadow what Aladdin could have been. So while there are many problems and not on par with the 1992 classic, Aladdin 2019 is still very memorable and on its own is still well done. Over all: 97%

2019 top list so far:
1. Avengers: Endgame

2. Shazam!

3. How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World

4. John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum

5. The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part

6. Us

7. Aladdin 2019

8. Pokemon Detective Pikachu

9. Captain Marvel

10. Pet Sematary 2019

11. The Upside
12. Cold Pursuit
13. Glass

John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum

Raising the stakes as high as they can, John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum sees Keanu Reeves' unstoppable former hitman take on wave after wave of similar dangerous hitmen after a large bounty was placed on his head by the organization he worked for. Due to this, any help Wick tries to get are either reluctant or refuse out of fear of what the High Table could do. Despite not seeing the first film, knowing its very basic plot doesn't really hurt in the experience of this one. These films' biggest strongpoints come from the action sequences and the performances from the cast. Like before, the action and stunt sequences are well choreographed, shot eloquently, and edited smoothly without showing too many cuts and making them so clear. There are numerous moments when Wick has to improvise during a fight sequence because his usual method of using a handgun may not work and it is awesome. Though sometimes the constant gunfights happened too often and could get a little boring and basic. Even when some action scenes were magnificent there were times were it became a bit comical due to Wick and others being able to survive extreme forms of punishment. Halle Berry plays an old friend of Wick's who agrees to help, and the action sequence with the two and her dogs is really good but the camera lingers too much on the dogs as they still attack even when the enemies were shot dead. It's really interesting how it is hard to tell who's part of the organization or a regular person whenever you see a large group of people, and there are times where it feels unbelievable that not many people react to all of the violence and gun shots. What makes Reeves so great in this role isn't just the subtle but intense performance, but also just how quick he is when taking apart, putting together, and using guns and other weapons. Despite not having much of a resolution, now that Wick no longer wants to hide anymore and face the High Table head on it does get me exited for what he plans to do. Over all: 99%

2019 top list so far:
1. Avengers: Endgame

2. Shazam!

3. How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World

4. John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum

5. The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part

6. Us

7. Pokemon Detective Pikachu

8. Captain Marvel

9. Pet Sematary 2019

10. The Upside
11. Cold Pursuit
12. Glass

Pokemon Detective Pikachu

Pokemon Detective Pikachu is the first live action film based on the Pokemon video game franchise that first started in 1996. While there is an ongoing anime series with its own series of films, mangas, and a trading card game Detective Pikachu is set in its own continuity that's inspired by an adventure game of the same name. Much like the game, the film is more about solving a mystery than the regular capturing Pokemon and fighting with others. Justice Smith plays a former Pokemon trainer looking for his missing father in a city wherein humans and Pokemon are treated as equal, all with the help of his father's Pikachu that is somehow able to talk to him. I'm not a huge fan of Pokemon, as I stopped being interested when 4Kids Entertainment no longer dubbed the show, and was only interested once I saw the trailer and Ryan Reynold's voice coming out of Pikachu. While Detective Pikachu has a very standard mystery plot, the way it tells it and its writing is very fresh and unique due to adding the variety of Pokemon. The comedy is really good, especially due to Reynold's performance and how odd it is coming from a Pikachu. Due to how many Pokemon there have been since it all started, you expect the movie to be filled to the brim with the over 800 species there are, but it manages to perfectly limit itself to just enough so it won't feel so bloated. As for those that are shown, the effects manage to not only make them realistic but also capture their image from the game and shows very perfectly. There are some fun references and easter eggs to the entire franchise scattered about that hints at what future movies could deal with, and the fact that it never ends with a hint or an idea for a sequel is appreciated to keep it self contained. Though it does a few flaws, such as a lot of expositional dialogue and certain Pokemon related moments that feel shoehorned in to remind you what you're seeing that doesn't affect much of the story. Over all: 96%

2019 top list so far:
1. Avengers: Endgame

2. Shazam!

3. How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World

4. The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part

5. Us

6. Pokemon Detective Pikachu

7. Captain Marvel

8. Pet Sematary 2019

9. The Upside
10. Cold Pursuit
11. Glass

Deadpool Kills Deadpool

The third and final part to the Deadpool Kills trilogy, Deadpool Kills Deadpool is just as crazy, fun, and messed up as the first two stories. This third installment sees the main version of Deadpool, from the 616 universe, team up with alternate versions of himself to stop the crazed Deadpool from the first two issues in trying to destroy the entire multiverse by killing all versions of themselves. Along the way, the main Merc with the Mouth joins up with a female and panda version alongside a Watcher who looks over all Deadpools to not only fight the crazed version but others who have agreed with his motivation, like a Galactus version and one that's a cyborg. Deadpool Kills Deadpool continues the insanity with great artwork, dark comedy befitting a crazed loon, and a story so crazy that justified having hundreds of Deadpool. If I had some complaints I think they would be that a lot of the time when someone dies they always leave the same body parts behind and that I would have loved to see a bigger final fight between the main and killer Deadpools. So in the end, this and the rest of the trilogy were all a fun read that told a darkly comedic but also very epic story. Over all: 100%
Top list so far for 2nd set of comics:
1. Deadpool Kills Deadpool
2. The Tick: Free Comic Book Day 2018
3. Free Comic Book Day 2018: James Bond 007-VARGR
4. Free Comic Book Day 2018 Invader Zim: Floopsy Bloops Shmoopsy
5. The Legend of Wonder Woman (2015-2016) #1
6. Free Comic Book Day: The Legend of Korra & Nintendo ARMS 2018
7. Ant-Man (2015) Vol. 1 #1: Second-Chance Man Part 1
8. Batman/The Flash: The Button
9. The Adventures of Superman Vol. 1 #500
10. The Unworthy Thor (2016-2017) #1
11. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II #5
12. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II #6
13. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II #4
14. Thor: God of Thunder Vol. 1 #1
15. Wonder Woman Free Comic Book Day 2017 Special Edition (2017-) issue #1
16. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II #2
17. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II #1
18. Incredible Hulk (1999-2007) #92: Planet Hulk Part One
19. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II #3
20. Wonder Woman (2006-2011) #1
21. The Astonishing Ant-Man (2015-2016) #1
22. Star Wars: Rogue One Adaptation #1
23. Tate's Not At Comic Con Local Indy Anthology #8

Avengers: Endgame

To call Avengers: Endgame an epic and truly breathtaking piece of cinema history is not enough to describe the sheer brilliance, truly awe-inspiring, and the daring nature this movie goes through after over a decade of giving audiences over twenty movies that all told a grand epic story that this one concludes. After the two previous entries, this is the first film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe to be set after the events of Infinity War as it deals with the surviving members of the Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy figuring out how fix the universe due to Thanos wiping out half of the population with the Infinity Gauntlet. With the help of Captain Marvel and what Ant-Man went through in his second film, they travel the universe, time travel, and obtain the Infinity Stones. In the end they manage to not only defeat Thanos but also undo what he had done, though not without costs or sacrifices. For a movie that's a little over three hours long, there's so much in this that for any other film would feel cluttered, but Endgame manages to fit it all perfectly that you just want more by the end. The ideas they implement throughout the movie are so daring that they could have ended up going wrong in so many ways, but thanks to the Russo brothers' direction, the writing, and the performances by everyone involved it all works the way they expected. Even if it sounds crazy, this movie deserves to be nominated for Best Picture, while Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans should be rewarded for their powerful performances. Though the movie manages to finish storylines from the last ten or so years, there are aspects that will be crucial to the future of the MCU and events that foreshadow future stories and they are done in a way that was more subtle than how the series used to do at the start. There are jokes and comedic parts that work more than the ones that don't, the characters all go through very realistic traumas and struggles that make them relatable even if you don't agree with certain choices, and the effects of this film are the best that the franchise has had. Even the small things are well appreciated and are done as a love letter to the fans, like bringing back past actors or having a reference to one of the shows. By far the best thing that Endgame has to offer that is so iconic is the final epic battle that starts with Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America taking on Thanos, which then culminates with his army fighting not only the Avengers, but also Captain Marvel, Asgardians, the Guardians, Doctor Strange and other sorcerers, Wakandans, and Ravagers. If all that doesn't convince you to see this, keep in mind that it has a 96% percent score on Rotten Tomatoes and made a billion dollars on its opening weekend alone. Over all: 100%

2019 top list so far:
1. Avengers: Endgame

2. Shazam!

3. How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World

4. The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part

5. Us

6. Captain Marvel

7. Pet Sematary 2019

8. The Upside
9. Cold Pursuit
10. Glass

Pet Sematary 2019

Having previously been adapted thirty years ago with its own sequel, the 2019 Pet Sematary takes some different approaches to either the Stephen King novel or the 1989 version but still very faithful to its source material. Jason Clarke plays Louis Creed, a Boston doctor who moves his family to a small Maine town that harbors a dark secret. When his daughter is killed, Creed learns that there's an old cursed burial ground and uses it to bring her back to life, but using it has horrible consequences. There are many times where it feels certain scenes are way too slow and thus the pacing is very uneven. Even with weak pacing, there are certain moments that work really well at displaying very horrifying scenes that are hard to forget. Pet Sematary 2019 really knows how to set a dark tone, with a perfect atmosphere even if some of the story has issues that are never addressed to well, such as why the Creed family is constantly haunted by images even when they're far from their home. The best thing that makes it a very memorable horror movie is the strong performances from not only Clarke, but the rest of the cast as well such as John Lithgow and great emphasis on Jete Laurence as Louis's daughter not only when she's alive but when brought back to life. Over all: 92%

2019 top list so far:
1. Shazam!

2. How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World

3. The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part

4. Us

5. Captain Marvel

6. Pet Sematary 2019

7. The Upside
8. Cold Pursuit
9. Glass

Free Comic Book Day: The Legend of Korra & Nintendo ARMS 2018

With the first half telling a small story after the final season of The Legend of Korra and the other half  being a precursor to the Nintendo Arms video game, Free Comic Book Day: The Legend of Korra & Nintendo ARMS 2018 this is a small comic with very simple but well told stories. This comic is a mixture of many firsts, such as my first continuation from a different medium with the animated Korra to a comic book after it ended, first Avatar: The Last Airbender related comic, my first from Dark Horse, and the first time reading a comic related to a video game as well as a Nintendo property. The Korra story has her and Meelo find pets after the city was evacuated, while the ARMS story leads up to Spring Man's fight with 599 other contenders to become the best. As before, they're small but have enough going on to keep you invested, even if you haven't caught up or don't know much about them. The artwork for either stories are well done and capture the styles from which either of them originate. One makes you wish the show never ended, while the other makes you want to play the video game. Over all: 100%
Top list so far for 2nd set of comics:
1. The Tick: Free Comic Book Day 2018
2. Free Comic Book Day 2018: James Bond 007-VARGR
3. Free Comic Book Day 2018 Invader Zim: Floopsy Bloops Shmoopsy
4. The Legend of Wonder Woman (2015-2016) #1
5. Free Comic Book Day: The Legend of Korra & Nintendo ARMS 2018
6. Ant-Man (2015) Vol. 1 #1: Second-Chance Man Part 1
7. Batman/The Flash: The Button
8. The Adventures of Superman Vol. 1 #500
9. The Unworthy Thor (2016-2017) #1
10. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II #5
11. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II #6
12. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II #4
13. Thor: God of Thunder Vol. 1 #1
14. Wonder Woman Free Comic Book Day 2017 Special Edition (2017-) issue #1
15. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II #2
16. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II #1
17. Incredible Hulk (1999-2007) #92: Planet Hulk Part One
18. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II #3
19. Wonder Woman (2006-2011) #1
20. The Astonishing Ant-Man (2015-2016) #1
21. Star Wars: Rogue One Adaptation #1
22. Tate's Not At Comic Con Local Indy Anthology #8