My guide to most of the new Movie and TV releases.
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Since re-starting the blog, Toy Story 5 is my first animation. In fact, you have to go all the way back to July 2013 (#270 - Monsters University) to see my last full animation write-up and, as time goes by (and the kids get older), I expect way less animations to appear here than in the early days however, it seemed a potentially fitting way to end this genre of reviews with a movie franchise that has been around for just over 30yrs!
Yes, it's hard to believe that Toy Story came out in 1995 - before the Millennium Bug, in a time where John Major was Prime Minister and Pierce Brosnan appears in his first Bond Movie. Blur & Oasis were battling in the charts and Father Ted made it's UK TV premier. In other news, Everton won the FA Cup and Frank Bruno was WBC World Heavyweight Champion!
However - when Tom Hanks and Tim Allen (then aged just 39 & 42 respectively) got behind the mics for Woody & Buzz - who knew that a 31yr franchise was about to be born and that it would transition an entire generation.
For those in the know - Toy Story 4 ended with Woody and Bo leaving the Toy-Box and heading out into the wider world to help rescue lost toys. Buzz was left with Jessie and Bullseye and our other long term characters with their kid 'Bonnie' who the original owner 'Andy' left them all to in Toy Story 3.
Bonnie now getting a little older and with all of her friends now into 'online' devices, tablets and phones - Bonnie is feeling very left out, as are her toys when she fails to make new friends to 'play' with and through sheer peer pressure, Bonnie's parents get her a Lilypad (basically a tablet) so she can 'fit in' and start making more friends.
Obviously, this is much to the annoyance of Jessie and the rest of the hoard who (along with the return of Woody) see it as their duty to convince Lilypad that 'Tech' isn't all it's cracked up to be and get Bonnie making real friends, which of course leads to some high-jinx and a morale that Tech can be useful and fun if used in the right way - but should not replace childhood make believe and imagination.
As parents - the story really does hit home - having boys ourselves who are constantly buried into consoles and phones we immediately saw the premise of the film, about real life connections being more important than on-line fakery but whether or not the message made it through to them is yet to be seen!
The Animation feels as fresh as it ever did - even after 30yrs it still looks as current now as it did advanced in the 90's - and when you see movies coming like Coyote Vs Acme where they have maintained original 2D cartoon artwork mixed in with live action - I don't think this genre is quite finished just yet!
All your favourites are back - albeit with some changes. The Potato Heads are re-cast due to the sad passing of the legendary Don Rickles (Mr Potato Head) in 2017 - replaced for this outing by Jeff Bergman (Don did appear in TS/4 - but by using archived only footage) & Mrs Potato Head (Estelle Harris) - replaced by Anna Vocino.
Combat Carl (originally Carl Weathers of 'Rocky' Fame) is now Ernie Hudson and Timothy Dalton's, Mr Prickle Pants is now played by John Hopkins. Bonnie also changed - but more because her voice actor(s) got older but, it was nice to see Keanu Reeves return as Duke Caboom - even though he's hardly in this one.
New characters include Lilypad herself, voiced by Greta Lee (Stella from The Morning Show) and new '1st generation' Tech-toys Atlas, Snappy & Smarty Pants who are portrayed as an early Sat-Nav, a Digital Camera and a Toilet Trainer - voiced by Craig Robinson, Shelby Rabara and Conan O'Brien who, after only months of play are already placed into storage, evidencing how fast Tech moves on compared to the years woody and the gang spent being played with across multiple generations.
There are enough adult-based jokes and chuckles to keep the parents entertained and I have to say - the whole experience was thoroughly enjoyable. I can't see any references to a Toy Story 6 and I think with the main cast now well into their 70's (even Joan Cusack "Jessie" is 64!) I just can't see them wanting to do another and there is no way you can replace the main cast!
Tom Hanks said he's only return for this if the script had real meaning and relevance - which this definitely does so having it last 5 movies across 31yrs, is a pretty good innings for this Story about Toys.
There were quite a few young couples in the cinema when we all went - but when you think most of them would have grown up watching these movies as kids themselves you can understand why. It's nostalgic, meaningful and very well executed and now that it's all over, you can definitely say this franchise went to Infinity - and Beyond!
I am well aware this is no longer a new release - however having missed it at the cinema, it's recent additional to Amazon Prime made it an accessible watch for a Monday night at home.
The premise if pretty straight forward. We learn early on that Millie (Sydney Sweeney) is a down on her luck ex-con, trying to get a job as a 'live-in' housemaid with a very exaggerated and falsified CV, in a bid to get off the streets, stay out of prison and keep her social worker happy. Her crime? Well, that gets explained later on however it's the lure of an amazing house and over friendly wife / boss, Nina (Amanda Seyfried) that make this opportunity too good to be true.
Enter husband Andrew (Brandon Sklenar) and seemingly spoilt brat Cece (Indiana Elle) who on meeting Millie for the first time, becomes apparent they had no idea that Nina is hiring and we enter into the first part of the movie.
Plot - get ready, this is very quick!
Things start out simple enough but literally come day 2, Nina's erratic behaviour and violent mood swings that appear to come from no-where and her constant lying, over time pushes Millie into the supportive arms of Andrew which of course, eventually leads to the 'inevitable' - however, all is not as it seems as the second half of this movie flips the script and you now see an empowered Millie siding with Andrew against Nina - but when Nina's story comes out - the penny starts to drop.
The culmination - a brutal encounter of get your own back (but on who?) and comeuppance for the guilty party - but I wont spoil it further than that.
It's entertaining - Seyfried is fantastic as the seeming un-hinged wife and Sweeney herself is knowingly adorable & sexy, yet carrying those hidden secrets. We have seen these two in quite a few releases over recent years however it's the portrayal of Andrew that get's my vote.
Starring in Yellowstone's 1923 as Spencer Dutton and as Atlas Corrigan in It Ends with Us we finally get to see a different side of him compared to roles he has played before. He's done lovelorn, heroic Cowboy and underdog, adorable love interest, but this is a step in a different direction that fits perfectly.
There are a dozen side stories going on - Andrew's requirement for adoration from the neighbourhood PTA Mom's - all swooning in his presence & his own Mother, underrated somewhat with very little screen-time from the brilliant Elizabeth Perkins (Weeds) that they could have done so much more done with it.
It's an adaptation from the 2022 book of the same name by Frieda McFadden and is actually the first in a series of novels, so Sweeny will return as Millie in The Housemaid's Secret - alongside Seyfried, Morrone (mentioned below) and with the addition's of Kirsten Dunst & Paul Anthony Kelly (as the presumed new homeowners) in 2027 but, that aside, this outing is billed as an Erotic Thriller but I'd say there's only really one proper sexy / erotic part and considering all the 'shock' meme's regarding the content at the time of it's release, I actually thought it to be pretty tame. Lets see what the next one brings!
My wife, (having read the book) said there were some notable changes, mainly the casting of the Groundsman - Enzo (Michele Morrone / 365 Days) who offered a very different portrayal to the elderly Groundsman in the book - and again, adding a tonne of sex appeal for absolutely no reason whatsoever as he's rarely seen thought the film - perhaps he'll get more of a showing in the sequel!
It's one of those films where once was enough - it didn't hold my interest enough to want to watch it again - and as with movies like "The Hand that Rocks the Cradle" - (similar-ish plot - albeit slightly reversed), once you know the outcome, you'll have no real reason to watch it back however as a one off - quite a cool little movie and a cheeky little eyeful for all those Sweeney / Sklenar fans to get a little bit excited about.
Fancy watching the Trailer? Click below.............
Since I saw the first teaser trailer for this (what feels like absolutely ages ago) I was excited for this movie.
Growing up as a kid I was a huge fan of Greek Mythology and my regular go-to book was a collection of short stories - covering many of the most famous tales so, to see this one made into an on-screen Epic, by Mr Hollywood Blockbuster himself (Christopher Nolan), I knew we were in for something special.
For those who are not up to speed on their Mythology - Odysseus rules Ithaca, and being Greek - was called upon by Agamemnon (Supreme Commander of the Greek Forces) to join him in the siege of Troy - initially as revenge for Paris (one of the son's of Troy) running of with Agamemnon's brothers wife - Helen (married to the Spartan King, Menelaus).
Although the story of Troy focuses more on Achilles - It was Odysseus who came up with the idea of the Wooden Horse - and as such, Troy's downfall - and that is where this movie starts.
The Odyssey tells the story of the 10yr journey home for Odysseus from Troy, and after such a long time away - back in Ithaca, tensions are mounting as wife (Penelope) is getting closer to having to take a new husband - much to the anger of Odysseus' son Telemachus, who needs to stand tall against a vile hoard of wannabe suitors to not only defend his fathers honour, but try and stake his own claim on the throne should his father not return.
This is a movie of two halves, edited together beautifully. We have the actual return journey for Odysseus and his crew with all the horrific events that befall them and back at home - the in-house struggles of Penelope and Telemachus trying to maintain some element of order in an ever increasing hostile environment.
The movie is broken up with flashbacks to the battle of Troy, to Ithaca in present day (and pre-war) plus Odysseus recalling parts of his journey and his home life while in the hands of Calypso as well as real-time events of the journey home so although it jumps around a bit, following the story never gets tricky and the 2hrs 52 minutes absolutely fly's by.
You cannot fault the cast line up gathered for this movie. Matt Damon is phenomenal as Odysseus and on his side - Anne Hathaway as Penelope and Tom Holland as Telemachus are both fantastic. Elliot Page plays Sinon - one of Odysseus' soldiers who is crucial to the Wooden Horse Plot and on their journey home they encounter Charlize Theron as the 'Siren' Calypso and the Witch, Circe - played by Samantha Morton, who provides one of the two gut-wrenching scenes of the whole movie.
Jon Bernthal plays the jilted Spartan King, Menelaus and Zendaya is Athena - Goddess of Wisdom and Strategic Warfare who appears only to Odysseus at certain points offering guidance and opinion - all that leads to helping Odysseus in his journey.
I mentioned the scene with Circe as gut-wrenching - and I wont spoil it, but if you know your Greek Mythology - you will know what her powers are. The other scene you cannot avoid is the Cyclops (Polyphemus).
Shot using a combination of CGI enhanced towering animatronic puppetry (that looks sensational) it's an awesome scene, actually filmed on location in Nestor's Cave - located in the Peloponnese region of Greece, with a 95 foot caverned ceiling, the cave itself is actually linked to several Greek Myths, originating at the same time - how about that for realism!
Everything about this movie is epic - from the real ships, the on-site locations and the thousands of extras - opting for large scale practical effects and techniques over green screen and CGI so you just know you are in for a cinematic treat. I sadly was not able to watch this in IMAX format - however considering how good it was in normal cinema scale - I envy those who do!
To round of the cast we have a few other famous faces. Back in Ithaca we have mentor to Telemachus and loyal friend of Odysseus, Eumaeus (John Leguizamo) and most notably - Robert Pattinson as leading suitor to Penelope, Antinous. (also a nasty piece of work!)
There is a little bit of artistic licence taken by Nolan on some of the plot ideas - there is less intervention from the Gods in the movie as there are in the prior telling's of these tales - but in no way does this take anything away from the story and I was glued to the screen for the entirety of the film.
I have mentioned, Calypso, Circe and the Cyclops as hurdles Odysseus has to overcome - but there are others. We encounter Sea Monsters, but only in a fleeting, albeit jumpy few moments on screen that won't disappoint and the Laestrygonians - a Tribe of giant, man eating cannibals who our band of warriors unfortunately encounter on yet another resource gathering stop over. It does feel most of the time, Odysseus and his crew are running for their lives, back to their ship on every island stop over!
We visit the Underworld, for some some dead solider conversation and advice for Odysseus on how to get home and the island of the Sun God (Thrinacia) where the starving crew are warned against easting the cattle - but of course, hunger gets the better of them.
The finale? (Spoiler alert) - well, Odysseus does make it home after all of that and the final scenes of him returning to his family, but having to fend off the desperate suitors is one of those movie moments where you get a shiver down your spine as Odysseus's presence among them is finally realised - and you just tee up for what is a totally awesome conclusion to this epic movie.
My only reservation - considering the Wooden Horse itself was made up of shipwrecked boats and driftwood - it was an absolute work of art! other depictions have it as a rough and ready horse on wheels - but this thing could have been sculpted by Leonardo himself - a little unachievable for my taste considering the tools and materials they had available to them - but that's just my opinion.
Other than that, you can't fault any of this - from the breath-taking locations and realistic set pieces, to the historical relevance of the the locations and fantastic acting from everyone involved.
No characters seemed out of place, over acted or non-relevant - some big budget stars having relatively small roles - all in the shadow of Odysseus himself and you just know, being a part of something this phenomenal was payment itself, just to be associated with this film.
I could go on and write more and more about this but I think that's enough for now. Go and see it - even if you don't know anything about the stories, the flashbacks give ample knowledge for what you need to know and just the cast alone is worth the cost of the ticket and finally, don't wait for the streaming release - see this on the big screen - the bigger the better!
If you fancy a cute, sad, sexy & adorable little Romcom ready to watch at home - then this move from Netflix has you covered.
(Some plot spoilers) Voicemails for Isabelle is the tale of two sisters - one living the 'teenage kicks' lifestyle while her younger, cancer stricken sister stays at home and lives her party lifestyle though her sisters experiences, albeit more often than not at the end of a phone line. They are as one - completely devoted to each other until their early 20's when Isabelle sadly passes away.
Grief Stricken by the loss of her beloved sister - Jill (Zoey Deutch - Anniversary / Not Okay) starts leaving voicemails on Isabelle's still active mobile - keeping her updated on life's loves and events however - unbeknown to Jill, Isabelle's number has been re-assigned to property broker Wes (Nick Robinson - Jurassic World) who gets these voicemails and instead of letting Jill know, continues to listen into all Jill's deepest 'sister' secrets during which time - this lost little lamb falls in love with the voice on the end of the line and decides to seek her out.
Of course - we all know he should immediately let her know the truth, but, for the sake of a plot - decides to play the innocent stranger, almost meeting as 'fate intended' and over the course of a few weeks, gets romantically involved with Jill - much to her delight and total confusion, as it's playing out how she dreamed it would (and we know why!) but of course - you can sense the crash is forthcoming when it all comes out and cue Act 3, if they'll ever actually make it through.
That's the plot - great idea, we have sort of seen it before with movies such as Love Again in 2023 (almost identical), You've Got Mail (1998), The Lake House (2006) & P.S I Love You (2007) but this one carries way more giggles and has a bit more sex appeal than the others all combined.
It's fair to say Jill's not backwards in coming forwards (early on) with cheeky encounters with media influences & creepy colleagues (all ending in disaster of course) while on the other hand - Wes is publicly dumped and hopeless at moving on, until he hears Jill's voicemails and becomes intent on seeking her out.
Set across Texas and San-Francisco, we also meet Wes' besties Andy & Breeda, a 'too sweet' couple determined to make sure Wes is happy and content, almost to be considered his voice of reason and on Jill's side - ever present Mom and Dad - Tanis Dolman (Fire Country) & Gill Bellows (Shawshank Redemption / Ally McBeal) as the parents intent on making sure Isabelle's memory lives on and Jill gets all the support she needs.
Smaller roles - Nick Offerman (Parks & Recreation) is Jill's awful Chef Boss - played with an air of sarcasm but very funny and (Adult) Isabelle herself, Ciara Bravo (Sadly, nothing I've seen her in prior) is totally adorable. Finally, the sisters as 'younger' siblings are played brilliantly by Alice Comer and Iris Everly.
The chemistry between all the cast here works really well - Zoey & Nick are great on screen together, as are Andy & Breeda (Harry Shum Jr. & Leah McKendrick) and if you're thinking Zoey Deutch looks familiar - well, she is not the daughter of Rose Byrne, as I believed - although on research, they are only 15yrs apart in age (not sure who I'm offending more with that comment!) - but she is the daughter of Back to the Future legend Leah Thompson.
It'll make you laugh - it's a bit sexy (nudity safe) - and it might make you cry, but all in all, it's another solid offering from Netflix.
If you're wondering if it will ever carry the same gravitas as the comparable films detailed above, well - that will all depend on how well Zoey & Nick do over the coming decades compared to the likes of Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan, Keanu Reeves, Sandra Bullock, Hillary Swank & Gerard Butler. We will just have to wait and see!
It's been 10 long years since the Horsemen last appeared on our screens and 13 years since their first outing (see Blog #269) which saw me raving about this new potential franchise that now in it's 3rd instalment, has opened itself up to a wider group of character and potentially there is more to come!
For me - the 2nd instalment lacked the presence of the first film, but that's all behind us as this 3rd movie is something pretty special. Initially you believe the 'original' 4 Housemen have returned (as Isla Fisher was swapped out in the 2nd movie with Lizzie Caplan) however it's 'all an illusion' as 3 newbie Magicians deep-fake the original Horsemen in a bid to complete a Robin Hood 'esq' theft (successfully I might add), just like in the original but that soon pulls Daniel Atlas (Eisenberg) out of hiding to track them down.
What plays out then is The 'Eye' (watch the first two films) wants these new kids PLUS the 4 originals back together - along with a small cameo from Morgan Freeman to carry out their biggest heist yet - the un-doing of Diamond Mogul (and nasty piece of work) Veronika Vanderberg (played by Rosumund Pike).
The 2013 cast are all back - Eisenberg (Atlas), Harrelson (Merrick), Fisher (Henley - Yay!) and Franco (Wilder) who in the 2013 Blog I referred to as 'a relative new-comer' and they are aided by Freeman and newcomers Justice Smith (Charlie), Arianna Greenblatt (June) & Dominic Sesa (Bosco).
There is a bit of friction with the old team getting back together after whatever 'falling out' they had which is thankfully soon resolved and a bit of beef between Bosco and Atlas - with the latter feeling the new kids need to 'prove' themselves (to him) to earn the right to become Horsemen but it's the 'Eye' who has selected them all for this task pretty soon they all just decide to get on with it.
The plot: They need to work together to raise the curtain and expose Vanderberg - who is using the family business to fund Arms Dealers via Money Laundering etc plus a few sub-plots thrown in but on the whole - very straight forward.
As you'd expect, with their skills being Magic and mis-direction we get to see a dazzling array of special effects which although appealing to the eye - most of it is highly implausible which does take away some of the authentic 'WoW' factor and with so many main characters, we really don't get to see much of any of them. The original 4 don't develop very much - except finding out Henley is now married with a few kids and they are joined mid-way by Lula (Caplan) so basically the whole band is back together again - or, newly all together for the first time!
The 4 Horseman are now 8, and following a few twists and turns and yet another 'hooded figure' equivalent that will keep you guessing throughout - its a movie that some would say is predictable - but is watchable and although probably doesn't progress the story any further - definitely adds more players.
Eisenberg is on form - Harrelson and Franco don't really seem to have their hears in it as for Fisher - although I adore her, doesn't have the same presence as the first film.
The new 3 are very good though. The Atlas / Bosco rivalry is compelling - Charlie is kind of the brains behind their tricks so seeming takes a back seat and June is incredibly likeable. They have a real sense of family the originals didn't seem to have and that plays to their advantage but is seemingly a little lost on the rest of the team but, work together they do - and it all works out well in the end.
For me - the first film was something really new and enjoyable. This one and its predecessor don't really have the same gravitas but they still stich together well as a trilogy and if the ending is anything to go by, we should expect at least one more outing for all 8 of the Horsemen before they put this franchise to bed for good.
The Running Man (circa 1987) featuring the larger than life Arnold Schwarzenegger was, and probably still is one my go-to favourite films. Easily watchable - great characterisations and a cracking plot idea - I remember seeing this 18 cert film way before I was supposed too, and have loved it ever since.
So when they announced a re-make I was excited but also hesitant, how would they do this - how good could it be with modern effects and staging and would it take over from the original in my mind. Well, Sadly - it's not really worked out that way for me.
Yes they kept a few of the main characters - Glen Powell (Top Gun: Maverick / Chad Powers) plays Ben Richards - but instead of a betrayed law enforcement officer running for his freedom, he plays a desperate dad, needing money for medication for his daughter. He's a loving and doting husband and father, as well as a very very angry man - sometimes overly so.
Dan (not Damon) Killian returns in the form of Josh Brolin but instead of the upfront egotistical showman, brilliantly portrayed by Richard Dawson in the original - this version of Killian is more a sneaky back-room Exec-Producer instead of the up-front headliner. There is a nice nod to Arnie, appearing on banknotes as the assumed American President, but other than that - the original characters come to an end.
The Running Man show is still comparable, but instead of a game zone / gladiatorial arena that sees episodes start and end in the same night - this time, Runners have 30 days to stay alive with 'Hunters' (and the public) hot on their tail - able to take them down anytime / anywhere and all filmed by hovering robot-cams. Win the show, and by 'Win' I mean stay alive for the duration - then $1B is the prize - a tidy sum for a desperate man.
I wont go into to much detail about how Richards ends up on the show etc as that is all explained quite early on, but I think the biggest disappointment for me was the replacement of the Stalkers with the new, Hunters.
The Stalkers are what made the original so good. Even now - Dynamo, Buzz-Saw, Captain Freedom, Fireball and Sub-Zero were all totally awesome. Loved by the studio audience in a "The Price is Right" style gameshow - Killian's engagement with them, the audience and the Runners was a joy and never got old, even after watching it dozens of times.
The new Hunters are just a bunch of balaclava clad hit-men, with no real personality or gimmicks to differentiate them and you didn't really care for any of them which did dilute the pressure Richards is faced with, in what seems a bit more of a 'relaxed' chase - albeit he is always required to be on his guard.
The original doesn't let up - from the prison break, to Richard's capture and entrance into the show - his pairing with Weiss and Laughlin, witty banter with Killian, the Shows 'lame' production team, battling the stalkers - the hidden revolution going on behind closed doors (with Mick Fleetwood of Fleetwood Mac fame), even managing to meet and get romantic with one of his running mates (we all loved Maria Conchita Alonso in that yellow spandex suit!), Arnie and the original just gave us so much more.
But this blog isn't about that one - and the new one does have some good bits to discuss. Michael Cera plays a helpful contact / aide to Richards and when discovered - his 'Home Alone' style house traps do add a few giggles, more for Cera than the audience but it's a fast paced 15 minutes that should have gone on longer than it did.
Another highlight was Alpine's new A290 EV that makes a star appearance towards then end of the movie & for a electric mini-hatchback, looks totally awesome!
All in all, as a standalone movie I suppose it's okay - the action (when it happens) is good, as are the fight sequences and Powell is a pretty decent headliner. The end seemingly comes out of nowhere - with almost no 'heroic return' to the studio for Richards to get revenge to the extent you saw in 87' at least - but it's there in part.
As a remake I think it's a poor attempt. I can see they probably didn't want to make it too similar - but the premise of the game itself was diluted too much for me and they lost me with the Hunters.
Arnie famously used his "I'll be Back" line in his version as Killian see's him off into the arena - and historically, this line never get's a comeback but Killian's quip of "only in a re-run" was the one time someone seemingly got a one up on him.
Well, if this was the re-run - I'll give it a miss. Sometimes re-makes work; The re-imagined He-Man: Masters of the Universe (Blog #316) was fantastic, it's just a shame this was the complete opposite.
A 'J-Lo' Rom-Com normally leaves little to the imagination. Girl meets guy - girl / guy fall for each other - throw in plenty of reasons for them not to be together, issues overcome - happy ending. In fact, that's not just J-Lo Rom-Com's - that's all Rom-Com's.
But, what happens if you add Roy Kent as the male interest with his totally watchable persona and colourful language - mixed in with J-Lo's ever adorable charms - is it any better?
Well, Office Romance which is new to Netflix is definitely a funny and watchable romp through a frowned upon blossoming Office Romance (clue is in the title!) between airline President & CEO Jennifer Lopez and in-house lawyer Brett Goldstein (Roy Kent in Ted Lasso).
Thrown together, due to the regular in-house lawyer and company stalwart Peter Vance played by Bradley Whitford (Handmaids Tale / The West Wing) being unavailable - characters Jackie and Daniel embark on a will they / wont they journey, against all in-house staff fraternisation 'HR' rules to try and contain their lust for one another - reaching high's and then low's that see us trundle through just under 2hrs hours of adorable giggles, colourful language (party down to Brett) and culminating with a pretty obvious ending.
Written by Goldstein himself - he really is playing the Roy Kent role to the extreme - very much typecast (I'm afraid to say) - the only real difference here was that Kent's Footie Kit was replaced with Blanchflower's well tailored Suit and although a little more polite and well spoken - it's still Roy Kent, C* Bombs and all.
There is quite a decent backstory here for most of the cast, Cruz, after taking over the family named airline 'Air Cruz', set up by her father (Captain Jack) has made it a global power and an extremely profitable brand - but there are board members who want her out - without any real explanation, that fuel her desire to succeed and in the shadow of her father, continues on trying to make her own name in the industry mean as much as her fathers.
There is the ever-present Executive Assistant Sydney (Betty Gilpin) who is hilarious as the all-knowing and extremely pregnant voice of reason to Cruz as well as a host of internal staff (Admin / HR) that all come with their little quips and quirks but the other notable presence is that of Goldstein's sister - played by Jodie Whittaker (Broadchurch / Doctor Who) who is Daniel Blanchflower's reason for being in America - to support his incarcerated sibling, banged up (admittedly) for murder is a great little distraction to the main plotline.
Yes it's predictable but remains funny at the same time and with some great 'off-screen' press junket's to boot, the on-screen chemistry between Lopez and Goldstein is actually totally cute and adorable.
Friday night in with your partner? This is a real winner.
Between 1983-1985, as a mere 7yr old with just 4 TV channels, no mobiles or online gaming, and growing up in a world very isolated in comparison to what kids are having to deal with today allowed us the opportunity to really play and engage with toys that didn't speak for themselves and needed us to create content and stories to bring what we had to life.
For me - that was heavily focussed on 4 things. Lego, Transformers, Mask & He-Man. Although I am over it now, seeing Transformers get a proper live-action movie makeover in 2007 did fill me with excitement at the time as all of these childhood characters I had watched in cartoon form & played with in plastic form were now front and centre on the big screen and it was great. Even the Lego movie to some extent was a joy and as for Mask (much lesser known but still very viable for a movie franchise) I'm still waiting!
Well, now it's He-Man's turn and okay, before you all complain - yes, I am fully aware this isn't the first He-Man / Masters Live Action movie.
2yrs after the original cartoon ended in 1987, Dolph Lundgren donned the furry hot pants and raised his sword with Frank Langella portraying a pretty scary Skeletor but my biggest gripe was it was set in America - not the land of Eternia. A young Courtney Cox was the earth heroine along with her boyfriend who had to help the Masters find the 'key' to get home - and that was it.
It was clunky - camp (not as camp as the cartoon) and just lacked the huge host of characters and backdrops the cartoon presented. It did have Man-at-Arms, Teela & Gwildor for the good-guys and Evil-Lyn, Blade, Saurod & Beastman for the bad, but there was no Battle-Cat (Cringer), no transformation (or back story) of Prince Adam having He-Man as his 'alter-ego' and so many other heroes & villains were missing. Sadly, it very quickly fell into the bargain bin of entertainment with no sequels even considered.
In a way I'm glad - with technology as it was, expecting to see a believable Eternia in the 80's could have looked quite 'Tron'-esq, but they could have gone down the Star Wars route which would have been better - as would seeing a cowardly green tiger becoming the mighty Battle-Cat and even the transformation of He-Man himself would have more resembled Bill Bixby's morph into Lou Ferrigno's Incredible Hulk in the 1977 TV series so perhaps although at the time it would have been cool - from a nostalgic perspective, it would have ruined the fantasy so at least they didn't do a completely terrible job of messing up my childhood memories!
However - 2026 is a whole new ball game and waiting 40yrs for this re-imaging to take place is probably not a bad idea as today's CGI can allow for a much more in-depth and believable realm - and OMG did they do it justice!
Firstly - let's talk Eternia. Its stunning - Castle GraySkull is epic as is Snake Mountain and when the movie opens with Prince Adam as a young child, its colourful - scary, desolate - bustling - it's Asgard meets Coruscant and they've done it brilliantly.
The movie is an origin story - Skeletor attacks Eterno (Eternia's Capital) with such shock and awe that his army catches everyone off guard and in a last ditch escape effort - Adam's parent see him off through a multi-dimensional portal, along with the Sword of Power to Earth - where after initially losing the sword during the journey - spends the next 15 years trying to look for it to go home.
Adult Adam is a bit of a dolt - working in HR, he is clearly frustrated about losing the sword so when he gets a lead on it, he drops everything (much to his line managers disgust) to get himself back home.
When he does - its a very different Eternia he is faced with under Skeletor's reign but his return prompts a gathering of his childhood heroes who band together to bring down Skeletor's evil horde and bring peace back to Eternia.
As for the plot - that's all you're getting. There is so much more I could write and I could go on for ages about the little nuances and easter eggs that are linked back to the cartoon and even the 80's Dolph Lundgren imagining with Dolph himself making a quick cameo but there are so many more moments to keep an eye out, if you know what you are looking for.
The cast is excellent - He-Man himself, Galitzine (The Idea of You / Cinderella) is brilliant, as are Idris Elba and Camilla Mendes as father / daughter combo Man-At-Arms and Teela. Other returning characters are Ram Man, Fisto, Mekaneck & Roboto - each brilliantly represented and there is a running joke about these names and how bad they actually are given how Adam refers to them growing up on Earth. Look out for plenty of adult innuendoes that will have the older viewers cracking up without the younger kids being aware to what's going on!
However - for me, the heroes are no match for the brilliant CGI and characterisation of the baddies. Trap Jaw, Spikor, Beat Man, Evil-Lyn and Tri-Klops just to name a few are so well conceived and designed that they really do steal the show but the standout performance (and I can't believe I am saying this out loud) is Jared Leto as Skeletor himself.
Leto has played an absolute blinder - he has not only captured the evil vengefulness of the 80's cartoon but also the mannerisms and comedy of Skeletor to perfection. You will laugh out loud with some of the dialogue and you cant wish for a more likeable villain than Skeletor - you will not be disappointed.
For me - it could have done with a little more of Battle-Cat, and characters such as Mer-Man make a single frame 'blink and you'll miss it' appearances but this just means the franchise still has plenty of momentum, something teed up in the post credit scene - they will be back!
For those who remember the cartoons always ending with Orko giving a morale to the story / episode then this also hasn't been forgotten (if you hang around at the end) and, without trying to detail any spoilers; I do hope they find a way to bring Leto's Skeletor back for a 2nd outing!
It was everything I wanted it to be. It bought back so many childhood memories (in a positive way) and although there was plenty of nostalgia and throwbacks for me, it also completely engaged our 12 year old and easily welcomed in a new army of fans - as I am sure Transformers did when it's first live action movie released almost 20 years ago.
