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Reviews
Star Wars: Tales of the Empire: The Way Out (2024)
Most unearned and nonsense redemption arc in SW
At the start of this arc, Barris is languishing in the middle of a life sentence for telling a woman to force feed her husband nano bombs, triggering said bombs inside the Jedi temple as a domestic terror attack (thus killing numerous Jedi and non-Jedi temple workers), then killing innocent clones and framing Ahsoka for this crime.
Needless to say, starting this arc as if Barris is a typical Jedi, depicting the Inquisitor having to tell her stuff like "don't be merciful" or "stop fighting like a Jedi" and her doing things like balking at attacking someone because they're unarmed or lecturing another Inquisitor on how fear is an ineffective weapon, is completely nonsensical and a deep contradiction to her established character.
To use such innocuous events as villagers lying about a Jedi's location or an Inquisitor refusing to take a Jedi into the Inquisitorious as inciting events for Barris's redemption... far falls below the standard her past actions set. Some stranger whose character we don't know at all simply lying to protect someone they care about is not even close to a profound moment showing how fear is an effective tool to a literal domestic terrorist, nor does any aspect of this arc present a reason Barris should stop believing in killing innocents for a larger political goal. Nor do we ever see her self reflecting on how these events challenge her *own* past actions, not simply the work of the Inquisitorious. Any possible allusion to her domestic terrorism is vague and could easily instead be referring to her work as an Inquisitor.
This arc was already well past the point of comical absurdity before they tried suggesting these events as ones that would change Barris's canonical beliefs.
My brain is far beyond broken by this completely oblivious writing job, but it really is a nice cherry on top for them to imply that her and Ahsoka have a relationship after her "redemption".
I honestly still don't understand how fans can ignore the complete core character 180° and consider this arc acceptable, never mind good. This might have passed for an ok arc with a pretty decent ending had this been for a different Jedi turned Inquisitor, but Barris? The domestic terrorist *before* the Inquisitorius existed? In one of the most popular and well known arcs of The Clone Wars? It's an obvious and complete contradiction. 2/10 is extremely charitable to this garbage. It may have been good if this wasn't Barris, and for that I give it a little credit, but I shouldn't even give that. And to think they had the potential to explain why Barris became a terrorist, or how a terrorist might be redeemed, but instead they broke a fan favorite character to give another lazy, generic redemption arc.
Better Call Saul: Five-O (2015)
Amazing acting performances, good dialpgue
This episode illustrates very well how much acting performances and good dialogue can elevate an otherwise just *decent* backstory. Centering around how much we should let fear rule us, this episode tells a tale of how Mike's fear of challenging authority effectively kills and demoralized his son Matt. Matt's morality and the fear of his cop partners would always have resulted in his death, but reporting the instance might have protected him while retaining his honor. And now his further extrajudicial killing due to fear of challenging authority haunts him.
But what really shines here is Finger's performance, as well as his daughter in law's. The dialogue too is amazing and really brings the gravity of what these characters are struggling with.
9/10. The concept isn't absolutely incredible and we didn't have too much buildup to this imo, but it's done with flawless execution here.
Star Wars: Tales of the Empire: Devoted (2024)
Uh Barris isnt jailed for being an empath...
This episode opens on Barris Offee in Republic prison... but apparently everyone on the writing team and producing team forgot why she was there?
She wasn't there because she "fought like a Jedi" or "was merciful" or was a bleeding heart pacifist who won't kill unarmed people or other Jedi. She was imprisoned because she was a terrorist who got a wife to feed her husband nano-bombs, used him to blow up several unarmed Jedi and civilian workers, killed several innocent clones, and then framed her best friend.
Barris Offee is pretty much dead last in terms of Jedi who should have a post Order 66 arc of struggling between choosing to stay on the Jedi path vs grasping the power the Sith offer. She has already chosen to ignore feelings of empathy as directly stated in The Clone Wars for favor of exacting her own political beliefs. For her to be acting like a pacifist over complete strangers who aren't innocent or civilians like the *Grand Inquisitor* is beyond out of character.
If anyone had cared to remember who Barris Offee is, her struggles with the Inquisitorous might be learning how to hone dark side emotions rather than blindly leaning into them, or fighting fellow Inquisitors because they're only in it for survival or power reasons rather than idealism, or fighting the Empire's vision. Definitely not "omg I have to kill someone innocent or unarmed!"
This episode is insultingly dumb and straight out of the gate shows a severe lack of understanding or care for the character whose name they're using to sell this show. I give this episode a 1/10 since the entire point of it is moot and irrelevant and inconsistent to the character they chose to communicate it. The fact that Star Wars fans don't notice this complete character 180 is beyond mind-boggling.
Star Wars: The Bad Batch: Flash Strike (2024)
Where's my thematic conflict, Filoni.
Filoni I'm begging you for meaningful conflict. There's no good reason for Emery to seriously consider redeeming herself just because she was shamed by some clone or because some kid sought comfort in her. If it were a good reason, she would've turned already. Emery constantly used the inescapability of the Empire as her belief that prevents her from being empathetic to others, and we already have Omega back in prison, so why is there no conflict or communication here? Omega literally disproves time and time again the supposed futility of fighting the Empire, but the character who believes fighting the Empire is impossible doesn't spend a single second reflecting on that success. It's clear the writers don't even understand their own script.
This lack of thematic conflict is an enormous problem. The main reason Andor's prison escape arc was so compelling was because it actually had contlict that wasn't just plot, but character beliefs. Andor believes in fighting the Empire. Kino Loy believes accepting oppression is the only choice. The Empire believes themselves to be too powerful to be affected by ideas. But nobody gives Omega any pushback, and when Omega disproves another character's core beliefs, it isn't noted.
There are good bits here and there, like Rampart vs Crosshair, and it's cool to see Omega so confident, but everything lacks thematic punch and it's clear that nobody gave any thought to this story beyond its basic premises. The two or three ideas this writing team tried to stretch into a dozen episodes desperately need more than just a basic idea. 3/10 for a lack of anything to accompany Things Happening.
Star Wars: Tales of the Empire: The Path of Hate (2024)
Insipid
Good god this arc was boring. We almost never see thematic conflict or thematic struggle between or within characters, stuff just happens and it is not the least bit interesting.
And not to mention stupid. Why is this ambassador lady assuming that a known Imperial war criminal will just cave to like 6 guards? Why does she assume she will be able to reach the ship to make a distress call if she fails? Why does Morgan unnecessarily burn a forest?
There is something interesting in a character who chooses to ignore empathy because they were hurt as a young person and choose only to hurt others as retribution, but we never see Morgan in any real conflict besides slapping some sharp sticks against one another. No conflict, no story. Imagine if this was instead approached with even half the passion of the Spiderverse.
Loki: Glorious Purpose (2023)
Little too fast and loose for me
Throughout this series, I've felt that they have some great ideas, but with the execution they play a little too fast and loose, and here is no different.
Loki's arc of accepting loneliness and making peace with himself to be able to stomach that sacrifice is a very good arc, and a good thematic answer to the conflict of free will+suffering vs no free will without suffering. What a splendid ending for Mobius and I love the sense of age and tiredness we get from centuries time traveled Loki.
However, having characters *tell* Loki important philosophies instead of say acting them out and letting him choose story wise from his own experiences probably pulls a little bit of impact away from this.
It was also hard for me to grasp the parameters of the science of the story enough to get it. Even reading explanations of what the Loom and HWR does is confusing, and weird timing like having OB say "the branches are dying" *immediately after* Loki touched them obfuscates the plot even further.
I also wasn't the biggest fan of how Sylvie felt kind of sidelined in this finale.
Overall, I'll give it an 8/10, it's a great ending but qualitatively, I think it was a bit lacking.
Star Wars: The Bad Batch: The Return (2024)
Finally some drama but can we have some plot too?
This episode *finally* brings it back to good relationship conflicts and exploring those. Seeing Clone Force 99 begin to let go of their grudges and accept their brother back is some great cinema.
However
These big emotional moments are less good when you aren't constantly building up to and exploring them. I noticed this problem in the show Ahsoka too, where Filoni and his writing team has some great ideas for these emotional moments but fail to explore them much at all beyond the payoffs, and payoffs generally need buildup, and the more the better. We should've gotten more exploration of the Clone Force 99 relationship from Crosshair's POV in jail so we could have some buildup to the idea that Crosshair saved Omega where Hunter couldn't and holds that over him.
Another less than stellar part of this episode is the generic monster of the week thing. TCW was good at providing simple but unique plot backdrops to emotional arcs, such as the 2nd invasion of Geonosis providing a fun and engaging backdrop to the emotional arc of exploring the differences between how Anakin and other Jedi cope with the loss of people they love. The Bad Batch team has overdone the abandoned-Imperial-base-has-a-monster thing and making self aware jokes about it doesn't change that it's an issue. The plots feel threadbare and don't provide synergy to the emotional arcs like TCW did. I'm fine with varying ratios of plot:character, but these episodes don't do either to a high standard nor balance them to a high standard.
I'm not looking forward to new episodes because this plot problem and the lack of care to constantly work on setup makes the story feel drawn out more often than not. Yes there are some points where they do do this (Omega copying Crosshair), but as often they do not. I enjoyed watching this episode, but more and more this Star Wars era feels like quantity over quality and it's getting exhausting.
Loki: 1893 (2023)
Fair setup point
Although this episode doesn't have the strongest thematic throughline, it does some good setup with making Miss Minutes a terrifying force and establishing some dynamics around Victor. That being said, it's the brief thematic exploration that is provided with Sylvie's presence and conflict is very good. It's splendid to see her come to terms with the truth of what He Who Remains said and lose some of her revenge focus upon being faced with Victor Timely begging for his own agency, as she once did.
So overall, it's a good episode but not super great. It does what it needs to and has some great high notes, so 7/10.
Loki: Breaking Brad (2023)
Good return to thematic form
This episode brings us back to the central thematic conflicts of identity and free will, and it's good to see.
Now we see that free will comes with its own set of problems, and that the TVA grunts are struggling to give their own lives' meaning, afraid even. And we have Loki becoming more self confident in his own self belief, utilizing others' mistaken perception of him to do good rather than letting them define him.
Although we didn't have a super lot of build up to it, the emotional beat at the end after the pruning of hundreds of branches and the reveal that Sylvie kept He Who Remains' temp pad is a good ending that leads well into the next episode.
Star Wars: The Bad Batch: Paths Unknown (2024)
Much better than the premiere
While it's getting a little tired to turn a corner in Bad Batch and every time hear "I'm a clone like you" or "you're a clone like me", this episode does a decent job of contrasting the loyalty of the outcasts to each other versus the clones who were considered normal now coping with that outcast status and learning the importance of community within it.
Paired with a decent emotional tug with the clones observing the living space of Omega and such, it makes for a good episode with a somewhat entertaining action adventure. This isn't Filoni's greatest material, but it's enough to be a pretty good watch. 6/10.
Star Wars: The Bad Batch: Confined (2024)
Meh concept with meh execution
This episode is a super basic escape story, prisoner empathizing with enslaved animal, longing for escape, looking for escape, trying to impress their belief of escape on other prisoners, etc etc etc. There's nothing new about any of the concepts introduced nor is the dialogue, visual presentation, sound, pacing, or anything else standout in any way.
While yes it's not bad, it's boringly average. What Filoni's missed moving from action adventure to more drama-focus stories is that if you're going to pick a new genre, you have to stick with it and do what makes that genre worked. Clone Wars worked because while many of the stories and characters and moral questions were simple, it was a fun action adventure that excelled in that front.
Nothing about this episode excelled. The best drama makes use of more thoughtful dialogue, pacing, etc and can't any longer get away with the simplistic thematic elements like this episode attempts. You can't do drama if you aren't willing to do what makes drama compelling, just stick with action adventure.
So, I give it a 5/10. Super average not much to latch onto.
Loki: Ouroboros (2023)
Fun, solid premiere
The concept of timeslipping is a pretty smart way to cut up implications of the consequences of season 1, allowing plenty of tension to build as we're flashed glimpses of the danger that's been created.
But otherwise the episode doesn't do quite enough to build up that conflict with Variant He Who Remainses. I think the Time Loom is meant to be at least a constrictor of alternate timelines, but it's kind of vague and feels more pointed at being a way to save Loki rather than the universe because they still bring up "pruning the branches" and the central question with OB is how to save Loki initially. The episode also puts a lot more focus on this than dealing with the potential emotional fallout between Loki and Sylvie.
As a result the episode feels a bit tangential. A decent start to the season but not as good as it could've been nor as strong a start as S1.
Loki: For All Time. Always. (2021)
Good, but finale worthy?
Feels a lot like this show, like most of Disney+ originals, is also somewhat victim to the Disney+ syndrome. Not every story needs to fit this format, and it seems with a lot of shows they unnecessarily stretch a premise to try to make it fit a tv format of specific length.
Loki has a lot of great concepts, characters, and storylines, but they feel stretched and a little thinner than you'd expect on first glance. This 45 minute episode is basically just two people walking into some guy's house, and then two other people fighting. This can work just fine if the dialogue conflict is good, but it's just a little light and loose here.
While He Who Remains has a somewhat fun introduction with a guy who knows how everything happens, it pretty surface level. Pretty sure he just replies that he's tired or something when asked why he's motivated to hand over the reigns. The scene just doesn't feel fleshed out and it's hard to be as emotional as I think the show expects me to be when there's not quite that amount of emotional weight behind the conflict of Sylvie's urge for revenge and Loki's attempting to do the right thing. This doesn't feel like an emotional scene the writers were all that invested in, and while this isn't the finale for the whole show I think it's important to dedicate just as much effort to other emotional beats and if it's not working, layer more depth on or alternatively bake the execution more cutting.
So while this edged on being a great episode, it doesn't feel executed well enough to make it 9/10 territory.
La La Land (2016)
An Always Love
Did the love matter even if the relationship falls apart and you hurt each other?
This movie answers with a resounding yes.
Heartbreakingly, it depicts a harsh world stress a couple until they tear each other apart, and fling them away from each other. But through it all, their care and love and understanding for each other and their passions helps them each attain the passionate lives they hoped to lead. The end is an acknowledgement between Seb and Mia that their love did matter, that they made each other who they are today, and they thank each other for it even though now they could never be the couple they always hoped to be.
The use of music and cinematic language to communicate this is on point. The City of Stars song in particular is heartbreaking and well done. Overall, a nearly perfect movie.
The one thing that I think brings this down from a perfect execution of a splendid thing for me is the surprise dinner scene. To me, it feels like Mia didn't play much of a role in their relationship falling apart, and that her actions and motivations were less due to the world tearing her down and more due to Seb's lack of support where Vice versa cannot be said.
Perhaps Mia could've been gentler and more understanding of Seb during the dinner scene and we can attribute that to being where she failed to be there for Seb, but I'd have to think on that being enough. As it stands, Seb much more clearly failed to be there for Mia and to appreciate her love, as demonstrated with her debut one woman play.
Not only does the asymmetry of this feel unfair to Seb by the part of the writers, but it also feels like it makes both characters more plot devices for each other rather than either of them genuinely part of a protagonist dual. For Seb, I don't feel we get enough emoting from him at important moments like the loss of the relationship, and it feels like we follow Mia's story more. For Mia, this is because her actions and behaviors dont feel responsible for the tragedy of the loss of the relationship, it's something that merely happens to her, not because of her. Yes these characters *are* devices for each other's growth, but it's more compelling as a tragedy if they're more than just that.
Maybe this is a small gripe and maybe on a rewatch i can appreciate this or see it differently. But as it stands, it makes the characters feel unequal and fit more into cookie cutter roles rather than deeply fleshed out people in a deeply shown relationship. I would give this a 9/10.
Loki: The Nexus Event (2021)
Identity cannot be given
As expected, this episode delivers a really well executed theme despite only being the fourth episode in the series.
The TVA's insistence that purpose is given and can be taken away is subverted time and time again. Mobius, Loki, and B-15 all defy their given purposes, and Sylvie holds onto hers even when losing Loki. We start to see characters like Loki realize that purpose is taken.
Although not quite high enough on the runtime I think to make things super emotional (or perhaps this was managed intentionally), there are still profound moments that are touching whether or not they bring a tear to the eye, such as Möbius telling Loki he can be whoever he wants. 9/10 for perfect execution of a still developing idea.
Loki: The Variant (2021)
As philosophical as the first, with other implications
Much like the first episode, this one continues to explore the concept of free will and predestination. Many characters make fun of Loki's impression of his own self-determination and consider him as nothing more than a plaything in bigger games between Sylvie and the TVA.
Will Loki find his own self-determination and not just be in a fight for survival? It is unclear, but Sylvie seems to signify a way out of that dichotomy, as she is fighting the Timekeepers when she could just be hiding out in apocalypses for the rest of time. However, there may also be an element of her just lashing out angrily and not being truly self-determinant either.
This is a good theme to explore and the developing tension and characters and cool performances of other actors as being mind-controlled by Sylvie is mesmerizing. Very good storytelling, 9/10.
Loki: Glorious Purpose (2021)
Profound starting point
I'd say predestination encouraging insecurity is the central theme of this episode.
Loki tries to assert a grand predestination for himself as a way to cope with his weakness and insecurity, but instead discovers that this weakness and insecurity bastardizes his predestination and causes him to fail himself and others in almost every way possible.
TVA offers him a chance to find his own security once they give him the ability to move beyond his predestination, however there are cracks showing in the sense of destiny in the TVA as well, with a constant sense of insecurity and fear despite their power.
Ultimately, because of the instantly deep subject matter and the concise execution of showing Loki his predestination and stripping down his character, it's a pretty perfect introduction to this story. I am uncertain between considering it a 9 or 10 because ultimately as a pilot it doesn't get to go that thematically deep.
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Basic fairytale, only thing notable is artstyle
Pretty basic theme of not trying to be someone you're not but instead enjoying the different aspects of others but man does this movie do nothing to make this idea compelling.
Boogie makes a weird antagonist that's barely present and we don't really get a lot of emotional depth to Jack's arc and even less to Sally's who is pretty much just fantasizing about some guy she knows zilch about.
The romantic chemistry is also nonsensical as it's completely unclear what these characters have in their personality that make them attractive to fill a role in each other's life.
Ultimately it's a kinda fun and little bit funny fairytale-esque movie so I suppose who cares if it isn't literally Shakespearean, but frankly I'd just rather spend my time with other more iconic/compelling things. 5/10.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)
Perfect idea for a movie DNE perfect movie
This series has long been centered around the theme of not running away from your pain, and this movie continues this but also sets focus on the theme of not just facing your pain but actively repairing it.
Peter and Rocket both run for the comfort of other people, creating negative circumstances like Peter vying for a woman who will not love him. The antagonist also plays on this theme, torching every mistake he makes in the comforting hope of an impossible future.
Paired with things like animal experimentation, Quill's lost girlfriend, etc., it is very similar to Guardians of the Galaxy 1. And much like that first movie, its execution fumbles the story and emotional potential.
However, whereas GotG 1 had its potential undercut by larger problems, such as an over reliance on flat exposition, this movie's problems are more subtle and don't have an easy common thread to generalize the problem with the movie.
One of the earliest off-beats I noticed was when Nebula witnesses Rocket's origin. It's pretty profound and inspired to have one victim of cybernetic torture witness their friend's hidden past of being cybernetically experimented on. In theory it makes for a great scene, but it is weirdly undercut by Nebula one-upping her own pain by saying Rocket's was worse.
Firstly, how?? Rocket is mostly bodily intact, and the experiments done on him we're not intended for deliberate punishment and torture like Nebula's was. Nebula's anatomy is much more grotesque and implied to be extensively manipulated down to her mind and bones, whereas Rocket's seem less deep.
Secondly, this is an opportunity to establish an emotional connection between Nebula and Rocket, clumsily using it to say Rocket's pain is worse breaks that connection and implies that the torture hasn't been adequately shown to the audience and has to be told to us. Weird.
The second thing that threw me off was the implied existence of God during the Rocket Heaven scene. I understand that there being a happy afterlife poses a considerably better way to look at Batch 89's deaths, but I can't say how odd it comes in such a secular universe. I'm an atheist so I'm not sure I would ever find this compelling, but I do think I would have been less blindsided and more able to appreciate the moment had the theme of there being an actual God been developed.
Much of the finale threw me off in fact. One of the biggest things was all the side character plot resolutions. Themes like being a follower vs being who you want to be were never really explored with Mantis until the very last second. Or Kraglin and not listening to his heart.
There was also weird missed opportunities, like no child coming up to hold Drax's hand as Mantis leaves, showing how the temporary hole his friend leaves can be filled by being a good role model to the next generation. Also I can't really track what the whole "dancing is for idiots" thing was about and why Drax danced at the end. What was the thematic conflict going on there?
And finally, Peter expecting to only save the "higher life forms" is a really odd moment. This valuing one life over another thing is never really developed as a trait in the rest of the Guardians, but suddenly it's implied that Peter did have this value and it's immediately resolved by Peter and the Guardians helping Rocket save a bunch of animals.
Although this feels like a pretty big thematic gap in Rocket and Peter's stories, otherwise they are done pretty perfectly in comparison to the rest. Peter's arc about not using crutches in life and repairing his past is executed with no falter, and Rocket's acceptance of his past and righting the wrongs done to him felt very fulfilling (aside from the aforementioned sudden theology insertion and the weird incomplete resolution of his loneliness with the Guardians half broken up at the end). Rocket's is probably one of my favorite in fiction.
So I do think this movie is kinda overrated. The idea of it really is great and explains why people like it, but being attentive clues you into some big thematic and execution issues that make the emotional moments feel a bit off and less than you were expecting. I'd give the movie a 8/10 for being pretty emotionally compelling and funny but ultimately having some large hidden issues and execution problems.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)
Better than the first by a wide margin
It's funny, I had remembered GotG 1 as being much better than the 2nd, but now I find myself completely flipped.
Originally, I think I just remembered the premises for these movies, and the fact of the matter is that the 1st one has a much cooler emotional arc than the 2nd. Accepting loss and failing your mom by not connecting to her in her final moments hits a helluva lot harder in theory than the pretty basic theme of "appreciate what you have around you and don't lose touch to the good aspects of your life by fantasizing" centered around Peter realizing the blue gay was a pretty good dad for him.
But the execution is just so much better for this movie. It's also funny, the main improvement is the thing I suggested to help fix GotG 1. Both these films very heavily rely on exposition for emotional moments, but where the first GotG is stiff and not super compelling with the backstories, this GotG allows the actors and actresses to emote much more (and adds better context to flesh these things out like Mantis's abilities fleshing out Drax's sad nostalgia or Nebula and Gamora fiercely struggling in the cave). Which is what I suggested, better more emotional delivery of the exposition.
Both these movies still have a pretty cookie-cutter premise but this execution helps so much. The only thing that GotG 1 may have done better is the humor, but even that's unclear.
Ultimately though, the generic premise and theme holds this movie back from being perfect in my eyes. I suppose it's certainly a good comedy and does pretty well in the emotional department seeing as it's not a drama film and such, but still. I give it a 8/10, the comedy brings it up to be kinda memorable, and the execution makes it a good emotional experience. Just not the most deep or interesting movie.
Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
Funny but weak storytelling execution
From a storytelling standpoint, this film's theme is about accepting loss and not running away from it and becoming apathetic.
It's a nice theme, and the premise of using Peter refusing to hold his mom's hands in her last moments is an immensely strong story beat that ties in well to the Guardians moment at the very end.... But that's it.
The story never really develops and builds to this moment, obscuring the emotional impact of that final moment despite how good it is on paper. Most of the things that happen between Gamora dancing at the end and Peter being stolen from earth happen because the plot needs it to, and for no other reason.
One of the biggest problems because of this is the friendship of the Guardians and Peter's romance with Gamora. The story never takes the time to seriously flesh out the progress of the main characters from simply temporary allies to actual friends, one scene they're just working together, the next they're best friends.
As for Gamora and Peter, mostly the same problem. You *could* assume that Peter puts his life on the line for Gamora because she's the only person he's shared his mother's mixtape with and her dying is like an inner connection from him to his mother dying, but that's mostly guesswork. As for Gamora, maybe she just cares because Peter's the only person who's really looked out for her after being surrounded by "family" like Thanos? It just isn't developed. We get enough backstory exposition to make that educated guess, but it just doesn't mean anything because we never see that Peter refuses to share his music with other people he's met or the abusive relationship Gamora had with Thanos and his team. The result is an annoying romance cliche, they're both hot and leads in the movie ergo they're in love. Boring. Meaningless. There could've even been an emotional exposition of their backstories like Gamora and Thanos's throne discussion in Infinity War, but we couldn't even get that.
Forced relationships and no emotional depth makes the plot trivial, which doesn't serve the attempted emotional impact of the ending.
The humor is good yes and helps justify this movie's existence, but it isn't good enough or meta enough to make it great despite its atrocious execution. I remembered this movie being a lot better than this, so I'm kind of disappointed. Better than average but not much more than that. 6/10.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023)
Blew the first one out of the water
This one certainly took some time to process, especially since it's not all said and done and there's a sequel in the works to make the theme more clearly with an ending.
But I think I got it. The first movie's theme was about finding faith in yourself, I think this one is about being consistently faithful to what you know is right.
All our main spider characters from last time are being told that doing the right thing and saving their loved ones from a death they know is coming is wrong and will cause reality to collapse. A microcosm of this is Gwen's small completed arc, which has her being told that she should give herself up to her father despite it meaning that she and the entire city will be punished for her good deeds. Instead, she persisted in doing the right thing, saving others and appealing to her father even when it seemed fruitless.
Miguel is the true villain of this film, and represents the inverse. He has persisted in doing the wrong thing, whether that be deceiving his replacement theory or forcing others to allow people to die because "the continuum" (which will likely be revealed to be something about how he lost his replacement theory that Miguel misunderstood or didn't know or look for for a workaround). We will likely see in the future film how this was a mistake and will turn out poorly for Miguel and the people who he decided to protect. Dark Miles will no doubt be an extension of this.
Current Miles' family situation is already an extension of these themes. He persists in doing the right thing (Spider-man duties), but it's derailing his family life. The reason is because he doesn't do the right thing consistently enough. He should be honest with his family, but his fear and fear of the presumably false dichotomy Miguel and Gwen present him with of it not turning out well prevents him from doing what he knows is right.
A really good thematic framework but boy is this movie so much more than that. The tension throughout the moment we discover canon events to the very end, the sadness of Miguel's treatment of Miles and the sadness of Gwen trying to reach out to her dad was incredible. Whether it be the music, plot, characters, etc etc this movie was always on point and emotionally compelling. I definitely cried during the Gwen scene and geared up when Peter B explains why he had Mayday. After finishing this movie I had to take hours to process it all.
It's hard to rate a middle film without getting the entire picture of the wider story it contributes to since it doesn't really have a self-contained ending that will tie up the themes and elucidate the quality of the various beats in this story, but I think how this made me feels deserves nothing less than a 10/10 and I see no issue with anything about this story.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
So close to perfect
While not my preferred depth of story theme, the theme of finding faith in yourself is a good one and mostly very well done here.
On my rewatch I noticed just how satisfyingly sensible it is that Miles' leap of faith takes place after plenty of affirmation from his close family and communication of their own faith in him and respect for his autonomy.
The one thing I think they could've done better to make this breach 10/10 territory for me would be having better use of Miles' dad in the finale, bringing more hole the deep side of the simple theme. His encouragement of Miles felt off mark, less personal and connected to drive home the support and recognition his father has for him as a hero.
Aside from that, just constantly perfectly executed and hilarious. I didn't remember just how funny this movie was. For such a well fleshed out narrative with a good theme and unique storyline, it goes without saying that this is a top film in the greats.
And god the animation. What an incredible and interesting comic book art style. They constantly know exactly when and where to do what visually for the story and tone.
The music was pretty decent. All the original work was awesome like the Prowler theme, but I'm not the fondest of the very hip-hop trap tracks used, although I understand that is part of the character's taste and heritage. They just seemed a bit too stereotypical take drugs and do women rapper for me.
All in all one of the best movies there is, just a bit short of being perfectly compelling in my eyes, 9/10.
WolfWalkers (2020)
Charming and unique even in a tropey framework
The theme of this story is how we cope with fear. Initially, Robyn's dad, Robyn, Mebh, and Mebh's mom all deal with their fears in maladaptive ways. Robyn's dad and Mebh's mom pushes their children into restrictive and harmful unsustainable frameworks to keep Robyn from dying or being caged. Robyn and Mebh both lash out wildly and carelessly. To defeat their fears and the manifestation of them (the Lord Protector), they learn to have faith in themselves and each other.
Dealing with fear is a powerful theme especially when concise, and here it very much is. The fear and sadness were perfectly done with amazing scenes like Mebh crying over her absent mom or the discover of Mebh's mom or the scene where Robyn tries not to sleep. The story is very compelling and well executed, the characters charismatic and memorable. The only real drawback was that the story is a little tropey and reminiscent of popular stories like Beauty and the Beast or Pocahontas.
However, it's done well enough and uniquely enough to justify its self.
Aside from the story, the animation and music was excellent, the animation in particular.
I love 2D animation, which modern media has made a big mistake in forsaking, and this the best of it. It took some getting used to for the city (whose colors initially blended too much together for me), but otherwise the art is very communicative and beautiful. The fluidity and organicness is incredible, almost like they had a distaste for drawing with straight lines and rectangles (maybe a conscious metaphor given the story themes?). I feel like maybe they could've done some more visually spectacular things near the end than there were, but it's still good and has some of those moments (like the big tree fall).
The music is good but not on the level of like Pirates of the Carribbean. It works well for the story and features Running with the Wolves which I already loved, but I prefer most movies especially like this to have their own original soundtrack more in tune with the genre. I also prefer the music to be more memorable and unique, but that's on the edge of nitpicking with how well all these elements work with the story and serve their purpose.
So overall, I give a 9/10. Pretty perfect execution of the idea, but the idea wasn't too unique and the emotional themes weren't so deep, either of which would put it more into 10/10 territory for me. So certainly a great movie, but not quite among the absolute best.
Ahsoka (2023)
320 minutes by some1 who cared for 80
While only one episode is particularly bad in any way, the sum of all these parts is a little embarrassing.
Most of the show has characters just doing things and talking, neither of which ever seems to be intertwined very deeply into these character's main conflicts and motivations. The result is a mostly empty story with payoffs that in theory should be really good but only ever feel surface level because the conflicts they resolved were left in the background when there wasn't a big moment happening.
After seeing a lot of Filoni's recent work like Bad Batch or Tales of the Jedi, I think the problem is this: Filoni is all about the hug. He loved the idea of the hug, of this great catharsis and completion. But he doesn't really give any regard to the longing and loneliness. He doesn't know how to create that depravation and frustration, and that's what makes the hug so good.
The "hug" of Ahsoka finally accepting herself and her position as a remnant of Darth Vader only matters if we see and more importantly feel her being deprived of self expression and frustrated at her place in Anakin's legacy. It's not enough to show her crossing her arms and talking in a monotone voice, we need for her to metaphorically slap the paintbrush of her self-expression out of her own hand. Make her refuse to participate in Hera's cake candle blowing ceremony because she's afraid she'll Sith it all up. Make her slap her hand when she wants to touch Hera's kid because she'll spread her fear germs all over his Force. Seriously, draw. The conflict. Out.
The "hug" of Sabine accepting Ahsoka's company and acting selflessly only matters if we see and feel her deprivation of Ahsoka's love and frustration at how selfless acts have destroyed her happiness. It's not enough to show her looking at Ezra's hologram with a nostalgic look. We need to watch as Ahsoka ignores her every appeal for love. We need to see her lonely shopping in a Kroger. Why couldn't we have her break down into tears over just how isolated she is? Cool cool, we have a tough female protagonist. Can you imagine how compelling it would be to see that tough exterior crack and show her vulnerability! We do it with male toughy protagonists all the time and it's so cathartic!
Seriously.
Draw.
The conflict.
Out.
I don't like watching wastes of space. I don't like watching a moment that is super good and cathartic on paper kinda just feel like a smile from a completely uninterested waitress only interested in paying her bills. Filoni needs to learn the importance of the space in between his favorite little moments, and care for them just as much as his little faves. And he needs to use the dialogue and character direction to sharpen his ideas into cutting feelings. This 3 minutes of things Filoni likes expanded into 300 minute series just doesn't work. Every moment needs to serve a larger purpose and larger picture. The 3 minutes will only matter as much as the 297 do.