sequel – We Are Movie Geeks

THE SUPER MARIO GALAXY MOVIE – Review

April brings those showers, which may bring May flowers, and bring big box office returns for the movie studios. That’s because one of Pixar’s biggest rivals, Illumination Animation, is joining them in getting a two-month head start on the race for the usual Summer cartoon feature crown. Before Ryan Gosling blasted into space, Pixar’s HOPPERS ruled the multiplex. Now this new flick isn’t another entry in Illumination’s almost unlimited franchise DESPICABLE ME, nor those MINIONS. The studio has acquired some notable IPs, mainly the literary library of Dr. Seuss. But its biggest “get” was the deal with Nintendo, which spawned a worldwide ticket-buying tsunami almost three years ago. And so it’s no huge surprise that those heroic pumbers and their pals have returned in THE SUPER MARIO GALAXY MOVIE. Game on…

This one begins in a different world as Princess Rosalina (voice of Brie Larson) is getting the glowing star-like creatures called Lumas ready for bed (after a story, of course). But the “quiet time” is shattered by the arrival of a hulking robot/tank outside the castle. After a valiant effort, Rosalina is captured by the operator of the “war machine”, Bowser, Jr. (Benny Safdie). But one of the frightened Lumas manages to escape. Meanwhile, in the Mushroom Kingdom, those Brooklyn-born brother plumbers, Mario (Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day), are “on call”, along with a new assistant, the green baby-dinosaur-like creature Yoshi (Donald Glover), who can swallow almost anything and discharge it through his body in an egg. Mario’s a bit preoccupied since the big birthday celebration for Princess Peach (Anja Taylor-Joy) is later that day (he wants to give her a parasol and …his heart). The party is crashed by the escaped Luma, who tells them of the attack by Bowser’s son. Peach decides to mount a rescue of her “long lost” sister (they separated when Peach was a toddler), but they’ll need to bring along an unlikely ally, the now imprisoned and minaturized Bowser, Sr. (Jack Black). But can he really be trusted? And can this motley crew, including the mushroom Toad (Keegan Michael-Key), find Rosalina before Bowser, Jr. drains her of her magic energy, despite the addition of a new ally, the swashbuckling space pilot Fox McCloud (Glen Powell) and his flying squad?

Well, as is said with many sequels and franchise installments, if you enjoyed the first one, you’ll probably like this one (I suppose you could also say that about fast food spots, really). I wish I could work up more enthusiasm (mine is easy to “curb”), but I haven’t been part of Mario’s world since dropping many, many quarters in various arcade devices right after college (you can probably guess the year). And this flick feels as though you’re standing over somebody’s shoulder who is very…uh… proficient with the joystick (I’m stifling a “heh. heh.”) But then the youngsters love to watch countless streaming videos of folks racking up the big “scores’ on the games. So, this will easily satisfy the legions of fans, but there’s little to hook those “uninitiated”. Mind you, from an animation aficionado’s viewpoint, the look of the movie is pretty spectacular, packed to the brim with colors and bursting effects that seem to break out of the big screen. The script is just so-so, with most of the best lines going to Black and Safdie as the “Bowser bunch”. The returning voices are on the same level as the 2023 original. The new additions aren’t given much of a chance to shine, as Larson is in her MCU mode, while Powell is a more energetic “space jockey (think a younger “harrier” Han Solo). There are a couple of “name” cameos (Luis Guzman and Issa Rae), but I was pleased about a few cartoon voice vets who scored big roles, namely Kevin Michael Richardson as the wizard-like Kamek. The same trio of directors also returns, stuffing the film to the brim (and spilling over a bit) with settings and side characters, some extremely sweet (my teeth) and cute, from the popular game series, so the wee ones will be engaged, while the near-nonstop bouncing and frenetic stunts might pummel the “civilians” into slumber. I can respect the craft, though it all feels like an effort to re-energize the “brand” while not trying to expand its scope. But why am I kvetching, since it should swiftly zip past the billion-dollar box office mark, with another epic already being planned? Still, it would be nice if it grabbed us in the “feels” like those “returning soon” toys and those HOPPERS. While those die-hard players will give it unlimited stars, I can only muster up…

2 Out of 4

THE SUPER MARIO GALAXY MOVIE is now playing in theatres everywhere

READY OR NOT 2: HERE I COME – Review

Yes, it’s a week past Friday the 13th, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t be part of a fledgling fright franchise. Particularly a horror franchise, a concept that probably goes back to the Universal horror classics of the Golden age, starting strong with 19341’s FRANKENSTEIN (DRACULA was not as prolific, really). Hammer picked up the mantle in the late 1950s and into the early 70s with Christopher Lee as Dracula and Peter Cushing as Baron Frankenstein, though you can argue that American International Pictures had a series with the Poe adaptations from Roger Corman starring Vincent Price. He also did two films as THE ABOMINABLE DR. PHIBES, around the same time as those blood-suckers BLACULA and Count Yorga. At the end of that decade, extremely long-running franchises sprang from HALLOWEEN and FRIDAY THE 13TH. In the last few decades, we’ve gotten our current scary series, SCREAM, along with the FINAL DESTINATION. And then there’s the sub-genre of horror/ SF with ALIEN and PREDATOR. This new one is a bit of a hybrid, as it’s an action-oriented fright fest. So, are you all prepared for READY OR NOT 2: HERE I COME? Ya’ better be ’cause…” ollie, ollie, oxen-free”!

So, this new flick picks up right where READY OR NOT ended (almost seven years ago, c’mon). Bloody and battered Grace MacCaulley (Samara Weaving) is enjoying a smoke as the mansion of her new in-laws, the esteemed Le Domas family, goes up in flames. We hear the arrival of the paramedics and other disaster teams. As they question Grace, she faints from traumatic shock. While she’s “out”, word of the demise of the Le Domas dynasty spreads like wildfire to several other wealthy, influential families, who want to replace them as “Lucifer’s favorites” and rule the globe. It all starts at the Danforth casino/country club, as their trusted Lawyer (Elijah Wood), explains the demands of “Mr. Le Bail” to twin siblings Ursula (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and Titus (Shawn Hatosy). They, in turn, contact the other powerful families across the world. Meanwhile, Grace awakens in a hospital bed…handcuffed. Seems the police have lots of questions for her about that horrific honeymoon. But before the inquiries begin, Grace is reunited with her estranged younger sister Faith (Kathryn Newton), who is still the “emergency contact”, though they haven’t spoken for many years. As Grace is about to leave the hospital, all Hell breaks loose, and the MacCaulley sisters are knocked out by a gas canister. They awaken bound and gagged in the Danforth estate’s conference room, surrounded by members of the four families. The lawyer lays out the rules for a new “game”. Grace refuses to be “it” until Faith is threatened. The new “contest” involves the killing of the sisters before dawn in order for one of the families to become the new reps for the Devil. Can the still-recovering Grace protect Faith from these packs of wealthy predators and live to see a new day?

I suppose we need to begin with our only returning “survivor”, the fierce Ms. Weaving. Here she gets to add a few new “layers” to Grace, as the experiences of her “wedding celebration” have left lots of scars, physical and psychological. And she’s had little time to heal either (the hospital did do a pretty decent bandaging job). Weaving’s eyes project the fatigue of battle. But now she’s got a big reason to “soldier on”: the rekindled love for her sibling and a hope for reconnection. This introduces a terrific new character into the mix, sister Faith, played with spunky snark by the engaging Ms. Newton (one of the bright spots of the last dismal Ant-Man flick). At the first reunion of the two, she’s full of anger that masks the despair of rejection. However, when the s#*t goes down, Faith proves that the fighter’s spirit is in her, too. Newton sells both the stunts and the emotions. It helps that the ladies have a formidable “murderers’ row to play and literally bounce off. At the forefront is the eternal “slayer” herself, Gellar, who gives Ursula a ruthless, calculating edge and a razor-sharp wit and intelligence that helps her muzzle and restrain Hatosy as the deadly, demented Titus, the wildest of “wild cards.” Hatosy unleashes a white-hot demon who seemly “springs to life” as he delights in the torture of his prey. Here’s another nuanced role for Wood as the unwavering and enigmatic barrister, who is also a referee and executioner. Most of the other “hunters” are played for laughs by a talented ensemble. Standouts are Dan Bierne as the robe-clad, martini-swigging Danforth cousin, Kip, and Maia Jae as the spurned fiancée with a personal score to settle.

I referred to this as an action/horror entry, but it’s also a very dark, almost pitch-black comedic romp. It’s a satiric spoof of all the “evil rich” tropes, while being unafraid to go for big slapstick set-ups with gore-splattered (Jackson Pollock-inspired) gag pay-offs. This seems to be a “calling card” with the directing team of Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett. They directed two SCREAM installments and the equally bloody-fun ABIGAIL since the last tale of Grace. And Matt co-wrote this with returning scribes Guy Busick and R. Christopher Murphy. They supplied the MacCaulleys with lots of verbal burns and zingers that often land with more force than their combat skills. Plus, they concoct a multitude of clever ways for the baddies to commit their carnage with lots of dated devices (part of the family fortune’s past). The filmmakers keep the often convoluted plot from collapsing, while knowing when to slow things down a touch for a bit of sibling angst. Sure, the surprises from the first flick (the offerings to Mr. Le Bail) are absent, but the addition of Faith and expansion of the enemies help to make this a frenetic and still fun follow-up. So if you’re not too squeamish (I wince at the actors trying to get the sticky red goo from their skin and hair… yuck), then you’ll enjoy this “sudden-death” round of the “game” in READY OR NOT 2: HERE I COME. But, is it now “game over”?

3 Out of 4

READY OR NOT 2: HERE I COME is now playing exclusively in theatres

28 YEARS LATER: THE BONE TEMPLE – Review

Whew, now that is a really quick turnaround for a sequel (they way it sprinted to theatres in just a little over six months, you’d think that it had contracted the “rage”). Usually there’s at least a year between franchise entries, even if they were shot at the same time as the WICKED flicks or even more, like the last two “impossible missions” (who knows if or when we’ll have to endure the conclusion to FAST X). Then, this isn’t your usual “tent pole”, since the original sprinted out in 2002, its first sequel in 2007, then the follow-up last June. That installment was both a box office and critical hit, so a different director and much of the same cast are hoping that audiences will be eager to get out of the January chills and warm themselves by the fiery furnaces of 28 YEARS LATER: THE BONE TEMPLE.

When we last saw the preteen loner Spike (Alfie Williams), he was saved from a rage-infected pack by a group of track-suit wearing, platinum-haired young men and women. But as we see in the opening sequence, Spike might have gone from the “frying pan into the fire”, as he must face off against an older young man as his “initiation” into the group called “the Jimmies”. Watching over the duel is their leader, Sir Jimmy Crystal (Jack O’Connell), in his thirties, making him a veteran of the “plague” world. He “fancies” himself to be the son of “ole’ Nick” AKA Satan. Somehow, Spike triumphs, is dubbed the newest “Jimmy”, and is forced to join them in deadly attacks on human survivors on the mainland, encounters that end with Sir Jimmy orchestrating acts of barbaric cruelty. Meanwhile, Dr. Ian Kelson (Ralph Fiennes) is still tending to the title “Bone Temple”, or “memento mori” dedicated to the dead, the bone towers flanking a massive spire of human skulls. Kelson’s daily routine is broken up by visits (more like roaring attacks) from the hulking “alpha” of the infected, whom he dubs “Samson” (Chi Lewis-Parry). Those encounters turn into a game as Kelson waits until the giant is nearly upon him before using a long tube to blow a dart full of his special sedative, that renders Samson docile. The doctor soon comes to the conclusion that Samson actually welcomes the “rest” and often joins him for a brief “nap”. Kelson then begins to experiment on Samson and somehow is able to counteract the “rage”. However, his research may soon be disrupted when he and his sanctuary are discovered by the Jimmies. What happens when the worlds of these survivors clash? Who will claim the land, Sir Jimmy, Dr. Kelson, or perhaps Samson?

Probably the greatest performance from the last entry was from the gifted Fiennes as the somewhat still sane medical man, somehow learning to adapt to the hellscape of the plague -ridden countryside. Here he actually builds on that work (last time we didn’t meet him until well past the halfway mark), adding some new “layers” to this lonely soul. He shows us that Kelson is yearning for a real human connection, even if it’s with a “zonked out” behemoth. Plus, we get to see a bit of his eccentric side, as his main joy comes from his love of his 80s pop records. Fiennes captures our attention in every one of his scenes (he’s got a long overdue date with Oscar). His character’s “inverse” may be the charismatic O’Connell as the cunning, cruel, and still a bit charming Sir Jimmy. He may be the “wildest card” in the twisted pack of Jimmies, who has a teen idol’s swagger while putting a Manson-like spell on his faithful followers. After his splendid work last year as the “boss vamp” in SINNERS, O’Connell is quite the engaging movie monster. Williams commands our interests and elicits our sympathies as Spike, still a boy, as he tries to survive this world and his still painful family loss. Luckily, he’s got a caring surrogate “big sis” in the enigmatic Erin Kellyman as “Jimmy Ink”, the gang’s “enforcer” who has freed herself from the “cult” of Sir Jimmy. Kudos also to the compelling physical presence of Lewis-Parry who gives some unexpected vulnerability, showing us that like the Frankenstein monster, he could have his cloudy savagery cleansed by a bit of kindness.

Earlier I mentioned that this installment boasts a different director. Taking the reins from Danny Boyle is the versatile, visually elegant Nia DaCosta (after last year’s “chamber drama” HEDDA). She clues us in, with the searing brutality of “Spike’s test” that this second act of a planned final trilogy, won’t dance around its violent, visceral origins. In other words, the blood does flow, like a red storm over the gorgeous green English countryside. The screenwriter of last June’s entry, Alex Garland, does return with a tale that echoes several horror survival themes, showing us how the uninfected humans can be more deadly than the screaming charging hordes. We’re even given an “origin story” set at the beginning s of the “rage”, reminding us that these mindless monsters were exactly like us. What really surprised me this time was the unexpected bursts of very dark, nearly pitch black, humor, especially in the final showdown. Ah, but it’s not really “final” as an epilogue promises another glorious glimpse into this altered Earth. Let’s hope our next visit, probably not a quick seven months wait, will be as well produced and as full of conflict and compassion as 28 YEARS LATER: THE BONE TEMPLE.

3.5 Out of 4

28 YEARS LATER: THE BONE TEMPLE opens in theaters everywhere on Thursday, January 15, 2026

AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH – Review

Director James Cameron is back with a third installment of his AVATAR franchise, which continues to deliver astounding visual effects and world-creation at the highest level. In the first film, a human expedition looking for resources to extract is sent to world called Pandora, a place with an un-breathable atmosphere and inhabited by tall, blue, technologically less-advanced people, dispatches a Marine, Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), in the form of an avatar that looks like the forest-living Na’vi people, to learn more about them. But after falling in love with a Na’vi warrior woman, Neytiri (Zoe Saldana), Jake switches sides and leads a rebellion against the humans. The second film takes place some 15 years later, as Jake, wife Neytiri and their kids hide out from the human among some beach-dwelling peoples, pursued by Jake’s nemesis and fellow Marine, Quaritch (Stephen Lang). This third one, AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH, takes place shortly after that second film.

The main reason to see AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH, are the spectacular visual effects and it’s breathtaking world-building. The 3D visual effects are immersive and beautiful, with one breathtaking vista after another. AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH continues to astonish with innovative visual effects that combine motion-capture and digital effects, like the first film, and now including 3D like the second one, but the effects are even more fully integrated, allowing one to entirely be enveloped by its imaginary world. The impressive effects even continue in the scenes with regular non-CGI or motion-capture actor, creating a seamlessly believable world.

Since the outstanding visual effects are the major reason to see this film, the best way to do that is in a theater, on a big screen with 3D capability. If you watch it on a small screen at home or on a phone, you will be missing out most of the reason to see it at all.

The reason why that matters so much is, despite all that visual effect artistry and technical dazzle, the characters and story do not reach that same high level, remaining familiar figures from a classic hero’s tale, with the addition of a historical tale of a colonial or corporate power moving in on a less-technological indigenous one. These indigenous people are aided greatly by that fellow who switched sides, which sets up a David and Goliath / underdog tale.

Action is plentiful and looks great but the story adds more and more characters without expanding on the ones already there. The main characters remain underdeveloped, being either noble good guys or evil bad ones. The story focuses on battles and those breathtaking new vistas but that can hold audience interest forever.

The effects are 3D but the characters remain 2D. It is not the fault of the cast, but the writer. The characters are written to be simple: Worthington’s Jake is noble and brave, Saldana’s Neytiri is emotional and protective, Stephen Lang as Jake’s enemy is relentless, while Giovanni Ribisi’s corporate boss is greedy and heartless. If the story is familiar, the audience has to care about the people in the story to maintain interest, and that means making them more real, more rounded and full-developed.

This story introduces new peoples on Pandora, with peaceful trading peoples who travel through the air in ships attached to blip-like floating creatures. There is another, less peaceful group too, the raiders/pirates known as the Ash People, who prey on the traders and others less warlike folk.

Quaritch, now also using an avatar body, sets out to make contact the war-like Ash People, with the aim of forming an alliance. He hits it off with the Ash People’s fierce, fearless, blood-thirsty queen Varang (a splendid Oona Chaplin, granddaughter of Charlie Chaplin), and a deal is struck.

Meanwhile, Jake struggles with getting the Na’vi and water-based Metkayina Clan to consider using human weapons that he retrieved from the water after the last battle, rather than just bows and arrows. Jake and Neytiri, in addition to their own kids, have adopted two more: Kiri (Sigourney Weaver), the Na’vi child of the avatar of the scientist played by Sigourney Weaver in the first AVATAR, and a human boy nicknamed Spider (Jack Champion), the biological son of Jake’s enemy Quaritch, who needs a special mask to breath the air, a mask that has to be continually replenished to keep him alive.

Stephen Lang’s Quaritch and Oona Chaplin’s Ash queen are by far the most interesting in this one, but if left undeveloped, will just join the crowd of cookie-cutter characters. The story is packed with action and battles and so full of twists (and new characters) that there isn’t much time to do much with this growing cast of characters anyway. But failing to develop the characters beyond the two-dimensional means that maintaining interest in the familiar tropes of this tale will become increasingly challenging.

Reportedly, director/writer James Cameron has two more of these visual effects extravaganzas in the planning stage but unless he starts creating depth to this characters to sustain this hero tale, he is likely to see waning audience interest, something already underway. It can’t just be pretty pictures.

AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH opens in theaters on Friday, Dec. 19, 2025.

RATING: 2.5 out of 4 stars

THE SPONGEBOB MOVIE; SEARCH FOR SQUAREPANTS – Review

And just what type of feature film has been at the top of the box office for the last couple of weekends? Oh, and it just became the biggest grossing flick of 2025 (we’ll see if that holds with the Nav’i arriving from Pandora this Friday). I’m talking about ZOOTOPIA 2, an animated feature film. And a sequel that could be part of another ongoing big franchise. That’s not too unusual for movies from the “mouse house” (and their Pixar partners), but rare for others. Sure, there’s DreamWorks with SHREK and ICE AGE from Blue Sky (actually now part of Disney). Well, there’s now Paramount Animation whose lil’ yellow, smilin’ hero is headlining his fourth big screen adventure, all since debuting on the Nickelodeon cable TV network way back in 1999. So let’s travel to Bikini Bottom via the multiplex for THE SPONGEBOB MOVIE: SEARCH FOR SQUAREPANTS. Whew, to paraphrase another seafarer and the poster, “we’re gonna’ need a bigger marquee”.

To start this tale of deep sea exploit, we’re treated to a prologue from a live-action pirate who tells us of the legend of the Flying Dutchman. Not to worry kids, we’re quickly reunited with our guy, Spongebob Squarepants (voice of Tom Kenny), who’s very excited at his pineapple home. Turns out he’s gotten taller, actually tall enough to ride the roller coaster at a nearby amusement park, Glove World. Yes, he’s a “big guy”! His BFF Patrick Star (Bill Fagerbakke) join him on this momentous trek. Ah, but the very dangerous-looking ride causes Bob to have a “change of heart”. Yup, he’s the “chicken of the sea”. The duo head back to the Crabby Patty diner, where the owner, Mr. Krabs (Clancy Brown) teases him with tales of his past “daring do” showing off his own “swashbuckler certificate”. Hoping to earn one of his own, Bob and Patrick go through a secret trap door, to Krabs’ old artifacts and “knick-knacks”. Somehow, the duo pass into an “ultra secret” section that has a portal to the pirate ship of the Flying Dutchman (Mark Hamill). It turns out that he’s tired of being a green ghost who must sail the seven seas for eternity. He has a chance to be human once more via a magical device that can only be activated by “the purest innocent”. Sounds like our “big guy” Bob. As they sail away, Krabs and Squidward (Roger Bumpass), head downstairs and try to follow the ship to rescue Bob and Patrick. Can the squabbling pair catch up to the Dutchman before Bob somehow sends the old pirate into the real world? And would Bob replace him as the captain of his ghostly vessel?

It’s amazing that the veteran voice ensemble (past 25 years already) can still bring such sprightly energy to the “core” cast of characters, particularly the gifted vocal styling of Mr. Kenny (Bill, Clancy, and Roger aren’t “phoning it in”, though they could). Now, with this outing, they’ve brought in a few more actors into their “play pen”. Hamill is the perfect craggy, cranky green pirate ghost, while Regina Hall make for an excellent “first mate/assistant” Barb. As good as they are, the visuals really have to sell this story. While the original TV series and the first feature were produced in glorious “hand-drawn” 2D-style “classic” animation (though I’m guessing some “flash” was in use), the producers have completely-embraced fully-rendered, rounded, textured 3D CGI tech. Happily none of the rubbery expressions and exaggerations are lost, as the artists really make the cast very expressive in their physicality, often recalling the “loonier” art of Bob Clampett (a “touchstone” in zany poses). And we even get some live-action actors and settings in the big finale, though they can’t compare with the eye-popping splendor of the undersea backdrops (what they can do with the sand and sea greenery). The only problem with this is the exhaustion from the manic “in your face” pacing, which was meant to keep kids engaged, but is so draining for over 90 minutes (maybe this would’ve worked better in a multipart TV miniseries). You really need some time to catch your breath, since there aren’t big musical numbers or any quiet interludes. Yes the visuals are superb (some “gross-out” close-ups feel like the handiwork of Spumco, the Ren & Stimpy studio, stalwart Vincent Waller), but it really begins to blend together by the third act. But the overall quality is maintained after all this time in the “briny deep” so that longtime fans (the original TV viewers can bring their kids and maybe grandkids) will get a nostalgic charge out of THE SPONGEBOB MOVIE: SEARCH FOR SQUAREPANTS. Oh, and the TMNT short that proceeds it is pretty clever, too.

2.5 Out of 4

THE SPONGEBOB MOVIE: SEARCH FOR SQUAREPANTS opens in theaters everywhere on Friday, December 19, 2025

ZOOTOPIA 2 – Review

What’s this? Or maybe I should say, “What’s gnu?”. We’re almost at the end of the year, and we’ve got a flick that hits the usual Summer “sweet spot” twice. Yes, this is an animated feature, and it’s a sequel, though it’s been nine (!) years since the original opened, time enough for a whole new “moviegoer generation” (back before home video, Disney would re-release their classics every seven years, as a kind of “turn-over”). And much like the return of THE BAD GUYS, we’re back in a world without humans, just cute (mostly) adorable animals. And at the heart of the story is a most unlikely, very odd couple. Oh, and now they’re both “on the force”, so it’s “buddy cop” movie, too. The “Mouse House” hopes that everyone will want to join them on their new “case” in ZOOTOPIA 2.

After a brief flashback back to the finale of the original, we’re soon return to the wild streets of “Tundra Town” in Zootopia with Det. Judy Hopps (voice of Ginnifer Goodwin) and her partner Det. Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman). Somehow the bust of a smuggling ring goes, well,”bust” as the bunny and fox end up destroying the statue of the beloved creator of the “Weather Wall” (which generates vastly different climates with the city, that allows the various mammals to co-exist). Of course, they’re reprimanded by their boss, Chief Bogo (Idris Elba) and taken off patrol duty (riding a desk). But does this stop the ever-upbeat and curious Hopps? No, she spots a logo on footage of the smuggler’s van that connects it to a big fancy museum gala that will showcase the original design book of that Weather Wall with the offspring of the inventor, the wealthy and powerful Lynxley family in attendance. Hopps and Wilde don disguises and sneak in. But just as Hopps has a friendly meet up with the less-celebrated of those heirs, the bumbling shy Pawbert (Andy Samberg), someone cuts the lights and the treasured book is snatched. The police duo corner the thief, who is revealed to be a pit viper named Gary De’Snake (Ke Huy Quan). How can this be? Reptiles were banished from Zootopia years ago. When Gary escapes, Hopps and Wilde must use all their sleuthing skills to learn the true origins of their home, before sinister forces destroy it.

Wisely the producers have assembled a stellar vocal cast mixing the usual celebrity “star” roster with a few cartoon voice vets like Maurice LaMarche (forever “The Brain”), Bob Bergen, and Debra Monk. Since he’s been so prolific “behind the mike” we could add Patrick Warburton, who is quite funny as actor turned politico Mayor Windancer ( love how he constantly whips his mane), along with Alan Tudyk (the studio’s “good luck charm”) as several supporting characters. As for the “big names”, Goodwin and Bateman are still are a terrific pairing as Hopps and Wilde with her sprite-like sunny energy and his laid-back cool. Ditto for Elba’s intimidating, “bass-heavy” Bogo. A few of the “newbies” really shine. Quan gives the slithery Gary a real sweetness as he tries to toss away his species’ “bad rep”. Samberg conveys a needy, goofy quality as Pawbert. As his father Milton Linxley, David Strathairn, is quite effective as the impossible to please tyrant of a papa. Another big addition comes from the world of stand-up as comic Fortune Feimster puts an energetic, frantic spin on the conspiracy-lovin’ podcast-hostin’ beaver, Nibbles Maplestick.

The directing team of Jared Bush (who doubles as screenwriter) and Byron Howard return to ensure the same excellent artistry of the original. This film will benefit from multiple viewings, since it’s almost impossible to consume all of the “eye candy” that fills nearly every frame with witty visual puns and bombastic sight gags. Everywhere, there’s a pun-filled sign or an interestingly garbed animal engaging in a wacky bit of business. Of course, the latter begins with the superb character design, ranging from towering elephants and rhinos to the diminutive mice and moles. The artisans really had a “field day” with Gary whose elastic coiling torso balances an almost angelic face (even with the fangs). But then all of the physical acting (such emotive gestures) are top-notch. Michael Giacchino contributes a score nearly as light and bouncy as his work on the Fantastic Four flick. Critter-loving kiddies should be in “hog heaven” as they ID the astounding variety on screen, though the too-convoluted conspiracy plot line (almost a stumper for Benoit Blanc) may leave them lost in the various twists and turns (simple’s always better, along with a slightly-shorter runtime). Otherwise, this is a superior bit of family entertainment, ZOOTOPIA 2 is a nice extra dessert (along with that pumpkin pie) for this Thanksgiving.

3 Out of 4

ZOOTOPIA 2 arrives in theatres everywhere on Wednesday, November 26, 2025

WICKED: FOR GOOD – Review

So, here’s a riddle that could flummox a few filmgoers. When is a sequel technically not a sequel? Now, we’re not referring to a number following a title (GODFATHER II comes to mind), or an entry in a series (as with James Bond or even Sherlock Holmes). That’s when a new film is a conclusion, ending a big story that’s split in two, usually shot at the same time. Pierre Spengler and the Salkind family famously produced two 70s adaptations this way, with the Three Musketeers (allegedly some of its stars weren’t told the movie was going to be split) and the big budget Superman (replacing the director for the concluding flick). That method was revived with Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings and Hobbit films. And when the last Harry Potter book was too epic, it was spread over two (as was the big Avengers/Thanos battle). Now, we come to the case of a big Broadway stage musical hit (it’s still running there), that the producers felt was just too complex for one cinema experience (plus, they could perhaps double the box office). The “first act” was a huge smash at the end-of-the-year holidays in 2024 at the multiplex, so now they’re hoping that much of that massive audience will want to “return to Oz” in 2025 for WICKED: FOR GOOD. Grab your brooms and wands…

The fantasy fable begins just a few miles from the Emerald City as the Wizard’s workers and official guards crack the whip on some harnessed lumbering beasts (looking like a hybrid of the buffalo or yak) in order to finish the long, winding Yellow Brick Road. But those abused animals have an unlikely rescuer. Soaring down through the clouds is not a caped superhero, but a wicked witch, Elphaba (Cynthisa Erivo). She frees the creatures after a brief battle, then heads skyward. Meanwhile, the Emerald City and Munchkinland are littered with banners, posters, and leaflets warning the populace of this “green-skinned menace”. There, her old Shiz College roommate Glinda (Ariana Grande-Butera) is the spokesperson (a bright, calming face) for the Wizard (Jeff Goldblum), while Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh) is his crafty consort in the shadows. The duo convince Glinda that it would help unify the citizens if she announced her engagement to the newly appointed Captain of the Wizard’s Guards, Fiyero (Jonathon Bailey) at that day’s big city ceremony. This comes as a surprise to him, since he still secretly harbors feelings for the “enemy of Oz”. Later, Elphaba encounters several animals trying to leave Oz through a tunnel under the YBR that would lead them to a desert land far away from oppression. She tries to rally them, but the animals reject her when a certain timid feline explains that “El” cast a spell that made the monkeys sprout wings. From there she visits her estranged sister Nessarose (Marissa Bode)who has been appointed governor of Munchkinland after the death of their father. In her office, her former beau Boq (Ethan Slater) is now her servant and is prohibited from traveling, along with all the Munchkins. After enchanting Nessa’s shoes (really slippers), Elphaba is stunned when her sister snatches her book of magic, the Grimmerie, and tries to put a love spell on Boq. When this threatens his life, El uses her powers to avert a fatal tragedy, changing him forever. It’s then that she decides to return to Emerald City to strike a truce with the Wizard to free the animals. This also results in a happy reunion with her “Shiz sister”, but El soon learns of the Wiz’s sinister future plans. As she speeds away on her broom, Morrible hatches a deadly plot. She’ll use her weather manipulation magic to endanger Nessa and lure El to her doom. But what happens when an innocent from another world is thrown (lands, really) into the conflict o Oz?

While the focus of part one was “up for grabs” (and wasn’t Universal a bit wicked for hiding that “listing’ in the 2024 marketing), here it’s clearly Erivo as the often distraught but determined Elphaba. Sure, she’s an avenging rebel in many sequences, streaking out of the sun with more speed than any action hero from Marvel or DC, but there’s a real sadness hovering just under that pointy hat. Erivo’s haunted gaze informs us of her sacrifices, as she must endure the vilest of hateful propaganda in order to help all of Oz. That’s in addition to her musical mastery that’s matched by her best screen partner, Grande-Butera as the now “less-flighty” Glinda. She’s also torn by her faith in the Wizard and her still-present affection for her Shiz sister. We get fewer funny moments with her this round (only a couple of “hair-flips”), as the character becomes more, dare why say, introspective, even examining her privileged younger years. This time out, Bailey is more of a swashbuckler than a flamboyant song-and-dance dude as the now military-minded Fiyero. Ditto for the much darker, dramatic turn as the tormented Boq. His former sweetheart has also taken a turn to tyranny, and Bode as Nessarose conveys her conflict as she yearns for the better times with her sister and old beau. And is there a better devious duo than the quirky but still charming Goldblum and the slinky, sinister Yeoh (love her sneering at Glinda) as the Wizard and Morrible? Happily, Bronwyn James and Bowen Yang return as Glinda’s old classmates, Shenshen and Pfannee, who are now Oz PR staff while bringing some much-needed levity.

Finishing the fantasy is director Jon M. Chu (unlike Richard Donner on the 78 Superman), who keeps the story rolling along and even inserts an action thriller aesthetic recalling his time in the GI Joe franchise. But he really shines in crafting the incredible production numbers, either the soulful ballads by Elphaba and Glinda or the big brassy bits with nearly of the Emerald City, which is just as gorgeous and green as before. Yes, like the first half, the production design, costumes, and backdrops (all the colorful flora and fauna) are delicious eye candy (what a great fodder for a “making of” coffee table tome). The expert effects work add to the visual wonders, with CGI making us believe in the Oz animals (especially those “winkeys”), even helping to put a new spin (no doubt to appease MGM/WB) on that iconic OG quartet. And in order to fill out the story’s second act (on stage, act two is usually shorter) musical wiz Stephen Schwartz has created a couple of new tunes. They’re hummable, but the real highlight is the title number “For Good”. But really, the most sensational songs are in the part. Nothing here has the infectious bounce of “Popular”and “What is This Feeling?” or the soulful yearning of “The Wizard and I” (the “I want” number) or the soaring majesty of “Defying Gravity”, but they’re going for the action and drama which isn’t quite as fun as the “big set” and character intros of last year’s flick. Still, this is a big splashy spectacle which should delight fans and families (though the tots may need some help through scarier violent bits) who want to continue the epic fantastical fable that concludes (maybe) with WICKED: FOR GOOD.

3 Out of 4

WICKED: FOR GOOD is now playing in theatres everywhere

PREDATOR: BADLANDS – Review

In a flip from the recent Summer movie fare, let’s take a break from the serious “award-bait” cinema of the current Fall/Winter works and head to the multiplex for a big, loud, thrill-packed SF flick. And talk about “flips” this new release turns the usual movie marketing trend on its ear. While some films like COMING TO AMERICA and HAPPY GILMORE had sequels that went straight to streaming decades later, this newest franchise entry in a series that begin all the way back in 1987 is in theatres after the previous two went right to Hulu. Yes, from big screen to small (er) screen then back to the big screen (not that the last two weren’t worthy of a wide run at the multiplex). Oh, and it’s not a remake or rehash, but rather a fresh spin as we span the galaxy with PREDATOR: BADLANDS.

Here’s one bit of “freshness”: this story actually begins on the predator home planet of Yautja Prime where the “runt” (actually just around six Earth feet) of the “hunter clan”, Dek (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi) is being “put through his paces” by his tutor big brother Kwei (Mike Homik). The training lessons are cut short by a brutal family tragedy, which traps Dek on Kwei’s spacecraft cruiser. Its onboard navigator whisks him away to the savage, distant planet Genna. Dek had been preparing to travel there in order to “earn his cloak” by defeating a beast that had claimed scores of his kin, the towering killer colossus Kalisk. But first, Dek just has to survive the place, since a new unknown danger seems to lurk around every bend. When it appears that he’ll be a meal for the ferocious forest (the tree limbs are alive and hungry) Dek hears a voice calling to him. It is a human-looking woman who calls herself Thia (Elle Fanning). After he heeds her advice and survives the attack, Dek locates her and is surprised to see she’s missing her lower half. Thia explains that she’s a “synthetic” (much like a robot or android) who was damaged and separated from her “team” that was sent to capture the very same Kalisk for her “makers” at the Weyland-Yutani Corporation (yes, the same company creeps from the ALIEN series). She promises to help him if Dek can return her to her ship, where she hopes to connect with her “twin sister” Tessa. Ah, but it turns out that the Kalisk-damaged WY ship is able to repair Tessa and her army of male “synth” drones. Joined by a fiesty local beast dubbed “Bud”, can Dek and Thia survive against Tessa and her team after they are tasked by “mother” to not only capture the Kalisk for the company, but also “acquire” the lone Yautja predator and his weaponry?

What really keeps us invested in this tale filled with special effects wizardry and action-packed chaos are the two terrific performances at its center. Foremost is Schuster- Koloamatangi who informs us of Dek’s inner-turmoil and profound sadness through his body language, since most of his features are CGI augmented (mainly those “pincer” jaws and mouth, though much is also told with those wide yellow-tinged eyes). Sure, he’s got that warrior swagger down, but somehow this predator commands our empathy as he strives to prove himself and shatter his image as an “outcast”, while now being “the hunted”. Talk about your “family issues”. I’ll be interested in seeing this actor in more roles sans alien enhancements. Adding to his surprising humanity is the pairing with Fanning who almost “steals the show” as the chatty and very,very emotional “artificial” (her eyes state “property of WY Co.”). Thia is very funny, as many of her exchanges with Dek simply drip with snark, be she’s much more than a “sassy bot”. Fanning shows us her compassion for the “runt”, while not hiding her own sadness as she yearns to be with her sister. Let’s hope the fantasy settings don’t distract from Ms. Fanning’s talents, which should garner her many supporting actor nominations.

The guiding force behind this excellent “reboot” trilogy (along with the Hulu exclusives PREY and PREDATOR: KILLER OF KILLERS) is director Dan Trachtenberg, who worked with Patrick Aison on the screenplay based on the original film script from Jim and John Thomas. Despite Fox Studios attempts to revive the franchise in 2010 and 2018, the series seemed to be defunct, even after two dust-ups with the ALIEN, he has proved to be this franchise’s Frankenstein, sparking new interest from older fans while capturing so many newcomers. Every aspect of the production is top-of-the-line, from the look of the different planets (Genna seems like Australia on steroids) to the creative weaponry (love the glowing red tether lines) to the immersive booming audio. (really try to see it on a big screen with a superior sound). Who would think that, since its introduction in the original, we’d be rooting for an offspring of the monster trying to whittle down “Ahhnold” and his merry band of mercenaries in the jungle. It’s a “thrill-ride” that doesn’t forget to engage us with the heroes and villains. Plus, I really enjoyed the “borrowing” from the other Fox franchise, adding to their mythos. Here’s hoping that Trachtenberg and company can continue guiding the series in theatres (though his last two are worthy of a Hulu “trial”) after basking in the edge-of-your-seat triumph that is PREDATOR: BADLANDS.

3.5 Out of 4

PREDATOR: BADLANDS is now playing in theatres everywhere

BLACK PHONE 2 – Review

Hey, Halloween’s just a couple of weeks away, Hollywood studios! So where’s the new spooky, scary flicks? Well, we’ll have to wait another week or so for the new version of Mary Shelley’s classic, so how about a sequel to one of the surprise horror hits from four years ago? And it’s from the classic “monster-maker”, Universal by way of the “ghouls” that dwell in the Blumhouse. Concerned about the number in its title? Perhaps knowing that they got “the band back together”, namely the cast along with the directors and co-writer, should erase your worries. What’s that ringing noise? Do you dare to pick up the receiver and answer the call of BLACK PHONE 2?

It all actually starts with a flashback set in the late 1950s. A teenager trudges through the snow to a desolate telephone booth, somewhere in a frigid forest clearing. After a very odd, even cryptic conversation, the story springs forward to 1982 Colorado. Just outside the high school, a young man is viciously pummeled by Finn Blake (Mason Thames). Luckily, his sister Gwen (Madeleine McGraw) pulls him off the lad. Despite being the young hero who ended the murderous reign of “the Grabber”, Finn is still challenged by bullies. But that’s not their only problem. Though papa Terence (Jeremy Davies) is finally sober, Finn is now the substance abuser, numbing his damaged psyche with bags of weed. Yet somehow he’s alert enough to stop Gwen from her dangerous sleepwalking excursions. Yes, she’s having visions again, this time of three boys murdered in the cold white woods. Could this be the spirit of their nemesis? Gwen’s dreams lead the duo to look into getting jobs at the Christian church “winter camp” called Alpine Lake. Luckily Gwen’s “wannabe BF” Ernesto (Miguel Mora) agrees to drive them there during a blizzard. At the camp’s front gate, they’re met by the horse “wrangler” Mustang (Arianna Rivas) and her father, the supervisor Armando (Demian Bichir). He tells them that other new workers called ahead and cancelled due to the fierce storm. But the trio can stay in the cabins until the roads are cleared. Gwen’s nightmares start up as things get even more weird for Finn. He answers the “out-of-order” payphone and speaks to the Grabber (Ethan Hawke) before seeing the horned, masked demon himself. Soon, Gwen’s visions give her a portal into the fiend’s deadly origins at the camp. Can the Blakes guide the campers in their mission to stop the Grabber and send him back to Hell?

Though he’s prominently featured in the marketing, the participation of Mr.Hawke raised some questions. Since the Grabber is usually masked up, or seen in various stages of gnarly wounded decay, Hawke is really delivering more of a vocal performance. It doesn’t help that the glimpses of him as the magician/balloon twister at the wheel of that old black van are that of a different actor (but then they’re part of Gwen’s visions). Mind you, Hawke delivers a threatening growl, but I recalled the rumors about the 1940s Mummy movies “starring” Lon Chaney, Jr. As for the other “originals”, the very busy Thames (this is the middle of his three 2025 flicks) makes a steadfast horror “hero” as the young man who is paying the mental “price” for his victory over evil. The memories (and grass) have dulled his eyes, but a return match seems to “jump start” his fighting spirit. That, and in protecting his adored lil’ sis’ played with equal parts sass and snark, with a touch of trembling vulnerability, by McGraw. She somehow can make most of her clunkier put-downs (this from a 15 year-old) work. Davies is also strong as a man struggling to rectify his past behavior and reconnect with the kids that will soon drift away from the nest. Mora also provides a good connection to the first flick, while scoring some chuckles as he pines for Gwen. The most compelling new character may be the grizzled Armando, played with a gravitas and protective charm by the always watchable Bichir ((love when he scolds Finn over his “goodie bag”).

Returning to the director’s chair is Scott Derrickson who co-wrote the new script with C. Robert Cargill, based on Joe Hill’s 2004 short story. I will give them kudos for not returning to that dingy basement (it does make a cameo) for a new rash of abductions and escape attempts. Though the first entries had supernatural elements, this one truly goes “all in” allowing for lots of creative effects, some CGI and many practical make-ups (even a bit of puppetry, I’m guessing). But once the Blakes get to their new setting, the story becomes fairly repetitive as Gwen drifts off to sleep in order to be menaced by the Grabber before Finn arrives just in time. And many set pieces are also derivative, as though we’re watching a late 80s Freddy Krueger knock-off set near the Overlook from THE SHINING (the red-coiled space heaters do give the cabin interiors a Hellish glow). The need for new scares and gross-out clutter up the big finale showdown as the “camper’s quest’ finally limps to a frozen finish. The fans have the original will probably enjoy seeing the “OG” cast, but for few new fans will want to jump in that icy glass booth for BLACK PHONE 2.

1.5 Out of 4

BLACK PHONE 2 is now playing in theaters everywhere

TRON: ARES – Review

Did you think there’s no room at the multiplex for SF/fantasy tent poles during the “ultra-serious” end of the year awards season? Well, the “mouse house” thinks moviegoers still have a taste for at least a couple of big franchise flicks. We’re only two months away from a third trek to Pandora in AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH, but they’re releasing another follow-up, which now cements another trilogy, though this series started long before James Cameron’s blockbusters. Can it possibly be 43 years since that initial entry (which was a modest hit during that great “geek” movie Summer of 1982)? And it’s now been fifteen years since the middle flick (or the first “sequel”). Disney thinks it’s time to boot up the ole’ “mainframe” and take another plunge into the digital dimension with TRON: ARES.

The opening moments transport us into the original with an “archival” video interview with Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges), the founder of the tech “dominator” ENCOM. From there, we plunge through “cyber-history” as various TV news people get us “up to speed”. Sam took over from his pop, Kevin, and the company changed hands again as the Kim sisters took ENCOM into the modern age. But the upstart Dillinger Systems is “nipping at their heels” as Ed Dillinger’s grandson Julian (Evan Peters) ruthlessly “steers the ship”. The “talking heads” then segue to a glowing data-filled metropolis where a digital knight in black and red armor named Ares (Jared Leto) destroys all the warriors that challenge him. Soon, he’s joined by his “second-in-command” Athena (Jodie Turner-Smith) as they gather their squad. Cut to the “real world” as Julian makes a big presentation to a group of potential “buyers” at his company’s HQ. Two massive mobile cannons become large-scale digital printers as they build a solid living Ares and his “battle vehicles”. After a demonstration of Ares’ abilities, Julian touts him as the perfect soldier. As the ‘clients” leave, his mother Elisabeth (Gillian Anderson) reminds him that these “products” will only function outside the mainframe for 29 minutes before they disintegrate into dust. Julian insists he’ll find a way to fix that. Meanwhile, Eve Kim (Greta Lee) has already found it. In a remote “off the grid” mountain in Alaska, she has located her late sister Tess’ “tent/research lab”. After countless hours combing through the outdated software and notebooks, Eve retrieves Kevin Flynn’s “Permanence Code,” which will give all digital creations stability indefinitely. But through Ares and his troops, Julian hacks into the ENCOM database and learns of Eve’s discovery. When she returns to the West Coast, he sends Ares and Athena after her. But as the duo dissolves, Eve is zapped into their cyber-home world. Can Eve, with the aid of a more enlightened Ares, keep the code away from Julian? And can she somehow return to this dimension?

Leto commands the often hyperbolic storyline as a modern cyber-punk Pinocchio with a dash of the friendlier Terminator and a splash of Star Trek’s Data. Yes, he’s a fearsome fighter, but a “glitch” in his system causes him to question his creator. So, is he sentient or has he acquired a touch of humanity, even empathy? In our world, Leto’s Ares is a wide-eyed newcomer who relishes every rush of discovery, while in the mainframe, he’s the ultimate digital bodyguard. And who wouldn’t want to protect the ethereal Lee as Eve? She radiates an intelligence muted with a consuming grief as she still misses her “lil’ sis” while fiercely clinging to Flynn’s legacy. And yes, we get to see Bridges as the “master” of his cyber-kingdom. Bridges plays him as an ultra-cool guru exuding gravitas just like classic movie “wizard” like Gandalf and Obi-Wan Kenobi. He brings some much needed warmth to the often cold tech. And bringing the villainy is Peters as the snarling tech bro Julian (if he had a ‘stash he’d be twirling it). Sure, he’s over the top, but the sense of fun Peters is having is most infectious. Ditto for the ferocious and very intimidating (and somewhat sultry) Turner-Smith, whose Athena is almost a spurned lover to Ares as he embraces that outer world. She defies you to look away during her intense pursuit. It’s always a pleasure to see Anderson in a SF project, though she’s relegated to wringing her hands over Julian’s antics as she tries to be the “good angel” on his shoulder (which he ignores). And there’s some sporadic comic relief by Hasan Minhaj as head of ENCOM PR (and cheerleader) and Arturo Castro as Eve’s over-excited and needy aide, Seth.

Well, there’s no questioning the beauty and dazzling visuals that bring this update to neon-soaked life. Director Joachim Ronning keeps the camera moving in a million or so different directions to immerse us in this fantasy light show (that makes great use of the music from Nine Inch Nails). It’s a shame that a bit more time couldn’t have been used to bring greater depth to the plot and the principals. It’s a given that Ares will turn on his creator (it’s hammered home by home video footage of teenage Eve holding Shelly’s Frankenstein novel). And Ronning makes excellent use of the IMAX format (the ads tout it as being shot in it), but the big finale showdown on the city streets feels like a rehash of giant monster/robot battles (though seeing a police car sheared in two by the “light cycles” and their “razor trail” is pretty cool). Lots of creativity went into all the nifty gadgets, but the human element and connection feel like an afterthought. Ah, but those fans of the 1982 and 2010 flicks will get their arcade-style thrills, but casual viewers may wonder why another dive into the concept after seeing TRON: ARES.

2 Out of 4

TRON: ARES is now playing in theaters everywhere

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