#senseitoadstool

Due to this being a SPOILER-FREE REVIEW, this will be incredibly short. Did you like the 'Home' trilogy? If yes:

Mi Opinión: Don't Miss It (3 out of 3).

For clarifying purposes - I've been a fan of Greek mythology for a very long time. One of my favorite movies since childhood is Clash of the Titans, for many reasons. Also, films like The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (though not Greek) are part of that list.

I have also seen many iterations of The Odyssey - and as good (cinematographically speaking) as I think this version is, it's definitely not my favorite. The performances are great, the cinematography is impressive, and the score is memorable. I also consider Nolan a great director. Interstellar, Inception and The Prestige are my favorites on his roster.

However, his particular interpretation of The Odyssey wasn't a hit for me. He favors long, drawn out scenes where the mental aspects of the causes and consequences are deeply analyzed (almost as if you were Freud and had Odysseus in your chaise lounge) alongside drawn out chase scenes, at-sea scenes, and fight scenes. Odysseus' character is also in question - and even following Noland's interpretation of him, some of his actions feel childish and unjustified.

He also takes a LOT of liberties with the story. He mixes some of the monsters' actions of the original text to save time, and removes other important parts of the journey. This somehow removes the feeling of anxiety, desperation and longing that Odysseus is supposed to feel.

If you want to see my favorite adaptation of this tale, look for The Odyssey miniseries with Armand Assante playing Odysseus (1997). Also, there's an amazing musical that was created based on this story (which I heard is being turned into an Animated series hoping it's true) called EPIC, and you can find it on places like Spotify.

All in all, I'll give credit where it's due in the fact that it's still a good time at the movies.

Mi opinión: Go See It (2 out of 3).

This movie had no right of being this good. After being personally disappointed with the 4th iteration of the series, I really didn't know what to expect.

I was REALLY not expecting this, though. What I received was a simple but heartfelt tale filled with throw-back moments and near-ugly-sobbing instances - which also layers deeply into the societal issues that kids these days can encounter (like finding real-live friendships and the old bullying that has found a new home in social media and technology).

To avoid any spoilers, I'll just say that you will get more than you bargained for, along with a great new theme by no other than Taylor Swift.

Soooo... yes, this was one of the animated series I watched in the 80's. No, I was not an uber-fan of it - but I found it entertaining. Having left that clear - the movie wasn't bad, but it wasn't good either.

There are a lot of good points to it: the special effects, the music (very much in the style of Queen), the stunt work, and some really good actors portraying familiar characters from the series. Heck - even a few of the one-liners were laugh-out-loud moments. And if you exercise your suspension of disbelief, even the plot wasn't too... 'holey'. Also, the nostalgia works well. Fans of the original series (and even the first live action interpretation from 1987) will delight in the nods placed just for them.

However, what disappointed me about the film was that the amount of over-the-top silliness and the continuous self-deprecation works very much against it. When there's a significant moment in which the heroes finally get a win, the moment is broken by a stupid comment or an annoying reference that brings the whole moment to pieces. Even the heartfelt sincere moments are not let be - every single time there's something bringing them down. And the length - it is extremely obvious that the scenes are intentionally elongated to achieve the almost 2.5 hour movie. Not only the pieces building the blocks for the plot, but also the fight scenes.

Don't get me wrong - I definitely enjoy when movies laugh at themselves - especially this kind. And I can give you the perfect example of how I think it should be done: Dungeons and Dragons (the 2023 film) did it masterfully. It had the perfect balance of cheeky situations, solid characters, nostalgic references, and tongue-in-cheek humor. Sadly, this balance is nowhere to be found in this one.

If you do chose to go see it, make sure you stay through both the mid and end credits. There are two scenes that I'm sure were placed there in case the movie makes enough money to continue the saga.

Mi Opinión: Unless you're a die-hard fan of the original series, Wait for Streaming (1 out of 3).

This film was quite entertaining!

Maybe I'm a bit biased because I am a murder mystery kinda guy, and an animated feature kinda guy. If to this you add the number of familiar faces and familiar voices along with a well written (though a little predictable for mystery lovers standards) script, you'll have a good time at this movie.

The premise is quite simple - a Shepherd (Jackman) reads mystery novels to his sheep every night. He raises sheep for their wool, and lets them roam free on the piece of land he has - and lives in a trailer/camper. He feels like they understand him. Surprise twist - they do! And among them, the smartest one - Lily (voiced by Julia Louis-Dreyfus) - is the one that solves every mystery even before the end is revealed.

However, one day their Shepherd is found dead. Murdered, to be precise. And with the only policeman in the village not being very smart, they take matters into their own hooves to find the culprit.

Filled with cute moments, funny one-liners, and heartfelt situations, the movie takes us along a very entertaining ride until we reach the conclusion and find the culprit.

Mi Opinión: Go See It (2 out of 3).

This was quite an entertaining film. Is it the best Star Wars movie you'll ever see? No. Does the script feel like made for a series that was then shortened to fit a 2 hour theatrical release? Yes.

MILD SPOILERS AHEAD

Within the timeline, the story is set after the fall of the Empire - where Mando is working as a bounty hunter for the New Republic (the old rebels).

The movie is chock-full-o Fans pleasers - Easter eggs, known characters like Zeb (of Rebels fame), a clan of Babu Friks, the Hutt twins, and Rutta the Hutt - who was once saved by Ahsoka in the Clone Wars series. The special effects are well done - with a special appreciative nod to the stop-motion animation parts, and the puppets (which include Grogu); a score that is definitely in line with the series one, cinematography adequate to the worlds created by Lucas, and a bunch of new creatures to add to the Bestiary. My personal favorite: the arena fight aligning with the Holochess creatures from A New Hope (for those of you unfamiliar, that's the game Chewbacca is playing with R2D2 in the Falcon when C3PO suggests: "Let the Wookie win".

I can anticipate some fanboys disappointed and angry, and those of us on the fan side without having extreme expectations of the franchise to be satisfied with the result - especially since it could've been a good TV series.

Mi Opinión:

Go See It (2 out of 3).

This movie had no business being this good. Definitely a feel-good movie in the end, but with plenty of heart-wrenching moments and drama and sadness all around. Conflict seems to be the main topic, and human conflict at that - but all seen from the perspective of an aging octopus named Marcellus who lives in a small aquarium.

Masterful performance from the amazing Ms. Sally Field, as expected, and a great display of talent of the young Lewis Pullman, who obviously inherited his father's charm and chops. Marcellus the Octopus is voiced by Alfred Molina, in a very Attenborough-narrating-a-nature-show approach.

A VERY human story, filled with strong emotional reactions, conflict, misunderstandings, and a very well deserved happy ending. You must definitely take some time to watch this - and maybe have some tissues handy.

Mi Opinión: Don't Miss It (3 out of 3)

Honestly I wasn't planning on watching this on the big screen. I had seen The Martian on TV and I felt it was just ok. But then I fell for the hype. And I'm happy I did, because the hype is right. This is a gorgeous film that MUST be watched in the theater. We were lucky enough that our showing only had a handful of people, so it was even more enjoyable - fantastic visuals, immersive soundtrack, great story easy to follow, and characters you become deeply engaged with.

In the end, the movie felt to me a lot like Arrival (Amy Adams, 2016), but without the dread, gloom, doom, and depression that came with it. This is completely the opposite.

A well crafted story (based on a book which I hear is great as well), presented in a beautifully paced film that captures you from the beginning in a heartfelt and emotional way. That's the high of this film: The heightened human emotion that it shows from the first 10 minutes. Humorous, deep, intelligent - but most of all, brave. The kind of film very much needed in times like ours. Even though for me Ryan Gosling is a hit or miss, in this one he hits a home run. Each character in the story is seen through his eyes, and to convey the emotional impression that comes with it through his filter is what makes him a magnificent performer.

I must say, the ending was surprising to me. Want to find out what it is? Go see it. On the big screen. Soon.

Mi Opinión: Don't Miss It (3 out of 3).