Will

My favorite thing about Black Mirror is how the writers and creators collectively decided that the first episode should be about a man having to fuck a pig or someone will die.

Black Mirror is an anthology series. Each episode follows different characters and stories full to the brim with suspense and satire. Some might refer to it as the modern-day Twilight Zone as it also tackled issues relevant today, such as the consequences of new technology on society and individuals. Several episodes focus on advanced tech in a futuristic version of the modern world.

And then there's the first episode, where the British Prime Minister has to have sex with a pig, or the princess of the royal family will die. The premise and juxtaposition of the first episode, "The National Anthem," against other stories that grapple with themes of love or loss are hilarious to me. The episode itself isn't too funny, though. It's just an insane premise.

I watched the first two episodes a couple of years ago and found myself intrigued. I also indulged with the interactive film Black Mirror: Bandersnatch, back when that first dropped. It wasn't until this year that I rewatched those first two and followed up with the rest. I wasn't sure what to expect following the first two stories or the movie. After following through, I can say that the show is good but not great. Let's break it down by season.

Season 1 has three episodes. All of which have solid acting and engaging storylines. The pig-fucker episode has to be my favorite based on being quite ludicrous. The following episodes, "Fifteen Million Merits" and "The Entire History of You," have stronger stories to tell, though the former has better execution than the latter, in my opinion. Fifteen Million Merits also introduces Daniel Kaluuya before he blew up big in films like Jordan Peele's Get Out and Nope, to name a few. And his performance in the episode may be just as engaging. The Entire History of You has an intriguing idea where people have memory implants that allow them to record everything a human sees or hears. Unlike the previous two episodes, though, I feel it lacks a likable main character that I can latch onto.

Season 2 tries to up the ante and go bolder than 1. The storylines are more elaborate than in the previous season, but there are only four episodes. It's a mixed bag of a season. Its first episode, "Be Right Back," is one of the shows more depressing watches. Honestly, all the endings this season are downers. The third episode, "The Waldo Moment," is one of the weakest episodes of the entire run, with a bizarre premise about some comedian voicing a cartoon bear that gets mixed into politics.

Okay.

And yet, episodes 2 and 4, "White Bear" and "White Christmas," are some of the best episodes in the show's run. Lenora Crichlow, in the former, and Jon Hamm, in the latter, steal each episode with the best performances. Both have an equally excellent cast to work off of and feature surprise twists. Writer Charlie Brooker crafted two tense and breathtaking episodes that stand out from the series.

Season 3 has six episodes, and the only story I would put on par with the epics of "White Christmas" and "White Bear" is episode three's "Shut up and Dance." Like those episodes, "Shut up and Dance" features top-tier performances, excellent writing, and a story where you're not sure what will happen next. No other episode in the season comes close. "Nosedive" has an enjoyable performance from Bryce Dallas Howard but gets more interesting halfway through the episode. "Playtest" is a fun episode to watch around Halloween, which I did, but harbors one too many twists. "San junipero" is a love story that doesn't tear at the heartstring as much as I want it. "Men Against Fire" is the first story to fixate on war but remains dull. And "Hated in the Nation" is an equally unengaging snore-fest that equates to a detective drama. I'm not a fan of that genre, so that episode did not work for me. There were also metal bees in it or something; I don't know. It's dumb.

Season 4 had the same amount of episodes as season 3. The first and fourth episodes are the standouts of the season. Episode one, "USS Callister' is practically an homage to Star Trek, The Original Series. I haven't seen Jesse Plemons play someone so unlikable so well since his role as Todd in Breaking Bad. And Episode Four's "Hang the DJ" provides a unique spin on a love story. The remaining episodes of the season are all varying degrees of mid. "Arkangel" and "Crocodile" are depressing episodes without substance. "Metalhead" is visually interesting, and that's the most it has going for it. "Black Museum" is an ambitious, decent episode. The only episode that tells a couple of short stories, but the stories themselves could've worked as separate episodes themselves.

Lastly, season 5 has three episodes, with only the first one truly worth noting. "Striking Vipers" is odd, but the performances from the leads Anthony Mackie and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II elevate it. In the episode, they play old college friends that reconnect through a VR version of a fighting game. From there, they make unexpected discoveries about one another. The other two episodes aren't worth noting. "Smithereens" has an open-ended ending that I like, and "Rachel, Jack, and Ashley Too," well, I like that Miley Cyrus is in it; Oh, and the movie Bandersnatch is fun as hell; Of the handful of interactive films Netflix has, I enjoyed Bandersnatch the most. Choose-your-own adventure tales are a genre that I adore, especially in movie form. It's meta, clever, has replayability/rewatchability unlike others, and sometimes funny while other times anxiety-inducing.

I miss Chadwick Boseman. 

Chadwick Boseman will always be The Black Panther, T'Challa. When news broke that the actor passed from colon cancer in 2020, it was heart-wrenching. Beyond portraying an iconic superhero, the world lost a genuine, kind soul. One that inspired children to want to be like him. One who donated thousands of dollars to programs like the Boys and Girls Club. His passing was tragic, and there will never be another like him. 

As news broke of a Black Panther sequel in the works, everybody wondered, "How do you do a Black Panther sequel without Black Panther?" 

Well, there was an attempt. And it was great. 

After the death of King T'Challa, Queen Ramonda, Shuri, Okoye, and the Dora Milaje work together to protect their nation from other world powers looking to intervene. The Wakandans are skeptical of the other countries that aren't Wakanda. Tensions and emotions are high after the passing of T'challa. And as the Wakandans are so focused on the humans, a new force presents itself as an enemy to Wakanda: the Talokans. 

There's so much in this film that works. Acting-wise, everybody performs amazingly. Letitia Wright, as Shuri, has grown up since the last Black Panther film and has no choice but to grow up and take a role she thought unfathomable. The loss of her brother affected her deeply, shaking her foundation to its core. She found faith in science over tradition for a considerable amount of time. Danai Gurira, as Okoye, grieves in her way and provides excellent chemistry with Shuri and other cast members. But Angela Basset as Queen Ramonda? Her presentation is immaculate. When Ramonda presents herself to her subjects or enemies, she's a majestic beacon of royalty. She's that bitch. But when she's alone with Shuri, she takes off the headwear and appears more vulnerable with her daughter. Basset tightropes between both displays effortlessly. In one of the trailers for Wakanda Forever, there's a snippet that shows Ramonda as she says, "I am the queen of the most powerful nation in the world, and my entire family is gone. Have I not given everything?" The delivery of that line is perfect. That scene is enough proof that Angela Basset deserves an award for her role. 

And as far as antagonists go, Tenoch Huerta makes for a fantastic Namor. In the comics, Namor and his people appear Atlantean with Anglo-Euro origins. Injecting Latin flavor into the character and his civilization was an intriguing choice that I loved seeing as a person of Hispanic heritage. Namor is a top-tier foil to Shuri and the others. His motives are understandable, and the character is menacing. He's not even a villain. I emphasize that he's more of an antagonist. The fight scenes between the Wakandans and the Talokans are energetic and make for a fascinating watch. A particular favorite of mine involves a Talokan and Okoye on a bridge. 

Unfortunately, there are some gripes I harbor with the film. Dominque Thorne plays Riri Williams and makes a fine debut. Her scenes with the Wakandans are a bit lacking. Her character reminds me of Shuri in the first Black Panther. I would've liked something more substantial with her, but I feel that may come in her upcoming show "Ironheart." I look forward to getting more of a taste of her there. Also, lacking screen time were the other Talokans. Namor remains stellar, but his subordinates Namora and Attuma are less memorable as characters. Attuma has a solid fight scene in the movie, but I can't tell you much of anything about either of the character's motives or personality or otherwise. M'Baku is not in the film as much as he should be. And finally, Martin Freeman and Julia-Loius Dreyfus appear in scenes mostly distant from Wakandan's direct conflict, and they're the least interesting parts of the movie. I like Freeman and Dreyfus immensely and in the other Marvel projects they have appeared in, but whenever they were on screen, I found myself wanting to see what Shuri or Namor was doing. Honestly, the scenes with them should have been replaced with more scenes dedicated to building up Namor, Attuma, and Namora's characters. 

So there are a couple of choices they could have made to improve the film but don't get me wrong, it's still great. The acting, action, and heart drive the movie to immense highs. It's my favorite superhero movie I watched this year, and in the top ten films, I saw this year. 4/5.

The movie deserves so much praise, even to the end. Without spoiling, there's only one credit scene in the film, and it's the best post-credits scene any Marvel movie has had. It's not an exciting, thrilling romp that reveals a game changer of a character, like "The Avengers" teasing Thanos. Nor is it something comedic or goofy like the ant playing drums in the end credits scene of "Ant-Man and the Wasp." What makes it the best is that it's a beautiful reveal. It's one more tug at the heartstrings that's sure to leave audiences teary-eyed. 

Remember Game of Thrones? Remember how it was one of the most talked about and beloved tv shows for years? Remember the stranglehold Game of Thrones had on the internet throughout the 2010s, and any goodwill for it died after its final season? Watching House of the Dragon had me almost as hooked as Game of Thrones did during its peak.

I don't hate the later seasons of Game of Thrones as much as others do, but I maintain that the last two seasons are the weakest of the entire show. I jumped on the Game of Thrones bandwagon much later than anyone else because I was too young and uninterested. While my family was losing their minds over jaw-dropping events like the Red Wedding, twelve-year-old me found more interest in whatever anime I watched at the time. It wasn't until months before the final season started airing, and after watching snippets over the years with family, I binged the show to be ready for the last season. I was as hooked as anyone else. My family and I even held a pool over who we thought would live and die in the final six episodes. Even the week-to-week wondering what would happen next was enticing. And then the season finished, and it was rushed, didn't resolve storylines and made questionable narrative decisions, and left a bad taste in many viewers' mouths. Chatter about Game of Thrones in years since then seems to revolve around how the last seasons sucked. Then comes House of the Dragon.

Set two hundred years before the events of Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon tells the story of the Targaryen dynasty as various family members fight for control of the Iron Throne. Despite taking place in the Game of Thrones universe, House of The Dragon looks to distance itself from the negative reputation the show built at the end of its run. In the first episode, little more than two minutes in, there's text that sets the mood, highlighting the current king's reign and how far along they are, and emphasizing how far away they are from the death of the Mad King and the birth of his daughter, the queen that should've been, Daenerys Targaryen. Thirty-one white words on a dark screen before twenty-six disappear, leaving five behind to hammer in how different this will be from Game of Thrones: "172 years before Daenerys Targaryen."

The promise of looking at the ancestors and lineage that preceded the legendary Daenerys sounds like an intriguing endeavor. And for the most part, it was! But House of the Dragon is not without its faults. For one, I think it's hard to look past the incest. It's, like, everywhere. Game of Thrones had some incestuous couples, the most prominent being brother and sister Jaime and Cersei and (spoilers for season 7) Daenerys and her nephew Jon Snow. But the sheer amount in House of the Dragon is astounding and downright disgusting. Rhaneyra marries her uncle Daemon, and before her, she married her cousin Laenor, Aegon the second is set up with his sister Helaena, and not to mention, the generations before Viserys and Daemon saw brothers marrying sisters to "keep the bloodline clean." While the characters are interesting, and some you can root for, I can't fully support many couples because I cannot look past an uncle preying on and having sexual tension with his niece, which starts when she is a child. Another issue stems from keeping up with the characters. Game of Thrones had a similar problem, but it feels more apparent in House of the Dragon. Jaehaerys, Jacerys, Lucerys, Rhaenys, Rhaneyra, Rhaena, Laena, Laenor. For god's sake, there's Daemon, and then there's Aemond, a literal rearranging of letters, twins named Erryk and Arryyk, and two different Aegons! I'm not even gonna attempt with the dragons.

So it's hard to keep track of, and other characters are less intriguing than others. But if you focus on a group of characters, you'll find an engaging core at its finest. Rhanerya, whether played by Milly Alcock or Emma D'arcy, makes for an excellent lead. The adversity she faces as a woman in a ruling position during a time when most of the kingdom doesn't want to see a woman succeed or rule makes for compelling drama. Watching Daemon murder and scheme throughout the season was fun, even if his relationships are questionable. The Hightowers Otto and Alicent are good conniving foils to half of the Targaryen clan. Aemond and Aegon were more as they got older, unlike their cousins/nephews/rivals Jacaerys and Lucerys. But if there's anyone that stole the show for me for several episodes, it's Viserys Targaryen. Paddy Considine's portrayal of Viserys is, as he says in a behind-the-scenes clip, "serving Targaryen realness." The indecisiveness he endures as king, opting to work on his model of Valyria rather than commit to hard choices, combined with the slow deterioration of his physical health as he becomes more decrepit, is heartbreaking. Viserys wants little but for his family to get along and be remembered as one of the great kings. In the end, he wasn't a perfect ruler, and his family split into two, but at least he tried! Honestly, he deserved better.

If anything, the House of the Dragon's strongest aspect lies in its cast. Matt Smith's Daemon holds a presence as he sneaks around or slices men into pieces. Eve Best, as Rhaenys, commands respect and intrigue from the first episode alone as another queen who should have been. And both actresses for Rhaenyra and Alicent, Milcock, D'arcy, Emily Carey, and Olivia Cooke, are exceptional centerpieces for the show. From childhood friends to reluctant family to rivals for the throne, the portrayals of Alicent and Rhaenyra and their dynamic work regardless of the actress because they all do their jobs well. The same could be said for the supporting cast, the other Targaryens, the various hands of the king, and the knights or subjects of the Targaryen kingdom. Season two should lean into the Dance of the Dragons, which should be a fascinating and bloody war between the Black and Green families. Season one did a fine job setting up the pieces for us to get there. If they continue intriguing focus on the politicking, bring more superb performances for their actors and actresses alike, and include another one or two jaw-dropping set pieces for battles on dragons and/or on land then we'll have another solid season on our hands.

A superhero movie dropped this past weekend about a protagonist with godlike powers. I don't plan on viewing it until it reaches digital or a streaming service. So let's talk about the other superhero movie with a protagonist with godlike powers that dropped earlier this year: "Thor: Love and Thunder"!

"Thor: Love and Thunder" is the 29th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The MCU has been running for about fourteen years now, and it doesn't seem like slowing down any time soon. Along with the nine Marvel shows on Disney+, I understand how some people are experiencing Marvel fatigue. Personally, I'm not. I've enjoyed most of the projects they put out, some more than others. "Thor: Love and Thunder" is a movie I liked, but I understand how some are not fans of it.

"Love and Thunder" follows Thor on a quest for inner peace. While trying to find himself, his journey gets interrupted by Gorr, the God Butcher, who's wandering around and murdering gods. With the help of King Valkyrie, Korg, and his ex-girlfriend Jane Foster, they look to combat the threat of Gorr. It was nice to see Korg, Valkyrie, and Thor again since Avengers: Endgame. Korg and Valkyrie were some of the best parts in the last Thor movie, Ragnarok, and while their roles were smaller in Endgame, they were still enjoyable. Meanwhile, Thor's been coming off the heels of a fascinating character arc that started with Ragnarok. The directions Thor could go were seemingly limitless at the end of Endgame. And the return of Jane Foster after not seeing her on-screen since "Thor: The Dark World" provided intrigue. Almost a decade since Natalie Portman starred in a Marvel movie. She finally made a grand return.

And for the most part, I liked Jane in this film. One of my favorite scenes in the movie has to be when Korg narrates Thor and Jane's relationship, showing how close they were before drifting apart and eventually breaking up. I thought the execution was well done, from showing the gradual separation to Korg's endearing narration. She had some corny dialogue, like telling Gorr to "Eat my hammer" in the climactic fight, but I don't believe that completely derailed her character, though corniness seems prevalent throughout the movie. Comedy can be subjective, of course. Some will find "Love and Thunder" hilarious, but I feel it falls flat in that aspect. In the beginning, Thor saves an alien race, and in return, they gift him two goats that are always screaming. Screaming goats were uproariously funny to me ten years ago when mixed with songs like Taylor Swift's "I Knew You Were Trouble," but not as much these days. The jealousy Thor's Stormbreaker feels over Thor fawning over Mjolnir or Jane doesn't do much for me, either.

But to focus on a positive, Christian Bale's performance as Gorr is an entertaining romp! The opening scene is an emotional and exciting start. Bale is excellent in the shadow realm as well. In general, everything that happens in the shadow realm is a plus. Thor, Valkyrie, and Jane infiltrate the world before engaging the antagonist in a duel head-on in black and white, contrasting all the pretty colors that pop out in the numerous scenes that came out beforehand, providing the best setpiece in the film. What the movie lacks in comedy, it does make up for in engaging fight scenes. The climax is another exercise in corniness, what with the children joining the fight, but it's a cute watch nonetheless. By the end of the film, Thor is in an intriguing place, just like he was in "Endgame," and I'm looking forward to seeing what happens with Thor in the future.

So to me, and I feel like others might relate, I was only really familiar with The Goo Goo Dolls with their massive hit "Iris." Goo Goo Dolls dropped on April 1st, 1998. Probably one of the best April Fool's gifts the world could get. "Iris" was and still is their biggest hit. I'm especially partial to the pop-rock classic. It was one of the songs I can vaguely remember dominating the radio during the 2000s. Personally, it's somewhere on my list for one of my favorite songs of all time.

"Chaos in Bloom" is Goo Goo Dolls' latest album, which dropped back on August 12th this year. "Chaos in Bloom" is the first full album I've heard of theirs, and for the most part, I like it. It's an easy listen for something that comes at nearly 40 minutes. Lead singer John Rzeznik has a soothing voice that works for half the project. Just like with the vocals, the project is instrumentally sound as well. It starts strong with a cute love ballad like "Yeah, I like you" and keeps momentum with the second track, "War." Though, the third track loses steam for me. "Save Me From Myself" isn't as intriguing, with a chorus that doesn't quite stand out.

But among the ten tracks, my absolute favorite is "Day After day." "Day after Day" is the one song I like possibly as much as "Iris." The verses start with a low croon of Rzeznik's voice before he bellows out for the choruses. It scratches my brain in just the right way. Perhaps if other lesser songs like "Past Mistakes" and "Superstar" were like "Day After Day," I'd appreciate the album as a whole more. There aren't any songs here I'd say are bad, but I would say half the songs are weak and/or forgettable.

As the first album I've heard from them, I'd say it's solid. I prefer shorter albums that don't overstay their welcome, and this works fine. It could be better, but I will say it's worth listening to if you haven't already and are a fan of pop or alternative rock.

A superhero movie dropped this past weekend about a protagonist with godlike powers. I don't plan on viewing it until it reaches digital or a streaming service. So let's talk about the other superhero movie with a protagonist with godlike powers that dropped earlier this year: "Thor: Love and Thunder"!

"Thor: Love and Thunder" is the 29th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The MCU has been running for about fourteen years now, and it doesn't seem like slowing down any time soon. Along with the nine Marvel shows on Disney+, I understand how some people are experiencing Marvel fatigue. Personally, I'm not. I've enjoyed most of the projects they put out, some more than others. "Thor: Love and Thunder" is a movie I liked, but I understand how some are not fans of it.

"Love and Thunder" follows Thor on a quest for inner peace. While trying to find himself, his journey gets interrupted by Gorr, the God Butcher, who's wandering around and murdering gods. With the help of King Valkyrie, Korg, and his ex-girlfriend Jane Foster, they look to combat the threat of Gorr. It was nice to see Korg, Valkyrie, and Thor again since Avengers: Endgame. Korg and Valkyrie were some of the best parts in the last Thor movie, Ragnarok, and while their roles were smaller in Endgame, they were still enjoyable. Meanwhile, Thor's been coming off the heels of a fascinating character arc that started with Ragnarok. The directions Thor could go were seemingly limitless at the end of Endgame. And the return of Jane Foster after not seeing her on-screen since "Thor: The Dark World" provided intrigue. Almost a decade since Natalie Portman starred in a Marvel movie. She finally made a grand return.

And for the most part, I liked Jane in this film. One of my favorite scenes in the movie has to be when Korg narrates Thor and Jane's relationship, showing how close they were before drifting apart and eventually breaking up. I thought the execution was well done, from showing the gradual separation to Korg's endearing narration. She had some corny dialogue, like telling Gorr to "Eat my hammer" in the climactic fight, but I don't believe that completely derailed her character, though corniness seems prevalent throughout the movie. Comedy can be subjective, of course. Some will find "Love and Thunder" hilarious, but I feel it falls flat in that aspect. In the beginning, Thor saves an alien race, and in return, they gift him two goats that are always screaming. Screaming goats were uproariously funny to me ten years ago when mixed with songs like Taylor Swift's "I Knew You Were Trouble," but not as much these days. The jealousy Thor's Stormbreaker feels over Thor fawning over Mjolnir or Jane doesn't do much for me, either.

But to focus on a positive, Christian Bale's performance as Gorr is an entertaining romp! The opening scene is an emotional and exciting start. Bale is excellent in the shadow realm as well. In general, everything that happens in the shadow realm is a plus. Thor, Valkyrie, and Jane infiltrate the world before engaging the antagonist in a duel head-on in black and white, contrasting all the pretty colors that pop out in the numerous scenes that came out beforehand, providing the best setpiece in the film. What the movie lacks in comedy, it does make up for in engaging fight scenes. The climax is another exercise in corniness, what with the children joining the fight, but it's a cute watch nonetheless. By the end of the film, Thor is in an intriguing place, just like he was in "Endgame," and I'm looking forward to seeing what happens with Thor in the future.