Space Jam 2: Blatant Product Placement Strangely Works Here

4/5

Written by Luke Barnes

I will admit I went into this with very, very low expectation. However, the film completely took me by surprise and I actually ended up really enjoying it. Yes, the film is a blatant excuse by the higher ups at WB to constantly advertise all their various properties, and yes it is excessive with the product placement, but in a strange way it all works well.

I think the reason this film works so well is because of how self-aware it is, it knows what it is, it knows what it is doing, and it makes a joke out of it. Honestly, this film is quite funny in a lot of places and it often has you laughing or at least smiling. Yes, there are a few cringey lines here and there, but they aren’t bad cringe and some of these lines prove to be amongst the funniest.

Lebron James is by no means a natural actor, but he is very watchable, and I would say he does a better job than Michael Jordan in the first film. I believed his bond with his son and in that respect I found the ending of the film to be surprisingly touching. Additionally, James has strong chemistry with the Tunes and him and Bugs are a good pairing. I would like this film to get a sequel so we can get more of them together.

In terms of being a Looney Tunes property this modernised the characters well and gave them a compelling motivation to help James and in doing so return to the court. The one comment I would make in this regard is that this is very much a Bugs Bunny film, and though the other well known characters appear he gets pretty much all of the screen time. Bugs ending runs the gambit between heart breaking and cheer-worthy, and you feel every minute of it.

Overall, the strongly negative response this film has brought out from a lot of people seems to be out of a sense of nostalgia, they are comparing this to the first film that they make have childhood connections with and viewing it like that this film never could have lived up. However, I think not only is this a good film, but I would say it is even better than the first.

Pros.

James

The Tunes characters

The emotions

The jokes

Cons.

It is a little blatant with the product placement

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Interview With Writer/Director/ Producer Joe Badon: Wheels Of Heaven

Written by Luke Barnes

I recently had the chance to, virtually, sit down with writer/ producer/ director Joe Badon and discuss his new Kickstarter film Wheel Of Heaven, we talk about the strange characters you meet at parties, choose your own adventure novels and shooting fireworks at model dinosaurs.

Q: What is your film about?

A: The Wheel of Heaven is the story of a young woman named Purity (played by Kali Russell) whose car breaks down on a dark empty street in the middle of the night. After a chance encounter with a mysterious party host (played by Jeff Pearson) and his myriad of strange party guests, Purity is left with the existential decision to either break free of her meaningless existence OR simply just succumb to it’s meaningless-ness.

Q: What inspired you to make it?

A: This film comes from my love of Choose Your Own Adventure Novels and the simple ideas that our choices in everything make us who we are. And the idea of string theory – where there are endless universes, endlessly different, all existing on top of one another.

Q: Do you have any funny pre-production stories

A: Well, we just shot a less financially ambitious short film as a prelude to The Wheel of Heaven entitled “The Blood of the Dinosaurs: A Prologue to the Wheel of Heaven”.

And we had basically like $2,500 for The Blood of the Dinosaurs. So, because of that, I had a 20 dollar budget to create a mountain landscape for the Dinosaur miniatures to exist in so I went to Dollar Tree and Dollar General and bought a bunch of posterboard, spackle and spray paint and created this mountain landscape (made entirely of paper).

And then we shoot this scene where we’re shooting fireworks at the miniature dinosaurs and the mountains and of course, the mountains catch fire, LOL! But we quickly put it out with the water from the igloo of drinks sitting nearby LOL.

Q: If you were to sum it up in a word what would it be?

A: Surreal

Q: What do you find are the benefits to using Kickstarter to fund your films?

A: MUCH more creative freedom. Which gives me more fearlessness as a creator. Which, I think, is the only way for new original ideas and content to be born.

Q: Why should people donate to your Kickstarter?

A: So you can allow new ideas to be created without the hindrance of commercialism and sellability. To create something new, fresh and unique. Everything that the world truly wants: braveness and uniqueness.

Q: Are you offering any kind of rewards/ exclusives?

A: YES! We have digital downloads of the film with commentary tracks, movie posters and tickets to the physical screening! You can be a producer on the film at the $700 level or Executive Producer at the $1,500 level! We also have ADD ON rewards like: Custom Illustrations by me and the chance to even have a speaking role in the film!

Q: Do you find using a Kickstarter allows you to be closer to your audience?

A: Absolutely! I have A TON of relationships that have been creating through friends and fans backing my kickstarters AND participating in the creation of the films and comics that I’ve made over the many years.

Well there you have it, if you would like to support Wheel Of Heaven then head over to the Kickstarter and give what you can, and make sure to check out the film when it releases.

If you enjoyed this interview, then please head over to my Patreon to support me, I offer personalized shoutouts, one on one Q and As, the ability for you to pick what I review next and full access to my Patreon exclusive game reviews. Check it out!

Crash Pad: The Most Toxic Male Character In A Film Possibly Ever

3/5

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

A hapless romantic who finds out the woman he has been seeing is married is surprised when her angry alpha male husband moves in with him.

Though I love Thomas Haden Church his character in this is one of the most toxic characters ever put to film, though I suppose that is the point. Yes, some of the lines that Church’s character comes out with are utterly repellent over the course of the film, but from a narrative perspective this is needed to show how much our sweet and sensitive protagonist has changed him and vice versa.

Speaking of this is Domhnall Glesson’s film. Gleeson plays Stensland a romantic who spends his days watching Dawson’s Creek and his nights dreaming about finding the one. I found this film really managed to tap into the very specific comedic talents of Gleeson and capitalise on them near perfectly: the only time I have seen it done better is in Frank with Michael Fassbender.

The comedy in the film is fairly hit and miss. It made me laugh a few times, but it certainly wasn’t a laugh a minute. I would say more hits than misses for sure. Gleeson and Church have a strong back and forth and by the end of the film their friendship feels very genuine and believable.

I thought one of the big negatives of this film was relegating the phenomenally talented Christina Applegate to a weak supporting part. Applegate plays Church’s characters wife Morgan and is used as nothing more than a romantic interest. The film deeply underserves both the character and the actor.

Overall, Domhnall Gleeson shines through a troubled film.

Pros.

Gleeson

Church

It has a nice message in the end

Cons.

Some of the lines are incredibly off putting

Applegate is deeply underwritten, and the character is not allowed to be more than a romantic interest

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Loki: For All Time, Always

4.5/5

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

Loki and Sylvie meet the man in the castle and learn a lot about the multiverse. Meanwhile Mobius and other rogue TVA agents bring down the organisation that has proven to be a lie to them.

I called this a while ago, though Wandavison was being billed as the project that would effectively bring on the Multiverse of Madness, I had guessed that in fact it would be Loki– I was right.

I think this could be the best episode of the series, it delivers on nearly every front. The only reason I didn’t give it full marks is because I thought the TVA resolution with Owen Wilson’s Mobius was a little weak and that Gugu Mbatha-Raw’s Renslayer also gets short-changed by the episode: I would assume both of these things will be made up for by a later movie or TV show, but I was hoping we could have got that here. Really the episode could have done with being about half an hour longer.

However, on the other side of things the Loki Sylvie plot line totally delivers. We get Kang, played wonderfully by Jonathan Majors or at least a multiverse version of the character and the promise of far more to come. Though this section of the episode is a little exposition heavy, I did find it all interesting as it sets up the next few years of the MCU, if not beyond that as well.

The ending of the Loki Sylvie romance is as heart-breaking as I was expecting it to be, but luckily neither of them died so it can be continued in future. I thought both Hiddleston and Di Martino gave very strong performances here that really resonated. I hope we get to see far more of Di Martino going forward in the MCU.

Finally, I wanted to mention the end tease wherein Loki finds himself in another dimension one that has already been conquered by Kang and say that I am very excited for season two I think the show is heading in a very interesting direction.

Overall one of the best episodes of a Marvel Disney + show to date.

Pros.

Kang

The multiverse

The ending tease

Sylvie and Loki

Cons.

Mobius and Renslayer

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My Super Ex Girlfriend: Deeply Sexist Hollywood

1.5/5

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

Unassuming office worker Matt Saunders, Luke Wilson, begins a relationship with Jennifer Johnson, Uma Thurman, who would later turn out to be a superhero. All seems to be going well at first and then the two suffer a bad breakup.

This film hates women. Maybe that is a touch hyperbolic but there is more than enough proof to demonstrate this film’s negative opinion of women. Firstly, the lead is crazy and becomes aggressive and manic when she feels jealous of another women, which feels sexist to its core. It furthers the idea of the hysterical woman who is controlled by her emotions and who needs a man to keep her in check.

Moreover, there is a plethora of sexist jokes coming in from the supporting cast with Rainn Wilson’s Vaughn, being perhaps one of the sleaziest side characters ever and worst of all we are still supposed to like him despite the fact he only views women as sexual objects to use for this own pleasure.

Uma Thurman and Luke Wilson are fun to watch on screen and do have the odd funny line or smile inducing moment hence this film not getting lower, but that does not make up for the fact that this film is sexist in nearly every possible way, deeply and utterly.

Overall, proof of how bad the studio comedy can be when it is not worried of being called out online.

Pros.

Thurman

Wilson

Cons.

It is sexist

It pushes harmful stereotypes

The side characters are toxic as hell

The film’s jokes mostly don’t work

It is offensive

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Tuca And Bertie: Vibe Check

2.5/5

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

Bertie receives unwelcomed sexual fantasies and Tuca worries if she has been ghosted by her hopefully new girlfriend.

At this point I don’t think this show is a comedy anymore. It is never funny and is more often than not depressing. That is not to say it is bad, rather to adjust your expectations with the show.

For this week’s storylines I thought Bertie had by far the stronger arc. I think the further exploration of how Pastry Pete affected her is important character work, I think the storyline is handled maturely and actually makes some great points about sex and relationships widely.

Tuca however…… The show does not seem to know what to do with her this season, we have established that she is lonely and that she pushes people away, but the show does not want to seem to explore these issues deeper, rather it just gives her character throwaway storylines such as this. For most of the episode she worries she has been ghosted, and then she hasn’t been, that is the depth of the arc here.

It seems to me this show is far more interested in exploring Bertie and her character than Tuca and if that is true that’s fine, but then it shouldn’t really be called Tuca and Bertie it should just be called Bertie.

I may give this show up as I don’t find myself enjoying watching it and if anything it often bums me out.

Overall, Tuca is side-lined once again but Bertie has some interesting, nuanced character work.

Pros.

Bertie’s storyline

Exploring the aftereffects of abuse

Important conversations about trauma, sex and relationships

Cons.

They don’t know what to do with Tuca this season

It is depressing

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Rick and Morty: Rickdependence Day

3.5/5

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

Morty uses a piece of surgical equipment for elicit means and creates a worldwide disaster, that leads to humans having to patch up their long standing feud with the subterranean CHUD people.

This was a fun episode of Rick and Morty,not too heavy and mostly just throw away fun. The premise of the episode is a little icky for my tastes, but I enjoyed how they built the reveal of the sperm monsters origins as a point of tension between the titular pair as Rick did not know what Morty had done.

Moreover, I thought Summer and Beth really stood out as characters here. Their comments on sexism and how women and their ideas are often overlooked and basically ignored were both insightful as well as humorously delivered.

I thought the episode had a few funny moments such as the joke at the expense of Marvel frontman Robert Downey Jr, but struggled to keep that comedy up throughout. For the most part a lot of the jokes in this episode just left me cold and were a little bit too gross out for my tastes.

I thought the CHUD people were an interesting addition to the episode, and it made for a great Rick moment at the end. However, I am starting to become perturbed by how this show keeps creating new characters and civilisations and then never references them again, it feels a little throwaway and I prefer it when the show builds up a character or group and makes them important to the wider narrative of the show.

Overall, a fun episode of Rick and Morty that struggles to be anything more.

Pros.

The Robert Downey Jr joke

Summer and Beth

The tension between Rick and Morty

The ending/ The CHUDs

Cons.

Some of the characters feel throwaway

Not all the jokes land

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Ride The Eagle: The Best Film Of The Year That You Have Not Seen

4.5/5

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

A man must complete his deceased mother’s to do list in order to receive her cabin as his inheritance.

There is so much depth, heart and soul to this film- it is beautiful. This film made me cry and I would wager it would do the same for you, as it strikes the feels harder than ever the saddest of Pixar films. However, that is not to say this film is sad, far from it. If anything this film is a joyful embrace of life, living in the moment and chances taken.

The performances across the board are terrific. Jake Johnson excels in these intimate character driven indie comedies and he really brings a rawness to his performance here that makes it instantly memorable. J. K Simmons is also strong here though he only has a very minor role, whilst he is on screen he does steal the scenes and has a few good lines. The same can be said for D’Arcy Carden, who has a really strong chemistry with Johnson, so much so that I would like to see the two star in more things together.

The ending is both heart-breaking and also smile inducing and is almost certainly going to make you feel something. A big part of this is the wonderful performance by Susan Sarandon who plays the deceased mother through a series of VHS tapes she has left behind for her son to watch, Sarandon’s acting is powerful, and I challenge you not to cry in the film’s final ten minutes.

Overall, an indie gem that you need to see.

Pros.

Johnson

Carden

Sarandon

Simmons

The ending

Cons.

It won’t be to everyone’s taste

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Escape Room Tournament Of Champions: Minos Is Basically God

2.5/5

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

The survivors of all the previous Minos escape rooms are brought together to see who is the best at solving life and death puzzles.

After watching the first film on New Year’s day I was very excited for this sequel I thought that the first film set up a very interesting conspiracy and I wanted answers. We do get some answers here, but for the most part the conspiracy is pumped up to a laughably degree. In the first film Minos were simply a group of wealthy people who are betting on which of the kidnapped participants will survive to the end of the escape room experience. Here they now have untold power over the world at large and control the police the transportation networks and can get you at any time. They have more than overdone it, to a point where the characters basically can’t win.

Moreover, the film ends rather abruptly, the characters are just starting to win and fight back against the system, when bang it is all over and they are at a police station telling their story and you think ‘wait what is that it?’, it is jarring.

I did not like the twist at the end as I have previously said it now makes the threat of Minos simply ridiculous and their ability to stay covert even more so.

The acting is okay here but the cast is mostly wasted, for the most part everyone is only here to be used as fodder for the various rooms. They even bring back Deborah Ann Woll’s character from the first film, who was my personal favourite however, she only gets five minutes of screen time and is then quickly forgotten about.

Overall, a needless sequel that struggles to live up to the first film. If they do a third film I won’t rush out to see it.

Pros.

The escape rooms are neat

It is nice to see Deborah Ann Woll’s character return

Cons.

The ending

It feels rushed

They ruin the threat of Minos

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The Forever Purge: Hasn’t This Happened Already

4/5

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

Turns out one night of purging is not enough for some people, so they have now decided to make it all year round.

I think out of all the films in the Purge franchise this is the scariest. The reason for that being that this is the most true to reality, in that in could happen; and some might say it already has. The frightening thing about this film is how much of an accurate reflection of our own reality it is.

I don’t like how this blatantly throws the third film, Election Year, to the wolves: for those of you who don’t know the series, the third film saw the purge be brought to an end and NFFA be voted out of power. Within the first few moments of this film that is just undone and ignored, which feels like a lazy write around. Though that said it does work as a comment on the cyclical nature of modern politics.

Though the action in this film does feel a little repetitive at times, it is still done in a very tense way that forces you to sit up and take notice. There is a moment in this film where one of the character is stook in a trap and is about to have a whole put in her head, and honestly you can feel it as you watch. It feels traumatic.

The ending of the film does pose and interesting question as to where the series is going to go from here. I would like to see the fight between the NFFA and the far right radicals that were born out of their movement, or perhaps a worldwide purge. However, one thing is for sure the franchise still has a lot of life left in it.

Overall, a lot better than I was expecting. Powerful and honestly very damning of our current world.

Pros.

The social commentary

The ending

The friendship between the two men and its take on modern day racism

Tense and hard to watch at times

Cons.

It ignores Election Year

It does get a little repetitive

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