Squid Game The Final Season Overview: The Netflix Effect

Can this make-up for a disappointing second season?

The answer is no.

This never should have been broken up into two seasons, it should have been one long second season. The break creates a need for the first episode of this new season to explain what happened last time, which it doesn’t do very well.

Moreover, as you approach the ending of the series the writing seems to get a lot dumber and make a lot less sense, why wouldn’t they just take the baby, why would they make it a contestant, why would Lee Jung-Jae’s character leave the baby behind and sacrifice himself not knowing what would happen to it, why would you spend the whole series building up to the mercenaries finding the island and the battle therein only to have them mostly slaughtered by two fishing boat captains? All of these are good questions the writing doesn’t account for.

That is also without mentioning the Netflix of it all, with them needing to set up a spin-off show in the final episodes final minutes, with a gender flipped recruiter because why not inject in a girl boss. This leaves you with a bad taste in your mouth as the credits role and asks another very good question, why are they playing Korean games in America, why aren’t the American Squid Games playing American games?

Overall, just a massive disappointment.

1.5/5

Pros.

Some of the games are cool

There are interesting ideas

Cons.

The spin-off set up

The terrible writing particularly towards the end

The questionable character decisions

The pacing

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Humane: A True COVID Commentary

Summary

The idea of social conformity is put under pressure.

Whilst I admire Caitlyn Cronenberg for what she is trying to do here, I think she may be laying it on just a bit too thick. The idea is that the population is too large and people are volunteering to die, and when two people in this rich family volunteer and then one runs away they need to find someone else to kill otherwise they all die. Whilst this idea of state overreach and ridiculous responses to problems, a nod to covid, is interesting I find things quickly devolve into a cartoon.

The idea that the whole family turns on one member because they are a drug addict and not really part anyway, and then tries to kill him themselves so they can all go free makes them all intensely unlikeable. If the film had them all die then it would not be such a sticking point for me but it allows a number of them to live. We return to the notion of the cartoon.

Moreover, in the central scenario itself there are a number of ways in which they could try and escape it and get away, and yet they never seem to think to do that. Dumb writing at its extreme, I don’t mind dumb characters but when it gets to a point where you are sat there physically saying aloud why are you doing that you know something is wrong.

Overall, a good concept with poor execution.

2.5/5

Pros

The idea

The commentary

The world

Cons.

The dumb writing

The ending

The family themselves

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The Next Karate Kid: Better Than Daniel

Summary

Hilary Swank is the Karate Kid.

Now this will almost certainly be a controversial review, however, I put forward with this review the idea that The Next Karate Kid is easily the best film in the franchise. This is for two central reasons, Mr Miyagi, Pat Morita, gets more of a central focus and we get to see more of his world. The monks are a great addition to the mix. The second reason is that Morita and Swank have better chemistry than Daniel and Miyagi ever had.

I enjoyed that this film tried to do things a bit differently and was about Swank’s character opening up more and ended with her going to the dance, rather than yet another martial arts tournament. That said the action was still on point and Swank easily managed to pull off the moves.

Overall, I am a person who enjoys Cobra Kai more for the character moments than for the action so I was always going to prefer this film to the Daniel trilogy, reviews coming soon.

4/5

Pros.

Swank

The focus on Miyagi

The relationship between the characters

The change of setting and final act

Cons.

Not all the jokes hold up.

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The Amateur: Crying Over The Death Of Ms Maisel

Summary

Rami Malek, puts on his Jigsaw hat for a minute and heads out to seek some revenge.

This film is your standard revenge thriller, man loses loved one man gets vengeance, there is little beyond that. There is some fun to be had with the traps, however the trailers for this film spoil a lot in this regard.

The global span of the film is nice and feels realistic in line with how a terrorist groups/ wet work operators would work, rather than this idea of them all holding up in a fortress of evil somewhere.

I suppose the impression I am trying to impart in this review is that this film is fine, it is not particularly anything. The trailers spoil the best parts, so if you can try and go in blind, but yes set your expectations to meh and maybe you’ll enjoy it.

Overall, middling.

2.5/5

Pros.

The traps

It is unintentionally funny

You feel the emotion

Cons.

It been done before

The pacing

The trailers gave too much away

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War Of The Worlds: Ice Cube Whores It For Amazon

Summary

Ice Cube sells out.

So what can be said about this film that has not already been said?

A lot of people are enjoying mocking this film for being bad, and in a sense almost suggesting people watch it as a so bad it is good film, however, this must not be done. By sending people to Amazon to watch this because it is so bad it is good, Amazon will see they can get views out of garbage like this and keep doing it.

This film reeked to me of two key things, contractual obligations and a tax write off. I think everyone involved with this new where it was going, and I think having all the product placement in this film was done as a way to turn a turd into something that could still bring in some money for Amazon. Why else would they have long scenes where Ice Cube uses Amazon.Com to buy things? For the contractual obligations I am presenting an out for Ice Cube, as whilst he likely just did this for the money, there is also the chance that he had to do this film out of some sort of obligation to Amazon/

I would like to think the lampooning of this film means that the era of sat at a computer opening windows sort of filmmaking is over. That we may yet be spared more films like Unfriended, as this seems like the sort of film that kills a sub-genre stone dead. In many senses this is a Madame Web sort of film, but unlike that film Amazon knew what they were doing here.

Overall, trash that you shouldn’t even watch to see if it is as bad as everyone says.

0.5/5

Pros.

It allows you to see how creatively bankrupt Amazon is

Cons.

It is poorly acted

The product placement

It is badly paced

It is boring

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Nobody Two: Sharon Stone Embarrasses Herself

Summary

Hutch, Bob Odenkirk, just wants to go on holiday.

So this is an inferior sequel, in many ways this is a step back from the first film. Whilst the idea of a wet work specialist going on holiday could be interesting in a comedy action format, I think the whole idea of the ‘oh no he’s not spending enough time with his family plot line’ is so cliché and stupid.

The action is on point and funny, Odenkirk does a good job making it all look convincing and manages to keep the film together, with some assistance from Christopher Llyod, RZA and Connie Nelson. I enjoyed that this film gave Nelson some spot light particularly at the end, it is nice to see her engage in a bit of blood sport too. The RZA samurai duel is likely going to be a highlight of the film for a lot of people.

The film has Sharon Stone as the big bad leader of a drug cartel, who shows how crazy she is by breaking into dance. This may be one of the worst and most baffling choices I have seen a film make in a long time, the film keeps doing things it thinks makes her look cool and badass, but it is actually cringe.

The more Stone appeared in the film the worse it got.

Overall, a step back from the first film.

2.5/5

Pros.

Nelson, RZA and Llyod

Odenkirk

The action

Cons.

Cliched story telling

Stone

The ending and how easily it wraps up

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Freakier Friday: Remember Folks Lindsey Lohan Tried To Abduct A Syrian Refugee.

Summary

Friday gets freakier.

What can be said that we didn’t all say in the lead up to this?

There was no need for this film, there was some junk food like appeal to it, with it being warming and hitting with some nostalgia and a little comedy here and there, however, there is nothing of substance nothing that makes you go ‘ah that’s why they need to make this’.

For a contemporary Disney film there was a lot less divisive nonsense than I was expecting, for example I thought for sure one of the characters would be trans gender and then you would have Lohan or Curtis’s character go into that characters body in order to understand the experience of trans people. Yet Disney managed to hold back on that, the closest they go to it is during an early section of the film wherein there is a food fight and a kid is carrying around a rainbow pride flag and manages to get it into every shot.

I think they would be hard-pressed to do a third film as there really isn’t much more they can do with this franchise in terms of the body swapping gimmick, though I am sure they could find a way if this film made them enough money.

Overall, whilst there is some comforting nostalgia here, it ultimately feels like a desperate cash grab.

2/5

Pros.

It is funny

There is some nostalgia to be had

Cons.

It doesn’t justify its existence

It comes off as a little desperate

Disney being Disney

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Screamboat: Mickey Mouse As He Really Is

Summary

Mickey Mouse behaves as we all know he does behind closed doors.

Honestly, I can sum up whether you will like this film in one sentence did you like Terrrifer and do you find Art’s antics funny or not? If the answer is yes to both then you will like this film. It tells the tale of a group of people taking the Staten Island Ferry who run into Mickey Mouse and who then picks them off.

This is one of those public domain films, but I would say it has more charm than something like a Blood and Honey, there is more of a sense of whimsy here. I also thought all of the references and inferences to Walt Disney were quite clever.

The kills were good but weren’t to the same level of gore as in Terrifer, they again were played more for laughs than for chills, and it delivered in much the same way as the campier later entries in most slasher franchises of old did.

The ending that has the lead dress up like Minnie Mouse to try and seduce Mickey was something I never thought I would see in my life but here we are.

Overall, if you are a fan of Terrifer and of gore than you will likely like this.

3/5

Pros.

The kills

The backstory and the references to Walt

It is funny

Cons.

It can be repetitive

The acting is truly awful

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Return Of The Jedi: More Like Return Of The Ewoks

Summary

The second best of the original trilogy.

Now whilst I know a lot of people have mixed feelings about this film, not Sequel trilogy levels of negativity, but still. However, for me I enjoyed this more than A New Hope, this was really because I enjoyed the idea of seeing the Rebellion at its hight and getting to spend more time with it, rather than seeing them on the back foot. This feels closer to the Star Wars projects I most gel with which is to say books/games/tv shows/ films wherein you are following a grunt in the trenches and you are seeing these almost fantastical wars, and the tactics of them, rather than more from the Skywalker saga.

Another thing I appreciate about this film is how the other elements from the previous two films come together in a way that feels satisfying and that feels truly like a galaxy fighting back. I also really liked the arc of Darth Vader and his internal conflict at the end of the film wherein he finally becomes redeemed. Do I think this film would have hit as hard at the time? No. I think watching it after watching the Prequels and the animated series and knowing how Anakin is as a character adds an extra dimension.

Do the Ewoks get too much screentime to sell toys to kids? Yes of course, but for me I didn’t mind that, I liked the Ewoks for the most part.

Overall, it is good and a hell of a lot better than the Sequel films however, it doesn’t feel as gritty as Empire and for me that places it in a solid second place.

3.5/5

Pros.

More time with the rebellion

A grander scale

It feels like something special

Getting to see the best from each character

Cons.

It wouldn’t be as good if you did not know much about Anakin as a character

The CGI is ropey at times

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Penguin Lessons: Penguins Can Make Anyone More Likeable

Summary

A man, Steve Coogan, living in Argentina finds a new lease on life when he adopts a penguin.

So for the most part I enjoyed this film, if the ending had been different I would likely score it higher, but because this is based on a real life account I don’t think they could do anything about it.

Of course the issue with this film is that for two thirds of the run time it is a mostly life affirming experience about the positive impact animals can have on a person’s life, even during moments of strife such as when the police kidnap a young woman off the street and later arrest Coogan’s character the presence of the penguin makes it all less depressing and a little bit happier.

However, at the end as you can likely imagine the penguin dies and the film becomes depressing. I think this sort of pain can be familiar to anyone who has lost a pet, and it does mean the film ends on a down note which takes away from the broader uplift of it at the end. One could argue artistically that a bitter sweet ending is in itself uplifting as it reflects the power one life, in this case a penguin’s life, can have.

Overall, the film gets you to care deeply about the penguin and you feel that death keenly.

3/5

Pros.

Coogen

The bond between man and penguin

The life affirming moments

Cons

The pacing is off

The ending is depressing

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