Godzilla vs Kong smashed its way into theaters and HBO Max last March 2021 becoming the first blockbuster hit this pandemic season.

Should you skip it or watch it? Read on this review to find out.

King vs King

After defeating Ghidorah and claiming the title as the King of the Monsters in 2019’s Godzilla: King of the Monsters, Godzilla defends his crown against another massive enemy in Kong. The giant ape and protector of Skull Island sets out once again to defend his territory against one of the fiercest monsters in the MonsterVerse.

Who wins this battle? Well, that’s for you to find out.

What I can I say is that if you’re looking for a monster against monster film extravaganza, then you will surely be satisfied with this one.

Forget About the Humans

The human element has always been a problem for the Legendary’s MonsterVerse as seen in Godzilla (2014), Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019) and the same with Kong: Skull Island (2015). The same can be said about Godzilla vs Kong. It’s not that the human characters in these films are bad or played badly, they are actually good. Stranger Things star Millie Bobby Brown reprises her role along with her on-screen father Kyle Chandler as Madison and Dr. Mark Russell. The Legend of Tarzan star Alexander Skarsgård joins the cast along with Vicky Cristina Barcelona actress Rebecca Hall. All pretty interesting characters with Hall’s Dr. Ilene Andrews together with child star Kaylee Hottle having more interactions with Kong himself.

But towards the beginning of the clash of the monsters, the characters seem to drop off the screen and essentially out of the fight. And frankly, I did not miss them. As interesting as the human characters storylines are, they did not feel as important to me as they should be. See, I came here for the monster battles not the human element. Director Adam Wingard seems to understand this and gives us exactly the monster battles we need. Forget about the humans. This film is titled Godzilla vs Kong and it should be all about the monsters. And guess what, it works!

More MonsterVerse Please!

The monster fights in Godzilla vs Kong are an absolute stand-out. The literally larger-than-life battles are as fun as they are devastating to watch. All the previous entries from the MonsterVerse seemed to lack the human elements to succeed but Godzilla vs Kong took things a little further and almost completely forgets about them humans. And against all odds, it worked.

That said, it should be a no-brainer for the studios to greenlight more MonsterVerse movies in the future, if they haven’t already. And maybe, put the monsters in focus again.

Skip or Watch?

Godzilla vs Kong is exactly what it needs to be – a film that gives more importance to the monsters and the monster battles. Forget about the humans and all the science stuff, it’s all just a bunch of mumbo jumbo anyways.

VERDICT: WATCH!

Here is salida|etc’s rating for Godzilla vs Kong.

Let us know what you think of the movie by giving it your own rating or commenting below.

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Army of the Dead hit Netflix over the weekend a week after its theatrical release in select theaters. Netflix tap director Zack Snyder on this one, so the question is: Should you skip it or watch it?

Read on this review to find out.

Smarter, Faster, Organized

Cue Zombie by The Cranberries as Dave Bautista headlines this zombie heist movie from visionary director Zack Snyder. Army of the Dead marks the filmmaker’s debut on the streaming giant, Netflix. Originally written by Snyder himself after the success of his remake of George Romero’s Dawn of the Dead in 2004, the zombie heist film finally got the greenlight in 2019 with Netflix backing it up.

A decade and a half later, the undead are back. This time, they are faster, smarter, and organized and yeah, there’s a zombie tiger too. And oh, let’s not forget, there’s a 200-million dollar locked in a vault surrounded by Vegas zombies at stake here.

The Zack Snyder Style

So taking all of those wild plotlines in, there is really no other director that could possibly tackle all of those in one movie than the master himself, Zack Snyder. The legendary director of the recently released Zack Snyder’s Justice League aka the #SnyderCut is in full control this time around. As he should be.

Snyder’s inimitable filmmaking style is on full display here with those distinct slow-motion sequences that look effortlessly cool. The flawless integration of computer-generated effects, the effectiveness of those green screens. This really feels like a Zack Snyder movie. Army of the Dead is a great combo of great action sequences and impeccable sense of humor.

Actors Dave Bautista (Scott Ward) and Ella Purnell (Kate Ward) feels like a great father-daughter tandem. Omari Hardwick (Vanderohe) and Ana de la Reguera (Maria Cruz) are great supporting actors. Matthias Schweighöfer (Ludwig Dieter) and Tig Notaro (Marianne Peters) are show-stealers. Nora Arnezeder (Lily/The Coyote) and Samantha Win (Chambers) are real butt-kickers. The cast and the characters they play are neither shallow nor that deep but layered enough to be memorable.

Maybe Too Long?

Snyder’s Army of the Dead is 2 hours and 28 minutes long. Highly unusual for the zombie genre to have this long of a runtime. Some would even say it may be too long. And indeed, it is. Still, from a storytelling standpoint, I feel the runtime is just right. I don’t believe the movie would feel complete otherwise. We’ll just have to survive some of the boring parts, though.

This, for me, is where Zack Snyder needs to find the balance. Most of his films always feels like it’s never going to end. Sure, it makes for a more compelling story, but it also starts to become like a trip to SnoozeVille at some point. 2.5 hours is still a long runtime for a movie even more so for a zombie movie.

Balance, dude. Balance.

Skip or Watch?

Army of the Dead is definitely a highlight of Zack Snyder’s filmmaking career. The action sequences are always fun, and the humor is on point. Packed with an awesome cast headed by Dave Bautista and Ella Purnell, the movie is a sure-fire way to spice up your weekend movie nights.

Army of the Dead makes zombie movies cool again.

VERDICT: WATCH!

Here is salida|etc’s rating for Army of the Dead.

Let us know what you think of the movie by giving it your own rating or commenting below.

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Project Power, Netflix’ latest addition, gives everybody a chance to get superpowers for 5-minutes.

Should you skip it or watch it? Read on this review to find out.

Another Superhero Movie?

Superhero movies are just everywhere nowadays and thanks in part to the success of Marvel Studios the superhero genre is easily one of the most bankable movie genres in today’s film industry. And by the looks of it, we may be seeing more and more superhero films in the years to come.

So, is Project Power another superhero movie? Well, the answer’s complicated.

As can be seen in the trailer, anybody can have superpowers with a just a pop of a pill. Although said power only lasts five minutes and no one exactly knows what kind of power you’re getting or if you’re even getting one.

So, yeah, it’s kind of a superhero movie but it’s not just a superhero movie. There’s a lot more to this movie than what it shows in the trailer.

Curious Premise

“If there was a pill that could give you 5 minutes of pure power, would you take it?”

One line and I’m hooked, and why shouldn’t it? Everyone, at some point in their lives, wanted to have superpowers.

But as you might expect, there’s a catch. There always is. As I said above, this isn’t just a superhero movie. It’s also a drug movie, a revenge movie, a cop-buddy movie. Yeah, Project Power packed everything in hoping to please every moviegoer out there. And to a point, it does.

Somewhat Lacking

Actors Jamie Foxx and Joseph Gordon-Levitt team up for the first time in Project Power and both actors were damn fine. Yes, they are. However, it is the young Dominique Fishback, who gets the most attention, with a role so perfectly portrayed the casting directors could not have chosen anyone better.

The duo of Ariel Schulman and Henry Joost who are best known for their underrated 2016 film Nerve captains Project Power. And if you’ve seen that one, you know what these two are capable of.

Interestingly, both Project Power and Nerve had that same level of thought-provoking premise. Both films were good and had strong foundations but as much as I liked Nerve, I felt there was something lacking on Project Power.

It gets you hooked and high on the Power pill but much like in the movie the high does not last long.

Project Power shows you bits and pieces of what more there is to the film and then abandon it for another set of bits and pieces of the film.

The movie kind of makes you go, “Oh, what could have been”. Still, you’ll find it watchable.

Skip or Watch?

Armed with a thought-provoking premise, Netflix’ latest film, Project Power, for the most part, passes. Awesome performances from its main leads and a specially-stellar performance from Dominique Fishback make this movie easily one of the more watchable films of 2020.

I’m still undecided, though, on whether this falls under the superhero genre or not. Regardless, I highly recommend you add this to your watch list.

Enjoy!

VERDICT: WATCH!

Here is salida|etc’s rating for Project Power.

Let us know what you think of the movie by giving it your own rating or commenting below.

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The New Mutants finally got released in this pandemic year after a 3-year long delay in production. We finally get to see the movie after its DVD and digital release this November.

Now, the question is, should you skip it or watch it? Read on this review to find out.

3-year Long Delay

I can still remember back in 2017 when Fox released a trailer for a new movie in the X-Men universe; a different kind of X-Men movie. Posing a darker and much scarier tone, it got a lot of X-Men fans excited. 2017 went by and then 2018, and then 2019 and all fans got was a new trailer every year. It wasn’t until March 2020 when finally The New Mutants got the green light for its theatrical release and then the pandemic came. Ultimately, the film was released in August 2020.

Three long years of production issues and still the movie was not able to reach a lot of audiences upon its release. Don’t worry, though, as you might be better off missing this one.

People always say, patience is a virtue, and that good things come to those who wait. Sadly, this wasn’t the case with The New Mutants.

Disappointing

The New Mutants aimed to be the first film under the superhero horror genre. The result? A little bit of superhero and a little bit of horror. It’s not bad per se but there really isn’t a lot in it. Add to the fact that we waited 3 years only to see so little bit of anything, that’s just disappointing.

The cast which included Game of Thrones star Maisie Williams as Rahne Sinclair aka Wolfsbane, Stranger Things star Charlie Heaton, Alice Braga (City of God), Blu Hunt (The Originals) and Henry Zaga  (13 Reasons Why). The actors did their jobs but the characters they played are simply just meh.

Not to take anything away from the other actors but it was The Queen’s Gambit star Anya Taylor-Joy’s Illyana Rasputin aka Magik who stole the show. She was the little bit of superhero and the little bit of horror in the film and literally the only character I cared about. Too bad, though, the movie’s plot didn’t focus on her because if it did The New Mutants would have been a totally different movie. A better one I reckon.

The Fault in our Stars director Josh Boone helmed this one and I think it’s safe to say, this is not his best work.

Skip or Watch?

One would expect that after 3 years of shooting and reshooting that The New Mutants would be good or at least meet the viewers’ expectations: a superhero movie and a horror movie. Instead, all we got was just a little bit of both. And that’s just not good enough. Honestly, if it wasn’t for Anya Taylor-Joy’s Magik, I wouldn’t have finished watching the movie.

So, if you’re looking to grab a copy of The New Mutants, just don’t.

But if you really want to, get it through the links below.

VERDICT: SKIP!

Here is salida|etc’s rating for The New Mutants.

Let us know what you think of the movie by giving it your own rating or commenting below.

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The Philippines’ Department of Health has confirmed its first case of the 2019-nCoV involving a 38-year-old Chinese woman on January 30, 2020. Information about the virus has circulated online and other media faster than the virus itself. Some false, some true.

salida|etc has compiled all the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommendations for the general public to reduce exposure to and transmission of the virus.

Protect Yourself and Others

• Wash your hands with soap and running water when hands are visibly dirty. If your hands are not visibly dirty, frequently clean them by using alcohol-based hand rub on soap and water.

• Wash your hands
  • after coughing or sneezing
  • when caring for the sick
  • before, during, and after you prepare food
  • before eating
  • after toilet use
  • when hands are visibly dirty
  • after handling animals or animal waste

• When coughing and sneezing, cover mouth and nose with flexed elbow or tissue. Throw tissue into closed bin immediately after use.
  • Clean hands with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water after coughing or sneezing and when caring for the sick.

• Avoid close contact when you are experiencing cough and fever.
• Avoid spitting in public.
• If you have fever, cough, and difficulty breathing, seek medical care early and share previous travel history with your health care provider.

Practice Food Safety

• Use different chopping boards and knives for raw meat and cooked foods.
• Wash your hands between handling raw and cooked food.

• Sick animals and animals that have died of diseases should NOT be eaten.

• Even in areas experiencing outbreaks, meat products can be safely consumed if these items are cooked thoroughly and properly handled during food preparation.

Shopping in Wet Markets

• Wash hands with soap and water after touching animals and animal products.
• Avoid touching eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Avoid contact with sick animals and spoiled meat.
• Avoid contact with stray animals, waste, and fluids in market.

Working in Wet Markets

• Wear protective gowns, gloves, and facial protection while handling animals and animal products.
• Remove protective clothing after work, wash daily, and leave at the work site.
• Avoid exposing family members to soiled work clothing and shoes.

• Frequently wash your hands with soap and water after touching animals and animal products.
• Disinfect equipment and working area at least once a day.

Stay Healthy While Traveling

• Avoid travel if you have a fever and cough.
• If you have a fever, cough, and difficulty breathing, seek medical care early and share previous travel history with your health care provider.

• Avoid close contact with people suffering from a fever and cough.
• Frequently clean hands by using alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water.
• Avoid touching eyes, nose or mouth.

• When coughing and sneezing, cover mouth and nose with flexed elbow or tissue. Throw tissue away immediately and wash hands.
• If you choose to wear a face mask, be sure to cover your mouth and nose. Avoid touching mask once it’s on.
• Immediately discard single-use mask after each use and wash hands after removing masks.

• If you become sick while traveling, inform crew and seek medical care early.
• If you seek medical attention, share travel history with your health care provider.

• Eat only well-cooked food.
• Avoid spitting in public.
• Avoid close contact and travel with animals that are sick.

Myth-Busters

Can pets at home spread the new coronavirus (2019-nCoV)?

• At present, there is no evidence that companion animals/pets such as dogs or cats can be infected with the new coronavirus. However, it is always a good idea to wash your hands with soap and water after contact with pets. This protects you against various common bacteria such as E. coli and Salmonella that can pass between pets and humans.

Does the new coronavirus affect older people, or are younger people also susceptible?

• People of all ages can be infected by the new coronavirus (2019-nCoV). Older people, and people with pre-existing medical conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease) appear to be more vulnerable to becoming severely ill with the virus. WHO advise people of all age to take steps to protect themselves from the virus, for example by following good hand hygiene and good respiratory hygiene.

Are antibiotics effective in preventing and treating the new coronavirus?

• No, antibiotics do not work against viruses, only bacteria. The new coronavirus (2019-nCoV) is a virus and, therefore, antibiotics should not be used as a means of prevention or treatment. However, if you are hospitalized for the 2019-nCoV, you may receive antibiotics since bacterial co-infection is possible.

Are there any specific medicine to prevent or treat the new coronavirus?

• To date, there is no specific medicine recommended to prevent or treat the new coronavirus (2019-nCoV). However, those infected with the virus should receive appropriate care to relieve and treat symptoms, and those with severe illness should receive optimized supportive care. Some specific treatments are under investigation and will be tested through clinical trials. WHO is helping to accelerate research and development efforts with a range of partners.

Author’s Note

There are still a lot of unknowns about the 2019-nCoV but contracting the virus does not mean an automatic death sentence. Equipped with the right knowledge and observing proper hygiene, we can combat this disease together, as one Earth.

DC FanDome|From Wonder Woman to Justice League #TheSnyderCut, these are the biggest teasers/trailers revealed on Day 1 of DC FanDome!

1 Kristen Wiig’s Cheetah Revealed Wonder Woman 1984 New Trailer

Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) showed up in the first trailer of Wonder Woman 1984 which was released way back in December 2019 and it had all the fans asking.

Fast forward eight months later and WW84 has officially revealed one of the two major villains in the movie in Barbara Ann Minerva/Cheetah (Kristen Wiig). While the trailer mostly focused on Barbara Ann’s apparent transition, we later get a first look of her in her Cheetah form seemingly ready to take on Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) herself.

Wonder Woman 1984 also stars Pedro Pascal as Maxwell Lord and is scheduled to be released on October 2, 2020!

2 Behind The Scenes Look at James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad

I think we’re all in agreement when I say that Suicide Squad 2016 sucks. And that’s probably why Warner Bros. and DC Entertainment brought in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1 and 2 Director James Gunn to have another go at the anti-heroes team of The Suicide Squad. And by the looks of it, this newly casted version seems better.

Whatever the case is, we will not find out until the movie is released in 2021!

3 Robert Pattinson in Full Gear as The Batman in First Teaser Trailer

This is it! Our first look at Robert Pattinson donning The Batman cape has been revealed. Up until this point, we have not really seen Pattinson in full Batman suit with only a few snips and teases from Director Matt Reeves on how exactly he will look like.

Thankfully, we can all rest easy because as far as I can tell, Robert Pattinson as Batman is 100% fire 🔥🔥🔥! And judging from the overall look and feel (I literally had Goosebumps) of the teaser trailer, this is going to be good, I hope.

4 Justice League #TheSnyderCut Official Trailer Reveal

This one’s a little complicated. It’s been nearly 3 years since Justice League hit theaters with generally mixed reviews from critics. And while Zack Snyder took directing credits under his name, it was Avengers (2012) director Joss Whedon who completed the project after a personal tragedy struck the original director. Millions of unhappy fans then started a petition online to Warner Bros. and DC for the release of the fabled Justice League #TheSnyderCut leaving the bosses with no choice but to grant the fans’ wishes.

Zack Snyder has long since confirmed the existence of #TheSnyderCut but now we have video proof that it does exist.

#TheSnyderCut or Zack Snyder’s Justice League as it is officially called will be available for streaming in 2021 and is said to be divided into four 1-hour parts. Wait, what??? Oh, well, whatever. I’ll watch it anyhow.

The official trailer looked nothing like what we all saw in 2017. So, is it going to be better than the original? We’ll all find out in 2021! One thing’s for sure, though, Zack Snyder’s Justice League is going to be different.

Watch More on DC FanDome

Now, I’m not sure whether or not WB or DC can commit to the dates announced during the DC FanDome Event with this pandemic still going on, but hey, one can always hope.

There’s a ton more news and updates announced in the DC FanDome event. You can be view the event here.

Got a movie or TV series that you would like for us to review? Drop us a message and we’ll get to it.

Assane Diop gets inspiration from Arsene Lupin novels and sets out on a revenge journey for his wrongly convicted father. Part 1 of the Netflix series Lupin is streaming now.

Should you skip it or watch it? Read on this review to find out.

Gentleman Burglar

Created by French author Maurice LeBlanc, the tales of Arsene Lupin is a well-known novel character and the name itself may already be synonymous to the word burglar. But what separates this infamous persona from other book characters (other than the fact that he always gets away) is that he is never violent, only using his wits and skills to outsmart his opponents every single time. Thus, earning him the nickname “Gentleman Burglar”.

In Netflix’ Lupin, the gentleman burglar moniker is brought to life by Assane Diop played by Omar Sy (X-Men: Days of Future Past) in present day France, where tales of the legendary Lupin are still revered and celebrated by fans worldwide. Fueled by vengeance for his wrongly convicted father Babakar Diop (Fargass Assandé), Assane channels Arsene Lupin to pull off the most complicated heists in the most gentleman burglar-y way.

Packed with Surprises…

Fans of the Lupin novels may already recognize some of the events in the series as it closely resembles the events in the novels. Despite that, however, Netflix’ Lupin will still manage to surprise even the most hardcore Lupin novel fans.

Each episode of Part 1 is packed with tons of twists and turns that will keep the audience engaged down to the last minute of all its 5 episodes.

Storylines and characters are all well-written. Backstories are explored in depth all while maintaining a certain mystery. Storytelling is another fine aspect of the series. It jumps back and forth from one timeline to another with all the backstories. Yet, Lupin is still relatively easy to follow. The series still retains a certain complexity to it, but it never over-complicates stuff.

…and Fun

Another great thing about this show is how the actors were cast perfectly. The younger versions of the characters shown during flashbacks look eerily like their older iterations. That just goes to show how dedicated the crew for this show is.

Omar Sy is without a doubt suited for this role. His charm and appeal perfectly embody the very essence of the gentleman burglar persona that he is trying to copy. It’s always a pleasure to see actors having fun in their roles and Omar Sy certainly looks like he was having fun on the set of the series. Now You See Me director Louis Letterier made sure to keep the fun part.

No, the show is not funny in a comedic way, but it is fun in the sense that it completely succeeds in always having a few tricks up its sleeve. No dull moment whatsoever. Even when things seemed a little predictable, a few shocks come up and throw you off once again. That, to me, is the definition of fun.

Skip or Watch?

Netflix’ Lupin is a gripping mystery tale that packs a ton of surprises and most of all…fun.

The only downside to this show that I can think of is that there are only 5 episodes in it. In any case, Part 2 has already been announced and may arrive as early as within this year.

Do yourselves a favor and give this show a watch. This is high-quality entertainment and an absolute must-watch.

VERDICT: WATCH!

Here is salida|etc’s rating for Lupin.

Let us know what you think of the series by giving it your own rating or commenting below.

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Filipino Avengers fans, reassemble!

SM Cinema will be bringing back Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Endgame in select SM Cinema theaters nationwide. Luckily for us Cebuano fans, SM Cebu will be one of a few SM theaters that will re-release the film. You need to hurry, however, as Endgame will only be available in SM theaters for 3 days from July 12 to 14, 2019.

The prolific studio has previously made the same announcement a few weeks ago. In fact, a good number of international theaters have already re-released the film since June 28 clearly in a bid to finally dethrone James Cameron’s Avatar and become the highest grossing film in the world.

Thankfully, SM Cinema has finally followed suit. Find out if an SM theater will show this new version of the film by viewing the official SM Cinema announcement below.

https://www.facebook.com/SMCinema/photos/a.10151547382656859/10156641733336859/?type=3&source=57

But hey, if you thought the first release was long, Marvel disagrees with you . Why? Because a few minutes of previously unseen footage will be included in this new release extending the 3-hour plus runtime even more. A post-credits scene will be featured too, so you’ll have to stay until the end to find out what it is.

Endgame is only 15 million dollars away from finally dethroning Avatar as of this writing.

Will Avengers: Endgame become the highest grossing movie of all time with this re-release? Let us know what you think below.

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Anthony Mackie stars in Outside The Wire, Netflix latest science fiction/futuristic war film. Keeping its promise to release new movies every week, the film is now available for streaming starting January 15, 2021.

Should you skip it or watch it? Read on this review to find out.

Sci-Fi/Future Warfare

Damson Idris (Snowfall, Black Mirror) and Anthony Mackie (Point Blank, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier) teams up as Lt. Thomas Harp, a drone pilot and Captain Leo, a highly advanced robotic super soldier, to stop a potential nuclear war.

Now this genre isn’t exactly new but Outside The Wire introduces something new to the formula; social awareness or social/political commentary or something similar to that. In any case, however you want to call it, this seems to be a decent recipe for success. Or is it?

Intriguing…

Helmed by Swedish Director Mikael Håfström (Evil, The Rite), Outside The Wire starts off okay. The characters, however flawed, are introduced carefully. Anthony Mackie’s take on a sentient super cyborg is superb and gives off just about the right amount of charm. Damson Idris’ Lt. Harp is right up there with him. Though I can’t help but think his character seems out of place and even unnecessary to a point.

Outside The Wire also tries to raise some tough questions. Do the needs of the many really outweighs the need of the few? How is it that the US is seemingly always in the middle of other nation’s civil war? What is good and what is evil? Is the world better with human beings at the helm?

These are questions that nobody knows what the answers really are, but they sure make an intriguing plotline. Still, intrigue should be coupled by answers or the film should at least try to explain why it doesn’t have one. Outside The Wire fails miserably on this note and simply settles for a vague uneventful ending.

…but Forgettable

The streaming service signed on some big players with actors Leonardo DiCaprio, Sandra Bullock, Dwayne Johnson, Meryl Streep and filmmakers like Zack Snyder, Antoine Fuqua, Shawn Levy, all scheduled to feature this 2021.

It is no wonder then why the visual effects look great in this film. Something that I didn’t quite expect for a film of this scale. Netflix is certainly stepping up in this area and in a lot of areas, for that matter.

Action scenes look good too, although I would bet you won’t really remember them later. Outside The Wire looks absolutely good on the outside but feels a little too hollow on the inside. This film may gain a lot of viewers now but give it a few months or weeks and I don’t think a lot of people will remember this film.

Skip or Watch?

Outside The Wire manages to keep everything intriguing for most of its running time but significantly disappoints with an ending that you’ll most likely forget sooner rather than later.

Netflix has promised to release new movie releases every week for 2021 with Outside The Wire as one of its first offerings. On that note, skip this one and hope the next ones will be better and deserve a watch.

VERDICT: SKIP!

Here is salida|etc’s rating for Outside The Wire.

Let us know what you think of the movie by giving it your own rating or commenting below.

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We’re finally done watching Stranger Things 3! And in this post, we list down the Top 7 things we loved about the third instalment of the critically-acclaimed and widely successful Netflix original, Stranger Things.

WARNING!

Minor spoilers for Stranger Things Season 3 are in this post.

7. Everyone’s Back

Well, technically, not everyone. The characters who survived the previous two seasons are back, we should say. But you get it.

Possibly the biggest reason why the franchise is such a mega hit is the cast, specifically the children. So, it’s a no-brainer to bring them all back.

Series regulars Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), Mike (Finn Wolfhard), Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo), Lucas (Caleb Mclaughlin), and Will (Noah Schnapp) along with Season 2 addition Max (Sadie Sink) all return to reprise their roles. Can you even imagine Stranger Things without these guys? We thought so.

Joyce (Winona Ryder) and Hopper (David Harbour) together with lovebirds Nancy (Natalia Dyer) and Jonathan (Charlie Heaton) along with Steve (Joe Keery) all return to complete the lineup.

New characters will be introduced, too, and Erica (Priah Ferguson) will play a much bigger role this season. More on Erica later, don’t worry.

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6. The Shadow Monster aka The Mind Flayer

Speaking of returning characters, the Mind Flayer, a horrifying creature from another dimension and the show’s main antagonist is also returning.

Visibly teased in the previous season’s final episode, the shadow monster is bigger and more powerful than ever and is out to terrify the once-peaceful fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana once again.

Be forewarned. Some scenes involving the shadow monster are a little gross and gory even, so prepare your stomachs.

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5. Tween-age romance

Aww…Love!

At the end of Season 2, we saw the blossoming romance between Mike and Eleven and Lucas and Max. Season 3 bravely explores these relationships even more leading to some of the cheesiest scenes and sweetest lines in the show to date. Thank God for #Mileven!

We literally watched these kids grow up before our eyes and it was incredible. But seeing them fall in love on screen is just surreal.❤️❤️❤️

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4. 80s American pop-culture references

Boy, 80s music were great! And Stranger Things 3 made sure we got a lot of those. Tracks including Madonna’s Material Girl, REO Speedwagon’s Can’t Fight This Feeling, Wham!’s Wake Me Up (Before You Go Go!) were among those featured.

The show also gave us a little bit of a tour of what the movie scene looks like at the time. A sneak preview of films, Day of the Dead and Back to the Future were shown in some of the scenes.

Anyone else want to try that controversial “New Coke”?

Also, am I the only who got that Terminator vibe from that incredibly strong Russian baddie?

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3. Priah Ferguson’s Erica Sinclair

The character which was first introduced in the 2^nd season as Lucas’ younger sister gets more screen time and dialog this time. And deservingly so, as Erica is such a stand-out and a bona fide show-stealer!

Erica Sinclair essentially cements her place as one of the show’s most-loved characters in the eight episodes of Stranger Things Season 3.

Having said that, one’s got to wonder why it took so long for the show runners to introduce us to her. Hey, Duffer Brothers, she’s never leaving the show, right? Right?

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2. The NeverEnding Story Duet

One of the show’s best parts and perhaps the most unforgettable moment in all of Stranger Things to date is “The NeverEnding Story” duet.

Dustin and new character Suzie (Gabriella Pizzolo) gave us one hell of a production number right in one of the most crucial moments of the show. Bad timing? On the contrary, the timing was just perfect!

The scene magically turned the show into a musical, a short but a sweet one, we must add!

Actors Gaten Matarazzo and Gabriella Pizzolo obviously got the chops and should star on a Broadway musical. Oh, wait! They already have!

Man, these kids are just too talented!

Embed from Getty Images

Embed from Getty Images

1. The Letter

The third season of Stranger Things is for us, the show’s most emotional to date. And this was mostly because of; you guessed it, “The Letter”.

Chief Hopper is by no means “soft”. Nope! But the letter he penned for his adopted daughter Eleven, was so openly honest and heartfelt, it would make Hopper himself well up in tears.

Who would have thought that the lines “Keep the Door Open Three inches!” would hold so much meaning?

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