WandaVision, the MCU’s first television series comes to a close after a 9-episode run on streaming service Disney+.

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

MCU Drought is OVER

Finally, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has come back to life. In case you forgot, the last MCU movie, Spider-Man: Far From Home was released way back in July 2019. It was supposed to be followed by Black Widow in April 2020 but then we all know what happened. And while we did get some much-needed appetizer from the series finale of Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD in 2020, the year still felt like a drought for most MCU fans, me included. Then again, the movie and the entertainment industry in general suffered huge blows with some major releases eventually finding their homes in streaming platforms.

Thank God for Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max, Amazon Prime and all the streaming platforms out there for making 2020 much bearable.

Fast forward to 2021 or roughly one and a half years since the release of Spider-Man: FFH, we finally get to see WandaVision.

Ambitious

The 9-episode series features Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany) in a sitcom series that travels progresses decade after decade. Now, one may wonder how Vision came back to life after Thanos killed him and took the mind stone for himself back in Avengers: Infinity War. Obviously, I’m not here to spoil anything but the answer can be found when you watch the series.

It’s been a long-time coming for MCU fans and dare I say it, WandaVision does not disappoint. Unless, of course, you are one of those fans who reads all the internet theories about a show and sulks every time those theories are proven wrong. LOL.

WandaVision really holds up on its own. The visual effects alone are breathtakingly gorgeous. The series feels more like a 4.5 hour movie rather than a television show. The script perfectly captures the hilarity typical of Marvel productions. I’d go so far as to say that it is one of the most ambitious television shows I’ve seen so far.

It’s only drawback, I would say, is that it’s released one episode each week with only the first two episodes released in the first week. I’m not exactly a fan of that setup because it gives a lot more time to speculate and theorize. I’m not a fan of that either. I want answers right away. Why make us wait when all the episodes are completed anyway?

Elizabeth Olsen Shines

But the emotional level of WandaVision is what elevates it from the rest of the pack. We all wondered what the effects of the events of Avengers: Endgame would be to the other heroes. We saw what it did to Peter Parker/Spider-Man but it was actually Wanda who suffered the most and had everything taken from her.

WandaVision explores on that deeper and it gave us one of the most beautiful lines ever: “But what is grief if not love persevering.”

Indeed, Wanda lost everything but Elizabeth Olsen gained all the praises in return for her spot-on portrayal of the grieving Wanda Maximoff. The pain, the grief, all the emotion in Olsen’s face will give everyone major goose bumps.

Elizabeth Olsen definitely shines bright in scarlet on this one.

Skip or Watch?

Despite the year-long MCU drought because of the pandemic, the WandaVision series proves that Marvel Studios still got it. The series not only satisfied the hunger of most MCU fans but also drops major hints as to where the studio is going. Spoiler alert: The MCU is not going away anytime soon.

Oh, and be sure to stay for the patented mid-credits and post-credits scene.

VERDICT: WATCH!

Here is salida|etc’s rating for WandaVision.

Let us know what you think of the series by giving it your own rating or commenting below. Got a movie or TV series that you would like for us to review? Drop us a message and we’ll get to it.

Zack Snyder’s Justice League finally makes its way to fans via HBO Max, four years after the release of Justice League in 2017.

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

A Tragedy

After two successful outings with Man of Steel (2013) and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016), Warner Brothers Studios locked writer/director Zack Snyder back in for another film in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) franchise. This time, for the much bigger, much grander, Justice League.

Things went well and the film was scheduled for its 2017 release until a family tragedy befell the Snyders. Zack and Deborah’s daughter, Autumn, passed. Zack Snyder had to step down from his role during post-production to properly deal with the loss of his daughter.

In a bid to stay on schedule, Warner Bros. hired Avengers director Joss Whedon to complete the film. All seemed fine up to that point. After all, Whedon has long been known for numerous critically acclaimed movies and TV series. All was fine until the actual release of the film in theaters.

It turns out Whedon re-wrote almost 90% of the script and re-shot most of the scenes basically turning it into his own movie. Well, we all know how that film turned out. It was not the greatest, but it was not the worst either. One thing is for sure though, it was not the film Zack Snyder wanted to make.

4 Hours Long

Despite Joss Whedon’s massive role in the outcome of the film, he was only ever credited for its screenplay. All the directorial credits still went to Zack Snyder. But us fans knew; this was never the case. And so, a massive online appeal started to get traction, demanding Warner Bros. to let Snyder complete his version of Justice League. The #SnyderCut trended all over social media for years until finally the studio had to give in.

Finally, in 2021, in coordination with HBO Max, Zack Snyder’s Justice League has been released. This version of the DC heroes’ epic clocks in at an unbelievable 4 hours and 2 minutes.

So, now the question is, is it worth spending another 4 hours for this version of Justice League when we all know how the 2017 version played out?

Answer: Hell, Yeah!

What Could Have Been

Sure, Zack Snyder’s Justice League is one lengthy film. In fact, it is twice as long as the 2017 version. But it also means, there is twice more footage that we have not seen before. And trust me when I say, the length of the film pays out big time. With twice more length, Snyder has more than enough time to turn his vision into reality.

In this version, Cyborg, The Flash, and Aquaman (whose stand-alone movie is still in the works in 2017), get their much-needed and much-clearer backstories instead of just casual mentions of their origins.

Zack Snyder not only masterfully completes each of the Justice League heroes’ story arcs, but he also set the foundation for their characters to build up on. There was just too much of Snyder’s vision that were cut in the theatrical version. Ezra Miller’s Flash was great in the 2017 version but in Zack Snyder’s Justice League, he was just too awesome. So much so that I believe he should have had his own stand-alone movie already. Seriously, Miller’s Flash was just a standout.

Zack Snyder’s Justice League is the Justice League we deserved in 2017. OK. Maybe not the 4-hour version but you get it.

The DCEU would have been on a completely different and way better position than it is now, if only Warner Bros. had more faith in Zack Snyder’s vision.

Skip or Watch?

It’s all thanks to the millions of fans for getting the #SnyderCut trending. Now, four years after the divisive Justice League (2017), we finally got to see the Zack Snyder’s original vision of the Justice League movie. And it’s exactly the one that should have been released.

Zack Snyder’s Justice League, however lengthy, shows the filmmaker’s genuine love for the craft and the DCEU franchise in general.

Whether or not you are one of the millions behind the #SnyderCut, this film is definitely a must-watch.

VERDICT: WATCH!

Here is salida|etc’s rating for Zack Snyder’s Justice League.

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

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We love watching movies, and we know you do too! But don’t you just find it annoying when a person (or worse, a group of persons) act foolishly and ruins your movie experience? We’ve been there, and it sucks bigtime! In this article, we list down the 5 most annoying personalities we encountered in cinemas!

5. The Couplers

Let’s start this list with the “Couplers”. No, we’re not talking about “that mechanical thing that connects two things”. We’re referring to the couples who kiss, hug, and do whatever they like with each other as if they are the only ones in the room.

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Don’t get us wrong, getting a little romantic action with your significant other in cinemas is fine. But snogging and fondling with them for the entire movie’s run time? Seriously??? Get a room, guys!

Still, if you really can’t help it, at least be decent about it and set some rules so as not to make other moviegoers uncomfortable.

4. The Football Star

You’re immersed in all the craziness that happens in the Joker movie and as you are listening intently on every line Joaquin Phoenix delivers flawlessly, you suddenly feel a kick in the back of your chair. As if someone was trying to pull you back to reality. You ignore it and plunge back in. But the kick happens again, and again, and again, and again.

You look back and see the person behind you swaying his foot back and forth and hitting your seat like a soccer ball bouncing back over and over and, Goal!!!

As nice as you can, you ask the person to stop. But he/she doesn’t care. You are forced to transfer to another seat and miss 10 crucial minutes of the film, another 20 minutes to re-immerse yourself to the movie.

Congratulations! Your movie experience is now ruined! On the bright side, the person behind you manages to become a “Football Star”!

3. The “Caster”

In ESports, casters play a very important role as the persons who provide live commentaries during a game much like traditional sports commentators. Watch the video to below to listen in on some of the best casters in DotA 2.

No offense to these guys, we love them when they cast games like that. But movies are a different story entirely. Just imagine watching Spider-Man: Far From Home with some random guy near you giving commentary on all the action that’s happening.

In cinemas, that’s just annoying!

Once, there was this one guy behind us when we were watching The Lion King 2019 movie. Knowing full well that this is a remake, this guy could not keep quiet and kept blabbing out loud about all the stuff happening and will happen in the movie. Can someone put a tape on this guy’s mouth already?

Talking inside the cinema is fine, but please, be courteous enough and keep your voices down, okay?

2. The “Cellphish” People

It’s hard to imagine a world without our phones and for some of us, spending an hour without them is pure torture.

Movies are not all fun and most have boring parts. Sometimes, the temptation of taking out your phones and scroll through your social media feeds or whatever becomes too much. When you do decide to take your phones out, please lower your screen’s brightness. Movie houses are dark so we can see the action on screen better. Please don’t compete with the movie screen’s brightness. You’ll lose for sure, but not before you annoy everyone else with your blinding phone screen display.

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We know, cellphones are allowed in cinemas, sure! But, please have enough decency to at least put them in Silent Mode. Look, we don’t care about your personal calls but if you really have to take a call, please take it outside the cinema. Pretty, please? Not only is this the polite thing to do but it will also keep hundreds of dagger looks coming your way. Don’t be “cellphish”!

1. The Litterbugs

Trash, trash, trash! The world is littered with trillions of them, maybe more. You can snack all you want inside the cinema, but please, when the movie is done, take your trash out with you and put them in their designated trash bins. It’s not that hard.

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Seriously, dudes! This is common sense! Sure, there are cleaners who would clean up in between screenings but do you really need somebody else to clean up for you? If your answer is yes, then you are one of these litterbugs, congratulations! You are number one on our most annoying personalities in cinemas list!

Come on, guys! The earth already has a garbage crisis. Let’s not add more to the problem. Mother Nature deserves to be respected.

Bottom Line

Ultimately, it all boils down to respect. Respect the movie and respect your fellow movie-goers.

What’s the most annoying thing you ever experienced in the cinemas? Tell us by commenting below or dropping us a message.

Netflix’ Kingdom Season 2 has finally arrived and it promises to be as good if not better than the first season. But, is it? Read on our review to find out more.

Warning: Article may contain spoilers. You’ve been warned.

Blood Will Spill

Just when Crown Prince Lee Chang (Ju Ji-hoon) seemed to have the disease that turns people into flesh-eating monsters devoid of reasoning under control at the end of Kingdom Season 1, a huge reveal raises the stakes even higher for Season 2. The plague continues and our main protagonists’ including Lee Chang’s trusted bodyguard Moo-young’s (Kim Sang-ho) and the crown prince’s mentor Lord Ahn Hyeon’s (Heo Joon-ho) and Yeong-shin’s (Kim Sung-kyu) lives are in even greater danger and consistent to the series’ tagline blood will indeed spill. Some major deaths are bound to happen so, fans, ready your hearts for this one.

Meanwhile, Seo-bi (Bae Doona) and Beom-pal (Jeon Seok-ho) continues to search for a permanent cure for the deadly disease.

And while all this misfortune and eventual slaughter is happening, Cho Hak-ju (Ryu Seong-ryong) continues his evil plans to gain control of the kingdom with his daughter the Queen Consort plotting her own schemes.

As Intricate As Ever

Kim Eun-hee and Kim Seong-hun were the perfect pairing with both doing a tremendous job on telling the first season’s great complicated story. Then the directing reins were handed over to Park In-Je for episodes 2 to 6. And honestly, the series felt a little bit different and I thought the second season’s story isn’t going to be as intricate as the first. But I was wrong, and I’m glad I was. Kingdom Season 2 proved to be as intricate as ever that by the time the series is almost over, you’ll wish for more episodes right there and then.

The twists and turns in the show are just jaw-dropping. If you think you know what’s going to happen, the show proves you wrong time and again. There seems to be always something more to the show, setting itself apart from all the zombie series and films still out there. Be sure to watch until the end. Another major reveal perfectly sets up the show for a third season.

Perfect For Any-Day Netflix and Chill

Staying at home during this coronavirus pandemic can be a pain especially for those who prefer doing stuff outdoors but try watching this series out and you might find yourself glued on your couch (or bed) not wanting to get out anymore. I urge you, try watching this series out. Not only will you keep yourself safe by staying at home, you’ll be helping others safe too with less contact with people.

Don’t worry, you are not going to regret watching this show. Kingdom is just perfect for your weekend (or Any-Day) Netflix and Chill. Plus, you might learn a two or something on how pandemics happen.

Skip or Watch?

Six episodes each for both the first and second season is not enough once you get hooked on the show but it’s the right thing to do to give the series the proper pacing and don’t worry, there’s so much more to the show to explore so I’m guessing a third season should be in the works. Honestly, I can’t wait for Season 3.

True to its tagline, Blood Will Indeed Spill in Kingdom Season 2. And as the show continues to expand its world, it just keeps getting better and better. The story and storytelling are great. The visuals are beautifully crafted even the bloody battles are made with a lot of allure in mind.

All in all, I felt like Kingdom Season 2 significantly outdid its first season by a long stretch. That said, watch! Stay at home, clean yourself up, and watch!

VERDICT: WATCH!

Here is salida|etc’s rating for season 2 of Kingdom.

Let us know what you think of the series by giving it your own rating or commenting below. Got a movie or TV series that you would like for us to review? Drop us a message and we’ll get to it.

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.

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

Mark Wahlberg and director Peter Berg reunites for a fifth time for the action comedy film, Spenser Confidential.

The film has been streaming on Netflix since March 6, 2020 but should you watch it or skip it? Read on this review to find out.

Charming Cast

Loosely based on Robert B. Parker’s Spenser character and Ace Atkins’ novel Wonderland, Spenser Confidential follows ex-cop/ex-con Spenser (Mark Wahlberg) along with fellow ex-con Hawk (Winston Duke) as they unravel a criminal conspiracy involving dirty cops in Boston.

Honestly, I had no idea how this new duo would fair against some of the fairly established crime-fighting duos in film like Will Smith and Martin Lawrence’s Bad Boys and Mel Gibson and Danny Glover’s Lethal Weapon among others. And while they are not as good as those previously mentioned, they sure have a place in the genre.

Wahlberg with his grit and Duke with his youthful free-spirited self, the two leads seemed to be in sync with one another and are quite charming, if I may say so. Add to that the convincing old-guy-you-can-run-to performance of Alan Arkin as Henry Cimoli and Iliza Shlesinger’s Cissy Davis providing a much-needed comic relief, and you have a pleasurable piece of entertainment.

Oh, and music star Post Malone and UFC star Donald Cerrone has some fairly important cameo, so that’s added bonus.

Decent Plot

There’s almost always a dirty cop/s conspiracy play in movies of this genre and it sure is the same thing with Spenser Confidential. Well, there are still some things to like about its plot. I, for one, liked the fact that it was straight-forward. Not too many mysteries and tying-up stories-together happening.

Normally, when that’s the case, the film becomes either uninteresting or predictable. That is still true for Spenser Confidential but somehow, I felt that dullness and predictability, in this rare occasion, work. See, this isn’t your murder mystery a la Knives Out or larger-than-life conspiracy movie. No, it’s not like those at all. It’s just a straight up action comedy film and consequently the straightforward storytelling just works.

I just don’t feel like there’s a point in dissecting the film as you watch it. It’s just not that kind of movie. For all I care, Spenser Confidential is just pure fun and entertainment. And I enjoyed it quite a lot.

Skip or Watch?

Spenser Confidential is certainly NOT up there with some of the best buddy-cop films of all time but it sure finds its place in the genre even with its exceedingly familiar police conspiracy plot. That said, it’s still an entertaining film and there’s not a lot of new entertaining films out there with this coronavirus thing happening.

So, if you’re looking for a new film that knows a thing or two on how to throw a punch, Spenser Confidential is one you should consider on your list.

VERDICT: WATCH!

Here is salida|etc’s rating for Spenser Confidential.

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

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

The Skywalker saga has ended with the release of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker but there’s a lot more stories to tell in the Star Wars universe and The Mandalorian series from Disney+ is proof of that. We finally got to watch the entire first season. Here’s what we think of it.

 What is it about?

By now, you have probably heard about The Mandalorian series. No? Well, how about “Baby Yoda”? Sure, you have!

Available on Disney Corp’s very own online streaming service, Disney+, The Mandalorian is a space western series set in the Star Wars universe five years after the events of The Return of the Jedi (1983) and follows the adventures of a lone Mandalorian bounty hunter beyond the reaches of the New Republic.

Released in November of 2019 on Disney+, the series released new episodes weekly thereafter and completed its 8-episode run on December 27 of the same year which means all episodes are streaming on Disney+ now.

It is also the first live-action Star Wars TV show. Jon Favreau (Iron Man, The Lion King) serves as the series creator so we expected much a lot from this show. And in a lot of ways, it does not disappoint.

A Good Start…Awesome Finale!

Our favorite Pedro Pascal (Narcos, Game of Thrones) stars as the titular character and he is spot on, which is weird, considering that he wears a helmet almost all throughout the first season.

However, the series is not without its flaws either. In two or three episodes, there’s a lot of repetitive things going on. The Mandalorian goes to another planet, meets a friend, defeats several foes, and leaves for another planet.

But not to worry, folks. There’s a lot of action to keep viewers entertained. Awesome visual effects, great acting, and good script helps too. Seriously, the special effects for the show is way beyond what it should be, and the visuals are very close to what we’ve seen in way bigger Star Wars movies. And of course, “Baby Yoda” is there to entertain, and the story, though still young, is indeed promising.

And don’t dare miss the final episode of the season. It is the most exciting episode of all. Packed with a lot of action and surprising revelations which helps build up all the excitement for Season 2.

“This Is The Way”

The Star Wars universe (much like our universe) just keeps on expanding and one can only imagine where it will go next. And if things go in the same way The Mandalorian goes, then we’re all in.

The Star Wars saga has ended on the big screen (for now). But with The Mandalorian’s success, Star Wars TV shows may just be the next big thing for Star Wars (and Disney).

And we’re all for it!

The Star Wars universe is huge and TV series may just be the best platform to tell their stories effectively.

This is the Way, indeed!

Skip or Watch?

The Mandalorian is one of the most watched TV shows of 2019. And there’s some good reason behind all the hype. It is a great series that explores the Star Wars universe further and perhaps better than even some of the Star Wars movie releases.

The Mandalorian is a pleaser, and even non-fans of the franchise will appreciate its beauty.

VERDICT: WATCH

Here is our rating for the first season of The Mandalorian series.

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

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

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, the most anticipated follow-up to 2018’s smash hit Black Panther has finally arrived. But without its lead character, can the sequel still live up to its predecessor? Read on this review to find out.

A Fitting Goodbye

2018’s Black Panther is the best Marvel movie ever! Yep, I just said that. But with the tragic passing of its lead, Chadwick Boseman, in 2020, questions loomed over the continuity of the beloved character. What is going to happen to the Black Panther character in the MCU?

Wakanda Forever addresses all of this in perhaps the best way possible – there is no replacing Chadwick Boseman. He shall forever live on as King T’Challa. And returning Director Ryan Coogler honors him with a goodbye truly fit for a king.

Letitia Wright’s Shuri gives out the performance of her lifetime and perfectly portrays the anguished sister. That scene on the beach is as quiet as it is gut-wrenching. But it’s actually Angela Bassett who steals the show with an absolutely stunning performance as the Queen Mother Ramonda. Her piercing and emotional delivery embodies the perfect balance of grieving mother and compassionate ruler.

Introducing Talokan

Wakanda has opened up its doors to the world after the events of the first Black Panther movie. In Wakanda Forever, we get to explore the nation once more and then some. Introducing…Talokan, a nation of underwater dwelling people headed by its leader, Namor/K’uk’ulkan played astoundingly by Mexican actor Tenoch Huerta Mejia. The underwater world, however, doesn’t quite live up to the world-building treatment that Wakanda received in the first movie. Still, Talokan is a beauty. As gorgeous as Wakanda but also just as fearsome as its land-dwelling counterpart.

Best MCU Movie of 2022

2022 isn’t the best year for the MCU, at least in terms of movies. The Marvel TV series seemed to have done a lot better with Moon Knight, Ms. Marvel, She-Hulk and even the animated series What If…?. The movies on the other hand, well… Doctor Strange 2 was OK but Thor 4 felt like a bad sitcom.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever was the studios final hope. And thank the gods it delivered. Try as it might, though, it still doesn’t quite live up to the masterpiece that is the first Black Panther movie. Regardless, Wakanda Forever handily beats out the other movie entries of 2022 by a huge margin. The direction, the emotions, the world-building is just on a different level.

Skip or Watch?

While it’s not quite up there with its predecessor, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is easily the best MCU movie of 2022. The gravity of emotions and the powerful performances of the cast sans Chadwick Boseman lifts the film up from what I can only call an underwhelming year for the beloved Marvel franchise. Expect all the elements of a MCU movie to be present but better.

Wakanda Forever is an absolute must-watch for the MCU fans and non-fans alike.

VERDICT: WATCH!

Here is salida|etc’s rating for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

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

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

Birds of Prey, the eighth installment of the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) has landed, featuring an all-female ensemble of (anti)heroes.

Skip it or Watch it? Read on our review to find out.

Before anything else, you all should know the film’s complete title is actually “Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)”. Lengthy yes, but super cool, too! Don’t you think?

DCEU Diversifies

After a show-stealing first appearance as Harley Quinn in the forgettable 2016 film Suicide Squad, Academy nominated actress Margot Robbie returns as the psychiatrist turned girlfriend/right-hand woman of The Joker. And as expected, she wows again in Birds of Prey.

In BoP, we see Harley’s character in all her glory as she becomes completely untethered to Gotham’s Prince of Crime with the help of her newfound girl frenemies, Gotham City detective Renee Montoya (Rosie Perez), The Crossbow Killer, I mean Huntress 😁 (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), Black Canary (Jurnee Smollett-Bell), and Cassandra Cain played by 13-year old Korean-Filipina actress Ella Jay Basco.

The casting is as diverse as it gets with badass women (Charlie’s Angels, but on another level) from all races (and ages) each getting equal opportunities to shine in the film.

And of course, don’t count out Ewan McGregor’s portrayal of the villain Black Mask. He was clearly in-the-zone playing it. And boy, did he play it well. And so did Chris Messina’s spine-chilling impression of co-villain Victor Zsasz. Both antagonists fully embraced their roles for this.

Harley Quinn In Focus

Margot Robbie revealed that she had been pitching the Birds of Prey film since 2016 and her labor finally bore fruit after 4 long years. But it’s all worth the wait as we get to see a deeper and darker side of Harley Quinn.

Everyone in the cast is subtly given their own back story (loved the back stories, by the way) but it’s clear to see that Harley Quinn is the focus of the film. I particularly loved how Harley Quinn narrated her story (Deadpool-style) of how Joker basically stole credit for most of the duo’s crimes and now she is standing up for herself. And without Mr. J, everyone she wronged begins to come for her.

But in a seemingly fortunate turn of events, Quinn meets some crazy strong “Birds” to help her out, all women. Going through heartbreaks and finally helping each other conquer their demons and break free from a world run by useless men. This is certainly a fantabulous emancipation of not just Harley Quinn but the rest of the cast really.

Colorful Action, Passable Script

There is something lacking in the script, however, as sometimes, I feel like there is a lack of conversation in some of the characters during some scenes. But when they do exchange banters, the film transforms into a joyful cinematic experience that only happens in films with women as leads. And I enjoyed it. A lot. Black Canary with that little hair tie during an action sequence was both hilarious and realistic.

Harley Quinn’s bubbly personality is equally coupled with (some) hilarious lines and colorful action sequences. That explosion at the chemical factory was so pleasing to the eyes. Her police station “raid” was filled with colorful gunfire, it’s crazy good. But be warned, there are some serious violence depicted in the film which will be hard for some to watch.

The surprise standout to me, however, came with the 13-year old Korean-Filipina Ella Jay Basco, who held her own with her much established castmates. She was just impressive on this. Her returning for the sequel should be a no-brainer.

Skip or Watch?

Margot Robbie once again shines in her second stint as Harley (freaking) Quinn, the action scenes, much like the casting, are a perfect mixture of color and extravagance, the Birds of Prey heroes are genuine, and the movie is pretty good, overall. But it wasn’t as fun as I had hoped it would be although it’s not entirely the movie’s fault.

The Birds of Prey takes some time to take off but when they’re on flight, they can only soar higher.

VERDICT: WATCH!

Here is salida|etc’s rating for Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn).

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

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Hollywood darlings Issa Rae and Kumail Nanjiani teams up in this action rom-com, The Lovebirds. The film, which was originally intended for theater release in Apr 2020, finally gets released albeit on streaming platform Netflix this May 22, 2020.

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

Netflix Saves “The Lovebirds”

Paramount Pictures originally scheduled The Lovebirds for a theatrical release on April 2020. But with the COVID-19 pandemic shutting down all the theaters, the studio sold the rights to the film to Netflix which subsequently released the film digitally in its streaming platform.

I didn’t think there would be new films to be released in a long time with all cinemas being forced to temporarily shut down. But thank God for Netflix at least we still get to see some completely new movies such as this even if it’s only in much smaller screens but hey, who’s complaining.

Chemistry is Crucial

Actors Issa Rae (Little) and Kumail Nanjiani (The Big Sick) stars in the film and wow, they gave their absolute best in here. I particularly loved their chemistry. Rae’s Leilani and Nanjiani’s Jibran looked incredibly perfect together both as on-screen couple and comedians. Nanjiani’s humor is equally complimented with Rae’s wit and lovely personality.

Both actors appear to be comfortable with each other and it clearly shows in their performance. They just seem like they have been doing this stuff for a long time.

This just goes to show how great chemistry can be crucial to a film. The Lovebirds could have been way worse if not for Rae and Nanjiani. They basically carried this movie from bad to decent territory. That’s just how good they were on the film.

A Much-Needed Comic Relief?

The Lovebirds sure has its moments but I’ll be honest, some parts were not that funny. I even find it boring at times. But, when its punch lines hit the mark, it becomes an enjoyable movie that would make you laugh out loud – something that most if not all of us need right now.

There are better comedies out there especially in Netflix’ huge arsenal but not a lot of new ones which is why The Lovebirds may just be the comic relief that some of us have longed for. You’ll get some laughs here and there although I could not say I laughed hard enough as I wanted or expected to. But hey, what’s important here is I was entertained and I’m sure I wasn’t the only one.

Skip or Watch?

The performances of both leads Issa Rae and Kumail Nanjiani are beyond reproach and The Lovebirds is entertaining, overall. No, there’s nothing extraordinary about the movie’s plot/themes or anything and the punch lines can be a hit or a miss for some but if you are looking for a decent piece of new comedy then The Lovebirds is a “Watch”.

VERDICT: WATCH!

Here is salida|etc’s rating for The Lovebirds.

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

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