This show always reminds me of why I'm a Star Wars fan.
Synopsis: In first century Rome, evil Emperor Nero rules with an iron fist. Those who follow Christ live in hiding and fear for their lives; Nero has been casting those of the Way to the lions because of their faith. Paul, world-traveling missionary, is imprisoned and nearing the end of his life. Luke, a doctor and fellow believer, visits him in prison. When military commander Mauritius' daughter is sick, he is desperate to save her...but, nobody seems to be able to help. He has heard that Luke is an amazing physician...but, he can't bear the thought of having one of those Christians set foot in his home. Will he be able to save his daughter...and learn the error of his ways?
The Good: For a Christian movie, the production values here are incredible. It really took me back to the time of Acts, which, ironically, was where I was in my Bible reading plan when I started and finished this. The actors all did amazingly well, and this flick doesn't shy away from showing the brutality that those of the Way faced back in the day. There is some blood, but much of the more intense violence is implied...which can leave quite the picture in your mind's eye. Showing Paul's past haunting him was a plus; I'm a Christian now, but, I had a rather troubled childhood as well, despite being raised in a faithful home. So, when his deeds in his younger years haunted him, that just makes me identify with him all the more. All in all, this was excellent, except...
The Bad: I had a hard time getting into this at first; the jumping around made me feel like I was watching a clips show instead of an actual movie. Plus, though Jim Caviezel did well as Luke, hearing his voice made me think I was hearing Jesus instead, as he does the voice of Christ in The Word of Promise audio Bible.
Conclusion: Other than Jesus, who is your favorite person in the Bible? I've heard answers ranging from Peter to Abraham to even Samson. (I don't understand the reason for the latter answer; he may have been really strong...but he was also a rather messed-up guy, and undone by a woman.) For me, that answer is Paul, because he is a lot like me: a checkered past, a passion for expressing ideas through words, and a head for Scripture. This film illustrates his life very well; though I've seen other cinematic interpretations of his life, this one ranks above the rest. Just make sure that you stick to it when you decide to watch this; it may be a bit hard to get through at first, but it's worth it.
Score: 4/5
This one was weird...but great!
Synopsis: In this follow-up to the Disney smash hit, Simba and Nala now have a daughter, Kira, who is as mischievous as young Simba himself. When Kira goes exploring, she finds those Simba banished in the aftermath of Scar's murder of Simba's father, Mufasa. They seem to be bent on destroying Simba and his family at any cost...except for their son Kovu, who has fallen in love with Kira. Will his love for her win out?
The Good: Prior to watching this, it had been a while since I've done any regular Disney animation; I've done live-action from the House of Mouse, as well as Studio Ghibli, but not something like this, especially a direct-to-video sequel. While I doubt any movie will live up to the epic original, this one had great animation, good music, super voice work...all the hallmarks of Disney animated fare.
The Bad: The songs were lame; then again, the musical aspect of Disney animated movies is something I've never really liked. Also, this movie is a bit short compared to the original.
Content Concerns:
Sex: Lions romantically nuzzling and pawing at each other.
Nudity: None.
Language: Name-calling, at worst.
Violence: Animal fights throughout, including a rather intense final battle where at least one character dies; a flashback to the stampede scene from the first film.
Drugs: None.
Frightening/Intense Scenes: The evil lions are a bit scary; a dark mood in some scenes, particularly the climax.
Other: A bit of bathroom humor; communication with the dead.
Conclusion: Disney's direct-to-video sequels have drawn the ire of many a movie fan. Ever since The Return of Jafar, video stores have been flooded with many a film that never made its way to theaters, most of which have been scathingly reviewed by both amateur and professional critics everywhere. While I can't comment on most of the others, because I've never seen them, I have to say this one was surprisingly good for what it was. As long as you don't expect it to be as epic as the original Lion King, you might enjoy it; I know I did.
They don't make cartoons like this anymore; a true classic!
This is back to usual fare for this series; I enjoyed it.
Space opera meets murder mystery? Sounds like a weird mix...but it works!
A decent adventure, but it ran a little long.
Synopsis: Just after being released from an unfair prison sentence, preacher Dave (David A.R. White) names his good friend Jude as his associate minister...only for Jude to be killed in an accident caused by a brick thrown into one of the windows of the church building, which also burns the building down! Dave is bound and determined to have his church rebuilt; problem is, it's on the campus of a university, and the leaders of the college want the church removed. Not sure what to do, Dave turns to his long-lost brother, a lawyer, for help in the legal fight. Meanwhile, Christian college student Keaton (Samantha Boscarino, Nickelodeon's How to Rock) is experiencing serious doubts in her faith...which become even more complicated when she discovers her boyfriend Adam was the one who threw the brick that started the whole affair! Will Adam ever come clean? Will Dave be able to rebuild his church building?
The Good: This had some surprising plot details, especially portraying a preacher as a flawed individual who messes up in a big way. It also makes a wonderful point about what a church truly is. (Hint: It's not a building!) All of the actors did amazingly well, and the storyline had me hooked.
The Bad: The only complaint I had was with the beginning's out-of-order chronology; it would have been better if they'd shown it in order.
Content Concerns:
Sex: College co-eds briefly seen dancing at a party; kissing.
Nudity: A girl in a one-piece swimsuit; slight midriff.
Language: Name-calling, at worst.
Violence: A man is killed in an accident, which is a bit bloody; two men get into a fight, which leaves a gash on one's face; a man knocks a college student into the bushes.
Drugs: Possible drinking at a college party.
Frightening/Intense Scenes: The accident scene at the beginning; emotional intensity throughout; people arguing on television news programs; a funeral; the fights.
This one kept me on the edge of my seat! Great stuff!
Very entertaining, and with a convoluted plot! I had a blast with this one!
While parts of this didn't make sense, it was still a fun ride, and a look into the military of yesteryear.
Exciting and fun...but a bit cheesy, especially the reptilian alien.
A fun episode, with plenty of old-school charm.
I had fun with this one; it had a great story!
A great story with excellent animation. So far, I'm impressed with this series; I hope it continues on the same track.
More excitement! More fun! This sequel is just as much of a blast as its predecessor. Some fans may be disappointed with the Empire Strikes Back-style cliffhanger ending, though.
Content Concerns: Fantasy violence throughout, scary creatures (goblins, orcs, etc.), one or two brief crude remarks, use of magic, etc. Take the "PG-13" rating seriously.
Like usual, this was a fun little whodunit.
Content Concerns:
Sex: None. 5/5
Nudity: None. 5/5
Language: Nothing worse than "gosh". 4/5
Violence: Comedic pratfalls throughout. 4/5
Drugs: None. 5/5
Frightening/Intense Scenes: A scary ghost; a dark, brooding feel. 3/5
I had a blast with this adventure! Romance, action, suspense...everything you could want! Plus, the ending came out of nowhere; far be it from me to spoil it!
Synopsis: Lizzie is thrilled to be invited to a pool party thrown by Danny Kessler, her number one crush! Her mother is willing to let her go...until Jo discovers that it's on the same day as Lizzie's Nana's birthday. Worse yet, Lizzie's BFF Miranda is considering going without her, and "'Randa" has also been invited into the popular clique by Kate, Lizzie's former friend and sworn nemesis! Will Lizzie get to go to the pool party? Will Miranda learn the error of her ways?
The Good: This is one of the earliest Lizzie McGuire episodes; some sources say it's actually the pilot. Wherever it falls in the continuity, it's great to see where it all began. All the hallmarks of the show are here: a moral premise, someone learning a lesson, unconventional filming style, cartoon Lizzie's remarks...yeah, if you're a fan, you know.
The Bad: Despite being a Disney Channel show, this isn't quite as clean as you'd expect from the Mouse network. Remarks about teenage girls' chests may make some viewers uncomfortable, especially males. Also, the animation on the cartoon Lizzie is terrible.
Content Concerns:
Sex: Talk about teenage girls' chests.
Nudity: Teenage girls' midriffs.
Language: Name-calling.
Violence: None.
Drugs: None.
Frightening/Intense Scenes: A scene or two of emotional intensity.
Other: A scene of bodily function humor.
What fun! It's easy to see why this show is a beloved classic; they don't make them like this anymore!
Content Concerns:
Sex: Mildly suggestive dancing; kissing. 4/5
Nudity: Cleavage. 4/5
Language: Name-calling, at worst. 4/5
Violence: Mild campy violence. 4/5
Drugs: A spiked drink. 4/5
Frightening/Intense Scenes: A mildly scary villain; heroes in danger, especially as the episode ends. 3/5
Score: 5/5
Despite the criticism he seems to get at times, I've always liked Superman; his earnest goodness and clean-cut image have always appealed to me. After watching this, I can see why some people will only accept Christopher Reeve in the role; he did an amazing job. This was one of the earliest superhero movies, and it stands the test of time very well; despite the dated special effects, the story, performances, and sets drew me in. It's a shame this franchise eventually got ruined; from what I've heard, though the sequel to this flick was great, the third and fourth outings were such garbage, Superman Returns completely ignored their existence. Unfortunately, even back in the '70's, movie makers felt the need to add some unnecessary bits; in this case, it was several profanities and occasional crude references. I can see why the extended edition--aka the version I watched--was "PG-13" by modern standards. Still, those only slightly detract from what continues to be considered a true classic...and likely will be for many years to come.
When Disney bought Marvel, people had a lot of questions: How would the universes of beloved characters such as Spider-Man, the X-Men, or the Avengers be affected? Some people had their doubts, and rightfully so; when the Mouse owned Saban, the Power Rangers seasons they produced are still to this day widely considered to be the worst, and many longtime space opera fans feel that The Last Jedi was a shark-jumping moment for Star Wars. Still, Disney has gotten their own franchises wrong, too; The Lizzie McGuire Movie may have been the first theatrically released film to be the series finale of a television show, but it betrayed the now-iconic sitcom on which it was based. So, they could have either hit a home run...or completely strike out.
Well, if this movie is any indication, then Mickey's ownership of Marvel is working very well. This film packed a punch unlike any animated movie I've seen in a while. Some scenes made me almost tear up, whereas others made me want to cheer. The animation was outstanding; seriously, it was on par with Pixar's creations. As usual, there was plenty of action and heroism, not to mention a cameo by Stan Lee, albeit one after the credits.
However, I do have to warn viewers that, though this movie was amazing, it is also very emotional. Early in the movie, the main character's brother is killed; later on, multiple characters are feared dead, including the protagonist's robotic companion. For those who can't handle seeing such tragedy because of events in their own lives, it might be best to avoid this.
This served as a reminder of why I like this series; I hadn't watched it in a while until I saw this recently. A bit crazy, but, that's what makes it fun.
Synopsis: After rescuing a fellow Jedi from the highly secure prison known as the Citadel, Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Ahsoka must escape it! However, their nemesis will stop at nothing to capture them! Will the Jedi's combined powers and intelligence be enough to emerge victorious?
The Good: As usual, this was full of action, and featured great animation.
The Bad: One episode of the Citadel was enough; I got tired of this story arc halfway through this one. Let's hope the next one is better...and that it ends there.
Content Concerns:
Sex: None.
Nudity: None.
Language: Name-calling, at worst.
Violence: Fantasy action violence throughout, including the death of some Clone Troopers.
Drugs: None.
Frightening/Intense Scenes: Along with what was listed under "Violence," a scary villain, emotional intensity, and scenes of peril.
This was a crazy one...but, it was fun!
I enjoyed this one...but, the violence was a bit more brutal than usual.
Forget The Last Jedi; THIS is much truer to the spirit of the franchise.
Synopsis: Ben's sworn enemy, Kevin 11, teams up with fellow nemesis Vilgax to take down Ben once and for all. Ben himself has found the master control of the Omnitrix, allowing him to transform into any of the alien beings by just thinking it, much to the chagrin of Gwen and Grandpa. When Ben battles his two enemies, one of Grandpa's gadgets leads to the two villains being trapped in a dimension where the worst beings in the galaxy are...only for Ben to follow them inside! Will Ben be able to emerge victorious and escape unscathed?
The Good: This is what I've come to expect from this series; if you've read my previous reviews, you know what I mean.
The Bad: Nothing, really.
Content Concerns:
Sex: None.
Nudity: None.
Language: Name-calling, at worst.
Violence: Fantasy action violence throughout.
Drugs: None.
Frightening/Intense Scenes: The usual: scary villains, creepy monsters, emotional intensity.
Other: A bit of gross-out humor.
Wow! What an ending; it makes you wonder!