This has to be one of the worst episodes of a superhero show, if not any show, I’ve seen in a while! An annoying and unnecessary narrator, hideously creepy monsters, a dumb plot…yeah, even if I rewatch this season, I’ll skip this episode.
Who knew that Lizzie McGuire’s mom once played a robot?
As an old-school Disney Channel fan, I was surprised!
I can’t believe this episode taught me a new word: hari kari. Who would have thought that a superhero series would add to my already large vocabulary?
Be warned: On the "Season One, Volume Two" DVD, this episode has NO SOUND! :(
Hooray! Huzzah! Oh, glorious day! This series is FINALLY on Disney Plus!
The title Faith of My Fathers sounds like a Christian movie, right?
Well...this isn't.
Though an interesting look at the life and struggles of John McCain, as close to Christian as this film gets is the prisoners singing "Silent Night" on Christmas.
It's also rife with profanity; while I've heard from my friends in the military that such language is to be expected, as someone who has never served, it was a big shock to my old-school sensibilities, as was the scene involving a stripper.
The out-of-order chronology at the beginning was also annoying.
On the plus side, it shows the horrors of war very well; one scene made me feel like I was watching Saw instead, not that I would ever bother with such garbage.
With Senator McCain departed from this earth, it's good to know that his story has been preserved for all posterity...including in celluloid form.
Christmas movies seem to be a dime a dozen these days; every year, more and more Yuletide flicks get released, but many of them are rather derivative of previous films. That’s especially true of Hallmark Channel telefilms; that network often recycles plots and stars throughout the year, but especially during the holiday season. That’s why I generally don’t watch them; a couple of years ago, I made the mistake of seeing two Hallmark Christmas movies within a few weeks of each other... and they had the exact same plot. Still, I was looking for something festive at my local library to watch this week, and this was the best I could find. For what it was, it was fun; Candace Cameron Bure did a great job as the lead, and the story was entertaining despite being unoriginal. As far as Christmas films go, you could do much worse.
I may be known for being a Disney fan, but, believe it or not, I have never seen the original Mulan in its entirety. Some years ago, I tried watching it, and turned it off in disgust not long after it started because of the inane music. One of the reasons I've always preferred live-action Disney--Lizzie McGuire, George of the Jungle, The Santa Clause, etc.--to their animated fare is because most of their non-cartoon characters don't feel the need to break out in song. So, when I heard that the remake of Mulan lacked any musical numbers, I decided to borrow the DVD from my local library; I was among the first people there to get it.
What did I think? Well, the action was definitely on-point, and Mulan was a very likable and strong heroine. I enjoyed the story, and I was glad there was no profanity; that's rare for a "PG-13". Those who loved the 1998 animated film may feel differently, and I do agree that Disney needs to make more original stories instead of all these remakes...but, I still had fun with this. For those who enjoy family-friendly action movies, this is worth checking out.
Though I prefer Superman to Batman, the Caped Crusader is still an amazing superhero in his own right. Between movies, shows, comics, and even print novels, I've experienced countless stories over the past decade or so featuring DC Comics' do-gooders, many of which featured Bats in a starring role. While this is a more light-hearted take on the Dark Knight, it still made for a great movie. The animation and voice work were superb, and the action sequences were spot-on. Having characters from other sci-fi/fantasy universes made it a geek's dream come true. Better yet, it makes a great point: No man is an island; we all need other people in our lives. I would say that I hope we see more Lego superhero flicks, but, it seems that there are already others that I have yet to see; I need to check my local library for more such films.
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.
Watching this episode from 2004 after seeing the most recent season shows how much the set has changed. It's also fun to see Sofia Lidskog, who has since left the Clue Crew, give a clue. The craziest thing about it, though, is that Ken Jennings almost didn't win; they decided to accept his answer of simply "Who is Jones?" instead of requiring Marion Jones' full name. If they hadn't done that, Ken Jennings' winning streak would have been over before it even started.
One of Big Idea's earlier productions, Josh and the Big Wall retells the story of Joshua and the walls of Jericho. As usual, the makers have fun with the story ("How are we clapping?" "I have no idea!") and there's the usual dashes of humor and fun. The Silly Song in this episode is "The Song of the Cebü," which is definitely among the funniest VeggieTales tunes. More than that, this story illustrates how important following God's commands is...even when His instructions don't seem to make sense. Fighting our human nature is tough; I've been a Christian since 2003, and still struggle with it. It's not enough to just know what God says, though that is important; we have to act on it. Despite its age, this 1997 release stands the test of time, and will likely be entertaining to kids and parents alike; I had fun with it, even though I'd seen it at least once already.
I'm a longtime fan of Christian entertainment, but, over the past year or two, I have sat through some terrible cinema within that genre. Inane plots, poor production values, boring themes, inappropriate content...yeah, that's why the only movies I'd watched so far this year had been Star Trek flicks.
Still, I figured they couldn't be all bad, so, when I saw that the free Tubi app had this movie available to stream, I tried it out...and was pleasantly surprised. The story was engaging, the performances were great, and Grace was a likable and attractive lead. Better yet, the film preaches a moral that Christian singles--such as yours truly--need to hear.
While nothing amazing, this is better than usual for Christian cinema. If you've been burned by some of the garbage put out under that banner, give this a try; you might just like it.
I know I'm probably the odd one out here, but, though most of the film was a blast, the ending was too pat for me, and it dragged a bit. Other than that, I enjoyed it; I just wish the final chapter or two had been better.
The Good: Excellent voice cast, gripping plot, amazing animation, a touching cameo and tribute to Stan Lee, a fun post-credits scene, awesome action sequences, low profanity count...what's not to like?
The Bad: Well, two things: The violence was a bit brutal for a "PG"; I haven't seen a film with that rating that had such intense action since Prince Caspian or the first Percy Jackson flick. My biggest complaint, however, was with the soundtrack; this flick had some of the worst tunes I've ever heard, especially the one at the start of the closing credits. I still enjoyed it; however, better music choices would have made it even more of a blast.
This one was hard to watch. Between Leatherhead's nightmare, which included freaky versions of the Turtles, and his fits of rage, it was rather emotionally charged, especially for a kids' show.
The Good: After the long Fugitoid/Triceraton story arc, it was nice to see something different. Touch and Go were very convincing foes; I hope to see more of them, even though you know the Turtles will defeat them in the end.
The Bad: Nothing, really.
The Good: It was interesting to see the backstory of Marik, Odion, and Ishizu.
The Bad: There was no dueling in this episode; Duel Monsters is the main focus of the series, so, I wanted to see them play it, not just flashback to the past.
The Good: A striking commentary on our technology-obsessed times, this one brings the intensity. Not only is there a bit of action, but certain scenes--especially with Mickey seeing his grandmother and Rose's interaction with her parents--packed an emotional punch.
The Bad: As usual, there was mild profanity; also, I didn't need to see Jackie in a buxom outfit or Mickey in nothing but underwear. Outside of the slight content issues, I was a bit shocked by the cliffhanger ending; I'm glad I have the next episode on hand.
The Good: This episode had amazing period costumes, wonderful performances, and a gripping plot. Even though the premise seems weird, they made it work really well.
The Bad: Along with the usual (albeit slight and mild) profanity, there was a passionate kissing scene that I wouldn't have minded if it hadn't made my sister think I was watching a soap opera instead.
A touching story with excellent musical numbers, and not just from the Cheetahs. Better yet, this telefilm keeps things innocent; other than a scant few misuses of God's name and occasional slightly immodest wardrobes, the flick stays true to the squeaky clean Disney Channel brand. The fact that it's largely set in Spain makes it all the more charming.
Back in the day, I had unfortunate experiences with Genndy Tartovsky's animated creations; I couldn't stand Codename: Kids Next Door or his version of Clone Wars because of the hideous character designs. Before starting this movie, I had no idea he was responsible for it.
Still, I decided to stick with it...and I was glad I did! Excellent animation, plenty of humor and action, wonderful voice work (including a surprising appearance by Fran Drescher), and a sweet story. This time, Mr. Tartovsky got it right. I'm glad I have the sequel on hand.
Not only did this episode deliver the usual hilarity, action, and fun, but Kim was awesome in this episode; she really gave it to that guy! If I ever get married, I hope my wife is like Kim: sweet and beautiful, but not afraid to stand up for herself!
Bullock teaming up with Batman? Sounds crazy, but it happened...and it's yet another fabulous episode in this series!
Action, suspense, excitement, heroism...this is what Star Wars is all about! If only Disney hadn't ruined the franchise with the shark jumping garbage that was The Last Jedi...
Better than the first episode(s)...but still a lot of room for improvement. We'll see where the show goes from here.
This was a fun one, especially seeing a skateboarding Wonder Woman, as well as a look at the early years of video games.
They don't make shows like this anymore!
What a great ending! Can't wait to see what happens next!
As the duel continues, Odion seems to have the upper hand; will Joey emerge victorious? Can't wait to see how it ends!
I'm not a fan of vampires, so, the fact that this episode includes them is a strike against it for me.
Also, Cassandra's actions don't make sense; why didn't she just get the operation to start with instead of waiting until the end?
The worst part, though, was the last scene. I won't spoil it here; what I will say is that it smacks of shark jumping, and may be enough to make me give up on this series that I once adored.
