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Power Rangers

/ / Movie Reviews
  • Title: Power Rangers
  • IMDb: link

Power Rangers movie reviewBoy, is this movie dumb. Imagine mashing up Breakfast Club with Suicide Squad, removing Margot Robbie, casting an even worse version of the Enchantress, and then inexplicably throwing Voltron and the Dinobots in at the end, and you might understand what you are in store for with Power Rangers. I have no attachment to the 1990s television show Mighty Morphin Power Rangers in which five teens from the same town find magic alien discs and fight various monsters (mostly pulled from stock footage of Japanese shows) every week to protect their home of Angel Grove, California, and felt lost early on in the gradually intensifying insanity.

The film has the multi-cultural breakfast club leave detention to be granted super-powers. Power Rangers hits most of the archetypes of John Hughes‘ classic. We get a troubled football star (Dacre Montgomery), the nerd (RJ Cyler), the beautiful girl (Naomi Scott), the outcast (Ludi Lin), and the crazy girl (Becky G.). These characters are all given names, but since they are only really differentiated by the color of their skin and threadbare character motivations, it’s not worth the space to go into further detail.

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Supergirl – Distant Son

/ / Television Reviews
  • Title: Supergirl – Distant Son
  • wiki: link

Supergirl - Distant Son television review

When Mon-El‘s (Chris Wood) parents (Teri Hatcher, Kevin Sorbo) put an outrageous bounty out on Supergirl (Melissa Benoist) aliens begin attacking the Kryptonian, forcing Kara to reluctantly stand down. Hoping to convince them that Mon-El is better off on Earth, Kara meets with Rhea (Hatcher) and only survives a sneak attack by the queen thanks to Mon-El stepping in and agreeing to return to Daxam. The story’s main purpose is to show how much Mon-El has grown as a character, wiling to sacrifice himself and his own happiness for the woman he loves (who, despite orders not to engage the aliens, isn’t going to let Mon-El leave without a fight).

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Samurai Jack – Episode XCIV

/ / Television Reviews
  • Title: Samurai Jack – Episode XCIV
  • wiki: link

Samurai Jack - Episode XCIV television review

“Episode XCIV” offers a return to form for our hero, a flashback to his childhood, a deadly battle with the Daughters of Aku in the middle of a snowstorm, and the return of the wolf from the previous episodes who gives Jack (Phil LaMarr) the help and time he needs to heal before his enemies come knocking at his door. Highlighted by the battle between Jack and the Daughters, the preceding respite gives the shattered samurai the strength to stand against his enemies (and allows the show to further show off the new enemies). The flashback to his father’s heroism and lessons about destiny turns out to be the cherry on top reminding Jack who he as a critical juncture where giving up could have been an easy choice. Taking out each Daughter with deadly efficiency, my only complaint is the episode’s cliffhanger ending leaving the fate of both the final Daughter and Jack in doubt, forcing us to wait an entire week for more Samurai Jack.

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The Flash – Duet

/ / Television Reviews
  • Title: The Flash – Duet
  • wiki: link

The Flash - Duet television review

“Duet” made me angry. Not because the musical episode failed to impress. No, the episode infuriated me because this is what I want from both Supergirl and The Flash and somehow you just know the writers of both shows will ignore all that works here as each show gets stuck back in the grim and grittiness of its current storylines. “Duet” is what I want both shows to be: bright, fun, energetic, and hopeful. This shouldn’t be a standout. This should be the bar both shows attempt to reach every single week. This year Supergirl has been more successful than The Flash in the regard, but both have struggled juggling darker themes and unnecessarily convoluted relationship drama getting in the way of the fun. I’m not saying never get serious, but embrace more zany hopeful storylines so that when you do need to take a serious moment it will have all the more impact (as opposed to episodes of moping or acting like a dick for weeks at a time to those who love and rely on you).

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Supergirl – Star-Crossed

/ / Television Reviews
  • Title: Supergirl – Star-Crossed
  • wiki: link

Supergirl - Star-Crossed television review

The arrival of Mon-El‘s (Chris Wood) parents on Earth reveals his princely secret to Kara (Melissa Benoist) causing an immediate strain on their relationship. Kara’s unwillingness to forgive either his lies or the fact that Mon-El is the prince of a society which is the antithesis of her Kryptonian heritage and ideals appears to have ended the relationship before it began in earnest. While the show enjoys some fan casting here with Teri Hatcher cast as Mon-El’s mother, the role doesn’t really allow her to do much (and unfortunately also doesn’t bring her into contact with her former Lois & Clark co-star). While she’s good, and has one nice one-on-one scene with Kara, I would have preferred the show given her something more to do. Apparently she and Kevin Sorbo will be sticking around for at least one more episode so maybe there’s more to come.

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