Category: Movie Reviews

The Mandalorian and Grogu Won’t Save Star Wars, But It’s Honestly Kind of Charming

At long last, The Mandalorian and Grogu is on home video (released August 25, 2026) and was it worth it for the bonus features?

The Mandalorian and Grogu PosterIs the Star Wars franchise dead? Considering how long it took me to finally watch The Mandalorian and Grogu, not even a cute baby Yoda is enough to get me watching new releases on a timely schedule. The IP is in a meh state, and I haven’t even watched The Ninth Jedi yet, despite its critical success and strong word of mouth. I need either originality or the return of characters I fondly adore to keep watching.

What has kept this galaxy far, far away alive for nearly fifty years is its love of pulp adventure. Those roots remain intact with this pairing, and the performances feel much more lived-in. But somehow, I didn’t feel the need to know what happened right away. All this cinematic offering does is show its version of “Lone Wolf and Cub” doing their thing, only better. The home video release reinforces that point with its standard collection of mini-docs and behind-the-scenes looks. The only aspect I cared to know more about was how Zeb, Embo and Rotta were translated from animation into live action.

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From Sunset Strip to Cthulhu’s Lair: Minions and Monsters Pulls Off a Wonderful, Essential Send-Up

With Minions and Monsters now out on home video, it’s a terrific film, but where’s the beef? The bonus features need to be buffed up to match the tribute the film makes.

Minions and Monsters_400x400
Available to purchase on Amazon USA

Minions and Monsters finally gives those little yellow, pill-shaped critters from Despicable Me a proper calling, and it is about bloody time. The home-video release looks superb on Blu-ray, although its basic selection of bonus features makes this less of a must-buy package than the film deserves. Ever since Sergio Pablos pitched the idea to Illumination, I have regarded them as natural heirs to cinema’s early comedians, like Buster Keaton. And to pay tribute to that fact, I’m glad what directors Brian Lynch and Pierre Coffin massaged into shape acknowledges all that and more!

And for those people who missed seeing this film on the big screen, the home video release gives viewers a chance to watch this film multiple times to pick out the scenes where this tribute shines the most. It is a marvellous send-up of the Silent Era and Hollywood’s Golden Age, with a specific Minion, James, taking centre stage. And I have to assume the narrative imagines how a new film industry might develop without D.W. Griffith defining its early days.

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On How ACME Corporation Became Warner Bros. Greatest #1 MacGuffin For Cartoons

Spoiler Alert: This study on ACME Corporation considers Dr. Lorre’s role in Coyote vs. ACME and its connection to Looney Tunes: Back in Action, along with Who Framed Roger Rabbit since these films brings together live-action and animated worlds together.

ACME CorporationACME Corporation was never intended to be a manufacturer of dangerous goods. Instead, it evolved into a place of innovation for nearly every Looney Tunes cartoon and movie released to date. And the latest film concerning Coyote suing for damages did not start the proceedings; it even dates further back than what Looney Tunes: Back in Action established. After rewatching as many Merrie Melodies shorts and other films outside of this studio as I can, I cannot help but wonder whether the production people from way back realised the meta-commentary they were creating, or why they chose this fictional company as the punch line behind every disaster-laden stunt.

Just how much directors such as Friz Freleng, Tex Avery, and Chuck Jones thought about ACME’s wider meaning is difficult to say. Still, someone had the idea for a gag that began as a joke on a label, trademarks notwithstanding. The name first appeared in Warner’s 1935 cartoon Buddy’s Bug Hunt, stamped on corks and flypaper. That modest use matters because it shows the original intent. The company was not yet one with executives, laboratories, lawyers, or a shadowy research division. It was shorthand for a generic product that could sit on any prop without distracting from the gag.

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With The End of Oak Street, Can New Beginnings Take Place?

For this movie that’s more about family drama, the only thing one can find at The End of Oak Street is how a random event can change things for the better for an aspiring author, who is the heroine of this tale.

The End of Oak Street Movie PosterI have to ask: do audiences really want to watch another dinosaur movie? Most likely, yes, as long as the plot brings something new to the concept. That’s where The End of Oak Street teeters on failure. This is one of those movies that needs a back-end explanation instead of playing out as another too-predictable tale. The trailers give too much away: a stretch of neighbourhood has been teleported away, and the folks caught in the zone have to either become the next Stone Age family or find a way back.

As for how much of Flowervale was sent back, all we know is that a significant chunk is probably Disneyland-sized. The wide shot says it all, and instead of a tight-knit group, we have pockets of confused humans wondering why dinosaurs are lurking in their backyards! As for a plot, all we know is that the Platt family is in dire straits, and they are kind to some neighbours but not others. Denise (Anne Hathaway) and Greg’s (Ewan McGregor) marriage is falling apart, and the kids, after overhearing the problem, are desperate to see their parents work things out.

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Always A Tender Moment: Genki Bear, Baachan and the Matriachs Who Shape Us

Kizuna Theatre’s Genki Bear: Memoirs of a Granddaughter uses puppetry, Japanese Canadian memories and Studio Ghibli nods to honour the grandmothers who help shape us.

Genki Bear- Memoirs of a GranddaughterIf I had to describe Kizuna Theatre’s production of Genki Bear: Memoirs of a Granddaughter with one song, I’d choose Queen’s “These Are the Days of Our Lives.” It captures the show perfectly. This is a tender production about nostalgia, ageing and cherishing what has been, rather than crying into a tissue over the loss of someone who watched their granddaughter grow up.

For Misty Cozac, the material feels autobiographical. Yet, through videos of other Japanese Canadians explaining why they loved their baachan, or grandmother, the production becomes a broader reflection on the matriarchs who help shape every individual’s wellbeing. I have fond memories of my own po-po and ma-ma, and the show brought them back without forcing me to hide my tears.

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With The 8 Immortals Present, All Wishes Come True, Whether They’re Ready or Not for the Punchline

Although the tales of the 8 Immortals are part of the narrative in works like “The Journey to the East” and “Yellow-Millet Dream,” to give them their own animated special in All Wishes Come True gives newcomers a glimpse at what they’re capable of, and it’s a great adventure to boot too!

All Wishes Come True Movie PosterSpoiler Alert

I find Cineplex Movies‘ lack of faith disturbing. When All Wishes Come True! (八仙; lit. translation: The 8 Immortals) isn’t getting an even distribution across North America, and the chain may not be confident it can draw regular crowds in Canada. I can’t say I blame them. Nor can I speak to how the film is performing in other parts of the world. Usually, unless a Chinese production has a big name like Jackie Chan that audiences recognize, crowds aren’t guaranteed to flock to it. For writer/director Zhengyang Mu, a relative unknown, perhaps the film needs new posters that read, “From the studio that brought you Kung Fu Panda 3 and Abominable…”

That might help folks who are unsure about the film decide to see it. A few moments echo Pearl Studio‘s previous work and DreamWorks‘ design philosophy, making this movie an easier sell. The humour is evident, and everyone understands the Ocean’s Eleven reference. Who doesn’t want to see that? There’s also the promise of an animated action-adventure about the Eight Immortals, technically soon-to-be immortals, who must prove their worth as new heroes while the current ruling dynasty sorts itself out. This introduction establishes how they rose through the ranks and challenged the norm.

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