Category: Movie Reviews

Shiver Me Timbers! There Be A Peril At Pincer Point, or Is That a Tear On Yer Shoulder?

As Peril at Pincer Point sails into more film festivals, this shanty is more than one part Hammer but also another part, H.P. Lovecraft? Or should we say, The Fog, if you want the scares to be real?

Peril at Pincer Point PosterWhether or not Peril at Pincer Point is based on some sea shanty, it’s a wickedly fun film that nails the hero’s journey through a semi-Lovecraftian narrative. Here, Jim Baitte (Jack Redmayne) is an underappreciated film employee who specializes in foley. But instead of making these sounds up in a room, he goes out to capture every sound possible and remix it just right so his boss, P.W. Griffin (wonderfully played by Os Leanse), can use it in the next film. When he travels to a remote village whose livelihood depends on what the sea can deliver, little does he know there’s also a town curse placed upon all residents and visitors alike!

This film marks the debut of UK-based Jake Kuhn and Noah Stratton-Twine, and their first effort looks terrifically campy. They also decided to embrace the look of the classic monochromatic film era, tinged with a sepia tone, and presented in 4:3 aspect ratio to make the story as true to the era as possible. It’s a wonderful nod to those old pulp serials, and as for the effects, shiver me timbers, I’m sure there are some sea salts who’ll approve! Even when the dialogue gets a bit atypical, it hardly distracts from the normalcy our hero tries to live in.

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Decoding Optimus Prime Awakening, A New Chapter or Closure?

Optimus Prime Awakening sends its iconic hero on a spiritual journey through alternate realities, ancient symbols and a mysterious force beyond the Primes. From the Flower of Life to Energon’s possible consciousness, this short may be quietly setting up the boldest change to the IP. Until Hasbro announces something or nothing, the setup can be just as threatening or a reinvention….

Optimus Prime Awakening posterThe big question most fans are asking after seeing Optimus Prime Awakening is what comes next for all Cybertronians. Unless viewers are deeply familiar with the franchise’s lore, my thoughts are focused on Optimus’ final spiritual journey. The questions raised align with various spiritual beliefs, which pose a related question: will we become one with God after death? In this case, “Till all are one” takes on a different meaning, raising the issue of how we can break a vicious cycle of war and conflict.

This animated short nicely addresses how every continuity, from Armada and Cyberverse to G1 and Prime, is shaped by choices and decisions. Where the logic falters is with Earthspark. Megatron already realized that continued conflict was futile and that, unless everyone worked together to save Cybertron, they were doomed. He did not necessarily join the Autobots, but he did renounce what defined a Decepticon. At least, that was my reading.

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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.

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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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