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How to Be A Black Widow Isn’t Easy in MCU’s Latest

As a stand-alone product, Black Widow is a very moody film.

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Spoiler Alert

The long wait to understand why Black Widow is who she is gets muddled on the big screen. I’ve known about her origins by reading the graphic novel collections and consulting the Internet. To finally see her solo adventure in cinema is more of a let’s stick to the MCU tradition: Every hero needs his or her solo adventure, and let’s try not to riff off of Captain America: Civil War too much.

We’ve seen snippets of this superspy’s training from past films. To know how these past scenes and other bits play to her psychology isn’t examined. I was hoping part of the tale would flashback to specific moments of her life and lead up to how she died in Avengers Endgame. Sadly, this would mean viewers would have to know those past movies. There’s no guarantee everyone would understand when the film ends with her broken body, and the last words from her lips muttering, “No regrets…” It can work had it started as an intro, and reference those movies so some fans can go rewatch them again. Movies that are built through flashbacks can be done.

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Is Disney’s Monsters at Work Late to Revitalize an Old Franchise?

When attempting to translate a PIXAR work to the small screen, sometimes Monsters at Work isn’t what’s needed.

Character Posters Released for "Monsters at Work" - LaughingPlace.com Disney’s attempt at reinvigorating the Monsters Inc. franchise with a series nearly ten years later simply doesn’t work. It doesn’t hit the same mark as the classic sitcoms it tries to emulate. I’m thinking of Taxi, WKRP in Cincinnati and Murphy Brown. To see once freakish creatures attempt to be funny really needs Garry Shandling involved in crafting the concept rather than unrecognizable names penning the episodes. Sadly, he passed away.

Technically, the production team is not all from PIXAR. They are in-house talents (like Roberts Gannaway who is better known for Emperor’s New School) groomed by The Mouse. Although the series was given its blessing by the creators, none of that original charm exists. The only good part is that we have a look at how the creature universe is surviving since the power of a child’s laugh is the only way to keep Monsters at Work.

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On What Raya and the Last Dragon Lacks…

Without the proper cultural milieu made front and center, Raya and the Last Dragon feels like another atypical Disney Princess origin story.

Disney‘s Raya and the Last Dragon is a very paint-by-numbers animated film which lacks originality. We are introduced to another princess with her pet, and we get to visit a distinct part of Asia! If I had to say which movie knows its mythology, Moana wins hands down!

The world of Laos, Malaysia and Indonesia is the spotlight and sadly, the missed opportunities I noticed are plentiful. The distinguishing features of each region aren’t really played up. The details don’t show how the people are unique. Each nation has lost their focus ever since a magical crystal that can keep the Druun–rejected shadowy entities from Studio Ghibli’s Mononoke Hime–shattered.

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When YOSHIKI Partners up with Disney+, we get…

Disney – My Music Story Yoshiki © 2021 Disney

On Feb 5th, 2021 on Disney+

Yoshiki is nearly everywhere these days, either as part of a new collaboration in a project or doing something to further a cause. This now philanthropist than always musician will be offering something reimagined on this streaming service as a special titled My Music Story: Yoshiki!

This rock-star is “one of the most influential composers in Japanese history.” In the Disney+ original, which is subtitled in English, YOSHIKI performs reimagined versions of two Disney classics: “Let It Go” from Frozen and “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” from The Lion King, along with his own compositions. YOSHIKI also gives viewers a behind-the-scenes look at his recording process and how he shaped the arrangements in his Hollywood studio. Since the pandemic, he’s chosen to stay State-side, and continue to work from his adopted home.

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The LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special Builds on a Tradition

The Freemakers. You’d think there’d be room for this beloved show; this family is technically part of the LEGO Star Wars universe, and they deserve a return to celebrate Life Day rather than to be discarded.

By Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

On Disney+

The LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special is perfect to give fans a chance to sort of forget a certain lamented television program about this galaxy, far, far away. Love that past live-action special or hate it, the only thing fans need to know is that Life Day is canon. It’s celebrated throughout the galaxy as a time for all families to get together. It was originally a Wookie holiday where they pay respect to the Tree of Life.

This animated take pokes fun at this franchise in the way many a LEGO toon does. Poe is all gung ho (willing to toss his uniform to the washer) while donning a gaudy sweater, Finn is training to be a Jedi and Ray is frustrated that she can’t train this former Stormtrooper. The nice part of this tale is that it can work as an official continuation after The Rise of Skywalker. However, because of a certain level of craziness that goes on, it’s unlikely Disney & Lucasfilm will say that it is.

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