Tag: Netflix

Zom 100: Is That Bucket List of the Dead Half Empty or Half Full

Just how many things Akira managed get done in Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead is a game in itself, as we couintdown this infinite progression!

zom 100: bucket list of the dead netflix posterNetflix

Sometimes it is tough to find a unique zombie film that can take this genre to the next level. Whether that’s with blending it with some other style or just coming up with a unique story idea. I waited for October to roll around before watching Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead. And what it delivers is perfect for those wanting another reason to avoid swimming in the sea. Although that season is over, what’s revealed here is a compressed version of the manga (and perhaps the television show too).

Now that some appetites have been whetted, I doubt anyone wants fish sashimi that’s way past their date of expiry. Instead, what’s presented here isn’t quite like Zombieland. What I find is a hodge-podge mix of George Romero style commentary, an attempt to compress the manga/anime into a singular film and a protagonist who isn’t alwaya 100% there.

Here, Akira Tendo (Eiji Akaso) is pretty much a slave. Although he has a good job at a corporation, life isn’t sweet as his boss pushes him around, and he’s asked to burn the midnight oil. Pretty soon, he just wants to quit. But before he can do that, a pandemic has wiped out most of Japan and those who haven’t been infected by this mysterious virus have to fend for themselves. His skills as a football star don’t really amount to anything in this film.

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When Season 3 of Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight Packs Too Much In, Breaking It Up Is Important

As much as I enjoyed watching the Dumont bandits make their last hurrah in Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight, their fates are no longer intertwined and I’ll just leave it at that.

Kung Fu Panda The Dragon Knight ALT posterDreamWorks Animation

Po has certainly grown since becoming the Dragon Warrior back when Kung Fu Panda first started. He had to deal with classic wuxia style villains in the movies, face many foes in the television series, train a new generation in The Paws of Destiny and, with The Dragon Knight, prove his worth elsewhere. He’s lost the former title, and the difference may well rest in where he’s honoured.

Much of the third season takes place in England and it feels drawn out. After the events of the much shorter second season at Tikal to locate the Tianshang weapons, simply retrieving them and becoming the new custodians isn’t enough. They’ll have to destroy them. I had to rewatch much of the prior season to remind myself about what went on, and then realised, perhaps viewing the first again would also help refresh my memory.

Instead of sailing a straight line to that nation, a cruise through the Caribbean is required and they encounter pirates! (“The Trial of Mr. Ping” and “Baddie Issues”). Continue reading “When Season 3 of Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight Packs Too Much In, Breaking It Up Is Important”

When Jackie Chan’s Team-up In Hidden Strike Is No Rush Hour

Not all action-star pairings can work, and Hidden Strike demonstrates why producing a spec script can be problematical when the stars aren’t always on board.

Jackie ChanHidden Strike Movie Poster‘s films are often entertaining, but in Project X-traction (aka Hidden Strike on Netflix), the movie struggles to make it to first base. I was hardly excited to wonder if this star can make it to second. After his home run with Ride On, his next film can barely get out of the gate.

This action thriller where he meets John Cena appeared on my Netflix recommendation list and I wished it didn’t. That’s because despite some high octane action, not even this former wrestler can steal the show. He has a lot more better moments than Chan, and that’s not saying much. Here, this lead is supposed to be in charge! Instead, he’s just a commander of a rescue team sent to free Chinese workers from an oil refinery in the Middle East. It’s under attack, and although that extraction was successful, getting out of the region will prove difficult. Luo’s team (Chan) he has to blaze through The Highway of Death and it was too Mad Max for me. Continue reading “When Jackie Chan’s Team-up In Hidden Strike Is No Rush Hour”

Netflix’s Monkey King vs Well GO USA’s Monkey King Reborn. Who Will Win?

This film has more of a DreamWorks style quality to the humour and approach to introducing Monkey King to Western audiences (again).

The Monkey King 2023 Movie Poster (Netflix)Now Playing on Netflix

The latest release of The Monkey King is a movie redesigned for today’s generation, and as a result, loses its touch with what made this hero great. When compared to the previous take (review link), my money is on the former. Here, it feels like four studios were duking it out too for how to reinvent this character, and although some parts of the narrative is faithful, its execution wasn’t all that exciting to keep watching.

As for whom Monkey serves, it’s easy to tell. He’s independent and helps no one but himself! Surprisingly, much of his origin story is accurate. When Lin (Jolie Hoang-Rappaport) discovers him, he’s quite the rascal and eventually gets known as Sun Wukong (Jimmy O. Yang). These two somehow become friends. The way these two play off each other to learn a few of life’s lessons is good, but ultimately, I couldn’t help but think this American-Asian made film misses the point on why he’s a legend. When considering Anthony Stacchi (Better known for The Boxtrolls and Rocketeer) is most likely out of his element, perhaps that’s why the love isn’t there.

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LEGO is Ready to DREAMZzz up The Trials of the Dream Chasers!

LEGO Dreamzzz The Trials of the Dream ChasersDebuting on various streaming services beginning May 15, 2023

The LEGO Company has an all new original series coming and what they want to DREAMZzz up are the Trials of the Dream Chasers! This group will have to rescue wayward souls trapped in the sleeping world, and yes, there’ll be product coming to toy stores too. As for what makes this series worth noting is that this series is the secret project former co-writer/showrunner of Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu Tommy Andreasen has been working on!

The episodes will be released weekly, so it can’t be binged. That’s alright when considering the content needs a sense of daily danger, and the wait for each release should be worthwhile, and the first batch isn’t it. There’s more slated for the end of Summer!

Continue reading “LEGO is Ready to DREAMZzz up The Trials of the Dream Chasers!”

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