DC League Of Super-Pets Delivers Refreshingly Fun Entertainment That The Whole Family Can Enjoy

      Making a fun-filled experience that the whole family can enjoy is quite an undertaking but Warner Brothers admirably pulls it off with their 3D computer animated superhero flick, DC League of Super-Pets. Boasting the voice acting talents of Dwayne The Rock Johnson, Kevin Hart, Keanu Reeves, Kate McKinnon, and John Krasinski, DC League Of Super-Pets provides families with an experience that's colorful, funny, charming and places its own fun spin on the classic characters in the popular comic book universe. 

      Based on the DC comics Superhero team Legion of Super-Pets, the story has Krypto the Super-Dog ( Voiced by Dwayne Johnson) and Superman being not only inseparable best friends but fighting crime side by side in Metropolis. When the latter is kidnapped along with the rest of the Justice League, Krypto sets out to save them with the help of a ragtag group of animals whom he helps discover their newfound powers. Given that the DC cinematic universe is known for being increasingly dark and gritty, it's especially noteworthy that League Of Super-Pets takes a complete opposite approach that contains well-balanced humor for both young children and adults. The film carves its own path in exploring the universes characters with surprisingly fun twists, important messages for young children to absorb, and a tremendous amount of heart. 

      When it comes to voice performances, League Of Super-Pets cast deliver fantastic work with Dwayne Johnson being perfectly casted as Krypto/Superdog. He effectively conveys his characters loyalty and love towards Superman, along with his confusion and jealousy over the latter spending more time with Lois Lane. Matching Johnson's charismatic presence is Kevin Hart as boxer Ace/Bat-Hound, who ultimately teams up with Crypto and carries super strength. Both actors share tremendous chemistry as two dogs who form the unlikeliest alliance. Kate McKinnon is brilliant as the main antagonist, Lulu, an evil hairless guinea pig who desires to take over the world with Lex Luthor. Other strong supporting roles include John Krasinski as Kal-El/Superman with him embodying the traditional witty version of the character that fans know and love. Keanu Reeves is a complete blast as Batman/Bruce Wayne with him sharing a hilarious twist with Ace/Bat-Hound after both discover that they have more in common in regards to their reclusiveness from society. Other notable mentions include Vanessa Bayer as potbellied pig PB, Natasha Lynne as Merton/Terrific Whatzit, Diego Luna as paranoid red Squirrel, Chip, Mark Maron as the villainous Lex Luthor, Olivia Wilde as Lois Lane, Jameela Jamil as Wonder Woman, Jermaine Clement as Aquaman, John Early as The Flash, Daveed Diggs as Cyborg, Dashcam Polanco as Jessica Cruz/Green Lantern, and Keith David as Kryto's father, Dog-El. Overall, League's ensemble is brilliantly assembled and bring much energy to the story.

      As far as animation goes, director Jared Stern provides the film with 3D animation that's immersive for young audiences to watch. The real thrill that comes with the crisp animation is seeing all the familiar DC characters brought together in animated form with the newer Super-Pets team. Despite feeling generic, the films cartoon violence is still handled in a way that makes it engaging to watch. One visually striking scene in particular involves Crypto battling a gigantic version of the antagonist and flying to the sun to get maximum strength in order to defeat his opponent while the Justice League team up with the Super-Pets back on Earth to fight the main antagonist. While such a sequence isn't one that screams innovativeness, it fits right at home within the wide-scale action of the DC universe. At 105 minutes, Super-Pets is fast-moving though always prioritizes its more intimate character-driven moments. The soundtrack beautifully captures the whimsy of the super-pets while delivering chills for older fans with the inclusion of John Williams classic Superman theme and Danny Elfman's Batman music. With League, stern does a noteworthy job of bringing the DC universe to the screen in animated form while giving it a feel good tone. 

      Some of the films key themes are friendship, family, love, sacrifice, feeling left out, loving unconditionally, world domination, and jealousy with the films overall message being that there is no justice without truth. The heart of the story is the relationship between Superman and Crypto both the latter ultimately understanding and accepting Clark's prioritizing of his relationship with Lois. Each member of Crypto's team gets their respective moments to shine with minimal information presented to give insight into how they obtained their special abilities. The Justice League team feels not only true to their real character personas, but also pay homage to their live-action DCEU counterparts. The scripts humor consists of risque innuendo and clever Easter eggs with references for older audiences to pick up on, while also poking fun of both Marvel and DC with the story carrying a touch of social commentary that's directed towards calling out billionaires. The stories real thrill is seeing Crypto's new team form with each animal coming to terms with their own powers. As a whole, League's screenplay is well-rounded with it having something for young kids and adults not just in regards to the films humor, but also the themes it explores with a surprising amount of maturity and thoughtfulness.

     With DC's cinematic future being in a limbo as fans wait to see what the future lies, Super-Pets takes the initiative here with richly satisfying results. What makes League Of Super-Pets an above average addition to the universe is the refreshing, funny, and heartfelt way it goes about presenting it's story combined with its wonderfully talented cast. The film strikes the right chord with how it entertains young kids and adults while doing its own thing with absolute confidence. DC fans will find League Of Super-Pets to be a genuinely crowd-pleasing experience that fills the universes temporary void for some good old-fashioned superhero entertainment that's charming as well as nostalgic. As the film shows, not everything has

to be dark and gritty to be a worthy comic book adaption. 

Final Verdict:  A must watch for DC fans as well as general audiences.  

Images Courtesy Of Warner Brothers.

The Black Phone Offers Horror Fans A Call They Can't Refuse To Take.

   What makes the horror genre unique is not just the kind of suspense the films generate but also the uniqueness of their source material. A horror film is as effective as the villain it presents as well as the main characters the audience ultimately grows to care about. With Blumhouse's The Black Phone, Universal Pictures provide audiences with a terrifying new experience that's thrilling along with a frightening new villain. The end result is a hugely effective horror concept that keeps audiences at the edge of their seat while deserving commending for its efforts in creativity.

      Based on the short story of the same name written by Joe Hill, The Black Phone's plot revolves around a teenager (Mason Thames) being abducted by a masked child killer and using a mysterious telephone to communicate with the previous victims of his captor (Ethan Hawke). Bearing a twisty story that's full of suspense and relatable characters, The Black Phone feels like the ideal catch for horror fans. Although it may not be truly scary, there's enough creepiness and thrills present to make it a must-watch for horror fans even if it feels a tiny bit similar to other terrifying stories like Stephen King's IT.

       As far as acting goes, The Black Phone's performances are extremely well-executed from its cast with Mason Thames churning out brilliant work as young teenager Finney, whose captured by The Grabber and shows great strength in fighting to survive his captor. Ethan Hawke is fantastic as the unflinchingly terrifying captor who misleads, kidnaps, and terrifies his victims while pushing them to attempt an escape with the intent of punishing them. Hawke is absolutely chilling in the role as he messes with Thames psychologically. Madeleine McGraw also shines as Finney's sister Gwen, who experiences psychic dreams. Both her and Thames share natural chemistry as siblings with the audience completely buying into their dynamic within the story. Along with their performances, Jeremy Davies proves to be notably effective as the kids alcoholic and abusive widower father Terrence with the audience completely despising his character. The rest of the supporting cast deliver solid work with E. Roger Mitchell and Troy Rudeseal as Detectives Wright and Miller who are searching for Thames, along with James Ransone in a nutty performance as the Grabber's eccentric brother, Max, and Miguel Cazarez Mora as Finney's friend, Robin, who becomes a victim of the Grabber. Overall, The Black Phone's acting (Especially from its young cast) ranks as being above average for the horror genre with Thames and Hawke making for a terrific screen duo.

      When it comes to directing, Scott Derrickson does a fine job of crafting a chilling atmosphere along with generating strong suspense. Some of the films most intense scenes are those showing Finney's character attempting to escape his captor, which are nail-biting moments. The violence shown is graphic with several instances showing young children being severely beaten, dead victims with obvious injuries being shown, and characters being stuck in the head with an axe. The cinematography consist of warm browns and orange lighting that's occasionally filtered with the films basement setting being accompanied by dark shadows and dried up blood on the walls representing the previous victims. The films overall costume and set design captures the idyllic '70s suburbia feel that showcases vintage photographs, striped baby tees, and flared jeans. With pacing, The Black Phone's story is kept steadily moving with enough information being given to audiences regarding key characters while carefully building up the suspense. The films score is a combination of upbeat 70's music combined with dark and chilling music that gets deep into the audiences spine. With the films overall look and mood, Derrickson largely impresses here along with getting strong work out of his cast. 

     Although it's based off a short story, The Black Phone's script does a terrific job of expanding on its source material while carrying a noble message that empowers one to stand up for themselves, especially when it comes to young children. Finney's character embodies this message through his experiences of being bullied by fellow classmates, and his friendship with Robin who not only defends him but later becomes a key motivator during his escape from the grabber. Much of the latters backstory is kept from audiences, making him a more mysterious and creepy individual who leaves a black balloon behind with each victim (Sounds a bit like Pennywise from Stephen King's IT). Some of the key themes that prove to be pivotal points in the story include alcoholism and child abuse as shown with Finney and Gwen's abusive alcoholic father with it being implied that their mother committed suicide due to hearing voices. Themes regarding the supernatural and one having psychic abilities are prevalent here with Gwen seeing images pertaining to Finney's kidnapping, along with the latter seeing and hearing the grabber's previous victims as they speak to him though the mysterious phone while delivering tips on how to survive his abduction. The grabber is portrayed as being a serial kidnapper and murderer with the police struggling to catch him. As well-layered as The Black Phone's script is in exploring its numerous themes, the concept of friendship, particularly that of Finney and Robin, serve as the heart of the story and the one that gives power to the stories overall message regarding standing up for oneself. 

      Even though The Black Phone contains themes that are hard-hitting, it unpacks them in a way that's exciting as well as thought-provoking. There's no denying that those watching it won't get a kick out of how the story is presented with the performances from the stellar cast adding to the thrills. While some of the stories elements may remind one of other films (The subplot involving the police searching the suspected house feels lifted from The Silence Of The Lambs), The Black Phone manages to tell it's own terrifying story regarding child abduction and does it exceptionally well, ensuring that those who choose to brave such a chilling horror story will not be disappointed.

Final Verdict: For horror fans, The Black Phone is a must see. 

Images Courtesy Of Universal Pictures

Hulu's Prey Surprises As Being The Best Predator Film Since The Original

       When looking at classic movie franchises, few have experienced an uneven trajectory like that of the Predator franchise. Since the original's 1987 release, its subsequent sequels have attempted to recapture the first movies thrills with mostly disappointing results. Besides Predators 2010, every other follow-up in the iconic sci-fi/action franchise has failed to produce the same kind of critical success as the original. Hulu's Prey aims to buck that trend with the film working as a prequel to the previous films despite being the series fifth installment. Much to the fans surprise, Prey is the Predator film they've long been waiting for with it 

taking the series back to the basics and generating newer thrills. 

      Taking place in the Northern Great Plains in 1719, Prey shows a skilled Comanche warrior (Amber Midthunder) fighting to protect her tribe from a highly evolved alien predator that hunts humans for sport. Prey's plot not only feels fresh but it presents a clever opportunity to reset the overall timeline while reviving the struggling franchise. Without question, Prey stands firm as being the series finest work since the 1987 John McTiernan directed classic with it packing non-stop suspense while never losing sight of its character development, especially when it comes to the films compelling new female lead.

      One of the key drivers of Prey being so engaging to watch is the performances from its main leads. Amber Midthunder carries a strong presence in her breakout role as young Comanche warrior Naru, who fights to protect her tribe against the Predator. Midthunder presents her character as being strong-willed, tough, and calculated as she not only appears to be a worthy opponent to the alien creature, but matches it in strategy with her not allowing herself to make any other noise other than necessary when hiding from the Predator. Her character is bound to become a favorite among franchise fans. Dakota Beavers does equally well as Naru's brother Taabe, whose also revealed to be a skilled hunter. Both actors communicate well together on screen and leave a huge impact on the story with audiences ultimately caring about both their characters. Dane DiLiegro does a fantastic job as the predator with the latter shown to wield primitive versions of advanced weaponry used by other Predators in previous future-set films. The rest of Prey's cast delivers solid performances with Michelle Thrush as Naru and Taabe's mother Aruka, Stormer Kipp as Comanche hunter Wasape, who looks down on Naru, and Julian Black Antelope as Chief Kehetu.

      Directed by Dan Trachtenberg who previously helmed 10 Cloverfield Lane, he delivers a visually stunning landscape for the story that matches the originals look and feel with its jungle setting. The Comanche world is shown in an admirable fashion that screams authenticity. Given the series violent nature, Trachtenberg doesn't hold back in showing the gory violence that's long accompanied the universe. Characters are killed off in extremely bloody and gory ways, including spikes through the skull, arrows to eyes, decapitation, sliced chests, and being mauled by tigers. As for pacing, Prey's story is kept fast-moving while allowing enough time for its main characters to develop throughout the story. The score does a fine job of balancing upbeat adventure with malevolent tension. One of its most effective pieces is Naru's introduction, which sets a powerful tone for her character as well as the story. Besides some moments of spotty CGI which could've been improved if more time was delivered towards doing so, Trachtenberg's work on Prey stands as being the strongest effort delivered by any director of the series since John McTiernan's work on the original. 

      Some of the key themes explored in Prey's script include gender roles, survival, trapping, and the decimating of populations of wild animals. Naru is presented as being skillful and intelligent yet finds herself being held back from being a hunter due to her tribes beliefs regarding a woman's role. Her character is strong and empowering to women, making this the most progressive Predator film yet. The heart of the story lies within the relationship between Naru and her brother Taabe with both finding themselves in a battle for survival against the Predator. The latters brutality is heavily emphasized here with the Predators dispersing of numerous animals in gruesome fashion. What's most rewarding about Prey's script is how fresh its story feels, particularly with exploring an earlier period regarding the Predators arrival on Earth. The Comanche tribe is presented in a way that's respectful and empowering while neglecting all the negative stereotypes that accompanied indigenous people in prior films. Not only are key characters fully fleshed out here but audiences get a sense of satisfaction out of seeing Naru continuously proving her worth to everyone, especially moments where she experiences doubt from others as well as bullying in hopes that she quits and resumes women duties. Prey's script is commendable in how it takes the franchise back to its roots and delivers a female heroine, whom audiences can root for as she outsmarts the Predator. What's most impressive is that it does this while delivering proper representation to those who weren't shown much on film before previously.

      The greatest thrill that one gets from watching Prey is how it works so well as being a prequel to the original classic. Whereas the series has struggled with producing an adequate installment that's worthy of the franchises name, Prey not only does so but breathes new life into a series that fans had nearly written off after the disappointing 2018 sequel. The prequel is a prime example of a legacy story done right while breaking new ground for the series as far as storytelling goes. For Predator fans who've waited decades to see an installment that lives up to the Arnold Schwarzenegger classic, they'll be pleasantly surprised here as Prey delivers adrenaline-filled action while establishing a promising future for the franchise. 

Final Verdict: A Must See

Images Courtesy Of Hulu/Disney

Jordan Peele's Nope Delivers Well-Constructed Thrills And Surprises

 

      

      The key to any successful horror story is the effectiveness of the distinct directorial style that the chosen filmmaker brings to the story. When looking at classic horror and suspense directors, ones like Alfred Hitchcock, Wes Craven, and John Carpenter come to mind with an eye being raised towards Oscar Winner Jordan Peele's rising stature as an acclaimed filmmaker in the horror genre. After experiencing back to back box office and critical success with 2017's Get Out and 2019's Us, Peele extends his hot streak with his latest horror/sci-fi outing Nope which reunites him with Get Out leading man Daniel Kaluuya. Taking direct inspiration from the early careers of Steven Spielberg and Carpenter, Peele's Nope is as equally original and creative as his previous efforts while also challenging his audience to put the pieces together regarding the films puzzled plot.

      Nope's story has two siblings (Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer) running a horse ranch in California with them discovering something UFO type phenomenon in the skies above while the owner of a nearby adjacent theme park aims to profit from the mysterious phenomenon. Nope's plot carries an undeniable Close Encounters Of The Third Kind feel to it along with a touch of Carpenter's The Thing in regards to how Peele sets up the story as well as his characters desire in uncovering the truth behind what's in the sky. Although it may be too ambitious and complexed for audiences to find comfortable, Nope contains enough thrills and surprise twists to make for a chillingly new sci-fi/horror experience.

      A key ingredient that makes Nope so effective as a horror story is the dynamic performances from its talented cast, who each own their roles in addition to showing genuine excitement for bringing the story to life. Daniel Kaluuya once again demonstrates that he's the ideal leading man for a Twilight Zone type Jordan Peele story with him proving to be strong and charismatic in the role as horse trainer OJ Haywood Jr. Keke Palmer however, completely steals the show as OJ's fun-spirited sister Em, who desires fame and fortune in Hollywood. Both actors do a fine job of playing siblings while providing the stories heart. Steven Yeun does well as Ricky "Jupe" Park, former child actor and owner/creator of the theme park "Jupiter's Claim." Other notably solid performances include Brandon Perea as tech salesman at Fry's electronics Angel Torres, Michael Wincott as renowned cinematographer Antlers Holst, Wrenn Schmidt as Jupe's wife Amber Park, and Keith David as OJ's father and owner of Haywood's Hollywood Horses Ranch, Otis Haywood Sr. As a whole, Nope's cast work together extremely well with them bringing a tremendous sense of believability to the story.

      When it comes to directing, Peele continues to strengthen his skills with impressively setting up mysteriously chilling atmospheres while keeping a steady hand in helming the story. With Nope, Peele is given his biggest budget yet that allows him to widen his scope in terms of storytelling. As for the films overall look and cinematography, Nope carries a stunning look and feel of a horror flick with the R rated violent elements of its story being profoundly effective. An example includes a blood-covered chimp going on a murderous rampage, pummeling characters off screen, as well as a character being killed in a gory fashion when struck by a projectile. The films cinematography delivers frightening imagery including blood raining on a house, pouring down the windows. The sound effects terrifically enhance the stories visual impact with disturbing noises and traditional jump scares. At 131 minutes, Nope moves at a steady pace that mirrors Spielbergian films such as Close Encounters Of The Third Kind and Jaws. The soundtrack does a fine job of balancing the awe and frightening moments of the film, along with the more personal ones between OJ and Em. With the story, Peele takes what's arguably his most ambitious project yet and gives it a grand production scale that includes key sequences being properly being filmed in IMAX which ultimately enhances the story. 

      Some of the themes explored in Nope's screenplay include teamwork, inclusiveness, and problem-solving in the face of impossible odds. OJ's character is shown to be struggling in continuing his father's legacy with handling horses for film and television productions. His relationship with Em is presented as being a bit strained in the sense that his character is more inward and reserved while she's more outspoken and daring. The films side characters are well-established to the point where they leave a notable impact on the story along with drawing the audiences curiosity. Other themes the script explores are humans fascination with spectacle as well as attempts to tame and control other species for purposes including entertainment and profit. One of the films strangest subplots shown involves a chimp that snapped and went on a bloody rampage on the set of a 1990s TV sitcom. While such a subplot feels randomly placed in the film with little meaning to the story, it makes more sense once the viewer thinks about it's meaning that's meant to symbolize humans blind fascination with spectacle involving animals while attempting to control them backfiring. With Nope's script, Peele crafts the story as being a mysterious puzzle that's intended for the audience to solve while connecting all the pieces together regarding the UFO's identity or the symbolism behind the chimpanzee. The use of shock sequences including horses and other animals being harmed by the creature, prove to be shockingly effective with the film boasting a Signs feel to it. 

      As well executed as Nope's story appears to be, it isn't for everyone given how Peele likes to do things unconventionally, which will unquestionably be off putting for some audiences. While it doesn't carry the same kind of social commentary that accompanied the works of Get Out or Us, Nope still delivers as being a masterfully constructed and wildly entertaining ride which signifies another win for Peele whose unquestionably becoming one of modern cinemas most important voices.

Final Verdict: A must see for horror and Jordan Peele fans. 

Images Courtesy Of Universal Studios