Ahoy Comics is home to comics that use witty satire to take the piss out of society. The home for Toxic Avenger comics is also the place to find some of their other titles like Babs and Ancestral Recall. Their latest book, The Forgotten Divine, is the first they’ve crowdfunded through a Kickstarter campaign. Written by Second Coming scribe Mark Russell and drawn by Russ Braun (The Boys), The Forgotten Divine is a sci-fi drama about Rodney, an unhoused vet with PTSD who confesses to having dreams of a world with a giant eye and aliens surrounding it.
When Rodney confesses these dreams to his therapist, he writes it off as a side effect of his meds. However, soon his therapist is having dreams, too. Eventually, they set up a support group for others also affected by these dreams. As the number of members grows, it attracts the attention of the federal government, and that’s before things get out of hand.
The Forgotten Divine. Credit Ahoy Comics.The Forgotten Divine
Mining the same sense of disenfranchisement that Fight Club does, Mark Russell levels the playing field by uniting the characters of The Forgotten Divine with these visions of aliens. The sequences with the alien dreams are nightmare-fueled fevers that you’ll be glad live on the pages of this comic and not in real life. Like a lot of great satire, the world is as much of a character as the people who populate it. While the story in front of you is happening, there are some really good Easter eggs all over that give personality to this hyperbolized world of extraterrestrial believers.
With indie comics, a tale this big has to be economical with its storytelling, and Russell and Braun use that space well. While a few things may feel a little hurried, the story doesn’t suffer from it. Each chapter runs about fifteen pages but still feels full without being too lean on its quirks. The Forgotten Divine’sKickstarter campaign launches today. Please go out and support Ahoy Comics’ quest to bring quality stories to the hands of readers.
If you’ve clicked on this review, you probably already know Dave Dastmalchian. Maybe you’ve seen him in a few movies or TV shows where he’s played a small but memorable role, or in his starring role in Late Night with the Devil. However it was that got you here, buckle in because Dave Dastmalchian’s Through is a ride.
Through the Eye of the Needle…
Released by Z2 Comics, Through tells the story of college student Alix Gaulden. Alix has had a hard life after her parents died in a car wreck, which has toughened her up. Her bitterness constantly has her at odds with her roommate, Sam, who refers to her as somewhere between a Karen and Ann Coulter. One morning, she goes for a run and slips on some ice into a frozen river and breaks her leg. She’s saved by a mysterious man, who she learns has been following her since she was a kid. Alix decides to play detective and find out more about the man who saved her.
Through. Credit Z2 Comics.
She breaks into his house, and after examining the mini sculptures he has built in the eye of a sewing needle, Alix is transported to a different world. The more Alix goes back, the more she learns her past is entangled with this world she had no clue existed. Alix becomes intertwined in her mission and the clues she’s found, but she’s hindered. Not by her broken leg, but her broken attitude. Her inability to ask for help or even show the simplest of courtesy clips her wings.
Dastmalchian’s scenes transition smoothly, making them jump to the next point mid-page rather than at the start of the page turn. There were multiple times when stopping would have been awkward. Not only because the story was engaging, but there was no clean place to set a bookmark. Dastmalchian’s writing works in a story that tackles anxiety and depression in a fantastic metaphor, weaving in Catholic guilt and the effects of unprocessed trauma.
While it borrows from other fantasy stories like Alice in Wonderland and the German fairy tale Woyzeck, Dastmalchian’s story inventively mixes fantasy and noir. While Through is very influenced by DC’s Vertigo stories from the late 80s and 90s, it’s not enough to call it his Sandman, but there are similarities in the themes of using the tropes of fantasy to deal with issues in the seemingly normal world. You’d be remiss if you thought this was some droll and derivative modern fairy tale.
Overall Grade : 8/10
From David Mack’s cover to Cat Stagg’s interior pages, art-wise, this is a beautiful book. Cat Stagg’s contrast between the dark, icy Chicago and the fantastical, although perilous, world of Ananda Apastan works hand in hand, creating that duality needed to help Dastmalchian’s tale. While the dangers of both realms are present, you’re never quite sure which one you’re safer in.
Dave Dastmalchian’s Throughis a great book. Well put together and a must-have for people who love modern fairy tales or for those on the fence about fairy tales. While it will be easy to point to some tropes and where the references come from, they are remixed enough to visit Alix’s worlds a trip through the eye of the needle worth taking.
Check out Forrest’s review of Z2 Comics’ The Return of the Blues Brothers: Escape of Joliet Jake, here
Descendants: Wicked Wonder Chessy The Cat Poster (Credit: Disney Channel & Disney+)
Disney Channel is getting ready for a busy summer. The newest Camp Rock film is premiering in August, but before then, the latest Descendants film is out next month.
Descendants: Wicked Wonderland is out July 16th, and new information for the film has been released. The film’s official description reads:
“Now that the Queen of Hearts is nice and Cinderella is safe, things seem perfect for Red and Chloe … but little do they know that changing the past created a new villain: Maddox Hatter. When Maddox captures the Queen of Hearts, Red and Chloe must work with Red’s new sister Pink, Luisa Madrigal’s son Luis, Captain Hook’s daughter Hazel, and Maddox’s son Max to save her and Wonderland.”
The full cast was revealed, and I think everyone will find a character this year to love:
Descendants: Wicked Wonderland Red & Chloe Charming Poster (Credit: Disney Channel & Disney+)
Kylie Cantrall (Red)
Malia Baker (Chloe)
Leonardo Nam (Maddox Hatter)
Melanie Paxson (Fairy Godmother)
Paolo Montalban (King Charming)
Rita Ora (The Queen Of Hearts)
Brandy (Cinderella)
Liamani Segura (Pink)
Brendon Tremblay (Max Hatter)
Alexandro Byrd (Luis Madrigal)
Kiara Romero (Hazel Hook)
Joel Oulette (Robbie Hood)
Zavien Garrett (Felix Facilier)
Ryan McEwen (Squirmy Smee)
Dayton Paradis (Squeaky Smee)
We also learned that Awakafina is stepping into Wonderland and is voicing Chessy the Cat. We also got the full trailer for the film:
Disney also announced that the film’s soundtrack is out on July 17th via Walt Disney Records, and that new merchandise is coming, including:
A Doll Line From Mattel
Costumes
Apparel
Books
Descendants: Wicked Wonderland premieres July 16th on Disney Channel and July 17th on Disney+.
Life is filled with an incalculable number of microinteractions. Fleeting moments with complete strangers that may not make the chapter, but they surely make the appendix of our lives. More often than not, people fail to connect in these moments. Suffering one of life’s favorite punishments: embarassment. Jess Zeidman, in her vignette style exploration of human interaction, ‘Human Theories,’ has managed to bottle this failure in a clever, ambitious, and creative look at the human condition. ‘Human Theories’ is a gorgeous exploration of humanity and the beauty that can be found within the day to day set upon the backdrop of the greatest city in the world.
Collected in 40 different vignettes, Zeidman takes a unique approach to film making. These are not so much interconnected as they are flashing glimpses at struggle to be a human in a very complex and difficult world. This film is pure joy. It offers audiences the opportunity to laugh not only at the people on the screen, but at themselves. Zeidman nails the beauty of the human condition. This is a must see as it comes out of it’s world premiere at the 25th Annual Tribeca Film Festival.
Alexander Low and Eddy Grace in ‘Human Theories.’ Courtesy of Alina Pictures.
The Genius of Humanity
What Zeidman gets at remarkably well is the human condition. It’s clear that she understands people and how people interact with one another. ‘Human Theories,’ itself, brings together actors and nonactors alike, creating unique situations that leans into the awkwardness of each moment. The film is truly a masterpiece of clever filmmaking. It never feels disjointed or like it’s trying to hard, doing the right amount to draw audiences in.
‘Human Theories’ relies so heavily on people that it’s a marvel that it all came together so fluidly. I genuinely cannot tell you who the actors and nonactors were. They meshed so well, diving into their moments with equal professionalism. Zeidman’s use of vignettes as opposed to traditional film styles creates a kaleidoscope of human nervousness in such a beautiful way that you forget your watching a movie and now out out for a walk.
Sureni Weerasekera and Joey Dardano in ‘Human Theories. Couresty of Alina Pictures.
That Awkward Moment
‘Human Theories’ at it’s very core is…well…human. Audience members may not be able to relate to each moment, but they will be able to relate to a lot of them and that’s what makes this film special. It imitates life in a way that feels real in the most minimalist way. Films that meet the lofty expectation of the art they seek to represent work best when they feel real and connect with audiences at a core emotional level. ‘Human Theories’ does that magnificently well.
Daniel Liu in ‘Human Theories.’ Courtesy of Alina Pictures.
Final Thoughts:
‘Human Theories’ is a beautiful exploration of the human condition. Getting right to the core of humanity, it explores in a uniquely gorgeous manner the ways in which people interact and, most importantly, the times they fail to do so. Much like that time in high school when you went to ask for a pencil and called it a “pancil,” ‘Human Theories’ is going to stick with audiences for a long time.
Animation is the soul of the film industry. It is artistry in it’s purest form and when an animated film hits, it hits differently than any other genre of film. Taking a dash of ‘Fantasia,’ a pinch of ‘Robin Hood,’ and a splash of ‘The Matrix’ to taste, Wesley Wang in just 3 minutes proved why all of that was true with his action packed, moving, animated short, ‘Violet and Marlowe Rob a Bank.’ ‘Violet and Marlowe’ is one of those films that will be repeat viewing for lovers of animation. This film is truly special in a type of way that could and SHOULD change animation in a big way.
Violet and Marlowe, and their impeccable musical taste, live in a dystopian capitalist world where the 1% controls the flow of carrots and the rest are left with less than scraps. History tells us that the natural reaction to that level of oppression is a Robin Hood style, take from the rich, give to the poor heist, or a series of them to be exact. In 3 minutes, Wesley Wang created a revolution in animation. To tell a complete story the way that Wang did in the amount of time he did it in is simply astounding. I truly hope that this gets a full length feature down the road.
‘Violet and Marlowe Rob a Bank.’
Unrivaled Action At Breakneck Speed
Wesley Wang took a 3 minute idea for an animated film and turned it into an action packed classic. The action in ‘Violet and Marlowe’ pulsates throughout the film. Borrowing from films like ‘The Matrix’ and ‘Point Break,’ ‘Violet and Marlowe’ gives audiences more than they could ever expect in a bite-sized, 3 minute long film. It’s downright mezmorizing. I couldn’t look away and to this date, I have watched it no less than 5 times because I enjoyed it THAT much.
What makes the action feels so impressive is the feeling of impossibility. It feels like someone should not be able to do what Wang did with this film. The film is insanely imaginative. The way the camera pans around the action as it follows Violet and Marlowe throughout their heist gives the impression that the audience is on an immersive roller coaster, going along for the ride. ‘Violet and Marlowe Rob a Bank’ will make your heart pound with adrenaline.
‘Violet and Marlowe Rob a Bank.’
Final Thoughts:
‘Violet and Marlowe Rob a Bank’ is a bonafide masterpiece. It is art in it’s simplest form, meant to be taken in on repeat.
The relationship that people have with their parents evolves over time. What eventually becomes rebellion can swiftly turn into understanding. While we don’t have to like the choices that our parents may have made, peace can be found in understanding why they made the decisions that they did. Elisee Junior St Preux, in his viewpoint altering, downright GORGEOUS film, ‘The Tropic Sun and His Eyes,’ shines a light on that relationship and how people deal with the trauma that comes from it. Simply put, this film is brilliant. Not only did it provide me with a new perspective on my relationship with my own parents, it provided me a new perspective on the beauty and soul of Haiti. ‘The Tropic Sun and His Eyes’ will change you and I assure you, you want to be changed.
Ruben has been away from Haiti for quite some time, leaving behind a strained relationship with his father. Returning home upon receiving news that his father is dying, Ruben begins a journey across Haiti headed home, searching for himself, and finding that self in a young boy he befriends along the way. ‘The Tropic Sun and His Eyes’ is a love letter to film making. A beautiful symphony of culture, soul searching, and rewired notions, ‘Tropic Sun’ is destined for an Oscar nomination next awards season.
Stevenson Jean in ‘The Tropic Sun and His Eyes.’ Courtesy of SOIL Pictures.
The Soul of Haiti
The soul of the film is the historically misrepresented nation of Haiti. The beauty of Haiti and it’s people provides the perfect setting for Ruben to be in search of himself. As Ruben travels across Haiti, the audience is inundated with one of the most culturally rich and gorgeous nations on the planet. The film helps to rewire the audiences brains, who have been fed decades of misinformation about Haiti. ‘The Tropic Sun’ is a love letter to the nation that birthed it.
The American media seems to only pay attention to Haiti when it’s at it’s most vulnerable. Rarely do we get a look at the gorgeous and lush forrests and extraordinary people. ‘The Tropic Sun’ provides that eye opening look. As Ruben finds himself, the audience finds itself rethinking how they see the tropic nation. Haiti as a nation has a rich history that is often forgotten and minimalized. ‘The Tropic Sun’ puts it on display for all of the world to see while tackling complex subject matters like mental health and the relationships that exist between parent and child.
Stevenson Jean and Blangue Machiny in ‘The Tropic Sun and His Eyes.’ Courtesy of SOIL Pictures.
Through the Eyes of the Young
The heart of ‘The Tropic Sun and His Eyes,’ of course, is it’s young cast led by the exceptionally talented Stevenson Jean. Jean plays Ruben with a beautiful introspection, digging deep into who Ruben is, his trauma, and his relationship with his father. Ruben’s story is one that many experience. Our parents exist as enigmas in our lives. They’re our first loves and our first traumas. Jean battles with this in an complex, but nuanced way. He’s never shy to be vulnerable. Jean’s performance was magnificence in it’s purest form.
Joining Jean is the vibrant, young Blangue Machiny. Machiny showed range far beyond his years. His performance was moving and funny, bouncing between the two from moment to moment. Showing his age in the right ways, Blangue provides the perfect son to Jean’s father figure. Machiny provides clarity and perspective to the brooding Ruben in a way that changes his perspective on who he is and who his father is. I truly hope we see more of Machiny.
Stevenson Jean and Blangue Machiny in ‘The Tropic Sun and His Eyes.’ Courtesy of SOIL Pictures.
Final Thoughts:
Elisse Junior St Preux has provided one of this decade’s true masterpieces with his film, ‘The Tropic Sun and His Eyes.’ The film is beautifully cathartic, providing a narative that audiences are going to connect with on a deeply intimate level. ‘Tropic Sun’ needs to be the next film you see.
Avengers #1 Variant Cover By Chip Zdarsky (Credit: Marvel Comics)
Now, this new mainline series is spinning out of Avengers: Armageddon, which is launching with Issue #1 next week. Writer Chip Zdarsky and Artist Marco Checchetto are teaming up on this new series, and will be introducing a new team, with members that include:
Spider-Man
Captain Marvel
Wolverine
Luke Cage
Daredevil
Earth’s Mightiest Heroes
The team is also getting a new hero, who will be revealed in time. The book’s full description reads:
“EARTH’S MIGHTIEST SURVIVORS!
With the world order completely rewritten after the events of Avengers: Armageddon, a day unlike any other arrives, when a new group of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes find themselves united to avenge the Marvel Universe: SPIDER-MAN, WOLVERINE, CAPTAIN MARVEL, DAREDEVIL, LUKE CAGE and an all-new hero set to make their explosive debut soon!”
What the creative team has to say
Writer Chip Zdarsky had this to say about the new series:
“AVENGERS is a book that should lead the Marvel Universe, where big things happen and surprises keep hitting. It’s obviously a massive honor getting to write the world’s greatest super hero team! And after what happens in AVENGERS: ARMAGEDDON, this lineup is angry as hell and ready to avenge.
AVENGERS is a book that should lead the Marvel Universe, where big things happen and surprises keep hitting. That’s what Marco and I are doing with every issue and I can’t wait for people to fall in love with these gorgeous pages.”
Meanwhile, Artist Marco Checchetto said this:
“Here we go again. Chip and I, assembled. We had a blast on Daredevil, and since wrapping up Ultimate Spider-Man, I’m thrilled there was an opportunity to do something new with him. It’s in moments like these where Chip’s utter madness comes through, and the result is right before your eyes.
I love this team. It’s going to be great to see these characters interact with one another and see how they untangle themselves from the situations we’re going to throw them into.”
Zdarsky also said this about working with Marco Checchetto:
“It’s amazing to be working with Marco again. Time and time again he proves he’s the best at giving us the coolest possible versions of these characters and what he’s doing in this book is next level.”
Editor Wil Mosssaid this about the new run:
“Chip and Marco have come up with SUCH an exciting direction for this new volume of AVENGERS, striking just the right balance of quality AND spectacle, of pitch-perfect characterization AND shocking takes, of a sense of legacy AND a true trailblazing spirit. Chip and Marco’s AVENGERS is going to be the heart of the Marvel Universe going forward—trust me, you won’t want to miss a beat. Just wait till you learn the full roster…”
Late last week, I had the absolute pleasure of getting to interview two writers at DC that’re making history in the comic book industry: Jadzia Axelrod and Nicole Maines. For those who don’t know who these two are, Axelrod is the creator and current writer on the character Galaxy while Nicole made history being the first transwoman to portray a superhero in The CW’s “Supergirl”! In fact, with their comic mini-series “Justice League Dream Girls” releasing all this month. I’d love to spotlight the two of them here. Grab your popcorn and read along as I get you hooked!
Source: Ted Brandt, Ro Stein, DC Comics
Jadzia Axelrod
If there’s anyone that proves it’s more than okay to not figure yourself out until you’re an adult, it’s Jadzia Axelrod. Starting her transition in her 30’s, it inspired her to create the character Galaxy, a transgender teenager that’s out, loud and proud. She got into superheroes during her childhood, “Super Friends” being the gateway. When creating Galaxy, she researched the stories of transgender teenagers before debuting the character in 2022’s “Galaxy: The Prettiest Star.” She’d later go on to write a successful six issue mini-series for Hawkgirl and, just recently, “Galaxy: As The World Falls Down“.
Source: Rye Hickman, DC Comics
Nicole Maines
Activism, superheroes, DND and cats… Nicole’s all of that rolled into one. Seemingly born to be a history maker in the queer space, she would be a major part in the first state court ruling unbarring transgender students from using the correct bathroom at school. Years later in 2018, she would then become the first transgender actress to play a superhero, a landmark moment in comic book history. After debuting the character Dreamer on TV, she would go on to bring the character to the comics in “DC PRIDE #1” in 2021 before being given a proper solo run.
Source: Stephen Segovia, Rain Beredo, DC Comics
Absolute Power Duo
When you get these two together, they unsurprisingly make for an absolutely powerful duo. Right out of the gate, they’re a force to be reckoned with in the canon mini-series “Justice League Dream Girls: A DC Pride Event” with the first issue having just come out. If you haven’t already, I can’t tell you enough times to pick this book up! You won’t regret it and every sale means a better future for transgender representation in the comic book medium.
For more from me, read more of my articles and check out my socials!
The lives people live are experienced in chapters. Each chapter depicting a moment in life filled with characters that are constantly coming and going. Not every character, however, is well meaning. Some are more self serving. Doron Max Hagay’s feature length adaptation of his short film of the same name, ‘She Keeps Me Young’ takes a darkly humorous look at the relationships and characters serve a more toxic purpose. Debuting at Tribeca Film Festival in New York, ‘She Keeps Me Young’ will make the audience take a look at their own relationships and who they allow control in their lives.
Michelle and Kelly have been friends for years. Having lost her partner when he goes missing, Michelle has been struggling, relying on her longtime friendship with Kelly to serve as an outlet. An outlet that Kelly takes advantage of after struggling with her own shortcomings. When Michelle strikes up a relationship with a high school senior, Kelly becomes jealous and the friendship begins to fracture. ‘She Keeps Me Young’ is riotously funny. Hagay has delivered one of the most darkly human films in recent history.
Blair Beeken and Katy Fullan in ‘She Keeps Me Young.’ Courtesy of TinyGiant Pictures.
Best Friends Forever
‘She Keeps Me Young’ dates all the way back to 2016 when Hagay and actor/partners Blair Beeken and Katy Fullan first began their work with Michelle and Kelly. That decade of work has lead to a cast chemistry that would rival any contemporary film. The drama feels real. The comedic scenarios feel authentic. The films ability to achieve that level of authenticity boils down to the work that the films leads and director have developed over years.
Blair Beeken’s portrayal of Michelle gave me anxiety. Even when Michelle wants to stand up to Kelly, she can’t. Michelle would back down and, ultimately, give in to Kelly. Beeken is calculated in her portrayal of Michelle, portraying her nervous nature with pinpoint accuracy. When Michelle is exploring being unapologetically herself, Beeken builds that confidence within Michelle. As Michelle became more free, so did Beeken. Her performance is one of the most memorable of the year thus far.
To her credit, Katy Fullan matches Beeken’s Michelle with her maddening portrayal of Kelly. Kelly drove me crazy. It was so blatant who she really was and what she was really about that I couldn’t figure out why Michelle let her treat her the way she did. There in lies the beauty of the chemistry that exists between Beeken and Fullan. It was maddening because it felt authentic. Fullan is overbearing and over the top, suiting the character of Kelly perfectly. Trust, I will be talking about Kelly for quite some time and that is all due to Fullan’s performance.
Director Doron Max Hagay on set of ‘She Keeps Me Young.’ Courtesy of TinyGiant Pictures.
Been At It For Years
The development of these characters in particular over the time that they’ve been developed has delivered a very rich, layered story. The story is about more than one thing in particular but serves to show the amount of nuance a film can use without diluting the overarching story of the film. Hagay has chiseled his story and these characters so effectively with Beeken and Fullan that ‘She Keeps Me Young’ reaches at the core of each audience member through it’s ability to relate to the human condition.
People are relient on other people for some form of emotional attachment. That need tends to vary from person to person, but is still an average part of being alive. Many, however, find themselves stuck in repetitive destructive relationships that exist more out of convenience than for any kind of emotional need. ‘She Keeps Me Young’ gets at that to such an effective degree that it will have audiences literally going through their cell phones and reflecting on their relationships.
Final Thoughts:
‘She Keeps Me Young’ is a darkly humorous look at the toxic relationships that are scattered acros the pages of the chapters of people’s lives. Audiences will not only be able to connect with the film on a personal level, they’ll be able to laugh at their own relationships and mistakes. Doron Max Hagay has delivered a truly must see film in ‘She Keeps Me Young.’
Nostalgia sells, but it doesn’t always pay off. Over the last decade, production companies have been attempting to cash in on humanity’s collective adoration for things of the path. Who doesn’t look back on the days of couch coop and EctoCooler fondly? Enter the highly anticipated return of the Prince of Eternia himself, He-man. ‘Masters of the Universe’ has enjoyed a slight rise in popularity over the previous few years and with Travis Knight’s take on the Saturday Morning Hero, ‘Masters of the Universe,’ hitting the big screen tthis weekend that popularity is surely going to skyrocket.
Knight has given audiences the adaptation that fans have been craving for decades: a tongue in cheek, unserious serious big screen outting that doesn’t take itself too seriously. All around, pound for pound, ‘Masters of the Universe’ is the summer blockbuster to beat right out of the gate.
Adam is a Prince from a far off planet filled with dragons and talking green tigers. At least, that’s what he tells everyone on Earth from friends to first dates. When Adam finally finds the sword he’s been looking for, his two worlds collide. Bringing one of the small screen’s great cartoon heroes to the big screen, ‘Masters of the Universe’ is a ridiculously fun time at the movie theater. I don’t think there was a single second that there wasn’t a smile on my face for two hours straight. ‘Masters of the Universe’ is the definition of must see.
Kristen Wiig, Idris Elba, Nicholas Galitzine, Camila Mendes and Cringer in ‘MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE.’ Courtesy of Amazon MGM Pictures.
By The Power of Friendship
‘Masters of the Universe’ is immensely charming due in no small part to the famous characters that are making their second jump to the big screen. The cast is a collection of parts that work best when they are all together on screen. The chemistry oozes from them. Nicholas Galitzine nails the careful, empathetic Adam while also stunning as the big guy, himself. His acting needs work, but, truthfully, that’s ok. Much like Chris Hemsworth in ‘Thor,’ Galitzine will get better. The sequel is going to be a ton of fun and Galitzine is really gonna shine, I’m calling it now.
The supporting cast is stacked with talent. Idris Elba’s ‘Man-At-Arms’ getting to spar with Kristen Wiig’s ‘Roboto’ was a delight I did not know I needed. Many forget that Idris Elba has comedic chops, he was, in fact, on ‘The Office.’ That aspect of his skill gets to shine throughout this film. Wiig to her credit is as sharp and clever as ever. It was enjoyable getting to watch each of them work so fluidly together.
Galitzine is charming, but Camila Mendes steals the show. Their chemistry is fun to watch as they engage in the age old ‘will they, won’t they’ game. Mendes portrays ‘Teela’ as if ‘Duncan’ had taught her, himself. She was dangerous when she needed to be and soft and kind when it was called for. Her performance was one of the standouts of the film.
Skeletor is real. He played himself. In no way, shape or form was he played by the 6th best actor to play The Joker.
Castle Grayskull in ‘MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE.’ Courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios.
Grab a SleepingBag and EctoCooler, The Nostalgias Thick
This film is dripping with nostalgia and, boy, did the audience eat it up. The entire theater had their ‘Leonardo di Caprio’ fingers ready and that made the viewing quite special. Everyone shared in a collective joyous occassion where they all remembered when they held the sword a loft and said the words: “By the power of Grayskull, I have the power!!” Moments like that are timeless and tap into the human want and NEED to be happy.
‘Masters of the Universe’ never felt like it was beating you over the head with nostalgia. It made good use of it, in fact. All of that effort that went into nostaglia, however, may have been better suited on improving the CGI.
I know. I know. If you’re talking about CGI, you don’t have much, but I think in this case it’s legitimate. Some of the CGI seemed clunky and jumpy. It was offputting. Did it ruin the movie? No. Did I notice it? Absolutely. This is another area where I think a future sequel will have a loftier budget and more focused CGI.
Nicholas Galitzine in ‘Masters of the Universe.’ Courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios.
Final Thoughts:
Travis Knight gives audiences everything that they could possibly want with his big screen adaptation of the Saturday Morning Cartoon Classic, ‘Masters of the Universe.’ The film is pure joy, pure fun, and a purely good time. ‘Masters of the Universe’ is the Summer Blockbuster to beat.
