Searchlight’s new movie, The Menu, is literally all about eating the rich. Okay, I’m kidding about the literal part, but that is the most basic way of explaining the movie without giving too much away. To expand on it, though, a young woman embarks on a boat ride to a remote island to dine at one the finest restaurants in the world. But there’s so much more to it than that.
Ralph Fiennes as Julian Slowik in The Menu. All Rights Reserved by Searchlight Pictures.
An Unexpected Menu
This is one my favorite movies of the year, and all because it simply caught me off guard. I had an expectation about this movie that was thrown out the window and into the ocean, and was replaced by something so much more bizarre that required double takes through multiple scenes. There’s perhaps one or two major points of the movie that are around solely for shock value before you realize, this movie does not take itself seriously and doesn’t want you to take it seriously either.
There is obviously a message about the food service industry as it coincides with the lives and attitudes of several rich people. Every character has their story but most of them are all prevented from being anything more than one-dimensional, shallow beings. That all comes with having a talented cast that works well as an ensemble despite how separated or disconnected they feel from one another. Anya-Taylor Joy and Ralph Fiennes are both spectacular and I thoroughly enjoyed the peculiar yet hilarious performance of Nicholas Hoult.
Anya Taylor-Joy as Margot Mills in The Menu. All Rights Reserved by Searchlight Pictures.
Overall…
The Menu is a simple film. Nothing flashy or noisy in its aesthetic. It tells you what the point is from the get-go but makes you wait for the final payout up until the very end. Chances are, you’ll either find this movie absolutely foolish and a waste of a ticket, or you’ll love and appreciate it as much as I did. Frankly, there’s no correct reaction and you’ll probably be in shock for about the first half hour trying to piece together what you saw. But if you get the opportunity to watch The Menu, I cannot recommend it enough.
15 years ago, Amy Adams and Patrick Dempsey stole our hearts with Disney’s modern fairy tale, Enchanted. After all, who could ever forget the romance between Giselle and Robert which was filled with so much magic and hard-hitting reality checks? It’s no wonder that fans were filled with excitement when Disney announced that a sequel, Disenchanted, would hit Disney+ this holiday season.
Disenchanted is all about what happens after “happily ever after” for Giselle and Robert as we also see a teenage Morgan and a new baby in the mix of it all. As the fairy tale family makes a move to a new town, everything changes and becomes off-balance, and happily ever after doesn’t seem to feel so happy anymore.
While Enchanted carried a much more positive beat despite the startling reality that life isn’t all about fairy tales and happily ever after, Disenchanted takes on a much different tone. There’s still a sense of magic and wonder within the film that draws our curiosity as one thing leads to another. But it’s not the same kind of magic that lifted our spirits in the first go-around with this amazing set of characters. I can accept that this may have been the intent of the movie but it’s strange that Disenchanted left me feeling a little unsatisfied and with a bleaker outlook on things.
Amy Adams as Giselle in Disenchanted. All Rights Reserved by Walt Disney Studios.
Magic of the Characters!
Amy Adams shines as Giselle, and I love her ability to morph into whatever she needs to be at any given moment. It’s a wonder she hasn’t won an Oscar yet! Patrick Dempsey simply exists in the movie and for what purpose, I really don’t know other than to be opposite Amy Adam. And I wouldn’t say Maya Rudolph is compelling or outstanding in her role but she does the best she can with what she’s given.
Meanwhile, Idina Menzel is given her moment to shine as she rightfully deserves and I absolutely love her solo song, “Love Power” which is frankly, the only memorable song in the movie. But perhaps the most under-utilized character is James Marsden’s Edward. For someone who provided so much comedy throughout the original and is simply comedic no matter what he’s in, I was hoping to see him shine alongside Menzel. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case and it felt like he was cast aside entirely.
Amy Adams as Giselle and Maya Rudolph as Malvina Monroe in Disenchanted. All Rights Reserved by Walt Disney Studios.
My Final Verdict
Don’t get me wrong, I adored every fantasy aspect of the film and make no mistake, there are plenty of references to Disney’s classic fairy tales. It’s gorgeous to watch to the point where you almost want to dive into the world they’ve created. And naturally, the message of the movie is clear as day and something we can all relate to. There’s a lot to love and appreciate from the movie overall.
But between the over abundance of songs where Disenchanted tends to drown out any possibility for catchy and memorable tunes, to the tragically underused characters, Disenchanted just falls flat in more areas than one. The magic is definitely there but it feels different, as if it was on a budget. I think if you’re a hardcore Enchanted fan, you may feel that the title of its sequel is accurate. But if you set aside the fact that it’s an entirely different story with a different purpose, you might find yourself enjoying it, to an extent. I’m not here to discourage anyone from seeing it but I will say to lower expectations and accept the movie as it is. That’s really all we can do with a Disney sequel.
“It’s not just a game I decided to play with for my followers on TikTok. As a comic book content creator online it’s a question I get asked a lot.” – @jjs_comic_stuff
Who is that character from your video? Where can I read more about them?
Have YOU ever wondered where some of these comic book characters come from? Some characters are more difficult to find information on than others. For example, if you are trying to track down reading recommendations for a lesser known character, it can get tricky to pick out the solo series from the team up stories.
From the obscure to the widely popular, every comic book character has an origin story and a team of creators who brought them to life. Let’s take a look at one of those characters today.
Silk was created by Dan Slott and Humberto Ramos. And she made her first full comic book appearance in The Amazing Spider-Man #4 from 2014.
Silk, real name Cindy Moon was a classmate of Peter Parker and she was on the same field trip when Peter is bitten by the radioactive spider that grants him his powers. Moments after Peter is bitten, Cindy is bitten as well. Which grants her the same abilities as Peter, except she also has the ability to produce her webbing organically, unlike Peter Parker who requires his web shooters.
Now the reason I went with Silk this time around, is not only is she one my personal favorite characters, but Amazon and Sony have announced a series of live action Spider-Verse spin off shows, beginning with none other than Silk.
The show will be titled Silk: Spider Society and the showrunner has been named as Angela Kang, former showrunner of The Walking Dead and future director for it’s Daryl spinoff series. Nothing concrete such as a cast or release date has been announced as of yet.
Showrunner Angela Kang
But according to the deal between Amazon, Sony, and the relaunching MGM+, the series will launch on MGM+ being followed quickly by Prime Video.
Technically, there is no right answer for this. Some people just like to watch media for fun and turn their brain off, while others like to consume their media from an analytical and critical perspective.
No way is right or wrong because one’s relationship with the media is not one size fits all. It is personal! Some people are either-or but I believe most of us are in between.
Watching for fun and critically aren’t mutually exclusive.
Like I said, most of us are in between, because naturally you want to have fun with the media you are watching, but also want to engage with it through analysis. In fact for some, analyzing the media is the fun part!
However, issues arise when people don’t respect each other for how we choose to consume.
Too often online, I have seen people who watch media for fun hate on those who analyze it. They say “you are sucking the joy out of _____” or “it’s not that deep”.
On the other hand, people who analyze media can become critical to those who watch for fun. They say that by watching for fun “it’s a waste of time” or “useless” since you aren’t necessarily engaging with a project.
Hating on either side isn’t productive and both perspectives have flaws. You cannot dictate how one chooses to consume media; you should simply respect it. You can advocate for one side over the other but don’t ever attack individuals for it.
My Journey
In my personal journey, I was someone who started off watching media purely for fun as a kid in high school. However, Eternals came around and it was the first movie I truly fell in love with and analyzed down to the tea.
Discussing Eternals showed me how beneficial it is to analyze media. Not only do you connect with the project more but you can refine your critical thinking and decision making skills, connect with others and form a community, and learn life lessons from the story. Honestly, it made me a more complete person.
But with that, I’m also very passionate and open to constructive ideas and thoughts that might not be in line with mine.
On the flip side, some people’s media analysis is often bigoted and incorrect. When it is, that person usually won’t recognize their mistake because they are watching the media critically only from their own experiences. When watching media critically, it is important to keep in mind that sometimes some stories aren’t for you to analyze, and if you are being told you are making a mistake in your analysis, to always listen and try to understand.
I have realized that when you watch “just for fun,” you might not be engaging with the media, so always try to at least understand someone that may take it more seriously. If not, you might make points in discussions that are absolutely incorrect and if you don’t know the story behind the project, you might help to spread falsities. This specifically holds true for stories centered around real life people and events.
So, always keep an open mind no matter how you consume media and try to enter into discussions with empathy.
My Conclusion
It really is tough to know the right way to consume media but one thing that is right, is to be open and respectful of others … always!
Currently, I try to consume most of my media from a critical and analytical perspective. However, there are still some things I love to watch for fun without much thought such as the Great British Bake Off, some romcoms and reality tv such as Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives. There is no disadvantage to doing both or just consuming media in either way.
I advocate doing what you want as long as you remain respectful of others!
If you watch for fun, watch for fun! If you watch critically, do that (as long as your analysis isn’t bigoted, hateful or nonsensical)! Your personal journey with the media you consume is up to you and no one else!
“Please respect the privacy of his family and friends during this horrible time as we come to terms with the loss of such a wonderful human being. He loved his family, friends and fans very much. He will be truly missed,” Justine Hunt told Nerd Initiative.
Jason starred as Tommy Oliver in the Power Rangers franchise. In addition to the legendary show, David Frank was an accomplished martial artist and was working on a new project, Legend of the White Dragon.
As soon as the news broke, fans and co-stars shared their condolences and sadness for the sudden loss.
It’s a film of many genres, ambitious in its story, has some fluid and beautiful visuals, and an emotionally charged, harrowing yet beautiful tale of a mother, daughter, and an immigrant, Evelyn.
I remember for the first 30 minutes I was watching I was having a good time but not quite understanding the big reason why everyone loved this film. There was a high-stakes “multi-versal” situation and fun family dynamics but nothing stood out.
However, once the film started getting into Evelyn and Joy’s relationship, suddenly I became enthralled by it. Watching Evelyn and Joy’s relationship play out from their conversations to each other, I felt like I was watching several chapters from my own life. Coming from an immigrant family and having a tough relationship with my mom, EEAAO is the film that showcased so many of my life’s challenges in such a complex, layered and heartbreaking story and made me feel whole.
Watching Evelyn and the thoughts swirling in her about decisions she has taken, and regrets she has had and seeing her other alternative lives, I saw my mother on screen. From seeing Evelyn leaving China to come to America with Waymond to struggling to build a close relationship with Joy, to losing love for Waymond for his weakness of being too kind, to her tough relationship with her father which is where the intergenerational trauma that exists, I was sobbing. Evelyn’s journey was reflective of my own mom’s experiences and the emotions I have seen or heard from her.
Being an immigrant mother is tough because sometimes it feels like the entire world is against you.
You feel responsible for the burden of everyone around you. My mom left her comfortable life in India to come to the US and raise my sister and me for years. She took it upon herself to do as much as she can from biking with me to my Taekwando classes 4 times a week, sacrificing her weekends to work so we could save money for college, to signing me up and paying for different classes so I could grow along with my education. However, she did this all while trying to adjust to a new environment with values and traditions separate from what she was raised and away from her family.
Unfortunately, taking on the stress and burden she did lead to arguments when things didn’t go her way, I made a small mistake or wanted to do something different from her expectations. Her expectations never really played out and looking back I remember her saying she regrets decisions, always asked what if, and wished for things to be better, like Evelyn.
Immigrant mothers often put up such a strong front and build up their emotions to not appear weak and when they do share them it’s usually through yelling. Unfortunately, this means growing up, I didn’t see the pain and sacrifices. I only saw the fights and the anger of my mother which led to our broken relationship, similar to Joy. Looking back now, I can remember moments she was alone when I heard her regret her decisions, asking what if and wishing for things to be better.
More often, immigrant mothers’ challenges and emotions will tend to have the biggest impact on their daughters. I believe mothers often view their daughters as a reflection of themselves and thus burden us. They will have the highest expectations for us vs their sons because it is the environment they grew up in. The difference is that while our moms didn’t question the environment, daughters my age are. We are realizing the toxicity and negative impact of how we were raised and attempting to rebel which leads to a misunderstanding with our moms.
Specifically, in Joy, a lot of her experiences resonated with me. From the comments Evelyn made towards Joy, her struggle to meet Evelyn’s expectations, Evelyn not being there for her when she needed her the most, and more, Joy’s feelings towards Evelyn were valid.
Joy realized that the way Evelyn treated her wasn’t the best and wanted to go away, like me. I empathize with Joy at many points, expressing her emotions and Evelyn struggling to understand. Ultimately I felt whole at the end when Joy and Evelyn came to a mutual understanding. When Evelyn and Joy had their conversation toward the end of the film in the parking lot, I was curled up into a ball sobbing my eyes out.
That particular conversation is key to highlighting one of the film’s biggest lessons, which while cliche, is: communication is key!
Communication is often scarce in immigrant households but necessary to keep them from breaking apart. Our mothers don’t often talk because they think it is stronger to put up a front and never appear vulnerable as that is somehow weaker. This is why mental health does not get addressed in immigrant households as often. Strength is praised while weakness is criticized.
However, when communication occurs, things do get better. I have seen it in my household, with my relationship with my mom. But this film goes a layer deeper to show it’s not just about “talking it out”. Anyone can talk, but one must be mentally ready. Being mentally ready requires a layer of self-reflection which we see Evelyn go through as she explores the multiverse.
No one is perfect, right or wrong in this film, but right in our own eyes. We are often so caught up in what we don’t have or what didn’t go right that we lose sight of what is in front of us. Life is not without its challenges that can emotionally take us apart but it’s the people we meet and how they shape us that give us the motivation to persevere.
We cannot take those things for granted. The best thing we can do for each other in conflict is not only to understand ourselves but each other. Evelyn learns this throughout the film which leads to a most beautiful story.
In conclusion, Everything Everything all at Once is true to its title.
This article and discussion of the film feel the same: everything is everywhere all at once. This is a film that will stick with me for a bit as it showcases moments from an immigrant family I am all too familiar with in a complex, messy but dynamic and heartfelt story. Everything Everywhere all at Once is one film to watch!
With the release of Black Panther Wakanda Forever signaling the end of Phase 4, there’s a lot that we can take a look at from the past two years to appreciate among the amazing stories that Marvel Studios have given us. And I know there is still debate on if Guardians Of The Galaxy Holiday Special is technically part of Phase 4, but that may be a discussion for another time.
Right now, it’s been a trend for people to share what their rankings list of the Marvel Phase 4 project. Personally, I am not a fan of rankings list because it sometimes implies that the movies at the end of the list are bad movies, which may not be the case at all. For example, I would put Black Widow down at the end of that list for me but not because I thought it was a bad movie – I liked it! But rather, I enjoyed the other movies more.
But I did want to share what my top 5 favorite moments from MCU series that took place in Phase 4 and aired on Disney+. Phase 4 was the first phase to give us Marvel shows, so this list feels fitting in some ways!
This is in no particular order other than it is chronological in terms of release.
#1 – Evan Peters’ cameo in WandaVision
This one was a must-list item for a number of reasons. First, if you’re not familiar with who this is, Evan Peters played Peter Maximoff in the second generation X-Men films that starred James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender. It’s a version of Pietro Maximoff from the MCU (and in case you weren’t aware, Pietro was killed in Avengers: Age of Ultron).
Second, I’m a huge X-Men fan. So when Evan Peters came on the screen, it was a pleasant surprise that potentially had so many implications – the biggest being the X-Men may be coming back to the MCU sooner than we thought (turns out this wasn’t the case, but it was still a great experience to talk about this at the time!).
Lastly, this scene is one of the few moments that got an actual, physical reaction from me. When Peters showed up, I literally screamed and did my best Leonardo DiCaprio finger pointing moment. My wife didn’t know why I was freaking out so I had to explain to her what was going on.
But I was even more impressed by the fact that this cameo did not appear to be leaked at all (before the episode aired) from what I could find. So it was a nice moment for all MCU fans to have that experience together
#2 – Sam Wilson Becomes Captain America
This was a powerful moment. The whole series explored so many topics and discussions that people needed to have, from military complex to racism. Sam’s hesitation to take the mantle of Captain America led to a series of events that creates powerful moments for him, the prime one being his interaction with Isaiah Bradley.
And if you’re not familiar with this character, you NEED to check out his story in the Marvel Comics “Truth: Red, White, and Black”, which is inspired by the true events of the Tuskegee Syphilis Study where they studied untreated syphilis in Black men but was never given informed consent and was never given penicillin when it became widely available and the standard treatment for the disease.
The series ended with Sam Wilson, donning a new Captain America suit created by the Wakandans and wielding Captain America’s shield, finally accepting the mantle. When he flew into the building and someone asked who he was, he responded with “I’m Captain America.” And I physically cheered at that moment because it represented Sam’s struggles and perseverance through those times to finally accept and take on the burden of him being Captain America.
#3 – Hawkeye & Hawkeye Vs. The Tracksuit Mafia
If you know me, you know that I love Hawkeye, both Clint Barton and Kate Bishop. And I also love the holidays. So when they announced they were doing a Hawkeye series that was going to be holiday-themed and based on one of my favorite Hawkeye runs, Hawkeye: My Life As A Weapon, I was instantly hooked!
This scene was amazing for a lot of reasons. It drew a lot of inspiration from the comics, the cinematography of the fight scene was amazing, the chemistry between Barton and Bishop is amazing and hilarious, the trick arrows, the classic car – I can keep going on!
Okay, you just have to watch it:
https://youtu.be/mlVle5O3dwo
Honestly, although I love this scene, this episode is my favorite of all of the shows. It had action, drama, humor, everything you’d like from a show. As a father, I cried during that heartbreaking scene between Clint, Kate, and Clint’s son Nathaniel, and as someone with hearing loss, the audio team did a fantastic job of recreating that experience for the audience with the sounds that Clint would hear when he’s taking his hearing aid on and off.
Okay, this is my top favorite moment. Sorry!
#4 – Ms. Marvel Entangles With Captain Marvel
I’m a huge fan of Captain Marvel and Ms. Marvel comics. I love their stories and their characters. I also love Brie Larson as Carol Danvers and Iman Vellani as Kamala Khan in the MCU. So the season finale end credit scene where we see Kamala and Carol switch places was absolutely icing on the cake of a great series, Ms. Marvel.
This scene should be no surprise since we knew at the time that The Marvels featuring these two and Monica Rambeau (played by Teyonah Parris) was in development (previously titled Captain Marvel 2). But seeing Carol in Kamala’s room, which is a fan shrine of Captain Marvel, was a great moment to take in and being able to connect Kamala’s inspiration with the real hero.
If you know me or been following my content, you know I’m a huge Daredevil fan. I’ve been looking forward to the She-Hulk series because of the cast and story, but having Daredevil in the series is just icing on the cake.
Although I’ve never been a fan of Daredevil’s yellow suit, the MCU’s twist on the classic/original DD suit was actually done so well that I didn’t hate it.
I absolutely love everything about Daredevil in the series, from his humor to his action scenes – everything was just amazing. I especially love the callback to the series with the Netflix show music as well as the amazing one-shot take of the hallway fight scene from Season 1 of Daredevil.
But what I loved the most is the chemistry between Daredevil and She-Hulk. As heroes, they work well together and compliment each other’s strengths. As Matt Murdock and Jennifer Walters, their romance was epic and contagious. As lawyers, they mesh perfectly well, even when they were at odds in the courtroom. I honestly hope that we see more of Matt Murdock and Jennifer Walters in the future of the MCU!
So that’s my list! What were some of your favorite moments from the MCU Phase 4 series? Let me know!
You can find me on social media under the username @CaptionedLife.
Heroic moments are those rare cinematic treats where the audience gets chills thinking about the sacrifice and bravery our hero must commit to in order to save the day.
Throughout the years, there have been so many amazing heroic moments in some of your favorite films.
Here, Mickey takes a look back at 1999’s Iron Giant.
Grab the tissues as this epic moment is one fans have cherished for decades.
Journalist and content creator Karama Horne, also known as “TheBlerdGurl,” joins Sean in reviewing the latest Marvel Studios film, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
They discuss the emotional impact of the movie in regards to pain, loss, and grief, if Namor was a villain or antihero, Angela Bassett’s performance as Queen Ramonda, and what the future holds for Wakanda and the Black Panther in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
They also discuss Karama’s latest book Protectors Of Wakanda: A History And Training Of The Dora Milaje, how Monica Rambeau and representation made Karama a comics reader, and what comic books they’re currently reading.
One of the most knowledgable and passionate comic fans is here to help you break down characters and what you need to know heading into new franchises, big announcements and first cinematic appearances.
