Media Update 3/31/22

Halloween Kills

I really enjoyed the Halloween soft reboot from four years ago. I knew that the rest of the trilogy was probably going to be great. I was not disappointed. This movie picks up from where the 2018 movie left off. James Jude Courtney and Nick Castle return as The Shape and they do so much without speaking. His movements are so wonderfully creepy and fascinating. Jamie Lee Curtis, Judy Greer, and Andi Matichak return as the Strode family and they are great. There is a great ensemble cast and the movie does a great job of spotlighting everybody and keeping everything clear. It tells a powerful story about evil in the hearts of man. They really stepped up the violence in this one but it never felt excessive for the story they were telling. I recommend this movie.

Darkman II: The Return of Durant

It has been a dog’s age since I saw the first movie in this franchise. It is based on a comic book and it definitely feels like it. Liam Neeson is replaced as the titular character by Arnold Vosloo. Vosloo is so good. He is charming and easy to cheer on as the wronged yet unhinged anti-hero. He is such a charming guy that it is easy to forgive his violent nature. Larry Drake plays the titular villain and he is the perfect cartoon villain similar to Dick Tracy. He and Vosloo spew so many puns in the movie but none of them are groan-worthy. I loved the practical effects. The makeup and prosthetics of Darkman are spectacular in particular. This was a fun and corny movie to relax with.

Wishmaster 2: Evil Never Dies

I loved the first film as it surprised me with how weird and twisted it was but also how humorous it was. This movie was a great sequel with a return to form with new twists. We have a return of Andrew Divoff as the titular djinn. He is once again so good at being a creepy yet charming weirdo. His almost rictus grin is unnerving and his sandpaper voice is so fascinating. Holly Fields stars as a new protagonist and is great at being a morally gray but ultimately great character. The effects are so good. Some of them are appropriately goofy-looking but some of them (the djinn’s true form for example) are so great. The movie actually felt better than the first one. It felt like certain concepts had solidified and they were able to tell a more complex story. I recommend this movie.

Music of the Week:

XG – Tippy Toes

ROSALÍA – CHICKEN TERIYAKI

Motionless In White – Cyberhex

MUSE – COMPLIANCE

Mashup of the Week:

Jojojozef – We Like to Get Low

Weekly Update:

This week’s theme is “Unkillable in Sequels”

I watched more Archive 81 Season 1

I watched more Blacklist Season 8

I watched more Scream Season 2

I started The Mentalist Season 7

I watched more Peacemaker Season 1

I watched more Nancy Drew Season 3

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Jorts the Cat (and Jean)

AITA for “perpetuating ethnic stereotypes” about Jorts?

UPDATE: aita for perpetuating stereotypes about Jorts?

The above-linked posts are to the original Reddit posts that started an Internet phenomenon. The usual fare on Am I The Asshole is full of people treating people awfully. This post was a breath of fresh air. It was silly but also featured a workplace disagreement that illustrated why dignity and solidarity are important. Further, Pam’s issues show how we can internalize others’ issues and simple disputes can become emotionally complicated. Here, Pam may have seen “herself” in klutzy Jorts and did not want to see him made fun of. The poster realized they were being insensitive and things were righted before they went too far. Well, Jorts still got buttered but everybody made it through alright.

At the end of the update, the poster mentions a “joke” Twitter account. I follow that account and have since shortly after its creation. Of course, the thing that got me to follow was not the many pictures of Jorts and Jeans. What drew my attention more was that the account became a union solidarity account. I have been pro-union since I first learned what unions were. I have become an even bigger proponent of worker solidarity as the years have gone by. It is true as Karl Marx said that the workers control the means of production. If we stand up to corrupt owners and bosses together then we hold true power to even the playing field at least a bit.

The Twitter account has become a hub for union news and solidarity movements. Jorts reposts a lot of stuff from various unions. He also points to various articles in the news and Twitter posts highlighting strikes and unionizing efforts. Jorts and Jean signs have started to go up at strikes and pro-union rallies. Unions have gotten a really bad reputation because corporations have tons of money to malign them. The truth is that even the worst union is there to protect its workers. Giving the unions a cuddly face is obviously doing great things.

On top of all of that, Jorts tweets a lot of kind messages. Jorts details his day and all of the chaos he gets into. Jorts is a chaotic kitty and Jean is a much more gentle soul. Jorts gets himself trapped in trash cans, closets, or gets up to all sorts of other trouble. Still, he keeps putting himself out there and saying that tomorrow is a day to do better. His little positive messages can definitely be a light in the darkness.

I know that a cat is not literally tweeting. We all know that but it is fun to play pretend especially for a good cause. There is a lot of crap in the world right now and if two cats can help mobilize the people for good causes, I’m all for it.

Poor Unfortunate Souls: Atlantica Pt. 13

Belle and Adam stepped outside and found the Enchantress out on the terrace, looking off into the distance. They walked up but kept their distance. The Enchantress was a powerful fairy who had already shown incredible power to curse dozens of people at once. Adam kept his breathing calm even though this woman caused so many emotions to rise up inside of him. For a moment he felt The Beast rising up inside but Belle took hold of his hand and that evaporated. The Enchantress turned around slowly, a slight smile on her face.

“You don’t have to worry,” The Enchantress said. “I won’t bite.” She spread her hands out as if they were harmless.

“What about curses?” Belle asked.

“How about a non-aggression pact?” The Enchantress asked. “A truce of sorts.”

“A little nervous seeing me again?” Adam asked.

“I’m not afraid of you or her,” The Enchantress said. “And if you brought the furry guy out again, I could just poof out of here in heartbeat.”

“So you’re afraid of The Beast,” Adam said.

“Who wouldn’t be?” The Enchantress asked with a smirk.

“Me,” Belle said. “Part of why the curse was broken, remember?”

“You make a good point,” The Enchantress said with a shrug. 

“Speaking of curses,” Adam said. “Why do I change back and forth now?”

“Well, I suppose The Beast will always be with you as long as you need him,” The Enchantress said. “A defense mechanism of sorts.”

“Will it ever go away?” Adam asked. “I thought it was supposed to go away.”

“I never said that,” The Enchantress said. “I said that if you don’t find love before the last petal fell, you would remain The Beast forever. You broke the curse so you can change back and forth instead of being stuck in one firm. You’re welcome.”

“Thanks?” Adam said but was obviously not convinced.

“It’s more than fine, Adam,” Belle said. “You said you’re learning to control it.”

The Enchantress nodded. “Anyway, I came here to help and not for a confrontation,” She said. “The past can’t be changed. We can only move on. I was in an incredibly bad place when I cursed you if it matters.” 

“And my whole staff,” Adam said. “None of whom deserved it.”

“I apologize,” The Enchantress said. “It’s why I decided to come here to help in the first place. I felt guilty and decided to try and make it up to you. You’re welcome.”

“So you’ve helped,” Belle said. “You can go now.”

“Not even done yet,” The Enchantress said. “Ursula the Sea Witch is dead. The Dragon Maleficent has been slain. Yzma and Mother Gothel are off the board. There is still one player left to be revealed. This witch set all of this in motion and she has to be stopped.”

“What does that have to do with us?” Belle asked. “I think we’ve been through enough. Twice”

The Enchantress sighed. “I know but we need a group of heroes to finish this,” she said. “It’s so easy for us magical types to underestimate true hearts. Claws and teeth wouldn’t hurt either. A couple of your friends in there could be helpful and there’s another cluster of lost heroes in the desert.”

“The desert?” Belle asked. “What does that mean?”

“I could fill you in but it might be easier to show you,” The Enchantress said. “Then I can brief the other heroes as well.”

“Let’s go back inside,” Belle said. “We need to run this by Ariel and the others”

“Yeah, I’m done making decisions for others,” Adam said. “I’m not completely sold on going after another threat either.”

“Well, you’re free to go home but I thought the brand new you was less selfish,” The Enchantress said. “You could really help remove evil from the multiverse. Many worlds would be safer if you just lend a hand one more time.”

“And you would be free to wander and cause mischief again,” Belle said. “Is that the real reason?”

The Enchantress shrugged. “I never claimed to be completely altruistic,” she said. “I do have a conscience, though, and the two of you have been tugging on it for quite some time. I feel like this is a win-win situation. I clear my conscience by doing a good deed and you get me out of your lives for good.”

“That last part actually does sound good, Adam,” Belle said, turning to her husband.

“It really does,” Adam said. “I guess I could lend a hand or maybe a paw before we get back home and figure the rest of our lives out.”

“Alright,” Belle said. “We’re in. Let’s go talk to everybody else.”

Media Update 3/24/22

Turning Red

This movie is making waves for referring to a girl’s first period and related experiences. I found that to be a small and harmless part of the movie so get over yourselves. The movie is about family, friendship, finding your own way, and hormones during your teenage years. Rosalie Chiang knocks it out of the park as the energetic and optimistic main character (Meilin) who was so easy to love right off the bat. Sandra Oh plays her domineering mother to perfection. Meilin’s friends are awesome and are played by Hyein Park, Ava Morse, and Maitreyi Ramakrishnan. The movie is carried by the relationship between Meilin and her mother and Meilin and her friends. The friends were instantly relatable as I was also part of a small group of weirdos who were unabashedly nerdy about what we loved. Although this movie is about a young teen girl, it was instantly relatable and transported me back to that time. I recommend this movie.

Theodosia

This show is about a clever young woman in 1905 who gets entangled with Egyptian magic while on a dig with her archaeologist parents. I was a little wary because the main character is British but they seem to be treating the subject with kindness. It helps that one of the main characters is Egyptian and is rolling her eyes a lot. Eloise Little plays the title character and the show definitely rests on her shoulders. She is so charming in that early 1900s, free-thinking woman character kind of way. The show is set back then but does not seem to dwell on the oppression part and actually comes off feeling more modern. Yasmina El-Abd plays an Egyptian princess who is interested in the wider world and is the voice of reason. The rest of the cast is great so far, telling the story of a young woman who is smart but nobody will listen to her. I recommend this show.

Astrid and Lilly Save the World

Astrid and Lilly are outcasts at their high school and are used to being bullied and in awkward situations. However, they accidentally open a portal to another world and must defeat all of the monsters that came through the portal to save the world. The show reminds me of a mix of Reaper, Buffy, and Hilda The two leads, played by Jana Morrison and Samantha Aucoin, are instantly likable and have such good chemistry. They are struggling to figure out being social and I can relate to that. The monsters so far (after two episodes) are so much fun both in design and the goofy way they act. There is a lot of comedy but also some good mystery and character development. I recommend this show.

Music of the Week:

The Whitmore Sisters – Big Heart Sick Mind

Lords of Lounge – Good Evening and Welcome

TKO – What’s Wrong

RAT!hammock – Word Of The Day

Mashup of the Week:

Steven Carvalho – Beautiful Dark Horse

Weekly Update:

This week’s theme is “Young Women and Magic”

I watched more Archive 81 Season 1

I watched more Blacklist Season 8

I watched more Scream Season 2

I watched more Locke and Key Season 2

I started The Mentalist Season 7

I watched more Peacemaker Season 1

I watched more Nancy Drew Season 3

Rolling Stone Top 100 Pt. 13

72. AC/DC  – Highway to Hell

There were a heck of a lot of songs to choose from because AC/DC is one of my favorite bands. Almost all of their tracks are loud, crazy, and lewd. Teenage me used to listen to their greatest hits on repeat as I sat and ate breakfast in the cafeteria. I thought about picking something from their underrated 2000 album which had a grittier feel but I had to go with a classic. Having undiagnosed anxiety, I often needed to get fired up for social situations. This was a song I often heard on the radio as I headed to rehearsals for theater or when I was heading somewhere I did not want to be (but only because of bad brain). The song helped me get fired up and took my mind off of the awful feeling in my stomach. The great guitar licks and that classic high-pitched ode to Satan were always a comfort in bad times.

73. Radiohead – Creep

I kind of missed the boat on Radiohead. I definitely remember being in summer camp when they were really hitting it big. I was in summer camp when people were raving about them but I guess they never caught on with me. Later, I started to hear this song and I liked it. It is the only  Radiohead song that I could name to this day. I wonder now why this song, in particular, did not get ingrained in my head. It was perfectly suited for the gothy/grungy teen that I was. I was always down on myself and the lyrics of the song would have resonated. Maybe it was too slow for teenage me. It is a fun song to sing along to when it pops up on the radio.

74. Hank Williams – Jambalaya (On the Bayou)

I actually first heard this song during my freshman year in college as it was one of many Hank Williams songs that I played during the preshow of Bus Stop. This is by far the one that I would love to sing along with sitting alone in my sound booth. I feel like Williams is at his most playful here both with its vocals and instrumentation. The lyrics are boisterous and really fit the energy of inviting people to a party and having a good time. The song was written based on Williams’ listening to Cajun speech patterns. It tells a little story and makes me imagine a great spread of food too.

75. The Eagles – Take It Easy

This is a chill yet upbeat song that I fell in love with during the summer that I worked with the circus. On rough days it would remind me to calm down and just soldier on. The song would pop up on the radio when I needed those chill vibes. The Eagles is a great band to sing along to on the radio and one that I always come back to. The song was originally supposed to be a track on Jackson Browne’s debut album but he was struggling to finish writing it. He turned to Eagles member Glenn Frey who helped him finish it. It became a track on the Eagles debut album instead. I really love the verses in particular which have a winding way of rhyming and some of those rhymes take a moment to catch up in my mind.

76. The Shirelles – Mama Said

Another song that you have probably heard over and over again in movies, television, and commercials. It was a big hit when the Shirelles originally performed it and it set off a cascade of covers and songs that were inspired by it. This is a great song from a great girl group and their harmony is so on point. The thing is, the lyrics are so true. My mother did warn me about bad days and was there to support me. Life can suck sometimes but hopefully the storm clouds part at some point and the troubles subside. 

77. Beastie Boys – No Sleep Till Brooklyn

The Beastie Boys were the perfect gateway into the world of rap for me. A trio of white and nerdy goofballs who scream rapped their songs was right up my alley. They kind of settled in a space between hard rock and rap which really resonated with me. I remember a period of time when there were a million AMVs set to Beastie Boys songs on programs like Kazaa and Napster. This song is about how tough it is to tour but the band’s determination to make it back to their home base of Brooklyn. The rhymes are as playful as ever but I always loved the defiant refrain which is really fun to sing along to. The epic guitar riffs actually come from Kerry King, guitarist for Slayer.

Poor Unfortunate Souls: China Pt. 12

“Another sorcerer?” Mulan asked, her sword at the ready and her eyes narrowed. Everybody else but Anna followed her lead. “Friend or foe?”

“Everybody put your weapons down,” Anna said. “This is my sister Elsa. Wait, where did you come from Elsa?” Anna’s mood was like watching the sunrise, she was so excited to see her sister in the aftermath of a really rough victory.

Elsa pointed at a swirling circle on the other side of the palace’s roof. “I took that portal from Agrabah,” she said. “I’m so glad to see you again. I was so worried that I would lose you forever.”

“I wasn’t worried about that for a moment,” Anna said with a smile. Ever the optimist. “But I’m happy to see you too.”

“Wait,” Aladdin said. “Did you say Agrabah? That’s my home. Is everybody alright there?” He moved quickly toward the sisters, his eyes were suddenly wide and desperate.

Elsa held up her hands in her best calming gesture. “Yes I came from Agrabah and everybody seems to be in one piece,” Elsa said. “Although we went through a similar battle to the one you had here.” 

“It was a lengthy battle,” Mulan said. “An unforgettable battle but it could have gone worse.”

“If you come with me, we can get you home,” Elsa said. “In fact, anybody who does not belong to this world can come with me to get home.”

“That’s great!” Rapunzel nearly shouted. “I’m so worried about Eugene.”

“I figure we’re all worried about our kin although mine can handle themselves in a fight,” Merrida said. “But I definitely feel homesick.”

“Then let’s go,” Aladdin said. “I’m worried about Jasmine. We all have homes to go to.”

“I am already home,” Mulan said from off ot the side. “But China will never forget the service you have done our country this day. I’ll never forget any of you.”

“We wouldn’t have been able to do it without your leadership and knowhow,” Rapunzel said. “We would all still be back at that fort, trying to ride out the storm.”

“We would have gone mad on that path,” Merrida said. “You changed our fate. Thank you, Mulan.”

“I’m alive to be reunited with my sister,” Anna said. “Thank you. Go back and reunite with your husband. We’ll be alright now.”

“I do feel a little guilty about leaving you alone,” Aladdin said. “It’s a mess here.”

“China will rebuild,” Mulan said with a comforting hand on Aladdin’s shoulder. “This is not the first time we have survived an invading force. You deserve to be reunited with your loved ones. You all do. If it is possible for you to return, you are always welcome here.”

“From what I can tell, it is entirely possible to return here,” Elsa said. “As long as people remember each other.”

“Who could forget?” Anna said. “We’ll be back to check on you soon, after we check on our own worlds first. There might be more dragons to slay.”

“If you find any dragons,” Mulan said. “Please come back and get me. I am always happy to repay the favor you have done for us.”

“See you soon then,” Rapunzel said. “Lead the way, Anna and Anna’s sister.”

The five of them walked toward the portal and slipped through it one by one. As soon as Aladdin came through the portal, he looked for Jasmine and swept her up into his arms. They kissed for a long time while the others looked around and took things in. The place was less packed than it had been but there were still half a dozen fairies standing around to operate the portal.

“Aladdin!” Jasmine said. “I was worried about you when you disappeared.”

“I was worried about you too,” Aladdin said. “But it sounds like you did a great job in charge here. That’s the princess I fell in love with.”

Jasmine blushed slightly but he was right, she had done a really great job. “Somebody had to step up and this is the land of our people. I couldn’t just stand by but I am glad to have my partner back.”

“Glad to be back,” Aladdin said. “I brought a few guests if you don’t mind.”

“I’m sure we can get them all home,” Jasmine said. “We can do anything together.”

“After this all done, maybe we can travel to some new worlds,” Aladdin said.

“Let’s fix Agrabah first,” Jasmine said. “Then you can show me the worlds.”

Media Update 3/17/22

Kate

This is the story of an assassin who is poisoned and seeks revenge before she loses her life. This is the kind of movie that feels good like Run Lola Run, Kill Bill, Gunpowder Milkshake, and more. Mary Elizabeth Winstead has been an actress I’ve liked but she jumped way up on my list after Birds of Prey. She is great as the hardened assassin who starts growing a heart. Woody Harrelson plays a charming handler. Miku Martineau is a cool little girl who gets caught up in everything. Miyavi, Tadanobu Asano, and Jun Kunimura all play Yakuza and they are each really good at what they do. The movie was unexpectedly deep and I really loved the story of a lone woman coming to terms with her past. I recommend this movie.

Those Who Wish Me Dead

This movie is about a troubled smokejumper who must contend with criminals and a forest fire while trying to save a young boy. The movie was a great journey from start to finish. Part of that was Angelina Jolie being her most charismatic possibly in her whole career. She was so compelling to watch from start to finish. Her chemistry with Finn Little (the boy) is great because of her but also because Little is a good actor himself. It is always good to see Jon Bernthal who plays a tough sheriff’s deputy with a heart of gold. Medina Senghore plays a tough-as-nails pregnant woman. Nicholas Hoult and Aidan Gillen play great ruthless villains. The effects of the fire are so good and I was on the edge of my seat for much of the movie. I recommend this movie.

Jolt

I was not expecting this movie to be as good as it was but there we go. A woman with rage issues goes on a rampage to get revenge for her murdered boyfriend. The movie stars Kate Beckinsale in probably her best role to date. She is just so funny and charming in the role. This is definitely an action-comedy. Stanley Tucci is great as usual as her psychiatrist. Jai Courtney plays her affable new boyfriend. Laverne Cox and Bobby Carnavale play the hapless police detectives chasing after her. The rest are helpless mooks for great fight scenes. The movie was so fun to watch that it definitely lifted my spirits. I recommend this movie.

Music of the Week:

Aural Vampire – オーラルヴァンパイア – /

Wig Wam – Never Say Die

Arvid – Ghosty

Dove Cameron – Boyfriend

Mashup of the Week:

Raheem D – Fancy London Bridge

Weekly Update:

This week’s theme is “The Woman Never Gives Up”

I watched a ton of YouTube and Twitch

I watched more In From the Cold Season 1

I watched more Peacemaker Season 1

I watched more The Mentalist Season 6

I started watching Nancy Drew Season 3

2022 Theme Reveal

http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/

This is my eighth A to Z Blogging Challenge since I was convinced by a friend to start in 2015. My blog has grown a lot since I started and my life has changed radically as well. Hell, I have changed radically. However, having this event to do each year helps to inspire my writing and also allows me to examine how I absorb pop culture because this year I am once again (for the third year in a row) doing the theme of

Fanfiction

I am mostly done planning out the month of April and have even completed two posts so far. None of my fanfiction has adult themes in it and is definitely devoid of sex (but not romance). Each story will be a little snapshot into an idea I had which makes each piece at most 1000 words. The subjects of my stories this year range pretty far and wide.

Here are a few that I will be tackling
DC Comics (including a movie pitch)
Marvel Comics (mostly MCU)
Disney
Pokemon
The Mentalist
Jenny LeClue
Lord of the Rings
New Charmed
and more!

So get ready for some fanfiction. Starting in April. Get Ready.

Poor Unfortunate Souls: Hawaii Pt. 12

“What is going on, Adam?” Belle asked. “You were in your beastly form again a moment ago?” She was already checking him all over for any grievous damage. He was kind of doing the same with her. When they were both satisfied, they embraced again and kissed. When they needed to catch their breath, they spoke again.

“Belle,” Adam said. “I don’t know why but I cannot lie about it. I have been changing my form back and forth without explanation. I am slowly getting a handle on it.” His blue eyes were so serious but Belle could not help but smile and laugh a bit.

“You know that I will accept you in any form you happen to be in,” she said. “History has proven that. However, I will say that The Enchantress is on the other side of that portal. We can ask her.”

Adam’s face went dark but it was not his usual anger that rose up. It was shame instead. “Is she?” he asked softly.

“Darling,” Belle said softly. “I know you think back to those days with guilt but her punishment was far more severe than you deserved. We are not our past. In fact, she helped me find you again. She can’t be all bad.”

Adam sighed. “Then maybe it is time she and I talked again,” he said. “I will try to be civil.”

Belle laughed again. “You don’t have to promise that for my sake,” she said. “I certainly haven’t been civil to her. We can try to be civil together.”

Adam smiled. “Deal,” he said. “but what now?”

“Come back with me to the kingdom of Atlantica and we and some new friends will figure out how we can find our way home from there.”

Adam looked over at Moana, Maui, and Flynn Rider. “What about these heroes?” he asked. “They are as lost as we are.” He looked at Yzma’s unconscious form. “And this villain, we can’t just leave her here to cause more trouble.”

“Bring them along,” Belle said. “We should bring anybody who does not belong here so that they can be returned to their homes. The villain will face judgment somehow. I’m sure Ariel has dungeons of some sort.” She turned to the other three. “You will come along with us, right? We can get you back home.”

“Sounds great!” Maui said before getting elbowed by Moana for being too familiar. “We would be grateful.” He corrected himself slightly.

Moana smiled big. “Thank you,” she said. “We really would appreciate getting back home and your offer of hospitality in the meantime.”

“I don’t really know how I got here,” Flynn said. “It has been no picnic, let me tell you. That lady skeleton on the floor over there talked my ears off. Mostly about that wand. I’ve definitely had better times while tied up. That came out wrong. Hmm. Yes, let’s get out of here as soon as possible.”

Moana was reminded to go and pick up the magic wand. As she was standing back up she remembered something.

“Oh! Wait. Let me radio Lilo and Stitch.” she said. “They’ll think the worst happened if we just disappeared on them.”

“Radio?” Belle asked curiously.

Moana nodded and pulled out a little black box from her satchel. She clicked a button and there was a burst of a hissing sound.

“Lilo,” Moana said into the box. “Are you there?”

“Oh, it’s magic,” Belle said with some satisfaction.

“Technology, my dear,” Adam said softly. “It’s a kind of magic here.”

“Curious,” Belle said.

“Lilo here!” Lilo practically shouted on the other end of the line. “All of the animals turned back into people! Are you all OK?”

“We’re fine, Lilo,” Moana said. The young girl’s exuberance really did remind her of herself at that age. “Everything seems to be resolved and so we’re going. If we don’t leave now, we might miss out on our chance to go back home.”

There was a brief silence. “Will we ever see you again?” Lilo asked.

“I don’t know,” Moana said with as much kindness as she could express. “but maybe. I’d like to visit again if it’s possible.”

“Okay,” Lilo said. “Just remember that wherever you go you are Ohana now and Ohana means family.”

Moana smiled and tried not to tear up. She even thought she saw Maui get a little emotional. “Thank you,” she said. “We will miss you. Take care of yourself, your sister, and Stitch, of course.”

“Bye bye!” Stitch’s voice came from the walkie-talkie.

“Bye Stitch,” Moana said. “be good.” She turned the device off and took a deep breath. She set the walkie-talkie down on a rock and they moved once again toward the portal. Maui reached down and picked up Yzma as they want and carried her over his shoulder. They stepped through and then they stood in the library.

“Welcome to Atlantica,” Ariel said. “I am Princess Ariel and this is my home. Please make yourself comfortable. You are our guests.”

“Thank you,” Moana said. “I’m Princess Moana of Motunui.”

“The name’s Maui,” he said. “Demigod. No big deal.”

“Prince Eugene,” Flynn said. “from Corona but most people call me Flynn Rider.”

“And you must be Prince Adam of France,” Ariel said. “I’ve heard about you. All good things, I promise.

Belle looked around and did not see the Enchantress. “She didn’t leave did she?”

“Just the room,” Tiana said. “You should have seen her face when she saw Adam.”

Both Belle and Adam smirked at that.

“Let’s go find her,” Adam said.

“Let’s,” Belle said with a smile.

Media Update 3/10/22

F9: The Fast Saga

I have absolutely loved this franchise since Fast Five where it went completely off of the rails and became a funny and exciting action superhero franchise. Once it was more self-aware, it was better. I would have seen this in theaters but that whole pandemic thing is still happening. It was worth the wait. Once again we have an insane thrill ride with fast vehicles, flying fists, and gunfire. A lot of the familiar players returned like Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Ludacris, Tyrese Gibson, Nathalie Emmanuel, and Charlize Theron. New to the franchise is John Cena who slots in perfectly as his style definitely matches the rest of the cast. I also really liked Thue Ersted Rasmussen as the spoiled young villain. It was an awesome thrill ride with great stunts, some great laughs, and likable characters. I recommend this movie.

The Many Saints of Newark

As I mentioned, I started watching The Sopranos last year so I thought it would be cool to see this prequel movie. I like the characters and the world so seeing what they were in the old days interested me. Unfortunately, I did not enjoy it as much as I thought I would. I think the problem for me was that they crammed too much into one movie. There were a lot of moments that I really liked and a lot of characters that I was intrigued by. However, it just did not feel like it coalesced into a solid movie. Still, what we got was pretty interesting. There was some insight into the show’s main characters while also introducing new characters. I think it would have been great as a limited miniseries and given some room to breathe. I do not recommend this movie unless you are a diehard Sopranos fan.

In From the Cold

I stumbled onto this as I often do with my third choice. The blurb sounded interesting. A single mother is exposed as a Russian spy and must suddenly return to the life for the CIA while juggling her family. I was actually surprised by how good this show is. A huge part of that is the stellar performance by a very charismatic Margarita Levieva. She absolutely kills it as a single mom/action hero. Stasya Miloslavskaya is so good as the same woman in flashbacks to Russia, during her training. I also really liked Charles Brice as the hacker/support character. I also loved the killer soundtrack which was the first thing that really blew my mind. There is also a sci-fi twist that I did not see coming. I recommend this show.

Music of the Week:

JAiRUS – Groove

Angelica Garcia – Karma The Knife

Saticöy – Faded from Color

Robocobra Quartet – Heaven

Mashup of the Week:

Mashups and Remixes by Rich – Smells Like Woman Spirit

Weekly Update:
This week’s theme is “Criminal Families”
I watched a ton of YouTube and Twitch
I watched more AGDQ 2022
I watched more The Mentalist Season 6
I watched more Blacklist Season 8
I watched more Archive 81