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Reviews
Star Trek: Lower Decks (2020)
Very funny, fullof ester eggs and a million times more Star Trek than anything else in the 2020s
I just can't comprehend how can Lower Decks be more Star Trek, than Picard, Strange New Worlds or Discovery. Probably because it doesn't want to reshape the whole universe, just entertain us.
Lower Decks is an animated series about four young ensign who do the most menial works on an absolutely second-line ship of Starfleet. Because the scope is so small, they don't have to save the universe in every second episode and thus there remains much more time for character development, interesting plots and... Easter eggs. Lots and lots of Easter eggs! I couldn't even count how many times it refers to other Star Trek materials subtly or openly. The crew works as a whole in itself, but meanwhile time and again someone from other series will show up - usually with the proper actor as well!
And the best part is, that these guest stars don't steal the show, the focus remains on the main characters.
The animation itself has similarities with Futurama and the Simposns, but without the comical exaggerations in character animation. And the space scenes are completely fine, never feel cheap, but always genuine.
But I can see why this show wouldn't be for everyone. It is far less serious than other Trek series. It is full of jokes and punch lines, but fortunately, it can keep the seriousness of the theme when necessary.
Overall, if you want a fun, light6-hearthed Star Trek show that doesn't rewrite the universe, go check this out. It really is awesome!
PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie (2023)
A huge letdown after the first movie
The first Paw Patrol movie was lovable, clever and absolutely enjoyable for parents as well. Compared to that, the second one is a big letdown.
First of all, the slightly new design of the pups is just weird. Especially Marshall and Rocky look totally out of place, like they would be the plush figurine copies of themselves.
Moreover, while the previous movie was totally integrated into the series, this movie basically created an alternate timeline, acting like Adventure Bay wouldn't exist at all. When the Pups are sad for losing their fancy tower in Adventure City they act like they would have lost everything. The plot is also rather weak, a retelling of the Mighty Pups arc, but this time the power is stored in individual crystals. Humdinger also makes a brief appearance, but he is considered a wrongdoer for what he did in the last movie, nothing he did since then.
The plot itself is rather weak, once again revolves around Skye, who already got plenty of own episodes and even a full dedicated Special. The moral of the story is also completely alien from Paw Patrol. So far every time the focus was on how the team can save the day, and now it was all about Skye being the single big hero who saves everyone.
The story is more boring and scarier for children at the same time, my kids did not enjoy it nearly as much. The jokes are also duller, and the jokes for the adults are not subtle any more, but toned down to the level of the stupidest audience. The lowest point of the movie was when the TV-commentator broke the fourth wall and said that "wow the Pups have new superpowers and new vehicles. Sorry parents!". And indeed, the movie felt like a big advertisement. The story, the characters were secondary, we literally saw more of the new flashy vehicles and the new super suits than the Pups talking...
Overall, a huge letdown after how clever and enjoyable was the first movie. Because then, even though I knew I was watching a movie that was all about selling new toys, endearing characters, good story and clever jokes made me forgive that. This movie had nothing of that.
Schumacher (2021)
One-sided to a fault, but somewhat enjoyable
Unfortunately, this is not a good tribute film to Schumacher's otherwise incredible career. First of all, it is brutally one-sided, Schumacehr is presented as basically perfect in every way. The movie omits several of his incidents, and almost completely one sided with the only two (the 1994 and 1997 crashes) it does mention.
Even the Senna movie shows the darker, more aggressive side of Senna, but here you won't learn anything about what a complex person Michael Schumacher really was.
The movie also has the worst Netflix vibes, outright falsifying certain events. The most glaring is the 2000 season that is shown like a last-minute victory for Schumacher while he was already dominant. It shows the Japanese GP (the penultimate race of the season) like it is a nailbiter last race of the year where whoever wins, would be the champion. In reality, Scumacher was leading by 8 point sand even a 5th place finish would have crowned him champion.
It also only mentions 1995, totally misses his dominance of 2001-2004, and doesn't even mentions his struggles in 2005-2006 against Alonso, while in reality, we saw some of his best performances in those years. Barely mentions his comeback and forgets to mention his last hurrah, the 2012 Valencia podium.
But at least it deals with his accident. That's why it is 6 stars instead of just 5.
TLDR: If oyu are a huge Michael Schumacher fan, go and watch it. If ouy want to learn about him or Formula 1, avoid this movie and pick one of his biographies instead. They are much better.
Dune (2021)
What it could have been...
Herbert's epic is worthy of a multiple-part movie, but not like this. Don't get me wrong, it's a decent movie, and unfortunately still the best Dune adaptation as of 2021, but it derivates way too much from the original content. A few key points:
- Eyes don't turn bule due consuming spice, only the irises become bright blue.
- Liet-Kynes, a character very important to the original books falls victim to Hollywood's LMBTQ+ and feminist mania, and from a man, becomes a black woman.
- The Emperor, a sinister manipulator in the original, becomes a beneficial godfather, double-crossed by the Harkonnens.
- Dune is not a merciless harsh world. Sure, it has sandworms, but come on! The Fremens, who are forced to conserve every drop of water are now people roaming around with their heads and mouth exposed (you lose the most perspiration on your hairy scalp and through your mouth) but with funny piercings in their noses.
- Lady Jessica's trademark flaming red hair is now just... brown!
- The supporting characters of the Atreides (Duncan, Gurney, and Thufir) are just portrayed... wrong! Mentat's mouth is not purple of consuming Spice. Gurney's supposedly brutal scar is just a cut. Duncan is supposed to be friendly and sexy and he is none of those (IMO).
- The Harkonnens are not believeable. Vladimir is not ridiculously obese, only somewhat overweight. Heck, my father looks fatter than he is...
All in all, you can watch it once, but it is not a worthy representation of Herbert's epic. If you are a fan of the books and the universe, I would suggest you pass on this one.