Spider-Man: No Way Home Spoiler Review

What are you doing? Get off the internet! Right now! No seriously. If you have not watched Spider-Man: No Way Home yet and do not want to get spoiled, you need to get off the internet. Right now. In fact, don’t even read this review. It is impossible to discuss this movie without going into spoilers. So for your own safety, get off the internet right now. If you have not seen the movie yet and read any further, and end up having it spoiled to you, and you get mad at me, well…. I missed the part where that’s my problem.

Are they gone yet? So everyone here has seen Spider-Man: No Way Home, right? You have? Ok, good.

What can be said about Spider-Man that hasn’t already been said yet. Of all the superheroes, he is my favorite. In a way, he’s always been my favorite. In my teenage years, I was more of a Batman fan. Mostly because of the Christopher Nolan Batman movies. But lately, Spider-Man has gone back to being my favorite. Because these last few years have taught me that a teenager getting spider powers from a radioactive spider is actually more realistic than a billionaire who wants to use his money and resources to save the world…..

Anyways. The reason Spider-Man is my favorite is because even though he has the ability to shoot webs and crawl over walls, he’s the most relatable superhero by far. Especially for me. Being a nerd myself, I see so much of myself in Peter Parker. And I’m not the only one.

Spider-Man made his debut in Marvel’z Amazing Fantasy Comics Issue #15 in August 1962. Created by Steve Ditko and Stan Lee. Before Spider-Man, the most iconic superhero in comics was Superman. Superman was a superhero that we all wished we could be. What we strive to be. But Spider-Man was just a kid. He wasn’t nearly invincible like Superman, he wasn’t a billionaire like Batman. He was just a nerdy kid from Queens, New York named Peter Parker. He was the first superhero kids could actually imagine themselves being who was not a sidekick like Robin. And Spider-Man wore a mask that completely covered his face. So that any kid, no matter their race or skin color, could imagine themselves being the masked web slinger, which gave him universal appeal. Spider-Man went on to become the Mickey Mouse of Marvel Comics.

Speaking of Mickey Mouse, Disney thought about buying Marvel as far back as the 90s. A terrible decade for Marvel Comics. Their comics were not selling as well. And while DC had their two most iconic heroes Batman and Superman on the big screen, Marvel could barely make a Fantastic Four movie. At that point, their most significant contribution to cinema was Howard the Duck. It was so bad for Marvel that they had to sell the movies rights to their most popular characters to other studios. They sold the movie rights to X-Men and Fantastic Four to 20th Century Fox, and they sold the rights to Spider-Man to Sony Pictures. 

Sony immediately went to work on making the first big screen adaptation of Marvel’s most iconic character. At one point James Cameron, who was hot off of directing a small independent film called Titanic, was supposed to direct it. But eventually, they went with Sam Raimi, a horror movie director famous for Evil Dead and Evil Dead 2. Tobey McGuire, known for films like Pleasantville, was chosen to play Spider-Man/Peter Parker on the big screen. Spider-Man was released on May 3rd, 2002. 

I was seven years old at the time. As a kid it was really hard for me to go to the movies because I was so sensitive to loud noises and dark places, especially action movies. I did not see Spider-Man in theaters. But I remember how huge it was. All my friends were talking about it. I had tried watching it for years, but was so afraid of how violent it might be. Same reason I did not see Spider-Man 2 or Spider-Man 3 in theaters. But I remember watching the trailers, and looking at the posters, and having my imagination run wild. I basically wrote the movies in my head. I finally watched the first Spider-Man on TV when I was 10 years oldish. It blew my mind. I identified so much with Peter Parker. Uncle Ben reminded me so much of my Grandpas, and Aunt May reminded me of my Grandmas. I cried when Uncle Ben died. I cheered whenever Spider-Man saved someone. It inspired me to be a hero myself. It taught me the importance of doing what is right. And that with great power comes great responsibility. As Uncle Ben told Peter Parker. Spider-Man 2 was even better. Having better action and delving deeper into Peter Parker’s existential crisis of trying to live a normal life while also being a hero to the city of New York, as well as trying to tell Mary Jane his true feelings for her. I’ve been doing this acting class for a couple years on Zoom. My teacher has us choose our own scenes from movies and plays. He usually doesn’t like it whenever I do a scene from a comic book movie, because he wants me to do scenes about real life. Recently, I did a monologue from Spider-Man 2, where Peter Parker tells Aunt May the truth about Uncle Ben’s death. When I did the monologue, my teacher could not even tell it was a comic book movie. The dialogue felt so real and genuine. It shows that Spider-Man 2 wasn’t just a great superhero movie. It’s a great movie, period. Even Martin Scorsese agrees. And even though I’ll admit Spider-Man 3 has its issues, it still holds a special place in my heart as an emotional ending to the Sam Raimi Spider-Man trilogy. (And plus, Emo Peter rules. There, I said it!) Andrew Garfield was, well, amazing as Peter Parker/Spider-Man, and I loved his chemistry with Emma Stone’s Gwen Stacy. But despite their titles, the “Amazing” Spider-Man movies were anything but “amazing”, at least for me. If you loved them, I’m happy for you. But for me, nothing beats the classics. 

In 2016, Spider-Man finally joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Captain America: Civil War, where he was played by Tom Holland. Even though McGuire will always be my Spider-Man, Tom Holland is arguably the closest to the comics, since he’s the first Spider-Man who actually looked like a teenager. Tom Holland starred in two solo Spider-Man movies, Spider-Man; Homecoming (2017) and Spider-Man Far From Home. Both films were directed by Jon Watts. Both had this lighthearted tone that we came to expect from the MCU. They felt sort of like John Hughes high school movies from the 80s but for a modern era. Which makes sense considering Peter Parker is in High School.

Spider-Man: Far From Home ended on a cliffhanger. Mysterio, played by Jake Gyllenhall, revealed to the world that Spider-Man was in fact Peter Parker. 

After two years of a pandemic, we finally get the continuation. And I am happy to report that Spider-Man: No Way Home is an absolute home run! I can’t decide if this is my new favorite Spider-Man movie, or if Into the Spider-Verse still is. But it’s definitely the best live action Spider-Man. Even though it has even more villains than Spider-Man 3, it still manages to give all of them satisfying arcs, and perfectly balances them all. In fact, this is sort of like Spider-Man 3, but much more polished and focused.

Doc Ock, played by Alfred Molina, gets another redemption arc. Except this time he does not have to die. Peter Parker manages to fix his robot tentacles by using Stark technology to fix them so that they do not control him. Peter tries to fix all of the other villains. Norman Osborn, played once again by the irreplaceable Willam DaFoe, refuses to be fixed, as he sees his powers as a gift, not a curse, and wants to take over the world.

Spider-Man: No Way Home picks up right where Far From Home left off. Now the whole world knows Peter Parker is Spider-Man. Now, we’ve all seen the trailers and know Peter asks Doctor Strange to cast a spell to make everyone forget Peter Parker is Spider-Man. Which results in the fabric of reality to be torn, causing villains from other realities to come to the MCU. 

And if you’ve seen the movie, which if you are still reading this chances are you already have, you know that Tobey McGuire and Andrew Garfield show up. Honestly, it wasn’t shocking to me. Ever since Doc Ock showed up in the trailer, I just knew McGuire would show up. And in the 2nd trailer, when I saw Electro and Lizzard, I knew Garfield would show up. Plus, the internet had already been going crazy with theories and rumors. Though it still honestly feels like a miracle that they showed up! Like, a few years ago it seemed unfathomable that Tom Holland’s Spider-Man would interact with either Tobey McGuire’s Spider-Man, or Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man. But BOTH? That seemed impossible. But I guess fans of both McGuire and Garfield were too loud for Sony and Marvel to ignore. 

My biggest worry was HOW they would show up. Would they have a significant role in the movie? Would they be a brief cameo? Or would they just cameo as other characters, like McGuire cameos as a Pizza delivery guy? 

Thankfully, not only do Tobey McGuire and Andrew Garfield have significance in the plot, but they each are given closure to each of their arcs and universes. And their reactions with each other are absolutely hilarious. Some scenes felt like they were made specifically to respond to all the memes online. This is honestly the funniest Spider-Man movie.

But it’s also the most heartbreaking. While the banter between the characters and visual gags are hilarious, the film also manages to have great dramatic scenes. This is the most emotional comic book movie since Avengers: Endgame.

Near the end of the movie Aunt May, played by Marissa Tomei, is killed by the Green Goblin’s bomb. Before she dies, she tells Peter that “with great power, comes great responsibility”. The same words Uncle Ben told Peter Parker. Holland’s Peter Parker is devastated. Aunt May, the woman who raised him, who taught him everything he believed in, is gone. And Holland’s Peter Parker wants revenge. He wants to kill the Green Goblin. Just like how McGuire wanted to kill the men who killed Uncle Ben. When Holland interacts with McGuire and Garfield’s Spider-Man’s, they each tell him of their losses. McGuire talks about losing Uncle Ben, and Garfield talks about losing Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone). They warn Peter of the dangers of letting the desire for revenge cloud his mind. Not only does this help McGuire and Garfield’s Peter Parker’s fulfill their purpose of guiding Holland’s Peter Parker. This also give Holland’s Peter Parker growth. Prior to this movie, people complained that Tom Holland’s Spider-Man movies didn’t really feel like Spider-Man, but felt more like Iron Man Jr. Mainly because they didn’t really explore Peter Parker’s own existential problems the way that the earlier films did. But here, the film takes a huge risk by killing Aunt May, and forcing Holland’s Peter Parker to experience true loss. It takes his story arc to new heights. 

Even though Spider-Man succeeds in defeating the bad guys by curing all of them and sending them back to their universes, he does so at a huge price. In order to accomplish all this, he has Doctor Strange cast a spell to make the whole world forget who Peter Parker is. Including his best friend, Ned, played by Jacob Batalon, and his girlfriend MJ, played by Zendaya. 

Peter and MJ’s romance is so genuine and so real. Mostly because the actors are dating each other in real life. Seeing them both on screen together made me feel like they were not really acting. You can feel the love Holland and Zendaya have for each other. And I wish their real relationship so much love and happiness. As for their characters, MJ cannot remember who Peter is. Before she loses her memory, she tells Peter to go find her. And he does. He thinks about telling her who he is. But he doesn’t want to risk her getting hurt in his battles. So he decides to leave her, and his best friend Ned, to live normal lives without him. He loves MJ so much. Which is why he feels like he needs to let her go.

This is probably the most bitter sweet ending to a Spider-Man movie since The Amazing Spider-Man 2’s ending. Except here, Peter’s girlfriend doesn’t die. But considering that she has no memory of him, it’s as if she is in a way.

And yet, Peter still presses on. Because he knows Aunt May would want him to. He knows Tony Stark would want him to. As McGuire and Garfield both told him earlier, even if the ones we love are gone, it doesn’t mean the things they stood for are gone.

In a year where we’ve gone through so much radical change and transitions, and experiences so many losses, the movie feels so appropriate for our times. In times like these, we need heroes more than ever. Like Spider-Man to show us that no matter how hard life is, we have to keep going. For our loved ones.

Because the world doesn’t know who Peter Parker is, this is a chance for the franchise to have a fresh start away from the MCU. If they make more movies with Tom Holland, they probably won’t have any reference to the MCU. While it is tragic that Spider-Man can’t go home to Marvel (hence the title, No Way Home), I am honestly curious to see how they continue Parker’s story in this version. It will be nice to have a traditional Spider-Man movie again without the pressures of having to connect everything to the MCU.

If they don’t make anymore with Tom Holland because he decides he’s done with these movies, I honestly would not mind. Holland has more than proven himself as the definitive Spider-Man, and has earned his right to retire and start a family. It would probably deny a lot of us fans the much needed closure we need from his storyline, just like how McGuire and Garfield’s Spider-Man films ended before they could get the proper closure. But who knows? If McGuire and Garfield could both return to the franchise and give their arcs closure, then maybe someday Holland can return. I do hope MJ figures out who Peter Parker is. I mean, she’s way too smart to not figure it out. 

Also, Ned had better still have his magic powers! 

Overall, Spider-Man: No Way Home was everything I wanted it to be and more. It gave my childhood closure, it entertained me, it moved me, and it inspired me. What more could you want in a Spider-Man movie? 

My Norm MacDonald Story

I hate September. It’s easily the worst month on the calendar. There’s a reason Green Day wrote “Wake Me Up When September Ends”. I don’t think I’ve ever met a single person who says September is their favorite month. Except maybe people whose birthday is in September. 

There are many reasons September is my least favorite month. When I was a kid, it was the month summer vacation ended and we all had to go back to school. That was always fun.  It’s the month when 9/11 happened. It’s the month when my Grandpa died. I already have many reasons to associate this month with complete sadness. 

This year, I have another reason to hate this month. it’s the month when Norm MacDonald, my favorite comedian, died.

Norm MacDonald was secretly battling cancer for ten years. This week, the fight came to a draw.

This week, so many comedians have been sharing stories of Norm MacDonald. I’ve heard stories of comedians who met him, who worked with him, who only watched his stand up. And they all seem to agree on one thing: There was no one funnier than Norm.

I myself am an aspiring stand up comedian. I wish I could call myself a real Comedian. I’ve performed stand up at Open Mic Nights. But I’m not getting paid for it yet. But I did meet Norm MacDonald. And I would like to share it with all five people who are reading this blog.

It was February 2015. My family and I spent a week in New York City. My Dad knew someone who was in the Broadway production of Matilda, and was able to score tickets for us. New York City was ice cold. It was so cold you could feel how cold it was. Literally. It felt like the whole air was solid ice. That Sunday, February 16th, 2015, my Dad and I went to Lombardi’s Pizza at night. We had a combo pizza. It was some of the best pizza I ever had. But it was rich. We went back to our hotel room and watched TV with my Mom and my sister. That night was the 40th Anniversary Special of Saturday Night Live. 

It was a three and a half hour prime time special featuring a cast that included every single cast member and host of SNL that was still alive. Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, Chevy Chase, Steve Martin, Martin Short, Mike Myers, Dana Carvey, Jon Lovitz, Adam Sandler, David Spade, Will Ferrel, Will Forte, Jason Sudeikis, Tina Fey, Amy Pohler, Kate McKinnon, Darell Hammond, Alec Baldwin, Keenan Thompson, Chris Rock, Garrett Morris, Billy Crystal, Jerry Seinfeld, Larry David, Sarah Pailin, Rachel Dratch, Justin Timberlake, Jimmy Fallon, Kanye West, Miley Cyrus, Jack Nicholson, Robert DeNiro, Chris Rock, and even Eddie Murphy! And of course, Norm MacDonald. It was like the Avengers: Infinity War of comedy. 

Just like Saturday Night Live itself, the special was a giant mixed bag of skits that were hilarious, skits that bombed, and skits that made no sense. The most memorable sketch of the night was Celebrity Jeopardy,  which featured Will Ferrell as Alex Trebek, Kate McKinnon as Justin Bieber, Darrell Hammond as Sean Connery, Alec Baldwin as Tony Bennett, Jim Carrey as Matthew McConaughey, Keenan Thompson as Bill Cosby, and Norm MacDonald as Burt Reynolds. The most hyped celebrity appearance was Eddie Murphy, who had not appeared on SNL since the 80s, and had a strained relationship with the show due to a sick burn from David Spade on Weekend Update. Eddie's appearance that night was disappointing to say the least. It wasn't because he failed at being funny. But because he didn't even attempt to be funny. It was just a quick "Hey everyone! Long time, no see! Ok, thanks everybody!" His awkward appearance led the internet to wonder what the hell was going on with Eddie. And it wouldn't find out until later that week from an interesting source. More on that later.

The next morning, we took our flight back to California at LAX Airport. Because our plane was coming from New York, Garrett Morris was on our flight in First Class. We landed in LAX late that night. As we walked to get our luggage, I saw someone holding a sign that said "N. MacDonald". I asked if it was Norm MacDonald. He said "Not the one you're thinking of". I just shrugged it off and minded my business. I have a very short attention span. The airport is both the best and worst place for people like me. It's a lot of standing and waiting. Whenever I'm at an airport, I just zone out and look around. Then my parents told me to come over there. They were so excited. I was thinking "What could it be? Did they run into an old friend?" And I was kind of right. Well, it wasn't really their friend. But it was someone they recognized. And it was someone I only half recognized. It was Norm MacDonald. 

I couldn't believe it! THE Norm MacDonald! In person! It was enough to make two generations jump up and down with joy. My parents recognized him from his time as the Weekend Update anchor on SNL, a job he was fired from for being, in the words of an NBC Executive, "Not funny". Or maybe because he made too many jokes about their friend, OJ Simpson.  My sister and I recognized him as Norm the Genie on The Fairly OddParents. I told him we loved him on that show. My sister, being her typical filter-free self, told him "That show sucks now!" Norm MacDonald smiled, took his hat off, placed it on my sister, and said "Or maybe you just grew up!" Such a Norm thing to do.

 I told Norm MacDonald I wanted to be a stand up comedian. My Dad told him that I was Lowell Renold III, and he was Lowell Renold II. I said "I'm the third movie in a trilogy. The one that everyone hates." And he laughed, waved his hat at me and told me I was funny. My Mom asked him if I could do an impression for him. Whenever I meet someone famous, my Mom encourages me to show off my impressions to them. I asked Norm to give me a suggestion. His suggestion was an interesting choice, as it was one that would be the #1 trending topic on Twitter that week thanks to Norm. Norm asked me to do Eddie Murphy. And thank God! Because that's one of my easiest impressions. Norm loved it. Before we left, I asked Norm for advice on being a stand up comedian. He told me to follow him on Twitter, and he would follow me back and give me advice. 

That night, I followed him on Twitter. And he actually followed me back! It's rare when someone famous follows me. But even rarer when my heroes follow me. 

The next day, I looked at Norm's Twitter. His tweets were full of jokes, long stories in long Twitter threads, and lots of sports talk. I'm not even much of a sports guy. But I loved reading his tweets! That week, Norm shared a long Twitter thread sharing an interesting anecdote about his night at the SNL 40th Anniversary Special. You can read all about it here.

Long story short, Norm MacDonald said that Eddie Murphy was originally supposed to play Bill Cosby in the Celebrity Jeopardy skit with Will Ferrell. This was at the time when the allegation against Bill Cosby were starting to go public after decades of being kept secret in the industry, long before the #MeToo Movement. At this time, it was still debated whether or not these allegations were true. But either way, they provided a lot of material for comedians. Edgy material, sure. But material nonetheless. Especially for Saturday Night Live. And especially for Eddie Murphy. That is, if he chose to use it.

Eddie Murphy was no stranger to making Cosby jokes. In his stand up special, Raw, released in theaters at the height of his popularity as a stand up comedian in the 80s, Eddie Murphy told a funny story about the time Bill Cosby lectured him on saying dirty words on stage. Which, in hindsight, was incredibly hypocritical coming from Cosby. 

But that night, at the SNL 40th Anniversary Special, Eddie Murphy decided not to mock the veteran comedian. In Norm's own words, "Eddie decided the laughs were not worth it. He would not kick a man while he's down." This story was a source of debate on the internet for a while. People were all split on whether or not it was the right call for Eddie to back out of mocking Cosby. (Murphy, of course, would make fun of Cosby later that year at the Mark Twain Awards.) But one thing was certain. It made for one hell of a Norm MacDonald story. 

I began looking up Norm MacDonald all over YouTube. I watched his stand up, his monologues on Weekend Update, his late night show appearances, etc. I can't think of any other comedian who made me laugh as hard as he did. His delivery was always so dry. Even when his jokes were not funny, he still made you laugh just by staring at you. They say that no comedian ever continues with a joke when it bombs. They always immediately move on to the next joke. But not Norm. Norm would stick with a joke, no matter how unfunny it was, and keep telling it until you found it as funny as he did. No other comedian can do that. At least, no other comedian can get away with that.

They say comedy is all about timing. The quicker you tell a joke, the bigger laughs you get. But Norm liked to drag his jokes for a long period of time. Even if the joke was not funny. It was like you were on this road trip with a guy who had these bizarre thoughts. Part of you wants them to stop talking. But the other part wants to hear where they're going. 

Perhaps Norm's greatest joke is his Moth joke on Conan. Watch it all the way until the very end.

There is a growing concern among comedians that comedy these days is harder to do, largely in part to how sensitive our culture has become. Norm's humor was a lot of things. Sensitive was not one of them. He always like to bring up a dark subject that would leave the audience in a state of shock, and would leave them laughing hard with the punchline. And then they would feel guilty at laughing at such a serious topic. With Norm, there was no such thing as boundaries when it came to jokes. 

I think part of Norm MacDonald's genius is he was not afraid to share what was on his mind. No matter how offensive it was. And in a strange way, he was sharing what was on all of our minds. Whether we admitted it or not. I always felt like comedy wast the last place in the world where people can say what they truly think. That is, as long as it's funny. William Shakespeare once said "When you tell people the truth, you better make them laugh. Otherwise, they will kill you." I guess another reason Norm got away with it, besides being 100% hilarious, was that you got the sense that he was a sweet, genuine person with a kind heart. You felt that he cared about you and wanted to make you smile and enjoy life. Comedy can't exist without empathy. Empathy is the baseline of all great comedy. Norm was as empathetic and as genuine as they came. 

I felt so honored to have Norm MacDonald follow me on Twitter. A year later, he unfollowed me. To this day, I still don't know why he unfollowed me. Maybe he got lost.

I saw Norm MacDonald perform stand up at the Irvine Improv in February 2019, five years since I met him. His set was a lot raunchier than I thought it would be. It was definetely too raunchy for my Mom, who left early. But I loved it. I feel like Norm had my exact sense of humor. Both Norm and I seem to have this sick, twisted sense of humor that no one else seems to get. I guess that's why he and I got along so well when we met.

I was really hoping I would get the chance to work with him someday. Maybe appear on a late night show together. Or be in a Movie or Netflix show together. But I guess life doesn't care about your dreams.

Norm MacDonald may no longer be here. But thanks to YouTube, and all other streaming services, his sick, twisted, bizzarre humor will always be with us. As well as his kind, genuine spirit.

Norm, thank you for all the laughs. Thank you for following me on Twitter for a brief time. Thank you for indulging me by listening to my Eddie Murphy impression, and for encouraging me to chase my dream of being a stand up comedian.

I can't think of a better way to end this tribute than with a joke that Norm MacDonald closed his show on at the Irvine Improv. Or, at least my own recollection of the joke. Norm told us we can tell it to our friends after the show. It's a joke that feels 100% Norm MacDonald. Try reading it in his voice if you can. Warning, it's really raunchy. Just like a lot of Norm's jokes.

This guy's wife is getting ready for a party. She puts on a dress and asks the guy "Does this dress make me look fat?" The guy says "Do you want me to be honest?" The guy's wife says "Yes. Please be honest." And the guy says,  "Promise not to get mad?" His wife says "Of course!" He says "Are you sure you want me to be honest?" Guy's wife says "Yes. You're my husband. I want you to be honest with me." Guy says "Promise you won't get mad?" Guy's wife says "Promise!" Guy says "Ok. Here it is. I fucked your sister."

"Adventure. Excitement. A Jedi Craves Not These Things" - What "The Empire Strikes Back" Can Teach Us About Life In 2020

It's the 40th Anniversary to the best Star Wars movie ever, and my personal favorite movie of all time, #TheEmpireStrikesBack!

Even though #TheEmpireStrikesBack came out 40 years ago, it’s themes feel more relevant than ever in 2020. (SPOILERS FOR EMPIRE)

Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and Princess Leia had an unforgettable adventure in A New Hope and became lifelong friends.

In Empire, they are all separated due to a powerful threat.

Han and Leia are on the Millennium Falcon inside a giant space worm, and they are struggling with cabin fever. And the only time they can leave the ship is if they wear a mask.

Due to the fact that they are stuck together, they start off hating each other because they are both so different personality wise. If you tell Han the odds of a plan working, he shuts you down and says "Never tell me the odds!" Leia on the other hand is more detail oriented and prefers to plan things out. Han Solo is focused on his own goals, while Leia is dedicated to helping the greater good. And yet they both develop these strong feelings for each other. They both compliment each other so well, and even learn from each other. Leia learns to love herself and be more vulnerable, while Han Solo learns to be more considerate of others and to care for someone more than himself.

Meanwhile, Luke Skywalker is on Dagobah, a swamp planet, where he has to train with Yoda in the ways of the Force.

While training with Yoda, Luke is anxious the entire time. He’s anxious to finish his training. He’s anxious to get his X-Wing out of the water. He’s anxious to be with his friends again. He’s anxious to take on Vader, even though Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi warn him he is not ready. Luke learns the hard way he should have listened to them.

When he fights Vader, he suffers damage physically and psychologically. He gets his hand cut off, and discovers Darth Vader, his worst enemy, is his father.

Luke Skywalker survives the fight, but puts his other friends in danger, and has to go to the ICU.

"Luke, I told you you should have stayed inside! Or at least worn a mask!"

As for Leia and Han, Han Solo sacrifices himself for save the woman he loves. Han Solo is frozen in Carbonite and taken by Boba Fett to Jabba the Hutt. Han survives, but is frozen. Neither Leia or Han know that when they will see each other again, if ever. So they both let their love for each other be known. Leia, who at first was hesitant to be open about her personal feelings, confesses "I love you" to Han. Han Solo, who made his feelings for her obvious the whole time, simply replies "I know." And the two have to be separated for the foreseeable future.

This act of selflessness inspires Han Solo's longtime friend, Lando Calrissian. Lando betrayed Han and his friends by selling them out to the Empire in the hopes that the Empire would help his facility on Cloud City. It is only after seeing what Darth Vader does to his friend, Han Solo, that Lando sees the errors of his ways. Lando learns the importance of integrity, and the difference between doing what you think is right, and doing what actually is right.

In the end, the heroes feel the same way we all feel right now. Defeated. Lost. Isolated. Uncertain about the future. But strangely hopeful that somehow, things will get better. Eventually.

May the Force be with you. ❤️ 💫

Birds of Prey Review - DC’s Answer to Marvel’s Deadpool

Thanks to 1iota Tickets, I was able to score two free tickets for an advanced screening of Birds of Prey, the Suicide Squad spin-off starring everyone’s favorite psycho chick, Harley Quinn (played by Margot Robbie), at the Arclight Cinema in Hollywood. 

Suicide Squad (2016) was a supervillain ensemble about a team of Gotham City’s worst superpowered criminals being forced by the government to work together to save the world from an evil villain with magic powers. It was basically “Avengers” and “Guardians of the Galaxy”, but with supervillains. Though the premise was intriguing and the set up seemed promising, the film suffered from studio interference and resulted in a sloppy script. Though a huge box office hit, it was panned by critics for its overcrowded plot and messy tone, and for Jared Leto’s cringe-inducing (not in a good way) performance as the iconic Joker. 

Suicide Squad was not without it’s loyal fans and defenders, as it went on to gain a cult following. One aspect of the movie that everyone seemed to love was Harry Quinn, played by Margot Robbie. 

Harley Quinn had her debut in Batman: The Animated Series (1992-1995), where she was voiced by Tara Strong as the neglected girlfriend to the Joker, played by Mark Hamill. While the Joker ignored her, and even abused her, Harley still loved the Joker dearly. He was “her puddin’.” Though fans have been split as to whether Joker and Harley’s relationship is romantic or toxic (long before Rey and Kylo Ren even existed), they have deep love for Harley. If you’ve been to at least one comic book convention, chances are you’ve seen at least two or three cosplays of Harley Quinn. And it’s no surprise. She’s funny, and yet heartbreaking. She acts of innocent and ditzy, yet is as quick as a whip. She’ll kiss you, and smack you with a bat. And not in that order. She’s every boy’s fantasy, and also a nightmare. 

With Batman movies being pumped out in theaters over the years, fans have begged and pleaded for Warner Bros. To make a Harley Quinn movie. Or at least put her in a movie. 

With her breakout role in Suicide Squad, Harley Quinn is arguable more popular than she’s ever been. As evidenced by the hype for “Birds of Prey”. 

The film is about Harley Quinn coming to terms with her new life after splitting up with her boyfriend, the Joker. She feels as if she spent so much time in Joker’s shadow, that she didn’t know who she was. She teams up with Huntress (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), Black Cannary (Jurnee Smollett-Bell), and Renee Montoya (Rosie Perez) to save a young girl (Ella Jay Basco), from an evil crime-lord, Black Mask (Ewan McGregor). It’s a story that feels so timely. Margot Robbie served as producer on this film, and fought hard for the film to have a female writer, a female cast, and be rated R. This is a female driven film with a female perspective. It’s like the best Girls Night Out ever. 

“Birds of Prey” is honestly some of the most fun I’ve had in a while. The action is nonstop and exhilarating, the plot is fast-paced and exciting, and the characters are unforgettable. Harley Quinn is one of the most entertaining protagonists for a movie. She’s the kind of girl you want to invite to everything. She just makes everything more fun! 

And the rest of the cast is just as entertaining. Mary, Jurnee, and Rosie kick all kinds of ass (figuratively and literally) as Harley Quinn’s enemies-to-teammates.  Ewan McGregor steals every scene he’s in as Black Mask. Whenever he was on screen, he cracked me up, intimidated me, but also made me want to punch him. He plays a douchbag so well. It’s like if Obi-Wan turned to the Dark Side instead of Anakin. 

Cathy Yan, an independent filmmaker, directed this. This is her first big blockbuster film. And what a promising start it is. The action is John Wick levels gripping, the comedy and the emotional moments both hit hard, and the plot never feels like it drags. It moves at light speed. Every scene felt important as well as entertaining. I never felt like a scene went on too long. The plot kept me guessing with every new twist and turn. Just when I thought I knew where it was going, it surprised me. The movie was what I imagine a date with Harley Quinn would be like. Unpredictable, chaotic, and never leaves you bored, but does leave you wanting more. 

If you are a fan of Harley Quinn, this is the movie you’ve been waiting for. Even if you don’t know who Harley Quin is outside of Suicide Squad, this movie still has something for everybody. Action, comedy, badass women, explosions, and no Jared Leto. What’s not to love? 

https://youtu.be/s39t9lEESC0

The Rise of Skywalker Spoiler Filled Review - An Emotional, Exciting, and Messy Conclusion

(Disclaimer - This review contains MASSIVE SPOILERS! If you haven't seen the movie and want to go in fresh, I will give you a quick spoiler-free review. As a Star Wars fan, I loved it. As a critic, I had several issues with it. If you haven't seen the movie but don't care about spoilers, keep reading. But please, don't spoil it for anyone else. And if you do, I hope Carrie Fisher haunts you in your sleep.)


It's finally arrived. The most anticipated movie event of the Holiday Season... CATS!!! The enchantingly bizarre, acid trip adaptation of the iconic Broadway musical brought to the big screen by Tom Hooper is finally here!

But because it was sold out, I decided to check out Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, a small independent film from the director of Super 8.

In all seriousness though, it is honestly hard to believe that after 42 years, the Star Wars Saga is coming to an end. Because we all thought it would end in 2005. We also thought it would end in 1983.

Since he started writing the rough drafts in the early 70s, George Lucas always intended for his space saga to be nine films. It would be about the ongoing adventures of Luke Starkiller. Making the first movie was so exhausting and so stressful, that he decided it would be just one movie instead. Especially since he and everyone else thought it would be a flop. He even had Luke blow up the Death Star in the first movie instead of the final movie like he planned.

But then a funny thing happened. When the first movie was released, not only was it more successful than everyone anticipated. It became a cultural phenomenon. Audiences around the world went back to the theater to see this movie over and over again. To put this in context for younger readers, online streaming did not exist back then. You couldn't just wait for a movie to appear on Netflix or Amazon Prime to watch it again. You had to wait for the theaters to re-release it.

And audiences saw Star Wars so many times, that Lucas made two sequels The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. After he was done with the third movie, Lucas decided to take a break from Star Wars for a couple decades. By 1999, he made three prequels, The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, and Revenge of the Sith. Years after that, Lucas swore he would never make another Star Wars film. He insisted that the story was just six movies. And that there was nothing more to the story after Darth Vader kicked the bucket.

In 2012, Lucas had a change of heart and sold his company, Lucasfilm, to the Walt Disney Co., and with it the rights to his space series. Disney immediately announced they would make the next three episodes, along with spin off films, starting with The Force Awakens in 2015 and continuing with The Last Jedi in 2017, and concluding with The Rise of Skywalker. 

As I am writing this, the film just released in theaters. It seems to be receiving mixed reviews from critics and fans. But then again, what Star Wars movie since 1980 HASN'T?

By now, we are all familiar with how fans reacted to The Last Jedi. We all remember the fans reactions to the Prequels. We all remember how fans complained about the Ewoks in Return of the Jedi. Even The Empire Strikes Back, which is now regarded as the best of the Saga, actually received mixed reviews upon its release.

The only Star Wars movie to have universal acclaim was the first movie in 1977. And it makes sense. It was the first time anyone had seen Star Wars. There was no lore behind it, and no other movies to compare it to. Audiences could go in completely fresh with zero expectations.

But since then every Star Wars movie has had to live up to unreasonable expectations from fans. Even the creator of the Saga, George Lucas, could not live up to them.

As fun as it is to speculate and make theories, by now we should all have accepted that no movie could ever live up to our expectations. So it's better to go in with an open mind. Which is what I did last night.

Beforehand, I managed to watch all Star Wars movies in one day at the marathon even at AMC Theaters. I was able to freshen up on the story to prepare myself to see how it all ends.

So what did I think of it?

As a Star Wars fan? I loved it! I absolutely loved it! It had action, suspense, great character moments, nice callbacks to the films before, and a lot of emotional moments.

As a film critic? I still enjoyed it, but had a lot of issues with its creative choices.

First of all, Carrie Fisher is the heart of this film. In fact, doing her character justice was the ONLY thing I cared about the filmmakers living up to. Before Carrie Fisher's untimely death in 2016, she was supposed to have a huge role in this final film. She was supposed to be front and center. Just like Harrison Ford was front and center in The Force Awakens, and Mark Hamill was front and center in The Last Jedi. Sadly, she passed away before filming Episode IX even began. The filmmakers were in a no-win scenario with no easy answer. Should they recast the iconic role with another actress? Should they CGI her like they did with Peter Cushing in Rogue One? Or should they write her out entirely. But then JJ Abrams looked at unused footage of her from the last two. And decided to write scenes around them to make it seem like she was interacting with the actors. He did this, of course, with the blessing of Fisher's family, including her daughter Billie Lourd.

Fisher is only in this movie briefly. But every time she shows up, I was brought to tears. And it was so cool to not only finally see her have a Lightsaber and have it established that she trained with her brother Luke, but also that she trained Rey! This makes it the first time we have seen a woman train a Jedi in these movies. And I am so glad it was Leia.

Leia Organa is one of the most iconic characters of all time, played by one of the most iconic actresses of all time. I am so glad I got to see her one last time. To me, she is royalty.

 C-3PO has been here since the very beginning. He was the one who uttered the first line in the first movie, "Did you hear that? They shut down the main reactor! We'll be destroyed for sure! This is madness!" Anthony Daniels, who plays the golden droid, is now the only actor to have appeared in every single Star Wars movie. This is most likely the last time he will be playing C-3PO. And he steals every scene he's in. This is honestly the funniest C-3PO has ever been in my opinion. Lord knows I'm gonna miss that uptight droid. And admit it. So will you.

 It was also great seeing Lando Calrissian again. Let's be honest. Has there ever been an actor as cool as Billy Dee Williams? Every time he's on screen, he just oozes charisma and charm. Though it bothered me that he asked Rey to "send Leia my love". Very typical of Lando to wait until his best friend died to start hitting on his woman. Funny enough, Patton Oswalt kind of predicted that in his pitch for Episode VII. 

It's also cool to see Rey, Poe, and Finn as a trio. Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, and Oscar Isaac have great chemistry together. You can just feel the love they have for each other on screen. It's similar to the chemistry of Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, and Carrie Fisher. I just wish we could have seen more of them together in the last two movies.

Unfortunately, Kelly Marie Tran has a smaller role than she did in The Last Jedi. Rose was one of my favorite characters in the last one. She was so full of hope and optimism, and served as a moral compass for both Finn and the audience. Sadly, Kelly Marie Tran was bullied and harassed off social media by racist and misogynist fans who hated her character.  If JJ Abrams shortened her role in order to please those fans, then that is extremely disappointing. Kelly Marie Tran is a great actress and so much fun to watch in interviews. I know she'll have a bright future, and look foreward to seeing what she does in the next decade.

The movie answers many of the questions fans have had since The Force Awakens. We find out that Snoke was nothing more than a creation of Palpatine. And we finally find out who Rey is related to.

And it is none other than....

JAR JAR BINKS!!!

After giving Palpatine emergency powers and dooming the galaxy, Jar Jar Binks retired from politics, got married and had a daughter named Rey. However, knowing that he was responsible for Palpatine taking over the galaxy caused Jar Jar have immense guilt, which he combatted by turning to alcohol. He ended up selling Rey for drinking money. I must say that this is a bold storytelling decision by JJ Abrams.

Ok Ok! I'm just kidding.


It was actually Chewbacca.

Ok, for real this time.

It's revealed that her parents did NOT sell her for drinking money as Kylo Ren said they did in the last movie. They gave her away to protect her. From her grandfather. Palpatine!

I just have to say that Palpatine has always been my favorite villain in the saga. And it's so awesome to see him again, played by the great Ian McDiarmid. This is honestly the scariest I've ever seen him in the movies!

But with that said, it is honestly disappointing that the filmmakers decided to make Rey related to someone in these movies, including Palpatine.

I should probably mention that I loved The Last Jedi. Not just as a Star Wars fan. But I honestly thought it was a legitimately great movie. And one of the things I loved about it was that it doesn't matter what your bloodline is or where you came from. All that matters is what you choose to be right now. That's a powerful message. And it was refreshing to finally have a protagonist in these movies who's not related to anyone significant, or part of this ancient prophecy.

But a lot of fans were not happy with that reveal. So JJ Abrams decided that she's related to the most evil man in the galaxy. That's why she's so powerful.

While some fans will be happy with this choice, I was not.

A lot of this film feels like a direct response to the choices made in The Last Jedi. That film took many risks and challenged fans in a way we haven't seen in a long time. Not just in Star Wars, but blockbusters in general. So many franchises these days seem like they try to give fans what they want. Which is why it was so refreshing to see Rian Johnson to not resort to fan service, but instead make the movie he wanted to make. George Lucas was also the same way. Despite what the fans said about the prequels, Lucas never backed down. He had his vision, and stuck with it.

JJ Abrams is very talented as a director. But he definitely loves fan service. The Force Awakens felt like "Star Wars Greatest Hits", as it was a callback to the original trilogy. While I enjoyed The Force Awakens, I feel like The Last Jedi was a stronger, deeper film.

Funny enough, this sequel trilogy feels like the Original Trilogy. The first movie was this fun adventure that introduced us to new characters and opened up the possibilities for new and exciting adventures.  The second film took the characters to a dark place, expanded the universe, challenged audience's preconceptions, and asked deep questions. The third film is a callback to the light-hearted feel of the first movie repeating many of the same beats, and offers a satisfying conclusion.

And as it turns out, the Reylos were right!!!! For the most part.

Ben Solo does get redeemed. And he and Rey are indeed in love. And even share a kiss!

When Rey dies, Ben Solo saves her using a Force power where he literally gives her his life Force. Which is what his grandfather, Anakin, hoped to do for his wife Padme. Turns out Ben Solo did finish what his grandpa started!

There is also a scene where he speaks with his father, Han Solo, from beyond the grave. It reminded me of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice when Clark Kent spoke to his dad, Jonathan Kent, from beyond the grave. It should be noted that both films were written by Chris Terrio.

After the Emperor is defeated, there is much rejoicing across the galaxy, just like Return of the Jedi.

Rey, Finn, and Poe share one last hug together. And Rey goes on Tatooine to Luke's old moisture farm. Where it all started.

She places Luke and Leia's lightsabers in the sand. And gets her own. A yellow one!

A settler asks her what her name is. She sees the ghost of Luke and Leia. And says "I'm Rey. Rey Skywalker." And walks off into the sunset.

Funny enough, that is how Return of the Jedi was supposed to end. It was to end with Luke Skywalker walking off into the sunset like in a Sergio Leone Western. But George Lucas wanted a happy ending.

Rise of Skywalker's ending is both happy, and sad. It's bitter-sweet. On one hand, evil is defeated. On the other hand, Ben Solo is gone. And Rey is back where she started. On a desert planet with BB8.

Despite my frustrations with the ending, it honestly made me tear up. Not just because we went back to where it all started. Not just because we saw the ghost of Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa. But because of John Williams' sweeping score.

With the exception of George Lucas, there is no one more responsible for the success of Star Wars than John Williams. Williams has scored every single major film in the Saga since 1977. Like Anthony Daniels, he has been there since the beginning. It's hard to imagine watching any Star Wars movie without his iconic score.

John Williams has said this is the last time he will score for a Star Wars movie. As sad as it makes me knowing that this is the last time we will ever hear him compose music for this Saga, I could not have been happier to have him come back one last time.

No Star Wars movie, not even The Empire Strikes Back, is perfect. But no matter what complaints fans and critics have had about these movies, John Williams music has always been amazing. And such is the cast here. The score features many callbacks to the music from the previous movies, while also feeling fresh and new. Hearing that iconic main theme with the opening crawl, and knowing it would be the last time, gave me chills.

Take a bow, Maestro! You've earned it.

I apologize for this review being so long. But hey, this movie gave me a lot to think about. Star Wars holds a special place in my heart. More than any other franchise.

For as long as I can remember, I've been a fan of these movies. I remember going through a drive thru at Wendy's seeing a picture of Jar Jar Binks as part of The Phantom Menace promos. And I asked my Mom what it was. And she said "Oh. That's Star Wars." I thought it sounded weird. But I asked my Mom if we could watch the movies. So we rented them at Blockbuster. They were the first movies I watched where I honestly thought I could live in that world. They just looked and felt so real.

When Revenge of the Sith came out, I saw it three times dressed as Darth Vader. Every time.

In 2005, I thought the Saga was over. That there would be no more movies. And I was fine with it. I thought it was a great story as it was. It was a story I could revisit any time I wanted. One that gave me joy and comfort. I did not need to see any more.

When it was announced there would be more, I was nervous. But slowly came to accept it. And tried to keep an open mind.

And now that this new trilogy, as well as this Saga is completed (for real this time. Probably.), I could not have been happier to be wrong in my life.

I am so glad Star Wars came around one last time. I'm glad I got to see Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Chewbacca, C-3PO, R2-D2, and of course Princess Leia, one last time.

I'm thankful for the new characters we got to meet. I'm thankful for Rey, Poe, Finn, Rose, and Kylo Ren.

I'm thankful John Williams came back to create more beautiful music for me to add to my iPhone and listen to.

I'm thankful to George Lucas for inspiring me to become a storyteller and filmmaker, for creating this rich universe, and for coming up with the greatest fantasy story ever told.

I'm thankful for Kathleen Kennedy, JJ Abrams, and Rian Johnson for continuing this story. And for giving us an exciting, and emotional conclusion.

And most of all, I'm thankful for the friends I made through a mutual love of this Saga. Whether it was at school at the playground where we argued whether Darth Vader or Darth Maul would win in a fight. (Darth Vader, obviously!), or in line for a panel at Star Wars Celebration. I am thankful for all these lifelong friendships. I am thankful for all these memories I will get to keep with me forever. To me, that's worth more than any Rotten Tomatoes score or box office result. And it's all thanks to these goofy space movies.

Even though the Saga is now complete (or is it?), I know this is not the last we've seen of Star Wars. If the success of the Baby Yoda show is any indication, there's clearly more to explore in this universe. And I look forward to making more memories, and more friendships, in the future.

May the Force be with you. Always.

Pixar Soars To Infinity and Beyond - Toy Story 4 Review (Spoilers)

(WARNING - SPOILERS)

Everyone has a thing that they grew up with. Be it a toy, a backyard swing set, or a franchise. "I grew up with Pokemon". Or "I grew up with Harry Potter".

I grew up with Toy Story.

Literally, I grew up with the Toy Story franchise. I was born the year the first movie came out, I started preschool when Toy Story 2 came out, I started High School when Toy Story 3 came out, and I recently finished College when Toy Story 4 came out. Each new Toy Story movie seems to come out at a pivotal year in my life. (Who knows? Maybe I'll be on my death bed surrounded by my loved ones by the time Toy Story 10 comes out, only I will watch in on Disney+ in the comfort of my hospital bed.)

The first Toy Story was a pivotal moment in the history of animation, as it was the first ever fully CGI animated movie. Disney thought it would be a flop because they believed there was no way audiences would be able to connect with such a bizarre, uncanny medium. They said the same thing about another Disney animated movie that pushed grounds for animation, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. And just like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs did in 1937, Toy Story proved even its most stubborn critics wrong as it was a huge success critically and financially.

Just as the first Toy Story movie surprised everyone, so did every Toy Story sequel after it. Toy Story 2 was originally supposed to be a straight to DVD sequel, but surprised everyone by being one of the rare sequels that was just as beloved as the original. Toy Story 3 went even further and surprised everyone by being the rare third film in a trilogy that is as good, or better than, the previous two. All three movies made for a near perfect trilogy about a boy named Andy and his toys with an ending that made grown adults cry.

In fact, Toy Story 3 was such a perfect finale to the trilogy, that many people thought Pixar should just stop making more. Because where can you go from there? Andy gave his toys away to Bonnie and went off to college. It was the end of his childhood. What more can you do after that? What more is there to tell?

Well, that's the thing. If you view the Toy Story movies as the story of Andy, then yes Toy Story 3 is the perfect conclusion... to Andy's story.

But as the story of Andy’s toys, the ending to Toy Story 3 still left the door open for more adventures with them. As evidenced by the shorts and TV specials. 

And because Toy Story 3 made $1 Billion for Disney, there was no way Disney was gonna look atall that money and go “Well. I guess that’s enough of Woody and Buzz.” As the years went on, I started to slowly accept that Toy Story 4 was not only possible, but inevitable. But I still thought that if they were going to make a follow up to an ending as perfect as Toy Story 3, they better havea REALLY good story in mind. One that feels important, poignant, and worthy of the Toy Story name. 

After seeing it last night, I can safely say that ToyStory 4 totally justifies its existence. The Toy Story franchise is like a favorite toy of yours from your childhood that you keep locked up in the garage or in your closet. Every now and then it comes back, and you think you’ve outgrown it, but it still brings you joy and warm feelings. 

What I love about Toy Story 4 is that it serves as so much more than a nostalgic cash grab. It feels like an important next chapter. It has something relevant to add to the story. 

When you look at the first three Toy Story movies, they all tell a story about learning to accept what you cannot change in life. In the first movie, Buzz had to accept that he is a toy. And Woody had to accept that even if he’s Andy’s favorite toy, he won’t always be the only toy Andy loves, and that he needed to share Andy’s love with others. In the second movie, Woody had to accept that Andy will one day grow up and leave him, and he should just enjoy the time he has with him. In the third movie, Andy finally grows up and gives his toys away to Bonnie. Woody, Buzz, Jessie (Joan Cusack), and all the toys have to accept that Andy has moved on, and so should they.

Toy Story 4 feels like a response to the philosophy of the three movies that preceded it. Toy Story 4’s response is “Ok. There are things we cannot control and that sucks. But what are some things we CAN control? What are some things we CAN change?” 

Even though the toys are sentient beings, they all have these rules for themselves that they follow: Humans can never know that they are alive. And making their kid happy is the most important thing in the world. And for alll three movies, the toys rarely questioned this. They explored this in Toy Story 2 when Woody considered leaving Andy to go to Japan and spend an eternity in a museaum. But it still ended with Woody going back to Andy and accepting his role as a toy. But Toy Story 4 goes further into this with the introduction of Forky, a sentient spork with pipe wire arms, popsicle stick feet, and google eyes voiced by Tony Hale andcreated by Bonnie.

Sporky is a special new character because it’s the first time in this series that we see a toy made completely from scratch. After Bonnie assembles him using arts and crafts in Kintergarden, Sporky comes to life and immediately questions everything around him. He used to be trash, and thinks that’s all he is. Woody tries to convince Sporky of his purpose to bring joy to Bonnie. Even though Woody is questioning his own purpose. In the last movie, Bonnie really loved playing with Woody. But in Toy Story 4, even though she still likes Woody, he’s not exactly her favorite. Woody won’t admit it, but it hurts him. It makes him feel as though he has no other purpose other than to make Bonnie happy. And if he can’t make her happy himself, he has to makes sure Forky stays with her to make her happy. 

Along the way, Woody comes across his former love interest from the first two movies, Bo Peep (Annie Potts).

Bo Peep’s absense was immensely felt in Toy Story 3. Even though I missed her and was sad to see her gone, I also liked that the writers were brave enough to not bring her or all the other characters from the first two back. It added so much more weight to Toy Story 3, made the stakes feel higher, and emphasized how much everything was changing in the life of the toys. So when it was announced that Bo Peep was coming back,I was excited but also a little nervous. One, because many animated sequels have a habit of trying to cram in characters from the previous movies leaving them over-crowded. And two, I worriedit would cheapen Toy Story 3, by having characters come back. 

But with Bo Peep in Toy Story 4, they were able to make her return feel important. She’s still her got her spunk and charm she had in the first two, but now she’s got even more confidence in herself and a lot more depth. She’s not just a love interest this time. She has her own arc and her own character moments. 

But she still loves Woody. And as loyal as he feels to his duties to make Bonnie happy, he still loves Bo Peep too. At its core, Toy Story 4 is a love story. A love story between toys. Woody is left in a dilemma to either go back with Bonnie, or stay with Bo Peep. 

Tom Hanks continues to bring so much emotion and warmth to the character of Woody. You can feel the love Hanks has for this role. As with Tim Allen as Buzz. Both Tom Hanks and Tim Allen have always been eager to keep returning to these characters, and it shows in their performances. 

We see the return of many favorite characters such as Jessie, Bullseye, Ham the pig (John Ratzenberger), Rex the Dinosaur (Wallace Shawn), Slinky the Dog, and Mr. Potato Head (voiced by the late Don Rickles using old footage). 

We also see many great new characters such asDucky and Bunny (voice by the always hilarious Keegan Michael Key and Jordan Peele), and the scene stealing Duke Canon, voice by the latest internet boyfriend, Keanu Reeves!

I don’t think anyone will disagree with me when Isay that Keanu Reeves needs to be in evey movie form now on. (Are you listening Marvel?)

Just as was the case with Toy Story 3, Toy Story4 has an ending that will make even the most cynical cry. The climax does not reach the same heart stopping thrills as the incinerator scene in Toy Story 3. But it doesn’t have to. The conflict thistime feels internal rather than external. Tom Hanks and Tim Allen both said they could not get through the final scene without crying. And when you see the movie, neither will you.

Toy Story 4 was everything you could ask for in a Toy Story sequel. It’s a hilarious, heartbreaking, heartwarming; and poignant film about love, letting go, moving on, and valuing your own happiness. And spending time with the ones you love. As a whole, the Toy Story movies are about how no matter how much things change, it’s the connections, the relationships we have, the friends we make, the memories we hold, the love we share that stay with us. 

For infinity, and beyond.... 

Booksmart Review -Olivia Wilde Gets An A+

Do you remember High School? What was your experience like? Do you have fond memories? Do you have painful memories? Did you spend most of your time studying or partying? Or did you do both? If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

We all have our own regrets when it comes to High School. Some of us wish we spent more time studying. And some of us wish we spent more time partying. The latter is how Molly (Beanie Feldstein) feels in “Booksmart”, the directorial debut of Olivia Wilde that just came out in theaters over the weekend.

Molly and her best friend since childhood Amy (Kaitlyn Denver) were both over-achievers in High School. They spent their free time in the library as opposed to parties. For years, they both believed that spending 100% of their free time studying would put them ahead of the rest of their fellow students, and into prestigious universities like Yale. That is, until the last day of High School when Molly finds out that even though she is going to a prestigious university, so is everyone else in High School apparently! Including the ones who partied! Molly realizes she and Amy could have been one of the “cool” kids and still been able to succeed in academia. They could have had their cake and eaten it too. But instead, they only had the cake and let it sit there for all the other high schoolers to eat.

Molly decides that she and Amy should spend their last night before Graduation going to the end-of-School-year party held by Nick (Mason Gooding), a boy she has a crush on. 

I won’t tell you what happens next. Even though you may be thinking “it’s a teen comedy! Most of them are pretty formulaic and generally have the same ending!” And you’re not entirely wrong. But in the case of “Booksmart”, it’s not about the destination, it’s the journey. A wacky, crazy, insane, hilarious, and heartwarming journey.

“Booksmart” is the funniest movie I’ve seen all year so far. And possibly the funniest movie I’ve seen all decade next to “Bridesmaids”. The characters were all memorable, layered, and believable. The script by Emily Halpern, Sarah Haskins, Susanna Fogel, and Katie Silberman was sharp, witty, and authentic. That last word, “authentic”, is what I would use to describe this movie. “Authentic”. This is one off the most “authentic” movies about High School. Anyone who has gone to High School can relate to this movie. And if you spent time in High School studying instead of partying and wish you could have partied more, you can easily identify with Amy and Molly.

Amy and Molly have the best onscreen friendship I’ve seen in a long time. Both Kaitlyn Dever and Beanie Feldstein have this natural chemistry. You believe they’ve been friends since childhood. This is the perfect movie to see with your best friend.

I mentioned how this movie is “authentic”. Not just in its portrayal of High School, but also LGBTQ lifestyle. Amy, played by Kaitlyn Dever, is a Lesbian who has a crush on Ryan (Victoria Ruesga), a tomboy. When Amy finds out Ryan will also be at Nick’s party, she decided to join her friend Molly in going there. 

What I love about how the movie’s portrayal of Amy’s homosexuality is how normal it treats it. It’s not a huge part of her arc. Yes, she is trying to get together with a girl she has feelings for, and is hoping she too is a lesbian. But her homosexuality is not something she’s keeping to herself. She states right at the beginning of the movie she’s into women, and the movie just accepts it. Her parents, (played by the brilliant Lisa Kudrow and Will Forte who both need to be in more movies!) don’t even seem to mind! Amy’s feelings for another girl is treated with the same normalcy and genuine emotion as any heterosexual’s feelings in a movie. I wish more movies would portray LGBTQ relationships this way. 

The cast in this movie could not be more perfect. The standout for me was Billie Lourd as the drug-crazed Gigi. She steals every scene she’s in! She’s eccentric, strange, and captivating. In my humble opinion, she needs an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Gigi gets Amy and Molly into these drugs that leads to this drug trip that is easily the funniest scene in the movie! I won’t dare spoil it for you!

Jason Sudeikis (Olivia Wilde’s husband) gets many of the funniest lines in the movie as the principal of Amy and Molly’s high school.

I could go on and on. I could gush about this movie all day long. And you will too once you see it. As someone who recently finished college, “Booksmart” resonated with me. Not just with my memories of High School, both the good ones and the painful ones. But also with its themes of friendship and the stress of what the future holds. “Booksmart” is a movie for everyone. No matter what your background is or what your high school was like. And it’s a movie made by women. It stars women, was written by women, directed by a woman, and it’s about women.

If you are tired of sequels, reboots, remakes, and want something more original, I cannot recommend “Booksmart” enough. If you want to see more movies made by women and about women, you should go and support “Booksmart”. See it as many times as you would see “Avengers: Endgame”, and bring your ride or die. Booksmart is not only a good choice in the cinemas. It’s the smart choice.