While the world has been in turmoil, Disney's Pixar decided to release this movie on Disney Plus, free of charge. Unlike Mulan, where they were testing the waters and people had to pay extra on top of their Disney Plus package, Soul is completely free with the monthly subscription. As for Soul though, when I first heard about it, I thought it was a nice idea. A black animated cartoon for the kids as we don't get much of those and Pixar are pretty decent when it comes to storytelling and the inside adult jokes. Needless to say, I do have fun with their movies. Soul...Well, let me let you know how I felt about Soul...
So, Joe is an aspiring Jazz Musician. He is currently working in a school as a teacher but he is only a substitute. Having made it into his midlife, Joe has not found a career or a job with great benefits as he has spent his life chasing his dream. Joe enjoys live gigs and the feeling it brings him, however, one day Joe takes on a gig which could change his life forever, but after the rehearsals, Joe falls into a man-hole and dies. Once dead, Joe is accompanied by an un-lived spirit named 22 who hasn't lived, where the both of them are ultimately tasked with soul searching and what it really means to be alive.
I could have gone into more detail, but you'd either want to watch it or it would just seem uninteresting. With that said, I really enjoyed this movie. Free with my monthly subscription which is cool, but the film for itself was really good. I absolutely loved the life beyond concept and the other bit. Nobody knows what the life beyond is like to report back to us and let us humans know, but I loved the explanations given. When we think of concepts and what our brain can understand and find a rationale, I loved the fact that these visuals were simply lines. There was something soo great about that. I also liked the accountant Terry and the way he acted and was handled, which was soo true to real life, as I bellowed out laughing on occasion. There were some really great lines in this movie, such as "You can't crush a soul here, that's what life on Earth is for" and a few visual gags like the famous Instagram pose, you'll know it when you see it.
A few things I didn't get nor understand, as there was a scene where Joe is talking to his mother, but then he is talking to his mother and it isn't him talking. So in my head I was wondering how did that work unless they decided to just skip the back and forth - You'll know what scene I'm referring to when you see it. Another thing I didn't understand was the Cat. Why the Cat? I guess we needed the cat to help tell the story to get a better understanding of life and living, but I just felt although it made sense, maybe we could have had something else.
The animation is amazing though. I wasn't sure about the character design at first but it grew on me. The details in the animation were great at moments but I'm sure I've seen sharper details in a Toy Story for example, but it was still great. The Voice Acing was totally on point. I am not aware of Questlove having done voice acting before but everyone sounded spot on. The Barbershop scene was great and provided some comical moments and some deep conversations held. The experiences were all there and I loved how true to life it was. I also really enjoyed the story behind the movie too, in which I won't go into, but sometimes life changes us or our dreams doesn't let us experience life in it's rawest form. Sometimes we have ideas and dreams that we will never be able to obtain because of life throwing a curveball. A little like Inside Out and A Christmas Carol and definitely re-watchable. It would have been nice to know or get to know who Lisa was, though, just to add a bit more to Joe and provide more context. A must watch if you have Disney Plus.
When I first heard about this movie, I thought to myself "really? after all these years?" and then I shrugged it off. When word started to pick up more and more about it and that it was definitely on, I instantly wondered how would they create a sequel to such a classic and unforgettable film. I head about the Beverley Hills Cop 4 and some others, but Coming To America is a Classic! A film that has great quotes back to back to back to back. A film that was serious but funny. A love story with heritage and family roots. From gags with the Soul Glow product. Scene's with Randy Watson aka Sexual Chocolate. The Barbershop and even the club scene with the weird women.
Upon seeing this trailer though, I will definitely let you know off the bat, I smiled and I laughed. The film actually looks soo soo good that I'm happy to watch it as soon as it comes out, BUT my only reservation is, I felt they gave us way too much of the same schtick as the previous movie and I feel that maybe, just maybe, they may rely too heavily on the nostalgia. This movie needs to stand on it's own, but as a sequel to a classic. What I will also say though, sometimes nostalgia is great if used right and seeing some of those (if not all) characters in the film from the first film, the banter in the barbershop....I just hope it is just as good as the first. Dolemite was great, so hopefully this is too. And if it is, a definite, Well Done, Eddie as he has definitely not lost his touch.
Directed by Craig Brewer and starring Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall, Jermaine Fowler, Leslie Jones, Tracy Morgan, KiKi Layne, Shari Headley, Teyana Taylor, Wesley Snipes & James Earl Jones
As I've stated in previous posts, I started reviewing series and streaming shows in October 2019. Disney Plus launched in November 2019 WITH Star Wars: The Mandalorian their catalog of movies over decades. I had to sit, stew and wait until March 2020 because I was born in the UK and that was when Europe was getting access to Disney Plus. Although there are times I do sneakily watch shows that aren't shown on UK screens, I do not review them because it wouldn't be fair to the reader if they do not have access to the content. It would be different if they are in another country and it isn't available, but to be within the same country, as an example, would be upsetting. With that said, this is the first time I will be reviewing The Manadalorian both Season 1 and Season 2 trying my very best not to spoil anything.
The Mandalorian Season 1 brings us a man in a Mandalorian suit of armour similar to Boba Fett from the Original Trilogy, son of Jango Fett from the Prequel Trilogy. This Mandalorian is also a bounty hunter like Boba Fett, with his own ship, own rules he abides by and as the season goes on, you find out more about him. Essentially, like most bounty hunters, he is a loner. He is assigned a mission where he is to collect a package and deliver the package to someone (Kind of like the film The Transporter), I guess, still a bounty. Upon retrieving this package and bringing the package to, what seems like, the remnants of The Empire, to whom were thought to have been destroyed in the 'Return of the Jedi' (OT) by The Rebel Alliance and Luke Skywalker, The Manadalorian decides to keep the package, try to find out more about the package and take the package elsewhere where he feels the package will be in "safer" hands.
This doesn't prove to be an easy task for The Mandalorian as not only does he meet up with various people, friends, allies who he may need to assist to progress forward in his findings, he also comes across various villains along the way, like an Assassin Droid and the remnants of The Empire. Things also prove to become more difficult for him due to the choices he continues to make due to the package he is carrying and the stakes involved. Will The Mandalorian go against his beliefs, his creed, his way of life, because of this package and continue to risk his life time and time again?
By the end of the first season, there is a stand off between The Mandalorian and the big bad and although The Mandalorian escapes defeating the big bad, the quest continues into season 2 trying to bring the package to where it belongs. Season one introduces us to the package as well as this Bounty Hunter. We learn more about his background, why he does what he does and his support group if needed. The Mandalorian has a past and he does owe his life to a group of people. This is Star Wars at it's finest. From the music to the action, everything is great. Seeing the X-Wings were great. Seeing the Tie-Fighters were great. The fighting and hand to hand combat, is great. This show pretty much did nothing wrong for the first season. It was a return to form or better yet, bringing us Star Wars fans what we were missing.
The Mandalorian Season 2 brings us back with our two favourite things, The Mandalorian and the package. If you are reading and you know what the package is, I know at this point I should say, but to those who are completely in the dark or may not realise the connection, is why I'm still being cagey about details in case of spoilers. Anyway, Some time has past and The Mandalorian is looking for other Mandalorians that might be able to assist him on his journey. But due to the value of The Mandalorian's Armour, all types of scum and villainy are seeking either his armour or the package making him hot property in the galaxy and with a bounty on his head. But as the episodes go on, The Mandalorian must either help or receive help to get to his destination and deliver his package safely, albeit, with plenty of complications along the way.
I read somewhere online during the viewing of the second season, that Jon Favreau had been rushed into hospital with damage to his spin and back.......from carrying the entire Star Wars franchise on his back. Whilst I thought this was very funny, a special shout out goes to Dave Filoni, the man behind The Clone Wars animation, Rebels and this show and this show is just amazing. Not only does Dave Direct two episodes, one in the first season and one in the second season, the latter being the better of the two, Dave also does some brief acting as a Rebel pilot (minor spoiler) and although not much to say, handled himself well.
While some episodes might be deemed a filler episode, we are definitely not short of action or character building. Some, including myself saw The Mandalorian as episodes of 'fetch-quests' like a computer game, but i really had no problem with that at all. We are shown a lone gunman who seems untouchable, but he struggles from time to time and that is good. I cannot stress enough that each season seems to get better and better and both season finalés will have you falling off your chair, it is THAT good.
This is a TV show and not a movie. Set between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens, there is soo much time where nothing has been documented with the Galaxy, far far away and The Mandalorian fits like a glove in this time slot. I've tried not to spoil anything for those interested. The Music, the Acting, the special effects and stunt work, everything is just how Star Wars should be. Not too over the top and not boring. Not to say that the Sequel Trilogy aka the Disney Trilogy was bad, but it could have been soo much better and it seems Dave Filoni is here again to pick up the pieces. If you are into Star Wars, you will definitely enjoy, especially how they manage to weave, the OT, PT and ST into 8 episodes for a single season. I mean, with all the many many eater eggs and such, this show will have you thinking about the Star Wars universe and who is alive, who is dead, who may come back and in some cases, we do see some returning characters from EVERYTHING (including the cartoons), of what came before it in the timeline.
On last thing. This journey for The Mandalorian and the episode titles, all have multiple meanings and as the story unravels, so does the character. Filoni and Favreau are painting a picture, something much bigger than just one bounty hunter, something that covers decades of infighting between a set of people, something that can explain or give context to the future. Earlier I mentioned the ST (DT) and although many have their views on The Last Jedi and Rise of Skywalker, I think going into season 3 will help give more context to these movies and why some characters are the way they are. A little like how the Clone Wars animated series helped show us Anakin Skywalkers turn to the Darkside. If you are a fan, you WILL like this. *my attempt to Jedi mid trick*
