Trailer Reaction: Aladdin (2019)

March 14, 2019March 14, 2019 ~ Alyxwrites ~ Leave a comment

You guys! The official trailer for Aladdin dropped and I think it’s glorious!

As I said in “My Thoughts: Live Action Aladdin“, I’ve been hopeful and optimistic for this movie ever since it was announced. I love Aladdin, it’s always been on my favorite Disney movies, favorite movie of all time. I think it lends itself to live action really well, it just depends on the people involved and how it’s handled. The teaser trailer made me smile but I was like “okay, this is cute” but THIS trailer has me rejuvenated and I’m so excited to see it. Now May is a tricky month, usually a lot of big blockbusters come out but I think Aladdin has some nice cushion that it won’t be dogged out by other larger movies. Plus, it’s Disney, plus it’s a live action reimagining so… I think it’ll be fine.

Now, I’ve only done this one other time and it was when Beauty and the Beast came out, you can look at that reaction here. I won’t do it all the time, but maybe just for the Disney ones, I don’t know. But I knew I wanted to do it for this.

So here is Agrabah, at least the lower levels and I think it really gives this world some depth and I like how not only does it remind me of the animated film, but it kind of makes its own way.

Here is our resident street rat doing awesome parkour stuff, which he should be able to do considering he knows the marketplace like the back of his hand and he must be able to escape from the palace guards whenever he can. It makes sense that he can do these cool awesome things. Plus, Guy Ritchie does action scenes well, so I’m hoping that the beginning with him running through the marketplace coupled with “One Jump” that it will be a fun opening, not to mention all the action that happens at the end when Aladdin returns to save the day!

So I’ve always liked the foreshadowing in the animated film when Aladdin takes that rug and uses it to escape at the beginning only for him to find a living rug in the Cave of Wonders and it helps him escape then. So, I think it’s rather cool that they have him holding it like he’s going to use it but then he doesn’t, maybe it was a diversion?? lol I don’t know but it made me laugh when I rewatched the trailer. Not to mention, the rope he’s using also holds up the scaffolding the guards are standing on, so two birds one stone.

The guards fall into a big thing of flowers, instead of cow dung lol and the flowers fly and slowly fall around Jasmine and I think it’s a really beautiful moment. Naomi Scott looks great in that scene and I love her slow turn with the flowers and then Aladdin’s “Whoa” moment upon seeing her. I know, she pretty lol.

THEN DISNEY LOGO. Side note, does anyone remember the old Disney intro with Sorcerer’s Apprentice Mickey Mouse using magic to make the Disney logo appear? If I find it while writing this, I’ll add it to the final edit.

FOUND IT!

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So then we see Jafar walking towards a barred door with Iago flying in the background. Probably his secret lair where he finds out who the diamond in the rough is and he’s talking in the background to Aladdin. He’s appealing to Aladdin’s desires, which is of course super smart because you get someone to do the dirty work for you who is willing to do whatever.

As he’s talking to Aladdin in the desert but the big difference I see here, is that Jafar is talking to him as himself. Which in the Broadway play, he doesn’t disguise himself as that old man, he just saves him from being killed by the guards and sweet talks him into helping him. So perhaps they’re going that route with this which I think is interesting because then when he sees him later, will he be quick on his feet about recognizing him and thinking he’s no good? I’m curious.

Gosh her outfit is beautiful. Now we have Aladdin on the camel following Jafar and his people out into the desert to the Cave of Wonders and it looks really cool! I mean it’s built right into the side of the mountain and I wonder if it’s always there or if they have to summon it. I like the fact that it’s always there, just maybe not awake?

But he gets in there and the inside looks really cool! He’s climbing on giant rocks to the lamp and we get the shot we got at the end of that very first teaser.

I like the way he’s looking at the lamp. It’s like wonder and awe but at the same time he’s really careful. He’s lived on the street all of his life, he’s surrounded by treasure and I’m sure he was told not to touch anything else and he’s probably like “Okay… nice and easy… don’t do anything crazy” because that’s exactly what I would be thinking while trying to pick that up. Plus… is it heavy? Aladdin is looking at the lamp and the details on it is very beautiful. He rubs it and here comes the blue smoke!

He looks so good coming out of that smoke! So he’s putting on this booming voice and talking about working for the master and the wishes three and all that normal genie stuff… you know I have to say, I think since Robin Williams was pretty much Robin Williams while portraying the genie and it was iconic, it makes sense for them to allow Will Smith to do the same and I think he’ll do a great job at it. But he was kidding and then “Friend Like Me” plays and I wonder if it’ll be more like a rap. I mean the beat sounded the same but it had a bit of extra spice in it and I loved it. I can’t wait to see the animation and CGI in this scene. It has to be better than the “Be Our Guest” in Beauty and the Beast because while I liked it, it was a little lackluster.

Definitely has some of that Fresh Prince flair to it doesn’t it? I’m actually here for it more than I was before.

Aladdin and Genie are overlooking the desert and carpet looks awesome! Genie snaps them back into a little shelter and he’s now looking like a regular Will Smith human. I really do like the costuming on his human form. Aladdin asks Genie if he can make him a prince and the Genie tells him there is a lot of grey area in “make” instead of “wishing” because make could mean… make a prince and he makes a prince lol.

See the prince in the background? lol he just made him appear instead of “creating a prince persona” for Aladdin. I like this kind of personality he seems to have. I like that while he seems to be fun-loving, he also doesn’t use a joke for everything he needs to say. Not saying that it wasn’t great in the animation to see that Genie do that, but it’s nice that he’s already appearing like his own character. I also loved Aladdin’s reaction to seeing Genie magically appear in a different place than he was before. It was cute.

He’s turning him into a Prince! I think this is such a great clip to show us. We get to see Will Smith more in the blue and it’s a lot less jarring than it was before, it fits and I like it. Not to mention, we get to see both Abu and Carpet hanging out and we get a nice little glimpse of his Prince Ali outfit which I wondered how it would look because it’s an iconic Aladdin look. AND LET ME TELL YOU….

I AM EXCITED FOR THIS ENTIRE SEQUENCE. YA’LL BETTER DELIVER! I mean the colors! It looks fantastic and the Prince Ali outfit is amazing. I’m really curious about Jafar in this though since he’s a much younger guy. Like I said in “My Thoughts”, he’s a younger guy so is he just a young upstart who moved up in the ranks too fast? Will Aladdin be even more competition because they’re not to far apart in age? I’m really interested to see this version of him and to see the rivalry they have.

So this looks like there is a party instead of a one on one kind of thing for Jasmine’s hand. Like a Cinderella like ball which is cool and I like this look from both men. Aladdin looks all clean and cute and I like the colors on Will Smith. The costumes are truly beautiful. HAVE IT COSPLAYERS! The Genie tells Aladdin that while he changed what he looks like on the outside, he didn’t change anything on the inside which is an important message. You can make yourself look beautiful but if you are nasty on the inside you’ll always be nasty and vice versa. Aladdin’s lesson to learn is that his outward appearance doesn’t matter because he’s a good person regardless of his circumstance. Not to mention, Jasmine falls for him because of what he shows her not because his clothes or standing. He just so happened to also be a “prince”, a fake one but still lol you get my point.

SO BEAUTIFUL! LOOK AT THE OUTFIT!! ANYWAYS, Genie tells Aladdin it’s time to do his thing, he’s all like “No, I’m in charge, I say when I go” probably being a scaredy cat so the Genie uses magic to send him Jasmine’s way and its super cute. They talk, he’s shocked that she’s not allowed to go wherever she wants.

Ya’ll it’s getting real out here! He asked her if she trusts him and she slowly slides her hand in his and the music is swelling and I’m smiling like an idiot because I’m so excited. I mean, I think I’m a little more excited than I was when the official trailer for Beauty and the Beast came out lol. I’m not sure but I was stupid excited for that too and I can’t even! She climbs up on the carpet and the music is swelling and

A WHOLE NEW WORLD!! I think they sound really good together. I’m really interested in this scene too, so iconic. I keep saying that but it’s so true! The carpet looks great, she looks great, he looks great. sighs I need this movie now.

So while this song is playing, we see a couple of other clips. One of Aladdin and Jasmine dancing and I love her peacock shawl thing, y’all I’m drooling over the costumes.

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We have them throwing Aladdin over the cliff, looks like he’s tied to a chair. Word lol. Clips of Genie during the “Prince Ali” sequence. Aladdin running atop the buildings in the marketplace, most likely from “One Jump”. There’s a scene of him climbing and being awesome on some icy mountains which I wondered if that’s from when Jafar sends him away to die from the cold.

Here is Abu trying to catch the lamp which makes me think it’s the part at the end where they’re fighting Jafar for the lamp and he gets turned into a toy. Probably won’t happen the exact same way but I’m hoping for a large action sequence at the end. MAKE IT BIG AND AWESOME because I had this chance to see an awesome live action fight between Aladdin and Jafar and Once Upon a Time had that opportunity and messed it up!

Dunno what’s happening in the picture above but perhaps it’s the climax when he takes the lamp. I love the red though and his staff looks red here as well. Maybe it’s during the final battle. There are some clips of Raja maybe protecting Jasmine? The Genie dancing during “Prince Ali” and we get this shot with even more beautiful clothes.

I think that’s Iago in the background as a giant bird and he’s chasing down Abu and Aladdin. I do wonder if Iago will talk, I would prefer if he didn’t because I don’t think he needs to, if anything Jafar talking to his bird makes him even more crazy. It’s better than having the bird actually talk back to him. But Run Boy Run! Iago is chasing them on carpet and then a shot from inside the Cave of Wonders again before we get the awesome logo where it looks like the hilt of a dagger.

Ya’ll let me tell y’all how excited I am. I mean, I think it’ll be good. I’m not sure how good but I think it will be worth the watch because this trailer was everything. I like the casting, I LOVE the costumes and from what we hear of the music I really like that as well.

No matter what you think of the whole reimagining into live action, there are some things to be added and newly experienced for these new movies. Also the official poster is dope.

So that’s my “reaction” to the official trailer. I’ve seen a lot of people saying that they’re more interested in it now because of this trailer and I think that’s great news because I think it deserves a chance.

What are your thoughts on the Aladdin trailer? Let me know your thoughts down below!

Thanks for reading!

My Thoughts: Live Action Aladdin

February 13, 2019February 15, 2019 ~ Alyxwrites ~ 1 Comment

So, listen, I’ve wanted to do a piece on what I thought about Disney’s live action trek through our childhood memories. I did one a couple of years ago when Beauty and the Beast was coming out. You can read Disney Remakes Thoughts and the Beauty and the Beast review.

It’s no secret that I am optimistic for these remakes. I don’t have a problem with it and I will get into all of that when I talk about that. This piece is to specifically talk about the live action Aladdin movie before it comes out and I do my official review. These are my thoughts SO FAR. There isn’t much to really talk about since it’s not out yet but I’m going to touch on the casting and the costumes mostly because that’s what the promo photos have been for.

The Casting

So obviously I thought it was important to have a cast full of people of color for this movie because of where it’s set. Sure, Agrabah is a fake country but it is based on real places. I remember back when they officially announced it, everyone wanted Avan Jogia to play Aladdin.

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Obviously I get it, I mean back in the day, I would have been like yasss, but I like the guy they got to play Aladdin.

I think he’s super cute and I follow him on Instagram and he seems to have great energy for the role. I just hope the direction and the writing allows him to be great. Sometimes actors can’t shine when the material won’t let them so I’m hoping it does because the animated film is so great. I think Mena Massoud is a fine choice physically, so we’ll see how it is acting wise.

Now when Naomi Scott was cast as Jasmine, there was a lot of backlash because she’s not brown enough. Listen, I get it because representation is important, and I agree. It would have been nice to have someone who is browner to play such an iconic princess who is the first Disney princess of color. I get it completely. However, my issue came with the fact that people had such a problem with her when she is of Indian descent on her mother’s side, but everyone wanted Avan Jogia to play Aladdin when his father is British-Indian. It was so crazy to me. I often defended her casting whenever it came up in a conversation because it’s not like she not a person of color at all. But that’s over and done, I think she looks great in the role. I’ve only seen her in Power Rangers and a few episodes in shows. I think she’s a fine actress. I just hope they allow Jasmine to have a bit more character growth. She is my third favorite Disney princess, but I never really thought she had the best writing in the animated film. She’s a great character but she’s a flat character, which is why I hoped they took notes from the Broadway show. She has a lot more character in that and I think it’s important that we get to know Jasmine as more than just “I don’t want to marry someone I don’t love” just like we get to know and love Aladdin.

As for Will Smith, I’m okay with this casting overall. I was a little skeptical when it was first announced, and I am not necessarily skeptical but curious now. I like Will Smith, he’s a likable guy but I can never see him as his character… he’s Will Smith. I think the only time I was like “wow that’s the character and not Will Smith” was probably Hancock just because that guy was a jerk and a bit different from the characters Will Smith plays that I have seen anyway. I know no one can fill Robin Williams’ shoes but I hope they don’t try to copy that iconic character but allow Will Smith to make it his own. Now, in the trailer, the way he started talking sounded like The Fresh Prince and I was like ummm… so I just hope it’s not too jarring outside of his physical appearance. I think he’ll be fine overall, but I’m just like… okaayyyyy.

The Costumes

I think they are beautiful. At least all the Disney remakes have had beautiful costumes, no matter what you think of Cinderella’s huge blue dress or Belle’s yellow dress. I think they’re both fine. I didn’t care for Cinderella’s dress at first, it grew on me but overall, it’s fine. I’m in the minority but I really liked Belle’s dress but ya know, whatevs lol.

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But I think the costumes in Aladdin look so good so far.

I like Aladdin’s look mostly. Mena Massoud has great hair and it just looks weird, I don’t know if it’s because he’s supposed to be “dirty”, so his hair is greasy, I don’t know but that’s what throws me off the most. I mean, I know in the pictures he looks really “clean” as I have seen people say but I mean promotional pictures aren’t technically stills from the film. I think he looks better in the second photo with the genie. I can’t WAIT to see his Prince Ali look because it’s iconic and I can imagine the detail on it. heart eyes

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Jasmine’s costumes are so beautiful! I think her clothes are my favorite of our live action heroines so far. The attention to detail, the colors, how the blue outfit resembles her iconic outfit but puts a new twist on it. I think she looks amazing. The picture with the Sultan is a new one I discovered, and that yellow is everything. LISTEN, I don’t care, I think Naomi Scott looks great. The Sultan also looks good in that picture.

Jafar’s costume also looks nice. I think his hat is a bit big lol, but perhaps he’s a young guy who moved up quickly in the ranks and obviously wants to be Sultan. I mean, in the animated film it was gross because he was a smarmy old man and he wanted Jasmine to be his queen lol. So, with this younger actor, I hope he acts super smarmy so make up for being a beautiful man lol.

As for The Genie. I already said what I had to say on the casting, but I think the blue is a bit jarring. Perhaps when I see the movie it won’t be as weird because I’ll already be immersed in the world and when it happens, maybe it’ll look better. Maybe they’re still putting some work on his final look. I think the second photo looks better than the first photo. Maybe him being large helps this look. I don’t know but I prefer the more “human” look like in the picture above with Aladdin. Apparently, the human look is his disguise when he’s out in the world, but I wish he looked like that all the time. I mean, perhaps his hands turned blue, or maybe whenever he used magic it was blue to pay homage, but I’m not really feeling it. This is probably the first time I’m like…

But I’m still optimistic. Update: I started writing this on 2/12/2019 and I have to say the blue look is growing on me. It’s still jarring but it’s growing on me.

The Music

This is the last thing I want to touch on. We know and love the songs from the animated film and I can’t wait to see how they do them in this version. I’m excited. I am however curious about these new songs. There is a new solo for Jasmine and Aladdin and Jasmine have a new duet, which is called “sweet”. I really wanted the two original songs from the Broadway show in the film, “Proud of Your Boy” which Aladdin sings in his home and “A Million Miles Away” which Aladdin and Jasmine sing together (but not together). I really wanted both of those in the movie, but I guess they’re not, instead there are two new songs. So, I’m curious to hear those and I’ve never really heard either lead actor sing, I know Naomi Scott was in Lemonade Mouth, but I never saw that, so I’ll just be waiting for the film.

Overall, these are my thoughts right now for the upcoming Aladdin movie. I am excited. As I said, I am generally optimistic about these live action remakes, I don’t think they’re useless, I think its kind of cool and I’m interested to see what they continue to do. I hope Aladdin does a great job!

Thanks for reading my quick thoughts on the upcoming Aladdin movie! Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Are you not impressed? Why not? Are you excited? Tell me why! I’m interested in hearing from you!

Anticipated Movies of 2019

January 11, 2019January 11, 2019 ~ Alyxwrites ~ Leave a comment

2019 is going to be an amazing year, that’s what they all say. I’m interested in seeing the number of movies that come out this year. 2018 was a great year for movies but it was a weird year for ME seeing them lol. I hope I can do even better this year and see the ones that I really want to see.

I’m sure there is also going to be a lot of movies that pop up during the year that won’t be on this list but that’s fine because this list contains the movies that I know about.

So, just like last year, I’m going to do my most anticipated movies by month.

January

Glass- January 18: Security guard David Dunn uses his supernatural abilities to track Kevin Wendell Crumb, a disturbed man who has twenty-four personalities. I still have to watch Unbreakable, but Split was legit so I’m down for this movie.

February

What Men Want- Feb 8: A woman is boxed out by the male sports agents in her profession but gains an unexpected edge over them when she develops the ability to hear their thoughts. This has Taraji P. Henson in it, and it’s like What Women Want, which I really enjoy lol. I hope it’s good since 2018 wasn’t very nice to Taraji with those other two movies.

Happy Death Day 2U- Feb 14: Tree Gelbman discovers that dying over and over was surprisingly easier than the dangers that lie ahead. I thoroughly enjoyed the first one so I’m down for this one.

How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World- Feb 22: When Hiccup discovers Toothless isn’t the only Night Fury, he must seek “The Hidden World”, a secret Dragon Utopia before a hired tyrant named Grimmel finds it first. The first two are fantastic movies, so I would imagine that this would be the same. The animation looks better than ever and I’m excited!

March

Chaos Walking- March 1: A dystopian world where there are no women and all living creatures can hear each other’s thoughts in a stream of images, words, and sounds called Noise. Apparently, it’s based on a YA novel, these don’t usually do well when they’re “dystopian” at least not consistently, but Tom Holland is in it sooo I’m there.

Greta- March 1: A young woman befriends a lonely widow. I saw this trailer on YouTube and it looks bonkers! I’m down.

Captain Marvel- March 8: Carol Danvers becomes one of the universe’s most powerful heroes when Earth is caught in the middle of a galactic war between two alien races. Need I say anything more? I’m excited. I just hope Brie Larson kicks butt in the role because I love her, and I think she’s a great actress, but the trailers don’t do anything for her acting ability.

Us- March 15: A mother and father take their kids to their beach house, expecting to enjoy time with friends, but their serenity turns to tension and chaos when some visitors arrive uninvited. But Alyx, I thought you didn’t like scary movies… I don’t know. However, I want to support the culture lol and it looks interesting. Sooooo I’ll be there… scared, watching through my fingers.

Dumbo- March 29: A young elephant, whose oversized ears enable him to fly, helps save a struggling circus, but when the circus plans a new venture, Dumbo and his friends discover dark secrets beneath its shiny veneer. I know people don’t like these “live action” Disney remakes but I’m optimistic and open to them. I have always loved Dumbo the animation movie so I’m excited about this one! Dumbo is so precious!

April

Avengers: Endgame-April 26: The Plot is unknown. Listen, Infinity War kicked me in the stomach so I’m ready. I don’t even care if they have the Care Bears come down and do a Care Bear stare, I’m there.

May

John Wick: Chapter 3- May 17: Plot Unknown but it’s the third installment in the series. John Wick kicks ass and I’m there.

The Sun is Also a Star- May 17: A teenager finds love at a difficult time in her family’s life. I really loved the book so I’m looking forward to the film. I wasn’t too impressed with the casting (I like Yara Shahidi but Natasha is Jamaican and described as having darker skin). Plus, Everything, Everything the film was okay so I’m like hmmm but I am optimistic.

Aladdin- May 24, 2019: A live-action retelling of the 1992 Disney film of the same name. I AM SO OPTIMISTIC! I’m curious because Guy Ritchie has a certain style and I wonder if it’ll fit this kind of movie. I really hope it’s good and I’m there.

June

Dark Phoenix- June 7: Jean Grey begins to develop incredible powers that corrupt and turn her into a Dark Phoenix. Now the X-Men will have to decide if the life of a team member is worth more than all the people living in the world. I’m optimistic lol, I don’t think X-men Apocalypse was that great but there were parts of it I liked. The last time dark phoenix was done it wasn’t very good, so we’ll see how this turns out. I mean, the promo photos were pretty great so… optimistic.

Toy Story 4-June 21, 2019. When a new toy called “Forky” joins Woody and the gang, a road trip alongside old and new friends reveals how big the world can be for a toy. Do we really need another Toy Story film? Not really… but will I be watching it? Most definitely.

July

Spider-Man: Far from Home-July 5, 2019: Peter Parker and his friends go on summer vacation to Europe, where Peter finds himself trying to save his friends against a villain known as Mysterio. I AM SO EXCITED! I really enjoyed Tom Holland in Civil War and I thought Homecoming was great, so I hope they keep that vibe they had in the first movie and make the sequel even better.

The Lion King- July 19, 2019: CGI re-imagining of the 1994 Disney classic. I wouldn’t call it “live action” it’s a CGI remake and I’m there. I thought the teaser was lovely, Simba was so precious and I’m curious to see how they’ve updated it. I’m into it.

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood-July 26, 2019: A faded TV actor and his stunt double embark on an odyssey to make a name for themselves in the film industry during the Helter Skelter reign of terror in 1969 Los Angeles. This has a great cast.

August

The New Mutants-August 2, 2019: Five young mutants, just discovering their abilities while held in a secret facility against their will, fight to escape their past sins and save themselves. Another year and no movie, so I’m still waiting to see it!

September

It: Chapter Two-September 6, 2019: Twenty-seven years later, the Losers Club have grown up and moved away, until a devastating phone call brings them back. I loved the first one…. another horror lol I know, I might even go past my “3 a year” quota if there are some I want to see, and I want to see this one. Great cast (though I still don’t like Chastain as older Beverly) and I’m interested to see how our adult Losers Club takes down Pennywise.

October

Zombieland 2- October 2019: Columbus, Tallahassee, Wichita, and Little Rock move to the American heartland as they face off against evolved zombies, fellow survivors, and the growing pains of the snarky makeshift family. I LOOVE the first one and it seems like the original actors are back so I’m there!

November

Kingsman 3-November 8. Plot unknown. I loved the first one, the second one was just okay, so I hope this one brings the trilogy back to being solid.

Frozen 2-November 27. Elsa, Anna, Kristoff and Olaf are going far in the forest to know the truth about an ancient mystery of their kingdom. I don’t even care, I love the first one. It doesn’t bother me at all nor is it annoying so I’m ready to see what happens next. The only thing that annoyed me was them playing that super long Olaf Christmas short in front of Coco. That was uncalled for.

December

Jumanji 2- December 13. Plot unknown. I really liked the first one to my surprise so I’m curious to see what they do for the sequel.

Little Women-December 25: Four sisters come of age in America in the aftermath of the Civil War. I LOVE Little Women and I’m excited for this adaptation. I love Emma Watson, Saoirse Ronan and the other great acting talents in this film. It’s also being directed by Greta Gerwig who did Lady Bird which I loved so yeah, exciting.

Star Wars: Episode IX-December 20. Plot unknown. I have come to terms that I am not a big Star Wars fan. I enjoy the movies and I have enjoyed the new trilogy, so I’m interested in seeing the last one.

Not really Anticipating but want to see:

January

The Kid Who Would Be King- Jan 25: Looks like it’s about King Arthur. I mean, it might be terrible, but the trailers seem fun.

Serenity- Jan 25: I have no idea what this movie is about, but I like Anne Hathaway and Matthew McConaughey.

February

Miss. Bala- Feb 1: Gloria finds a power she never knew she had when she is drawn into a dangerous world of cross-border crime. Surviving will require all of her cunning, inventiveness, and strength. Based on the Spanish-language film. It reminds me of all the other films that are similar to this but it looks nice and I enjoy Gina Rodriguez.

The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part- Feb 8: No idea what this movie is about but the first one is cute so why not.

Alita: Battle Angel- Feb 14: The trailer seems interesting, it reminds me of Astroboy… I mean if anything the graphics look good.

March

Five Feet Apart-Mar 22: A pair of teenagers with life-threatening illnesses meet in a hospital and fall in love. I’m not to sure if I think it’ll be any good, but I want to see Cole Sprouse not in Riverdale and I wonder if it’ll make me cry.

April

Shazam! – April 5: We all have a superhero inside us, it just takes a bit of magic to bring it out. In Billy Batson’s case, by shouting out one word – SHAZAM! – this streetwise 14-year-old foster kid can turn into the adult superhero Shazam. I’m not really anticipating this one, I’m just interested in seeing it because it looks fun.

The Best of Enemies- April 5: Civil rights activist Ann Atwater faces off against C.P. Ellis, Exalted Cyclops of the Ku Klux Klan, in 1971 Durham, North Carolina over the issue of school integration. I saw this trailer when I saw The Hate U Give and it looks good and Taraji P. Henson is in it so even more reason to see it.

Little- April 12: A woman is transformed into her younger self at a point in her life when the pressures of adulthood become too much to bear. I’m definitely going to see it to support! Plus it looks like it’ll be a good time.

May

Pokémon Detective Pikachu- May 10: In a world where people collect Pokémon to do battle, a boy comes across an intelligent talking Pikachu who seeks to be a detective. I just want to see what happens, plus I think the Pokémon designs are pretty dope.

Rocketman- May 17: The story of Elton John’s life, from his years as a prodigy at the Royal Academy of Music through his influential and enduring musical partnership with Bernie Taupin. Taron Egerton is playing Elton John… sure lol. I like Taron, so why not.

Godzilla: King of the Monsters-May 31: The crypto-zoological agency Monarch faces off against a battery of god-sized monsters, including the mighty Godzilla, who collides with Mothra, Rodan, and his ultimate nemesis, the three-headed King Ghidorah. I enjoyed the first one minus the boring human stuff but this one seems interesting.

June

The Secret Life of Pets 2-June 7: Plot unknown. The first one is cute so I’m into seeing the second one.

July

August

Hobbs And Shaw- August 2, 2019: A spinoff of The Fate of the Furious, focusing on Johnson’s US Diplomatic Security Agent Luke Hobbs forming an unlikely alliance with Statham’s Deckard Shaw. I like both characters in the franchise, they were both fun in The Fate of the Furious, so this should be fun to watch.

Artemis Fowl- August 9, 2019: Artemis Fowl II, a young Irish criminal mastermind, kidnaps the fairy LEPrecon officer Holly Short for ransom to fund the search for his missing father to restore the family fortune. I read the book in middle school and I remember liking it, so I’m curious to see how the movie holds up. I will read the book again to truly compare but I can’t help but think this will be another A Wrinkle in Time mess.

September

Spies in Disguise- Sept 13: When the world’s best spy is turned into a pigeon, he must rely on his nerdy tech officer to save the world. Voice talents of Will Smith and Tom Holland, and the trailer was charming so sure, I’ll watch it.

October

Gemini Man- Oct 4: An over-the-hill hitman faces off against a younger clone of himself. It’s basically like Looper with Bruce Willis and Joseph Gordon Levitt it seems like, but I’m interested in seeing it.

Joker- October 4. A failed stand-up comedian is driven insane and becomes a psychopathic murderer. lol sure, why not.

The Addams Family-October 11. An animated version of Charles Addams’ series of cartoons about a peculiar, ghoulish family. It has a great cast being led by Oscar Isaac who is always a win in my book… but I’m not like off my seat for it even though I really enjoy The Addams Family. I’ve always thought that if they ever did anymore live action films Oscar Isaac should play Gomez Addams.

November

Charlie’s Angels- November 1. Plot Unknown. LOL sure. I’m curious.

Sonic the Hedgehog-November 15. A cop in rural town of Green Hills will help Sonic escape from the government who is looking to capture him. lol I’ve always liked Sonic… I think he looks a little weird on the poster, but I will wait to pass judgement when it’s released.

December

I’m sure there are movies that will pop up throughout the year that won’t be on this list but I’ll probably add more as I discover more.

What movies are you anticipating this year? Let me know in the comments below!

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Best Movies of 2018

January 8, 2019 ~ Alyxwrites ~ Leave a comment

Another list that I am SUPER late with but here it is! I didn’t see a ton of movies this year as I wanted to but listed here are the ones I thought stood out the most that I saw.

Honorable Mentions: Ready Player One, Crazy Rich Asians, Annihilation, Ant-Man and the Wasp

10. Bumblebee

I haven’t reviewed this yet and I don’t know if I will, but I thought this was very good. I was surprised. I don’t care for any of the Transformers movies. I think I’ve only see the first two, but I really enjoyed the adventure, but I was also really into the friendship (also seemed a little romantic lol) that bloomed between Charlie and Bumblebee which was shocking to me. I also very much enjoyed the action. Yes, be shocked people lol.

9. Love, Simon

I very much enjoyed this movie. I even teared up at the end. Nick Robinson did a very good job in this role. Simon is so likable, and you root for him throughout the movie. Unlike the book where I hated some characters, I generally liked everyone (all the main characters) in the movie. It’s a nice teen, coming of age movie for those who may be in the same struggle as Simon.

8. Sorry to Bother You

I haven’t reviewed this yet and I do plan on it, but this movie is bonkers. I mean, I really liked it. I think it’s one of those you either “love it” or you “hate it” because it’s weird. I get the message, I like the quirkiness of it and I thought it was handled in a very original way. Great movie experience.

7. The Incredibles 2

Something we’ve been waiting for for years! I don’t think it’s better than the first one but it’s a nice follow up. I loved seeing the Parr family again and I loved seeing Elastigirl really use her powers because she’s awesome. The story is interesting, the characters are STILL likable, and the action and adventure aspect is so much fun!

6. Avengers: Infinity War

I haven’t seen it again in a while, but this movie really kicked me in the stomach. It was great seeing 10 years of MCU movies come to a head in this film. I think the direction was handled well since there were so many characters in this film to juggle. I thought it could have been a mess, but it wasn’t. I do think there was some issues which doesn’t put it in the Top 5 of my MCU movies (at least right now it doesn’t) but it’s Sooooo worth it.

5. Mission Impossible: Fallout

This movie is dope! I love the Mission Impossible movies and Ethan Hunt is awesome! Shoot, the Avengers need to let him help them take down Thanos lol. It’s because of these movies that I know spy movies don’t necessarily HAVE to be convoluted. Fallout is so much fun, you get to see Tom Cruise RUN LIKE A CHAMP! Plus, Henry Cavill was also great in it and we got to see the best moment ever.

4. A Quiet Place

Anyone who knows me knows I don’t like horror films. I know that “horror” is a wide genre so there are smaller umbrellas of horror I would enjoy (like I want to see Happy Death Day 2 U) and this was one of those I really wanted to see. I would consider it more of a thriller than anything but it’s one of those movies where you MUST watch since it’s so quiet. It forces you to be quiet and pay attention. I think all the acting is very good and the use of sound and music in the film is top notch. Great directorial debut by John Kransinski and of course Emily Blunt is always a win.

3. The Hate U Give

Based on the bestselling novel of the same name. It is a great book adaptation and I think the movie was well done. The acting, the story and the passion behind it was all handled very well and it shows. Sure, it’s a little different from the book but it’s still very good. Amandla Stenberg was great and powerful as Starr Carter and the story hits so close to what has been happening with black people and police. Very relevant.

2. Black Panther

I mean what can I say? It’s Black Panther. I argued for a while if this will be my number one movie and I settled with it here. It is such a win for black superheroes, for black nerds, for black people and for people in general. The story may be familiar, but I think you can tell there was love behind it. I mean, the costumes, the musical score, it’s funny and it has a lot of emotional moments that are totally earned. Plus, my husband is in it and he killed that villain role! Everyone in this movie DID that.

1. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Listen, if you have not seen this movie and you’re a Spider-man fan then what is wrong with you? This is THE BEST Spider-Man movie (fight me) and I’m so glad that Miles Morales is at the helm in this. I love Peter Parker, I have and always will love Peter Parker but this movie having Miles as the lead was a smart move because it follows the message of the movie… anyone can be behind the mask if you let go. The animation is beautiful, the music is used well in the film, the action is so good, the characters are ALL interesting, I mean there are a lot of characters and they all get their time to shine. Miles is a fully realized character and if you don’t know much about him going into the movie, then I reckon you’ll love him by the end. This was such a great movie experience and I recommend for any Spider-Man fan to go out and watch this one.

So what are your thoughts on my list? Remember, this is my opinion so if you disagree, please tell me what your list is in the comments below!

Thanks for reading! Don’t forget to like and follow this blog for more posts like this one!

Worst Movies of 2018

January 5, 2019January 5, 2019 ~ Alyxwrites ~ Leave a comment

Soooo I am super late than usual with this list but I wanted to make sure I shared what I thought were some of the worst movies of 2018. Unlike 2017, I did not see a ton of movies this year. It’s been an interesting year as I have been working on graduating from my master’s program (Which I did whoooo!) but I realized I saw enough movies to make this list. I saw a few more that I wanted to add even after the year ended.

There are plenty of movies I didn’t see that I heard weren’t very good but I can’t pass judgment because I didn’t see them.

Dishonorable Mentions:The Commuter, Teen Titans Go To the Movies, Father Figures, A Wrinkle in Time, I Feel Pretty, Solo: A Star Wars Story

10. The Darkest Minds

Another unfortunate mistake of a movie that should have been a television show. This movie is so dull and uninteresting and I think such a missed opportunity. I already have ranted enough about it so you can just read the review to see why. I don’t think it’s the worst on the list, it’s just boring.

9. Red Sparrow

This movie was a slog. I don’t think it’s the worst thing ever but it’s a slog. It’s so long and for no reason. I don’ know why spy movies feel the need to be so convoluted. I have no idea what the book is like but the movie felt like it was just something to see Jennifer Lawrence try her hand at. I’m not an accent expert but her Russian accent wasn’t that great, I wasn’t that invested in her character and the movie is overall cringy. I understood what was going on, I even completely guessed the ending because it is what I would have done but boy it took a long time getting there. sighs

8. Pacific Rim: Uprising

I thoroughly enjoyed the first one. It’s not a masterpiece but it was fun to watch and enjoyable. So, my question is, why do they keep making sequels to these blockbusters where the main character (or one of them) is the kid of the hero of the first film and they’re this huge tool? I mean, John Boyega is likable but his character is kind of lame in this film. He’s not that funny or charismatic (which is sad because I think John Boyega is both of those things naturally). The story… lol what story? Doesn’t really kick in until the end otherwise it’s a bunch of people talking. It’s also pretty boring until the end and that’s a shame.

7. Proud Mary

I had to see this twice and I was bored out of my mind both times. I was actually on my phone most of the second time I saw it and kind of fell asleep. I like Taraji, I think she’s a good actress and it was cool seeing her kick butt and she’s great with emotional acting and I loved the stuff with Mary and Danny. BUUUT the movie is boring and all over the place, it’s underwhelming, the side characters are stupid, the action was lame outside of a few pieces and I wanted to like it but I can’t, Taraji can’t even make me like the movie.

6. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom

Another boring, dull mess. It wanted to be tension filled and interesting but it focuses on stuff that I cannot imagine anyone caring about when the movie should have stuck with the idea of wanting to either save or kill the dinosaurs. The entire second act of the film is just so out of place and all of the characters are stupid. ALL OF THEM. I mean, the ending alone is just ridiculous.

5. Fifty Shades Freed

I actually forgot this came out this year lol, but it’s bad. It’s better than Darker whichis just the worst, but it’s still so bad. Again, all of these characters are just so stupid and nothing makes sense. I still need to know why Ana was promoted to that job when she was just an assistant and barely had qualifications. I wish it worked that way. The whole thing with Jack Hyde was lame, you’re mad over something Christian had no control over? Also, you didn’t know he didn’t want to have kids until AFTER you married him? Aren’t all three of the movies taking place within like a year? Pfft. So dumb. Her wedding dress was beautiful though.

4. Acrimony

I haven’t reviewed it yet and I definitely will but anyone who really knows me knows I do not know like Tyler Perry and do not care for his movies. There are a few here and there I like but most of the time, meh. So, I only wanted to see this because of Taraji P. Henson and even she could not save this movie from terrible writing, terrible pacing and what is clearly a rush job. That’s all I got for this bit, you’ll see what I completely think in the review.

3. Show Dogs

Still can’t believe I watched this. I thought it was something else but alas. Y’all it’s stupid. It’s a kids movie but I can’t imagine a kid actually sitting through this unless they like to see talking dogs. So so bad.

2. Samson

Oh boy. I like this bible story and I love the adaptation with Hedy Lamarr. The acting is poor, the wigs and beards given in the third act of the film are terrible, the entire Samson and Delilah storyline was glazed over. I guess in the end it was about Samson but he wasn’t interesting, he’s a jerk but wasn’t an interesting jerk. Taylor James didn’t have any of the charisma that Samson seemed to have considering how he got away with a LOT. The stuff with the Prince and the King was just so hammy. I laughed a lot when I wasn’t supposed to.

1. The 15: 17 to Paris

WHAT EVEN IS THIS MOVIE??? Y’all this movie is so bad it’s laughable. The first mistake was taking this 5-minute incident and turning it into a feature length. Second mistake, casting the real guys to play themselves, they are not actors and it shows. The dialogue is bad, the acting is bad and I just cannot. It’s a nice idea to honor the guys who did a great thing but not this movie. Not at all.

What movies from 2018 were on YOUR list for being the worst? Let me know in the comments below!

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How I Would Fix: The Darkest Minds

December 29, 2018December 29, 2018 ~ Alyxwrites ~ Leave a comment

How I would FIX The Darkest Minds.

I had a lot of thoughts over the last few days of how I would fix this movie. I think it’s an unfortunate incident and while I have not read the books, I have a few ideas of how I would fix it to make it better just from a film standpoint. I’m sure once I read the books, I’ll have more insight but I will take what I gleamed from the movie.

First of all, I would make it a television show on Netflix. I weighed my options of other channels and I considered Freeform, since they did so well with Marvel’s Cloak and Dagger and Siren is apparently doing well. I also considered the CW because of The 100 and the other shows that have abilities on them. However, I think Netflix would be the best option as they are doing really well with their movies and their YA adaptations.

Casting

I don’t know what the characters look like in the books, so I don’t know if Ruby is black, I doubt it honestly, but I think it was cool to have a YA sci-fi film where the lead was a person of color, so I think it would be imperative to maintain that in the show. So, I would recast Lidya Jewett as young Ruby and bring in a darker-skinned actress to play teenage Ruby. As for the other characters, they can keep Miya Cech and Skylan Brooks as Zu and Chubs because they were fine and don’t seem to be doing anything at the moment film wise. At least nothing serious. As for Liam, well I’m sure it wouldn’t be too hard to find a blue eyed, tall and cute guy.

Episode Set Up

So, I think a big mistake in the film was how quickly it had to brush past the whole kids dying thing to get to teenage Ruby. No matter how quick it was in the book, if it was a TV show, we could spend the first episode getting to know Ruby as a kid and her family so later when she finally returns to them, we feel something for her. Anyway, a nice introduction to the Daly family and then at the end of the first episode, show the first outbreak of the disease by showing that Grace kid die. Boom. Interesting set up.

Next episode, we learn (without narration) about this mysterious disease and we physically see kids, Ruby’s classmates and friends, dying. We should be able to see what this is doing to their parents, to the kids who are surviving. Plus, the fear that Ruby’s parents would have about their own child. I’m not sure, but if all the kids get sick but the ones who don’t die gain powers, then perhaps we should see Ruby get sick and her parents worry for her and then at the end, she gets better. Moving forward, I feel like the first three episodes in a 13-22-episode show should focus on young Ruby for us to see her go to the camps, feel bad for her since her parents turned her in (because reasons) and how she made her strategy to survive. If it’s 13 episodes then obviously maybe leave young Ruby to three episodes and in the fourth time jump to teenage Ruby but if it was longer then take a bit more time.

When she meets Liam, Chubs and Zu, we should see them as a unit and how they work well together and allow us to care about them as we continue to see them.

I would keep Lady Jane around for a little while as well.

Romance and Relationships

In the movie they wanted us to care about Ruby and Liam falling for each other and to care later when she uses her ability to erase herself from his mind, but I didn’t care because I didn’t get the chance to care since it’s forced into my face without real reasons other than their teenagers and teenage love, I guess lol.

In the show, when Ruby joins them, there is a mysterious air about her which Liam would be interested in and she would be drawn to his good looks, passion and leadership skills lol but we would see them work together, survive together, get to know each other which would give the audience the chance to root for them and then later feel sad when she makes her decision at the end of the first season. It was also clear that Zu was pretty close to Liam and later they tried to make it like she was close with Ruby, but in the show, we would see and believe that. She had an older sister which is why she would connect with Ruby, so we’d learn about what she lost and why she gets so attached.

Plus, I would spend an entire episode showcasing Chubs, Liam and Zu’s backgrounds and how they escaped their camp.

Later, when we officially meet Clancy Gray, he’s enigmatic and he’s the only other person who understands Ruby. It happens so fast in the movie that I’m shocked Ruby didn’t pick up on his weirdness quicker. I would have. In the show, we would have time to see this little utopia he made and how quickly the others get ingrained. Liam on the front lines, Zu with the other young kids and Chubs was not into it and I would like to see his distrust grow. As for Ruby, she and Clancy would spend a lot of time together learning her powers where his interest in her makes sense then just his weird looks. He got obsessed and if we got to see them spend a lot of time together, actually, then the audience would be like “Word”.

Action and Climax

The movie was very anticlimactic but the action was handled pretty well. I wish we got to see more of the abilities showcased since it’s such a big part of the story. I would definitely keep their eyes reflecting their abilities, that was cool. The chase scene was pretty dope so definitely have to keep that in the show. The fight at the end between Ruby and Clancy was kind of meh and I think it would have been much more. Not to mention, as I kind of ranted about in my review, Liam’s telekinetic ability should have been showcased way more, with different ways to use it other than to just move things. We saw him destroy a road and bring forth a ton of trees, but we didn’t really see him do anything like that again. He should have been able to create force fields, even if they weren’t large, or move people. We saw that it could happen but Liam never really did it. He should have been able to fly, I mean sheesh lol.

Not to mention, why weren’t any of the other kids fighting? Sure, some of them got under mind control but I would have been fighting if I had the abilities they had. Plus, the Greens with their high intelligence could have been doing more than just… talking lol.

Villains

In the movie, we have three villains. Lady Jane, a bounty hunter who definitely has it out for Liam it seemed. The government. Clancy Grey. The league which was a little ambiguous. The first season could be heavily focused on the first book, which is cool, but I think it would be okay, to split the first book into a season and a half at least. Sooo, I wouldn’t introduce Clancy as a villain until the second season. His name would be around as it was in the movie since he was “cured” and his father was some big shot but the Slip Kid would be a mysterious figure until we meet him. So, Lady Jane would be the main villain as she was an awesome bounty hunter and I think the movie did nothing with her and she was interesting. She said she caught Liam before and now he had an even bigger price on his head, I would have let her catch them and keep them for at least an episode or two just to make it interesting.

The government has its part in the beginning and would remain a threat throughout since they’re looking for Ruby. Then you have the League, who we don’t know if we can trust as a looming threat with Cate and Rob. I think it would be interesting because you never know who might show up while our Runaways are just trying to make it to the Utopia.

Finale

Ideally the first season could end with the first book so the second book could be the second season. Being that this would be on Netflix there wouldn’t be a midseason finale, so the first season could end with Ruby being with the League and doing the whole hand paint thing or whatever. BUUUT if it’s 13 episodes, I would actually end the first season with the Runaways getting to the Utopia and feeling like they finally made it. So that way, the main villain of Clancy would be revealed in the second season. Perhaps after they escape Lady Jane, maybe the government is closing in and they give them the slip and at the skin of their teeth, they find the entrance to Utopia. They would think they have to fight since the Slip Kid’s sentries are standing watch but then they recognize Liam and they take them into the hideout and see all the kids and end the season with them being all like

Play triumphant music and everything. It would be a nice ending for a shit show that will start in season two. I think it would be awesome.

In the End

If The Darkest Minds was a television show, I think it would have allowed for the story to be told the way it should be. As I said before, I’ll probably get a bit more insight once I read the trilogy but it’s very rare that I watch a movie based on a trilogy and think of how I would fix it without really knowing the full story. I had so many thoughts after this one that even without that extra knowledge, I believe it could be done.

I think it should have another chance, but as a Netflix Original.

What do you think of this plan? Let me know your thoughts!

What other YA novels should have a television show? What YA movies should have been television shows?

Thanks for reading and be sure to like and follow this blog for more posts like this!

Power Rangers Needs a Sequel

June 9, 2018June 9, 2018 ~ Alyxwrites ~ Leave a comment

I watched Saban’s 2017’s Power Rangers again and I have to say that I still very much enjoy it. I don’t think it’s great but I think it’s good. Check out my review here and my thoughts on the MMPR show here.

I don’t know what the state of a sequel is at the moment but I think there is plenty of room for them to make one. I know it had mixed reviews but I think there were a lot of people who at least thought it was good and would see a sequel, especially if they bring Lord Zedd and Tommy Oliver into the mix.

There are some big things they need to do in order to make it work. So below are going to be some of my ideas of how a sequel could work and what they should do because while the first one didn’t do a huge grab of money, I think it has become a kind of cult film, and I think a lot of people enjoyed it enough to merit a sequel.

Tommy Oliver

I definitely would love for Tommy to be in the sequel because he is such an iconic power ranger that it would be crazy to not introduce him in the sequel. I do have a lot of ideas of how that would work that would still pay homage to the show and how his character was written and handled. Obviously with it being a movie, it would require a shorter arc, but I actually think it would work depending on how they handle it.

Tommy in the Show

In the show, Tommy is introduced at a karate tournament and we can see from the jump that he is a skilled fighter and is competitive to an extent. He and Jason have a mutual respect of each other from that fight, but Rita also sees this and she brainwashes Tommy to become her Green Ranger and fight against the Power Rangers. He is a formidable foe for a long time.

He then becomes a great ally for them, but Rita does try later to get him back on her side a few times, or she strips his powers away until he leaves for good and then comes back as the White Ranger. Soooooo for the movie, I think we can do all of that, just without trying to fit it all into ONE movie. That’s where it will make or break the movie.

Tommy in the Movie

Right before the rangers received their Zeo powers, they were turned into kids and they had to go on Spirit Quests to find the meaning of being a Power Ranger or something. So they went to their ancestral backgrounds, each one having a different ethnic background which I thought was really cool. Tommy comes from a Native tribe. Jason David Frank’s real brother, played his brother in the show and it’s clear they have a Native background. David (Tommy’s brother) was adopted as well, but into a family on the reservation while Tommy was adopted by a different family. So there was a whole history he didn’t know about and it became really important for him later on. I really want to keep that. So that leads me into Tommy Oliver’s casting.

I am against the idea of him being a girl. I know that some fans want it and the cast don’t mind it, but I don’t think it’s a smart idea because that does nothing other than balance out the team and we don’t really need it, it’s never really been a big deal. I have a lot of thoughts on that actually but I’ll just keep them to myself.

So with that said…. drum roll

Booboo Stewart I choose you!!!!!!!!!!

I think he would be a GREAT Tommy Oliver.

He’s handsome, just like Jason David Frank as Tommy. He has long hair, which is iconic Tommy Oliver (until his Black Ranger days), he has Native background, and he has experience in physical fighting.

Someone on the internet agreed.

He’s perfect. I mean look at the gif. I don’t know who made it but they’re awesome because as soon as I saw a picture of him, I can’t unsee it and I want him to be Tommy. He’s about the same age as the other actors, he still looks young enough to be in high school just like the others. He can play that confidence that Tommy has, he is good-natured, kind, compassionate and sometimes aloof. I think Booboo Stewart can play all of that. Plus, whenever he’s serious and fighting, I can picture his serious fighting face and I think I can take it seriously. Plus, I can imagine him actually being a possible leader for the Rangers and how he and Jason (Dacre Montgomery) could butt heads every now and then.

The things about Tommy that need to be in the movie, alongside his background, is that he’s always late and forgetful. One of the big things the show talked about with Tommy is that his memory is terrible most times and he comes off as aloof at times. He’s a nice guy but I can see why people might find him intimidating.

Tommy should also be the only one of the group who has a background in martial arts, since they didn’t give that to Jason or even Zack as well. He often liked to teach karate classes in the community center for younger kids and self-defense. I think this would add tension to the group with him and Jason since he actually has a background in physical fighting. In the show, Jason and Tommy did have a little bit of a rivalry but never to the point where I thought Tommy would try to be the leader, it’s like a friendly rivalry and this would be a good starting point. They had a mutual respect and were “friends” but I never considered them best friends like the show later tried to make it seem like, it never happened on-screen at least to me. I don’t think they should do that here either. Jason in the movie is close with Billy and Kimberly as of right now, and I think they should make Tommy close to Kimberly (obviously) and maybe Trini or Zack depending on how they would react to him. I actually don’t think in the movie Tommy and Jason would get along right away.

What They Should Do for Tommy

So, we already know there is going to be a Tommy Oliver, since the detention teacher called his name but he wasn’t there. I can imagine that he’s in detention for being chronically late, or for fighting. Since they all had some baggage, Tommy should have some too. He’s adopted and I think he should know it, he knew it in the show as his parents were white and he’s not. Perhaps he has a bit of an identity crisis, he wants to know where he comes from, he’s forgetful and always late, so that would get him in trouble in school.

I want to say that we are officially introduced to him being late to class instead of the karate tournament since there isn’t really a reason for there to be a karate tournament, at least not that’s a serious one lol. I think it would be great since it would let Kimberly and Jason meet him at the same time.

So picture this:

It’s Monday Morning at Angel Grove High School. Kimberly Hart and Jason Scott are in History class, talking quietly to each other about a mission they handled that morning.

Kimberly (laughs): What was his name again?

Jason: Bones I think. I mean where do these people come from?

Kimberly (shrugs): I don’t know but I need them not to show up before school.

A few more students file in before the teacher closes the door, clapping his hands to get the class’s attention. The girls throw a hushed insult at Kimberly who makes a sad face, and slumps down in her chair.

Jason: Don’t worry about them.

Teacher: Alright class, let’s get started.

The teacher teaches for about 15 minutes. Suddenly the door opens and a tall male student with long hair, walks into the classroom. He looks up from his paper startled.

Teacher (folds arms with a disappointed expression) Late again Tommy?

Tommy (sheepishly rubs the back of his neck) Yeah sorry.

Some of the students whisper to each other while looking at Tommy, as the teacher talks to him about being late to class and detention.

Tommy is not really listening to the teacher, looks out at the classroom searching for an empty chair. His eyes meet Kimberly’s and smiles.

Kimberly (smiles).

Teacher (sighs) Take that seat over there Tommy.

Tommy walks to his seat. Some curious eyes follow him, including Kimberly’s. Jason watches and raises an eyebrow at Kimberly when she turns back around. Kimberly shrugs, picking up her pencil to doodle in her notebook. Class continues and Tommy spends most of it looking out the window. Kimberly steals a few looks every now and then.

Later that day.

Kimberly and Trini walk up to Billy, Jason and Zack standing near Billy’s open locker.

Billy (doesn’t look up and tinkers with some device) Hello Trini, hello Kimberly.

Trini & Kimberly: Hello Billy.

Zack (eating from a bag of chips) What are you even doing Billy?

As Billy talks quickly, explaining what he’s working on, Kimberly looks up seeing Tommy walk past them, his eyes on a paper in his hands. Seems like the same paper from before. He manages to maneuver through the crowd without even looking up.

Trini (nodding towards him) That dude has been late to class all week.

Zack (crumples up his bag of chips) He was even late to Gym, I mean how are you late to gym?

Jason (shakes his head seeing Tommy disappear around the corner) He’s kind of new right? Hasn’t been here that long and already is in detention. What’s his name again?

Kimberly Tommy Oliver.

Everyone looks at her, Zack raises his eyebrows and Trini hides her smirk. Kimberly looks at them and shrugs.

Kimberly (shrugs) What?

Something like that would be a good introduction for him. It would cover his lateness, his loner like personality in the beginning and it would put him this kind of mysterious light.

The Villains

In the show the big baddies, like Rita and Lord Zedd created the monsters for the power rangers to fight, but since they slapped Rita to the moon, she needs to be found first. So I would want the movie to open with the rangers fighting with the very first MMPR monsters Bones (he’s a skull monster) but he’s just a monster who came out of the woodwork because the rangers are back. I would like to have them fight someone when the movie starts, so the audience can see that they are still rangers and that we don’t have to wait till the end to see them suit up again.

I think the Green Ranger should be the main villain of the sequel. I definitely don’t want them to have too many villains in one movie. I do think that they should at least introduce Lord Zedd since I like to believe that he would be the one to help tempt Rita over the dark side before she officially turned on her team. I think that would be a good way for them to be connected and for him to have a reason to find her on the moon. Now, I don’t necessarily think that Lord Zedd himself has to be the one to find her, but perhaps he sends Finster and some other subordinates to rescue her frozen body and revive her or whatever. That way, we know Lord Zedd exists (almost the same way Marvel handled Thanos) and that he’s a threat but we don’t necessarily need to see him yet. This way, Rita can conduct her business on snaring Tommy to her side. Perhaps, she’s too weak to use the green power coin herself, so she needs someone else to do her dirty work, plus it would be beneficial for her to make Tommy work for her, since he’s strong and a good fighter, he’s new and mysterious and no one would think the new Evil Green Ranger would be this quiet, kind new kid Tommy.

I would also prefer that he really played with them, in the show, when he became evil, he was mean. He was even mean to Kimberly, not that it was really him but I think that even though he’ll be under Rita’s influence, he should be able to play it where the other Rangers have no idea who the green ranger is. I think that will be more interesting and it would allow the other rangers to freak out way more.

In the show Tommy is introduced in a karate tournament, but perhaps it doesn’t necessarily happen that way but instead he gets into a fight. All of the others deal with not really getting along with all the other students, at least not all the time, but I think Tommy would have that same kind of problem. He’s the new kid, he’s kind of quiet, and I think he would have a little bit of an anger issue when it comes to his background. He’s adopted, and I can’t imagine that he would be upset about it but he is a teenager and he could be having trouble with identity. But maybe someone says something to him, something about being adopted, maybe some guys are messing with him, I don’t know, but he fights to defend himself. Obviously he’s a better fighter than the other rangers so she’s impressed and kidnaps him, makes him pass her tests, and then does the whole Evil Green thing. I believe the sequel could really focus on this, and really allow us to see the kind of hold that Rita manages to hold over Tommy, especially since she was previously the green ranger and she passed on that power to Tommy. Plus, I think they shouldn’t allow the Rangers to know that it’s Tommy so quickly, let him be a threat. Rita had this kind of sensual, in-your-face personality, and I think Elizabeth Banks would really be able to play that up with Booboo Stewart and he would be great playing off her.

I also think it would be great to see Booboo Stewart play the worry and fear that he has later on about her coming to take him back, and all of that kind of stuff. sighs It would be so great!!

Kimberly Hart

So in the movie, Kimberly did an awful thing to her friend. Yeah she got bullied later, but she did a horrible thing and it’s kind of hard to forget such a thing. I feel like there should be something that redeems her, yeah she’s a power ranger, but no one knows that, so I think she needs to be redeemed in a way that doesn’t make her look like a terrible person. She told Jason that she felt bad, but she needs to apologize to that girl and I don’t know something else, they can’t just brush it under the rug. Obviously she won’t really be the “popular girl” anymore, but she should remain likable to the viewers.

In the trailer, they showed her and Jason share a kiss, and then they kind of had a closer relationship than they did in the show, which is fine, but I never thought that they had any kind of romantic potential in the show, even in the Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie I didn’t think about that. It’s always been Tommy and Kimberly and I don’t think the movie should ignore that. Now, I don’t really think a love triangle would be something they should do but if it must happen, it must be a good one. I’m firmly on the Tommy/Kimberly train no matter what, so I would prefer that’s the end game but I think that Kimberly and Tommy should have a lot of great moments together. I think Booboo Stewart and Naomi Campbell would have great chemistry together and they would be cute together as well. They’re both people of color, which is also great.

The Rangers

I think the way they handled the other Rangers is fine for the most part, they’re all likable I think. Yeah, they’re different from the show, but I think their personalities are still pretty on point and I liked that about the movie. This movie should begin with them fighting a monster, I did suggest earlier that it could be the very first monster they ever fought, but it doesn’t have to be. They don’t have to still be newbs at being rangers. It doesn’t really have to be a year or anything, but enough time to pass where they’re used to it and have grown into their roles and their friendship. They just have to make sure we believe that they’ve spent time together as a team and unit.

Jason- He’s still kind of the strong, silent type that he was in the show, but it was clear at the end, that he grew into being the leader of his team. Now, let us see him leading them. He was kind of like the Captain America of the group, in that he was patriotic sort of guy, who loves being a hero and saving the world, he is the guy next door but he has his moments too. I don’t want to see the movie Jason turn into that guy who just is broody because he can’t play football anymore. If anything, let him get back into football since he’s not already a black belt… or have him switch gears and take to learning martial arts more so he can be a better ranger…I definitely want more substance with him.

Billy- Definitely my favorite from the movie, I loved what they did with him, but he still the same smart, kind of awkward kid from the show. We got to see a lot of him, he was the heart of the film, and I don’t want that to be lost just because we got a lot of it in the first movie. In the show, Billy and Trini were close and she could understand his technobabble and I actually would love it if they did that here too. Billy and Jason were close but I’d also like for Billy and Trini to be close too. It would be a great friendship. I also would like to see him working alongside Zordon and Alpha more as well, since he did come up with a lot of the Rangers’ upgrades and what not.

Trini- She seemed very quiet in the movie, not that she wasn’t in the show, but she was a loner. She also seemed to love yoga, so make sure that’s kept in her personality, someone who is maybe a little spiritual in nature or something. It was clear that she and Kimberly already were growing into a nice friendship, just continue making it stronger, definitely not one where Trini has a crush on her straight friend. Let her really explore her sexuality since it was hinted at in the first movie, that’s fine. Just allow her to really grow into that, and let her meet someone, whether it be at school or someone she meets at a yoga class or something, someone who is separate from the rangers. I don’t mind the girlfriend knowing she’s a ranger, to avoid the whole “secret” thing, but they don’t also have to make her be suspicious of Trini either. Regardless, Trini needs more screen time, with her family, particularly her brothers and like I said in Billy’s section, I would like for them to be close like they were in the show.

Zack- So he’s very outgoing, brash, and seems to just love living life, which is great because that’s how he was in the show. They gave him a plot with a sick mother, so is she always sick? Will she get better? Let’s definitely explore that since we didn’t get a lot of that either. He is a boundless supply of energy, and he seems to be kind of a parkour bro, I don’t know why, he just comes off that way, so I definitely want him to be able to do something active outside of being a ranger. He was also pretty intelligent in the show, which matched Jason’s gung-ho attitude (they were besties), so I think he should be as well. We don’t know anything about him in school other than the fact that he’s a truant, soooo… I don’t know but let’s get Zack something more to do. I also think that he and Trini would be really good friends as well, since they had a nice kind of chemistry in the first movie. Perhaps when Tommy comes into the picture, he could get close with him. I think Ludi Lin and Booboo Stewart could really work off each other.

Future Rangers

This is for mainly down the line, maybe after a saga (4) or three strong movies. I want to believe they were Sophomores in the first movie so we can really get to see them do their thing for a while.

In the show we get Adam, Rocky and Aisha towards the end of the Mighty Morphin Era due to the controversy around the money issues, but I don’t think we really need Aisha or Rocky (until later) unfortunately. I don’t see why Jason, Trini and Zack would leave prematurely for new rangers to come into the mix, unless Adam, Rocky and Aisha are a year or so younger than our original rangers. In the show, Tommy came back as the White Ranger and while it’s iconic, it’s not as iconic as his Green Ranger, Black Ranger, and Red Zeo Ranger so I’m not sure if I really want him to ever be the White Ranger in the movie. It doesn’t bother me too much either way but I don’t think we really need it. It doesn’t really fit since I can’t imagine anything happen that would make three of our rangers leaving prematurely. However, it gets a little tricky in there because I do really like Adam and then later down the line Tanya. Rocky and Aisha I don’t really have to have.

If, down the line, there are legitimate reasons, then it could happen. But only with legitimate reasons instead of some STUPID SUMMIT. Otherwise, it might just be better to have Aisha, Rocky and Adam be younger than our original rangers so they can age out gracefully… but that would be odd for Tommy who is the same age as our original rangers. sighs If I was involved, I would really make sure the timing was done correctly lol.

Zack– Maybe Zack’s mother passes away and since Zack is underage, he has to leave and live with family elsewhere, which is how he ends up passing the Black Ranger on to Adam. Prematurely. I think he’s the only one who could really work in having to leave prematurely in order to get Adam.
Jason- I kind of like to think he’s a year ahead of the others. So, he could probably just graduate and is playing football at some awesome college and he passes the Red Ranger on to Rocky. OR they could change it up and pass it on to Tommy which would prevent us from ever seeing the White Ranger and having Rocky be useless as the Red Ranger.
Trini- In the movie, her family moves a lot so maybe they move again which causes her having to pass along her Yellow Ranger power to Aisha. OR we just never get an Aisha since she didn’t stay that long and go right into Zeo and she can pass it on to Tanya who I like way more than Aisha anyway.
Kimberly- In the show Kimberly left during the last season of Mighty Morphin in order to pursue her dreams as a gymnast is Florida. This Kimberly isn’t into gymnastics so she wouldn’t leave for that, maybe she gives it up for swimming? Since she dived her behind into that water on the mountain. I don’t know. There was still at least two years of school left before they graduated during the Turbo times. Katherine is the Pink Zeo Ranger, so unless they don’t do the whole thing where Katherine is evil and working for Rita (which means NO KATHERINE) then it’s not like Kimberly can actively age out. Like I said, the only new rangers I really liked and cared about until we had new people completely was Adam and Tanya. Soooo I don’t know lol. But since I want her with Tommy, it might be good to have her not leave prematurely at all.
Billy- Later, he becomes like the “man in the chair” for the team when they take the Zeo powers and Rocky becomes the Blue Zeo Ranger. So, perhaps if they all graduated out, then Billy can find Rocky, perhaps Rocky is nice to him or something, and he chooses him to take his place as the new Ranger. That would allow Rocky to have importance because when he was the Red MMPR he was pretty useless since Tommy was the leader and technically the Red Ranger is the leader and it was awkward sometimes lol. Makes more sense to me.
Tommy- In the show, he loses his green ranger powers, which is fine if they do that in the movie, but instead of making him the White Ranger, they should just wait on discovering Rocky until the Zeo era, if they do that, and let Jason pass on the Red Ranger powers to Tommy. Which would be a nice thing since they started off kind of adversaries and had to build a trusting friendship. I think that’s better than giving the red ranger powers to some random kid who never really gets to be the leader. So when he becomes the Red Zeo Ranger, it’s seamless. It just flows better to me.

Overall

I just want this movie to really pull from the show in how the characters interacted with each other because they were all friends, even if some were closer than others. That’s fine. I just want this sequel to be stronger than the first movie. Let’s get those rangers in at the beginning, audiences want to see the power rangers, so make sure they have the chance to suit up throughout. It was great finally seeing them suit up in the last act of the film, but this time, we know they can morph, we know they’re a team, so let’s get it!

Rita needs to come back, but not as the main villain, get Lord Zedd to have her saved, so she can destroy the rangers and try to destroy the goodness that’s in Tommy Oliver in the process. We need Tommy Oliver in the sequel because he is iconic, whether you like him or not. It took a while for him to officially join the team, doesn’t mean he’s going to take over, really have him have to integrate into the team because teenage friendships are really formed in a day. Really allow the Green Ranger to be an adversary for the others, which means MORE RANGER SCREEN TIME! It would be awesome. I feel like the sequel could be great if they really took their time to make sure it flows as a movie.

Look, I will help, I will do the hard work. Let me help! Give me a call! I mean seriously. Either way, I think Saban will make Tommy a dude, because while it would be interesting for him to be a girl, it wouldn’t work. If you’re interested to know why I think that, you can comment below and we can chat, but at the end of the day, HIRE BOOBOO STEWART!!!!

Don’t forget to like and comment on this blog! Also follow for more discussions like this!

giphy

This video below is for your viewing pleasure. It is a SCI-Fi teaser, that I think is being turned into a full length movie, not too sure, but it stars Booboo Stewart and THIS is why he should play Tommy Oliver in the Power Rangers sequel.

You guys! The official trailer for Aladdin dropped and I think it’s glorious!

Now, I’ve only done this one other time and it was when Beauty and the Beast came out, you can look at that reaction here. I won’t do it all the time, but maybe just for the Disney ones, I don’t know. But I knew I wanted to do it for this.

So here is Agrabah, at least the lower levels and I think it really gives this world some depth and I like how not only does it remind me of the animated film, but it kind of makes its own way.

THEN DISNEY LOGO. Side note, does anyone remember the old Disney intro with Sorcerer’s Apprentice Mickey Mouse using magic to make the Disney logo appear? If I find it while writing this, I’ll add it to the final edit.

FOUND IT!

But he gets in there and the inside looks really cool! He’s climbing on giant rocks to the lamp and we get the shot we got at the end of that very first teaser.

Definitely has some of that Fresh Prince flair to it doesn’t it? I’m actually here for it more than I was before.

A WHOLE NEW WORLD!! I think they sound really good together. I’m really interested in this scene too, so iconic. I keep saying that but it’s so true! The carpet looks great, she looks great, he looks great. *sighs* I need this movie now.

So while this song is playing, we see a couple of other clips. One of Aladdin and Jasmine dancing and I love her peacock shawl thing, y’all I’m drooling over the costumes.

Ya’ll let me tell y’all how excited I am. I mean, I think it’ll be good. I’m not sure how good but I think it will be worth the watch because this trailer was everything. I like the casting, I LOVE the costumes and from what we hear of the music I really like that as well.

No matter what you think of the whole reimagining into live action, there are some things to be added and newly experienced for these new movies. Also the official poster is dope.

So that’s my “reaction” to the official trailer. I’ve seen a lot of people saying that they’re more interested in it now because of this trailer and I think that’s great news because I think it deserves a chance.

What are your thoughts on the Aladdin trailer? Let me know your thoughts down below!

Thanks for reading!

So, listen, I’ve wanted to do a piece on what I thought about Disney’s live action trek through our childhood memories. I did one a couple of years ago when Beauty and the Beast was coming out. You can read Disney Remakes Thoughts and the Beauty and the Beast review.

The Casting

So obviously I thought it was important to have a cast full of people of color for this movie because of where it’s set. Sure, Agrabah is a fake country but it is based on real places. I remember back when they officially announced it, everyone wanted Avan Jogia to play Aladdin.

Obviously I get it, I mean back in the day, I would have been like yasss, but I like the guy they got to play Aladdin.

The Costumes

But I think the costumes in Aladdin look so good so far.

But I’m still optimistic. Update: I started writing this on 2/12/2019 and I have to say the blue look is growing on me. It’s still jarring but it’s growing on me.

The Music

Thanks for reading my quick thoughts on the upcoming Aladdin movie! Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Are you not impressed? Why not? Are you excited? Tell me why! I’m interested in hearing from you!

I’m sure there is also going to be a lot of movies that pop up during the year that won’t be on this list but that’s fine because this list contains the movies that I know about.

So, just like last year, I’m going to do my most anticipated movies by month.

January

Glass- January 18: Security guard David Dunn uses his supernatural abilities to track Kevin Wendell Crumb, a disturbed man who has twenty-four personalities. I still have to watch Unbreakable, but Split was legit so I’m down for this movie.

February

Happy Death Day 2U- Feb 14: Tree Gelbman discovers that dying over and over was surprisingly easier than the dangers that lie ahead. I thoroughly enjoyed the first one so I’m down for this one.

March

Greta- March 1: A young woman befriends a lonely widow. I saw this trailer on YouTube and it looks bonkers! I’m down.

April

Avengers: Endgame-April 26: The Plot is unknown. Listen, Infinity War kicked me in the stomach so I’m ready. I don’t even care if they have the Care Bears come down and do a Care Bear stare, I’m there.

May

John Wick: Chapter 3- May 17: Plot Unknown but it’s the third installment in the series. John Wick kicks ass and I’m there.

Aladdin- May 24, 2019: A live-action retelling of the 1992 Disney film of the same name. I AM SO OPTIMISTIC! I’m curious because Guy Ritchie has a certain style and I wonder if it’ll fit this kind of movie. I really hope it’s good and I’m there.

June

Toy Story 4-June 21, 2019. When a new toy called “Forky” joins Woody and the gang, a road trip alongside old and new friends reveals how big the world can be for a toy. Do we really need another Toy Story film? Not really… but will I be watching it? Most definitely.

July

The Lion King- July 19, 2019: CGI re-imagining of the 1994 Disney classic. I wouldn’t call it “live action” it’s a CGI remake and I’m there. I thought the teaser was lovely, Simba was so precious and I’m curious to see how they’ve updated it. I’m into it.

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood-July 26, 2019: A faded TV actor and his stunt double embark on an odyssey to make a name for themselves in the film industry during the Helter Skelter reign of terror in 1969 Los Angeles. This has a great cast.

August

The New Mutants-August 2, 2019: Five young mutants, just discovering their abilities while held in a secret facility against their will, fight to escape their past sins and save themselves. Another year and no movie, so I’m still waiting to see it!

September

October

November

Kingsman 3-November 8. Plot unknown. I loved the first one, the second one was just okay, so I hope this one brings the trilogy back to being solid.

December

Jumanji 2- December 13. Plot unknown. I really liked the first one to my surprise so I’m curious to see what they do for the sequel.

Star Wars: Episode IX-December 20. Plot unknown. I have come to terms that I am not a big Star Wars fan. I enjoy the movies and I have enjoyed the new trilogy, so I’m interested in seeing the last one.

Not really Anticipating but want to see:

January

A WHOLE NEW WORLD!! I think they sound really good together. I’m really interested in this scene too, so iconic. I keep saying that but it’s so true! The carpet looks great, she looks great, he looks great. sighs I need this movie now.