Star Wars Disney + TV Review: ****The Skeleton Crew (2024-2025)

 This is an exciting Star Wars show.  There are eight episodes.  The premise is a group of four children enter a space ship, not realizing it is a space ship, and end up launching themselves into space.  Turns out the ship they are on is connected with pirates, and manned by a robot, SM33.  SM33 is programed with the pirate code, but a great part of his memory is missing.  At any rate when the kids ask him to take them home, he takes them to a pirate port.  This is where they meet Jod Na Nawood, who has Jedi traits; including a light saber and ability to use telekinesis.  

The kids are from the planet At Attin, a mythical planet where there gold credits are manufactured.  However it is also a hidden world.  The kids hold the key to finding the planet, and are much wanted.  When Nawood befriends them, does he want to help them, or exploit them.  

In the meantime the parents of the children are determined to find their children as the local government is not helping.  Government is totally droid, and the administrator is a large computer.

I would recommend this ride for anyone into Star Wars.

Jude Law as Jod Na Nawood, a mysterious pirate/Jedi?

Ravi Cabot-Conyers as Wim. Youth from At Attin and discovers what he thinks might be a Jedi temple

Ryan Kiera Armstrong as Fern. A youth whose mother is an administrator,  She races scooters and is up for a good adventure

Kyriana Kratter as KB. Fern's friend who has a cyborg implant due to an accident

Robert Timothy Smith as Neel. A Myykian boy (elephant like being) who is Wim's best friend.  

Nick Frost as SM33. A pirate robot who is voiced by Frost.  He is discovered on the ship which use to belong to a pirate captain that had discovered to location of At Attin.  

Star Wars Reviews

***** Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)  

****^ Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

***** Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)

** The Ewok Adventure TV Movie (1984)

**^ Ewoks: The Battle for Endor TV Movie (1985)

****^ Star Wars: Episode I - Phantom Menace (1999)

***^ Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002)

**** Star Wars: Clone Wars (2003-2005) animated for TV

**** Star Wars: Episode III - The Revenge of the Sith (2005)

Star Wars: The Clone Wars ( 2008-2020)

Star Wars: Rebels (2014-2018)

**** Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015)

****^ Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) 

**** Star Wars Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (2017)

**** Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)

Star Wars: Resistance (2018-2020)

Star Wars: ***** Mandalorian (2019 - )

****^ Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker (2019)

***^ The Book of Boba Fett (2021-2022)

****^. Star Wars: The Bad Batch. (2021-2024)

**** TV animated Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi (2022)

****^ TV Star Wars: Obi Wan Kenobi (2022)

****^TV Star Wars: Andor (2022)

****^ Ahsoka (2023)

 **^ TV Star Wars: The Acolyte (2024)

**** TV Star Wars: Skeleton Crew (2025)

Star Wars Disney + TV Review: **^The Acolyte

 I did not like this series as much as other Star Wars projects.  They went to great lengths to make the Jedi look bad and be the villains, and the witches the good people.  Also too much "woke" for my tastes.  (The witches conceive the twins without benefit of a man.)  But then they do have light sabers and light saber duels; but the final goal is to kill a Jedi without a weapon.  

Lee Jung-Jae as Master Sol

Amandla Stenberg as twins Mae and Osha Aniseya

Manny Jacinto as The Stranger and Qimir

Movie Review: At the Movies: ****Captain America: Brave New World (2025)

 I found this movie very entertaining.  The president (Harrison Ford) is the character Thaddeus Ross, who had a thing against the Hulk.  This seems to still influence him, as his daughter, Betty Ross (Liv Tyler) avoids him as a result, and he is trying to prove that he has changed.

The part of the movie which is a bit confusing as an island has appeared with a new mineral more precious than vibranium.  The show starts with Falcon/Captain America (Anthony Mackie) and Joaquin Torres (Danny Ramirez) recovering it.  As a result they are invited to the Whitehouse.  Isaiah Bradley (Carl Lumbley) the African American who was not accepted as a super hero but incarcerated for 30 years for experimentation by Ross, attends with them.  

At the reception, Bradley, along with five other attendees start shooting at the president; however they do not kill him.  They are all arrested.  The President had asked Captain America to reform the Avengers, but withdraws the offer and doesn't want anything to do with Captain America.  Ruth Bat-Seraph (Shira Haas) portrays the secret service agent assigned to resolve the assassination attempt.  She is a former Black Widow.  

Samuel Sterns (Tim Blake Nelson) is the man behind all the bad stuff happening, including mind control and use of the super-human serum.  He almost brings the U.S. and Japan to war fighting over the new mineral.  When things to be almost resolved; they are not.  We are introduced to a new Hulk and Captain America has met his match.

TV miniseries Review: Marvel Disney+: ****The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021)

 This is wonderful extension of the Captain America saga, as the title changes hands.  At first Sam Wilson isn't sure if he can take up the mantle of Captain America, so gives up the shield.  Bucky, who was the Captain's best friend is disappointed.  The government gives the shield and title to John Walker.  

Our heroes are confronted by a group of super soldiers called the Flag Smashers.  They are feeling life was better off during the period of the blip, when resources weren't spread so thin.  Now there are millions of people who have reappeared and are basically homeless, or putting others out.  Karli Morgenthau is the leader of this group.  With their super strength they are formidable combatants. The Falcon and Bucky are out to track them down.  They are joined in the hunt by Zemo and Sharon Carter.  John Walker, Captain America tracks them down by following The Falcon.   

After taking the last dosage of super soldier serum, John Walker disgraces the shield.  This leads to a major confrontation between he, and The Falcon and Bucky.  The Falcon is now ready to take up the mantl of Captain America.  

Subplots include Isaiah Bradley, who was given serum some 30 years prior, but his African American status lead to his incarceration for 30 years while the experimented on him.  Joaquin Torres is The Falcon's liaison in the military.  Another subplot is Sam Wilson's family's struggling business, and Bucky coming to terms with his past as The Winter Soldier, where under mind control he killed many people.  In the end the government is going to. do better to reconcile with the ideas of the Flag Smashers.

Anthony Mackie as The Falcon, Captain America, Sam Wilson.

Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes, The Winter Soldier.

Erin Kellyman as Karli Morgenthau, leader of the Flag Smashers.

Wyatt Russell as John Walker, Captain America, U.S.Agent.

Daniel Brühl as Baron Helmut Zemo.

Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres.

Emily VanCamp as Sharon Carter, Power Broker, a former SHIELD agent.

Carl Lumbly as Isaiah Bradley

PBS TV Review: ****^Death Comes to Pemberly

 This is a tv miniseries presented on PBS Masterpiece.  There are three episodes.  It is very well done and captures the characters of the previouse PBS miniseries Pride and Prejudice but with all different actors.  Many times I was reminded of the original characters, their mannerisms and personalities, which was very gratifying as this presentation as a continuation of the characters.  The Darcys have a son, and the household is preparing for a ball.  However the preparations are halted after Lydia shows up the the estate in hysterics.  Her husband, and Denny went into the woods, and then two shots were hear, which spooked the horses and they were guided to Pemberly.  

A search party is formed and the discover that Denny has been murdered; and it looks like Wickham is the culprit.  Although Denny and Wickham are best friends.  Lydia was not invited to the ball, due to past issues with Wickham and Darcy's sister; but she came anyway thinking Darcy would not turn her away.

It is clear that Denny and Wickham were having an argument.  And Wickham first said he was responsible for Denny's death; but he insists he did not kill him.  He saw someone else in the woods and shot Denny's pistol in the general direction.  Wickham is arrested and held over for trial.

Other story incudes the courtship of Georgianna by Colonel Fitzwilliam, and the barrister Henry Alveston.  When the drams is at its worse, Eliza's sister Jane shows up to restore calm to Eliza.  She has a way of seeing good.  This story is well told.  It is based on a book by P.D. James.  It was published in 2011 when James was 91.  James is a mistery writer and there is the flavor of mystery and sleuthing in this book.

This story is very well told.  I like coming back to these characters.  The movie maintains their characters very well.

Anna Maxwell Martin as Elizabeth Darcy, Matthew Rhys as Fitzwilliam Darcy, Matthew Goode as George Wickham, Jenna Coleman as Lydia Wickham, Tom Ward as Colonel Fitzwilliam, Eleanor Tomlinson as Georgiana Darcy, Alexandra Moen as Jane Bingley and James Norton as Henry Alveston.

Movie Review: ****^ Unbreakable (2000)

 In "Unbreakable" we are introduced to a new superhero, and his nemesis.  The superhero, David Dunn, aka security, hero is portrayed by Bruce Willis.  The nemesis is Elijah Price or Glass and is portrayed by Samuel Jackson.  Robin Wright portrays Dunn's wife, and Charlayne Woodard, Price's mother.  

Dunn survives a train crash, with no injuries, in which everyone else passes away.  In then meets the comic book salesman, Price, who convinces Dunn that he has super abilities.  He also tells him that he has never been sick, other than almost drowning.  They determine water is his kryptonite.  

Price has had an opposite life.  He is born with a genetic defect in which his bones are brittle.  He has been in and out of hospitals, and his mother accused of child abuse.  

Dunn begins to test his abilities with his son (Spencer Treat Clark).  He lifts heavier and heavier weight.  He really is a superhero.  He also has a sense which tells him others have done wrong.  With this ability he is able to save several people, and makes it into the papers.  His wife knows nothing of his training and tests, but he lets his son know.

The whole plot changes when Dunn touches Price and sees the terrible things he has done. I highly recommend this movie.

Movie Review: **Flow (2024)

 Watched the movie "Flow" on Max last night and ended with the feeling, "I don't get the point."  It was a movie about four animals, five if you count the bird, who travel together.  Only four make it to the end where they see themselves reflected in a pool as a team.  The animals are cat, dog, lemur and capybara.  They are even from different continents so in the respect the movie does not make sense.  Capybara is from South America, lemur from Africa.  I read some reviews which points out that the movie is about working together with those you don't really trust.  I felt the highlight was when the cat caught fish for the others, which was ruined by the dogs they took on; one of them ate all the fish.  I thought about taking the grandkids to this movie, but I am glad I didn't.  There was no dialogue in the entire film.  Just a flood that would never stop.