Review: Wrestle Kingdom 20 says farewell to the ace as NJPW begins a hopeful new era

 During the late 2010s, I couldn’t get enough of New Japan Pro Wrestling. This was a period of very poor WWE creative, so NJPW for me as a grapple fan was a breath of fresh air, providing a well structured and exciting product with a sports based narrative that also threw in some eccentric and fun characters. Sadly, around 2020 the company was badly damaged by the global Covid epidemic, and in subsequent years they had fallen victim to static booking, injuries, and their top talent leaving for other companies seeking better pay.

But in the last couple of years, NJPW has seen more tighter booking and deeper investment in its younger talent, and now they’re in a bit of a transitioning period. Every January 4th since 1989, New Japan has held  their annual blowoff super show in the Yomuiri Giants’s home venue, Tokyo Dome, in what has served as essentially their WrestleMania equivalent. We’ve got over 45,000 in the building tonight, their largest number since the farewell show of company founder Antonio Inoki in 1996 and their inter promotional work with UWFI and WCW.

Hiroshi Tanahashi, their top performer throughout most of the 21st-century is at the end of his final year and he’s retiring on this show, which admittedly is a good reason as to why they sold out the Tokyo Dome for the first time after the glory years of the 1990s. Were they able to stick the landing and deliver a product that promises bright and exciting shows ahead, especially since they are looking to revive their international expansion business? Let’s find out. 

Six-Man Tag Ranbo 

Shota Umino, on a team with fellow young stars Kaisei Takeuchi and Yuya Uemura, has fallen quite a bit on the card as he was the previous co-main eventer last year, losing to Zack Sabre Jr. I know he gets a ton of flack and people think he sucks and he’s dorky, but I’m always supportive of an unironic baby face character, so I’m still rooting for him on his “second chapter.” However, he and the good boys quickly get out popped and shown up by cool heels Yuto-Ice and Clark Connors, who get a bit more crowd support.

YOH is a stand out in this match, who has developed more of a manic and comedic edge to his character since his days in the junior tag division. Currently he’s imitating his mentor Toru Yano, still a great comedy wrestler in his own right, and YOH apes his act almost beat for beat. This isn’t enough to stop ZSJ to eventually grabbing a clutch pin on Boltin Oleg, earning another championship for himself and his fellow TMDK members.

IWGP Women’s Championship/Women’s STRONG Championship: Syuri vs Saya Kamitani 

So I was a bit familiar with some of Syuri’s work and I like her well enough, but Kamitani blew me away in this match. Everything about Saya screams “ future crossover star” to me, she just feels like a total package and I would not be shocked if WWE starts showing interest in her over the next few years (her blue thunder bomb rivals Sami Zayn’s). So yeah, these two definitely set out to innovate women’s Japanese wrestling on a major male dominated show and I think they succeeded. 

Syuri’s armbar is absolutely brutal and I was convinced that was the finish when she broke it out. There’s just near fall after near fall in this match and it reminded me a lot of the kind of style of wrestling you would see in the 1990s All Japan women scene, that same sort of relentlessness. A Death Valley Driver variation eliminates Kamitani to make Syuri a double champion. Very hard hitting affair from both competitors here, as they were seeking to steal the show (or at least the early part of it) with what time they were allotted.

Special Ten Man Tag Match: Hiromu Takahashi, Gabe Kidd, Shingo Takagi, Drilla Maloney and David Finley vs. Great O-Khan, Andrade El Idolo, Callum Newman and “X”

David Finley has a giant toy minigun with him, and sadly they couldn’t get one to fire out some blanks but I can see how that’d have been costly and a bit dangerous perhaps. The United Empire’s mystery partner is Jake Lee, an especially nasty heel who came to prominence in rival promotions like AJPW and Noah. His walk out music is weirdly low key by pro wrestling standards- it reminds me of how Shawn Michaels used to come out to “Rhapsody In Blue” and WWF had to switch to the (iconic) rock song “Sexy Boy” to fit HBK’s faster wrestling style better.

While I’m not the biggest fan of Andrade character or interview wise (I think he can be a bit one note in those departments), he’s always impressive in the ring and he seems like he’d fit well in a more in-ring oriented company like New Japan (and hopefully with a manager or mouthpiece). 

Shortly after Shingo spends some time fending off an assault from O’Khan and Henare, followed by a fun Drilla showcase, Hiromu getting an awesome superplex spot off the top rope and mugging for the camera running around the ring triumphantly, it ends with Jake Lee kicking him in the head twice for the pin I get they’re trying to put Jake Lee over, but that is insanely anti-climatic. 

Four way match for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship’s #1 contendor spot: Kosei Fujita vs Taiji Ishimori vs SHO vs El Desperado 

The reigning juniors champion DOUKI is more than happy to let his four potential competitors rip each other apart. I can’t help but laugh as while the other three are trying to out aura-farm the others during their entrances, SHO comes out looking like a complete nutjob in a hoodie that looks like something Juri from Street Fighter would wear and a TitanTron that calls everyone in the arena “bumpkins”. As you might imagine, the match opens with the others beating the absolute piss out of SHO and briefly throwing him out.

While much of this match is the usual fun and fast junior’s division excitement you would come to expect, there is a ton of interference from members of the factions- goons from TMDK and the House of Torture run in to help SHO and Fujita gain advantages. 

Soon, SHO gets caught off guard and Desperado is able to hit him with Pinche Loco for the victory and #1 contender spot. DOUKI loses his shit at ringside and Despy shouts threats at him to my great amusement.

Just a quick note; the crowd isn’t *dead* for the opening four matches, they’re still clearly enjoying the show, but they’re mainly here for the last three matches (particularly the Tanahashi finale) and they get notably louder at this stage.

NEVER Openweight Championship: EVIL vs Aaron Wolf 

One thing that I find interesting about New Japan is how so many storylines tend to revolve around wrestling styles -notably, this one with Olympic gold medalist and rookie signee Aaron Wolf. It’s focused on resident bully and former three-belt IWGP champion EVIL’s refusal to take him seriously, and Wolf being put off by the House of Torture’s underhanded tactics. But EVIL isn’t just a brawler who only falls back on cheating and weapons- Wolf quickly learns that his first rival is still a dangerous strong style power wrestler once the bell rings.

Wolf is able to get a decent early flurry, but EVIL quickly takes advantage and nails Wolf with an assisted chair shot on the ramp, laughing maniacally at the camera. After a few near falls and then pretty much getting mauled by the H.O.T, Aaron Wolf manages to hook EVIL into a submission hold for the win and the NEVER Championship…in his first official match.

At first glance, it looks as if this finish might damage EVIL’s credibility, but keep in mind that NJPW has a history of promoting Olympic caliber athletes to emphasize a sense of believability in the company narrative, so I was fine with this. Wolf lost the advantage often but he relied on his judo skills, got the hold he needed, and secured the victory. It makes sense.

IWGP World Heavyweight Championship/Global Championship: Konosuke Takeshita vs. Yota Tsuji

Speaking of those unique storytelling approaches in New Japan, here’s a conflict revolving around title lineage and how important tradition should be. Tsuji, one of the company’s “three musketeer” young stars alongside Umino and Ren Narita, is like a number other NJPW fans who think that the world heavyweight belt sucks and they want the design of the old IWGP heavyweight belt and it’s timeline to return.  

On the other side, you have Konosuke as the defending champion, multi-promotion star who feels Tsuji is living in the past and considers himself the guy who lead NJPW into the future properly. As entertaining as I find Konosuke on AEW television with Don Callis (the guy’s crazy bell to bell and he’s an underrated talker), I have to side with the NJPW commentators in them stating that NJPW badly needs a win against “outsider talent”, which is how the New Japan fandom has branded Konosuke as the champion. Also, Tsuji’s Humphrey Bogart gear for his Marlowe pudding sponsorship is pretty boss. 

It’s deceptive how much power Konosuke has behind his attacks, because were this still in the Hogan-inspired 80s, he would be considered a smaller heavyweight. However in this era, he feels like even more of a beast , so him dominating a larger wrestler like Tsuji doesn’t look all that unbelievable to me. Likewise, Tsuji’s athleticism for his size has to be considered, because he’s pulling out flying head scissors, Canadian destroyers and dives over the top rope in this thing.  

The match starts off slowly but picks up the pace rapidly in the second half, and Konosuke can’t believe that his top rope blue thunder bomb wasn’t enough to put Tsuji away. That quickly becomes the least of his worries after Tsuji eventually smashes him with a Gene Blast spear and locks in the Boston crab for the win and his first world championship. 

I’m a fan of both guys, but this was definitely the correct booking decision, as NJPW is desperately going to need its own “QB1” type character in the post Tanahashi and Okada years ahead. Jake Lee isn’t willing to let Tsuji get any rest though, quickly attacking the new champion in a bid to get signed as his first challenger. 

Hiroshi Tanahashi’s Retirement Match: Kazuchika Okada vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi 

I’m sorry, but I still miss Okada’s old theme. I get that he needed a change and the new one goes hard, but the first Rainmaker theme had that memorable riff to it. As banged up as he is physically, Tanahashi looks unbelievably young for his age and experience level. Not a surprise he was such a heartthrob with female fans for so many years. Oh, and I’m pretty damn sure Okada watched the Gunther/Cena match. Both him and Tana, probably. These two always gel well together, as Tanahashi’s comeback heavy approach fits Okada’s more methodical style like a glove. 

Tana knows that this is his final time to show out so he pulls out a crossbody and some other cool exciting spots, still keeping pace with his long time foil Okada as he tries to muster as much “Never Give Up” spirit as he’s got left. He’s got his own style of tributes to formal rivals and contemporaries, using Katsuyori Shibata’s Sleeper into Penalty Kick, and Shinsuke Nakamura’s bomaye knee. 

Instead of his classic Rainmaker pose, Okada instead flips the 45K Tokyo Dome fans the bird, much like he did to me when he and AEW came to St. Louis. It looks like he’s enjoying playing the villain, but you know this is an emotional moment for him. And even after he hits Tanahashi with a final Rainmaker lariat for the win, he gives the ace of the universe his respect and thanks him.

It’s striking to me how different Tana’s retirement run was so different philosophically from the Cena tour. That US- based campaign was meant to surprise fans and shake up their sensibilities, while NJPW was focused on simply celebrating what he meant to the company during his career. While he has gotten mixed reactions at some points, there wasn’t any sort of heel turn in 2025, or crazy booking decisions or serious title runs. Just a few select matches with top level opponents and up-and-coming stars, one last match at the Tokyo Dome, and tributes from various legends and wrestlers- some contracted with other companies that he faced over the years (Kenny Omega, Keiji Mutoh, Tetsuya Naito, Jay White, etc). Tana’s last year in-ring was both sincerely moving, and yet fairly conservative booking wise.

So do I think the show accomplished its goal? Yeah, I’d say so. It’s an ideal tribute to one of the promotion’s most consequential figures, and a good jumping off point to introduce new fans to the rising talent. This is a more truncated Wrestle Kingdom than normal because of television time limits for NJPW sponsors, but it still gets the job done, especially for anyone who’s even casually followed Tanahashi’s industry-changing career. Maybe sometimes it really is better to keep things simple.

Review: Vecna raises hell in Hawkins one more time in the climatic fifth Stranger Things season

 

I’ll make the argument that 1987 musically might have been the best year of that decade, delivering classic after classic. You had Prince’s Sign O’ The Times, Michael Jackson’s Bad, Guns ‘n Roses’ Appetite For Destruction, Bryan Ferry’s Bete Noire, LL Cool J’s Bigger and Deffer, Fleetwood Mac’s Tango In The Night, I could go on and on if I wanted. Sadly, new local DJ Robin Buckley (Maya Hawke) can’t play any of it. 

In the fifth and final season of Netflix’s fantasy/horror tentpole Stranger Things, her main priority on air is keeping the citizens of Hawkins comforted as they deal with a military occupation, while she and her friends make plans for a final battle with the forces of the Upside Down, and beyond. The vengeful dark lord Vecna’s latest plan involves his new persona, a seemingly friendly chap named Mr. Whatzit, played by Jamie Campbell Bower as a manipulative Pied Piper/Mr. Rogers hybrid. 

While the Stranger Gang is searching for an entrance into Vecna’s hideout, as Whatzit he’s hatching a scheme to brainwash the children of Hawkins as his batteries to gain even more power- including Nancy (Natalia Dyer) and Mike’s (Finn Wolfhard) kid sister Holly (Nell Fisher) and local dweeb Derek (Jake Connolly, in a breakout comedic performance), trapped inside Whatzit’s mind-prison.

And to make matters even more stressful, the government hasn’t given up their hope of using the demogorgons and other Upside Down monstrosities as weapons in the ongoing Cold War. Linda Hamilton as the ruthless and evil army Doctor Kay is incredibly chilling and convincing, not having lost any of her presence from playing the far more sympathetic Sarah Connor so many years ago.

The personal conflicts of our heroes weigh just as heavily on their peace of mind as the slimy creeps they’re battling. Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) is still mourning the loss of his friend Eddie, which is also affecting his relationship with Steve (Joe Keery). Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin) is still focused getting Max (Sadie Sink) out of her coma in the real world, but she’s busy herself guiding Max through Vecna’s psychic lair. Winona Ryder and David Harbour are both still super charming as Joyce and Hopper’s relationship continues developing, and of course Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) is as determined and heartfelt as she’s ever been. All I’ll say is that you won’t hear “Purple Rain” ever the same again.

Will Byers (Noah Schapp) is experiencing more unsettling visions than usual, tying both into abilities he wasn’t aware of possessing, and his own identity. (And without giving it away, I’ll just say this: you already knew it. They hinted at it in season two with Will feeling distraught over possibly becoming more distant from Mike. The actor already confirmed this about Will’s character before this season aired, so if you’re bothered by it for whatever weird reason, you can’t say the showrunners didn’t give you a heads up.) 

Each season of Stranger Things has had its own a theme to it. Season two revolved around the Halloween party and the curse, season three was about the Star Court mall and Hopper’s more parental relationship with Eleven, and in season four you have the Russians and the Hellfire Club, but season five is more like everyone in Hawkins is just tired of this Vecna shit, and they just wanna get it done and over with.

Well okay, that’s what it’s like at first- but gradually as it progresses, it becomes more about the Stranger Things kids letting go of their childhood and moving on to the next chapter of their lives. It feels like they went with the ending they did because they wanted to leave events open ended enough to where they can produce a revival series down the road.

Personally, I’m fine with the Duffers leaving the series at this point, because I feel it’s a nice bow on what’s basically a really good series of young-adult adventure novels, only in the form of a television series. The kids are at a stage where they’re looking forward to their adult days and interests past the Upside Down, but also where things can still be done with the characters if they so chose. 

It’s another season of intense acting, spooky stuff and nostalgia retro appeal, and Murray (Brett Gelman) and Erica (Priah Ferguson) being their usual hilarious selves, so I don’t have too much to complain about personally as a fan since 2016. Here’s looking forward to the upcoming animated Stranger Things adaptation set in 1985.

Review: In Marty Supreme, Timothee Chalamet terrorizes table tennis and everyone in the vicinity

 

If you were as much of a fan of Josh Safdie’s darkly comedic thriller Uncut Gems as I was, I’m happy to report that his newest film Marty Supreme is equally as fun for similar reasons. Like Adam Sandler’s underhanded and desperate jeweler, the title character is another man fixated on a single objective and they’ll do anything to achieve their goal, even while they’re fully aware their life is going completely to hell. 

But as the old saying goes, the root of the best comedy is suffering. Leading man Timothee Chalamet shows his usual wide range here, able to balance an unstable energy with a sharp charisma and sense of guile. 

Bored with his life as a shoe salesman, Marty Mauser swipes 700 bucks from his uncle’s safe in order to fund his trip to England to compete in a table tennis competition he’s something of a prodigy- with the help of his friend Dion (Luke Manley) he even has his own customized orange ping-pong balls- and he sure as hell isn’t going to let you forget it. Marty is temperamental, smart mouthed, absurdly impulsive, and unsympathetic to proper social conduct, and he sees all of this as a decided advantage. He doesn’t have time for you 1950s-era normies, he’s a man on a quest. 

His misadventures actually have a lot of variety to him, including his fling with the local pet store owner Rachel (Odessa A’zion, who may rival Chalamet for having the best performance in the entire movie), his other affair with a glamorous movie star played by Gwyneth Paltrow (who he’s also willing to steal from, by the way), running from angry mobs with his taxi driver friend and fellow table tennis player Wally (Tyler Okonma), having complete meltdowns after losing to his hearing-impaired rival Koto Endo (Koto Kawaguchi), and attempting to get to Japan for a rematch, even if it means working with literal gangsters (Abel Ferrera).

Two of Josh Safdie’s films working with his brother, the aforementioned Uncut Gems and Good Time, revolved around protagonists going through a complete crash out in the midst of trying to achieve their goals. This is his first film as a solo writer/director, and it still shows some of those same narrative tendencies, but I don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing. Like Adam Sandler’s loser jeweler Howard Ratner and Connie the bank robber played by Robert Pattinson, Timothee turns in a strong performance as a complete failure who still keeps at it- in spite of all the problems they cause themselves. 

But the supporting cast easily adds a lot to it, especially A’zion as someone who genuinely cares about Marty despite also being understandably fed up with him. I would certainly like to see Tyler the creator do more acting because even though in this movie he’s partially playing himself a bit, he has enough screen, presence and personality to where I’d love to see him in different roles. 

The main appeal of Marty Supreme is that Mr. Mauser is basically an agent of chaos- but even though he’s massively flawed and self-centered, unlike the Joker he still has enough charm to keep the audience invested as he gravitates from one misadventure to the next.  But one factor as to why everything flows so smoothly is that Marty can’t avoid karma- his immaturity and inexperience gets him hustled fairly often, and his poor decisions frequently come back to pop him from behind (without giving anything away, this is both figurative and literal) You might ask yourself, how are they able to get such an entertaining tale out of someone so unlikable? It’s basically schadenfreude. 

Because while Marty does have some wit and charm about him, he doesn’t know how to utilize it to properly function in society so he’s a character you’re meant to laugh *at*, as opposed to alongside. He insists that he’s a young man seeking purpose, and the movie does agree with him, just not in how he expected. can easily recommend Marty Supreme as another fun dark comedic adventure from Safdie and A24, one that- while this song is not used in the film- feels, to me, like the cinematic equivalent of the Rolling Stones’ You Can’t Always Get What You Want. 

Review: You can laugh at Avatar: Fire and Ash all you want, I love my crazy jungle Smurfs

 

I can now see why James Cameron went with Sam Worthington to play Jake Sulley in the Avatar films- he’s never been a super electric presence and I remember many critics perceiving him as a bit flat in that first 2009 entry. But I think he strikes the right tone for who he’s supposed to be, a stern marine grunt who’s getting accustomed to life in a new world. 

Worthington is particularly good in this newest movie Fire and Ash, where he and his Na’vi family are now defending the land of Pandora from two separate threats, on top of some heavy family conflicts. This third movie is definitely one that does not give a damn how anyone new to the series feels about it, as Cameron proudly writes his characters melodramatically, seriously and emotionally, with *just* enough subtle humor to break up the tension. 

He's a bit throwback in that sense, and that gives the Avatar series a unique tone that really isn't like any other big property recently. Because of that, I see why it's picked up such a strong cult following. With me, I thought the first film was okay enough, but I found myself charmed more by The Way Of Water than I had expected.

This time, the Sulley family is still reeling from the loss of Meteyam (Jamie Flatters, who displays a lot of warmth in brief spirit-form cameos). But if you thought Cameron was going to give our blue alien friends a break, think again- now they and the Metekayinas have to contend with both the human colonizers, led by Stephen Lang’s Colonel Quaritch (still in his blue alien form), and now the fearsome warrior Varang (Oona Chaplin) and her Mangkwan tribe. 

And things don’t get any easier when the two of them spark up a sinister relationship. So of course, they decide to take over Pandora together. Even by PG-13 standards these two are an insanely freaky couple, and they had my theater going “oooooh” at points.

Making matters more complicated is Quaritch’s continued pursuit of his estranged son Spider (Jack Champion) living as a Sulley, and it’s weighing heavily on the mind of family matriarch Neytiri (Zoe Salanda), who is developing a hatred of the human “sky-people” and she starts to wonder; is Spider really worth all of this trouble?

So I do agree that Lang does steal many scenes in this film, he and Chaplin are super entertaining, but I still was mainly invested in the Sulley drama. There’s a limit to it granted, because Cameron does still understand that he wants the audience to rally behind his heroes, but they do take the Spider dilemma to very intense levels, and Worthington, Salanda and Champion are quite convincing.

Chaplin’s performance as Varang is both threatening and scary, but also genuinely funny just through how theatrical and campy her portrayal of the evil tribal leader is. Salanda gets a lot to chew on through Neytiri’s arc, and you can see why she’s become so attached to this character over time. 

Sigourney Weaver as Kiri still sounds like a very deep-voiced teenager, and I can tell she’s trying to pitch up her voice as much as she can. I do feel she nails her emotional scenes well, though. Shoutouts also go to the arc that their son Lo’ak goes on with the whales, and him still feeling guilty over the loss of Meteyam- with Britain Dalton’s performance being a notable standout.

Thinking back to how stuff like, say Captain America: Brave New World and the 2010s Star Wars films seem confused about their identity, the Avatar franchise doesn’t have that issue. Their tone is always earnest, and they don’t care if it comes off corny. James Cameron knows his audience and what they want from his characters and narratives.

It’s certainly a movie made for its audience first and foremost, as well as its creator, and specifically creator-driven visions are less common these days in the focus group era. In spite of it not being a very entry-level film (you really have to watch this series in order, as Cameron isn’t interested in holding newbie’s hands here), I’m still going to recommend Avatar: Fire and Ash just based on that I think it’s a fairly breezy three hour action film, which I didn’t expect to say. The followers of Eywa will get the most out of it, but it’s nevertheless another admirable spectacle if you just want to see something otherworldly for a bit.

Review: Benoit Blanc takes on a new case, theology and grifter culture in Wake Up Dead Man

 

Unlike a lot of James Bond actors and as much as I enjoy his work in Casino Royale (the 2006 movie, not the late 60s car wreck) and Skyfall, I see Daniel Craig both as Benoit Blanc and 007 by now. Rian Johnson’s Knives Out films have always provided a consistent balancing act of dark humor and fun potboilers that also give some weight to the victims Blanc assists. Wake Up Dead Man keeps those traditions going mostly, even while dealing with larger themes than usual. 

The Blancster is back to assist troubled priest Jud Duplenticy, aided by a great performance from Josh O’Connor, who’s suspected by the local chief (Mika Kunis) of murdering Jefferson Wicks (Josh Brolin), his church’s domineering Monsignor who’s whipped up many of his parishioners into a lather of paranoia. 

                                         

A former boxer who’s trying to atone for causing an in-ring casualty, Jud didn’t exactly hit it off well with Wicks, and he’s the authorities’ top suspect on part of stating on record he wanted to change the way the church operated. Blanc is still willing to take on Father Jud’s dilemma, despite his dislike or organized religion and its fueling of intolerance throughout history. The two of them form sort of an odd couple as Blanc tries to make sense of what seems like an obviously closeable case, but things get more bizarre when the missing Wicks family fortune comes into play. 

Brolin in particular is a standout performance throughout the film even in flashback form, incredibly convincing as a domineering cult leader who feeds off the fear and anxiety of his members, which makes him incredibly believable. It's a remarkable accomplishment when your character's still a good antagonist in your story from beyond the grave. Glenn Close is also noteworthy as the melodramatic churchwoman who tells the tale of the missing Wicks fortune to Jud when he arrives. 

So I normally dislike the statement “all art is political” because it doesn’t account for work that’s meant to be mainly escapism (cultural influence will only take you so far in analyzing a work when someone’s making art for art’s sake). However , I’ll concede that every content creator has a worldview that subconsciously influences their work. 

All expression of art is in specific degrees though, and Rian Johnson isn’t especially shy about his worldview- particularly in how hard he makes a fool of supporting characters like Daryl McCormak’s conservative blogger and Andrew Scott as a famous writer who’s fallen into the right-wing culture war grift scene. But here’s the thing- the mystery is still so well crafted and the characters are engaging enough to where the extreme beliefs of the antagonists help the execution flow better, as opposed to feeling like Johnson is reverse-preaching to the audience.

One distinct feature about the Knives Out franchise is how Blanc mostly plays a deuteragonist role to his clients, allowing them a bulk of the character development in the story. This third film’s no different in that respect, as Jud wrestling with his guilt and also wanting to be a kind and merciful priest makes up a good portion of the film’s narrative, which makes for a more dramatic shift than usual, as I feel Glass Onion upped much of the comedy from the first entry.

For the most part, the usual Knives Out style of dark humor is still present, but this movie does take itself a bit more seriously due to the nature of Jud’s character, which I get. Blanc does get some good progression as well, I felt- while he always remains himself  (and without spoiling anything), he does engage in a bit of introspection in order to help himself reach a conclusion.

Right now I can’t say if I’d put Wake Up Dead Man ahead of the first Knives Out, as I’d say I enjoy them both equally for different reasons. But as it stands, I think Glass Onion is still my favorite of the trilogy. Nevertheless, this newest film is proof that the series hasn’t lost any sense of fun and thoughtfulness, so I’ll gladly recommend it as well as the first two movies if one hasn’t seen them by now. And without spoiling anything, I think this is the best antagonist plot crafted in these films yet.

Review: DiCaprio, Penn (mostly) elevate One Battle After Another’s wild parent war

 

Leonardo DiCaprio has always been the kind of actor where it’s easy for me to imagine his roles are all in the same canon and they’re all reincarnated characters. Like I can see his revolutionary agitator “Ghetto Pat” Calhoun in Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another having weird dreams some nights about running from Billy Zane on a sinking cruise ship, or that he’s Howard Hughes filming an air movie or a con artist pulling the wool over Tom Hanks. This newest venture from writer/director Anderson is mostly a strong mix of action romp and dramatic character study, but its twist is how the main conflict quickly goes from ideological to deeply personal.

When he’s not freeing immigrants from prison and enraging his arch-nemesis Colonel Lockjaw, played manically obsessive by Sean Penn, Pat is pursuing a relationship with his girlfriend Perfidia (Teyana Taylor), who’s more interested in keeping up her anti-government ambitions than settling down to family life. After the two have a daughter together, Charlene (played by Chase Infiniti during her teenage years) and Perfidia is forced to go on the run, Pat and Charlene take the identities of “Bob” and “Willa” trying to make the most things in a refugee town.

But Lockjaw can’t let bygones be bygones, and on top of hoping to earn his way into a secret racist society (Tony Goldwyn is effectively chilling as their leader), he’s quite suspicious as to who Willa’s actual biological father is. He launches a small-scale military attack on Bob that’s more or less an excuse to kidnap the kid, sending the two freedom fighters into a cat-and-mouse game.

The three way dynamic between Bob, Willa and Lockjaw is the core of the story and the film’s strongest element, with the bond between the two heroes being pretty convincing and Penn playing an absolute nutcase (not that he isn’t used to that). So far as hyper-obsessed would-be parents go, Lockjaw isn’t quite as over the top as Quaritch from Avatar (oh, we’ll get to him), but he gets the job done as a hateable villain. Infiniti displays some good range for an early point in her career, and Benicio Del Toro is charming as the town leader who helps Bob and Willa out.

What I’m gonna say might sound weird, but it’s not meant as a slight on the story, just an observation: there’s a hint of paranoia in it. I don’t state that to discredit the themes or the characters’ objectives, they’re rebels seeking to take the power back, an easily relatable idea as any Star Wars fan knows, and Lockjaw is cartoonishly persistent. 

I mean more so in how it’s directed and how well Anderson is in depicting their desperation. I’m kinda glad they don’t spend too much time going into long pontifications about their ideology (save for one scene where Bob dresses down a schoolteacher for celebrating slave owning historical figures), as the film is mainly a slow burn action piece. 

I guess the one sticking point for me that holds the movie back is how I’d like to have seen a bit more world-building. As it’s loosely based off of an alt-history novel, budgeting considerations notwithstanding, they could have used more propaganda on behalf on the villains, something to sell even more visually the level of police state that the French 75 are up against- think the New Founding Fathers from the Purge series. 

What’s here isn’t bad, it’s not enough to ruin the story- we do get some shots of a detention center, but it’s a bit hard to suspend our disbelief when the environments look so plain and the soldiers and cops look so ordinary. I’m not asking for Hunger Games-level stuff here, it’s just the kind of script that maybe would have benefited from a two-to three minute setup of One Battle’s world and detailing the exact scope of the Christmas gang’s influence. 

Those complaints aside, One Battle After Another still mostly works as a throwback gritty adventure film with that sort of tension you’d find in the 70s or more experimental movie eras. A bit more detail in fleshing out the world would have helped the tension level- this is more the kind of concept I feel could have worked better as maybe an HBO series.

Had this been developed for streaming and the audience had more of a chance to soak in the details of daily life in this world, I think it would have landded better for me. Like what happened in this version of history that got the French 75 started, more of Lockjaw's backstory, maybe it could ask how other citizens feel about what’s going on, maybe some of the Lockjaw soldiers are questioning themselves? I get it if Anderson was aiming to make the story feel more self contained though, and the acting quality generally keeps it above average.

Review: Saturday Night's Main Event gives John Cena his deserved flowers, but how did it reflect on Triple H?

It's no secret that WWE's creative has been fairly up and down in 2025, in spite of the record business they've been doing at the gates. Much of that is the momentum fro the exciting twists of the Bloodline story through 2022-to 2024, culminating in Cody Rhodes finishing his story at Wrestlemania 40. The farewell tour of John Cena has served as the key storyline through most of this year, and opinions of it have been all over the place. It's led to this farewell SNME show in Washington, D.C. (at least as far as Cena's in ring competiton is concerned, as he's signed a new Legends deal with the company), which understandably whipped up emotions among the wrestling fandom.

Cena's retirement run has felt somewhat bucket list-ish, which is funny given the main criticism of Triple H's booking this year year has been that he allegedly plays things too safe. It's as if they wanted to get as much done as possible- let's give those jaded fans the long-awaited heel turn (an ill-time suggesstion from the Rock), let's give them the 17th world champinship, let's pass the torch to the next generation, let's put on a few last 4 and 5-star matches, and let's also put on a Antonio Inoki-style tournament to determine his closing opponent. Part of why I feel this whole thing has left many fans feeling weird is how WWE wasn't able to stick to one consistent narrative for Cena's final dates. Thankfully, Cena's charisma and still solid in-ring timing has kept much of the questionable creative afloat. 

Even during the peak of his backlash (no pun intended), I was always generally a Cena guy. My all-time favorite men's wrestler is Macho Man Randy Savage, that never changes, but John's always been somewhere in my personal top ten (usually seated between Mitsuharu Misawa and Jushin Liger). On top of his versatility in the ring with different opponents, engaging mic skills, charity work and commitment to the industry, I've just always found his energy infectious. His acting chops aren't bad either, as his run as Peacemaker and the depth he gives James Gunn's version of the character has shown. His performance here shows how thin a line there is between film a ring acting, and he wasn't the only one displaying that tonight.

Cody Rhodes vs. Oba Femi

We open up with a non-title exhibition match between the WWE men's champion and the current NXT men's champion. Oba is called "The Ruler" for good reason as he spends much of the match dominating Cody, who plays the underdog role well as usual (another quality he got from his dad).  For a bout that's under nine minutes it's pretty entertaining, but after Cody makes his eventual comeback into a stalemate, Drew McIntyre interferes for a disqualification finish. 

I can see where WWE didn't want either Cody or Femi to lose at this point- they're still highly protective of Rhodes as a draw, and they're also still invested in keeping up Oba's destroyer-type aura. McIntyre will no doubt spin this into a complaint over not getting a title shot, because as the apparent WWE mandate indicates, "Drew Must Suffer."

Bayley vs. Sol Ruca

Ruca reminds me in many ways of a more impactful Kelly Kelly, another women's superstar with a gymnast background, but who also worked much lighter than Sol (not that I'm condemning Kelly for that, it's just her style). There's more of a rawness and desperation to Ruca's work in comparison, and Bayley is of course athletic enough to keep up. I'm still not all that wild about the Rose Plant as a finisher- I've seen worse, it's better than the overdrive at least. (I prefer Bayley's flying elbow as a match ender, frankly I think hers is better than Okada's.) 

After a series of pinfall attempts, Ruca is able to counter Bayley for a three-count in a brisk but entertaining contest. The two are sympatico after the match, though I foresee Sol and Bayley having tensions once the former is called up to the main roster given how erratic the former world champion's been lately.

World Tag Team Championship match: AJ Styles and Dragon Lee. vs. Je'Von Evans and Leon Slater

Wrestling writers absolutely love Je'Von Evans, and for good reason, his physical ability and still blossoming charisma are damned impressive at such a young age. It's to where the Wrestling Observer more or less has a complete meltdown whenever he comes up short, and I can't help but think to myself "calm down, he is still developing and if he remains healthy then he'll be in line for a major push soon". 

He and his tag partner Slater put a lot of doubt in my mind as far as Styles and Lee retaining, because some of these near falls convinced me they were dead to rights. Alas, it's not the youngster's time quite yet as AJ is able to take advantage of an error from Dragon and pin him with a Styles Clash. For the time it was given, not a bad title defense and it has me interested in what AJ is planning for his own retirement tour in 2026 (his Clash In Paris match a couple months back against Cena was a banger also).

John Cena vs. Gunther

So as you'd expect, this was the match of the night because it was going to get the most time. Gunther spends a fair amount of time working Cena's upper half, particuarly with a series of brutal lariats. Cena has rightfully pointed out he's slowed down considerably, so he mostly sticks to his bread and butter while playing the underdog against the final boss Gunther- pretty impressive when you're as bulky as Cena, which goes to show you in spite of his hulk-up moments throughout his career, the dude has been an under-apprectated seller for a while. 

The flying leg drop, super-AA and STF aren't enough as Gunther, as promised, gets a submission win and he gleefully soaks up the boos as he heads to the back. The roster comes out to celebrate Cena with a pretty moving tribute video set to One Republic, including Cody and CM Punk symbolically sharing their belts with him, but Hunter gets absolutely lambasted when he steps out to the ring. This is "2003 Triple H Reign of Terror" levels of rage at this guy now.

The reaction to the booking to me is a reflection of how well Cena connected with audiences throughout the years. Regardless if the crowds were on his side or not, he always made them feel something. One of his defining contributions to the business was a style of performance that showed a young fan living out their fantasies and never losing that sense of excitement about it- not an easy thing to pull off in an industry this insane at times. 

It's evident in the sense of gratitude John gives off as he leaves his sneakers in the ring. With one key main eventer taking his last bows, how that affects the makeup of the men's Royal Rumble remains to be seen, but of course, none of the superstars are thinking about that currently.

There have been other superstars who were more technically sound than Cena, and he'd be the first to tell you that he's not as crisp as a Bryan Danielson or a Bret Hart. Personally, I think bell to bell he's still a bit underrated. But just as a performer who left you with fun, memorable moments and made everything feel larger than life- the fundamental goal of a professional wrestler- there were few more effective in its history. So I'd still recommend the show because booking concerns aside, I think it's a nice final showcase of the qualities that made Cena such a WWE pillar.

Review: Sean Combs: The Reckoning details the twisted rise and fall of a modern mad emperor

 

Sean Combs is right to assume he's a deeply fascinating individual, it's just not entirely for the reasons he had hoped for. Watching the new 50 Cent- produced Netflix documentary The Reckoning, detailing the various legal troubles he's encountered over the past couple of years- it focuses on a film crew following Combs around New York City as he deals with his incoming charges- I've been reflecting a bit on the concept of "separating the art from the artist". 

Most of my feelings towards Diddy prior to his scandals breaking out were...just kinda there. Let's face it, there are reasons why Fitty, for all his faults, keeps insisting that Combs "is not an artist", as he's more of a "does it sound sexy?" type producer and stylist. Mark Curry, one of many former Diddy acquaintances interviewed, notes how bland and flat his actual rapping skills are, and how he had to coach Combs all night until his remaking of Led Zeppelin's "Kashmir" into Diddy and Jimmy Page's Godzilla '98 anthem "Come With Me" sounded halfway listenable. Not too far into episode one, those wind up being the least of the sins he's committed.

The four-episode documentary briefly notes his origins as the son of a hustling but unattentive late father and an abusive mother,  his internship at Uptown Records (also later, the subsequent undercutting of his business associates to eventually found Bad Boy Records), and then the tragic crowd crush during a Diddy-sponsored party at a NYC community center, which resulted in the loss of nine lives. Holding close to his chest a constructed image of a charitable, culture-minded businessman, the infamy he gains from the publicity leads to him achieving music industry clout through his promotions of star acts like Jodeci, the Notorious B.I.G and Mary J Blige. 

This all serves as a backdrop to accusations during his rise of sexual assault, violence and intimidating business rivals, his apparent involvement in the killing of a Suge Knight partner, shamelessly fueling the East coast vs. West coast tension to a dangerous point for profit's sake, and severely attacking a producer for not shelving his "Hate Me Now" video with Nas after rethinking his crucifixion visual. And no, that's not the only time in this doc that Combs attempts to martyr himself, or comes off as a twisted spoiled brat. All the footage from his MTV show Making The Band is so facepalm worthy- so demanding that your trainees go walk for miles in the frosty New York night to buy you a specific type of cheesecake, and then mocking their contributions to the group, is "setting the value for your people"?

                                                

Mr. Jackson's eternally burning hatred for Combs is evident in how candid the footage he pulls from the vault is. It's not just limited to graphic audio and visuals of the aftermath of Biggie Smalls's assassination- in fact, Fitty throws some partial blame towards Diddy's direction by the sheer arrogance of him daring to party on enemy rap turf in a rather Tekashi-ish fashion. He's even harsher in his and other people interviewed's direct accusations of ordering Tupac Shakur's death (including getaway driver Keefe-D, currently set to go on trial as of writing). Yes, he plays the 911 call there as well, so viewers be warned about some unsettling content in this doc. I won't spoil how Puffy handles Biggie's affairs after his passing, but let's just say it's no wonder he wasn't on Voletta Wallace's good side.

Though it's thankfully nowhere as graphic as the actual transcripts, the infamous drug and sex-fueled Diddy parties are mentioned, along with unsettling allegations of not-of-age attendees. Everything related to Kid Cudi, including things both referred to by the documentary and a couple of things that weren't, is straight out of a bad mobster movie, and the nasty recollections from members of Diddy's girl groups Danity Kane and Diddy-Dirty-Money are tough to sit through. In the mould of another 2000's hip hop icon, Curtis has been clearly rubbing his hands together like Birdman to add on any additional details to any salacious Puffy tale he can find.

                                    

For me, separating art from the sins of its creator depends, so long as one isn't trying to stan for people accused of terrible things just because one enjoys their work- I can admit to thinking "Moonlight" and "Sippin Tea In Yo Hood" are modern rap classics despite XXXTentacion's abusive history. I mention this because it's an understandable human reaction to have an increased gag reflex towards the creations of someone we know has done reprehensible deeds- for example, any curiosity one might have about the work of the band Lostprophets is forever tainted by the horrifying crimes Ian Watkins committed

If one wants to still enjoy his stuff, I'm not going to stop you- but there's a song by Blood Orange that I otherwise love called "Hope", which has (an unfortunate) Diddy verse toward the breakdown where he ponders what it'll take for him to be loved "the way he wants" and pouts about not being able to handle it. To which I go back to an old saying, you have to put out love in order to receive it, pal. Not just simply changing your stage name (for the millionth time) to "Love", I mean actually treating other people with respect. 

The Reckoning, spiteful as it is on 50 Cent's part (who is no saint himself), is clear evidence that Diddy hasn't figured out this lesson yet, and is deservedly paying the price for it. Despite the grim subject matter, I can still recommend it just based on how psychologically fascinating it is, as a strong lesson on how one can lose their humanity in the pursuit of dream-chasing.

Review: Zootopia 2's cuddly cops return with more laughs, tears, and sharp satire

 

Speaking as someone who had a soft spot for Disney's charming but underrated box office flop Strange World, it's hurt to see a number of their recent original works fall a bit flat as of late, and the less said about most of their live-action remakes, the better (the new Aladdin was cute but kinda meh, that new Little Mermaid sucked, and Jon Favreau's Lion King left me feeling grossed out). But as far as their mainline animated sequels, which have been hit or miss themselves (Ralph Breaks The Internet was all over the place), Zootopia 2 is easily one of their best in years. 

Judy Hopps has been one of my favorite Disney characters since the 2016 Oscar-winning classic, and seeing Ginnifer Goodwin's energetic but sweet ZPD detective team back up with Jason Bateman's charming fox Nick Wilde is a treat. Their latest adventure is even more frantically funny, with loads of animal puns and animal-themed parodies, but director Jared Bush and producer Byron Howard provide genuine wit to the humor, all while maintaining the dramatic tension, heartwarming aspects, and expanding their universe.

This particular story is still very early in their career, not too long after the two fluffballs foiled the scheme of Mayor Bellwether (Jenny Slate, who I always felt was an under-appreciated Disney antagonist), and Nick has joined the academy as Judy's police partner. 

Despite Chief Bogo (Idris Elba) forcing them to go to Dr. Fuzzby's (Quinta Brunson) "partners' therapy" after an undercover mission goes haywire, Judy and Nick go around their grumpy boss's back to find out why Gary De'Snake (Key Huy Quan, giving this reptile co-star a funny mix of innocence and determination) is so desperate to steal a book owned by the powerful Lynxley family, and the secrets it holds about Zootopia's past. The stuffed animal-like dispatcher Clawhauser (Nate Torrrence) is here again as well, now playing a larger role in the stakes of the action.

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Their willingness to help a fugitive draws out a bunch of brand new eccentric characters, among them the huggable beaver podcaster Nibbles (Fortune Feimster) who's leaded with conspiracy theories, the western-vibed lizard Jesus (Danny Trejo), the Lynxley's goofy misfit son Pawbert (Andy Samberg) and WWE superstars CM Punk and Roman Reigns as zebra cop partners "the Zebros". Gazelle, who belts out the catchy new Shakira song "Zoo", is not a fan of the long-reigning champions, to say the least. Patrick Warburton is also enjoying himself obviously as the muscular new Mayor Windancer, a former himbo action hero who's forced to be the Lynxley family's go-getter.

While it's overall shaping itself as a series with a well-made theme about celebrating each other's differences, Zootopia 1 was more concentrated on the biases between the prey and predator mammals and how they learned to evolve beyond baser instincts. The main arc was Judy learning to look past her own unconscious biases about foxes and grow as a person, with Nick showing others- and himself- that he wasn't just a sly, selfish fox, he could be altruistic and learn to trust others again. This new movie focuses more on how systemic biases and unchecked power can make our prejudices even more dangerous.

                                    

It's reflected nicely in both the villains here, who I feel are some of the strongest from Disney in a while since arguably the 1990s in terms of their ruthlessness, and also in how the reptile locations are merged into Zootopia's lore. One can see not just a clear upgrade, but a shift in the color palette from the lush greens of the first movie and more towards hot neon pinks and teals (it's as if Nick's attire is a telltale for what the aesthetic of the story is).

But like the best police procedurals, this sequel understands that the key to any sort of empowering message registering with the viewer is if we're invested in the main heroes. Similarly, with other big franchises like X-Men that also use their characters as un-coded metaphors to talk about social biases (much like the first film, while the tensions among the mammals and with the reptiles were relatable, none are specific stand-ins for one IRL group), it's also about audience connection and wanting to see our protagonists succeed. 

Fortunately, Nick and Judy (along with the lovable Gary) are easy to rally behind. It doesn't hurt that they're both these tiny, cute furry critters that you just want to pick up and snuggle (not to mention Judy, for a cartoon rabbit, looks pretty stunning in a Belle-like yellow dress), but Goodwin and Bateman both deliver another pair of amazing performances- aided by some solid character animation that has them even more expressive during the comedic moments, with very hopeful-looking eyes in the more introspective scenes.

Their banter is charming, and you can feel their sincerity as the fox and bunny's friendship slowly burns into a nuanced romance. Judy passionately wants them to be the best duo in the department, but Nick, on top of dealing with his own insecurities about reptiles and learning to open up more emotionally, is deeply protective of the fearless Judy and is frustrated by her willingness to dive into danger.  Both have strong evolution as they learn from each other, with a couple of powerfully directed and genuinely scary scenes that got me choked up, admittedly.

Though it's got some heavy food for thought mixed into its narrative and a notable line of anger towards injustice in its commentary, as was the intent by the writers, Zootopia 2 manages to make it part of another hilarious and heartfelt family fable without coming off as if the audience is being lectured or nagged at, so it's an easy and high recommendation from me. Given how much money it's generating across the globe I'd say Z3 is pretty inevitable, with an extra-credit scene that promises even more adventures and Nick/Judy cuteness, so bring it on I say. 

Review: So who really *did* kill the Montreal Expos? Spoiler- it wasn't Rick Monday.

 

Me and probably most of the public recognize Youppi! foremost as that wacky orange mascot for Montreal Canadians hockey, sort of a softer counterpart to the Philly Flyers' more aggressive Gritty. But many people up north are quicker to identify him in his first role as the head cheerleader for the now- defunct Montreal Expos baseball team. Even as a kid, I dreaded seeing my STL Cardinals head into Olympic Stadium during their Dennis Martinez-led period, because I knew they were going to be in for a difficult fight. 

And as someone who works at Busch Stadium's retail, I often run into folks with Montreal Expos jerseys and hats. This new documentary from Netflix is a damned powerful and understandably mad indictment of every possible suspect in the vicinity of how one of MLB's quirkier, sometimes feared, and never boring franchises simply vanished, heading to Washington D.C. in 2005 to be rebranded as the Nationals.

Interviews with the citizens of Montreal lend a strong poignancy to this film. Fans growing up in the Andre Dawson, ace pitcher Steve Rogers (no, not the Avenger), speedster Tim Raines, and Hall Of Fame catcher Gary Carter eras pass down memorabilia and memories of the tri-colored squads to younger generations, or at least those who haven't watched their past exploits online. Preceding the Toronto Blue Jays by nearly a whole decade as Major League Baseball's first international club, the Expos limped through early franchise growing pains and middling seasons, only to turn their fortunes around with strong years in 1979 and 1980 before winning their first and only playoff series in 1981. 

The heartbreaking Rick Monday home run off of Rogers during Game 5 of that year's NLCS against the Dodgers, ending Montreal's Cinderella season, is considered one of their only two best chances at a French-Canadian World Series title- but it's only briefly mentioned. That's because the film isn't really concerned so much about the stats and win/loss records as it is all of the chaos behind the boardroom doors and foolish decisions that eroded the Expos from the inside. 

Mediocrity on the field, a rough local economy and high player salaries plagued the Expos in the 80s, but bright spots start to emerge- team president Claude Brochu gets some local businessmen inolved with the team, Dennis Martinez throws a perfect game against the Dodgers in a bit of revenge in 1991, and Felipe Alou is managing a monster of a 1994 team, with future Cooperstown members Pedro Martinez and Larry Walker aboard. Knock-knock: who's that? "Strike!" "Mike? Who is Mike?" "No, I'm the STRIKE! Clear out the locker room, buddy!" Yes, owner and player-union squabbling upends the Expos' fortunes again, which Brochu is powerless to stop.

 Much of the blame for the team's unravelling is pointed towards the greed and big business machine of MLB's US-based executives, frequently looking down on the small-market Expos and their eccentric, mostly French-speaking fanbase. Not much care is put into nurturing the team's future prospects, falling victim to a nasty fire sale following the 1994 disappointment. The swaggering art dealer Jeffrey Loria comes into the organization with big promises, only to rip up the proposed stadium deal with long-time beer partner Labatt for a more profitable hopeful deal with Molson, which goes nowhere. 

Loria's stepson David Samson speaks with the filmmakers as well, who denies having a true malicious intent for the Expos and blames Montreal as not being an adequate baseball town, but I don't think he realizes this makes him into the doc's de facto villain, especially when the coverage begins of the inevitable move of the team to the US capital. Watching the footage of disconsolate players, fans and announcers is quite a pity and a clear sign of how the Expos boosted their hometown, even if they weren't always playing the best nine. 

Even with the loss of their team, Expos fans both young and old keep the torch alive, something I can totally identify with as someone still bitter about my St. Louis Rams heading back to LA after the Greatest Show On Turf days. Losing a team totally sucks, it's like a friend moving away. The Nationals do acknowledge the Expos legacy to a degree, but a devoted base in Montreal is still around who believe in the long history of baseball in that city. I'd easily recommend this doc celebrating them to both baseball and non-fans, as it also serves as a warning of who gets impacted when the people behind the pastimes we love so much are more consumed with wealth than the fanbases.