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REVIEW: “Coyote vs. Acme” (2026)

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(Source: IMDb )  Back in 2023, Warner Bros. made controversial headlines when they announced that three of their current and complete (or nearly completed) films would be shelved as tax write-offs. Two of them were a live-action take on Batgirl and an animated Scooby-Doo , respectively. The third was a live-action/animated Looney Tunes comedy based on a New York Times article, centered on the ever-popular Wile E. Coyote suing the Acme Corporation for the numerous faulty products he’s bought in his endless pursuit of the equally famous Road Runner. Ironically, Coyote vs. Acme tested really well with audiences. So imagine everyone’s shock—including the cast and crew—when the studio that was partly built on these iconic characters decided at the last minute to not release it.  Enter Ketchup Entertainment, who bought the film rights to another feature-length Looney Tunes comedy—the Daffy Duck-/Porky Pig-starring The Day the Earth Blew Up —which released in early 2025. The hand-d...
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REVIEW COLLECTION: DreamWorks Animation, Part I (Second Edition)

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[The following was originally posted on May 1, 2025 and May 16, 2025 . This is a collection of reviews looking back at the theatrical filmography of one of the most prolific animation studios in history.]  (Source: YouTube )  Antz (1998)  For their first computer animated feature film, DreamWorks began a partnership with visual effects company Pacific Data Images (or, PDI) to create a comedy about community and independence, told from the perspective of tiny insects. Antz centers on a neurotic worker ant named Z (voiced by Woody Allen), who lives in a monotonous colony where everyone is either a dirt-digger, a soldier, or a royal palace member. Tired of his assigned routine, Z has an existential crisis and wants to find a better world than the one he’s currently living in. Meanwhile, the sassy Princess Bala (voiced by Sharon Stone) tires of her royal status, while the ant army General Mandible (voiced by Gene Hackman), whom she’s engaged to, has secret plans of his o...
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REVIEW COLLECTION: The Marvel Cinematic Universe (PHASE TWO)

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(Source: YouTube )  Thor: The Dark World (2013)  Although it was only the second release in the second phase of the now-established Marvel Cinematic Universe, the second standalone chapter in the “God of Thunder” Thor’s journey  did mark the debut of Marvel Studios’ new, modified company logo, adding dimension and excitement to their ever-growing film brand. The same can’t quite be said for how Thor: The Dark World turned out. The result was, for a time, considered to be the black sheep of the overall crossover franchise.  Let me explain. This movie had a bit of a complicated production.  Monster  filmmaker Patty Jenkins (years before she helmed  Wonder Woman  for DC) was originally tapped to direct but reportedly left over creative differences. Co-star Natalie Portman (who plays physicist Jane Foster) also wanted to leave the production as such, but couldn’t due to contractual obligations. Alan Taylor (known for directing several episodes of...
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REVIEW: “The Odyssey” (2026)

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(Source: IMDb )  Christopher Nolan has come a long way from independent filmmaking to large-scale productions over the last three decades. This year, he brings us his most ambitious and episodic project to date with an adaptation of Homer’s centuries-old story of Ancient Greek figures. Specifically, The Odyssey chronicles the 20-year journey of Greek hero Odysseus, from fighting in the Battle of Troy to his years-long trek to return home to Ithaca, to his wife and son. Said journey involves war, adventure, a cyclops, giant soldiers, gods, sirens, and any other obstacle you can imagine (physically, morally, spiritually, mentally, psychologically). Ditto themes of a kingdom without a king, others wanting to take the throne, and a son who has grown up without a father.  The Odyssey marks a significant milestone in moviemaking and cinemagoing. Since he made The Dark Knight almost twenty years ago, Nolan has been using IMAX cameras for select sequences in all but one of his subs...
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REVIEW: “Moana” (2026)

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(Source: IMDb )  Disney’s apparently never-ending, live-action slate continues this summer with a remake of one of their most recent and beloved hits. Like 2012’s The Amazing Spider-Man , the 2026 version of Moana  arrives nearly ten years after its predecessor first premiered in theaters. Brought to life by stage director Thomas Kail (known for Hamilton ), this flick certainly benefits from cultural representation. But it’s basically the same movie as its animated 2016 counterpart.  This anticipated tentpole has already been getting negative reviews. It’s basically a shot-for-shot remake, with nothing really surprising or very exciting, except maybe a few small moments and more intense action that slightly differentiate it from the animated blockbuster. I stand by my belief that, when Disney remakes their animated films, they do much better when they do something new and unpredictable (which is why adaptations like Cinderella and The Jungle Book worked so well). Even l...
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