Well, the first day of fall has come and gone. With autumn here, it’s time to get out and do stuff! So that way, I have adventures to podcast about.
I decided to take my first trip to West Edmonton Mall all year, which results in a rant about collectors. We’ve got another Mark Tastes Random Things, where I sample KFC’s new Famous Chicken chicken sandwich. On The Streaming Report, I watch a ton of Flintstones reruns, and I wrap things up by watching that sweet, sweet WandaVision trailer.
And we’re back! Sorry I didn’t have an episode for you last week…my parents invited me along on their last RV trip of the season, so I ran off with them. In this week’s episode, I tell you about where I went and the shenanigans I got into. I also braved the movie theatres to see The New Mutants, so I tell you if it’s worth it. Over in The Streaming Report, I finally start on Cobra Kai, and I am loving it. And I wrap things up by telling you who’s going to be playing She-Hulk.
Starring Maisie Williams, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Heaton, Alice Braga, Blu Hunt, and Henry Zaga
Backstory
We have reached the end of the Fox X-Men franchise, and it has become one of the most troubled productions in the franchise. At the outset, it looks like a horror film set in the X-Men universe would be ideal. Burgeoning mutant powers lends itself to all kinds of David Cronenberg-esque body horror. Originally supposed to come out in April of 2018, it was moved to the spring of 2019 for re-shoots to ramp up the horror aspects. But then the Disney buyout of Fox began, and the film got lost in the shuffle. Once the deal was sorted out, it looked as though the film would be dropped in theatres to just get it over with. And here we are.
Plot
Danielle Moonstar awakens in a strange hospital. She’s told that her reservation was destroyed by an unknown force, and she was the only survivor. The doctor in charge of the facility — Dr. Reyes — tells Dani that they suspect she’s a mutant, and it was her mutant power that saved her. She is at the hospital to learn what her power is and to control it. She soon meets the other patients at the hospital: Rahne, who can turn into a wolf; Illyana, who can teleport and summon a magic sword; Sam, who can summon energy blasts to propel himself; and Bobby, who can shoot fire. Together, they start learning about themselves, their powers…and the sinister forces that Dr. Reyes works for.
What I Liked
The cast is pretty good and does all they can with the material. Maisie Williams makes and adorable werewolf. The small cast and confined setting gives it an intimate feel not often seen in superhero films. And (spoiler warning) how can you hate a film where a dragon fights a giant bear?
What I Didn’t Like
As horror films go, it’s not very scary. And I’m not big on horror films. It doesn’t take much to scare me. This winds up being just another variation on The Breakfast Club as our heroes sit around and talk out their issues. Even though it’s superpowered beings doing it, it’s just so run-of-the-mill.
Final Verdict
It’s not a horror film as much as it is a YA film with some jump scares. And as YA films go, it’s pretty cookie-cutter. Kinda bland.
It’s a grey, rainy, windy day, making it tough to get motivated to make a podcast. Because I cannot let down my 20 listeners! I still find a few things to talk about. Disney’s live-action Mulan has dropped on Disney+, so I explored to find out how exactly it works. We got a new trailer for the latest James Bond film, No Time to Die, so I offer up my thoughts. Over on The Streaming Report, I give my thoughts on Star Trek: Lower Decks and Muppets Now. And I wrap things up by giving my opinion on the Alberta hyperloop. All on Episode 10.20: The Procrastination Game!
