The Bear Season 1 (2022) Review

For years I have heard just how good The Bear is and how many awards it has won. However, I have never got around to watching it. But with the newest season set to be released in the near future I have decided to binge the show and that starts with the first season. The premise of the show sees a chef from fine dining return to his home to run his brothers sandwich shop. 

Main Character

Jeremy Allen White plays Carmen and he is fantastic here. You really see the stress affect him throughout the season. He is coming from this regimented approach and really struggles with understanding others and their needs. He owns his role and gives a monologue in the final episode that is award worthy and he knocks it out of the park. 

Supporting Characters

Ebon Moss-Bachrach plays Richie and he is one of the most complex characters on the show. He is an annoying character at first and the conflict between him and Carmen is really clear, but Moss-Bachrach really portrays this character well and you start to understand why he is the way he is. 

Ayo Edebiri plays Sydney and she is the newest member of the restaurant and she has really high aspirations and her character arc mirrors Carmen from his previous life. She is great in her role and her journey is one of the more important over the show. 

Lionel Boyce plays Marcus and he was probably the character I liked the most. He really tries to improve as a desert chef and though that doesn't always go right, he does have the best intentions and he was a positive aspect of the show. 

This show is full of characters and all of them are fantastic and really deliver on their roles in the show. 

Story

The story here is incredibly intense, this is one of the worst work environments you will ever see and you see how these people and their egos go against each other causing chaos. The show does a fantastic job in developing characters and making the viewers understand their backstory and intentions. My only criticism is that it feels a little bit episodic in its nature and the ending doesn't quite have the punch that I wanted with it feeling just like a build up for the next season. 

Script

The script is really where the show excels. It is incredibly well written with some really intense drama that feels really natural and like what could happen in this intense environment. I have seen this show being presented as a comedy which isn't really true but it does have some funny moments littered in here. 

Style

The style of the show really focuses on the food and the fast pacing of a restaurant environment. It is a really dark and depressing show at times but it never becomes too much and I think that is due to the pacing of the show and the retro cinematic techniques used. 

Overall

Overall, The Bear Season 1 is fantastic and a show that deserves all the praise that it has received. It is really intense but the performances and writing make it truly worthy of a watch, 

Rating - 9/10

Batman: The Telltale Series (2016) Review

I am a huge Batman fan and that includes video games with The Arkham games being some of my favourite games over the last decade. I am not as familiar with The Telltale franchise but I know of the reputation they have. I was curious and a few years ago I played this game for the first time, I have decided to re-play Batman: The Telltale Series and here is my review for it. The premise of the game sees Batman attempting to take down the criminal element in Gotham, while Bruce Wayne attempts to clear his families name when shaking allegations are made. 

Characters

The busiest voice actor in the business Troy Baker voices Batman/Bruce Wayne. Which is interesting as he has now voiced Batman and The Joker in different video games and to nobody's shock he is really good in the role. Especially, when being Bruce Wayne as this game spends a lot of time with Bruce instead of Batman. He doesn't do anything revolutionary but he does all the things that would be expected with the character. 

Laura Bailey plays Catwoman/Selina Kyle and I really liked her dynamic with Bruce and how her moral compass is really questioned. Again, the game doesn't do anything really special with her character but she does well enough with the material given. 

Travis Willingham plays Harvey Dent and he is probably the best character other then Batman here. I really like the friendship and dynamic between Bruce & Harvey and the way the pressures of running for mayor really affect him. 

Other characters such as Gordon, Alfred & Oswald Cobblepot are really well voiced acted and fit the characters really well, which aided in the world building that goes on here. 

Story 

I will say that the story on show here is pretty unique for the most part and looks at elements of The Batman lore that haven't really ever been looked at. The game focuses on Bruce a lot and the relationships that he has with people and how his personal life is really affected by his role as Batman and things out of his control. However, I will say that this game tries to cram in way too much. It introduces so many iconic Batman characters and rushes through all of their comic book story arcs that it kind of feels like they don't really work together. 

Side Content

This game does a good job of world building and by using things like codex and different dialogue choices we get to learn about Gotham and some more about the characters. However, even though this game has different choices it feels incredibly linear and in the end becomes quite repetitive. 

Gameplay

This game doesn't really have gameplay. All it has is some quick time events and detective objectives that work as well as expected and I did have some enjoyment with them. But if we're honest games like this don't really care too much about the gameplay and focuses on the story and characters so it is definitely lacking here. 

Style

The game has a pretty authentic comic book look to it which is pretty cool to see compared to the more realistic looks we get in Film & TV. It also really doesn't hold back with the violence, I would say this is the most gritty and violent portrayal of a Batman property ever and it adds more to the game. However, this game does really struggle with some graphical glitches that really took me out of the game and the immersion that this game tries to create. 

Overall

Overall, Batman: The Telltale Series is an above average Point and Click adventure game. I enjoyed a lot about this game but it unfortunately falls a bit short of being the immersive Batman game that they really wanted. 

Rating - 6/10

Ballerina (2025) Review

Following the very profitable and successful John Wick franchise we have started to see the franchise expand. First we got the Prime show The Continental and now we have the first film spinoff in Ballerina, I saw this film yesterday and here is my review for Ballerina. The premise of the film sees a young women trained in the world of assassination in order to get revenge on the man who killed her Father. 

Main Character

Ana De Armas takes over the lead role as Eve and she is great in the role. Her motivations were incredibly simple but it was well conveyed by Armas and I wanted to see her succeed. She is also great in the action scenes and is super believable in taking out these guys that are trying to kill her. Eve is a worthy addition of protagonists in this franchise. 

Supporting Characters

Might as well start with it, Keanu Reeves reprises his role as John Wick and it is so much fun to watch him back on screen. Though, I had some issues with how the character is used, you cannot deny that seeing The Boogeyman in action is a great sight. 

Ian McShane is back as Winston and he is fun to watch but he is a really small part of the film and doesn't have anywhere near as big a presence as he did in the previous films. Also a shoutout to Lance Reddick who has been in all of these films and this is his last appearance due to his untimely death. 

Angelica Huston reprises her role as The Director and I just think her role didn't hit the note that it could have done. I just think the relationship between her and Eve is kind of forgotten about and not given the real depth it deserved. 

Gabriel Bryne plays The Chancellor who is the main villain here and he is just such a weak character. There is nothing interesting about this guy and his motivations just didn't work for me and that is a shame. 

Also Norman Reedus is here in a role and he is really wasted and it just feels like he did this as a favour to someone while he was filming his latest Walking Dead show. 

Story

The story is a pretty simple revenge story and that is fine with me and I did like how that was conveyed. Also it was pretty cool to see some of the training that Eve had to go through, though I wish this had been a bit longer. Though, the film starts to try and throw twists at the film that make no sense and there is a bigger focus on John Wick that does take away from Eve's final revenge. There is also a big plot involving a young girl and it could have been completely removed from the film and it would have been no different. 

Script

The script is okay, there is enough drama and some dry humour here that makes Eve a cool character. But the overall writing isn't great, character motivations and those unnecessary twists feel forced and that they didn't need to be there. 

Style

The film has a really cool style to it. These John Wick films have been known for their amazing action scenes as one person destroys a group of enemies in creative ways and this film really delivers there. It is dumb and silly but it moves at a good pace and has some truly brutal kills here. 

Overall

Overall. Ballerina is a good action film and though it maybe doesn't reach the heights of the best John Wick films it is a worthy addition to the franchise and is a good action film to watch and turn your brain off for. 

Rating - 7/10

Karate Kid: Legends (2025) Review

After the fantastic Cobra Kai, The Karate Kid Franchise has a new lease on life and we get a new film to add to the lineage in Karate Kid: Legends. I managed to find the time to watch the film and here is my review for Karate Kid: Legends. The premise of the film sees a young martial artist move to New York, he needs mentorship by two Sensei's to aid him succeed. 

Main Character

Newcomer Ben Wang plays Li Fong and he is an okay main character. He is pretty charming and a likeable enough character that you do want to root for him. But we just don't spend enough quality time with his character to really get enough development. It isn't like the characters from Cobra Kai where we get loads of time with them and Li needed more care put into his character. 

Supporting Characters

Jackie Chan reprises his role as Mr. Han from The Karate Kid Reboot and he is fun to watch here and you can tell that he is having a great time in this film. I wish we got more of him here and more character development but it doesn't take away my joy of seeing Jackie Chan in action. 

Joshua Jackson plays Victor Lipani and he is fun here and actually out of all of the adults I liked his dynamic with Li more then the others. Jackson is really likeable and you want to see him succeed, but the film just forgets about him about half way through which is a shame. 

I love Ralph Macchio as Daniel LaRusso in the original films and Cobra Kai but he phones in his performance here and he really doesn't need to be here. He is nothing but a glorified cameo and it just feels like he is here so they can justify calling it a Karate Kid film. 

The rest of the cast is just forgotten about and not given time to shine. Ming-Na Wen plays Li's mother and she is just unlikeable and given no time to develop. Both Li's enemy and love interest are generic and they just couldn't be bothered to really right them. 

Story

The story has some interesting ideas in it and I liked how Li trains Victor for his fight, also some of the interactions between Chan & Macchio are fun. But this films plot is all over the place, the first act feels like a film that doesn't need The Karate Kid licence, then a rushed training montage leading to an incredibly rushed tournament that doesn't really have any stakes. The story is incredibly predictable and if the rest of the film was good then that would be fine but it just encapsulates the problems that are going on here. 

Script

The script has some chuckle worthy moments and some okay drama/emotional moments. But overall, it just falls really flat. It feels like the screenwriters wrote way too many subplots and had no idea how to put them together and that led to this messy script.

Style

There are some decent action scenes and in terms of action I thought the final fight did a pretty decent job of upping the intensity. But the film doesn't have enough fights here and the pacing is a disaster. This film has way too much going on in it and it barely has a 90 minute runtime meaning everything is just rushed and half baked. 

Overall

Overall, Karate Kid: Legends is the definition of average. It exists and will be forgotten incredibly quickly, it feels like an elongated episode of Cobra Kai that wasn't written or directed to the same level. It has some moments but you will have seen them all before so it is probably not worth the time. 

Rating - 5/10

Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning (2025) Review

After 30 years, it seems like all the previous Mission Impossible films have been building to this film, The Final Reckoning. I have enjoyed this franchise overall and was excited to see this film, well yesterday I got that chance and here is my review for Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning. The premise of the film sees Ethan Hunt and his team attempt to stop The Entity from destroying the world once and for all. 

Main Character

Tom Cruise is once again back as Ethan Hunt and he is fantastic. His dedication to this role is off of the charts and I just love his portrayal of the character. This film does a great job of showcasing the legacy of the character and Cruise really delivers here. 

Supporting Characters

Alongside Cruise, the only person to be in all of the Mission Impossible films is Ving Rhames who plays Luther Stickell and he is great in this film. The bond between him and Hunt is a real core of this film and I love the chemistry that the two of them have. 

Unfortunately, the rest of the cast doesn't actually have much to do here. Hayley Atwell is back as Grace, Simon Pegg as Benji & Pom Klementieff as Paris but none of them get a chance to shine. The actors really try their best but the material they are given is weak and none of them really get any character development. 

Esai Morales is back as the villain Gabriel and I feel very similar about him. I really like Morales and his performance is good enough but his character is a small part of this film and it just feels like he isn't given enough to interest the audience. 

All the characters in the US Military Team are dull. Angela Bassett as The President and Nick Offerman as a general isn't enough to make their plight interesting or something that needed to be here. 

Story

The story has some good themes to it and I liked the overall feeling of it, especially with a pretty satisfying ending that really fits the narrative of both this film and the franchise. But this film really loses its way with the actual plot. The entity is more dull then the previous film and Gabriel's motivations are half baked at best. The team gets split up and it feels like the focus is really on Ethan Hunt and taken away from other members of the team which is a shame. 

Script

The script is also a real mixed bag. There are some real heart-warming moments that make you really care about the situation that the characters are put in. I also liked how this film is linked to previous ones even if it does get a bit hand fisted at times. But the dialogue mostly feels really robotic and unrealistic that it just makes characters feel bland and not human, also as mentioned the villains whole plot is pointless and doesn't add anything. 

Style

Continuing in Mission Impossible fashion, this film has some fantastic action sequences. The last one in particular is amazing and one of the greatest set pieces I have ever seen on film and this film deserves huge credit for that. But this film has pretty terrible pacing, its nearly 3 hours long and I swear they could have cut almost an hour of stuff here. The first hour basically feels like a recap of previous films and it beats you over the head with exposition which means it takes way too long to really get going. 

Overall

Overall, Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning is an Above Average film that has amazing action scenes but is way too long and lacks interesting characters. If this is the final film in the franchise then it is disappointing that this film is just okay instead of fantastic. 

Rating - 6/10

Andor Season 2 (2025) Review

When Andor Season 1 was released, it was heavily praised for really grounding Star Wars and making it a real character study on these super interesting characters and the world that they are living in. A few years later we now have the 2nd and final season, with an accelerated release schedule it is now finished and here is my review for it. The premise of the season sees Cassian still working for Luthen while The Empire try and crush any resemblance of Rebellion while building The Death Star.

Main Character 

Diego Luna reprises his role as Cassian Andor and he continues to be fantastic. This season does a fantastic job in showing the lengths that Cassian will go to in order to protect the people he cares about and The Rebellion. It takes a bit of time to make him the centre piece of the show but when it does Luna nails it and gives us a fantastic protagonist. 

Supporting Characters

Denise Gough plays Dedra Meero and she is is great in her role. We see her inside The ISB and how her job is really affecting her life. As she gains more power she struggles with how to control all of these situations. Gough really delivers in creating a fascinating Imperial character. 

Stellan Skarsgard is back as Luthen Rael and this is still one of the most interesting characters in all of Star Wars. He is super illusive and despite being a good guy you see the ruthlessness that he is willing to commit in order to take down The Empire. In a long career, I think this might go down as Skarsgard's greatest ever role. 

Genevieve O'Reilly is back as Mon Mothma and she is also really good in her role. The political aspects of previous Star Wars projects has held it back but Andor manages to really deliver on it. O'Reilly is super crucial to this show and I love how we see her character progress over the season. 

All of the cast are amazing, Kyle Soller as Syril, Adria Arjona as Bix & Elizabeth Dulau as Kleya are real standouts and have so many memorable moments and I can't speak high enough of this fantastically assembled cast. 

Story

The show does a brilliant job of showing the real birth of The Rebellion and the true sacrifices that these characters went through in order for the success of the original trilogy. The show handles the character arcs really well and has an incredibly satisfying ending. However, I did have an issue with the structure of the storytelling. Each 3 episodes covers a year in the timeline which means certain story arcs are dropped and not really finalised in order to progress to the overall plot which was a slight shame for me. 

Script

The script is fantastic. This is probably the best writing in any Star Wars property and I love how dark and realistic this show is despite its sci-fi backdrop. It has many interesting and complex themes and it delivers on all them and really sets some high standards. 

Style

The show looks fantastic and the action scenes are incredibly well filmed and it really feels like a true pre-cursor to Rogue One. But the episodes are paced very well and understands that there is more then crazy action scenes and amazingly filmed scenes with no action. 

Overall

Overall, Andor Season 2 is a fantastic show that is so close to perfection. It really is the standard bearer of Star Wars projects currently and I really love the way it was made. In particular episodes 8,9 & 12 are some of the best Star Wars ever and if you are on the fence please watch Andor as I am sure it will not disappoint. 

Rating - 9/10

Star Wars: Tales of the Underworld (2025) Review

I wasn't around on May 4th so this review is definitely late and I wonder whether anyone is still even talking about Star Wars: Tales of the Underworld. I watched all 6 episodes today and here is my review for the show. The premise of the show sees Asajj Ventress trying to protect a young Jedi from the Empire, while we see the origins of Cad Bane. 

Main Character

Asajj Ventress is once again voiced by Nika Futterman and she could play this role in her sleep. Ventress is a cool character and it is good seeing her on screen. Honestly, I am not a huge fan of the way her character is treated but that isn't the problem with the performance. 

Corey Burton is back as Cad Bane and I just love this character. I mean, I am not sure if we needed an origin story for his character but I thought they did well enough with the material and Bane is still a really cool character. 

Supporting Characters

Niro is an old friend of Bane and he was easily the most interesting character other then the two protagonists. We see how his relationship sours with Bane and how that sets them both on the path that the show intended and I did like it. 

Lyco is a young Jedi that teams up with Ventress and I found him really annoying. I didn't care about his relationship with Ventress and it felt really underdeveloped which made it a forgettable character and storyline. 

The rest of the characters are forgettable and offer very little. Including a really stupid Inquisitor appearance that feels way overused in 2025. 

Story

Similar to Tales of the Jedi & Tales of the Empire this story is split into two halves and it is a mixed bag. I liked the Cad Bane story, the rivalry between Bane and Niro is well handled and I just thought it was pretty well done. But I really didn't care about The Ventress story, nothing really happens and it just feels like a waste of time. I don't like Ventress in this more good guy role and I just kind of wish we got 6 episodes about Cad Bane. 

Script

The script and writing isn't that great and honestly I think this is some pretty weak writing. There wasn't any real dramatic scenes that truly worked and the humour is poor or not even here. I never grew to care about anyone and the writing is a big part of that. 

Style

The show looks great, it continues the style from the other newer Star Wars animated shows and I do still enjoyed it with some decent action scenes. But the pacing of the show is terrible, I swear these episodes are getting shorter and shorter and with only 3 episodes per character it feels like everything is underdeveloped and not given a definitive ending. 

Overall

Overall, Star Wars: Tales of The Underworld is a below average show that is a big let down. I think we are starting to get to the point that these animated shows are just being released for contents sake and this is a big example of it. If you are a Star Wars fan then you have already watched it, if you aren't then don't bother. 

Rating - 4/10