Superman (2025) [Spoiler Review]

Primary Disclaimer: I work for the company making some of the premium theater concession products for the movie. 

Secondary Disclaimer: Mallika Rao, my girlfriend, co-wrote this review. 

David Corenswet isn't a god, he's just excellent at playing a man often mistaken for one. James Gunn, however, may be a god.

His take on Superman is an exhilarating ride through the journey of one of America's biggest icons, as he rises, falls and rises again. It’s practically a religious experience to witness Krypton’s best take to the skies and take down the bad guys.

In James Gunn's Superman, when the title character (David Corenswet) puts himself front-and-center in international conflict, the domestic fallout is greater and more far-reaching than he could have possibly imagined. 

Superman, a.k.a Clark Kent, stops a foreign invasion from the fictional U.S. ally Boravia into the poorer neighboring fictional country of Jarhanpur after losing his first fight to the mysterious "Hammer of Boravia." This seemingly heroic act receives swift backlash, which is only compounded by his and the world's discovery of a leaked video message from his birth parents in Krypton, which includes invasion sentiment from patriarch Jor-El (Bradley Cooper, in a surprise cameo).

The movie also features some of the usual cast of characters, including Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan), Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult), Jimmy Olson (Skyler Gisondo), Perry White (Wendell Pierce), but also introduces a multitude of DC superheroes like Mr. Terrific (Edi Gathegi), Guy Gardner's Green Lantern (Nathan Fillion), and Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced). It is written and directed by James Gunn, and it's edited down to 129 minutes --  an unprecedented pace for a Superman movie -- by William Hoy and Craig Alpert. 

In preparation for the movie, I've been listening to a series from one of my favorite podcasts Blank Check on their Patreon page covering the Superman franchise. I also recently rewatched Superman Returns and Man of Steel, having rewatched Richard Donner's first Superman a few months ago.

One of the things they covered on the Blank Check series was how slow the arc of Superman's story is in previous films. James Gunn's Superman counters this trend by keeping things at a brisk pace, and the audience is strapped to that speeding bullet from the beginning. 

Theatrical Poster | Copyright 2025 Warner Bros./DC Studios

There are moments where the audience is reminded of why Gunn is a genius at the superhero film genre. Elements of the Guardians franchise are present throughout the film, from the needle drops, to the remote-piloted drone combatants that were also a key component of Guardians Vol. 2.

Also present is the strong emotional center that is at the core of Gunn's previous work, if not more so. This is especially apparent with the pairing of Lois and Superman. While there are rarely scenes with Superman's beloved alter ego, one of the finest moments in the film is an interview scene with Lois and Clark. 

It's been well-documented online how smoothly Brosnahan and Corenswet's chemistry test went, and the evidence is clear in this scene. This might be the strongest display of chemistry between actors in this genre in the last decade. 

It all culminates in their first flight on-screen together, which sadly is left too close to the end but still maintains the thrill of scenes like it in previous films.

What also struck me is how well DC's most beloved couple plays in a staff room at the Daily Planet. This is a less meek, put-on Clark than we typically see in live-action. It's primarily communicated with his glasses and tousled curls, and less in his voice and actions. He's not bumbling and he's able to hold himself in a room, so there are less glances at his and Lois's way when people are wondering how they become a romantic match. It also nicely blurs any debatable dividing line between Clark and Superman. When you start from either place, that's just him.

One element of the Superman films that has always struck me is his origin story, though I’m more simpatico with Spider-Man...the scrawny kid in school who didn't really gain confidence or find his place in the world until college. When I see Sally Field's Aunt May, I see my mom. My dad and Cliff Robertson’s Uncle Ben can paint kitchens together for their wives. And I didn't meet my biological parents until 2022, so it's funny that in 2025, I've shifted from one hero to another because now there’s a movie where all four of my parents are essentially on-screen. 

What got me was that leaked video featuring Jor-El and Lara. When shown in full, the message they leave for Kal-El essentially says to exert his full force over the humans. As YouTuber Troyoboyo17 states, "Kal-El was sent to rule over Earth, repopulate it as a new Krypton." Many fans like him have called this character assassination of Jor-El and Lara...I'd argue it's re-interpreting the characters for this generation...and for myself.

Another thing I saw in 2022 was The Batman by Matt Reeves. That one played with the Wayne legacy a bit with Thomas Wayne nearly aligning himself with the mob to protect his wife. Three years later, we have a House of El that aligns closer to Man of Steel's Zod, putting the continuation of their lineage and species above all else. Even if these are separate universes, this now isn't unprecedented in this series of movies from DC Studios. It reminds me of the most extreme cases of narcissistic parents who still believe that what they're doing is for their children.

To make a long story short, my adoption became a cloak-and-dagger situation with revelations that are actually more in-line with Spidey. On that note, Spider-Man: Family Business, the one with Peter's sister Teresa, is a reviewed recommendation of mine. 

Now, what happened to me was the right thing to do in the moment to just make sure I was going to be okay. Basically, some significant members of my biological family never knew about me until the tail end of the pandemic. It was absolutely not the lie to maintain for decades. With all family members now known, we'll one day pick up the pieces.

To that end, I had some hope as I watched how the revelations in Superman that once damaged Clark's relationships with the world and his friends, are put in perspective through the grounding of who he knows, loves, and trusts, such as his adopted parents the Kents.

With the Kents, we have the lovely Kansas couple Ma (Neva Howell) and Pa (Pruitt Taylor Vince). Vince delivers a comforting, though standard message that your choices and your actions make you who you are. But it's the line Pa Kent says before that sticks out. 

Parents who do it right give their kids the tools and support to just go out there and see what sticks. Even if that kid wants to go to college four hours from home, fresh off scoliosis surgery, and pursue fine art with his stick figures...Good parents will point out that the writing about trying to get those stick figures to look like Bugs Bunny or move like The Iron Giant are something worth zeroing in on. But I'll finally digress back to my review of this movie.

As I took in a second viewing of the film, I noticed little details in the writing and execution that built on political themes laid out in the plot (which have gotten a lot of attention online). For example, Lex Luthor is portrayed as a tech tycoon hellbent on world domination (sounds familiar?). 

Even more reminiscent of Elon's recent government takeover was his interactions with the Department of Defense (not to mention that random teenage boy who's on his staff somehow). There are also Zuckerbergian elements at play, as Luthor maintains an army of monkeys akin to Russian bots. 

Keep in mind that the script was written probably around three years ago, before the current events that eerily cross your mind as you watch certain moments in the film. That means the script was drafted before the Oct. 7 attacks in the Middle East, the 2024 U.S. presidential election and the ensuing immigration attacks that it transpired. While themes in the film feel incredibly true to reality today, this is a testament to the filmmakers' ability to be prescient on national and global affairs. 

That said, while the film reads as a political manifestation, it is so much more than that. It is a meditation on kindness at a time where it is sorely needed. 

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Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024)

Primary Disclaimer: Eddie works for the company making the premium theater concession products. 

Secondary Disclaimer: Eddie and I are both huge Paul Rudd fans. 

As the latest installment in the Ghostbusters franchise, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire mostly delivers. There are several callbacks to the original film, more appearances from the O.G. cast and way more screen time for the always wonderful Paul Rudd. 

This time, director Gil Kenan (Monster House) has the daunting task of maintaining one of the most iconic franchises of all time. He takes over for O.G. director, the late Ivan Reitman's son Jason, who helmed the previous film, Ghostbusters: Afterlife. Kenan's horror and comedy backgrounds lend itself to the series quite nicely. 

While pacing is problematic throughout, making an under two-hour feature feel closer to two-and-a-half, Kenan makes sure to stay as true to the original film as possible, unlike Afterlife, which went the traditional reboot route of making a beloved film incredibly dark. 

Theatrical Poster | Copyright Sony 2024

This film follows the Spengler family as they leave Oklahoma behind and decide to resurrect the Ghostbusters proper in NYC, making the iconic Tribeca firehouse their own. Joining them is Rudd's Gary Grooberson, who this time has top billing after spending too few scenes in Afterlife, and is now official with Spengler matriarch Cassie (Carrie Coon). 

Together, they uncover many more supernatural beings, with kids Trevor (Finn Wolfhard) and Egon doppelganger Phoebe (McKenna Grace) having particularly memorable encounters with ghostly creatures. A robust supporting cast including Kumail Nanjiani and Patton Oswalt add a sense of freshness to the series, and this is on top of some very welcome lore building developed by Kenan and Reitman.

The supernatural elements expand past ghosts into things that are borrowed from other creative works, like Avatar: The Last Airbender, but still feel like welcome additions to this world. And some of them spark a well-earned, yet so-so arc for Phoebe.

Her character just feels really jerked around this movie. It gives Grace a lot to work with, and leads to some fine acting from Rudd opposite her, but it's a bit like how Ghostbusters 2 was a bit of a "back to square one" after the classic. That is what makes the runtime feel more padded than it actually ends up being. Speaking of the first two movies...

There, of course, is the return of Dan Ackroyd, Bill Murray, Annie Potts and Ernie Hudson, who this time around get way more screen time. Hudson and Ackroyd especially have memorable arcs, with Hudson's Winston Zeddemore going from a trusty driver to a renowned philanthropist and Ackroyd's Ray Stantz as a podcast host of (what else?) a supernatural show! Potts, meanwhile, gets to step out of her comfort zone from zany secretary to kick-butt Ghostbuster Janine Melnitz. 

The butt-kicking and action is pretty strong as well, as improvements to the Ecto-1 take traversing the New York City streets to new heights. It's brief, but seeing the car whip around with a Proton Pack tearing up the town shows how much promise was in this movie, and how much promise is still left in the franchise. They just need to keep experimenting and testing things out...you know, like scientists.

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Kung Fu Panda 4 (2024)

Sixteen years after first gracing our screens, Po the Panda (Jack Black) is back in action again, this time with a smaller budget and less things to do.

Luckily, the thrills of the original Kung Fu Panda are alive and well. Action sequences in the fourth installment of this franchise totally deliver, and Black brings his best "rizz"-y self to one of his most famous characters, so audiences will still feel suckered into Po's world even if the story wears thin and the laughs are not as monstrous as in previous iterations.

This time around, we watch as Po receives a promotion of sorts from Master Shifu (Dustin Hoffman) to be the spiritual leader of the Valley of Peace. This means that Po has to radically transform from the kick-butt Dragon Warrior to the decidedly more zen philosopher of his kingdom and find a successor in his place. 

Theatrical Poster | Copyright 2024 DreamWorks Animation/Universal

While trying to find the right animal for the job, Po comes across a slick fox named Zhen (Awkwafina) as she tries to steal ancient weapons. Po rightfully puts her in the slammer, only to free her after leopard villain Tai Lung (Ian McShane, reminding longtime fans why he's one of the best animated movie villains) returns and has decimated an entire village. It is then revealed that Tai Lung's return was spurned by a new villain named the Chameleon (Viola Davis, bringing her best to the role). 

Now, onto what makes this movie fall short. If the plot sounds familiar, that might be because parts of it appear to be lifted from the third one. It feels like a regressive retread of Kung Fu Panda 3 overall. Po came out of the third movie ready for a more hands-off role as a teacher, and the fourth opens with him seemingly forgetting this and again asking Shifu why he should step aside as a fighter. This may be because of last-minute editorial decisions that were made by DreamWorks executives.

It was revealed recently in an interview that the film's co-director Stephanie Ma Stine had a more redemptive storyline for Tai Lung, where he and his adoptive father Shifu reunite. However, that plotline was axed by director Mike Mitchell, who ultimately received full credit for directing the film, in a move that probably adds insult to injury for Stine and female directors everywhere. 

Stine also reported being kicked around by film executives, which has been a worrying trend in the movie business as of late.

Then there's the budget, which at $85 million, is decidedly lower than the previous three films, each of which were around $130 million. This might reflect on some of the editorial decisions that were ultimately made in this fourth installment, most notably the near-absence of the Furious Five and their A-list voice cast. Luckily, it looks like no corners were cut when it comes to the stunning visuals that this series continues to dazzle us with four films in. Fight scenes remain as kinetic and inventive as other, with a notable overwater bar brawl being a highlight of the entire franchise.

While Kung Fu Panda 4 has already made more than its budget, with a gross thus far of $176.5 million globally, the box office returns appear to candy coat the film's many flaws. Even still, it's an enjoyable ride with a fan favorite at his kick-butt best. And a thrilling musical number closing out the movie (which we swear is not a total spoiler). 

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Dune (2021) and Dune: Part Two (2024) [Spoiler Review]

For the first time last week, I got sucked into the world of Dune. 

It is for this reason I decided to review both Dune and the newly released Dune: Part Two this week.

In case you don't know, director Denis Villenueve, production company Legendary Pictures, and studio Warner Brothers chose to divide Frank Herbert's 1965 novel Dune into two parts. While this may have been a gamble, it sure paid off. 

Both films follow the journey of Paul Atreides (Timothee Chalamet), the son of aristocratic leader Duke Leto Atreides (Oscar Isaac) and Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson), a member of the cultish sisterhood known as the Bene Gesserit, who possess strange, mystical powers through years of physical and mental training. 

Because of the rivalry between his and the Harkonnen family, a group of mostly bald, anti-social people, Paul is a bit of an outcast, which is why the idea of him being the heir to his kingdom known as Arrakis poses a threat.

In both films, Paul leads a fight against the Harkonnens over "spice," a commodity analogous to oil that increases vitality and awareness and has psychotropic properties. He finds key allies in the Fremen, a group of poor, Bedouin-like people. 

The rather skinny Paul undergoes Jedi Master-like training in the first film from the likes of soldiers Duncan Idaho (Jason Momoa) and Gurney Halleck (Josh Brolin), physician Dr. Wellington Yueh (Chang Chen) and military strategist Thufir Hawat (Stephen McKinley Henderson), all associates of his father. 

Arrakis is eventually conquered by the Harkonnens in the first film, leading Paul to officially be taken in by the Fremen, along with his mother Jessica. Father Leto ultimately sacrifices himself in a duel with Baron Von Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgaard). 

Dune Part Two Poster | Copyright 2024 Warner Brothers and Legendary Pictures

Cut to the second film, where Paul has taken up with a mysterious young female member of the Freman named Chani (Zendaya), who appeared to him in visions in the previous film. 

With the House of Atreides officially disbanded under the leadership of another monarch named Emperor Shaddam IV (Christopher Walken), and he is disheartened over the news that Paul might still be alive at the beginning of the film. 

Jessica replaces the head of the Bene Gesserit after its Reverend Mother passes away by drinking the Water of Life, a poison designed for non-pregnant women. She transmutes the poison to her son, only to have him fall into a deep coma. After awakening with the help of Chani, he starts having visions of his stillborn sister Alia (Anya Taylor-Joy in a fabulous, uncredited cameo) and recognizes that he is part-Harkonnen after the revelation that his maternal grandfather is Baron Von Harkonnen. 

Speaking of the Harkonnens, we are introduced to one of its most interesting family members, the sociopathic Feyd-Rautha (Austin Butler, in a performance that would make the late Heath Ledger proud). Butler commands the screen much like he did as Elvis Presley, although in a manner that is less welcoming and inviting. He is, by far, the standout in Villenueve's second act.

That is all I am willing to divulge about this most recent film. If you haven't read the classic novel, you're just going to have to spend nearly three hours watching the glorious battle sequences and imagery, all expertly shot by Villenueve and cinematographer Greig Fraser (The Batman). 

Villenueve, Jon Spaihts, and Eric Roth have somewhat mastered the art of modern blockbuster filmmaking, subverting without winking. What rung out during the second film's trailers by Chani is, "this prophecy is how they enslave us!" 

The Chosen One Narrative that has driven fiction forever seeped and spread into our very real world thanks to how much smaller it has become. Now, it's become Main Character Syndrome, celebrity, and politics propping up actual figureheads. In Dune: Part Two, it's Paul's reluctance for power slowly subsiding as he as continuously looked toward for guidance at the critical time of young adulthood and during unprecedented times. This is delicately explored and it looks like, once again, that story is only just unfolding. 

All I will say is what I unfortunately left out of my initial thoughts on both films: that Villenueve is a master at sucking people into rather complex sci-fi. Even if you have to Google more finite plot details afterwards, he takes you on a ride you wish never ended, even with the rather long run time of each film. The good news is that a film based on the next book in the Dune series, Dune: Messiah, is on the way.

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Nyad (2023)

Note: Co-written by Eddie Thomson, head writer. 

If you're interested in watching a high-octane swim for two hours, Nyad is just the film for you.

The Netflix hit is already Oscar-nominated, but that's not the only reason why you should tune in. It's a rare film that celebrates female friendship and the human body's resilience. 

The film follows famed swimmer Diana Nyad (Annette Bening) as she makes the treacherous journey from Havana, Cuba to the Florida Keys she set out to complete since her career began in 1979. The odds are set against her, as she is approaching her sixties, but she remains determined throughout and the audience remains grateful that she stays the course.

Theatrical Poster | Copyright 2023 Netflix

There by her side is her longtime friend and former partner Bonnie (Jodie Foster), who guides her throughout each of her four attempts to make this historic swim across the Atlantic Ocean. Also there is the navigator she hired to accompany her, John Bartlett (Rhys Ifans). Ifans, glad to say, brings his usual quirky charm, and grounding level-headedness, to the role as a ship captain reminiscent of the late Bill Paxton's Titanic treasure hunter Brock Lovett.

Nyad is directed by the documentary team Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi & Jimmy Chin (Free Solo, Wildlife). This is our first film of theirs, but it's very clear what two things made their transition to narrative film so smooth: their incorporation of archival footage and perfect pacing. Footage of the actual Diana is used throughout the movie, which helps bring viewers into the breadth and depth of her career. Each attempt is also periodically time-stamped. When an attempt has to be abandoned, the near futility is doubly felt through both Bening's performance and knowing how close or far off she and her team are.

We also gain insight into her beginnings as a swimmer, although the filmmakers should have gone more in depth into some of her childhood experiences, especially one dealing with the trauma from a sexual harassment experience with her first coach Jack Nelson (Eric T. Miller). These are generally left as flashback scenes without much depth. 

Ultimately, what anchors this film is the friendship between Diana and Bonnie. It's rare to see platonic friendships on screen, with the same tension as romantic relationships. Viewers will be sucked in as the two tussle over Diana's stubbornness in completing the swim, especially after bad currents and a box jellyfish sting. 

When the film reaches its satisfying conclusion, you know this was a swim worth watching, even with all the complications in between. Watch for the strong chemistry between two of the finest actresses of their generation, and stay for the fast-paced swim journey. 

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Madame Web (2024)

Note: Co-written by staff writer Mallika Rao. 

Kraven outstanding, Madame Web is the definitive death knell in Sony's Spider-Man universe, officially the mouthful known as Sony Pictures Universe of Marvel Characters. To virtually everyone, my girlfriend Mallika included, this result was completely expected. I, however am frustrated by the potential and glimmers of hope that I effectively am trying to conjure out of thin out for this movie.

Madame Web is directed by S. J. Clarkson, and it's written, presumably as they were shooting and editing, by Matt Salaam & Burk Sharpless and Claire Parker & S. J. Clarkson. The story follows NYC paramedic Cassandra Webb (Dakota Johnson). After a near death on the job, she unlocks clairvoyant abilities that she quickly puts to work. 

French Theatrical Poster for Madame Web | Copyright 2024 Sony and Marvel

Tasked with protecting three young women (Sydney Sweeney, Celeste O'Connor, and Isabela Merced) from D-list villain Ezekiel Sims (Tahar Rahim), Webb will discover secrets of her past and her potential place in a larger multiverse...if this movie was well-made.

Way back in 2014, there were rumors of a potential Aunt May movie that was among a dozen or so straws Sony was grasping at after The Amazing Spider-Man 2 struggled at the box office. I was part of the few and the proud that championed this crazy idea. 

Spider-Man, like Batman, has the deepest bench of well-developed side characters in comics, and any number of these people could go off and do their own thing for an enjoyable two hours without any mention of arachnids or insects. Venom proves this and Peter Parker's parents are, at least in some stories, goddamn spies. Clarkson and company utilize the surface-level of what they're given to play with in the most surface way possible.

The surface stuff that works includes the use the 2000s settings and references, the unfulfilled promise of grounded, stunt-driven action, and the casting of the main four leads. 

From a clever Sony tie-in of a Beyonce album cover billboard (Queen Bey is a Sony Music Entertainment artist) to a memorable dance number with the three youngest actresses bopping to Britney Spears' "Toxic" to try and impress young men, and even a callback to another superhero flop with R&B group Mis-teeq's 2004 banger "Scandalous" (from the Halle Berry "Catwoman") playing briefly in the background. 

There's enough of a world here that audiences can stay anchored to something even as the plot and pacing start-and-stop sporadically. It's a two hours that doesn't feel like three or even two and a half, thank goodness, but does feel sleepy. The performances, or at least appearances of actors we know and love, keeps our eyes open luckily.

Johnson, Sweeney, O'Connor and Merced have great chemistry from the start. The film itself wastes their potential to work as a force for the greater good. It's a shame the writing had to be so mid, as kids today would say.

The always wonderful Adam Scott makes a memorable appearance as Ben Parker (yes, Spider-Man's Uncle Ben). To that point, Emma Roberts plays Mary, who is implied, with all the force of a sledgehammer, to be the matriarch of Peter Parker himself, and Peter's birth scene is one that hit close to home for me, as a month-prematurely born baby myself (sorry for the spoiler alert). I'm going to hold onto the headcanon that that applies to most multiversal Peter Parkers forever.

With a smaller budget compared to mainline Spidey films, the scaled-back action has an appreciated believability and spark of creativity to it. The hand-to-hand fights aren't caked in CGI until the very end of the movie, so they're luckily comprehensible. The highlight of the few confrontations in Madame Web is when one of the characters uses a defibrillator from inside an ambulance to shock Sims off them during the climatic chase. It's nice, tense, and at least a little inventive. 

Webb's clairvoyance does not get the same treatment. It's really just kind of there and seems to work like the movie Next, where the character just gets a few minutes of a heads up. Maybe if she lost her sight when she got her powers more could've been done with that, but they save her going blind and her comic-accurate look for the final minutes of the movie, ultimately leaving viewers feeling like they wasted their time and money. Still, a final positive, the costume design has a bit of that creative spark, too.

Madame Web's costumes are designed by Ngila Dickson (Lord of the Rings). Right off, there is something new, notable, and inspired about seeing spider suits without the classic one-way lenses. The trio of Sweeney, O'Connor, and Merced give us something close to live-action takes on the 2099 suit and two color-swapped Future Foundation outfits. Rahim wears a cross between the classic black suit and Far From Home's stealth suit, and it's always fun to see a covert Spider-Man costume slowly skulk across ceilings. It's way, way too brief, but at least it's there and saving the movie from a completely failing grade. 

(Not the four stars it tried to will into exist by having a scene at a place called the Four Star Diner in Jersey. Better luck next time with Kraven, El Muerto, Spider-Man: Noir, and the now most likely doomed Silk project. Thank goodness for the animated movies and Venom.)

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Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour (2023)

Primary Disclaimer: I work for the company making the premium theater concession products. Also, if you need a lid for your cup, this video, and this one, may help you find one. They’re by Paige Ruth.

Secondary Disclaimer: I took my girlfriend to the IMAX screening, and she loved the show!

A few years ago, I said "two of the greatest gifts of college were swing dance lessons and a re-introduction to music." Four of the songs on rotation were covers off of 1989, and they were my semi-introduction to Taylor Swift. I tell people that I learned to dance to those songs, so I did not feel out of place and happily held my own while singing along with this boisterous crowd.

The audience, mostly comprised of girls and women, would make us Marvel fanboys blush with their energy. Even with the expected dancing, I was not ready for the theater to shake the way it did, but what do you expect when your favorite pop star is showing off her moves, and the camera is doing so much more than just keep up with her?

The Eras Tour is directed by Sam Wrench (Netflix’s Rhythm & Flow and Lizzo’s 2022 Live in Concert, and cut by a team of near-precise editors. It's rare that a shot feels jarring, but it does happen. Still, under Swift's show-running, something lively, dynamic, and unexpected is created. One of the best examples of this is during the Reputation segment. Performances are better adapted on-stage than on-film in their initial music videos. It's not a bare-bones approach, it's streamlined, and it plays better in Eras because it looks, please excuse me, less silly.

During 1989's "Blank Space," a car was projected onto the raised platform of the stage and synced to the lightsaber golf club smashing of your background dancers! The video may have been perfectly timed, or it was set to play sections as-needed. Essentially, if you aren't taken in by the music, you are by the gear-turning of the entire production. So let's start with one, and then go to the other.

 

"Larger Than Life" doesn't even account for the big screen and big crowd | Copyright Taylor Swift Productions, AMC Theaters, and Cinemark Theaters 2023

This woman is incredibly thankful that her fans have allowed her to genre-jump and evolve as an artist, and when she made that known someone sitting behind us gave an equally thankful, and slightly comedic, "you're welcome." It's given her a deep bench to pull from but with very few deep cuts, and that's such a tremendous asset for an artist. That's obviously part of the show, but for someone who has only heard some work passively, it's a treat to realize some of the work you know isn't from the album you thought it was, this song is actually about this topic, or that lyric is actually a metaphor.

Straight up, Taylor Swift can belt it incredibly well. As loud as we all got at times, it was still incredibly impressive, and it surprisingly shined through even more during the less up-beat tracks that we sat for. I just wish those were paced out better.

Near the end, the length could be felt, and while Eras finishes strong, the lulls are both noticeable and potentially avoidable. I just wonder if the concert would've worked better for some if Folklore and Evermore were put in-between other sections. Maybe tonal whiplash would cause different problems, but it's certainly something to think about and the only real knock against the film. Having said that, one of those two featured a forest-themed piano.

Folklore Piano | Via Vox and Her YouTube Channel

So stuff like that probably isn't new to most fans, but the production design is the surprise star of the show, so much of those details will be kept under wraps. Basically, we're talking about mini film sets that would typically be reserved for Halftime brought to the stage by, at least in part, production designer Ethan Tobman. They're what make the scale of this whole thing feel so great, and that's why it really felt like the best way to see it was from the front-row or onscreen. Again, all the spectacle of a Marvel movie, and more, despite the third act.

If you dropped right down to the score, please read the disclaimers at the top of the page

And a bonus  for a million little things, like the room Taylor gave her background performers to add so much more than "contractual work" to fill out the stage. It wouldn't be surprising to learn that some of them are also actors. A couple people I wanted to highlight, in close, are Kameron N. Saunders and Jan Ravnik...because I'm not the only one who mistook Ravnik for Oscar Isaac. And Isaac, or someone resembling him, automatically improves a movie or show. 

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Wood Train Bank Model - Blender 3D

This site has never had any hard or fast rules (just run it through the wayback machine), so we're trying something new! 

To try to get myself back into regular posting, I'm starting with something small, this little train bank that I think I made back in Cub or Boy Scouts. I'm sure it was really fun to build then, and it definitely was to model now.

Poly Haven used for textures, and plugins used are Easeam by Orcavia and Hole Maker by Tiemen's Addons: 

https://www.blendermarket.com/products/easeam
https://www.blendermarket.com/products/hole-maker

The last thing I made before this train is these Pym Particle Discs from Ant-Man.

Really proud of how well they came out, and really excited to try to turn them into earrings with the help of my old college's 3D printing program.

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