​Hello, everyone!  Welcome to another episode of moviemanMDG’s “Movie Talk”, where I talk about everything film-related.  It’s no secret that 2024 is another year full of surprises and inspiring feats in the film industry.  However, it’s also not without plenty of misfortunes and atrocities that we had to endure, whether on the big screen or on a streaming service.  With every cinematic masterpiece that invaded ours screens with awe-inspiring quality, there’s always a massive pile of hot garbage that stimulates our senses in the worst way possible.  That’s how I would describe my experience toward this year’s films that failed to reach their potentials with their cheapness and second-rate executions.  While my intention is to always look for a silver lining in these mediocre attempts at filmmaking, there are occasions where their positive aspects just aren’t enough to excuse their massive flaws.  The movies I got listed below are some of those moments.  We already got through with the best of the best of 2024 in my previous Movie Talk episode, so now it’s time for me to announce the films that I deemed unworthy of my cinematic needs.  Just like before, this is my personal picks of the films I disliked the most this year.  Even though there are certain popular ones that everyone loves to deem “the worst movie ever made”, especially ones based on an existing IP, there are actually those that truly deserve the rotten tomato treatment.  At least, that’s how I view them because again, everyone has their own distinct taste in movies, and that’s okay.  As usual, don’t be surprised if any of your picks for the worst movie of the year didn’t make it on my list or if the ones you actually liked more than I did are on it.  These are my personal picks, and if you enjoyed any of them, that’s great.  More power to you.  Now that that’s out of the way, let’s count down the biggest losers of 2024.  But before I do that, allow me to share with you the “dishonorable mentions” that were lucky enough to escape their unwanted achievements.

​Coming in at the bottom of the trash can is M. Night Shyamalan's daughter's attempt at making a horror movie.  All I can say is that she has a lot of work to do to make it big as a director.  "The Watchers" was just as lost as the characters in the woods, with a story that struggled to balance its slow-burn suspense with supernatural horror elements.  There was some potential hidden within Ishana Night Shyamalan's vision, especially when the cinematography captures the eeriness and dread of the isolated forest.  Sadly, that hardly matters when a film lacks effort in its unbalanced screenplay, so-so cast, and soulless scares.  You're better off watching something that's more worth your time.

​Camp is supposed to be a place where you experience the great outdoors and make new friends and memories.  But if it's anything like my number nine pick, I'd rather just stay home and play video games all summer long.  "Summer Camp" was another addition to a long line of comedies involving seniors acting like they're thirty years younger.  While familiar by design, I admire only a couple of them for being mildly endearing for their target audience, mainly "Book Club" and "80 for Brady".  Sadly, "Summer Camp" became a blueprint for following the same formulaic pattern without the charm and fun to accompany it.  Despite the efforts made by the main leads, the film's inept direction, generic screenplay, and lackluster characters were enough to give me the summertime blues.  Regarding this catalog of senior-focused comedies, this is by far the most boring and biggest waste of effort from all those involved.  These actresses deserved a much better camp to attend than what they got.

​There's no studio that suffered the worst luck in the superhero genre this year than Sony, especially its Spider-Man-less cinematic universe.  Except for the "Venom" trilogy, the studio's attempts at making Spider-Man's enemies anti-heroes to maintain its rights lack the cheesy fun, charm, and quality to warrant their existence.  The universe's final film, "Kraven the Hunter", is no different, as it is yet another failed attempt at superhero filmmaking that's more prey than predator.  Admittedly, it's mildly watchable regarding Aaron Taylor-Johnson's portrayal of the Spider-Man villain and the film's brutal violence.  Sadly, they're not enough to make this thrill of the hunt…well, thrilling.  Due to its bland supporting cast, incoherent editing, tedious direction, and rough visual effects, this supervillain origin film lacks the storytelling expertise to hunt alongside the big cinematic hunters.

​It's no surprise that everyone was crying foul at Hollywood for reviving "The Crow" when the 1994 adaptation was fine the way it was.  But, as usual, the folks at Hollywood didn't listen, and they paid the price for it, both critically and financially.  The 2024 reboot of "The Crow" puts a more supernatural and modern edge to the source material, and the result is a dull and bleak mess that's neither as compelling nor as entertaining as it should have been.  Its production design was serviceable for maintaining the gothic nature of the comic and the 1994 film, and the Opera House sequence was pretty enjoyable.  However, when it comes to everything else, the 2024 iteration of "The Crow" is a failed attempt at reviving the franchise due to its dull cast, generic script, forgettable action, and uninspired characters.  But, at the very least, Bill Skarsgård was able to redeem his soul with his take on Nosferatu, so there's that.

​2024 has been a pretty good year for horror, especially when we have plenty of surprises like "Late Night with the Devil" and "Nosferatu".  However, that doesn't mean it's safe from some of the bad ones we got amid its gems.  One of them is a supernatural horror film about tarot cards whose fate was already sealed before it even came out.  Regarding its plot and genre elements, "Tarot" was as generic and subpar as the title suggested, even failing to meet the lowest of my expectations.  While the young cast did all right with their performances, and the atmospheric dread was serviceable, the film failed to escape its destined fate due to its cliched and one-dimensional screenplay, bland direction, and uninspiring scares.  You're better off playing with real Tarot cards instead of watching the film's characters do it.

​Most people assume that "Kraven the Hunter" is the worst installment in Sony's Spider-Man Universe.  As much as I respect their opinions, I have to say that that isn't the case, as my number five pick exists.  S. J. Clarkson's feature directorial debut, "Madame Web", has been consistently deemed "the worst superhero film ever" by critics and audiences when it was first released.  At first, I thought this was another occasion when their reactions toward a movie were unfairly over-the-top.  However, after experiencing the film, I started to believe they were actually justified.  Its focus on the Spider-women and suspense thriller approach was quite welcoming for the short-lived franchise filled with villains-turned-heroes, and Dakota Johnson did an okay job as the titular character.  Unfortunately, they're not enough to untangle its messy and bland web of mediocrity and laziness.  Its subpar direction, mediocre dialogue, and weak supporting cast make this one of the nails in the coffin for Sony's attempt at making its own Marvel Cinematic Universe.  Maybe Sony can make another deal with Disney to incorporate these Spider-Man characters into the MCU?

​Zachary Levi may have taken the loss of his "Shazam" franchise a bit too personally, so much so that he starred in an underwhelming kids movie as revenge against us for not supporting his superhero sequel.  The movie I'm referring to was my number four pick, "Harold and the Purple Crayon", the long-awaited adaptation of the popular children's book that wasn't as creative and fun as the protagonist's imagination.  The idea of making Harold a fish-out-of-water adult was questionable, but that's not the main reason why the movie didn't work for me.  It's the fact that it focused so much on appealing to the younger demographic that it wound up pleasing no one, not even the young at heart.  The visuals were serviceable for Harold's drawings, and the cast, including Levi, was fine in their roles.  However, they're not enough to draw its way out of its formulaic script, mundane direction, inconsistent pacing, and unfunny plot.  It's another example of how not to make a family film and another unfortunate misfire for Levi's troubling reputation.  He's definitely in dire need of a purple crayon of his own so he can draw himself out of this predicament.

​2008's "The Strangers" revitalized the fear of being stalked or attacked by random people whose motives were unexplainable.  Their excuse: they just wanted to.  Sixteen years later, the masked murderers returned to evoke that feeling again via a reboot that's also the start of a narrative-driven trilogy.  The result is a heaping pile of nothing that lacked its predecessor's frights and authentic terror.  "The Strangers: Chapter 1" is a highly lackluster reboot that follows the same path as the 2008 film but with a dose of dumb characters and unintentional humor.  It's not funny in a scary way, mind you.  It's just hilariously bad, especially regarding Scarecrow's actions.  The film's isolated atmosphere was overshadowed by its dull approach to its dumb characters, cliched script, and weak thrills.  This latest visit from the "Strangers" is just unpleasant in the worst way possible, and I'm already praying that its upcoming continuations won't be as agonizing as this.

​I like watching inspiring, feel-good sports movies as much as the next guy.  While they're flawed in their formulaic narratives, they usually succeed in making me believe in miracles and the power of sportsmanship.  Charles Stone III's latest foray into the sports genre, which showcases Snoop Dogg's appreciation of football, should've been another touchdown for the everlasting catalog of sports cinema.  Instead, it wound up being an incomplete pass, followed by a massive loss in yards.  The Prime Video original, "The Underdoggs", featured Snoop Dogg performing as his usual self while representing his love of the game.  Unfortunately, it lacks the charm and humor of other feel-good sports movies to make it more than a lackluster and redundant commercial for the singer/actor's "Snoop Youth Football League".  Its script was immensely formulaic, the adult humor and language were annoyingly repetitive, and the characters, especially its protagonist, were unlikable enough to get sacked multiple times.  In short, this R-rated comedy is far from the underdog we usually see in sports, whether in real life or on the screen.

​Many fans of "Megamind" had been clamoring for another adventure with the blue-skinned, big-headed villain-turned-hero for years, and I don't blame them.  It was a fun and clever take on the superhero genre filled with big stars and memorable meme-worthy moments.  It may not be a masterpiece by DreamWorks standards, but it was one of the more entertaining films that the studio had produced.  This year, our prayers were answered, but in the form of a television movie made for Peacock to coincide with the series, and we have regretted it ever since.  Not many people have mentioned this anymore, and it's understandable why.  "Megamind vs. the Doom Syndicate" provided a massive stain on its predecessor by having the audacity to call itself a "film".  Admittedly, it's supposed to serve as a pilot for the "Megamind Rules" series, but even so, it failed to capture the essence and witty appeal that made "Megamind" popular.  The story was bland and idiotic, the direction was void of charm and wit, and the animation was cheaply crafted, even by television standards.  I could see a few kids enjoying it, but I highly doubt they'll remember it weeks later.  That's how disappointing this movie was, not just for kids but also for those who grew up watching "Megamind", including me.  Most people would go with something like "Joker" or "Borderlands" as their ideal worst movie of 2024, but in my eyes, it's actually the big-headed blue man that deserves this title.  If you want more insight regarding my thoughts about the pilot film and its series, check out my Movie Talk episode, "The Doomed Return of Megamind".

​It still wasn't easy making this list compared to my best film list, mainly due to my attempt at being more positive toward these second-rate movies, but it had to be done.  As mentioned before, if you like any or all of the films I listed above, I can only say that you have my respect for tolerating them more than I did.  I may not be comfortable with those opinions, but I respect them regardless.  That said, this concludes another year filled with cinematic gold and cinematic slop.  Once again, I want to thank you all for following me and my website as we head into 2025.  Until my next review, have a happy new year.

​Hello, everyone!  Welcome to another episode of moviemanMDG's "Movie Talk", where I talk about everything film-related.  Another year is drawing to a close, which means it's time for one of my favorite things of the year. That's right, folks. It's time for another end-of-the-year list courtesy of yours truly.  I know I'm supposed to come up with something exciting to start this episode, but trust me.  When you've been writing top ten lists for almost ten years, you're bound to not worry about it and wing it anyway.  2024 offered many movies that attempted to revive the cinematic experience or divert audiences with their entertainment values.  Some films succeed in being overall great movies, while others fail to deliver more than what's on the covers.  There were also some surprises we didn't expect to be good but proved us otherwise, and some that failed to meet our high expectations because we kept setting ourselves up for disappointment.  For this episode, we're going to be focusing on the positives as I list the top ten movies that impressed me the most, whether they're for entertainment purposes, cinematic quality, thematic storytelling, or all of the above.  This year, I've seen plenty of movies I loved more than I thought I would, but this list is for the ten best films that remained in my head more than others.  As usual, I didn't have time to see all the movies I wanted to see before making this list, so don't be surprised if some of your personal favorites aren't included.  Sadly, that includes "The Brutalist", which is still playing in a few theaters.  But don't worry.  I'll get to that film soon enough.  Until then, we're sticking with the ones I already watched, with only ten of them worthy of being on my list.  That said, let's count down the best of the best as I present to you my top ten favorite films of 2024.

However, before I start the countdown, I want to do something different for my structure regarding this year's lists.  Throughout the past few years, I usually list the honorable mentions before announcing my number one pick.  This year, I decided to share them before I list off the top ten films instead.  It's not a permanent change but an experiment to see which structure suits me best.  Feel free to comment on which structure you prefer; I'll gladly take those to heart.  With that in mind, here's my pretty long list of honorable mentions that didn't make the cut.

​I was initially hesitant about adding this film to my top ten list or having it as an honorable mention.  But after thinking it over as I formed my list, I figured it was just too good to be an honorable mention.  The film I'm referring to was "My Old Ass", Megan Park's second directorial effort that sounded like the title of a Seth Rogen-produced raunchy comedy at first.  While there was some profanity and sex involved, they're balanced perfectly well with a thoughtful and witty portrayal of self-identity and coming of age.  Maisy Stella and Aubrey Plaza were both terrific regarding their charismatic performances, and Park's direction and screenplay were excellent in revitalizing its familiar genre tropes.  It further showcased Megan Park as another new voice for teenage coming-of-age filmmaking, and I'm very curious to see what she's planning next.

​If you want another reason to keep holding on to hope, look no further than my number nine pick of the year.  With the world being surrounded by hate, pain, and despair, "Sing Sing" could not have come at a better time.  More importantly, it was an expertly directed and genuinely heartfelt tribute to the Rehabilitation Through the Arts program that helped incarcerated men heal their souls through theatre arts.  I watched the film during one of the mystery movie events this year, and I was pretty disappointed it didn't gather as much attention as I thought it would.  Then again, it didn't expand to many theaters during its run, so that might've been the case.  Regardless, it was an incredible reflection of humanity and redemption powered by Colman Domingo's excellent performance and Greg Kwedar's sublime direction and screenplay.  I wasn't expecting to talk about this film, but after watching it, I'm glad I did.

​Whenever I don't have the time or money to attend a Broadway production, I usually wait until I see its film adaptation for a lower price.  Some succeeded in capturing the production's magic, while others didn't.  But in the end, it's the experience of witnessing these stories from Broadway for the first time that's truly magical, whether they're from the stage or on the big screen.  That's how I would describe my time watching my number eight pick: "Wicked".  Jon M. Chu returned to the musical genre with a visually breathtaking and narratively grand adaptation that paints a bigger picture of the two distinct witches from "The Wizard of Oz".  As someone who had only seen it for the first time, I was worried I wouldn't understand the prequel musical's appeal.  However, these worries disappeared like magic once I saw the craft, effort, and passion Jon M. Chu and the others put into the adaptation's first half.  Regarding its talented cast, Chu's direction, faithful screenplay, and beautiful production designs, "Wicked" defies its cinematic gravity in more ways than one and continues to prove Chu's impeccable ability to turn musical adaptations into cinematic gems.  

​Pixar struck animation gold with its original film that literally hit us with the feels almost a decade ago, a much-needed victory for the animation studio after a few years of middling content.  "Inside Out" was not only my favorite film of 2015 but also one of my favorites of all time, animated or otherwise, due to its clever storytelling and thematic depth.  Nine years later, Pixar repeated history with its follow-up after suffering from Disney's direct-to-streaming strategy due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  "Inside Out 2" is another fantastic animated sequel that honors its predecessor's emotional core while expanding its world in an imaginative and thought-provoking way.  It fell a bit short of matching the emotional grandeur of the first film due to it following a few similar footsteps from that movie.  However, it's still a worthy continuation that I can relate to, mainly because of Anxiety, brilliantly voiced by Maya Hawke.  Regarding its terrific voice cast, well-balanced story, and incredible animation, "Inside Out 2" is another showcase of Pixar putting in as much effort in their sequels as they do with their original films.  I will gladly be seated for "Inside Out 3" if that happens.

​Love can be pretty complicated, especially when working as a stripper.  One of them found that out the hard way, resulting in my number six pick, "Anora".  Writer/director Sean Baker brought audiences back into the marginalized world of immigrants and sex workers with a consistently alluring and smartly written anti-romance comedy packed with seductive lovemaking and infectious humor.  It can be pretty spicy with its sex scenes, but underneath its soft porn shenanigans lies a humane and tragic reflection of a doomed love caused by the characters' actions.  Mikey Madison delivered a terrific performance that combines seduction with humanity, and Sean Baker's vision offered a sense of pizzazz and zestfulness in his old-fashioned direction and screenplay.  It's another example of "don't judge a book by its provocative cover", in which it provides more than just two-and-a-half hours of characters "making love".

​Denis Villeneuve has repeatedly proven that he's the perfect filmmaker capable of balancing the sci-fi blockbuster aspect with cinematic quality filmmaking.  After all, his films like "Arrival" and "Blade Runner 2049" have appeared in almost every top ten list I made since I created my blog.  Unsurprisingly, 2024 is no different, thanks to my number five pick.  Denis Villeneuve's "Dune" was a grand cinematic experience that combined its epic scale with invigorating storytelling and incredible visuals.  "Dune: Part Two" upped the ante with all those elements, including the world-building.  The result is a massive improvement over its predecessor that brilliantly continues Paul Atreides's journey through its faithful screenplay.  The cast was stellar, especially Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya. Villeneuve's direction was immersive and awe-inspiring, and the visual effects impeccably captured the expansive world of Frank Herbert's novel.  It was simply an incredible experience that reminded me of the joy and magic of going to the cinema.  Bring on "Dune: Messiah"!   

​If there's one thing I admire about Robert Eggers, it's that he can make historical time periods seem more frightening compared to what you read in school books.  Of course, it's not without his unique filmmaking craft that makes the unnerving sequences hauntingly beautiful.  This was proven further in my number four pick, depicting the Dracula knock-off as a petrifying force capable of delighting and scaring new generations of vampire fans.  Robert Eggers's take on "Nosferatu" is another terrific display of the filmmaker's combination of discomforting aura and authentically gothic atmosphere.  Combine them with its compelling screenplay, creepily gorgeous cinematography, haunting score, and authentic production design, and you get the best horror film of 2024 in my eyes.  It may not be for everyone due to its runtime and disturbing imagery, but it was a magnificent portrayal of unspeakable terror that establishes Robert Eggers as one of the best directors working in Hollywood today. 

​When I watched "The Lighthouse", I didn't think I would ever recapture the same feeling I had after the movie ended.  The sense of unease and speechlessness from riding the roller coaster of terror and shock hadn't left my body for at least a few hours afterward.  A few movies attempted to match the impact of "The Lighthouse", but they didn't quite reach that level of discomfort I was hoping for.  That all changed when I saw "The Substance", and in seconds, that particular feeling came back.  "The Substance" is a miraculously energetic and terrifyingly beautiful experience that lives up to the gross and gonzo hype it promised from the marketing.  It's also balanced well with its cautionary tale of addiction and the temptation of regaining one's youth, led by career-best performances from Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley.  Its two-hour-plus runtime and body horror elements can be a bit much for some people, especially those with sensitive stomachs.  Regardless, it is one of the trippiest and wildly satisfying movies I've seen this decade due to Coralie Fargeat's sickly compelling presentation and screenplay, amazing practical effects, and Benjamin Stefanski's kinetic score.  Unless you're concerned about its side effects, this is one cinematic drug that you should experience once. 

​Coming in at number two is a film that's surprisingly less painful than the title suggests.  "A Real Pain" further displayed Jesse Eisenberg's talents as an actor and filmmaker with a relatable voice for his Jewish community.  After making a solid debut with "When You Finish Saving the World", Eisenberg returned to the director's chair stronger than ever with an incredibly moving and layered comedy-drama depicting the pain and sadness within the human connection.  Eisenberg did incredibly well in all three aspects: acting, directing, and writing.  However, Kieran Culkin was the clear winner, as his career-best performance as Benji made me hope he'll make it to the Oscars.  Combine them with its cinematography and engaging chemistry between the leads, and you get a family vacation that's worth taking.

​Everyone has their preference regarding their favorite animated film of the year, and 2024 is no different.  Some would pick "Inside Out 2", others would choose "Flow", and there were even those who'd pick "Transformers One" as the best of the year.  I'm among the few who picked the latest feature from DreamWorks Animation, which provided the perfect programming to deliver something special for kids and adults.  In fact, I would even go as far as to pick it as my favorite film of the year, and that movie is "The Wild Robot".  DreamWorks Animation may have had an inconsistent filmography regarding the quality, but it's hard to ignore the ones that showcased the studio's commitment to delivering something extraordinary, like "Shrek", "How to Train Your Dragon", and even "Puss in Boots: The Last Wish".  "The Wild Robot" is another excellent example of this, delivering a remarkable blend of humor, heart, and visual majesty to depict a fun and emotional tale of motherhood, nature, and acceptance.  Writer/director Chris Sanders has truly created something that reminisces the good old days of animation, particularly ones from Disney and Studio Ghibli, where simplicity and beauty can go hand in hand with thematic layers and storytelling, delighting children and adults alike.  It had all the tools to survive the sea of animated content, such as the voice cast, uniquely stellar animation, Sanders' sublime direction and screenplay, and Kris Bowers' musical score.  As a result, "The Wild Robot" is not only the best animated film of 2024 but also my pick of the best film of the year.

​There you have it, folks.  These are my top ten favorite movies of 2024.  Again, I haven't seen all of the films that came out before I made this list, including the ones slated for a wide expansion next year, but don't you worry.  I'll get to them when that time comes…hopefully.  Until then, I want to thank you all for joining me for another year of cinematic goodness and let's hope 2025 is just as good, if not better.  Let me know what your favorite movies are in the comments, and I'll see you all in the next "Movie Talk" episode, where I discuss my picks for the biggest losers of 2024. 

​Hello, everyone.  Welcome to another episode of moviemanMDG's "Movie Talk", where I talk about everything film-related.  If you're like me, you usually want to watch movies related to a specific holiday every year.  Sure, there are other options to choose from, but there's always something about watching these movies that gets us into the holiday spirit.  Halloween is no exception, with a plethora of horror films and television shows being released around that time to satisfy our spine-chilling needs.  Whether they're recent, old-school, or even ones that reside in the far reaches of our streaming services, horror movies are the pinnacle of All Hallow's traditions besides trick-or-treating and stuffing our mouths with cavity-inducing candy.  

Whenever October rolls around, I watch a horror film almost every night to get into the Halloween spirit.  Sometimes, it's out of good fun, challenging myself not to be haunted by constant nightmares after watching them.  But, at other times, I use the opportunity to check out specific films I haven't viewed before, including those that recently became talks of the town.  This year is that time regarding the latter, as I'm about to embark on a new horrific journey this Halloween season.  That's right, folks.  For the first time in my life, I'm about to confront the deadliest clown in cinematic history!  No, I'm not talking about the Joker.  I already tackled that clown a few weeks ago.  I'm talking about the new killer clown who shows no mercy in torturing people: The infamous Art the Clown!  

First introduced in the anthology horror film, "All Hallows' Eve", in 2013, Art the Clown is highly notorious for his demonic and merciless personality and extremely gruesome kills.  Seriously, his kills are sadistic enough to make the "Saw" movies look teen-rated by comparison.  At least, that's what I assumed based on the audience's reactions.  Despite that, the psychotic serial killer's first appearance was popular enough to launch a spin-off franchise featuring the character called "Terrifier" in 2016.  Helmed by Damien Leone, who directed "All Hallows' Eve", the first "Terrifier" movie entered the cinematic competition through his Indiegogo campaign, with David Howard Thornton taking over the role of Art instead of Mike Giannelli from "All Hallows' Eve", who retired before production began.  Let's just say it had been getting a lot of talk for reasons we didn't expect.  

While "Terrifier" was received positively for its practical effects, its underdeveloped plot and characters amid the bloodshed didn't take the world by storm.  Despite its mixed reception, "Terrifier" would later become a cult classic among horror fanatics for its intent to push the boundaries of the slasher-splatter elements, especially the gore.  This resulted in the birth of a new horror franchise, with 2022's "Terrifier 2" defining Art as the new face of slasher cinema.  Its recent installment, "Terrifier 3", has already been making waves at the box office, with a fourth film currently in development to close off the narrative arc introduced in the second film.  If that's not terrifying enough, Art even made an appearance in the Peacock series "Bupkis" with Pete Davidson and a couple of "Call of Duty" games for good measure.  So, with the release of the third movie, I finally decided to muster up the courage to check out the "Terrifier" movies to see if they're really as controversial and gleefully violent as people claim they are.  In this special Halloween-themed episode of "Movie Talk", I'll be reviewing each installment of the "Terrifier" franchise, and yes, that includes the recently-released third installment.  So, get your barf bags ready because it's about to get terrifying.

Let's get this gory party started with the movie that started the recent horror craze: The first "Terrifier" installment that premiered at the 2016 Telluride Horror Show Film Festival.  Two years later, it was released in limited theaters by Dread Central and Epic Pictures Group, and the rest was history.  The film, which was written and directed by Damien Leone, tells the horrifying tale of Tara Heyes (Jenna Kanell), a young woman who left a Halloween party with her friend, Dawn Emerson (Catherine Corcoran).  The friends are confronted by an enigmatic killer with clown makeup known only as "Art the Clown" (David Howard Thornton), who relentlessly follows them.  Along with Tara's sister, Victoria (Samantha Scaffidi), Tara and Dawn are caught in a deadly game with the killer mime, who seeks to have some gruesome fun with his targets.

With all the talks going on about how violent and messed up "Terrifier" is, I can say that I was well prepared for what I was about to witness.  Plenty of years of watching slasher films, ranging from "Scream" to "Halloween", has led me to this brutally insane experience, and guess what?  It's just what I expected out of the genre.  Regarding the genre elements, "Terrifier" was another enjoyable yet sadistic addition to the horror slasher lineup.  However, when it comes to its storytelling, it's easy to see that this is the first film in the franchise.  The plot is pretty straightforward: You have a group of characters stuck in an apartment building with a crazed clown-mime psychopath who kills them in gruesomely deranged ways until the final girl enters the battlefield.  If you're expecting anything else from the storyline besides that, there's a good chance you'll be disappointed with the final result.  With the film focusing more on the frights and gore than the character depth, I was left not giving a crap about the victims of Art's unhinged personality.  They're basically one-dimensional characters who just wind up at the wrong place and time.

However, if you don't actually mind about how the story turned out, you might find plenty of merits amid Art's killing spree.  One of which is Damien Leone's direction.  While his screenplay followed the traditional rules of the subgenre, I can't deny his attempt at recapturing the B-movie aesthetics of the slasher narrative.  From the cinematography to the cheesiness of its dark comedy, Leone certainly understood the basics of the horror B-movie genre made popular in the 1980s, especially when he embraced and even improved most of those elements.  Once that happens, it becomes a goofily entertaining thrill ride elevated by its tension and gory, conventional kills, primarily due to its impeccable practical effects.  They didn't make me gag like everyone else who witnessed this bloody mayhem, but boy, are they disgusting to look at.  I would also credit David Howard Thornton for his remarkable portrayal of Art, which effectively combines terror with dark comedy, especially when he's disguising his sadism with innocence.  Jenna Kanell and Samantha Scaffidi also did pretty well as Tara and her sister, Victoria, with the latter playing a crucial role in future installments.

Overall, "Terrifier" is an enjoyably brutal throwback to the 80s B-movie genre that's all gore and little substance.  With this being the first film in the franchise, it's understandable that it's left with the slasher basics to form a narrative surrounding this ultra-violent concept.  But, to the film's credit, it embraces the mindlessness and gratuitous mayhem that we usually see in other slasher films from past generations.  As a result, it became a tolerable yet traditional experience that's best watched without eating a full-course meal.  The addition of its terrific practical effects and splatter B-movie vibes also helped elevate the film's enjoyability, although I wouldn't recommend it to those who couldn't stomach gore and violence.  Therefore, I would give this film a C+.  ​

All right!  Now that I know what I'm up against with "Terrifier", it's time to take it a step further with the follow-up that fully exposed me to the franchise.  Despite the six-year wait and the COVID-19 pandemic, "Terrifier 2" made its way to the big screen and shocked almost everyone.  As the first installment to be distributed by Cinedigm (now known as Cineverse) and Bloody Disgusting, it was a massive improvement over its predecessor by a long shot.  More impressively, it also made ten times as much money worldwide, with a budget of the same amount as an 80-inch television.  This is primarily due to it being bigger and gorier than the first film, which resulted in numerous reports of audiences fainting or vomiting during screenings.  Either they shouldn't have eaten beforehand, or their stomachs were actually that sensitive.  Either way, it sounded like a challenge I didn't accept until recently.

The story in "Terrifier 2" occurs a year after the events of its predecessor.  Its main focus is Sienna Shaw (Lauren LaVera), a teenager who's left to care for her younger brother Jonathan (Elliott Fullam) and their mother Barbara (Sarah Voigt) following the death of their father.  Unfortunately, the resurrection of Art the Clown (Thornton) and the appearance of an entity, The Little Pale Girl (Amelie McLain), puts a damper on their Halloween plans, as he now seeks to bring upon his bloody wrath on the other unsuspecting victims. However, Sienna learns she is destined to kill Art with a magic sword that can defeat him for good.  In short, this film has a lot more crazy shit compared to its predecessor, especially ones that were supernatural.

As I mentioned before, "Terrifier 2" was the first time I caught wind of the horror franchise entirely.  Unfortunately, I neglected to watch it in the theater because I've heard horror stories about its content and surprisingly beefy runtime.  Seriously, two hours and twenty minutes of gory chaos and splatter mayhem are what I would call insane, considering the reports I read about it, especially the infamous "Bedroom Scene".  For those who watched it and survived, you know the one I'm talking about.  So, I just left it alone until recently when I saw that the first two "Terrifier" movies became available on Prime Video for free.  I survived its predecessor easily, so surely I would be able to stomach two-plus hours of Art mutilating people, right?  Well, yeah.

After watching "Terrifier 2", I can see why this sequel trounces the original.  With the first movie being more of a simplistic approach to the slasher formula, "Terrifier 2" is an expansion of this bloody concept that goes all out on the elements that worked in the first film while improving upon its issues.  The result is a fun and gloriously messy follow-up that offers more of what splatter horror audiences crave, for better or worse.  However, I also find it a bit better than its predecessor for one reason: the narrative.  "Terrifier" was a straightforward slasher movie that's more on showcasing torture porn for an hour and a half than providing a narrative worth caring about.  Fortunately, Damien Leone used the sequel to correct that mistake by delivering a character-driven narrative involving Sienna Shaw amid Art's carnage.  We see not only her and her family struggling over the loss of their father but also Sienna's discovery as the "chosen one" capable of ending Art's reign.  Of course, we all know how that turned out based on the release of "Terrifier 3".

While it's far from emotional and unique regarding its slasher elements and underdeveloped plot, "Terrifier 2" is the type of horror movie that actually gives me someone to root for.  With its focus on making the characters tolerable, the film managed to provide the stakes and suspense that were quite convincing and surprisingly more thrilling.  The first "Terrifier" film also had its share of suspense, but that can only take it so far when its characters are one-dimensional playthings for the creepy mime clown to kill.  While I wouldn't say that the characters in "Terrifier 2" are lovable to a degree, they didn't make me want to cheer for their demise, especially Sienna, whose humane personality filled with terror and tenacity makes her another certified "final girl", but with a revealing yet badass valkyrie suit.  Damien Leone fought long and hard to bring Sienna to life in "Terrifier 2" following its predecessor, and it shows.  Additionally, she was brought to life by Lauren LaVera, whose performance skillfully embodied Sienna's traits with commendable sublime amid the film's grindhouse appearance. 

However, despite having a tolerably entertaining story, "Terrifier 2" showed that too much of a good thing is as unhealthy as consuming too much candy.  One apparent reason was its runtime, clocking in at almost two hours and twenty minutes compared to the first film's 85 minutes.  That's a massive difference between the two, although not in a good way.  While I wasn't bored due to its serviceable pacing and characters, I can understand that it overstayed its welcome, especially with how much brutal carnage it delivered.  Fortunately, it compensated with Damien Leone's direction and its impressive special effects.  Like what he did with the predecessor, Damien Leone effectively utilized the film's splatter grindhouse appeal to provide old-school thrills and puke-inducing shivers, but not in a way that's overly cheap and ignorant.  It's more of a tribute to the traditional slasher films of the 70s and 80s, especially their sequels that went for the supernatural route for their titular killers.  They're dumb, but for horror sequels like "Terrifier 2", they're dumb in a fun way.  Leone also did very well in maintaining the balance of horror and dark comedy, accompanied by another star-making performance by David Howard Thornton, whose portrayal of Art offered the proper amount of corniness and terror to the clown's sadistic nature.

As for the practical effects, let's say they're definitely on another level of terror.  Most horror sequels tend to get away with using CGI to up the ante for their violence and gore.  Some of them worked, while others turned audiences off because of their lack of realism.  Fortunately, "Terrifier 2" didn't resort to this shortcut.  Instead, it continued to rely on practical effects to capture the raw and gruesome fatalities that would make "Mortal Kombat" look like "Street Fighter" in comparison.  Yes, that includes the controversial "Bedroom Scene" involving Art murdering Sienna's friend Allie (Casey Hartnett) for three minutes.  Geez, if that's how long it takes for someone to get murdered, I can't imagine the length of the next murder in the threequel.  Did the kills make me puke?  Nope.  Not at all, although I did find myself squirming from time to time.  But, I am glad they continue to use the practical effects to capture the splatter aesthetics of the 70s and 80s, especially for the brutalities and prosthetic makeup.

Overall, I was surprised at how entertaining "Terrifier 2" was compared to its predecessor.  Regarding its plot, characters, and entertainment value, there is undoubtedly a noticeable jump in quality between the two movies, even though it's far from the "Godfather" of slasher sequels.  Additionally, it retains the usual elements that people loved about "Terrifier", including the sublime yet gross practical effects, Art's gruesome rampage, and the grindhouse aesthetics envisioned by Damien Leone.  While I wouldn't recommend it to those who couldn't stand gore or are not fans of the first film, I would say that it's worth watching for horror enthusiasts.  Heck, I would even recommend it to those who want to challenge themselves to watch it without puking, with or without food in their stomachs.  My best advice is to eat light before watching it.  Therefore, this sequel gets a B.   ​

​So, what are my overall thoughts on this terrifyingly gory slasher franchise?  Well, I can say this: it has been one heck of a journey for me.  I have spent my adult years watching multiple slasher films with similar concepts containing grotesque gore and over-the-top kills, but I neglected to watch "Terrifier" based on my research.  Thankfully, I finally found the courage to join this terrifying club and watch the first three films back-to-back-to-back.  Did I feel nauseous?  Not as much as everybody else.  Was it worth the experience?  Yeah, it was.  They're definitely not horror masterpieces in either shape or form, but I can understand why most horror fans enjoyed it more than I thought they would.  The "Terrifier" movies didn't just recapture the glory days of B-movie horror from the 70s and 80s but also challenged some of the established genre boundaries through their kills and dark humor, mainly from the merciless Art the Clown.  Yes, that includes the children in the third film because Art never thinks of the children.  As a result, the silent supernatural mime resides with the likes of Jason and Freddy Kruger as one of the slasher genre's most memorable antagonists.

It's undeniably common that low-budget horror films spawn overreaching franchises consisting of far-fetched ideas and declining quality.  However, regarding what Damien Leone accomplished in the narrative arc, the legacy and violence it left on people, and the Biblical imagery it referenced, "Terrifier" is certainly one of the slasher underdog stories that's terrifying for the right reasons.  Because of this experience, I'm now curious about the direction they'll go for "Terrifier 4" based on the ending of the third film, especially since it's intended to be the conclusion to the arcs introduced in "Terrifier 2".  Will Sienna finally be able to achieve peace?  Will Art the Clown finally be damned to Hell?  Will Damien Leone go any lower than chopping a kid to pieces?  Those questions will be answered sooner or later.  Until then, I would recommend the "Terrifier" movies to those who grew up with the slasher/grindhouse era…unless they have a weak stomach for gore.  If so, they're better off watching something like "The Nightmare Before Christmas" as their Halloween tradition.  With that said, thank you for reading this episode of "Movie Talk", and have a safe and happy Halloween.  

​Hello, everyone. Welcome to another episode of moviemanMDG's "Movie Talk", where I talk about everything film-related. The 2020s started the new decade on the wrong foot with the COVID-19 pandemic and the despicable actions of the former president, who shall not be named. In fact, the current events made me hearken back to when the start of a new decade resulted in some fond memories, mainly in 2010. 2010 was the beginning of the decade that gave rise to new cinematic technologies, primarily 3D, due to the popularity of James Cameron's "Avatar", and gave us some of the year's most memorable movies. Not to mention the ones we love to forget about. However, the one thing that made 2010 special was the battle between two cartoon bald supervillains seeking world domination. Universal gave us Gru from "Despicable Me", which transformed Illumination into the money-making animation studio we know today, while DreamWorks Animation gave us the blue-skinned, big-brained "Megamind".  

While "Despicable Me" won the battle from the critical and financial standpoints, DreamWorks's superhero comedy won audiences's hearts despite being one of the studio's lowest-grossing films of that year. "Megamind" wasn't considered one of the studio's strongest movies, but it eventually gained a cult following as the years passed, mainly due to the power of internet memes. It was also popular enough to kickstart a franchise consisting of video games and the short film "The Button of Doom". Unfortunately, it had yet to provide an actual sequel to satisfy the blue-skinned supervillain-turned-hero's fans. That is until now. Fourteen years after the release of "Megamind", DreamWorks finally answered the fans' demands with a long-awaited continuation of Megamind's rise to heroism, but not in the way we expected. In 2022, the streaming service Peacock announced it ordered a CG animated sequel series to "Megamind" with the film's original writers, Alan Schoolcraft and Brent Simons, returning and a scheduled 2024 release. We didn't hear that much about the "Megamind" series since then until last month when its trailer revealed that we're not only getting the series on Peacock but also a sequel film titled "Megamind vs. the Doom Syndicate", which would tie directly to the show. Unfortunately, the trailer was met with a lot of disdain instead of joy for multiple reasons, including the absence of the original cast and the lackluster made-for-television quality. Considering that it's made by DreamWorks Animation Television, the expectations weren't exactly high to begin with, but then again, it's also responsible for creating a few good shows like "Trollhunters" and "She-Ra and the Princesses of Power". But, of course, that doesn't stop the fans from already claiming "Megamind vs. the Doom Syndicate" as the worst film of the year, with or without seeing the film. I'm sorry, but have they seen "The Underdoggs"?

That alone begs me to question whether this long-awaited follow-up to "Megamind" really is as bad as people said it was, or it's just another case of people being immature babies over a harmless product. Since I enjoyed the first film when it first came out, I decided to find out for myself...a few weeks after its debut. In this episode of Movie Talk, I'll be sharing my thoughts on Peacock's animated double feature that's as big as Megamind's blue cranium. I'll be reviewing not only the sequel film but also the series packaged with it titled "Megamind Rules!" meaning you'll be getting two reviews for the price of one. Plus, it'll be my first time sharing my thoughts on a television series since the "Inhumans" IMAX event.

But before I get to it, I should talk about who or what "Megamind" is as a film to refresh our memories and introduce the newcomers. "Megamind" was released in theaters on November 5, 2010, and was directed by Tom McGrath, known for directing the "Madagascar" trilogy and the "Boss Baby" films. It tells the story of Megamind, voiced by Will Ferrell, a brilliant alien supervillain who, along with his best friend, Minion (David Cross), battles his long-time nemesis Metro Man (Brad Pitt) for control over Metro City. He eventually succeeds when his latest plan results in Metro Man's defeat. However, Megamind is also left without a purpose and no superhero to fight. Hence, he decides to create a new one from Hal Stewart (Jonah Hill), the cameraman to reporter Roxanne Ritchi (Tina Fey). But when Hal becomes an even worse villain than he was, Megamind must rise to become Metro City's newest hero.

I remember when I first watched "Megamind" in the theater. My go-to cinema was in the middle of upgrading its interior design when it first came out, but it managed to stay open despite that. It further shows that cinemas always find a way to remain open despite the changes, except for COVID-19. That was one of those rare occasions when the cinemas actually shut down. Fortunately, the construction didn't get in the way of me experiencing Will Ferrell being a supervillain. It's been a while since I watched the film, but I remember liking it upon my first watch. Was it as fantastic as "How to Train Your Dragon"? No. But it's also one of the movies from DreamWorks Animation that compensates for their flawed and formulaic storytelling with a talented voice cast, solid animation, and fun humor. It made me wish I could watch it again for free on a streaming service before watching its sequels, but it looked like that wouldn't happen for a while. Now that we know who Megamind is, it's time for the moment we've all been waiting for. Let's find out if the follow-ups on Peacock deserve to be supervillains themselves for the wrong reasons.

Let's start things off with the straight-to-streaming sequel that's as long as an Illumination film: "Megamind vs. the Doom Syndicate". The movie serves as a sequel to "Megamind" and the pilot for the series "Megamind Rules!" but doesn't include the original cast. Instead, the movie has the likes of Keith Ferguson, Laura Post, Josh Brener, Scott Adsit, Tony Hale, and Adam Lambert. It was directed by Eric Fogel, who was best known for creating "Celebrity Deathmatch". He's also known for directing the direct-to-DVD movies "My Scene Goes Hollywood" and "The Barbie Diaries" and several television shows such as "The Head", "Daria", and "Starveillance". The film occurs two days after the events of the first film, which sees Megamind (Ferguson) assuming the role of Metro City's newest hero. Unfortunately, Megamind would later find his new role challenged by the sudden return of the Doom Syndicate, his former supervillain team who believes Megamind is still evil. When the Doom Syndicate plans to use one of Megamind's earlier plans to launch Metro City to the moon, the blue hero must team up with Roxanne (Post), Ol' Chum (Brener), formerly Minion, and social media influencer/super fan Keiko (Maya Aoki Tuttle) to defeat the supervillain team and put his criminal past behind for good.

The Doom Syndicate was originally formed as part of the first film's early draft, but it was scrapped and later reused for the tie-in game "Megamind: Ultimate Showdown". The sequel allowed the filmmakers the opportunity to use this concept once more, with Behemoth (Chris Sullivan) and Lady Doppler (Emily Tunon) being the only members returning from the scrapped version. So, I'm guessing that this team wasn't "doomed" after all. I haven't played "Ultimate Showdown", so the sequel is actually my first encounter with these characters. However, I did play "Megamind: Mega Team Unite" more than a decade ago, and you can find those videos on my YouTube channel…or don't. My older videos aged like expired milk.

But with these new antagonists comes the challenge of crafting a story that earns their presence and expands its predecessor's world-building. More importantly, it has to have a reason for its justified existence other than a distraction for younger viewers, similar to most animated sequels. DreamWorks Animation has succeeded with "Shrek", "How to Train Your Dragon", "Kung Fu Panda", and even "Madagascar". Unfortunately, with DreamWorks Animation Television taking over the development of a "Megamind" sequel, it's easy to admit that their objective seemed to be a lot tougher regarding the limitations of the quality and narrative. After watching the film, it's becoming evident that the concerns for it are indeed real. Regarding its story, characters, and quality, "Megamind vs. the Doom Syndicate" is nothing more than a throwaway piece of animation content designed to please the lowest demographic: kids.

The first "Megamind" movie was an amusingly entertaining parody of the superhero tropes we've been familiar with for years. Despite taking several cues from other animated movies, its greatest strength was the execution of its twists on the genre template, giving it enough of a boost to be its own hero. On the other hand, "Doom Syndicate" seemed to be more interested in covering every superhero cliche in the book instead of using them to write a better story and memorable gags. As a result, it became an inert and less-entertaining carbon copy of the genre its predecessor made fun of fourteen years ago. The movie did have a heartwarming message about teamwork, with Megamind learning to accept help from others instead of looking out for himself. However, since its script offered one-dimensional characters, mundane humor, and predictable story beats, the message felt less rewarding than being promoted to hero or even sidekick. That's not to say a story like this can't work since it has some interesting ideas like Megamind facing his villainous past. It's the execution of its narrative beats that matter, and from the looks of it, the filmmakers did seem lost in what made the first movie good in the first place, especially its writers Alan Schoolcraft and Brent Simons. 

It's also tough to say that the animation didn't fare any better. Unlike the first film, "Megamind vs. the Doom Syndicate" was animated by 88 Pictures, with production services by Doberman Pictures. You haven't heard of these animation companies? Neither have I, and it's understandable why. Despite maintaining the same designs and style as its predecessor, the movie's presentation is where it immediately soared into lackluster territory from minute one. Regarding its cheap quality and dull camera movements, the film is more equivalent to the DreamWorks television shows on Nickelodeon than the likes of "Trollhunters" and "She-Ra". It's fine if it's crafted as a 25-minute episode, but an 85-minute movie made for streaming? That's overreaching it. If there's one thing I can credit "Megamind vs. the Doom Syndicate" for, it's that the voice cast was passable for the most part. They're nowhere near as charismatic and entertaining as Will Ferrell, David Cross, and Tina Fey, but when they're not attempting to match the original actors' appeal, they are not that bad. Keith Ferguson previously voiced Megamind in the video games, so his return to the role seemed like a no-brainer given how well he worked together on the games with DreamWorks. Despite not being as flattering as Ferrell, Ferguson did all right in portraying Megamind's intelligent yet buffoonery personality, even though he's more of the latter occasionally. Laura Post and Josh Brener were also acceptable as Roxanne and Ol' Chum, respectively.

Overall, "Megamind vs. the Doom Syndicate" is admittedly a doomed piece of streaming animation that lacks the charm, wit, and heart of its heroic predecessor. While its voice cast made a tiny effort in their performances, they're sadly not enough to save the day from the clutches of its cheap television quality, poor storytelling, and lackluster animation. It doesn't take a genius to realize its expendability made by DreamWorks. I might have been more forgiving if it was framed as episodes of a television show like "Megamind Rules!". However, since it's designed as a movie for streaming, I have to acknowledge the studio's lack of passion and effort to meet its fans' demands. If I were to grade the film, I would, unfortunately, give it an F. It's an effortless cash-in, more so than the other sequels from DreamWorks Animation like "Boss Baby", but it's not something I lose sleep over.  ​

​Okay! Now that we got that piece of animation trash out of the way, it's time for me to look at its series counterpart: "Megamind Rules!" Yeah, he rules all right. He rules with a lackluster blue fist. If you're lucky enough to survive 85 minutes of charmless fluff, you'll be fortunate with a mid-credit scene that offers a few teases leading to the series. Of course, the big one is the reveal of the evilest brain in town, Machiavillain, voiced by none other than the recent lead vocalist for Queen, Adam Lambert. And I thought Tony Hale as the donut shop owner was a bizarre casting choice. This brings us to "Megamind Rules!", an eight-episode series depicting Megamind's attempt to be Metro City's new superhero and viral sensation.

If you've been spending countless hours watching television shows, mainly ones from streaming, you'll know that "Megamind Rules!" follows the formula of stitching together formulaic episodes to form a massive seasonal plot. Some episodes include Megamind competing against the new hero, Dude Monkey, for internet stardom and Ol' Chum cloning himself while caring for an insomniac Megamind. Amid these episodes, the return of the Doom Syndicate played a role in forming a regeneration machine to revive the body of their leader, Machiavillain, who was Megamind's former mentor before Megamind accidentally killed him. His plan is fully realized in the final two episodes, where Machiavillain replaces Megamind as the city's hero by framing him for his actions.

I wasn't expecting much from the series following my experience with the movie, which is typical for my experience watching shows based on DreamWorks's catalogue. Most of the time, the strategy makes my viewing pleasure more tolerable, but sometimes it doesn't. However, after watching "Megamind Rules", I realized that it winds up being the former. Does that make it a good show? Not really, but I wasn't bored out of my mind since it actually made an effort in its humor and plots, unlike its 85-minute pilot. With each episode being 23 minutes long, it makes the animation style and seasonal narrative more forgiving due to it being framed as…well, a streaming series. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to make up for the episodes's formulaic structures we've seen in other children's shows before despite their kid-friendly messages. One such example is its fourth episode, "MegaMayor", which involves a Freaky Friday-style plot with Megamind and Roxanne switching bodies with his disguise watch.

Fortunately, I found a couple of episodes that I enjoyed a bit more than others. One of them is the second episode, "The Villainous Origin of Mr. Donut", where Megamind accidentally creates a new villain out of Mr. Donut, voiced by Hale. That episode offered an amusing jab at the "hero creating a villain" trope we've seen in countless superhero movies, hearkening back to the first film parodying the superhero genre. It may not have the strongest dialogue to provide the biggest laughs, but the second episode somehow understood the first film's parodic appeal a tad more than the remaining ones. I also liked the final two episodes, mainly because the previous episodes come full circle regarding their characters, including Keiko, who realizes that being a hero isn't as easy as it appears.

Overall, "Megamind Rules!" was tolerable enough to sit alongside DreamWorks's other movie-based shows. That doesn't make it a great show, though, as it's still beyond its reach of matching the heights of the 2010 film. Despite a few enjoyable episodes, the series lacked anything else to justify its existence regarding its formulaic plots and hit-and-miss humor. But, on the bright side, I didn't find myself bored while watching it, which is enough for me to see what direction it'll go for its future episodes. We have no idea when it'll release the next set of episodes as of this writing, but I wouldn't be surprised if they decided to cancel it altogether.

​In conclusion, the "Megamind" follow-ups on Peacock are another example of a studio providing quantity over quality regarding its televised content. This shouldn't come as a surprise to me, considering that DreamWorks Animation Television is known for delivering such content in its lifetime. I should know because I have grown up watching some of them on television. "Megamind vs. the Doom Syndicate" was admittedly a low-brow and soulless attempt at catering to those wanting a sequel to "Megamind". On the other hand, "Megamind Rules!" was a more tolerable experience to sit through since some of the episodes put a small effort at being enjoyable despite their formulaic plots and low-quality animation. It reminded me of how "Monsters vs. Aliens" went through. "Monsters vs. Aliens" was another somewhat enjoyable movie-genre parody from DreamWorks that spawned a less-than-stellar television show that only exists to cater to younger fans of the source material. I watched the show, unfortunately, and I forgot about it afterward, which explains its cancellation after just one season. The "Megamind" sequels would likely perform a similar task to some children, but I don't see them being fondly remembered after a few weeks. Despite the success of "Kung Fu Panda 4" and "Orion and the Dark" drying the studio's tears, this isn't a good start to the new year for the booming animation company. Hopefully, it can pick itself up with its next feature, "The Wild Robot", which already looks promising from the trailer and concept. Until then, this is moviemanMDG advising you to keep calm and watch "Orion and the Dark" instead.

​Hello, and welcome to another episode of moviemanMDG's "Movie Talk", where I talk about everything film-related. 2023 had plenty of moments we'd like to forget about, especially the stuff happening outside of Hollywood. By that, I mean things relating to politics, religion, and accusations that'll get you kicked out of the film business faster than you can say, "humbug." Of course, there are other moments that are as bad as that, including watching ten of the most disappointing films of the year. I capped off 2023 with the best films I've seen, so now it's time to bring out the worst. These are the ten blandest, heavily flawed, and overall forgettable movies I've watched that made me regret not watching something better. While I appreciate some of the little things from those selections, they're not enough to overshadow the stinky stinks that plagued them due to their directors' visions or studio interferences. Like my top ten favorite films list, this one is from my personal opinion, so if there's a movie on my list that you enjoyed more than I did, that's great. We all have different tastes in film, and I will always respect that. Without further ado, let's count down the biggest losers of 2023.

​Coming in at the bottom of the list is yet another Liam Neeson thriller that you'd find in a $5 bin at a video store. In all fairness, though, I still respect Neeson as an actor who wants nothing more than to please his fans, regardless of a film's quality. It's just that the movies he recently starred in hadn't been living up to the potential of his talents execution-wise and felt more like extra paychecks for the action star. "Retribution" marked another example of this troubling trend. Described as a B-movie version of "Speed", this action thriller could've been a huge comeback for Liam Neeson but wound up being another disappointing and baffling dud that wasted the actor's talents. On the one hand, it proved to be more watchable than "Memory" and "Blacklight" due to Neeson's performance and Nimród Antal's directorial style. On the other hand, the film lacks the explosive tension needed to make these intentions worthwhile. From its cliched screenplay to the questionable third act, "Retribution" fails to give Neeson any justice in the film business.  

​When you have a movie involving Adam Driver fighting dinosaurs, you'd expect it to be an action-packed thrill ride with the potential of being one of the biggest surprises of 2023. Instead, it wound up being a cinematic fossil. "65" was the first time I was let down by the efforts of its directors, Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, who wrote the fantastic "Quiet Place". Adam Driver and Ariana Greenblatt tried their best to carry the film with their performances, and the visuals were serviceable. However, its mediocre screenplay, subpar characters, and mundane thrills sabotaged a promising concept made for solid popcorn entertainment. It's a disappointing sci-fi thriller that should've gone extinct.

​I rarely placed a DreamWorks Animation film in my top ten worst list until now. "Spirit Untamed" came pretty close, as it only took a spot in my "dishonorable mentions" list in 2021. This year, we have one that actually made its way to the losers' circle, and boy, was it a big one? "Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken" went back to the basics of poking fun at Disney and its classic fairy tale elements, similar to "Shrek". However, unlike that animation treasure, this undersea coming-of-age fantasy comedy lacks the cleverness and boldness to swim past the sea of mediocrity. The voice cast was suitable for voicing its generic characters, and the animation was colorful and zany in its designs and locations. Besides that, it's the studio's weakest film in its animation library due to its heavily simplistic plot, dull scenarios, and a predictable villain twist we've seen multiple times in the marketing. If you like this film, then allow me to apologize for its inclusion on this list. I just didn't care for it as much as anyone else who does, but I'm also glad it was able to find its fans amid its ocean of box office competition.

​In all my years of watching (and enjoying) Disney's live-action remakes, I had never seen one that's so lifeless and uninspiring, more so than the live-action "Lion King". Even worse, it's a remake of one of my favorite animated films from Disney, "Peter Pan". "Peter Pan & Wendy" was a Disney+ blunder that stripped away the charm, fun, and fantastical nuance of the 1953 film and the source material. Despite David Lowery's intentions of combining its concept with grounded realism and themes of friendship, the film was a dull and disappointing experience that made me want to grow up faster. Jude Law as Captain Hook was the only bright spot regarding its cast, but other than that, it lacked the faith, trust, and pixie dust Disney needed to win back its non-believers.

​David Gordon Green showed plenty of promise in the horror department after delivering a riveting, back-to-basics follow-up to the 1978 classic, "Halloween", in 2018. While its sequels took a highly divisive direction that's unique yet alienating, 2018's "Halloween" proved to be a solid stepping stone for the filmmaker known for his comedies and heartwarming dramas. So, we had a reason to believe that Green's take on the "Exorcist" franchise would deliver something similar. That is until we saw the final product. "The Exorcist: Believer" took the franchise back to its original roots while adding a character-driven representation of faith amid uncertainty and despair. The result is a slow, derivative, and uninteresting revival of the iconic horror franchise that has haunted its fans for generations. While admirable in its presentation, cinematography, and themes, it fails to compel the sins of its weak cast, formulaic story, dull scares, mediocre screenplay, and uneven pacing. Let's hope God can help Green improve himself during his attempt at a planned "Exorcist" trilogy.

​Let's face it. Everyone has a phobia of watching an awful movie, including me. So, it made sense that I placed this latest January horror movie in my top five to remind us what reliving that fear is like. "Fear" saw director Deon Taylor return to the horror genre for the first time since 2010 and attempt to provide a supernatural take on phobias and its timely commentary involving COVID. Based on my experience with his other works, the result is what I expected: an interesting concept plagued by awful execution. The cast did okay with their performances, and the lighting effects helped deliver a nightmarish atmosphere. Unfortunately, they're not enough to keep itself from being infected by its low-quality appearance. From Taylor's bland direction and screenplay to its boring characters and predictable twist, this mediocre addition to the supernatural genre should be avoided like it was the coronavirus.

​I only watched and reviewed two movies on Apple TV+ this year: "Tetris" and "Ghosted". While "Tetris" was a solid depiction of the simplistic yet highly addicting video game, this action-romance-comedy was an unfortunate and irritating waste of people's time and talents. "Ghosted" boasts two attractive leads in the form of Chris Evans and Ana de Armas, but the characters they played are anything but. What seemed to be a simple and fun spy adventure turned out to be an uneven, dull, and derivative blend of tropes that's done better in other movies with similar concepts. The plot was formulaic, the jokes didn't land, and the main characters were so infuriating it'd make the viewers wish the bad guys would put a bullet in their heads already. Unfortunately, that's not possible because the villain's henchmen can't aim to save their lives. In short, it deserves to be ghosted.

​2023 saw me giving three movies the lowest grade I could imagine, showing that I can also be edgy with my critiques. One of those movies that deserved this grade was an action-comedy that lacked the strength of both genres. "Freelance" was the latest film by Pierre Morel that saw the filmmaker struggle to capture the success of his earlier projects like "Taken" and "District 13". It had the makings of a direct-to-streaming movie, and it shows with its derivatively bland plot and uncharismatic characters. Not even the presence of John Cena was enough to bypass its less-than-stellar quality, as he's put on autopilot throughout the movie. Despite Juan Pablo Raba's efforts in carrying the film and the framework for its action scenes, "Freelance" fails to protect these talented people from its one-sided tone, lackluster script, and uninteresting characters. It should've stayed in retirement with Cena's protagonist.

​There have been reboots of iconic films that wound up being tolerable, and there have been ones that we love to throw in the trash bin. Then, there's the 2023 reboot of "House Party," a shameful party killer that belongs in the cinema furnace. The film, which featured the directorial debut of music video director Calmatic, was a tedious and poorly handled attempt at reintroducing Reginald Hudlin's 1990 comedy classic to a new generation. Not even the appearance of the original's leading stars, Kid n Play, is enough to save this disastrous party from its uninspired cast, uncharismatic characters, and dull screenplay. I know that Calmatic also directed the "White Men Can't Jump" remake this year, but I skipped out on it because one lousy remake from him was enough for me to handle. If you want a real party, watch the 1990 movie.

I originally planned on naming "House Party" the biggest cinematic loser of 2023, but that all changed when I decided to watch this pathetic excuse of a manga adaptation. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the king of 2023's cinematic misfires: "Knights of the Zodiac." I had been on and off about whether to see this one, mainly because I wasn't familiar with Saint Seiya. But I eventually caved in and gave it a shot, and I regretted it ever since. "Knights of the Zodiac" was one of the movies that left me feeling empty inside, more so than the other terrible films I've watched this year. As someone who hasn't read the source material, I can tell that many of the franchise's fans may not find something special in this lackluster and heavily generic fantasy adaptation. The fight scenes were periodically tolerable but lacked the oomph and intensity to make them memorable. Combine that with its dull cast (particularly Mackenyu), cliched script, soulless direction, and shoddy visuals, and you get another shameless live-action adaptation of a popular anime. If you thought "Dragon Ball Evolution" and "The Last Airbender" were embarrassments to their anime counterparts, then you haven't seen my pick of the biggest cinematic poop of 2023.  ​

​There you have it, folks. Those are my picks for the biggest stinkers of 2023. While some may appeal to a specific audience, they don't do much to impress me as much as everyone else. But, of course, the best thing for me to do is leave them behind and look forward to the cool stuff coming out in 2024. Hopefully, we can find more diamonds in the Hollywood rough than the ones filled with junk during that year. With that said, I hope you have an excellent start to the new year, and I'll see you in my next movie review.