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The Santa Clauses Episode 5 (Disney+): This episode kind of just highlights everything wrong with this show from the beginning and does so in a concise half hour, which is impressive in a weird way. First off, everything to do with the “Yule-verse” could have been better executed instead of being a vehicle for excessive exposition. The way the episode uses Bernard highlights the fact that he should have been in the show from the beginning because the contentious relationship between Scott and Bernard is always entertaining. Turning the mythos around Santa Claus in this universe from transferring the magic from person to person when Santa dies to it being a Dune-esque selective breeding program (no, that is not exaggeration) where Scott is filling the role of Paul Atredies is really silly, though it will be interesting a little way down the line when they do the God Emperor Clause and Cal becomes an immortal hybrid sandworm. The answer to the question “What happened to the last Mrs. Claus” is handled in a way so inconceivably dumb that it somehow makes the situation worse than it was before. Compound all that with the fact that the whole plot is building to a third act that is virtually identical to The Santa Clause 2 and this show is just terrible all around.
Willow Episode 3 (Disney+): Willow has done absolutely nothing to make the viewer care about any of the new characters and the old character(s) are just vehicles for exposition. There is so much exposition in this show that it takes forever for anything to actually happen, and when it does happen, it is so poorly choreographed and it looks so cheap that the show actively wants the viewer to use the action sequences as a time to top off their drink or get a snack. There are no stakes to the fight and the swords don’t have visible heft to them, leading to boring, low-stakes action.
Doom Patrol Season 4 Episodes 1 and 2 (HBOMax): Doom Patrol is definitely the best show that DC has put out over the years because, while it has deep emotional character moments between these profoundly broken characters, they lean into all of the most absurd and ridiculous aspects of the DC Universe. Season four opens on exactly the note one would hope for including musical numbers, were-butts, time travel, and other insanity while having interesting character moments between Victor Stone and his father as well as Crazy Jane and the rest of the team.
Amsterdam (HBOMax): Amsterdam is a textbook example of a poorly made movie that is poorly paced with subpar dialogue and weird editing with some acting performances that try their hardest to salvage the project. The movie fails in spite of the cast, which is a shame because in a better script, this could have been a solid Best Picture contender. For a full review, click here.
You May Have Missed:
Prisoners (Netflix): Directed by Dune and Arrival
director Denis Villenueve, Prisoners is a tense psychological thriller starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Hugh Jackman, Paul Dano, Terrance Howard, and Viola Davis. The movie follows two fathers who seek answers after their daughters are abducted on Thanksgiving and the police release the person they suspect kidnapped the girls. This film is a masterclass in building tension and is a must watch if someone finds films like Gone Girl entertaining.
