Category Entertainment

Dec 31 2024

Top Ten Films & TV Shows Of 2024

2024, as with previous years, provided some wonderful and imaginative sci-fi, fantasy and horror films and TV shows, which were quite memorable. Here are the best films and TV shows that came out in 2024, many of which took everyone by surprise. Feel free to comment with your own choices.

Films

10. Sonic the Hedgehog 3

The third film in the Sonic film franchise fully embraces its video game lore with its colorful characters and their engaging backstories. As usual, Jim Carrey stole the film with his performance, as wells as Keanu Reeves who voiced the fan-favorite Shadow.

9. Late Night With the Devil

David Dastmalchian shined in this found footage horror film that took the guise of recordings from a broadcast of a 1970s late-night talk show. The film was genuinely creepy and disturbing as the show’s host, Jack Delroy (Dastmalchian), cameto grips with the realization that the occult-themed episode of his show had unpleasant connections to his own life.

8. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

George Miller directed one of his finest films ever with an intense origin story about the breakout character from Mad Max: Fury Road. Anya Taylor-Joy was simply perfect as the younger version of Furiosa, who navigates her way through a brutal post-apocalyptic world overrun by vicious gangs and extreme car chases throughout barren deserts. It’s a Mad Max world at its best.

7. Alien: Romulus

The Alien franchise rightfully returned to its horror roots with this entry that takes place in a claustrophobic space station swarming with alien xenomorphs hunting down the main characters. Even though a lot of the material was familiar and had callbacks to the other films, Alien: Romulus was fresh and inventive with its back-to-basics approach.

6. Nosferatu

The latest remake of the classic German silent horror film version of Dracula was genuinely creepy and disturbing. Director Robert Eggers has emerged as a true master of film horror with his version of Nosferatu that fully utilized disturbing sounds, eerie shadows, dark cinematography and an overall unsettling atmosphere that will keep you up at night.

5. Civil War

This is one of the most disturbing recent films to be released due to its subject matter of a near-future civil war in the United States and its ramifications. While the choice not to explain what caused the war and its apolitical stance may not satisfy everyone, this approach allowed director Alex Garland to focus on the cruelty and insanity of war and its impact on modern-day society. The film was also a powerful and cringe-inducing war film that ramped up intensely in the final act with a distressing, yet pulse-pounding battle in Washington, D.C.

4. A Quiet Place: Day One

The third film in the A Quiet Place franchise, was a prequel that chronicled the early days of the alien invasion that devastated the Earth and brought it to a silent standstill. The film had the smarts to introduce new characters and a new setting which was a terrifying location for the invasion: a noisy New York City that could not help but attract the deadly alien creatures that murder anyone making sounds. Lupita Nyong’o and Joseph Quinn were outstanding as two misfit survivors trying to reach the home of Nyong’o’s character while avoiding the aliens. Their personal stories were the heart of the film and set the template for future installments.

3. Deadpool & Wolverine

The fourth-wall-breaking Merc with a Mouth (Ryan Reynolds) teamed up with everyone’s favorite X-Man (Hugh Jackman) in a violent and humorous road/buddy trip throughout the multiverse. As the sole film release from Marvel Studios’ Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) for the year, Deadpool & Wolverine had a lot riding on it given the fact that recent MCU films have struggled. Fortunately, the film delivered a funny and entertaining romp that both serviced the grand MCU plotline about the multiverse and was a love letter to the now-defunct Marvel films from 20th Century Fox.

2. The Wild Robot

Arguably DreamWorks Animation’s greatest film, The Wild Robot is a heartwarming and beautifully animated adaptation of Peter Brown’s novel about a service robot in the future that was stranded on an island populated by animals that distrusted her. Over time, she gained their trust as she adopted and raised a young goose and befriended many of the animals. At the same time, the robot began to develop sentience and emotional attachments to her companions, especially her adopted child, who she must raise and protect.

The Wild Robot was surprisingly engaging with its themes of parenthood, friendship, environmentalism, and empathy. It is too bad that this will be DreamWorks Animation final in-house film since the company has proven it can deliver genuine animated classics as it did with The Wild Robot.

1. Dune, Part Two

Director Denis Villeneuve concluded his grand adaptation of Frank Herbert’s classic sci-fi epic novel about political and religious machinations and war in the distant future. Dune, Part Two actually adapted the second half of the novel and it was a wise decision to split the novel into two films since it allowed Villeneuve the time to fully explore the intricacies of the distinct human cultures across the universe.

While the film was wide-sweeping and bursting with glorious production values and effects, at its core, Dune, Part Two, focused on the burden of its main protagonist, Paul Atreides, who unwillingly became the messianic leader who leads the inhabitants of the desert world called Dune in a holy war. Any viewer could empathize with Paul’s struggle as he faced his destiny despite his doubts about his actions as he sought vengeance for his father’s death and freedom for his adopted people.

Dune, Part Two is a true cinematic epic that demonstrates once and for all, the validity of a solid sci-fi story being successfully adapted into a cinematic masterpiece. The film also establishes that Villeneuve is a true master of sci-fi films who has the bold vision needed to undertake such an adaptation.

Noteworthy Mentions:

Abigail; Beetlejuice Beetlejuice; Elevation; Flow; Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire; Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire; IF; Inside Out 2; Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes; The Substance; Transformers One; Venom: The Last Dance

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Dec 21 2024

Sonic The Hedgehog 3 Is The Perfect Sendoff To My Childhood!

About four years and two movies ago, as well as a spinoff show later, the Sonic Cinematic Universe looks to be at its absolute peak with the latest film Sonic the Hedgehog 3. I would consider myself as a lifelong Sonic fan, and despite his many failures and flops, I’ll always hold a special space in my heart for this franchise. That being said, when Sonic the Hedgehog was released on Valentine’s Day of 2020, I’ll admit that I was beyond ecstatic that the blue blur had finally made it to the big screen; it was far from a great movie, but it was good enough to call a success, and Paramount Pictures agreed to give the franchise a second movie. About a month before the release of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Paramount Pictures officially announced that a third Sonic movie would begin production shortly after the second movie, along with a logo reveal which got fans speculating on what the post-credits scene for the second movie could be. The top two contenders came down to Metal Sonic or Shadow, and it ended up being Shadow, which got many fans like me excited for where Paramount would take the Sonic franchise. I’ll admit that upon the premature announcement of Sonic the Hedgehog 3, I was worried that Paramount would jump the shark and go too crazy, losing general audiences and causing the movie universe to end short, but after watching Sonic the Hedgehog 3, I can confidently say that I fully trust Paramount to handle the delicate nature of the Sonic franchise. By the way, Sonic 2 was amazing, so I thought it would be impossible to top that movie as THE Sonic movie.

I was wrong! Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is a pure love letter to the video game Sonic Adventure 2 and its many loyal fans. At the time of watching this movie, I had literally just turned 18, so technically the first thing I did as an adult was watch one of the best releases of the Sonic franchise, yes, games included. Rewinding a bit, 2024 has been an amazing year for Sonic the Hedgehog, or rather Shadow instead. 2024 saw SEGA dubbing it “The Fearless Year of Shadow” in which Shadow would get a lot of excellent spotlights, ranging from the incredible mini-animated series Shadow Generations: Dark Beginnings and the follow up video game Shadow Generations, which I would call my favorite Sonic game (as I’m writing this, I have this game’s soundtrack on loop, currently playing “What I’m Made Of…”). It is safe to say that this year was easily the best idea SEGA has had for the franchise in years, and how else could you end the year of Shadow than releasing the Shadow movie?  I will split this review into non-spoilers, and then spoilers, but I will indicate when the shift is.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 begins with Shadow (voiced by Keanu Reeves) waking up from a 50-year-long stasis and fleeing from Prison Island, an iconic level from the video game, Sonic Adventure 2. We cut to Team Sonic, made up of Sonic (voiced by Ben Schwartz), Knuckles (voiced by Idris Elba) and Tails (voiced by Colleen O’ Shaughnessy) doing a friendly race which leads to a surprise party in honor of Sonic’s “B-earth-day”, the day Sonic came to Earth in the first film. This party is cut short as the Guardian Units of Nations (G.U.N.) sends a helicopter and requests Team Sonic’s immediate assistance with a rogue alien causing havoc in Tokyo, that alien being Shadow.

That’s enough plot exposure for now, let’s talk about the movie more in depth, starting with how it compares with the previous installments. The first movie was your generic road trip movie that was heightened by Sonic, and of course the brilliant Jim Carrey as Dr. Robotnik. With Tails appearing after the credits, the movie left much to be desired, so the second film stepped in and delivered. As Knuckles being the main antagonist working with Dr. Robotnik, Sonic and Tails go on a treasure hunt to locate the Master Emerald and protect it from Robotnik’s clutches. This movie felt more like what a Sonic movie should feel like compared to the first. Now back to Sonic 3; I feel Paramount has peaked with this one, so much so that I’m kind of skeptical if they could top it in the recently announced Sonic the Hedgehog 4. If you liked the second Sonic movie, you would adore this movie; it is epic, emotional, and unapologetically “Sonic”.

The characters of the Sonic movies are, for the most part, good. Jim Carrey keeps up the zany hilarious energy that he delivered in the previous films, and the introduction of his grandfather, Gerald Robotnik (also played by Carrey), elevates this film’s humor. This is where Carrey’s acting peaks in my opinion, having two of him on screen at once leads to some really funny scenes, some even made me laugh out loud. The humor in general is the best this trilogy has seen, with Sonic’s puns all landing this time around, rather than sometimes coming off as annoying or cringe-worthy. On the topic of Sonic, Ben Schwartz’s performance as Sonic the Hedgehog is the best that he has been portrayed in his own movies so far. In the previous movies, sure he was adorable and childish, but compared to how he acts in the games, this Sonic was a laughingstock that had a long ways to go before matching his original video game counterpart.

I can gladly say that Sonic feels more like his video game counterpart and has become less annoying and more serious and cooler while not completely losing his comical and emotional side. Idris Elba and Colleen O’Shaughnessy as Knuckles and Tails thankfully have more to do in this film and have grown as characters too. The second film wants you to believe that Sonic and Tails are immediate best friends, but the film barely portrays that; Sonic 3 makes it more believable that Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles are all best buddies this time around. Finally, Keanu Reeves absolutely crushes it as Shadow the Hedgehog. Upon hearing his voice in the first trailer, I was kind of worried about a lackluster portrayal of the delicate character, but after seeing the movie, I would say it matches the original soul of Shadow. Reeves put forth effort to research the character and delivers cool, emotional, and grim scenes that does the beloved hedgehog justice. Alyla Brown’s loving and caring portrayal of young Maria mixed with Shadow’s quiet and softness leads to adorable and heart clenching interactions that will really touch the audience and make them fall in love with the characters. Also, to those worried about the humans’ involvement with this movie, it centers mainly around Tom and Maddie (Tika Sumpter), and they serve more important roles this time.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3’s story is also significantly better than the other stories. The first film once again was a road trip, the second was basically a treasure hunt, and while those tropes don’t necessarily lead to bad movies, they can get kind of tired. This story is fast paced and emotional while taking itself more seriously. Having to adapt Sonic Adventure 2 was no easy task, but I would say they did an amazing job while keeping the universe grounded to make it as realistic as possible. One of my only complaints about this movie has to do with pacing of the story, however. The first act throws scenes at the audience at whiplash speed and does not really give them time to swallow what they just saw. This problem fixes itself as the movie goes on, or I just got used to the pacing, but when I say the last 30 minutes of this movie is perfect, I mean it. The climax is genuinely perfect, and I wouldn’t change a thing about it; the story is at the best and the action is unmatched in the third act. Speaking of action, this movie’s action sequences were genuinely top tier, rivaling many iconic fight scenes the franchise has seen. Every scene of conflict is handled to perfection and especially with Sonic fans in mind; let me tell you, my fan-event theater had reactions on the level of Avengers: Endgame to every fight scene in this movie. The action in this movie made me feel like I was watching an anime of the likes of Dragon Ball Z or My Hero Academia, which I felt is what the Sonic games needed the most, just more sick action sequences and fights. Every scene that involves high-speed fights is bound to get Sonic fans on the verge of tears.

Overall, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is a near-perfect Sonic the Hedgehog movie that adapts Sonic Adventure 2 to the big screen in the right way, and I am positively anticipating what comes next for this expansive universe. My theater being a fan-event filled with diehard Sonic fans honestly elevated my viewing experience and hearing everyone’s reaction as they screamed with joy to this movie was amazing. I would rate this movie as a 10/10, and I believe everyone should give this film a try this holiday season. To those who are Sonic and Shadow lovers, buy yourself a ticket and strap in your seatbelts because this movie is wild! This is the part where I delve into spoilers, so if you haven’t watched this movie yet, why are you still here?

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Nov 30 2024

Top Ten Unresolved MCU Plot Threads

As the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) continues and evolves, there are many plot threads introduced in various MCU projects that remain unresolved to this day. Some of them, such as the fact that a giant Celestial statue is sticking out of the Indian Ocean, will be resolved with next year’s Captain America: Brave New World, but there aren’t any indications that many others will be addressed. The following is a ranking of the most nagging or interesting MCU plot threads that remain unresolved, at least for now.

10. Mitchell Carson & the Stolen Pym Particles

A major plot thread in Ant-Man was that Hank Pym did not want his shrinking technology to fall into the wrong hands. This was about to happen in the final act of the film where Darren Cross was attempting to sell the Pym Particles to the highest bidder. During a melee to stop the sale, one of the buyers, the Hydra operative Mitchell Carson, ran off with a vial of the particles, and this was never addressed again.

Speculation: Given the demise of the Ant-Man film franchise, these questions will likely remain unresolved or turn up in an unrelated film or TV show.

9. When Will the Young Avengers Debut?

We have been teased with the Young Avengers ever since members like Ms. Marvel, Stature and Wiccan have shown up in the MCU. The superhero team was highly teased in the end of The Marvels when Ms. Marvel recruited Kate Bishop to form a team with plans to get in touch with Stature (who already debuted in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania). This is an exciting development for the MCU given the popularity of these characters but to date there have not been any announcements of this team actually showing up in the MCU.

Speculation: There are many rumors that the Young Avengers will headline a TV show at some point and do not be surprised if they turn up in Avengers: Doomsday or Avengers: Secret Wars. But given the fact that the actors are aging in real life, what could happen is that the team will be renamed the Champions if they ever debut.

8. Magic Ned

During a pivotal moment in Spider-Man: No Way Home, Peter Parker’s best friend Ned displayed an innate talent for magic as he was able to use Doctor Strange’s Sling Ring to summon alternate versions of Peter Parker/Spider-Man. While this is an interesting development for Ned, who could become a sorcerer’s apprentice, it is unlikely this will ever be explored given that well, the Spider-Man film rights are held by Sony Pictures which is hell bent on pumping out films starring Spider-Man’s enemies.

Speculation: Nothing, zilch, nada. We are not even sure if Ned will appear in the next Spider-Man film.

7. Too Many Sorcerers

In a post-credits scene in Doctor Strange, the sorcerer’s former ally, Mordo, begins a quest to kill off all the sorcerers on Earth with the clear implication that Strange was a target. This plot line was ignored in the next Doctor Strange film and since the third film will likely be geared towards incursions and multiverse shenanigans, Mordo’s mission is at this point forgotten. It’s too bad since Mordo is an interesting character and a major foe for Doctor Strange in the comic books. He deserves a chance to confront Strange.

Speculation: Originally, this plot would have been resolved at the start of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness where the Scarlet Witch would have killed Mordo, but this scene was scrapped. There have been no reports that the Mordo plot will be a part of the next Doctor Strange film or if Mordo will even appear.

6. The Black Knight and the Ebony Blade

In one of the post-credits scenes of Eternals, Dane Whitman was about to touch the cursed Ebony Blade which would have turned him into the Black Knight. The would-be superhero was stopped by an offscreen voice, who was Blade the Vampire Hunter. To date, no announcements have been made as to when the Black Knight will appear. Not even Kit Harrington, who portrayed Whitman, knows if his character will ever appear again in the MCU.

Speculation: Supposedly, the Black Knight was to show up in the long-delayed Blade film but since that film seems more or more unlikely to be produced it’s anyone’s guess if the Black Knight will ever appear anywhere.  

5. Will Hercules Ever Has His Revenge?

After being humiliated by Thor in Thor: Love and Thunder, Zeus promised to get his revenge on the God of Thunder. He then tasked his son, Hercules, to carry out the vendetta. Hercules’ brief cameo was impressive given the comic-accurate look of the god. Unfortunately, his appearance was one of the symptoms that befell the MCU lately where multiple plot threads were introduced without any logical means to address them.

Speculation: Supposedly, Hercules will appear in the next Thor film, but it’s not known if he will be a major character or if the film will be made at all given that Marvel Studios has been cutting back on the number of films and TV shows in order to maintain the quality of their projects.

4. When Was Rhodey Replaced?

As flawed as Secret Invasion was, one interesting plot twist, well not really since it was so obvious, was that Jim “Rhodey” Rhodes was replaced by an alien Skrull. At the end of the mini-series, the real Rhodey was rescued, but we never learned when he was replaced or how many pivotal MCU events he missed. Was he abducted after his BFF Tony Stark died? We do know it had to have happened after Captain America: Civil War since he ended up paralyzed in that film and he was shown as such in Secret Invasion.

Speculation: The director of Secret Invasion revealed that Rhodey was replaced immediately following Captain America: Civil War, although this has not been confirmed by Marvel Studios. Some fans have speculated the replacement happened much later. Sadly, this dilemma will not be resolved anytime soon, since everyone wants to forget about Secret Invasion.

3. The Origin of the Ten Rings and Their Beacon

At the end of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, the sorcerer Wong informed Shang-Chi that the otherworldly bangles he acquired from his father were very ancient and were emitting a beacon to the cosmos. But that was all he knew, and we haven’t learned to date the origin of these fantastic rings or who was being summoned. Even more baffling is that even though the film was successful, a sequel is stuck in limbo, and we won’t be getting the answers to the questions regarding the bangles for a long time.

Speculation: Supposedly, the bangles were related to Kang the Conqueror and was to have been part of the plot for the abandoned film Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. Maybe they will be the plot device used to summon Galactus into the MCU or Doctor Doom. Or maybe we will have the questions finally answered whenever the sequel to Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings ever happens.

2. The Fate of the Eternals

This is major. At the end of Eternals, about half of them were abducted by extra-terrestrial Celestials for saving Earth. Later on, those Eternals that were not abducted set off in a spaceship to find their comrades. Then the Titan, Starfox, and his friend Pip the Troll teleported to their spaceship and offered their help to find the missing Eternals. An interesting setup, but there will not be a sequel to Eternals so the cliffhanger ending to the film will not be resolved. There’s also the revelation that Starfox was Thanos’ brother which was unaddressed.

Speculation: There has been speculation that this Eternals storyline will be resolved in the next Thor film, though there are not any concrete plans for the film, as of yet. Given the cosmic nature of the Eternals, it’s possible another cosmic-themed MCU project could pick it up, perhaps a new Guardians of the Galaxy film which could incorporate a couple of the Eternals into the team.

1. What Happened to Steve Rogers?

At the end of Avengers: Endgame, Steve Rogers went back in time and multiple dimensions to return the Infinity Stones. When he returned, he came back as an elderly man who could not continue as Captain America, and he passed his shield to Sam Wilson in order to become the new Captain America. So, what became of Rogers at that point? In the limited series, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, he was referred to in past tense, indicating he passed away, but one character mentioned the rumor that Steve Rogers was living on the moon. It was never made clear if he passed away and so far, he is not shown in trailers for Captain America: Brave New World. So where is Steve Rogers? What happened to him?

Speculation: Maybe Steve Rogers will return in Avengers: Secret Wars so that Chris Evans could play the superhero one final time before the role is recast. Perhaps, as in the comic books, Rogers will be rejuvenated if only to help out in Avengers: Secret Wars. Marvel Studios has speculated that he could return to the MCU in some fashion, though the actor has stated that there are no plans for him to reprise the role. We’ll just have to wait and see.

Notable Mentions

What Happened to the Beekeeper in WandaVision?

Who was Sonny Burch working for in Ant-Man and the Wasp?

Will the United States and Wakanda go to war against each other?

Will the Scorpion ever set out to get revenge on Spider-Man?

Is Spider-Man still framed for murdering Mysterio?

Who is working with the Power Broker/Sharon Carter?

What happened to the symbiote left behind by Venom/Eddie Brock in the MCU?

Will we ever see the remnants of the Illuminati exact revenge on Doctor Strange?

What became of President Ritson’s war on aliens on Earth?

Nov 22 2024

William Shatner Reunites With Leonard Nimoy For One Last Time In 765874: Unification

There have been numerous fan-made and unofficial Star Trek shorts and films made throughout the years that celebrated the legacy of Star Trek. Some of the more memorable efforts featured the actual actors from the Star Trek TV shows who reprised their famous roles. The latest effort, 765874: Unification, stands out from the rest not just for its production values or topnotch CGI special effects, but because it stars William Shatner in what will most likely be his final performance as Captain James T. Kirk as he reunites with the late Leonard Nimoy as Spock.

Directed by Carlos Baena, 765874: Unification is produced by the VFX studio OTOY in conjunction with the Roddenberry Archive and was released on the heels of the 30th anniversary of the film Star Trek Generations. It serves as a bookend or an epilogue or a post-credits scene to that film as it finally shows us Kirk and his best friend Spock reuniting after their deaths. It is also a sequel of sorts to OTOY’s previous short film, 765874: Regeneration, which featured Leonard Nimoy as Spock reacting to the death of Captain Kirk.

Taking place in the afterlife, moments after Kirk died in Star Trek Generations, the film stars Shatner and Sam Witwer as Kirk, who is jaw-droppingly rendered with CGI and live-action performances. Basically, Kirk wanders through a heavenly afterlife that is similar to what he experienced in the Nexus from Star Trek Generations. During his journey, he comes across many people from his life including Saavik (reprised by Robin Curtis who was digitally aged into an old woman). The film also features numerous Star Trek Easter eggs and characters such as Gary Mitchell (reprised by Gary Lockwood in a performance that was obviously rendered through CG), who plays a role in guiding Kirk during his first moments after his death.

Eventually, Kirk encounters the alien Starfleet officer Yor, who was briefly featured in the Star Trek: Discovery episode “Terra Firma”. For anyone who hasn’t seen that episode, it was revealed that Yor was originally from the Kelvin Universe (the alternate reality where the J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek films take place in) and was stranded in the Star Trek Prime Universe until his death.

As Trek fans know, Spock (as portrayed by Leonard Nimoy) was stranded in the Kelvin Universe and remained there until his death of old age (as noted in Star Trek: Beyond).

Yor serves as a conduit for Kirk to enable him to crossover into the Kelvin Universe. In the final moments of 765874: Unification, Kirk appears at the deathbed of Spock as the two old friends silently watch the sun set with the promise of a new adventure awaiting the both of them in the afterlife.

Aside from the nearly perfect special effects, what made the film stand out was its lack of dialogue, aside from a brief voiceover by Kirk taken from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. But words were not necessary, Shatner and Witwer were able to convey genuine emotions as Kirk explores the afterlife filled with wonder and surprise.

Still, the special effects are just amazing and feature the best use ever of de-aging and CGI to render Kirk as we last saw him in Star Trek Generations and as the more youthful version of the starship captain seen in the original series. The only times the effects falter are in two shots where Kirk walks awkwardly in profile. But other than that bravo to OTOY for their work!

Yes, the use of CGI to bring Spock back to life (through CG and a live-action performance by Lawrence Selleck) and de-aging Shatner and others is controversial for some. But for others, this film is a fitting tribute to the brotherly bond between Kirk and Spock that spans time, space and life itself. Afterall, death cannot destroy relationships or bonds.

More importantly, the short film is a love letter to Star Trek fans, especially those who still appreciate the older more iconic iteration of the sci-fi franchise and have fond memories of those early films and TV shows. After so many years, it feels great to see these two Star Trek legends together for one last time.

Needless to say, whether or not it’s official or canon, 765874: Unification finally gives us the opportunity to say farewell to these two characters as we see the Shatner and Nimoy versions of Kirk and Spock have a final performance together. Using the afterlife as the vessel for their unification is an appropriate and dare say, logical, way to close this chapter of their existence and the landscape for their next great adventure.

José Soto

Nov 13 2024

The Penguin Revels As One Of The Best Comic-Book-Based TV Shows

When the Max limited series The Penguin was first announced, many dismissed it as an unnecessary venture and a half-hearted attempt to expand the crime-infested world of Gotham City as seen in the 2022 film, The Batman. In other words, a production more akin to Gotham or the worst of the defunct Arrowverse TV shows than a cinema-quality presentation. Well, as we now know, The Penguin pleasantly surprised everyone and turned out to be one of the best current TV shows and one of the best comic-book-based TV shows ever.

Colin Farrell reprises the role he originated in The Batman as Oswald “Oz Cobb, a two-bit mobster with lofty ambitions to become a major player in the criminal underworld of Gotham. In the film and the start of the TV show, Cobb is a low-level member of the Falcone crime family, which was left ruined by Batman at the end of the film. During the premiere episode of The Penguin, Cobb (who is derisively nicknamed the Penguin by other mobsters because of his disfigured face and limp) impulsively seizes on an opportunity to rise in the ranks of the crime family. However, because he is derided by the Falcones, Cobb sets out on his own with the help of his young partner Victor Aguilar (Rheny Feliz) to violently create his own criminal empire in the neglected slums of Gotham City.

Cobb’s main antagonist in the series is Sofia Falcone (Christin Milloti), the misfit daughter of the head of the Falcone family. She was recently released from Arkham Asylum and seeks to find her place in her family’s criminal organization. But, like Cobb, she is dismissed by the organization and then takes measures to seize control of the organization while plotting revenge against Cobb. In the past, Cobb was her driver and confidante, but he betrayed her to her father to rise in the ranks of the organization after she told Cobb of her suspicions about her father murdering prostitutes. Her father framed her for the murders he committed and has her sent to Arkham for inhumane treatment.

As the two central figures in the TV show rise to power, it is not long before their mutual antagonism towards each other erupts into a deadly gang war for control over Gotham’s criminal underworld.

There are so many reasons why The Penguin is so great. Let’s start with the smart writing that takes great pains to develop and humanize the characters with compelling back stories. This doesn’t mean that we root for the Penguin or Sofia. They are bad people with twisted outlooks in life and who commit heinous acts. For example, in one episode Sofia callously murders most members of her own family while flashbacks revealed her torturous ordeal in Arkham, which made her sympathetic until she acted on her worst impulses. With Oz, we see his troubled past and his supposedly loving relationship with his mother, Francis (Deidre O’Connell). At first it seems to be a tender relationship which conveyed a more vulnerable side to Cobb. But by the end of the series, we come to see how twisted he was even as a child and how his blackened and greedy heart gave him a perverse view of life and his relationship with his mother that borders on the oedipal.

The production is also above par for a TV show and is seamless with The Batman as it evokes the grimy and gritty look of the film. As with the film, Gotham is a seedy, decaying urban hellhole which clearly divides the affluent from the downtrodden. In the mean streets of Crown Point, Cobb’s old neighborhood, the mobster begins his rise to the top of the affluent criminal underworld as he revels in his lower class roots in order to attract economically and socially oppressed allies like Victor. It is not necessary to have watched the film, though some events from it are referenced, most notably the flooding of Gotham that took place at the end of The Batman, which had a severe impact on the life of Victor.

While Cobb and Sofia are the main characters with complex backgrounds, the show also gives Victor well deserved time with his own back story. But in his case, the young criminal is much more sympathetic and vulnerable to the point that he became the heart of the show. Feliz’s acting was as brilliant as Farrell’s and Milloti’s. We find ourselves rooting for Victor and fearing for his safety as his innocence slowly ebbs away as he is exposed to the criminal world of Oz Cobb. It becomes troubling to watch Victor descent as he becomes more and more entrenched since we want him to come out of this partnership with Cobb in one piece.

Still, the stars of the show are Farrell and Milloti. The characters they play share many similarities as disregarded misfits forced to fight their way to the top. As evil as they are, we can’t help but be riveted by their stories. The two actors are certain to at least get Emmy nominations for their work. At the very least, the makeup in this TV show will win awards as it uncannily transformed Farrell into a heavyset, disfigured creature that is unrecognizable.

Of course, as flawless as the makeup is, it would not mean anything without Farrell’s captivating performance that echoes Tony Soprano, Vito Corleone and Robert De Niro’s gangster roles. Like those famous celluloid gangsters, the Penguin is a gruff, brutal thug but displays surprising moments of humanity. What was tragic for Cobb is his realization towards the end of the series that his emotional attachment to others is a vulnerability to him. His reaction at the end of the final episode to this realization cements the Penguin as a truly evil man and elevates him to one of Batman’s greatest villains. In fact, the way the Penguin is shown in this series gives argument for him being an even greater villain than the Joker thanks to his fleshed out and involving back story.

At the time of this writing, The Penguin is supposed to be a limited series that sets up the upcoming sequel to The Batman. Does this mean that the mobster will be the main villain of that film? Who knows, but the Penguin deserves to be the main foe and it would be a mistake to relegate Cobb to a minor presence in the film. Regardless of that, a second season is very warranted since Cobb is such a fascinating character and worth exploring some more. If not, then there are plenty of other members of Batman’s rogue’s gallery that could receive similar treatment, although the current rumor is that a TV show featuring the Joker is being considered. That would be a mistake because we have had two solo films about the Clown Prince of Crime and Batman has a rich roster of foes that deserve their moment in the harsh spotlight as the Penguin has received.   

José Soto