Arriving on Disney+ on April 6 with the first two episodes (and six more to follow on a mostly weekly schedule) is ‘Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord’, the latest step in Dave Filoni’s animated adventures set in the galaxy far, far away.
While his recent promotion to joint chief of Lucasfilm means he won’t have quite as much time to play in the ‘Star Wars’ sandbox, Dave Filoni is still enjoying the chance to expand the reach of George Lucas’ creation, this time continuing the story of the former Darth Maul.
By layering in crime thriller genre tropes and adding more to Maul himself, Filoni has delivered another smaller-scale animated success.
Working with Matt Michnovetz to develop the series, Filoni blends the likes of ‘Heat’ with the ‘Star Wars’ milieu for a fun mix that gives Maul fans (yes, we know you’re out there) plenty to enjoy.
And beyond the lead, there are several compelling characters contained within superior scripts.
On the directorial front, supervising director Brad Rau brings a stylish noir touch to the show, while also keeping it of a piece with previous animated outings.
Sam Witwer continues to find interesting new directions to take his character, and has really owned the role. Aside from him, Wagner Moura is good value as hard-bitten police detective Brander Lawson, aided by sidekick droid Two-Boots, voiced by a game Richard Ayoade.
On the villainous side, Filoni continues his obsession with comedy droids, with this show’s MVP being Spybot (David W. Collins), a cackling delight.
Even if you only know Maul from ‘The Phantom Menace’, chances are you will find something to enjoy here –– the action is intense, the characters compelling and the show as a whole fits well into the ‘Star Wars’ universe while also feeling fresh.
‘Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord’ receives 75 out of 100.
What’s the plot of ‘Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord’?
Set after the events of ‘Star Wars: The Clone Wars,’ this pulpy adventure finds Maul plotting to rebuild his criminal syndicate on a planet untouched by the Empire. There, he crosses paths with a disillusioned young Jedi Padawan who could be the apprentice he is seeking to aid him in his relentless pursuit for revenge.
Wagner Moura has joined the cast of ‘Flesh of the Gods’.
He’ll star opposite Kristen Stewart.
Panos Cosmatos is directing.
Back in May of 2024, we brought you the news that Kristen Stewart and Oscar Isaac would be starring in ‘Flesh of the Gods’ as a couple who are drawn into a neon-drenched LA nighttime nightmare for ‘Mandy’ director Panos Cosmatos.
Fast-forward to now, and while Stewart remains aboard, Deadline reports that Isaac has ducked out citing schedule clashes, but Cosmatos has found a more than able replacement in Wagner Moura.
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Moura is fresh off becoming the first Brazilian to be nominated for an Academy Award for his superb performance in ‘The Secret Agent.’ While he didn’t nab the Oscar, he did pick up a Golden Globe and an acting prize at last year’s Cannes.
Married couple Raoul and Alex descend each evening from their luxury skyscraper condo to venture into the electric nighttime realm of 1980s Los Angeles. When they cross paths with a mysterious and enigmatic woman known only as Nameless, she and her hard-partying cabal initiate Raoul and Alex into a glamorous, surrealistic world of hedonism, thrills and violence.
The Golden Globes will air on Paramount+ live January 11th, 2026.
Preview:
‘One Battle After Another,’ ‘Hamnet’ and more won at this year’s Golden Globes.
Seth Rogen and Noah Wyle were among the TV nominees who went home with trophies.
The show added Podcast and stand-up categories this year.
The 2026 Golden Globes ceremony happened on Sunday night, and there weren’t a lot of surprises.
Host Nikki Glaser’s opening monologue took some potshots at the Warner Bros./Netflix deal, Leonardo DiCaprio’s penchant for younger girlfriends and, in slightly more pointed moments, the Epstein files and the ongoing, disturbing changes at CBS news.
On the TV front, it also felt a little like a repeat of other awards ceremonies, with the likes of Noah Wyle, Jean Smart and Seth Rogen all picking up trophies after winning at other events.
At least the Podcast category was new, even if Amy Poehler (a popular former Globes host) wasn’t a big shock winner for her ‘Good Hang’ interview show.
But if you were a composer hoping to see your work honored, you were out of luck, since the Globes organizers chose to hand out that category off the air (congratulations and, er, sorry to ‘Sinners’ Ludwig Göransson, by the way).
Maria Fernanda Cândido in ‘The Secret Agent.’ Photo: Neon.
If you’ve seen Wagner Moura show up in the likes of ‘Narcos,’ last year’s terrifying look at an riven America, ‘Civil War’ or any number of projects where he steals scenes in supporting roles, ‘The Secret Agent’ will convince you that he’s not only a great actor, but a star in the making.
This collaboration with politically-minded director Kleber Mendonça Filho sets up him for a truly great performance, and he’s supported by an excellent ensemble for a movie that has been named as Brazil’s entry for Best International Feature Film at next year’s Oscars.
Script and Direction
Wagner Moura in ‘The Secret Agent.’ Photo: Neon.
Filho both wrote the script and directed this one, and it’s another winner from a filmmaker who already has some good movies on his resume.
With ‘The Secret Agent,’ he digs into a troubled part of Brazil’s real past, adding fiction to harsh reality to portray a time when science and truth were under attack, while it feel urgently relevant to today’s audiences.
The filmmaker smartly juggles three distinct time periods, but always keeps the story grounded in its characters and maintains the tension throughout while also finding time to show nuance and emotion.
Cast and Performances
(L to R): Wagner Moura, João Vitor Silva, Hermila Guedes, Isabél Zuaa, Licínio Januário and Ítalo Martins in ‘The Secret Agent.’ Photo: Neon.
Wagner Moura has long proved he’s got what it takes as an actor, but he’s rarely gotten a role as satisfying as this one. Roles, in fact, since he plays the main character, and also the man’s grown son in a timeline strand that weaves in and out of the main storyline.
Yet while this is certainly Moura’s movie, that’s to take nothing away from the likes of Tânia Maria, who gives a powerhouse supporting performance as the kindly, yet steel-spined woman who helps Moura’s character when he goes into hiding.
Around them are a blend of other “refugees” and the criminal elements hunting them down, and all the roles work well.
Final Thoughts
(L to R): Robério Diógenes, Wagner Moura and Igor de Araújo in ‘The Secret Agent.’ Photo: Neon.
It’s not hard to see why this is Brazil’s Oscar entry – ‘The Secret Agent’ is an urgent, audacious and superbly realized movie that works on various levels.
‘The Secret Agent’ receives 90 out of 100.
Wagner Moura in ‘The Secret Agent.’ Photo: Neon.
What’s the story of ‘The Secret Agent’?
In 1977, a technology expert flees from a mysterious past and returns to his hometown of Recife in search of peace.
He soon realizes that the city is far from being the refuge he seeks.
Who is in the cast of ‘The Secret Agent’?
Wagner Moura as Armando/Marcelo Alves/Adult Fernando
(L to R) Kirsten Dunst and Cailee Spaeny in ‘Civil War.’ Photo: A24.
A24’s ‘Civil War’ takes a terrifying look at what would happen if the United States became fractured. The film follows a group of journalists who are determined to witness history no matter the cost – with chaos and fright at every corner.
While the movie seems inspired by the current political climate, it does not tell the story from either the left or the right. Rather, Garland focused on the battles between the citizens of the United States.
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Where Can I Watch ‘Civil War’?
Kirsten Dunst in ‘Civil War.’ Photo: A24.
The film premiered at SXSW on March 14, 2024, garnering positive reactions from critics and audiences alike. Originally scheduled for an April 26 release, ‘Civil War’ arrived in theaters on April 12. The film’s budget of $50 million makes it the most expensive movie to be released by A24. Since its release, it has grossed over $114.3 million worldwide. The movie has a runtime of 1 hour and 48 minutes.
Garland’s action-thriller became available on digital platforms as of May 24, 2024. Missed it in theaters? Now you can enjoy all the action from home – rent for $19.99 or purchase for $24.99 on VOD platforms such as Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube, and Vudu.
‘Civil War’ presents California and Texas as a united force, which seems an unlikely alliance given how far they are apart politically. However, Garland does not tell the story from either side of the political aisle. The director intends for the film to start conversations and spark debates.
The cast has also spoken on the topic. “The whole movie is open to interpretation,” said Dunst in an interview with Variety. Nick Offerman calls the movie “a brilliant piece of fiction” at the film’s premiere and says that his depiction of the President of the United States isn’t based on current or former presidents, “When you see the movie, it’s so unattached to anything in modern politics, not only in your country but any country.”
For physical media lovers, the action-thriller will be available on DVD, Blu-ray, and 4K UHD on July 9, 2024, and will include special features such as:
Torn Asunder: Waging Alex Garland’s ‘Civil War’ Six-Part Documentary
Theatrical trailer
Those who purchase the physical copy from Amazon will also receive an Amazon Blu-ray Exclusive special feature with their copy – a Q&A with the cast and director.
In a near-future America, the United States has collapsed into civil war as different factions prepare for a final assault on Washington D.C. to unseat the President. A small band of journalists race across a once-familiar and now-dangerous country to get to the frontline and witness what happens.
Who’s In the Cast of ‘Civil War’
Kirsten Dunst as Lee Smith
Wagner Moura as Joel
Cailee Spaeny as Jessie
Stephen McKinley Henderson as Sammy
Nick Offerman as the President of the United States
‘Civil War,’ written and directed by Alex Garland (‘Ex Machina,’ ‘Annihilation’) is a deeply upsetting and frightening film – and we mean that in the best way possible. Set in an America that looks and feels very much like the one we’re in now, this brilliantly made film presents a harrowing vision of a nation tearing itself apart – as well as the story of a small group of journalists determined to witness history no matter what.
Garland’s film is so unnerving because he almost underplays the conflict in a way – since the U.S. is so damn large, there are moments when he lulls you into thinking that vast swaths of the country are untouched by the disaster unfolding in its midst. But make no mistake, there’s a pervasive sense of dread throughout ‘Civil War,’ with terror and chaos lurking around every corner. The cumulative effect is devastating, and regardless of one’s politics, this is a movie that everyone should see – if only because we seem to be skating closer to the edge of the abyss that Garland and his cast so memorably portray.
Story and Direction
(Right) Director Alex Garland on the set of ‘Civil War.’ Photo: A24.
Sometime in the not-too-distant future, civil war has broken out in the United States. The reasons are left unsaid, as are the events that led to Texas and California forming their own union, the Western Forces, which plan a final assault on Washington D.C. to remove the President (Nick Offerman) from office. Another faction, the Florida Alliance, looms in the background. Either way, the events that got the country to this point are never explained, but it’s clear that the U.S. has turned into a geopolitical and humanitarian nightmare.
In the midst of all this, Alex Garland’s film focuses on a band of four reporters – the hard-bitten, callous photojournalist Lee (Kirsten Dunst), the cynical Joel (Wagner Moura), the world-weary Sammy (Stephen McKinley Henderson) and the novice photographer Jessie (Cailee Spaeny) — who set out together from New York to travel to where the Western Forces are amassing for their final push into the nation’s capital.
Lee recognizes that Jessie has talent and reluctantly takes her under her wing, warning the young woman that there are far worse horrors ahead if she pursues her calling and that she must present the truth of what she sees with an unblinking eye. In some ways, ‘Civil War’ is the parallel journey of these two women – Lee has hardened herself to what she sees through her lens but may finally be breaking down and letting herself feel what’s happening, while the untested, somewhat naïve Jessie goes through a trial by fire to make herself into the crusader for truth that she hopes to become.
‘Civil War’ is also about journalism itself – and the necessity of journalists to report and document what they see without bringing their own biases to the table. That means a lie is a lie, the truth is the truth (not “your truth” or “my truth”) and even the most righteous-minded can do something unspeakable. Lee, Joel, and company are there to chronicle what happens – and let historians and future leaders figure out what it means.
‘Civil War.’ Photo: A24.
But even they, of course, are only humans and flawed ones at that: at one point in the film, our four protagonists and a couple of other reporters they meet up with – who have all been a little cavalier up to this point — are given the brutal realization that all the press badges in the world will not protect them anymore, and that events are spinning out of control faster than they might have thought. This is brought home in one of the film’s most terrifying scenes, featuring an uncredited Jesse Plemons (which you’ve seen a bit of in the trailers).
The scene involving Plemons is the most unnerving in the film, yet it’s one of many that feature imagery straight out of a U.N. war zone: Garland and DP Rob Hardy expertly blend widescreen shots of the American countryside – parts of it still pristine – with more close-up, documentary-like footage of refugee camps, burning urban areas, and hand-to-hand combat. Tanks rumble through American streets as jet fighters scream overheard, anti-aircraft weapons firing at them from below. Even a quiet town tucked away somewhere in Pennsylvania, where it doesn’t seem like the war has touched anything, posts armed sentries on its rooftops. The America of ‘Civil War’ is both eerily recognizable and yet utterly, unspeakably warped.
In this and other ways, Garland channels another film about a violent conflict sinking into madness: ‘Apocalypse Now.’ At one point, our journalists come upon two soldiers who are pinned down by a sniper in a distant mansion. No one seems to know who’s the mansion or what side anyone is one. It’s directly reminiscent of the scene in Francis Ford Coppola’s Vietnam epic when Martin Sheen and his crew come upon a remote U.S. outpost that’s descended into chaos: “Who’s in charge here?” Sheen asks a dazed soldier. “Ain’t you?” the soldier replies.
Garland punctuates this accumulation of disturbing images with both an ominous, pulsing score by Geoff Barrow and Ben Salisbury, as well as jarringly delicate folk songs and somber pop numbers, bringing a wistful, overwhelmingly sad emotional undercurrent to the horrors unfolding onscreen.
The Cast
(L to R) Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura and Cailee Spaeny in ‘Civil War.’ Photo: A24.
Kirsten Dunst easily gives one of the finest performances of her career as Lee, the combat photographer who says at one point, “Every time I survived a war zone, I thought I was sending a warning home: don’t do this. But here we are.” Lee has seen it all and then some, and at the film’s outset, it almost seems as if nothing will either rattle her or get to her emotionally. But that changes once she meets Jessie, as she sees something of her younger self in the inexperienced photographer and wants to both nurture and protect that.
It’s a subtle, complex performance by Dunst, and it’s complemented by Wagner Moura’s charismatic turn as Joel. The Brazilian ‘Narcos’ star gives Joel an easy charm, a rakish demeanor, and a compassionate undertone, all of which is gradually chipped away as the film goes on. Like Dunst’s lee, Moura’s Joel undergoes a gradual transformation, reaching his goal of getting an interview with the President but perhaps not in the way he initially envisioned.
Stephen McKinley Henderson in ‘Civil War.’ Photo: A24.
Somewhere between both of them is Stephen McKinley Henderson’s Sammy, an older New York Times reporter who is at this point not physically up to the strenuous journey ahead but willing to keep going no matter what. One of our great character actors of the stage and screen (with indelible recent performances in films like ‘Fences’), Henderson effectively portrays Sammy’s world-weariness and cynicism, even as he remains alert and savvy to what’s happening around him. Compassionate as well, his sense of humanity is pushed to the brink by what he experiences on the road to D.C.
While we admire Cailee Spaeny’s work here (and in last year’s ‘Priscilla’), we’re not as effusive about her character’s narrative. Jessie is initially cheerful, headstrong, and somewhat naïve about the job she wants to do, and as the story goes on, she becomes more shell-shocked and terrified by what she experiences. But some of her decisions, as well as her rather abrupt latter turn into a fierce photo-warrior – throwing herself into danger to get the shot – feel somewhat rushed and contrived, making a character who should be more of an avatar for young audience members into a plot device.
Final Thoughts
Nick Offerman in ‘Civil War.’ Photo: A24.
Moviegoers are going to bring their own politics into ‘Civil War’ and read it the way they want, which is part of what makes Alex Garland’s film so excellent. There has been some criticism online of Garland’s decision to keep the reasons for the war offscreen, as well as his choice to unite California and Texas – two states that nowadays couldn’t seem further apart politically – into a seemingly unlikely alliance. But to make Nick Offerman’s brief turn as the President into a take on Biden or Trump, and to make the film into a blue state-red state polemic, would not only instantly date it but create a more concrete polarization that would miss the point.
‘Civil War’ doesn’t detail how we got to this point; the film instead asks, “Okay, we’re here now. What are you going to do about it?” The fact that the film doesn’t offer a definitive resolution or simple answer is perhaps the most unsettling thing about it. With ‘Civil War,’ Alex Garland shows us one possible future in all its terrifying plausibility – what we do about it will either keep this film in the realm of speculative fiction or make it a prophetic document of a great nation disintegrating due to its own distrust, misinformation, and fear.
‘Civil War’ receives 9 out of 10 stars.
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What is the plot of ‘Civil War’?
In a near-future America, the United States has collapsed into civil war as different factions prepare for a final assault on Washington D.C. to unseat the President. A small band of journalists race across a once-familiar and now-dangerous country to get to the frontline and witness what happens.
Who is in the cast of ‘Civil War’?
Kirsten Dunst as Lee
Wagner Moura as Joel
Cailee Spaeny as Jessie
Stephen McKinley Henderson as Sammy
Nick Offerman as the President of the United States
(L to R) Maya Erskine and Donald Glover in ‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith.’ Credit: David Lee/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon Studios.
Premiering on Prime Video this week, ‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’ loosely –– very loosely –– adapts the 2005 Doug Limanmovie that saw Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie playing married assassins unaware of each other’s secret job whose stale relationship is re-ignited when they’re assigned by their competing agencies to take each other out (and we don’t mean on a date).
But the new series shares really only the title and the most basic concept with the movie. Instead, here we have two strangers who apply for a job that sees them partnered up and moving through the various stages of relationships in their fake coupledom even as real feelings develop and the missions become more perilous.
Maya Erskine in ‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith.’ Credit: David Lee/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon Studios.
Back in the late 1990s and early 2000s, ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ deployed monsters as metaphor for teenage angst, body changes, and concerns. ‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’ tries a similar trick (though hopefully without the problematic future Joss Whedon of it all), utilizing the central couple’s various experiences as a mirror for a developing relationship.
It’s not a completely 1:1 situation, though some episodes play to that much more than others (episode 5, for example, sees the duo forced into a situation where their charge, played wonderfully by a superbly grumpy Ron Perlman is effectively a substitute child) but in general, the idea works.
Sometimes the balance of character work to action can be off-kilter, and not everything about the main dynamic works (Donald Glover and Maya Erskine have decent chemistry, though it takes some time to find its groove). Which, we suppose is how all relationships start and end up working.
But on the whole, it’s an entertaining peek into the various marker points of the relationship and the series format certainly offers more scope to explore the character levels than anything in the movie.
‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’: Script and Direction
(L to R) Maya Erskine and Donald Glover in ‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith.’ Credit: David Lee/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon Studios.
Though Glover originally developed the show with ‘Fleabag’ creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge, creative differences saw Waller-Bridge depart and Glover instead create the show with his ‘Atlanta’ cohort Francesca Sloane (who runs the show here).
The writing for the series carries some of the hallmarks of Glover and Sloane’s past work (though none of its experimental, random nature which probably wouldn’t have worked for this). This time around, their focus is on the burgeoning relationships and using the spy missions/job as a giant metaphor for an evolving connection between two people is one that largely works well, even if it does mean there tends to be a larger focus on interaction between the two main characters rather than the action side of things. Jane and John are written decently, though they may end up testing the patience of some audiences.
As for the metaphors, they run the gamut from excellent to exhausting. One episode, where our main pair meet and spend time with another “John” and “Jane” is at times interminable (no fault of the actors involved). But the mission-of-the-week format means that if you don’t spark to one episode, you may well enjoy another.
Directors Hiro Murai, Christian Sprenger and Karena Evans (the first two have ‘Atlanta’ experience on their busy resumes, the latter has focused more on music videos and other TV series) bring a fresh, dynamic look to the show, and if the action moments aren’t quite up there with the likes of the ‘Mission: Impossible’ or ‘Bond’ franchises, that’s because it isn’t the main point here. This is a relationship drama with a side of set-pieces.
‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’: Performances
(L to R) Donald Glover and Maya Erskine in ‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith.’ Credit: David Lee/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon Studios.
With the guest cast almost constantly changing (only one or two people beyond the leads appear in more than a single episode), the weight is very much on Glover and Erskine. As people who have both been the focus of TV series they co-created, they’re both more than able to carry the load of leading roles.
Of the two, Erskine comes off better, getting to show more development than the slightly more disconnected Glover. She’s excited for the opportunity to begin with, but you can really see the weight settle upon her as the season moves on. Keeping the metaphor of the relationship going, she becomes more and more disenfranchised as she realizes she’s holding up more of her end in terms both missions and personal life.
Which is not to say that Glover is bad –– his John Smith is a man who seems far less willing to leave his old life behind (a nod towards the usual commitment issues found more often in men than women) –– and he has some superb moments as the relationship develops and, at times, sours.
(L to R) Maya Erskine and Donald Glover in ‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith.’ Credit: David Lee/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon Studios.
Neither of the main pair are natural action stars, but they do their best, aided with a decent stunt team.
Around them is an ever-changing roster of others: Paul Dano is a good-looking neighbor who Jane takes a shine to, while Wagner Moura and Parker Posey are the other John and Jane who share the double date that ends awkwardly (and dangerously). Again, as mentioned above, the actors are perfectly fine in their roles, they’re just let down a little by the episode’s script.
Perlman, meanwhile, is wonderful in his role as the mysterious man that John and Jane are assigned to protect.
‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’: Final Thoughts
(L to R) Maya Erskine and Donald Glover in ‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith.’ Credit: David Lee/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon Studios.
If it sometimes stretches the concept a little thin, ‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’ is an effective mix of spy thriller and marriage drama with the emphasis on the latter.
Those seeking the next ‘Atlanta’ won’t find that here, but then, that wasn’t the point –– and as adaptations of movies go, this at least has the confidence to truly be its own thing.
‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’ receives 7.5 out of 10 stars.
(L to R) Donald Glover and Maya Erskine in ‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith.’ Credit: David Lee/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon Studios.
What’s the story of ‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’?
Two lonely strangers land jobs working for a mysterious spy agency that offers them a glorious life of espionage, wealth, world travel, and a dream brownstone in Manhattan.
The catch? New identities in an arranged marriage as Mr. and Mrs. John and Jane Smith. Now hitched, John (Donald Glover) and Jane (Maya Erskine) navigate a high-risk mission every week while also facing a new relationship milestone.
Their complex cover story becomes even more complicated when they catch real feelings for each other. What’s riskier: espionage or marriage?
Debuting in theaters on December 21st, ‘Puss in Boots: The Last Wish’ reunites audiences with the dashing, daring feline hero who got his start in the ‘Shrek’ movies to humorous effect.
With 12 years between ‘Puss in Boots’ entries, you might be forgiven for thinking that DreamWorks Animation had decided to close the door on movies based on its ‘Shrek’ universe altogether, outside of occasional straight-to-streaming spin-offs.
Yet here comes Puss, riding back with a full theatrical release and leaving hints that we’ll be revisiting the wider ‘Shrek’-verse before too long.
Judged on its own merits, however, ‘The Last Wish’ is a worthy, funny follow-up to the 2011 movie, which gives a little extra depth to the charismatic hero, who has little time for rules or regulations.
A quick burst of exposition catches us up with what Puss (Antonio Banderas, on enthusiastic vocal form as always) has been up to and provides a handy sketch for those who have not watched one of his appearances before.
Which is all to say: Puss has been being Puss––drinking lots of milk, pulling off daring feats, annoying local authorities and hosting raucous parties (the initial scene features a combination of all three).
But after his latest scrape, he realizes that his passion for peril and disregard for safety have taken their toll: Puss has burned through eight of his nine lives. An early highlight is a flashback clip showing how the others were lost, the character falling afoul of canons, weightlifting accidents, and falls from great heights.
Worried that he’s on borrowed time, he initially decides to retire, heading for Mama Luna’s (Da’Vine Joy Randolph), a home for stray cats. Initially rebellious, he soon falls into a routine of eating with the others and using the litter tray like a regular moggy.
A chance encounter with thieves who come looking for something at the house reveals the existence of the titular last wish––a star that could help him restore his spent lives. And along for the quest will be his former flame, Kitty Softpaws (Salma Hayek) and new friend/annoyance Perro (Harvey Guillén), a pug who longs to find his place in the world and who had been hiding out at Mama Luna’s disguised as a cat.
Puss isn’t the only one looking for the star, though. He and his friends will have to stay one step ahead of Goldi (Florence Pugh) and the Three Bears Crime Family, and Jack Horner (John Mulaney), a rich, spoiled brat who is constantly trying to shake his reputation as “Little” Jack Horner.
Plus, Puss is being pursued by a mysterious bounty hunter, the Big Bad Wolf (Wagner Moura), who appears to be more supernatural than your usual tracker. Could this be death on Puss’ trail given his lack of lives?
‘The Last Wish’ certainly stands as a solid sequel to ‘Puss in Boots’, and boasts an attractive, imaginative animation style that, like ‘The Bad Guys’ before it, owes a debt to ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’ for its blend of techniques that give the movie a painterly quality and the feeling of anime at different points.
It’s certainly a shift from the standard look of the previous movie and other ‘Shrek’ entries, and makes for a frenetic, yet clear visual palette. If the teams behind these films are going to keep experimenting and finding new ways to present these movies, it’s something to be encouraged.
Story-wise, this remains your basic quest mixed with pop culture references (though the latter side has been toned down some). Wacky villains are brought to life by a fine cast of voices beyond those we’ve already listed, including Olivia Colman as Mama Bear and Ray Winstone as Papa Bear.
Banderas is still the beating, comical heart of the film, but combined with the updated animation, Puss really does seem to have a new life in this story. He’s always been one of the more entertaining characters from this fairy tale-spoofing cinematic universe (and deserving of spin-off films), and ‘The Last Wish’ earns its place in the canon.
Hayek, meanwhile, is still a delight as Kitty, every bit Puss’ equal on the action front and even more cunning when the moment calls for it. And though some of the others don’t get as much to do (Colman, Winstone and Samson Kayo as the bears are rarely handled the best material, though Mulaney’s vocal style makes Jack work on a level he might not otherwise), this is more visually dynamic than vocal.
The nods to classic stories are smart and feed into the plot, directors Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado, along with writers Tommy Swerdlow and Paul Fisher keeping the whole affair light on its feet (as is befitting a crafty cat). And the jokes come thick and fast––if some don’t land, another is on the way to make up for it a few seconds later. It’s fast and fun.
And yes, there are of course callbacks to past Puss stories, including the deployment of nuclear-level cute faces from both Puss and Kitty (Perro trying his own with, let’s charitably call them, “mixed” results).
It’s never going to challenge the minutely crafted likes of ‘Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio’ or ‘Marcel the Shell with Shoes On’, but it’s far from a pumped-out moneymaking exercise. But unlike ‘Pinocchio’ it features little––aside, perhaps from a couple of moments with the wolf––likely to traumatize the youngest in the audience.
‘Puss in Boots: The Last Wish’ receives 3.5 out of 5 stars.
A sequel to Netflix’s ‘The Gray Man,’ is now in development with star Ryan Gosling and directors Joe and Anthony Russo set to return.
Even given its current subscriber and financial wobbles, Netflix is looking to splash the cash when it thinks it can spawn a franchise from a successful movie.
And having brought Joe and Anthony Russo’s spy thriller ‘The Gray Man’ to theaters and, this past weekend, its streaming service, the company is looking to keep backing their ambitious plans to build out the adaptations of Mark Greaney’s novel series.
Because we can’t just have a straight sequel, the world-building is going into high gear with both a direct follow-up and a spin-off.
‘The Gray Man’, which the Russos directed (and Joe Russo co-wrote with regular collaborators Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely), was the all-action story of Sierra Six (Ryan Gosling), a trained operative called Sierra Six, who works for a shadowy chunk of the CIA, dispatched to carry out seemingly impossible missions with plausible deniability on the agency’s part.
But when he discovers digital evidence of a conspiracy, his handlers will do anything to keep the information from getting out. They send the cruel, psychopathic Lloyd Hansen (Chris Evans in a dodgy mustache) and a wealth of baddies to hunt down our hero.
The sequel will pick up Six’s story (with Gosling attached to return) and follow another mission. The Russo brothers are once more planning to direct, and McFeely is at work on the script.
As for the spin-off, that’s even less clear right now. The first movie was chock full of characters that could be used in their own story – such as Dhanush’s Avik San (AKA Lone Wolf) or Wagner Moura’s fixer Laszlo Sosa – but the team is keeping that quiet too for now.
“The audience reaction to ‘The Gray Man’ has been nothing short of phenomenal. We are so appreciative of the enthusiasm that fans across the world have had for this film,” Joe and Anthony say in a statement. “With so many amazing characters in the movie, we had always intended for the ‘Gray Man’ to be part of an expanded universe, and we are thrilled that Netflix is announcing a sequel with Ryan, as well as a second script that we’re excited to talk about soon.”
“With ‘The Gray Man’, the Russos delivered an edge-of-your-seat spectacle that audiences around the world are loving,” says Netflix Head of Global Film Scott Stuber. “We’re excited to continue to partner with them and the team at AGBO as they build out ‘The Gray Man’ universe.”
It’s not the first franchise the Russos have been building for the company either – there’s also ‘Extraction’ starring another old ‘Avengers’ colleague, Chris Hemsworth. That movie has already spawned a sequel, which will arrive on the service next year.
Thus far, Netflix has not announced a date for either new ‘Gray Man’ movie, but it seems unlikely that either will be ready much before early 2024.
A sequel to Netflix’s ‘The Gray Man,’ is now in development with star Ryan Gosling and directors Joe and Anthony Russo set to return.
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