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Jungle Cruise is an Entertaining Adventure Film that Harkens Back to Better Classics

Jungle Cruise is one of those movies which garner a favorable first impression, but seems to have several cracks in its facade when you pay closer attention. Then again, maybe that’s the point. It’s a theme park ride movie- almost…

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Luca is a Breezy Tale of Light-hearted Summer Adventures

Enrico Casarosa's Luca isn't the ground-breaking, Oscar-worthy story people are prone to expect from Pixar. But for those willing to experience the studio's more laid-back and light-hearted works, Luca is a Pixar iteration of cinematic comfort food. From the stunning…

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Cruella is a Ridiculous, Stylish Reimaging of a Classic Disney Villain That Only Has Tenuous Connections to the Original Story

Cruella is both ridiculous and strangely engaging, despite its myriads of flaws. It’s a prequel that would have stood much better as an original story but pays tepid lip service to the classic 101 Dalmatians. Featuring two great performances and…

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Raya and the Last Dragon is an Exciting Adventure Story Inspired by East Asian Cultures with Beautifully Detailed Animation

Raya and the Last Dragon is an exciting, breathtaking adventure set in a brilliantly realized world with engaging lore, and a story with important values that doesn’t talk down to its audience. It’s one of those Disney animation productions that…

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Soul Tackles Jazz, the Afterlife and the Purpose of Life in Delightful (and Inventive) Fashion

Usually, Pixar films are geared towards children, despite being accessible to adults. Soul, however, seems the opposite: made for adults and accessible to children. It’s a return to form for Pixar, whose middling Onward dropped earlier in 2020. Soul not…

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The Mandalorian Gets Better (and Delivers Tons of Fanservice) in Season Two, Winning Fans’ Hearts Worldwide

The Mandalorian season two is, perhaps, a textbook case of sequelitis, but mostly in a good way. It’s bigger, more action packed and introduces several characters from expanded Star Wars lore, delivering plenty of fanservice in the process. At eight…

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Disney’s Mulan is Beautiful (and Action-Packed), but its Message is Problematic

Disney, it appears, just cannot do right when it comes to remakes. No one would accuse the remakes released so far to be great, though some of them, such as Maleficent, attempt going off the beaten path. In case of…

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Onward Tries to Marry Emotions and Magic into a Standard Adventure Narrative, with Mixed Results

On the surface, Onward fits the bill for the typical Pixar emotional adventure vehicle. Set in a world once filled with magic that has long since moved onto the convenience of technology, it follows two brothers on a quest for…

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How Netflix Spearheaded the Streaming Revolution (and Why it Spends So Much on Original Content)

Netflix began its streaming service in 2007, but its founder, Reed Hastings, had envisioned the move much earlier. Hastings laid out his vision for the company to Ted Sarandos, head of content at Netflix, all the way back in 1999.…

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The Lion King is a Technical Masterpiece, But Lacks the Heart of the Original

Jon Favreau’s The Lion King is, without a doubt, an impressive technical achievement. The photorealistic visuals often makes you feel as though you are watching a high-definition documentary on the savanna. However, it’s also an almost shot for shot remake…