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(Image: Courtesy of Marvel Animation) WARNING : This review contains spoilers for X-Men ‘97: Season 1, Episode 7! If the purpose of this episode was to ready fans for the highly anticipated 3-part finale titled “ Tolerance is Extinction, ” then oh boy did the team behind episode 7 succeed. (Image: Courtesy of Marvel Animation) We are first taken to the funeral of the beloved Gambit, who was killed during the mutant massacre on Genosha in episode 5. The members of the X-Men along with family members of Gambit are grieving, the funeral service led by Nightcrawler as the Pastor, (it's safe to say his words here really make us as fans feel like we have also suffered a loss). “How could Remy, so tuned to potential fail to see how his sins had made him into a hero” really hits when you think about what we saw in episode 5. One noticeable absence we see from Remy’s funeral is Rogue… who lets just say has gone…. FULL ROGUE. (Image: Courtesy of Marvel Animation) Grief-stricken Rogue is out on a personal mission (one I fear every fan will see as justifiable considering she lost not only the man she loved, but another that she once had a romantic relationship with). She is out looking for Henry Gyrich and Bolivar Trask, the individuals that the X-Men believe were behind the attack on Genosha. In these scenes with Rogue, we get to see just how powerful she is when she is tapped into all of the rage and hurt built up over losing Remy and Magneto. She is able to break into a prison that is described as being strong enough to hold the Hulk, but that doesn’t stop her from knocking the walls down to get the information she needs. Audiences won’t understand just how serious Rogue is about finding Gyrich and Trask until she goes up against of one the military personnel who proclaims that the X-Men are supposed to be one of the “good ones” and Rogue says “you killed those sugar, now you get me”. She is on a mission and she isn’t here to play any games with anyone in her way. This attitude is nearly mimicked as she encounters the only and only Captain America soon after. She gets to a point where she pretty much tells Captain America that if he isn’t going to help her and do things by the book, then there’s really no reason for him to have his shield and throws it far off to not be seen as if Superman were to throw a football across the world (pretty petty and funny if you ask me). If someone as righteous as Captain America refuses to help the mutants, who can they trust? The one thing I love about the writing on this show (and something Beau DeMayo and his writing team) have excelled at, is really making you fall back in love with these characters. Outside of the comics and maybe a few of the Fox X-Men films, they really are never done justice or have time to shine due to studios and companies pushing Wolverine to the forefront. Throughout this entire series we have gotten to see every character have its own moments and side stories that are interwoven into the overall story-arch of this season. Each character is given time to showcase their emotions, a reaction to choices that we have seen played out. I think this is what is going to make the finale of the series play off so well and I can’t wait to see what choices beloved X-Men do or don’t do. On the other side of the world, we see the X-Men visit Genosha to assist in helping with clean up and aid to the victims of the massacre. We find that Emma Frost (as many fans guessed) was not killed in the attack on the island as her and Jean are able to have some sort of telepathic moment that help Jean and Scott locate her. We also get to see an interesting turn for Beast during this time on the island. I feel like we rarely see Beast bothered or upset by much, he’s usually the voice of reason and optimism on the team but after a conversation with journalist Trish Tilby, we hear him say “begging for your tolerance was our first mistake”. This really makes me feel as though we are going to see members of the team really make some defining actions on their points of view on humans and how they view mutants. It’s also important to note how important this will be once they are finally reunited with Professor Xavier during his year long vacation away with the Sh'iar empire. (Imagine: Courtesy of Marvel Animation) The X-Men are then alerted that Bolivar Trask is on Madripoor and tells them to quickly journey there where he will reveal more information about Mr. Sinister and his plans (definitely a trap). We finally get to see that there are in indeed more sentinels being built, Trask admits much worse than the ones we saw attack Genosha. He attempts to commit suicide as he claims that he had no idea that Sinister was going to attack Genosha in such a… well let’s say sinister way. Before he is able to jump off the building, Rogue catches him and tells him that if he wants to truly make amends, he needs to help the X-Men. He says “I have nothing” and Rogue replies “neither do I” and she lets go, leading him to death. The remaining X-Men are shocked that Rogue… would kill someone willingly (even if the asshole Trask). This is another moment where we get to see how every member on the team feels differently, and how grief makes some of them cross a line they wouldn't cross in a million year. Nightcrawler says “Rogue, what have you done?”, Scott, Jean and Beast are shocked, Morph says “is this who we are?” And Wolverine seemingly is okay with Rogue’s decision to drop Trask. Before Rogue can even fully defend her actions, the X-Men are hit with a powerful blast from Trask who is now… a sentinel? This is another moment of writing that just hits this spot so sweet because for the first time we get to see our heroes left in the past and humans evolve into something bigger and more dangerous. Jean, Scott, Morph (as Quicksilver), Beast and Wolverine attempt to take on Trask but they are extremely outmatched. Even Jean (who finally gets some bad ass fight scenes and reminds audiences that she’s not just some fainting laughing meme for folks but is actually a very strong telekinetic) didn’t stand much of a match for Sentinel Trask. Things are not looking well and I almost got scared Scott was going to be seriously injured but luckily for the X-Men they have one badass, time-traveling mutant appear to assist, aka Cable. (Image: Courtesy of Marvel Animation) Before the end of the episode we get two huge reveals. Magneto is not dead and the big bad behind the attack on Genosha wasn’t even Sinister but rather the supervillain Bastion (voiced by the amazing Theo James - who was revealed to be in the show a few months ago, but his role was kept a secret). Things are not looking good for the X-Men and the 3-part finale is bound to be one for the books. Let us hope Storm, Professor Xavier and other mutants appear to assist because this is about to be one big uphill battle for our heroes. Rating : 4.5/5

If the previous Godzilla vs Kong  (2021) was our Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice  (2016), then this is our Justice League  (2017). (Image: Courtesy of Legendary Pictures) WARNING: This review contains spoilers for Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024). If you are here for the fifth film of the ever-expanding MonsterVerse cinematic universe, what you came for should go without saying: Titans brawling on the big screen. Adam Wingard’s Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire  (2024) does an okay job whetting your appetite. Following 2021’s Godzilla vs Kong , the two eponymous Titans have fostered a begrudging peace and marked their territories in separate places: Godzilla occupies the surface, acting as its protector against the lingering threat of other Titans; meanwhile, Kong resides below in Hollow Earth. (Kong: Courtesy of Legendary Pictures) Kong is our true protagonist, heavily humanized, as we follow him surviving and searching for belonging and family. He’s personable and at times kinda funny—it’s hard not to root for him. He even suffers a toothache, an injury that pushes him to briefly return to the surface, allowing him to reunite with Jia (Kaylee Hottle), an orphaned Iwi native from Skull Island who, like Kong, believes she is the last of her people. This brings us to the human element of this installment. There are probably two people in the entire world who go to watch a Godzilla/Kong movie interested in the nitty-gritty of the petty human squabbles—regardless, here it is, to remind the audience how insignificant we are in a world of much bigger, much cooler Titans. We see the return of Dr. Ilene Andrews (Rebecca Hall), struggling to connect with her adoptive daughter, Jia, who is experiencing weird visions and grappling with her sense of belonging. The main human cast is rounded out by Brian Tyree Henry returning as the tolerable podcaster and conspiracy theorist Bernie Hayes, and Dan Stevens debuting as the not-so-tolerable Trapper. Both are given little to do other than deliver flat jokes and plot points that were already obvious. (From left to right, Trapper, Dr. Ilene Andrews, and Jia: Courtesy of Legendary Pictures) There isn’t much to say about these characters. Dr. Andrews has an unconvincing and hollow subplot about the fears of giving up Jia after a trip to Hollow Earth reveals a telepathic subsect of the Iwi tribe that has survived. Trapper does  help Kong out with an upgrade later on, but the movie tries so hard to build him up as this cool, nonchalant, space cowboy that he’s nothing more than a walking, talking, lifeless trope. There’s the beginning of a plot thread involving the exploitation of indigenous cultures surrounding Bernie’s hunger for content, but like most of the emotional beats of this movie, it’s half-baked and falls flat. I only wish we were able to feel any of these moments as much as the writers want us to. Every time the film focuses on this band of humans though, all you can think about is how much you would rather be seeing what Kong and Godzilla are up to… So let’s pivot to that. The plot begins moving when a sinkhole near Kong’s home in Hollow Earth leads to—shockingly—another, lower level of Earth, where a tribe of his species has miraculously survived! After getting immediately jumped, Kong is led by a baby, kinda-cute mega-monkey to the tribe’s leader and our antagonist: the enigmatic Skar King. All things considered, the Skar King has a surprisingly dope introduction, as he coolly sits on his throne, draped in shadows, eating raw animals, and wielding a whip made out of bones. (The Skar King: Courtesy of Legendary Pictures) I wanted to like the idea of the Skar King, and he does deliver in the realm of being ruthless, cruel, and visually engaging, and one of the few mega-monkeys who can stand toe-to-toe with our Kong. But it still feels like something is missing. He’s not the threat to Kong we are promised he is, at least not anything to shake the table. It’s when Kong is rightfully beating his ass, that we learn about his secret weapon: Shimo! Another ancient Titan who is the most powerful of them all, caused the previous Ice Age and is controlled by Skar King’s bone whip. Kong is outmatched. (Evolved Godzilla: Courtesy of Legendary Pictures) And what’s Godzilla up to? He’s busy eating radiation from nuclear plants and Titans to get stronger. Why? Because he senses something is brewing beneath the surface. And because Godzilla doesn’t fight to fight, he fights to win . During this janky, abrupt, and oddly edited journey spliced in between scenes of the humans doing human things we don't care about, Godzilla evolves and obtains magenta plates. Our two beloved Titans briefly butt heads in Egypt, before they are interrupted by Mothra, reawakened by Jia who has become… the Avatar of all three Titans? (It’s as shoehorned in as you think it will be, as the humans relay the prophecy to us without so much as a flashback to put any shred of life into the storytelling.) United under the Jia Avatar, the two once-enemies (and Mothra) team up against the Skar King and the still enslaved Shimo delivering everything you wanted from this movie on a silver plate and wide scale, decimating Rio de Janeiro in Titan-level fashion. It’s beautiful. (Godzilla and Kong: Courtesy of Legendary Pictures) The verdict? Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire  is the popcorn-munching, brain-numbing fun it was intended to be and that the audience craves. It’s evident that we’re making up things as we go along, messily padding the breaches in storytelling as we stumble towards new heights—but that isn’t necessarily an unforgivable thing, even as obvious as it is. It’s fine because, at the end of the day, we aren’t here for human subplots, complex villains, or deeper thematic themes about exploitation, community, or nuclear anxiety, right? We’re just here to see a big-ass monkey and a big-ass lizard fight. And we get that. And it’s pretty cool and mostly entertaining. But is it wrong to want more ? Or should we just accept the movies we think we deserve? Rating : 3/5

The official trailer for the third installment of the Deadpool franchise has just dropped, and Hugh Jackman's beloved Wolverine is not the only familiar face popping up. Let's get into all the exciting details you may have missed in this action-packed teaser. WARNING: This review contains spoilers for X-Men '97. The Return of Wolverine We open with Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) approaching Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) in a bar, with a shot that seems to be a nod at the upcoming videogame Marvel's Wolverine by Insomniac Games. The bartender tells Logan, "You're not welcome here. You're not welcome anywhere." This remark could either be in reference to his mutant status, or rather be hinting at something this Logan has done in the past. In this film, it appears Deadpool is facing the destruction of his universe, including all the people he loves and cares about. Wolverine, (in Wolverine fashion) exclaims that's not his "f***** problem". Logan has frequently been jaded and slow to action, but Paradox played by Matthew Macfadyen clues us into what happened to this Wolverine. Apparently he let down his entire world, likely resulting in the death of all the mutant family he has grown to love. Connections to Marvel's Loki In the trailer, we see not one, but two nods to Marvel's time-jumping series, Loki . In the trailer, we first see Wolverine and Deadpool fighting in the Void. Previously seen in Loki Seasons 1 and 2, the Void is a point at the end of time where things pruned by the TVA (Time Variance Authority) end up. Additionally, we see the return of Alioth, the trans-temporal entity that is the Void's guardian. Our Antagonist Emma Corrin is our villain, Cassandra Nova. If you aren't an avid comic reader, this name may be unfamiliar. Cassandra Nova made her mark in New X-Men (2001). She is the twin sister of Charles Xavier, and his spiritual and moral opposite. Xavier recognized her evil and attempted to kill her in the womb, (yes, in the womb) but she survived. As an adult, she would go on to unleash deadly Sentinels on Genosha, slaughtering the mutant population —as similarly seen in episode 5 of X-Men '97 . Like Xavier, she has telekinetic abilities, which we see as she faces off against Wolverine with embarrassing ease. New and Familiar Faces If you have a keen eye, you likely caught the return of a number of familiar faces. Firstly, we find out that Cassandra Nova has made her home in a decomposed skull of beloved hero, Ant-Man/Scott Lang. This is a confirmation that Cassandra Nova will be as casually cruel as she is in the comics. It wouldn't be a Deadpool and Wolverine movie without some mutants. There are a number of returning mutants we see standing before Cassandra Nova's skull base. From left to right in the establishing shot, we are able to make out the return of Callisto, Lady Deathstrike, Azazel, and Toad. Previously, we saw the return of Pyro (Aaron Stanford), which goes to show this movie is filled with deep cuts that will please fans of Fox's X-Men films. Additionally, Punisher villain, the Russian, also makes an appearance in the trailer. While fans may remember Kevin Nash's portrayal of the character in The Punisher (2004), the Russian we see in the trailer is portrayed by someone else. It is quite possible that this is just a variant, and this Russian variant is portrayed by the stunt actor Billy Clements per his resume, who has worked on several Marvel productions as a stunt performer. Other Easter Eggs Dogpool is an animal version of Wade Wilson, first appearing in Prelude to Deadpool Corps #3 (2010). In the comics, Wilson the dog obtains the same powers as Deadpool after acting as a test subject for what was supposed to be a self-replenishing mascara. In a quick shot, we see the Red Skull's Coupe from Captain America: The First Avenger (2011), but with the Hydra logo replaced with an Iron Man one. Could we see the return of either the crimson supervillain or Avenger, respectively? As Wolverine and Deadpool walk out to an upcoming threat, we see a nod towards one of Deadpool's co-creators, Rob Liefeld. Behind them, a storefront reads "Liefeld's Just Feet", a reference towards the running joke that Liefeld can't draw feet. The glorious final shot of the trailer shows Deadpool and Wolverine jumping into a magical portal. Those familiar with the MCU's mystical side will recognize that this means a sorcerer will be appearing. Doctor Strange has already dealt with the multiverse in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022). Could we see him popping up to help out this dynamic duo? Or will another sorcerer be debuting? Even with all the details we've uncovered from this trailer, there's likely to be even more surprises when Deadpool & Wolverine hits theaters on July 26.

(Image: Courtesy of Marvel Animation) WARNING : This review contains spoilers for X-Men ‘97: Season 1, Episode 6! The fifth episode of X-Men ‘97 left viewers in a craze as one of the X-Men’s most prominent members is killed off following a gruesome battle with the deadly Godzilla-like Sentinel on the mutant island Genosha. This week's episode returns to Storm and Forge in the desert as they work together on restoring the mutant abilities Storm lost during episode three. This episode also reveals that Charles is alive and living among the Shi'ar in space acting as an Emperor consort to Lilandra, Empress of the Shi’ar. The beginning of this episode takes place in space with Deathbird, sister to Lilandra, taking on a fleet of Kree space-ships led by Ronan the Accuser ( and man does this guy get his ass beat much like his MCU counterpart ). Suddenly, an announcement from Lilandra is broadcasted that she is seeking Charles Xavier's hand in marriage and is set on making him the Emperor of the Sh’iar Empire which Deathbird does not approve of. Deathbird speaks out against Charles and Lilandra marrying and becoming one. She vocalizes her distaste for Charles and mutants by referring to Earth as "Milky Way ghetto " (which got a few laughs out of me). This scene is important because it highlights that even creatures in space view mutants as inferior. Creator and Head Writer Beau DeMayo doesn't shy away from showing how the fear and disgust for mutants go far beyond that of Earth. Deathbird takes things a step further by telling Charles that to marry Lilandra and become Emperor, he must purge all memories of Earth including all memories of his X-Men, and Lilandra must be the one to do it. This sets up an interesting conflict for the character, will he erase the memories of his life, his family, his X-MEN to be with his star-crossed lover? Charles initially agrees, but has a change of heart at the last minute that we will not undergo the erasure of his X-Men from his memories. Instead, he decides to teach the Sh’iar counsel a lesson (literally) by using his psychic powers and taking them all to the Astral Plane. He gives a compelling lecture on the hypocrisy of the Sh’iar Empire and the genocide they have taken part in with other races and intergalactic species. As we hear him speak of his “Children of the Atom,” he is terrifyingly interrupted by a psychic vision of the massacre that occurred on Genosha that we saw in the previous episode. He makes a vow that he will not abandon his kind and says that “it is time, I return to my X-Men,” setting up long awaited reunion with the members of the team back on Earth. (Storm and The Adversary. Image: Courtesy of Marvel Animation) The other half of this episode focuses on Storm as both she and Forge take on a demonic owl named The Adversary. Forge was bitten by this creature back in episode 4 and we see that the bite was poisonous and is spreading throughout his body. A powerless Storm, despite the horrors of this demon playing with her mind, sets off on a quest to save Forge. Upon their arrival on the location to a remedy that could save Forge, we see Storm have to face her greatest fear… being enclosed in a small space. Similar to how we have seen in the comics and other adaptations, she is able to overcome her fears and becomes stronger than ever (she even gets her classic back uniform from Uncanny X-Men) . I have to call out that I feel this moment could have been more epic had Marvel not spoiled this in a promotional ad a few weeks ago and if writers had given us a chance to see Storm powerless for a little longer during this first season. Myself and many fans alike felt like although the scenes with Forge and Storm are important to this particular storyline, we did not get to see their relationship develop as much as it did in the comics which could have done it more justice in ‘97 . However, the story itself works pretty nicely and will leave fans feeling satisfied. We get to see Storm finally conquer her fears and hearing her proclaim " LET THEM THUNDER, FOR I AM LIGHTNING ” really does bring tears to your eyes. It is a powerful and pivotal moment for the character and you honestly cannot do anything but smile. “It is time, I returned to my X-Men,” hints at both Storm and Charles returning to their family in the upcoming episodes of X-Men ‘97 . This feels like the first step in the buildup for the 3-part season finale which is titled Tolerance is Extinction, which creator Beau DeMayo is already teasing as being next level compared to episode five. Will we see another X-Men member fall at the hands of the mastermind, Mr. Sinister who was revealed to be behind the attack on Genosha… Stay tuned. Rating : 3.5/5

As Dune: Part Two continues to screen in cinemas worldwide, Zendaya further solidifies her ascent within the new wave of Hollywood actors in Luca Guadagnino's latest feature film, Challengers. Two budding tennis players, Patrick Zweig (Josh O'Connor) and Art Donaldson (Mike Faist) fall in love with the talented Tashi Duncan, played by Zendaya, who also has all it takes to succeed and become one of the leading figures in women's tennis. However, an injury is set to disrupt her future and, more importantly, mark a turning point in this love triangle. In Challengers, Luca Guadagnino isn't interested in tennis as a sport but rather in the complexity of human relationships and sexuality. We get to discover the duo 'Fire & Ice' composed of Patrick and Art, the two best friends in the world. They are so close that their relationship almost resembles a brotherhood. Nevertheless, their relationship appears ambiguous with homoerotic hints casting doubt on the nature of their friendship. In a humorously depicted story, we learn that Patrick taught Art how to masturbate for the first time. A detail reinforcing this idea is when the two friends eat phallic-shaped food: bananas, hot dogs, and churros... Furthermore, when they eat churros, Patrick & Art fiercely and almost sensually take a bite from each other's food. Their friendship is so strong that when they both fall in love with Tashi and try to win her over, it happens in a healthy and joyful competition that doesn't undermine their relationship. But, as the young players become professionals and adults, the rematch takes place under different circumstances. The entire strength of the film lies in tennis, a very intense sport where competition is extreme, used as a means to convey the competition between the two brothers to win over the charming Tashi. She declares that tennis is a "relationship" and that "for a moment, I am in love with my opponent." All of this echoes the bromance shared by the two brothers. Despite the playful tone, there is a strong undertone during the entirety of the film and they almost seem to hate each other. The tension is electric from start to finish. For a very first screenplay, Justin Kuritzkes excels. The dialogues in the film are crafted with precision. Despite being sexy and hot, this love triangle allows for the exploration of each character's motivations and flaws. Tashi, forced to give up her athletic career due to injury, lives vicariously through her husband Art while he, lacking in self-assurance and confidence, constantly seeks his wife's approval. Patrick, on the other hand, is an immature and presumptuous bad boy who seems to be stuck in his adolescence. In such a toxic relationship, the film doesn't aim to point fingers at anyone but rather to highlight the complexity of human relationships. Filled with flashbacks, the film is almost edited like a tennis match with back-and-forth movements between the past and the present. The ball exchanges are filmed from various angles: wide shots, slow-motion, close-ups, players' point of view, or even the ball's point of view... Thanks to this immersion, the match doesn't seem repetitive or boring, quite the opposite. The eye contact and smiles almost seem sensual, but the breakdowns and frustrations serve as reminders of the competitive spirit of this match and the ambiguous relationship maintained by Patrick and Art. The film wouldn't be what it is without the explosive and insane chemistry of the cast. Zendaya is fascinating and captivating. She plays with mischief a woman who is desired and who alone manages to define the atmosphere of an entire scene. Josh O'Connor exudes stunning self-confidence, and the actor steals the show. Mike Faist, by the nature of his character, delivers a sober performance but is equally convincing as his counterparts. Music plays a very essential role in this film. Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross produced an EDM-oriented soundtrack, with house music alternating between disco and techno. The high-tempo electro soundtrack underscores the dynamic rhythm of the film and its tennis matches. The director asked the artists to compose music as if it was a rave party to give it energy and make people dance. Luca Guadagnino delivers something very bold with Challengers. This erotically charged film with a frenetic pace and electric atmosphere is coming out this Friday, April 26th, in theaters. Rating: 4/5