Tag Archives: Disney Plus

10Aug/22

“I Am Groot” Is Another Win for Disney Plus

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I Am Groot, exclusively on Disney+. ©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.

Synopsis: There’s no guarding the galaxy from this mischievous toddler! Get ready as Baby Groot takes center stage in his very own collection of shorts, exploring his glory days growing up—and getting into trouble—among the stars.

I have seen the two Guardians of the Galaxy (GOTG)films at least three times each, but I have watched the clips of Baby Groots dancing on YouTube countless times. He’s adorable, curious, and just all-out entertaining with only saying three words to express himself, “I am Groot.” The Disney Plus series with the same name will be a big win for Disney because it was for me. It has the same concept as the GOTG films, where Groot explores the environment around him and hilariously gets himself into these situations. 

The series consists of five shorts that total 20mins, including the credits. With Vin Diesel reprising the voice of Groot and Bradley Cooper voicing Racoon Rocket.  My favorite short in the series is the one where he dances off with his shapeshifting liquid creature because I like seeing Groot dance. His fierce expressions and impressive moves will have you re-watching it and I won’t be surprised if clips from the series will be trending on social media.

Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel) in Marvel Studios’ I AM GROOT exclusively on Disney+. © 2022 MARVEL.

There is no shortage of the CGI budget for the series as everything looks real, from the environment that Groot interacts with down to the textures and detail of Groot’s body. We all know fans will spare no insults or Twitter bashing if the CGI is not quality because we just witnessed the backlash the She-Hulk trailer received, and before that, it was Ugly Sonic.  

If you remember the GOTG II’s opening sequence where Groot is dancing to “Mr. Blue Sky,” which is my favorite part of the film. Where not only is he dancing but chasing a small furry creature as the rest of the Guardians are fighting an eight-legged giant beast, then that is basically what you will get for the series. 

There is not much dialog throughout the series besides Groot saying his infamous phrase. Except for Rocket the Raccoon, who makes an appearance during one of the episodes. But this is a Groot feature that doesn’t rely on the dialogue and mostly focuses on Groot’s reactions and facial expressions. Like the famous cartoon Pink Panther, if some of you old enough to remember? Every episode, Groot will make a mess; the question is, how big of a mess is it? Enough that it drives the other characters crazy, but since he is charming, all is forgiven. 

There are some easter eggs within the series. One is the Alf comic book that Groot uses to make a painting and some of the places where the episodes take place to feature the background of GOTG movies intending to let the audiences know that while the others are fighting or Groot is in his little world staying out of the big frays and more into trouble. 

If you have enjoyed Groot from the GOTG franchise, you will definitely love these series of shorts and can enjoy them with anyone at any age. I am sure Disney + will get a lot of views for “ I Am Groot,” and I will be looking forward to seeing of more shorts after this. Before the release of the GOTG III, tune into Disney + August 10th and watch Groot get into mischief.

30Jun/22

Rise is About Family, Love, and Perseverance

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Streaming: Disney Plus

Release Date: June 24, 2022

Actors: Dayo Okeniyi as Charles Antetokounmpo, Yetide Badaki as Veronica “Vera” Antetokounmpo, Uche Agada as Giannis Antetokounmpo, Ral Agada as Athanasios “Thanasis” Antetokounmpo, Elijah Sholanke as Alexandros “Alex” Antetokounmpo, and Jaden Osimuwa as Kostantinos “Kostas” Antetokounmpo

Synopsis: Based on the real-life story about the Antetokounmpo family, the first family to produce a trio of brothers who go on to become NBA champions. It explores their journey as Nigerian immigrants in Greece striving for a better life.

Many of us know about, or at least have heard of, Giannis Antetokounmpo (aka The Greek Freak) from his MVP awards and 2021 championship with the Milwaukee Bucks. For years now, he’s been dominating the NBA. We also know that he was born in Greece to Nigerian parents and has siblings in the NBA. One thing we are not sure about is his upbringing…until now. With the film Rise, audiences and fans can get a glimpse of what it was like for Antetokounmpo growing up. You’ll be surprised to learn what Giannis’ family had to go through…I know I was.

Giannis and his family

We’ve seen it before: the overseas basketball player struggling financially with aspirations to play in the NBA. But Rise has a different narrative; Giannis and his brothers were also trying to avoid deportation while living in Greece. Not ony does this make for a more interesting film with layers, but also provides a better feel for the family’s obstacles. This film brings to light the family’s obstacles and their persistence to make ends meet while also showcasing their optimism. This gave me a better understanding of why Giannis and his brothers are down to earth on the court and on social media. The scenes when the family was almost caught by the authorities and deported back to Nigeria felt incredibly tense. They were barely escaping each time, and so I couldn’t help but cheer for this family’s breakthrough since it was clear they needed it. It elicited an oddly intense response from me, especially for a Disney film. I found this quite impressive. Even during the part of the movie where Giannis was drafted, I couldn’t help but watch with great antcipation!

The direction and videography were very well executed in this film. Historically, it hasn’t been easy capturing the beauty of dark skin on screen, especially when it comes to lighting and angles, but this wasn’t an issue in this film. This is my first time watching a piece directed by Akin Omotoso and I look forward to seeing more of his work.

I have to be honest. When it comes to biopics, sometimes they aren’t the best quality, but I can say that Rise was well done. There was nothing lacking in the acting, especially with Yetide Badaki who played Giannis’ mother and who is Nigerian herself. She was nurturing, protective, and also provided an inspiring presence on screen. Every time I saw her, she reminded me of not only my mother but also other Black mothers I know.

Dayo Okeniyi (as Giannis’ father, Charles) also had a great performance. Portraying a father who’s doing all he can to provide for his family, considering everything they’d overcome, the stress was real and Dayo was able to channel that stress. I can only imagine how it would feel consistently trying to find ways to bring joy to my family while dealing with such difficult circumstances.

The actors portraying Giannis and his brothers added to the great performance of the cast as a whole. Uche Agada was convincing as a newcomer learning how to play the game of basketball at a later age. He provided a believable fish-out-of-water perspective. When the boys were faced with racism as teenagers, it definitely resonated with me because I too have experienced racism at a young age, as I’m sure many other young men of color have.

Giannis with actor Uche Agada

Overall, this film was a well-crafted project for Disney Plus that the entire family can watch and enjoy. It’s a film about family, love, and perseverance. After watching this film, I have a better appreciation for the Antetokounmpo family as a whole and it made me respect the former MVP even more. The writing and acting were compelling, and I hope many people watch this film as it’s a fresh take on a basketball story that happens to be based on true events. Not only am I cheering for the success of this film, but I am also cheering for the success of the Antetokounmpo family.

01Apr/22

Moon Knight: A Disturbed Vigilante with Powers From an Egyptian God

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Oscar Issac as Moon Knight photo courtesy of Disney

Airing weekly on Disney+ beginning March 30, 2022  

Starring: Oscar Isaac (“Show Me a Hero” and “Star Wars [Trilogy]”) as Steven/Marc, May Calamawy (“Ramy” and “The Long Road Home”) as Layla El-Faouly, and Ethan Hawke (“The Good Lord Bird” and “Before [Trilogy]”) as Arthur Harrow.

Synopsis: When Steven Grant, a mild-mannered gift-shop employee, becomes plagued with blackouts and memories of another life, he discovers he has dissociative identity disorder and shares a body with mercenary Marc Spector. As Steven/Marc’s enemies converge upon them, they must navigate their complex identities while thrust into a deadly mystery among the powerful gods of Egypt. 

Who is Moon Knight? 

For those who are not familiar with Moon Knight, he is what many consider the Batman of Marvel. Basically, a vigilante with dissociative identity disorder imbued with powers from an Egyptian God. What makes him interesting is he has multiple identities and they change so often that he sometimes is unclear about what is real and what is not. This synopsis makes for a perfect series and it does not disappoint! 

Oscar Isaac, as both Steven Grant and Marc Spector, is spectacular. His portrayal of the soft-spoken Englishman, Steven, is quite convincing! Honestly, I could not believe that was his voice. Although he’s not of much use as a scrapper, Steven’s knowledge of Egyptian history proves to be useful during the series. He even provides some comic relief that breaks up the serious tone without interrupting the flow of the series. Issac’s mannerisms, posture, and responses were so different when playing each character that both were unique and clearly distinguishable.

The mercenary and fearless Marc Spector is the complete opposite of Steven. He is better suited for tense situations and impending combat. It’s interesting how these two talk to each other through reflective items (windows, mirrors, etc.) about the predicament they’re in and the past life of Marc Spector. It is during these moments that Oscar Issac seems to shine and shows his range of skills.

Dr. Paul Puri, an Assistant Clinical Professor at UCLA and past president of the UCLA Psychiatric Clinical Faculty Association, was brought onto the project to help the actors and filmmakers understand Dissociative Identity Disorder and its implications. This was key in making the performance as authentic as possible.

Khonshu, the ancient Egyptian god of the Moon, looks amazing and his introduction is what nightmares are made of! With lights flickering, objects moving, and Khonshu’s eerie invisibility, Marc/Steven’s reaction provides a great display of true horror. The way the directors kept Khonshu as a shadowy figure before showing him on screen was great camera work. The moments between Marc, Steven, and Khonshu remind me of Venom and Eddie Brock. Hmm, that would be interesting to see on screen…Moon Knight and Venom. Let’s make THAT happen, Marvel!

Steven Grant (Oscar Issac) sees Egyptian God Khonshu

The beautiful scenery of Egypt and the artifacts in the series are a plus. I could tell the directors paid attention to every single detail, from the background actors to the venues. My favorite scene is when the characters are looking at the stars in the desert, completely ignoring the colorful diversity of its people. Speaking of which, May Calamawy (an Egyptian-Palestinian actress), as Marc’s wife, Layla, is also a great screen presence. She has a vulnerability towards Marc/Steven, but also gets her hands dirty when needed. All I can say is she can definitely handle herself! Sidebar: since Black Widow is dead, maybe she could join the Avengers? Just a thought.

Ethan Hawk as the main protagonist, Arthur Harrow, is convincingly evil. His menacing and manipulative ways made me want to punch him right in the face (what can I say…I got sucked in). Harrow is definitely demented and has a warped idea of justice. However; his followers all seem grateful for his leadership and are loyal to his cause. Being the former avatar to Khonshu, Harrow serves as a formidable opponent and plays off of the weaknesses of anyone he crosses. 

The scenes where the identities switch in order to take over, especially when Steven wakes up from his blackouts with no recollection of how he arrived there, are very cool. The most hilarious scene to me is when Steven comes to after his alter ego, Marc, has murdered henchmen around him. The flashes of light, the smash cuts, and other edits make for great transitions. Egyptian director, Mohamed Diab, sets up some great scenes specifically in the third episode when the characters are in Egypt. Action-wise, this series has some kick-ass fight scenes like when Marc turns into Moon Knight. Let’s just say he kicks a lot of butt! Even some of the dog-like demons he faced were afraid of him. 

Oscar Isaac as Moon Knight, photo courtesy of Disney

Final Thoughts

I’ve only seen up to episode four thus far, but I can assure you that Moon Knight is worth watching. The series has plenty of intriguing storylines to follow and cliffhangers that will leave you wanting more…not to mention director Mohamed Diab makes sure the audience is aware the basis of the story comes from Eygpt. In addition, there are lots of easter eggs I’m sure Marvel fans (and history buffs!) will have fun with. This series is far from family-friendly due to the amount of blood and violence, but it wouldn’t be the same without it. If you love Batman, Deadpool, or the original Moon Knight comic, then you will enjoy this project.