She-Hulk: Attorney At Law
Episodes: 1–5
Year: 2022
Genre: Sitcom; Legal Drama; Superhero
Duration: 35 minute episodes
Disney+
Though the Marvel Disney+ television series is still going l felt the need to come and express my thoughts and opinions whilst there is still discourse about it.
She-Hulk is about Jennifer Walters, a middle age lawyer at the peak of her career…who just happens to be the cousin of superhero Bruce Banner aka The Incredible Hulk. After a freak accident, a cross contamination of Bruce’s blood which is full of gamma radiation, Jennifer is now a Hulk. She-Hulk: Attorney at Law in its purest form is a sitcom.
It’s probably the purest form of the superhero genre, by this I mean we get to see our heroine tackle the life of being a superhero and how she juggles her social, dating and professional life. We haven’t see this side of the superhero genre properly since I think the Spider-Man series with Toby McGuire.
Common criticism is that the effects are bad, there is little to no action, or it’s too woke, or corny with the misogyny and female empowerment… and of course, the controversial twerking scene with rapper Meghan Thee Stallion. Of course, all valid to a degree. I could go on a full rant on Marvel’s decline but I’ll save for another day (if the editor lets me nerd out), but as I stated prior it’s a sitcom.
She-Hulk is actually a pretty fun show, the characters are vibrant, the comedy is on brand for the comics, Titiana Maslany absolutely kills it as She-Hulk/Jennifer and overall the universe actually feels fun and actually lived in. We see the consequences of current events in the show through minor expositions or cameo appearances from other characters. If you can get past the effects in some scenes, She-Hulk can become one of the better Marvel Disney+ shows.
Bullet Train
Year: 2022
Genre: Action; Comedy; Thriller
Duration: 2 Hours, 6 Minutes
Where to watch: Cinemas
Brad Pitt’s latest action movie reminds me of Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction in a way: scenes are scrambled, multiple characters and story beats but like Pulp Fiction everything is weaved together like a fun, action-packed, Japanese themed crochet.
Bullet Train, like the name suggests, is a fast action thriller on Japanese’s iconic Bullet Train. Brad Pitt’s character “Ladybug” is having an existential crisis, thinking he is full of bad luck and karma, and, after ending his therapy he is back for what seems like a simple grab of the macguffin and done. However, things escalate when the Yakuza and other assassins get involved.
I’ll be honest, at first this movie didn’t click for me. It wasn’t until I sat with it for a bit and decided to watch it again did I understand the vibe and energy behind it. Bullet Train isn’t all action though, there is a lot of flashbacks and moments where you sit there going ‘hmm I wonder what his deal is?’, but the real meat and gravy comes in the character interactions. The real human sides to our main character and assassins. Playing against the stereotypical big buff karate man is mean and angsty, there is real heart and intertwining connections with all the main players. It’s a real treat to see.
Though it’s not without it’s flaws; the pacing can throw you off, one minute nothing seems to be progressing in the story, next minute you’re at the climax. But honestly that’s me nitpicking. It’s a great film to go see if you want some cool action scenes and if you wanna droll over some classic Brad Pitt.
