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After 13 years James Cameron invites us back to theaters to catch us up with former Marine Jake Sully and his family as a familiar threat returns to the extrasolar moon, Pandora. In all honesty I wasn't overly excited to sit through this 3-hour 12minute of a film. Don't get me wrong, 2009s Avatar blew me away visually when it came out and while the story is fine it didn't leave me clamoring for more with its predictability. I remember figuring out the entire film within the first 15 minutes and was able to recite the accompanying dialogue more often than not. With over a decade to improve technology and film techniques, I expected the visuals to be even more outstanding and worthy of a view. As for the storyline itself I wasn't necessarily "feeling" the hype to see the newest film, Avatar: The Way of Water. The vagueness of the trailers kept me on the fence right up to an hour before movie time. Yes, I toyed with the idea of just getting a refund and waiting until I could stream this one at home.

Damn glad I didn't.

Avatar: The Way of Water is one of those rear sequels that is more of the same in many aspects, yet also manages to be entertainingly different. And better. Yes, much better than the original. I'm not sure how Cameron pulled it off, but he did so beautifully.

Much like Avatar, Avatar: The Way of Water is far from subtle or nuanced in its messaging or morality. The plot is straight forward and simple. The good guys are practically saintly, and the bad guys are purely, unabashedly evil. Very black and white, little to no shades of gray. The dialogue can be eye-rolling cheesy and pedestrian. Even some of the acting of a couple of the new characters is weak.

Here's the thing...

...None of those matters.

Avatar: The Way of Water works, nonetheless. It's as visually stunning as expected. I ended up seeing it in 3D and WOW. Just W-O-W. There's one underwater sequence alone where I felt completely submerged in the world of Pandora and its sea life and it was worth the price of admission alone. But yes, the visuals are spectacular and hold up throughout the entire film. Slow clap and a chef's kiss for all the artists that once again brought all the colors and textures of Pandora to life. And the underwater scenes? Mind blowing!

But TwoW happily delivers more than just pretty pictures.

The Soundtrack is as rich and dynamic as the visuals. The action is thrilling to edge of your seat intense. I found myself quite anxious and holding my breath numerous times. The familiar is interwoven with the new world building/expansion seamlessly. The characterization is meatier and makes for a more compelling story. The focus of family kept me fully invested in who these people are and what happens to them (for better or worse). At this point I just have to say, effing kids! Uggh. A phrase that became my personal mantra. There are also some nice surprises to be had not only in the characters that pop up but in the actors behind them.

Avatar: The Way of Water is not only worth the 13 year wait, but also definitely worth the trip to your local movie theater. Yes, it's a long film (skip the soda and get an Icee), but it certainly didn't feel like it. My interest never wavered; my eyes never left the screen. I never regretted seeing this one at the theater. Unlike so many of the highly anticipated, hyped films this year, Avatar: The Way of Water actually delivers an amazing, entertaining movie going experience. This is a film meant to be seen on the big screen and should be viewed accordingly. Can't emphasize that enough. Avatar: The Way of Water is good old movie magic and I thank James Cameron for delivering it to us once again. Like the Na'vi, I see you Cameron and your movie is as badass as feral Neytiri.

Can't wait to see the next installment in 2024!

Until then Avatar: The Way of Water gets a 9.5 from me.

It's been a minute since my last trip to the movie theater, there just hasn't been anything that sparked my interest. A sentiment apparently not just my own. The manager at my theater of choice told me they've been opening late in the day since there hasn't been anything to draw folks in. I fully expected this to continue to be the case unit at least next month until I stumbled across an Instagram post by Viola Davis for The Woman King about a 19th century elite group of female African warriors. Real life Dora Milaje, not only starring but also produced by Davis and her husband? No doubt I HAD to see this film.

The short and sweet of it? The Woman King is an exceptional movie.

Period.

Superb acting lead by the incomparable Viola Davis is just the start.

Rising star Thuso Mbedu, Sheila Atim, and Lashana Lynch match Davis' power, ferocity, humanity, and emotion creating the heart/soul/core of the film. Their chemistry and interaction are mesmerizing and the solid foundation that the film is built upon.

Dana Stevens and Maria Bello's script is rock solid and perfectly encapsulates all the strength, warmth, humor, pain, triumph, joy etc. That so many "female" based stories tend to lack and services both the story and actors beautifully. The richness this script has is a true rarity.

Having Gina Prince-Bythewood (Love and Basketball and The Secret Lives of Bees) in the director's chair is an added bonus. The opening sequence had me glued to the screen and I couldn't look away the entire film. Fair warning, the action sequences are brutal and glorious, completely unwavering in their ferocity.

The cinematography, musical score, sets, and direction all on point. The layering elevates the entire viewing experience.

The Woman King is not just 2 hours 15 minutes of Viola Davis and company kicking ass (thought that wouldn't be a bad thing) it's a grown up, character driven triumph that transports viewers to pre-colonial Benin in a fresh take on historical war films. I can easily risk over hyping from my own enthusiasm, and risk underselling for fear of saying too much. So, I say, if you have the slightest interest in this one, just go. The Woman King needs to be seen/experienced on the big screen. It has all the feels, powerful messaging, and humanity/community we can all use right now.

The Woman King is a 10.

In their fifth and latest collaboration, the dynamic team of Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart have gone animated with their bromance in Warner Bros. DC League of Super-Pets. Following the capture of the entire Justice League, Superman's dog Krypto (Johnson) joins forces with a group of super powered endowed shelter pets lead by Ace (Hart) on a rescue mission.

DC League of Super-Pets is a fairly cute, straight forward children's film that's action-packed, emotional, and overall enjoyable. While humorous the jokes are a bit of a crap shoot in terms of landing. Many honestly don't but there are some good chuckles and even laugh-out-loud moments. I found the pacing of the first half of the film a bit slow and the story a bit janky. A roller coaster of being drawn in then things flat lining. However, I never completely disengaged from the film or became outright bored.

A large part of that no doubt is a credit to the cast. I went for the team of Johnson/Hart, which is once more a successful pairing, but the stand outs for me were Kate McKinnon's Lulu and Natasha Lyonne's Merton. These ladies steal the show for my money. Big props especially among a cast of heavy hitters the likes of John Krasinski, Keanu Reeves, Daveed Diggs, and Alfred Molina to name a few.

The animation is good, reminds me of the "old school" Saturday morning cartoons. Good soundtrack. While DC League of Super-Pets isn't earth shattering with innovations, the film is what you expect, nothing more. Nothing less. Nothing inherently wrong with that. All told a pleasant way to spend an hour and forty-six minutes on a hot summer day.

I enjoyed this one.

The kids in the theater enjoyed this one.

I'm giving DC League of Super-Pets a 7.5.

And yes, least I forget, following the trend in films DC League of Super-Pets has 2 credit scenes. The first mid credits and integral to the film. The second post credits, possibly integral going forward. Definitely meta, fun, cross promotional, and a wink and nod to those who know.