After Hasbro brought the first phase of its Transformers toy line (now called “Generation 1“) to a close in 1990, the brand struggled for a few years to find a new direction. Generation 2, launched in 1993, mostly consisted of repainted versions of the old toys and had no original tie-in cartoon series of its… Read More I’d Say That’s Prime | Beast Wars: Transformers (1996) Series Premiere
When Hasbro debuted its Transformers toy line in 1984, the company followed the same playbook that had brought its G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero such explosive success over the prior couple years. In addition to the toys themselves, the company promoted the brand across multiple media, most notably in comic books and a television… Read More Prime Told Me There’d Be Days Like This | The Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye Parts 1-3 (1984)
Following in the footsteps of his pal Sylvester Stallone, legendary action star Arnold Schwarzenegger makes his debut as the lead in a television series with Netflix’s new action-comedy FUBAR. Notably, the show also marks the second attempt this year to adapt Schwarzenegger’s 1994 blockbuster True Lies into a television format. Of the two, this may… Read More Untrue Lies | FUBAR Season 1 (2023) on Netflix
Goodbye, HBO Max. Hello… Max? Seriously, that’s the best name all the corporate marketing geniuses could come up with? The streamer formerly known as HBO Max went through its official rebranding this week, and the transition has been a little bumpy. From unplayable content, to confusing menu categories, to programs with nudity and other adult… Read More Max Growing Pains | HBO Max Rebranding Goes Not Entirely Smoothly
I distinctly remember seeing Star Trek: Nemesis during its opening weekend in a mostly empty theater auditorium. That experience was all too common for those few other fans who likewise made the effort. The film remains, to date, the lowest grossing Star Trek movie and the only one to lose money at the box office.… Read More This Doesn’t Feel Right | Star Trek: Nemesis (2002) 4K Ultra HD
One of the biggest blockbuster hits of 1994, and a movie still well-remembered and well-liked by most viewers almost three decades later, True Lies is a sad case of a piece of popular art that has fallen victim to its creator’s indifference toward it. Now seventeen years into the Blu-ray era, True Lies remains absent… Read More It’s Not Like He’s Saving the World or Anything | True Lies (1994) HD Streaming Comparisons
You’d think that by its ninth feature film, the Star Trek franchise might have found some sense of consistency or had a clue how to build off the success of its biggest box office hit at the time (1996’s quite good Star Trek: First Contact). Sadly, that wasn’t at all the case. The next big-screen… Read More Androids Do Not Have Fun | Star Trek: Insurrection (1998) 4K Ultra HD
Star Wars: Visions is a really great idea that, unfortunately, didn’t quite come together during its first season in 2021. Honestly, the first batch of episodes were mostly duds. Two years later, the series returns with an expanded focus that thankfully yields some improvement. The second season has a higher ratio of good, or at… Read More Follow the Light | Star Wars: Visions Season 2 (2023) on Disney+
The Netflix binge model, while obviously very appealing to viewers frustrated with the traditional weekly TV schedule, can sometimes do a disservice to shows that need time to build buzz and public awareness. The streamer’s terrific new political drama The Diplomat, for example, barely premiered two weeks ago yet already seems to have fallen out… Read More One Ambassador’s Plenty | The Diplomat Season 1 (2023) on Netflix
That Star Trek: First Contact is, without question, the best of the Next Generation crew’s feature films may lead to it being a bit overrated. This cast is so beloved from their years on television that fans desperately wanted (and still want) them to have at least one great movie as well. Personally, I’ve always… Read More This Is No Time to Argue About Time | Star Trek: First Contact (1996) 4K Ultra HD
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