The Olive Opinion

Yet another Disney feature was banned from Malaysia because of homophobia but Strange World was left high and dry for a few other reasons as well. After Lightyear and Thor Love and Thunder, Strange World is the third film presented by Disney (a film from the original empire, rather from acquisited ones) suffered from alleged box office loss due to an inclusion of a gay character when in actuality, Disney made an half-ass effort in marketing that didn't manage to convince audiences to want to at least try the film out.  Strange World takes place in the fictional city of Avalonia and centers around the men of the Clade family. Jaeger Clade is a famous explorer who vowed to impart his legacy to his only son, Searcher but rejects it to have a life outside his father's well-known expeditions. After his father is assumed and pronounced dead, Searcher is a hero to the people of Avalonia for discovering a rare resource called Pando that he managed to mass produce to become the sole pow

13 years ago, Avatar revolutionized cinema and made 3D an experience worth considering but not many movies have made that a viable option. Avatar is still the highest-grossing movie of all time and for an undeniable reason. James Cameron's passion project of a sequel has finally arrived to hopefully break as many records as it possibly can while also living up to the predecessor's unforgettable reputation.  Avatar The Way of Water immediately deals with the repercussions of the original film as the Avatar program is still up and running. In Pandora, Jake and Neytiri are living the ideal Na'vi life as a married couple and parents to 3 children, Neteyam, Lo'ak, Kiri and Tuk, alongside adopted child, Kiri and guardian to a human child, Spider, an unepxted extension of the family. When a new threat emerges, the Sully family relocates to a new Na'vi clan that resides by the sea. As tensions rise, the family has to learn and protect their new home.  James Cameron has inde

Guillermo Del Toro is a visionary filmmaker with a dark imagination and themes that appeal to aspects of a developed mind. With films like Pan's Labyrinth, the fan-favorite Hellboy, and Oscar-winning Shape of Water under his belt, audiences can only imagine what he would do with a classic adaptation like Pinocchio. This will be quite a feat considering Disney attempted a remake of their classic tale that I was quite fond of despite everyone's vocal opinions of the changes made.  Del Toro's Pinocchio follows the same premise of a grieving Gepetto creating a puppet in the image of his passed son. Unlike the wholesome Disney story, this adaptation provides a more realistic, human-origin story of the enchanted puppet. With the inclusion of death, Italian folklore, and the consequences of war into a tale of a puppet who wants to be a real boy, the film means to only compete by leaning into the cautionary messages rather than wonder.  There's no doubt that the vision presente

The Addams Family has been adapted only several times leaving missable dents in the genre of dark comedy and the macabre that could only leave fans of the iconic family to be satisfied rather than introduce them to a broader audience. However, with this new iteration of the kooky family with Wednesday Addams front and center on a platform like Netflix, the family can be recognized more prominently than ever before especially in an eight-episode first season that is extremely good.  As previously said, this show centers around Wednesday, portrayed by modern scream queen Jenna Ortega, who is sent to a boarding school called Nevermore Academy, after releasing a bunch of piranhas that munched on Pugsley's bullies. In this school where her parents met and welcomes all outcasts, (that's what they are calling the supernatural creatures this time around) is where she finds herself involved in a murder investigation, haunted by her family's ancestry while trying to juggle the common

Giselle and company return for the long-awaited sequel of the cult classic, Enchanted where we finally see what happens after Happily Ever After. 15 years since the original, Disenchanted brings back its original cast (except Rachel Covey who was recast) for an all-new magic-filled adventure with new original songs by Alan Menken and Stephen Schaefer. As a fan of Enchanted, hearing news of this sequel being developed was one I didn't think possible. Yet here we are and this sequel was not worth the wait.  The premise revolves around Giselle now, married to Robert (Patrick Dempsey) and stepmother to Morgan (Gabriella Baldachinno), feeling like her Happily Ever After was not what she expected. So, she decides to uproot the family to the suburbs, a town called Monroeville, owned by Malvina Monroe (Maya Rudolph). Once again, moving there isn't the fairy tale it claims to be with Robert struggling to commute to his firm via train back and forth while Morgan has to settle in a new sc

It is the end of Phase 4 and what a way to leave this session on grief and rebirth in one of the biggest franchises by revisiting the world of Black Panther. This sequel, titled Wakanda Forever, may not only bring audiences back to the fictional advanced African nation but also deals with the absence and loss of the beloved Chadwick Boseman. However, it is a Marvel feature so, expect immense world-building and introductions to characters that will play more significant parts in upcoming crossovers.  Wakanda Forever centers around everyone who cared for T'Challa, as we enter each of their perspectives on how they deal with his death. The storyline mostly focuses on Shuri as we see her struggling immensely by pushing to avoid dealing with her pain by constantly working, and creating technological advancements for her fellow Wakandans. With that, the world seems to be using this time of time of vulnerability to be adamant with T'Challa's promise to share vibranium with the res

Dwayne Johnson has endlessly been promising that Black Adam was going to change the hierarchy of the DECU and the proof is here. Bringing the Shazam villain to the big screen comes with a set of challenges, taking a book of Sony's cinematic plan to adapt all of Spider-Man's villains in order to present anti-hero stories that dabble in villainy but end up heroic by the end of the third act. Surprisingly, DC takes this route to introduce not only to introduce audiences to Teth Adam but a team of iconic characters that were sidelined.  One can only fly to Black Adam's aid for the sake of Dwayne Johnson's way of handling this role. The film adapts the character scarcely from the comics in order to make it more permissible to vouch for not all but only one of Rock's signature styles of acting. The monotone, stoic deliveries of dialogue and the character's mannerisms worked, but only so far to not lean into any other characteristic. What bothered me the most is the la

Just when you think fairy tales and magic could only get more cliche, School For The Good and Evil steps out for a tackle at being the next fantasy epic for a young adult audience. With an A-list cast that overacts within reason, Good and Evil is an adaptation of the famous book series by Soman Chaimani, a book series I never had an interest in checking out. But I fear that I will end up heading out to buy these books, like many people who forgot that this was premiering on Netflix this past week.  Good and Evil centers around Agatha and Sophie, two friends who come from different upbringings, with both seeming too stereotypical for modern audiences (pr readers). They are then swept to the secret school where heroes are taught to defend while the villains are taught to attack. However, Sophie aspires to be a princess and is disappointed when Agatha ends up in Good while she is dropped in Evil. Agatha just wants to go home to her Mom, where she and her best friend can carry out their

It's hard to find a legal drama that is also a comedy these days but nothing is impossible for Marvel Studios. She-Hulk Attorney At Law is the latest entry to the Marvel Cinematic Universe that finally expands on Bruce Banner, gamma radiation, and his extended family. However, this is not a Hulk show. It instead focuses on his cousin, Jennifer Walters struggling to juggle her life as a Hulk and a lawyer for superhero-related cases.  Taking cues from slapstick sex-postive comedic works of Darren Staar (Sex and The City, Emily in Paris) to legal premises that made Shonda Rhimes (Scandal, How to Get Away Murder) a busy producer, Marvel head Kevin Feige, headwriter Jessica Gao and head director Kat Coiro managed to make She-Hulk the talk of the town for 9 weeks straight whether it was positive or negative receptions. She-Hulk not only proves herself yet memorable addition to the roster of Marvel heroes but also introduces discarded characters and corners of the comics into the franchis

  Mike Flanagan gained popularity through the infamous Haunting of Hill House miniseries, making him a household name. Despite attempting an original storyline with last year's Midnight Mass miniseries, the Flanaverse (according to Netflix) expands through yet another adaptation, this time through Christopher Pike's The Midnight Club with new and familiar faces portraying characters that can only be fleshed out the way Flanagan can.  Personally, I have never been a fan of Christoper Pike's work due to his constant focus on high schoolers making horrible choices whilst being extremely horny, something I never really connected with due to my upbringing in Asian culture. The Midnight Club novel was no different. As far as I remembered, the novel was anything but a horror story but rather, a secret anthology of stories told by the members of the titular club while dealing with loss and accepting death in the eyes of an entitled teenager. Christoper Pike may have been accurate t

  As someone who has never seen the original Universal monster movies, Werewolf By Night is the best choice to relive or be introduced to the black-and-white horror that traumatized audiences all those years ago. However, Marvel Studios' first Halloween Special is one hour of tight-to-the-belt storyline that may recapture the magic or at least the gruesomeness that made such flicks iconic the best they could.  As previously mentioned, Werewolf By Night is adapted from the forgotten run of comics that introduced the supernatural and the macabre to Marvel comics in the first place, introducing the likes of the Bloodstone family and Jack Russel's ability or 'curse' to transform into a lycanthrope every full moon. This less-than-an-hour special deals with all of this exposition and exploration in less time than any Phase 1 MCU feature could ever exploit. Despite the tight runtime, this deep dive into Marvel's supernatural roots is effective enough to let audiences be co

Spooky Season begins and what a way to start than with the return of the Sanderson sisters. 29 years since the original Hocus Pocus, Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy reprise their roles as Winifred, Sarah, and Mary respectively with the exception of Doug Jones as the good zombie, Billy Butcherson.  Worries about the sequel looking too much like a Disney Channel should be put to rest since Hocus Pocus 2 exceeds expectations despite not making any bold choices or blowing minds in any way. Still, like most sequels or reboots lately, the nostalgia is utilized reasonably while introducing new, modern elements to a seasoned phenomenon.  The sequel centers around Becca and her friend, Izzy celebrating Halloween and Becca's 16th birthday. (which is convenient) After being given a candle by Gilbert, the new owner of the Sanderson house turned gift shop, Becca and Izzy accidentally resurrect the sisters once again. Instead of wanting to enact their revenge on the children

When anyone thinks of a lamp and three wishes, they think of the Genie and Aladdin, whether it is the classic folktale or the Disney retelling. George Miller creates his own version of the classic tale in Three Thousand Years of Longing that should be considered a classic itself. With a story starring the likes of Tilda Swinton and Idris Elba, there shouldn't be much persuading for anyone who is familiar with their work or not, would have heard promotion for this film going around in the last month.  The film centers around Alithea, a narratologist who travels to Istanbul and comes across a Djinn who persuades her to make a wish but ultimately warns her of their consequences, especially towards him by retelling past experiences of his mistreatment. I am not familiar with Miller's work except for Mad Max Fury Road which I had only seen once but ' Longing ' is no brassy or loud feat. It was indeed a quiet, slow-burn tale that should be witnessed attentively and absorbed

  I don't trust teen movies anymore and for a good reason. Netflix's latest attempt at the genre is brutal and unrealistic but it comes from a raw place that actual teens would only imagine doing after getting backstabbed by a bunch of social climbers. Sadly, with a preppy setting surrounded by inclusive cliques, you would only expect the worst from this ensemble of familiar faces who were barely teens when they got famous playing iconic teenagers.   Do Revenge centers around Camila Mendez's Drea and Maya Hawke's Eleanor where the two conspire to get even with their no-good classmates. From the likes of Austin Abrams, Isabel Merlerc, and the recently established heartthrob Rish Shah, Do Revenge does not shy away from a bunch of almost 30-year-olds who can't run away from stories like this. It is understandable since Netflix was not planning to keep this PG which ultimately does serve its purpose to portray a realistic  Gen Z high school experience. I have never been

It is basically a Disney mandate to remake their animated classics these days, whether Disney is at the helm or not. Other studios attempt to create much darker storylines in order to appeal to adult audiences. At the same time, Disney usually sticks with their family-friendly yet magical formulas that appeal or disappoint. It is usually a hit-or-miss game with Disney's attempts to reimagine their animated classics if you had the interest in watching any of them in the last decade. This is why it is surprising that Pinocchio strays far away from being a forgettable Disney classic even with this reimagining.  I think I am finally allowed to say that I was never fond of the original animated film due to only watching it once. For some reason, it never was appealing despite knowing the story by heart. That is where I struggled a bit. This is what troubled me when it came to differentiating what part of the storyline was kept the same or changed. Luckily, it all came back to me and Pin

  Jordan Peele returns to direct, write and produce yet another mind-boggler meant to be seen on the big screen. Despite not getting that luxury, Nope  is enjoyable no matter how you make it with the means. Promoted as a sci-fi thriller, the film stars Get Out alum Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer, and Steven Yeun in its main cast. Fans of Peele's award-winning and praised work will be reminded that he is growing to be a mainstay director people everyone will remember or want to work with.  Centered around two siblings who are the descendants of the jockey who was featured in 'the very first assembly of photographs used to create a motion picture', Otis Jr and Emerald have an encounter that springs them to get photographic evidence in order to revitalize their family business. There's nothing much left to say about the premise for if more is said, it would spoil the movie. But what I can disclose is that this film is an experience.  With subtle themes of mystery, territorial

It took me a month to finally be able to watch Thor Love and Thunder. After weeks of anticipating and avoiding spoilers, the Marvel redux has finally ended on my side. With that aside, Taika Waititi returns to helm the follow-up to his work Ragnarok and gives Thor a chance to widen his world beyond three movies, a luxury most standalone characters do not have within the franchise.  Marvel continues on with themes they have been exploring since the introduction of Phase 4 and it is once again, explicitly shown in this sequel. Adapting two of Jason Aaron's well-known run of comics, Thor (Chris Hemsworth) has to save the pantheon of Gods from the God Butcher who vows to kill them all with the help of Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), Korg (Taika Waititi), and his ex-girlfriend, Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) who currently wields Mjolnir as the Mighty Thor.  Despite its short runtime, Love and Thunder provide a more mythology-based storyline that no other Thor film has ever had the guts to sho

Has anyone not given up on the Predator franchise at this point? As someone who grew up with the Alien vs Predator movies, I only ever rooted for the ever-populating Xenomorphs as opposed to the Yautja. I was only introduced to their respective franchises in high school and they could not be more different but that's a story for another article hopefully. However, the Predator franchise has only gone downhill with audiences who still find the Arnold Schwarzenegger-led original film superior. Unfortunately, I didn't feel the same way after only recently watching it. (Yes, boomers. Come at me). With Prey, I think it's time we reconsidered the ranking.  Originally called Skull and was never given the impression that this was a part of the franchise, Prey is a very different Predator movie. It is a prequel to the previous 4 films... and yes, ALL of those films are still canon. Like its predecessors, the Predator is the villain and a human must face it, once again letting us pon

Based on the Image comic book series, Paper Girls has been conceived as as Amazon's answer to Netflix's hit series Stranger Things but the show is anything but. To be fair, Stranger Things, in any season, involves an ensemble of characters, a maniacal doctor's attempt at superhumans, and/or another dimension with monsters. Paper Girls, on the other hand, deals with sci-fi and time travel. Or is it? So put your comparisons to rest. Audiences who had not heard of this show before today should know that the show revolves around 4 12-year-old girls in 1988 from a small town called Stony Stream who accidentally stumble upon the future, more accurately, 2019. To find their way back, the girls go through an eye-opening journey that leads them to several different timelines, meeting their future selves in the process while The Old Watch, a time organization keeping the timelines intact, are hunting them down to set the timeline back to its original form.  Yes, the premises sounds f

Marvel Studios' second live-action series adapts an iconic character that defines the current generation of comics with a leading female character who also happens to be Muslim. Ms. Marvel's 6 episodes continue the inclusion trend within the MCU in the best ways possible. The new faces widen the franchise introducing new terms, stakes, and themes that proves that this phase is indeed the most experimentative one yet.  Despite the writers changing comic book origins when it comes to Kamala's powers, (YES, we are heading into spoiler territory but we will get back to that) the six-part series is humourous, enjoyable, and charming overall. Kamala as well as her family is a nice change of pace, demolishing the orphan trope of the superhero genre. Even outside her overprotective and religious home, her relationship with friends Bruno and Nakia definitely flesh out what made the source material so special to teens at the time gaining Spider-Man-like status.   This is Iman Vellani