MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE (2026)

Posted 2:30 PM by Gerald So

Before its poor review buzz, I thought I might convince some college friends to see Travis Knight's MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE in theaters. Instead, I watched it today on Prime Video and I feel nostalgic for the days we went to fun movies for fun.

Remember when movies with silly premises and sketchy acting had no less chance to be blockbusters? If people wanted to have fun with He-Man, it wouldn't matter if the movie were good or bad; they'd buy tickets to fun.

Do I have bones to pick with MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE? Yes, and I will for your information, but ultimately if you want to enjoy a movie, you can; if you want to dislike a movie, you can.

MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE retells a story even casual fans of He-Man may know, but with a number of tones that don't harmonize well. The Sorceress of Grayskull sends ten-year-old Prince Adam and the Sword of Power to Queen Marlena's home planet Earth to safeguard them from Skeletor. Adam and the sword are separated on the way. Fifteen years later, Adam is working in human resources when he finds the sword, inadvertently instantly alerting Skeletor and Teela to his and its whereabouts.

On Earth, Beast Man is a growling, non-speaking monster and I wondered if the movie would reduce him to that as the TRANSFORMERS live-action movie originally muted Bumblebee. However, returning to Eternia, Beast Man has full power of speech, as if the script were rewritten to make that change.

Most important, Adam/He-Man's characterization felt off. In the classic 1983 Filmation cartoon, Adam only plays at being soft and uninterested in his royal responsibilities. As He-Man, he's physically more powerful, but basically the savvy person Adam is. In the movie, Adam is a timid boy. His upbringing on Earth isn't shown and his change to He-Man feels rushed. He's more powerful as He-Man, but no less timid.

There are enough emotional beats, but a lot of the building blocks of Adam's character feel glossed over, given too little time to be as meaningful as they could be. From the trailer, I didn't think the movie would be an origin story. I thought Adam would already be He-Man when he were transported to Earth, where he lost the sword and his memory of Eternia. That way, his quest to regain them could've been shorter, and he could get back to the fight before Skeletor could plunge Eternia into fifteen years of tyranny.

As I wrote at the top, none of this would stop you fron having fun with the movie if you wanted. Sequels would be fine. Starting over from scratch would also be fine.

Mattel itself doesn't seem wed to any one version of He-Man. In 2021, two distinct cartoons ran on Netflix: Kevin Smith's adult-oriented MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE: REVELATION/REVOLUTION and Rob David's child-oriented HE-MAN AND THE MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE. The latest cartoon, Matthew Brown's MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE: TALES FROM ETERNIA on the Mattel Adventures YouTube channel, isn't tightly tied to the new movie, either.

Like a Storybook Story

Posted 6:00 AM by Gerald So

Riding with my friends Deshant Paúl and Tracy Boni, last night we attended a surprise movie birthday party for our friend John Ricotta, a screening of THE PRINCESS BRIDE at South Bay Cinemas in West Babylon.

L to R: Deshant, me, Anando and Kian Paúl, John
Photo by Tracy Boni

As ever, I'm lucky to have known Deshant and John since we helped start a magazine at Hofstra more than thirty years ago.

John's first daughter Emma graduated college last week. His second daughter Julie sang the national anthem at Yankee Stadium last month. Meanwhile Deshant and Tracy's kids Anando and Kian are much sharper than I was at their age.

Another highlight was catching up with John's mother and uncle, who've been as welcoming to me as he has. Keeping to the 80s movie theme, my present to John was a copy of FUTURE BOY, Michael J. Fox's memoir of filming the first BACK TO THE FUTURE and the third season of FAMILY TIES.

FUTURE BOY by Michael J. Fox and Nelle Fortenberry

Posted 11:30 AM by Gerald So

Published October 14 by Flatiron Books, FUTURE BOY is Fox's memoir of filming BACK TO THE FUTURE while completing Season 3 of FAMILY TIES, written with his longtime producing partner.

The 150-page book with photographs delivers in describing how Fox juggled his high-profile TV role of Alex Keaton and what would be his breakout, best-remembered movie role of Marty McFly. I'm a fan of FAMILY TIES, the first BACK TO THE FUTURE, and of Fox's writing style from his previous memoirs.

I recommend the book to anyone who wants to relive 1985 vicariously through one of Hollywood's most popular actors putting his talent, instinct, and stamina to the test.

EON James Bond Movies Ranked

Posted 2:30 PM by Gerald So

Image by Gerald So

Yesterday on Bluesky I ranked of EON's twenty-five James Bond movies:

25. No Time to Die
24. Spectre
23. Quantum of Solace
22. The World is Not Enough
21. The Man with the Golden Gun
20. Diamonds are Forever
19. Die Another Day
18. A View to a Kill
17. Octopussy
16. You Only Live Twice
15. Tomorrow Never Dies
14. Live and Let Die
13. Moonraker
12. Dr. No
11. On Her Majesty's Secret Service
10. The Living Daylights
9. Skyfall
8. Licence to Kill
7. From Russia, with Love
6. The Spy Who Loved Me
5. GoldenEye
4. Casino Royale
3. For Your Eyes Only
2. Thunderball
1. Goldfinger

You can tell right away I didn't like the continuity of Craig's run, but I do appreciate all the Bond actors. Of the four who made more than two movies, you find some at the bottom of the ranks, some in the middle, and some at the top.

UPDATE: A day after posting the above, I realized I had yet to rank EON's six James Bond actors:

6. George Lazenby
5. Daniel Craig
4. Pierce Brosnan
3. Sean Connery
2. Roger Moore
1. Timothy Dalton

This is based only on time as Bond, not my overall opinion of each. I mildly surprised myself ranking Moore ahead of Connery. That's on the strength of Moore's redefining Bond for the 1970s and '80s where Lazenby failed. Without Moore, EON might have made only seven Bond movies.

Also, initially I ranked Brosnan fifth and Craig fourth because Craig made more movies. I decided the fun of Brosnan's movies edged out the number of Craig's. Dalton? Simply my favorite.

I welcome debate in the Comments.

Next Bond Unknown?

Posted 11:30 PM by Gerald So

According to Deadline, Denis Villeneueve is looking to cast a fresh-faced British actor in his 20s or 30s as the next James Bond.

I like casting an unknown. It brings to mind how special past Bond actor announcements felt. The only drawback is Amazon won't be able to market its first Bond movie on the actor's fame.

On a side note, I made the James Bond text logo in this post. Unlike EON's official 007 logo, it doesn't suggest a gun. Instead suggesting stealth, the red numbers hide in "BOND," camouflage his license to kill. The two zeros lie lengthwise to mimic an eight, so if you spot the seven, they seem part of a countdown.

With my own graphics made from free-for-personal- or free-for-commercial-use elements, my posts can be eye-catching and clear of official-image rights issues.

I also made a Superman text logo for my review of James Gunn's movie.

SUPERMAN (2025)

Posted 6:00 PM by Gerald So

I didn't get to see James Gunn's SUPERMAN in theaters, but I've just watched it on 4K disc. It meets its mandate of reviving the superhero movie for DC. It's rooted in Clark and Lois's love story yet full of far-out science fiction. Its two tones work because Superman in concept is both: the space alien raised in America's heartland.

As casting news dripped out, I wasn't sure about including heroes besides Superman, but they let viewers compare and contrast. Without then we'd only have Superman's version of doing good, and we might not grasp its nuance. Multiple heroes also let the plot be epic in scope. Superman couldn't be everywhere, but he didn't have to be. I also liked Gunn's fresh take on Eve Tessmacher.

In my Christmas 2024 post about the teaser trailer, I wrote I wasn't onboard with yet again riffing on John Williams' theme. I also could have ditched the Richard Donner-style swooshing credits. I give them a final-paragraph mention because neither detracts much from the movie. Gunn uses them like Bryan Singer before him, to show this is the Superman familiar to us from the Donner movie. From there, Gunn shows that brand of Superman can meet this moment in history. Neither Singer nor Zack Snyder did.

Showing Myself

Posted 6:00 AM by Gerald So

A YouTube video about Botox's effect on Hollywood actors and acting inspired this post.

Photo by Gerald So

Growing up in the time of instant film cameras, I recall posing for or taking few photos, denying countless shots where I blinked, looked away from the lens, or had my hand over my face. Unlike the hypothetical average person, I don't own a smartphone. Only two years ago did I start bringing my 2014 Kindle Fire HD7 outdoors, taking my own social media profile photos.

I correct the photos' lighting and color, but nothing to change my face besides a shave. I think I look good. A life avoiding alcohol, tobacco, and firearms has helped. I may give my cartoon avatars darker hair, but that's another realm.

Unlike me, actors and other on-camera personalities feel pressure to maintain youthful appearance to be considered for more roles. Besides, they may want to make changes for life beyond the business. Does it affect their acting? I don't know. Their faces or bodies haven't pulled me out of shows or movies.

Amazon announces Steven Knight to write James Bond film directed by Villeneuve

Posted 2:30 PM by Gerald So

Five weeks after announcing Denis Villeneuve as the next James Bond director, Amazon revealed PEAKY BLINDERS creator Steven Knight as screenwriter.

As research on the next Bond, if you will, I've ordered the Knight-written EASTERN PROMISES and the Villeneuve-directed SICARIO on 4K disc.

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Amazon MGM taps Villeneuve to direct Bond

Posted 5:00 AM by Gerald So

Wednesday this week Amazon announced the choice of Denis Villeneuve to direct the first James Bond movie since it took creative control from Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson.

Villeneuve is one of the most respected and bankable directors today, and his hire continues Amazon's show of commitment to Bond. While I was hoping for a lighter touch, the tone of Villeneuve's previous films (SICARIO, BLADE RUNNER 2049, DUNE, for example) seems in line with Daniel Craig's run, and may make a seamless transition, dispelling the air of uncertainty.

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Amazon Bond Begins

Posted 4:30 AM by Gerald So

Tuesday this week Amazon announced hiring execs Amy Pascal and David Heyman to shepherd James Bond on screen going forward. Thursday, Amazon MGM exec Jen Salke left that role for a producing deal with the studio.

From this, the industry reads that Salke was the main cause of friction between Amazon and the Broccoli-Wilson family. DEADLINE further reported Salke was left out of negotiations with Pascal and Heyman, who made their agreement contingent on reporting to Courtenay Valenti, not Salke herself.

I'm pleased with the hire. Pascal has experience producing Spider-Man and three of the latest Bonds; Heyman was behind the Harry Potter movies. That's the level of buzz expected of Bond movies.

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"Do I look like I give a damn?"

Posted 4:30 AM by Gerald So

This Daniel Craig CASINO ROYALE quote is how I choose to react to the news Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli have sold creative control of the James Bond film franchise to Amazon MGM Studios.

It's bad news in that the movies will no longer have the personal touch that began with Cubby Broccoli, but I've also taken issue with how rigid the family has been, not in their depiction of Bond over the years, but with how the movies are written, produced, and directed. This breeds familiarity but not the most excitement.

Can impersonal corporate giant Amazon hype new Bond movies? I think it would be smart of them to retain some Broccoli flavor at least with their first movie. From there, they can branch out. The history of the Bond movies is a big part of why people get excited for them. It would be a waste if Amazon didn't tap into that.

Some worry that Bond will be spun off to death, dilluting the big screen movies. I don't know that that's a major problem. I'm primarily interested in the big screen movies and would continue watching them and leaving the rest, my approach to Star Wars. Meanwhile, though, smaller Bond-adjacent projects could make money to enhance the big screen movies. MGM alone had struggled with financing for decades. Original co-producer Harry Saltzman sold his stake when 1974's THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN underperformed.

Another concern is EON has mined Ian Fleming's twelve Bond books repeatedly already. Notice for Daniel Craig's run, they used Fleming titles CASINO ROYALE and QUANTUM OF SOLACE but Craig's five movies were really one prolonged story, not the usual varied adventures. SKYFALL's and SPECTRE's opening themes hinted at finality: "This is the end," "The writing's on the wall." These may have been signs EON was genuinely out of ideas.

Amazon may be more willing to tap post-Fleming sources such as John Gardner's or Raymond Benson's sequels or hire someone to write a wholly new, cutting-edge Bond screenplay. Amazon also doesn't need to take EON's approach of casting actors to play Bond for several movies. They could cast someone right for one movie, then cast someone else right for the next. Ultimately we'll see if Amazon can conjure Bond movie magic. I'll let you know if I feel it.

THE RETURN directed by Uberto Pasolini

Posted 7:30 PM by Gerald So

THE RETURN is based on the final chapters of Homer's epic poem THE ODYSSEY and stars Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche as Odysseus and Penelope. Several epics were required reading in college (THE ILIAD, THE AENEID, Dante's INFERNO...) THE ODYSSEY was my favorite because Odysseus was not a demigod but a man, one even more renowned for his cunning than his fighting prowess. I learned of the movie premiering December 6, 2024. It came to DVD and Blu-ray January 18, 2025. I pre-ordered and watched it two weeks ago.

THE RETURN focuses on the end of the poem. Odysseus has made it back to his kingdom Ithaca ten years later than expected. Many believe him dead. Suitors are fighting in the palace for Penelope to remarry.

THE RETURN de-emphasizes the mythic aspects. No gods appear to aid Odysseus. He hesitates to reveal himself and reclaim Ithaca because he's incredibly weary from the voyage and unsure he is the man he was. Most of the people don't recognize him and treat him like a beggar, but we the audience know he is king. Already admiring the story, I was able to recognize plot points while completely transported by the Greek filming locations.

THE RETURN just might interest you in THE ODYSSEY, my highest praise for adaptations.

Bond and Sensitivity

Posted 3:00 PM by Gerald So

YouTube brought up last week's episode of military thriller author Jack Carr's Danger Close podcast, "What's next for James Bond?", with guest David Zaritsky, curator of The Bond Experience:




In the clip below, Carr and Zaritsky discuss the new editions of Ian Fleming's Bond books, which have been edited for sensitivity:




Carr and Zaritsky pan the editing and yearn for the books as originally published in the 1950s and '60s. While this stance is valid, it's very narrow-minded. It denies the Bond films, books, and trappings since the '60s have outgrown Fleming.

It's valid to revere Sean Connery as the first actor to play Bond in major motion pictures, two even in Fleming's life. I wonder, though, how many of those so-called purists have refused to watch or accept George Lazenby's, Roger Moore's, Timothy Dalton's, Pierce Brosnan's, or Daniel Craig's take on Bond. Have they also refused to read the post-Fleming Bond books?

Bond persists in the public consciousness because he's been allowed to change with us. If not, the audience at large would've left him behind. A handful of superfans would be trying to make a movie, struggling with funding for lack of interest. I doubt that's really what Carr and Zaritsky would prefer.

The new editions show Bond's value is independent of Fleming's sexism and racism. Surely true fans agree.

SUPERMAN Teaser Thoughts

Posted 5:00 AM by Gerald So

I feel sufficiently teased. I've been a Superman fan since LOIS & CLARK with Teri Hatcher and Dean Cain. Part of me has liked anything Superman since. I haven't been invested in how James Gunn's SUPERMAN will influence the fate of superhero movies overall. Lois and Clark's relationship is what I enjoy most about the Superman mythos. Gunn's comments sound as though he has a handle on that.

I'm not onboard with yet again using John Williams' Superman theme. It's great, iconic, and all, but if you're trying to do a 2025 take on Superman, how about you don't use Williams' 1978 theme?

Facing Reality with Fiction

Posted 5:30 AM by Gerald So

Getting away from the reality of the election with a story, book, or TV show seems futile in one way, but in another it's important. In fiction, good usually wins in the very end. Core principles are upheld. Yes, this may not happen in life. See Tuesday's example. But if our principles exist and justice prevails only in fiction, at least they do there, reminding us that individuals and the people at large can make crucial, good decisions. Even one person who carries this into reality makes a difference.

James Earl Jones Dies

Posted 1:00 AM by Gerald So

James Earl Jones died Monday aged 93. My favorite of his performances was Admiral James Greer in THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER, PATRIOT GAMES, and CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER. His influence in the role is felt in Morgan Freeman's THE SUM OF ALL FEARS character Bill Cabot and Wendell Pierce's JACK RYAN TV series character, field operative James Greer.

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THE UNION

Posted 5:30 AM by Gerald So

After failing to retrieve a stolen cache of spy identities, Roxanne Hall (Halle Berry) recruits her high school flame Mike McKenna (Mark Wahlberg) to help her buy the cache at a black market auction.

I was considerably against watching THE UNION after Wahlberg's stinging 2020 Spenser reimagining. Then I read a positive review and thought why not? He'd be playing a character to whom I had no attachment, and I like Halle Berry. The movie also features J.K. Simmons, Mike Colter, Jackie Earle Haley, Dana Delany, and Lorraine Bracco as characters whose most distinctive qualities are the names playing them.

The movie feels action-heavy, character-light, yet long enough I wondered why time wasn't spent on character. If it had been, I might have cared more about the people possibly being villains, being doublecrossed and killed. On the other hand, if the movie had been twenty minutes shorter, I might've liked it as a breezy romp.

As it is, I think I happened upon the one positive review and it misled me. Despite Wahlberg I didn't hate THE UNION, but it doesn't stand out in the pack of PG-13 B-spy flicks or in Wahlberg's or Berry's bodies of work.


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Alec Baldwin RUST Shooting Case Dismissed

Posted 5:00 AM by Gerald So

Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer dismissed the RUST-related involuntary manslaughter case against Alec Baldwin because the state withheld potentially exculpatory evidence from the defense.

I thought Baldwin might have committed involuntary manslaughter because he accidentally fired the round that killed Halyna Hutchins; however, involuntary manslaughter also has to involve a level of negligence I'm not sure Baldwin met. Because first assistant director David Halls declared the prop gun "cold," Baldwin was unaware he would endanger anyone by pulling the trigger.

I don't know that Baldwin was responsible to do any safety checks himself and neglected them. The prosecution would've had to prove that, as they proved armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed—who presumably had more direct weapons safety responsibility than Baldwin—was negligent.

There is some new buzz that Gutierrez-Reed may not have been the source of the live ammunition on the set of RUST. As armorer, though, she was still responsible for ensuring the live ammunition wasn't loaded and fired.


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Shannen Doherty dies at 53

Posted 5:00 PM by Gerald So

Shannen Doherty died yesterday after nine years battling breast cancer that spread to her bones and brain. Not a fan of teen melodrama, I avoided 90210, but enjoyed Doherty in MALLRATS and CHARMED. Living bravely with cancer is surely her legacy, but I'm glad she's free and no longer has to fight. Rest in peace.


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Cherchez les films

Posted 7:00 AM by Gerald So

You may remember ABC's 1985–'88 SPENSER: FOR HIRE fondly, but Robert B. Parker didn't love it. According to Jeremiah Healy's tribute essay "Bob, Boston, and Me: A Remembrance" from the 2012 collection IN PURSUIT OF SPENSER, Parker disliked Robert Urich's casting from the start. He gave in when he was offered the alternative, Erik Estrada.

Urich and Avery Brooks reprised their roles in four 1993–'95 Lifetime movies (SPENSER: CEREMONY, SPENSER: PALE KINGS AND PRINCES, SPENSER: THE JUDAS GOAT, SPENSER: A SAVAGE PLACE), but the other regulars (Susan Silverman, Frank Belson, and Martin Quirk) were recast. Parker and his wife Joan were credited with the screenplays, but when they watched the finished movies, they claimed to recognize nothing from their scripts.

From 1999 to 2001, A&E gave Parker full creative control of three movies: SPENSER: SMALL VICES, THIN AIR, and WALKING SHADOW. Joe Mantegna was cast as Spenser. Some said miscast. Parker, however, approved, saying Mantegna had read his books and could act like Spenser. (Since that casting, Mantegna has been the Spenser audiobook reader.) Parker's words indeed played onscreen, but the movies weren't the snappy perfection you'd hope. Parker's prose could be mannered at times. Hearing all the actors speak this way betrayed the fact he put the words in their mouths. TV series, by contrast, use writers' rooms led by showrunners, everyone working to make the characters spontaneous and distinct.

Shiek Mahmud-Bey plays Hawk in SPENSER: SMALL VICES. He has Golden Gloves boxing experience, but unlike the books, where Hawk is Spenser's age, Mahmud-Bey is about twenty years Mantegna's junior. A better match is Luis Guzman as Spenser's similarly lethal friend Chollo in THIN AIR. Finally, Hawk is recast with Ernie Hudson in WALKING SHADOW, leaving the actors no chance to improve their chemistry, the secret sauce of Spenser stories.

The Joe Mantegna Spenser movies stand out because they weren't distributed on home video as widely or for as long as other adaptations of Parker's work. SPENSER: FOR HIRE is available on DVD from Warner Archive and streaming on Roku and Tubi. The four Urich Spenser movies got a DVD set from Rykodisc. The nine Tom Selleck Jesse Stone movies are on DVD from Sony and streaming on Roku, Tubi, and Pluto TV. The 2008 APPALOOSA film is on DVD from Warner Bros. and streaming on Max. 2020's SPENSER CONFIDENTIAL is on Netflix.

Of the Mantegna movies, only SMALL VICES was released on VHS in the United States. THIN AIR got a DVD release internationally, I believe. Bottom line, the Mantegna movies were hard to find, but I found them on YouTube the other day. If you're curious, search them out and let me know what you think.


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