TOP 10 RETRO in Movies & Television.
Here is my honest list. If you wonder why something isn’t here- well I probably didn’t want to watch it.
Sonic the Hedgehog 2: So much fun; so entertaining. The humor and special effects really carry this movie. Idris Elba as Knuckles was a pleasant surprise and just proves that Mr. Elba can do no wrong in any role he does. Jim Carrey once again steals every scene he’s in. All of the action is fabulous and the Mf’er goes Super Saiyan. Bravo.
Stranger Things (season 4/Netflix): You knew this was going to be high on my list. This recent season of Stranger Things was an absolute monster. It was a recurring topic in every conversation. You can’t name one person that didn’t say or think, “Man, I want to kick Vecna’s ass”. The season was trending for months after the last episode aired and even spiked Kat Bush’s songs back up on the TOP of the charts again. I can’t wait for the next and final season.
Cyberpunk: EdgeRunners (Netflix): The video game that yous casuals all thought was dead in the water. A year after possibly the worst video game launch ever, based on the innovative and influential table-top role playing gam, the long awaited anime prequel premiered on NETFLIX and immediately became a hit while miraculously rejuvenating the video game and attracting over a million new players and redeeming CDprojekt Red.
Sandman (Netflix series): Based on the classic dark fantasy comic book that saved the comic industry during the infamous implosion of the 90’s and making DC/Vertigo the go-to publisher for mature and adult oriented comic books, THE SANDMAN finally has a live-action adaptation. Anyone that’s in the known of comic books and adaptations doomed to never be filmed – knows how long it took for something like this to be done. Netflix spent the right money and allowed Neil Gaiman to oversee the production of this updated interpretation of his most famous work. Morpheus lives. The casting is stellar. The writing and direction is spot on with this journey into the fantastic, horrific and reality bending wonder of this project. With a much deserved second season already greenlit, The Sandman isn’t going anywhere and here to stay.
Chainsaw Man (2022): The manga that sold millions of copies and was on the top of most Top 10 lists including Barnes & Noble’s being adapted by the uber-talented anime studio that is MAPPA (Jujutsu Kaisen, Banana Fish, Dorohedoro, Attack on Titan); Say no more.
After waiting over a year for this, I can say nothing negative about it. It excels in every category. The animation is beautiful with seemless transitions of 3D elements. The pacing and beats of the story with music is out of this world. This is a throwback to the gory days of Japanese anime. Body Horror and Infernal terror. Tetsuo the Iron Man had an orgy baby with Hellraiser and Guyver; Best anime of the year. There is only one episode left of the season and it’s bittersweet that I’ll have to wait maybe another year for more. However, I know Hell’s Paradise is just around the corner.
Wednesday (Netflix series): If you took the GOTHAM ACADEMY comic book from DC Comics and blended that with Harry Potter, called it the Addams Family, gave Time Burton himself the reins to make into a series on Netflix well, you have yourself everything you’d expect from the teasers and trailers you saw months ago… an absolute joy to binge on. Fantastic viewing.
Tokyo Vice (HBO series): I love MIAMI VICE. I love Miami Vice. I was waiting and waiting for this series. I even picked up HBO MAX for it. Tokyo Vice is a Michael Mann produced series based on the memoir of an American journalist that moved to Japan to investigate and report on illicit activities and organized crime. Mann even directed the first episode. All set in the 1990s and filmed entirely in Japan. Much like KATE starring Mary Elizabeth Winstead filmed a nocturnal Japan with all its cityscapes, back alleys, underworlds and night life, Tokyo Vice is that stylized, slick, neon drenched neo-noir that bubbles with the energy of its performances, gritty storylines and direction. Tokyo Vice Stars Ken Watanabe (Last Samurai, Godzilla) and Ansel Elgort (Baby Driver). As of June 2022, HBO has renewed the series for a second season.
Hellraiser (2022): You didn’t think this movie would happen and you didn’t think it would be good. Well it happened and it’s good. I actually liked it. Best Hellraiser sequel since Hellbound. Jaime Clayton is a superb Pinhead and equally mixes beauty with the grotesque into the sublime and erotic; yeah I said it. Hellraiser (2022) was directed by David Bruckner (The Ritual , Night House) and produced by franchise creator Clive Barker. Available on HULU and I need more.
Vox Machina (Prime series): The second best thing on Prime after THE BOYS. Vox Machina is like watching Dungeons & Dragons written like Porkies. With top notch animation and the best voice over work since the GHOST STORIES anime. Season 2 is set to premiere in 2023.
Maverick: Top Gun 2: This is probably the only compromised I’ll make with you because; I didn’t want to nor care to watch this movie. The only reason it’s on this list is because, everyone hyped this movie and praised it all the way up Jesus’ skirt in heaven. Tom Cruise returns to TOP GUN and is actually flying the planes; not just him, the whole cast got to fly jets. I can’t tell you who dies, who lives, who’s/who and I’ll never know if the homoerotic undertones carry over into this from the original film. I can absolutely give the production points for filming the film and not relying on computer generated effects. The movie made a lot of TOP 10 lists and was even one of Obamas best films of the year. That’s great. Good for them. But, I’ll leave the douchefest to the douchenozzles.
That’s it. Another year in the rear view but, 2023 is around the corner with some interesting things coming down the pipe. The good times aren’t over but, never, never take your friggin finger off that REWIND button.
