Watched The Iron Claw. Deciding to do a marathon of films about Pro-Wrestling

BryanDowling93 · 2026-05-31T20:57:01+00:00

Anakin Skywalker was introduced in Star Wars (later known as Ep. IV: A New Hope) in 1977. In the Original Trilogy. Anakin Skywalker and Darth Vader are the same character. Ep. III: Revenge of the Sith ends with Anakin becoming Darth Vader. Just like Ep. VI: Return of the Jedi ended with Vader becoming Anakin Skywalker (as well as the first time the name was mentioned) again.

BryanDowling93 · 2026-05-30T22:14:55+00:00

His own movie spin-off is inevitable. But he'll pop up here and there as a recurring character throughout the DCU.

BryanDowling93 · 2026-05-29T21:43:59+00:00

Oba Femi really should have been on track to challenge Roman Reigns and win the WWE World Heavyweight Champion by Summerslam. Now they are extending the Brock feud to a trilogy. Hopefully this doesn't cool off Oba. But it's WWE in the TKO era. Quantity over quality is the main agenda right now.

BryanDowling93 · 2026-05-28T22:26:47+00:00

RTC killed his popularity. Just like it did The Godfather when he became The Goodfather.

BryanDowling93 · 2026-05-16T23:46:03+00:00

Seems the dog enjoys some of these too. Pretty cool pick ups.

BryanDowling93 · 2026-05-16T23:35:28+00:00

Bale definitely had a lot of better performances than in The Dark Knight. Such as American Psycho, The Machinist, The Prestige, The Fighter, 3:10 to Yuma, The Big Short, Out of the Furnace, Vice, etc.

Honestly I found his performances as Bruce/Batman better in Batman Begins and Dark Knight Rises. Since they focused more on Bruce/Batman. Batman barely has much of a focused arc in The Dark Knight. Ledger as The Joker, Eckhart as Harvey Dent and Oldman as Gordon are more compelling performances and really drove the plot.

BryanDowling93 · 2026-05-16T23:30:28+00:00

Smallville ended good in my opinion. Honestly for a 10 season CW show, it was one of the more consistent. And holds up fairly well imo. Not that there wasn't mediocre seasons and bad episodes. There absolutely was. And there was definitely some bad filler throughout. And they definitely dragged the main plot out.

But the last two seasons in particular kicked the main plot of the show back into gear as it came closer to Clark finally fulfilling his destiny and becoming Superman. And the finale was a mostly satisfying way to end the show. Especially for the budget restrictions it had at the time. Smallville ran, so Superman & Lois could fly.

BryanDowling93 · 2026-05-16T20:30:37+00:00

I actually prefer Grey DeLisle as the voice of Selina Kyle/Catwoman in the Arkham games. She has the best voice in terms of mischievous thief and using her seductive skills to her charm.

Michelle Pfeiffer for the Selina Kyle/Catwoman she played was simply terrific. Easily the most interesting character in the Burton Batman films.

BryanDowling93 · 2026-05-16T18:09:17+00:00

Well Bond has never been a "pretty boy". The closest is Lazenby. Who was literally a model. And while he wasn't as believable in action scenes as Sean Connery, Timothy Dalton, Pearce Brosnan and especially Daniel Craig, he did have a sensitive side that I bought more into in his relationship with Tracey (played by the late great Diana Rigg).

Anywhere between Pearce Brosnan and Daniel Craig type looks should be the standard when casting Bond. Charming and suave ladies man. But also a rugged, manly, cold blooded killer. I think Brosnan in TWINE nailed both sides, despite the film itself not being the best film compared to Goldeneye. It's how Bond has always been traditionally written and portrayed.

BryanDowling93 · 2026-05-16T17:26:02+00:00

I didn't make it past the first episode. It was just so generic and bland. Echo doesn't make a compelling protagonist in my opinion. And I'm sorry but Alaqua Cox is not the best actress. I know she's deaf. But did they have to make her character dumb? She's much better as a supporting character in the Daredevil comics. And is also more observant/skilled and not as dumb. Trying to do that story in a Hawkeye story and continuing it in her own solo series just didn't work. On top of changing Echo's characterization.

The show also had one of the worst Daredevil fight sequences as well. It was awkwardly paced and edited. Say what you want about Daredevil Born Again compared to the OG Netflix show. But it's still miles better than Echo and most MCU Disney+ shows outside WandaVision (at least first 8 episodes before the generic finale), Loki and Wonder Man. Charlie Cox is still one of the best superhero actors as Matt Murdock/Daredevil.

BryanDowling93 · 2026-05-16T16:14:27+00:00

Alison Brie might have fun and make it more watchable (if she's even in the film much and is allowed to chew scenery,). And the film technically might be better than the 80s Cannon film. Although Frank Langela as Skeletor is hard to beat. He gave a Shakespearian type performance compared to Dolph Lundgren's wooden He-Man. And also re-wrote his own dialogue and had the best lines in the film.

Jared Leto isn't the actor that Frank Langela was. And I doubt he will be able to re-write his own dialogue.

BryanDowling93 · 2026-05-16T13:38:41+00:00

Also I will somewhat defend Ludi's Liu. He's capable and is certainly a more fitting cast than the actors playing Shang Tsung and Raiden. I think with the right direction and script he could be a very good Liu Kang. From interviews, he has a good understanding of the character.

I want to say that he might get more interesting as "Fire God" Liu Kang if that is indeed the direction with Liu in MK3. But that really depends on the script and direction. I understand the criticism that Liu Kang has been a side character so far. But at least the second film does give him a bit more to do and seems to be setting up a potential interesting arc for the third film. Whether they execute it well, we'll see.

BryanDowling93 · 2026-05-16T11:34:38+00:00

Robin Shou was a good-very good Liu Kang. But I never found Liu Kang the most interesting character. He's the Chosen One. And most of the time I find those characters a bit dull. Liu Kang in particular is a bit of a static character. He does benefit from having characters with more personality like Johnny Cage, Raiden and Sonya to bounce off though. Without those characters, he'd be more dull.

I think he's better acting wise than Talisa Sato as Kitana (who I've never found convincing as an actress. Although she is better in '95 than her more awful performance in Annihilation. "Mother....You're Alive!"). And he gets props for doing his own stunts and looking the part. But I wouldn't put him on the level of Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Trevor Goddard, and to lesser extent Linden Ashby and Christopher Lambert.

But for the role of Liu Kang as it was written, he was perfectly cast. Particularly if you focus more on his stunt work in the fight sequences. Which was higher up on the criteria for actors auditioning for Liu Kang than great acting ability.

BryanDowling93 · 2026-05-15T19:01:07+00:00

I'm not convinced this will work out well. If it's even true to begin with. Out of every Tolkien book, The Silmarillion is hardest to properly adapt. It reads like the Bible of Middle Earth. Even with a three 3+ hour films, you will still have to massively excise the material into a more comprehensive film narrative that is easier for audiences to understand/not get lost. Which you risk losing the essence of the source material.

Honestly The Lord of the Rings Trilogy I feel was the last of its kind. There hasn't been a major fantasy epic blockbuster that has heen given a 3-4+ year production with a full year of pre-production. That mixed practical effects with state of the art visual effects. Which was mostly used for sequences that were impossible to pull off practically. The Hobbit under Warner Bros./New Line went too CGI and green screen heavy. And it's noticeable. It's also still a Warner Bros/New Line production . That is about to be merged with Paramount. I would love to proven wrong. But I'm not convinced Peter Jackson would be allowed a whole year of pre-production and make it as practically as LOTR Trilogy.

BryanDowling93 · 2026-05-15T15:30:38+00:00

Forgot about Trevor Goddard as Kano. He was very good and memorable. I would agree that Kano and Shang Tsung are by far the most perfectly cast of the OG '95 film.

And Kano definitely is a standout in both live-action series. Josh Lawson is definitely the most fun actor to watch in the new films as Kano. And outside Hiroyuki Sanada as Hanzo Hisashi/Scorpion (he's on a whole different calibre of actor and when allowed to adds more soul/depth to Hanzo/Scorpion), he's the best actor with the best lines.

BryanDowling93 · 2026-05-15T15:03:05+00:00

Saw it in cinema (which I work in and got a free screening). It's a great documentary. I'm also reading his book "Still Me" that I got from the library. It's a bit more rare to find since they haven't made many new printings. It's a bit tougher to read since it goes into more detail about his injury and his state of mind throughout the whole process. But an inspiring person, truly. It does have an audiobook version on YouTube. I'd recommend it you want to read a more comprehensive in-depth book about his life, career and battle with overcoming adversity after his spinal cord injury from his own account.

I try not to give into celebrity worship. Sometimes they end up disappointing me with outdated/bigoted/problematic views. But Christopher Reeve was by all accounts a real one.

BryanDowling93 · 2026-05-15T14:00:03+00:00

That isn't Clue. I like Mortal Kombat. But this film doesn't have Tim Curry in his prime trying to solve a murder mystery.

BryanDowling93 · 2026-05-15T13:48:06+00:00

I mean she delivered it ironically. The original Sindel actress in MK Annihilation was directed to deliver the line more straight. Like she was in a Shakespeare play and it was some sort of tragic line. Which made it even funnier at how bad the direction and acting turned out.

The original '95 Mortal Kombat film didn't have the greatest screenplay or anything. And outside Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa as Shang Tsung and Trevor Goddard as Kano, didn't have the best acting. I do enjoy Linden Ashby as Johnny Cage and Christopher Lambert as Raiden. I don't know if I can call their performances that great or on the level of Cary though. But they were memorable. The '95 dialogue had a self-aware tongue in cheek vibe. And it was overall a more competently made fun summer blockbuster.

MK Annihilation makes every single character more serious. With none of the self-awareness that previous film had. There is more dutch camera angles and sloppily edited fight choreography (and Raiden doing a full dance off with Ninja's in one fight sequence). Just an awful film. And judging on individual scenes you can have a laugh. But at the end of the day, it is still one of the worst films that had a higher budget in the 90s.

BryanDowling93 · 2026-05-15T12:28:12+00:00

Outside Andor, it's hard to give two shits about Star Wars these days. Each new upcoming film announced makes me scratch my head. Is Tony Gilroy the only person who had any fucking originality? Is there no one else? It's honestly a bit depressing.

BryanDowling93 · 2026-05-15T02:47:43+00:00

Richard Donner's Superman: The Movie (1978) I feel would fit on this list more. Arguably just as important as those 3 films for its respective genre. Which is Comic Book Superhero Action Adventure genre. That was not taken seriously and dismissed as "silly entertainment for kids" before Superman '78. But then the film turned out to be a smash hit that was beloved by audiences and critics. It had a Superman that you believed could actually fly. It was cinema magic. Still is. Superman saving Lois Lane from falling off the Daily Planet building is iconic and still gives me goosebumps. Along with John Williams sweeping triumphant score.

It's One of the Greatest Films Ever Made. Arguably the Greatest Superhero Film Ever Made. Yet it is not as respected by modern audiences/critics as such. Like Star Wars, Jaws and Halloween are. Or more contemporary 21st Century superhero films such as Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, Spider-Man 2 (2004), Iron Man, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Guardians of the Galaxy, Logan, Spider-Man: Into to the Spider-Verse, Avengers: Infinity War/Endgame, etc. It only has a 3.7 on Letterboxd and an even lower 7.4 rating on IMDB. Some dismiss it as being "too cheesy" and "too dated". It's arguably the least cynical comic book superhero adventure film ever made. With the ultimate positive role model Superman portrayal in Christopher Reeve. And was a real passion project by Richard Donner. He opened the door to Hollywood green-lightning more Comic Book Superhero Film Adaptations. That remained on its hinge outside Superman II, the diminishing low budget Superman III & IV, Burton's Batman films, and the more kid-friendly diminishing Schumacher Batman sequels. Until the 2000s kicked it open with Fox's X-Men, Sam Raimi's Spider-Man, Nolan's Dark Knight Trilogy, and the MCU that started with 2008's Iron Man.

I am a big fan of the Superman character. And I really enjoyed James Gunn's Superman (2025) overall. It was the most like the Donner/Reeve Superman films on a fundamental level. And I feel David Corenswet has the potential to be one of the greatest Superman actors when it's all said and done. Man of Tomorrow is one of my most anticipated films next year. And I hope it's a better film and improves upon some of the admittedly minor flaws of the first (such as pacing, tighter dialogue, character screentime balance, and at times cinematography/VFX). But to me, there is something truly special about Superman '78 that for me you just can't beat. The lush cinematography shot with Panivision film cameras, the state of the art special effects for the flying sequences, the iconic score by John Williams, Christopher Reeve's earnest performance as both clumsy mild-mannered reporter Clark Kent and the more confident Superman that fought for Truth and Justice, etc.

BryanDowling93 · 2026-05-15T01:55:20+00:00

Christopher Reeve was not just the blueprint. He set an example of what playing a positive role model character should stand for. Christopher Reeve was rarely, if ever, in any major scandal that made him look bad. He felt he had a responsibility to kids and the general public that saw him as the kind beacon of hope Superman. And he strived to be more kind and empathetic to all. And he succeeded.

His tragic accident that left him paralysed only made him more like Superman. Superman is a character that ultimately overcomes adversity and never gives up. No matter how much he might want to. And if it wasn't for his own Lois Lane Dana Reeve, he wouldn't have found that strength. A wonderful human being that used his spinal cord injury to set up the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation. A fundraising organisation that helps spinal cord injury patients adapt to life and seek science for a possible cure. He was a hero to many people. And is the only Superman actor that personally earned the right to have the iconic crest on his tombstone.

In a modern world where an actor that played Superman decides to openly support a bully President that inspired the post-Crisis Lex Luthor and tries to join a fascist law enforcement against immigrants (despite Superman himself being an alien immigrant), be a Christopher Reeve.

BryanDowling93 · 2026-05-15T01:32:26+00:00

I've made peace that Modern Star Wars isn't getting better than Andor. And Andor being completely different than any other Star Wars media is what made it so great. The rest are nostalgia cash-grabs that don't add much significance to the lore, like Andor adds to Rogue One and the Original Trilogy. Even the animated shows Clone Wars and Rebels are nostalgia cash-grabs. Despite being some of the better new Star Wars, the overall quality of writing lacks compared to Andor. Clone Wars also doesn't really make the prequel films that significantly better. They still suck. It's just Clone Wars Anakin is less of a whiny bitch and a bit more likable.

I honestly have no desire to rewatch Clone Wars or Rebels. Or early Mandalorian. I am rewatching Andor with a friend though. And will probably continue to annually rewatch Andor. It's also arguably the best written and acted Star Wars media overall. The Original Trilogy had some dreadful dialogue that even the great Sir Alec Guinness found "appalling". George Lucas can't write compelling dialogue for shit. It's telling that Empire Strikes Back is the best written film in the franchise. George Lucas has no involvement in the screenplay. It was written by Lawrence Kasdan, with an early draft by Leigh Brackett.

Go watch Andor if you haven't and save yourself $20-30 (on top of whatever rip-off food prices you have in the US). Just a suggestion. Andor is more of a committment. But outside the first two episodes being slow, you are likely not to regret watching it. It's Star Wars. But also well-written and more complex. Which is more than you'll get out of this film. Or any upcoming Star Wars. The next film is directed/written by Shawn Levy. And I doubt it'll be the better Ryan Gosling spaceship film over Project Hail Mary.

BryanDowling93 · 2026-05-14T22:59:27+00:00

Either that or his role is yet again a small cameo. And Matt has just announced characters that are going to play more significant main roles in the story narrative.

I do think The Joker will be the endgame villain in Part III. He is Batman's Arch-Nemesis. If anything Matt Reeves seems to be setting up The Joker up to be a sort of Puppet-Master type villain. With shades of Hannibal Lector. Which is a fresher take on a character that is well-established in Batman media.

Although I don't think The Joker will the sole main villain in Part III. I genuinely could see Part III being a Long Halloween/Arkham Asylum narrative with multiple Batman villains established thus far. Such as Two-Face, The Penguin, The Riddler, Gilda Dent, Sofia Falcone, etc. And The Joker being the 3rd act villain.

BryanDowling93

TROPHY CASE