(TV SERIES) Lanterns - A Much Grounded Series of Green Lantern with Emphasis on Two of Its Members and Their Personal Struggle

After weeks of reading the positive feedback on this series, I finally started watching two days ago and finished it last night. If you have read my previous posts, you would know that I only wanted to start watching when the finale is already or would be available and this one had its final episode released on Monday night. OK then, I'll just get on with it.

Brief Story Line

In the year 2016, Hal Jordan aka Green Lantern (Kyle Chandler - Back in Action, Godzilla II: King of the Monsters etc) had been training John Stewart (Aaron Pierre - Mufasa: The Lion King, The Underground Railroad mini series etc) as future Lantern, although Hal never properly teach John anything and mostly gave him instructions. When Hal found out about a mass shooting in small town of Rushville, he immediately rushed there convinced it involved extra terrestrial element. The Sheriff Kerry (Kelly Macdonald - Dept. Q TV series, Trainspotting etc) was adamant that Hal and John not to be involved, though it went on deaf ears.

Supergirl - Not The Most Spectacular Superhero Movie but Still Pretty Decent and Entertaining Introduction to Superman's Cousin

I was looking forward to see this movie for the past few weeks but it was such a big challenge. Ever since its advance ticket sale last week, I wanted to buy tickets for its premier date but it did not play in my favorite cinema for watching blockbuster movie. When it played there on the following day, I could not go because of previous engagement. Sadly the cinema did not play the film anymore when I was finally available yesterday. So I decided to just see it in the theater near our home with my wife. OK without further ado, here's more on the movie.

Brief Story Line

Kara Zol-El aka Supergirl (Milly Alcock - House of the Dragon TV series, The School etc) had been going through phase in life where she did not feel happy and just drinking herself across galaxies in places where she could get drunk. This made her cousin Clark Kent/Superman (David Corenswet - Look Both Ways, We Own This City mini series etc) always felt worried about her. One day she met a young girl named Ruthye (Eve Ridley - Emerald TV series etc) who was trying to get revenge on group of space pirates called Brigands led by the vicious Krem (Matthias Schoenaerts - The Old Guard, Django TV series etc). Despite her reluctance to be involved, it became personal for Kara when Krem did an unexpected thing. 

(TV SERIES) Creature Commandos Season 1 - A Wonderfully Written Animated Series Focusing on the Weird Metahuman Team from DC Comics

I have been meaning to give this series a try from the time it was released end of last year. But as I was waiting for it to be completed and busy with finishing other series, this became a bit of my least priority. However when it was mentioned that the last Superman movie had a bit of connection with the series, I wanted to revisit it. Last night, I finally set aside my time to watch the whole season on HBO Max. OK, let's just get to it then.

Brief Story Line

After her failed Task Force X (Suicide Squad) program, ARGUS director Amanda Waller (Viola Davis - G20, Kung Fu Panda 4 etc) decided to form another group which later she referred to as Task Force M to be led by Rick Flag Sr. (Frank Grillo - Copshop, Reprisal etc) and consisted of monsters previously captured and jailed in Belle Reve prison. They were the Bride (Indira Varma - Disclaimer mini series, Bride and Prejudice etc), radioactive metahuman Doctor Phosphorus (Alan Tudyk - Peter Pan & Wendy, Doom Patrol TV series etc), the aquatic mutant Nina Mazursky (Zoë Chao - Senior Year, The Afterparty anthology series etc), G. I. Robot who was created with sole purpose of killing Nazis and the mysterious John Doe/Weasel (both voiced by Sean Gunn - Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Gilmore Girls TV series etc).

(2025) Superman - A Fresh and Lighter Tone Superman Adventure Story

After years of hearing about this movie, finally it was released in various countries including Indonesia this week. My wife and I wanted to see it on its first day but our favorite cinema was having movie premiers for two days in a row and we only got the chance to see it last night. All right then, let's get on with the film.

Brief Story Line

Superman (David Corenswet - Twisters 2024, Lady in the Lake mini series etc) had been saving the world for many years and was loved & admired by the people. As his secret identity Clark Kent, he was working for Daily Planet with reporter Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan - The Amateur, Patriots Day etc) and Jimmy Olsen (Skyler Gisondo - The RIghteous Gemstones TV series etc). Sometimes Superman would coordinate with Justice Gang that consisted of Green Lantern (Nathan Fillion - Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Cars 3 etc), Mr. Terrific (Edi Gathegi - StartUp TV series etc) and Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced - Alien: Romulus, Dora and the Lost City of Gold etc) to fight against various enemies.

(MINI SERIES) The Penguin - A Heavy and Dark Series Depicting the Rise and Fall of One of Batman's Adversaries

I knew from the internet that there was going to be this mini series focusing on the character of Penguin, one of Batman's villain. It was released on 19 September in the US and was immediately available on HBO GO the following day. Since it was shown one episode per week, I only started watching two nights ago so I could watch the finale last night. All right then, let's get into the series.

Brief Story Line

Set after the events of The Batman, Oswald "Oz" Cobb (Colin Farrell - Artemis Fowl, In Bruges etc) tried to capitalize on the death of his ex boss, Carmine Falcone. However, he was looked down by people from Falcone family, including Carmine's son Alberto (Michael Zegen - The Stand In, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel TV series etc) and his sister Sofia (Cristin Milioti - Made for Love TV series, The Wolf of Wolf Street etc). Oz decided to build his own criminal empire by tricking, manipulating and pitting the Falcones against their biggest enemy the Maroni family led by Salvatore (Clancy Brown - John Wick: Chapter 4, Dexter: New Blood TV series etc).

(TV SERIES) Dead Boy Detectives Season 1 - A Fun and Light Detective Story Focusing on Solving Supernatural Related Crimes

As usual, Netflix has provided many new shows that we could choose from, week in week out. And this series was one of those that I was interested in. It was released on 21 April but with so many other options, I only got the chance to start watching earlier this week and finished it two nights ago. All right, I will just get to it then.

Brief Story Line

Edwin Paine (George Rexstrew) and his partner Charles Rowland (Jayden Revri - The Lodge TV series etc) were a couple of ghosts who decided to stay on earth instead of going to the after life. They formed Dead Boy Detectives agency to help solve mysteries involving the supernaturals, while trying to avoid being taken to where they belonged. After freeing Crystal Palace (Kassius Nelson - Hollyoaks soap opera series etc) from demonic possession, the boys went to solve another mystery in the small town of Port Townsend in the US based on Crystal's persuasion.

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom - Not a Better Sequel but Still a Fun and Entertaining Superhero Action Movie

This was the last superhero movie of the year which I surely would not want to miss on the big screen. Having seen the last few movies from the same genre under performing, I no longer push myself to see it on its release day and just wait till I was more available. So my wife and I went to our favorite Dolby Atmos theater near our home yesterday and still manage to get nice seats without hassle. All right then, let's get on with the movie.

Brief Story Line

Few years after the events of the first movie, Arthur (Jason Momoa - Fast X, Dune etc) had become the king of Atlantis, got married with Mera (Amber Heard - The Danish Girl, Drive Hard etc) and had a baby boy named Arthur Jr. Arthur had to juggle between life at sea and the surface where he stayed with his father Tom Curry (Temuera Morrison - The Book of Boba Fett TV series etc). However their peaceful life were soon interrupted with the reappearance of David Kane/Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II - Ambulance, Candyman  etc) who was now working with scientist Stephen Shin (Randall Park - Totally Killer, Paw Patrol: The Movie etc) to search for artifacts that would help Kane to revenge on Aquaman.

(MINI SERIES) Bodies - A Fascinating Mystery Drama Series with Some Complex Sci-fi Element

As soon as I read the plot of this upcoming series on Netflix last week, I immediately felt intrigued and wanted to watch it at the earliest. I began to do it on Saturday night and managed to finish on the following day. All right, let us just get right to it.

Brief Story Line

In the year 2023 London, DC Shahara Hasan (Amaka Okafor - Greatest Days etc) found a naked body with a bullet wound in the left eye and a unique mark on his right wrist at Longharvest Lane. As she investigate the case under the supervision of her boss DCI Jack Barber (Michael Jibson - The Lighthouse etc), they found that it was more than met the eye.

Blue Beetle - A Surprisingly Delightful Origin Story of a Lesser Known Superhero

The news about this movie had been circulating around for quite some time but because I was not familiar with the name, it did not get me too excited. However, seeing it was another superhero movie, I still went ahead and see it during the weekend as I was not free when it was released in midweek. OK, I'll get right to it then. 

Brief Story Line

Jaime Reyes (Xolo Maridueña - Cobra Kai, Parenthood TV series etc) had high hopes when he returned to his hometown after graduating college. Although his parents Alberto (Damian Alcazar - The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian etc) and Rocio (Elpidia Carrillo - Predator etc), younger sister Millagro (Belissa Escobedo - Hocus Focus 2 etc), uncle Rudy (George Lopez -  The Tax Collector, Gnome Alone etc) and grandmother, Nana (Adriana Barazza - From Prada to Nada etc) were actually having financial problems, they were still very delighted with his return.

(TV SERIES) Gotham Knights - The Superhero Series Focusing on Bat-Family that did not Exactly Lived Up to Expectation

This was another superhero series that I was interested in finding out, especially when I read the premise. And it was kind of surprising that it was available on HBO Go with few days difference from the time it was shown in the US. The final episode was just released few days ago and I started watching it on Wednesday & spent my holiday to complete the whole season. OK, I'll get right to it then.

Brief Story Line

When Bruce Wayne was killed, his adoptive son Turner (Oscar Morgan) and the rest of Gotham were shocked to find out that he was actually Batman. The DA Harvey Dent (Misha Collins - Supernatural TV series etc) who was also close friend of Bruce, swore to capture the suspects which included Joker's daughter Duela (Olivia Rose Keegan - Days of Our Lives TV series etc) and the siblings Harper Row (Fallon Smythe) and her brother Cullen Row (Tyler DiChiara - Relish etc). 

The Flash - A Fun Ride of the Fastest Man Alive that should Satisfy Fans of DC comics

This movie has been one of my most anticipated films of the year as I am quite a major fan of Flash. And just like many blockbuster films in the past, it also had an Advance Ticket Sales program where I immediately asked my wife to buy them. Sadly I was unable to do so on its first day of release, but we did go on the second day last night. So how was it? Let's find out more, shall we?

Brief Story Line

Barry Allen/The Flash (Ezra Miller - Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and its sequels, The Stand miniseries etc) who had been part of the Justice League was frequently asked to help other members like Batman (Ben Affleck - The Last Duel, The Accountant etc) in catching criminals and saving the world. While trying to help exonerate his father Henry (Ron Livingston - The Conjuring, Band of Brothers miniseries etc) for a crime he did not commit, Barry often reminisce the fond time with his father and mother Nora (Maribel Verdú - Pan's Labyrinth, Raymond & Ray etc). And for some reasons, Barry somehow managed to go back in time and changed the past against the advice from Bruce.

Shazam! Fury of the Gods - An Entertaining Sequel to the Lighthearted Superhero Movie

As I enjoyed the first movie a lot, I would not want to miss the opportunity to see this sequel when it's playing in cinemas. That's why we immediately purchased the tickets when they were sold in advance last week for this weekend's show. All right then, I'll get right to it.

Brief Story Line

Two years after the event in the first movie, Billy Batson (Asher Angel - Darby and the Dead etc) had been saving Philadelphia from various dangers as his alter ego (played by Zachary Levi - Chuck TV series etc). He was doing it with his foster siblings Freddy (played by Jack Dylan Grazer - Ron's Gone Wrong etc and Adam Brody - Ready or Not etc), Mary (Grace Caroline Currey - Fall etc), Eugene (played by Ian Chen - Fresh off the Boat TV series etc and Ross Butler - 13 Reasons Why TV series etc), Pedro (played by Jovan Armand and D. J. Cotrona - From Dusk Till Dawh: The Series etc) and Darla (played by Faithe Herman and Meagan Good - Harlem TV series etc). All of them were still living in the home of Rosa (Marta Milans) and Victor (Cooper Andrews) who were unaware of their activities. Meanwhile, Freddy got to know a new girl at school named Anne (Rachel Zegler - West Side Story etc) and grew close to her.

Black Adam - An Enjoyable and Entertaining Anti Hero Movie that would Excite us of the Future of DC Extended Universe

I have been excited of this movie for quite a while now, so when it was announced there would be advance ticket sales, I did not hesitate and bought two tickets for its first day release. My wife and I saw this last night at the 6.55 PM show with surprisingly not a full house, but still crowded enough. OK, I should get started now.

Brief Story Line (warning possible spoiler)

In the city of Kahndaq, the people were oppressed by a group of military personnel called Intergang who were digging for rare materials. Adrianna (Sarah Shahi - Sex/Life TV series, Bullet to the Head etc) who was trying to locate the Crown of Sabbac somehow unleashed Teth-Adam (Dwayne Johnson - Red Notice, Fast & Furious: Hobbs & Shaw etc) who had been asleep for 5000 years. Teth-Adam was known to be the hero of Kahndaq and Adrianna's son Amon (Bodhi Sabongui) along with other people were hopeful he would free the city from Intergang.

(TV SERIES) The Sandman Season 1 - A Visually Stunning Series Based on Best Selling Comics

After months of seeing this title in the Coming Soon section of Netflix, finally the series was released last week. Despite not knowing anything about it, just the fact that there were plenty of articles talking about the series made me feel intrigued. So I started watching this one during the weekend and completed it last night. OK, I'll dive into it now.

Brief Story Line

Story focused on the character Lord Morpheus/Dream of Endless aka the Sandman (Tom Sturridge - Mary Shelley, Sweet Bitter TV series etc) who was ruler of the kingdom in the dream world known as Dreaming. After being captured for very long time by humans, Morpheus managed to escape and return to Dreaming where his librarian Lucienne (Vivienne Acheampong) took care of business while he was away. During his captivity, one of Morpheus' creation, a Nightmare called The Corinthian (Boyd Holbrook - We Can be Heroes, Beckett etc) broke away from Dreaming and wreaking havoc in the waking world. 

DC League of Super-Pets - Fun and Entertaining Adventure Movie of DC Comics Super Pets

This movie was released in the Indonesian cinemas more than a week ago but many of them have reduced the show time. For some reasons though, last weekend there were more studios showing the movie again, which I thought was a smart move as it served as counter programming against the only major release mid week, an Indonesian horror film. Anyway, I finally got the chance to see it yesterday with my wife in one of the theater a bit far from our home. Now why don't I get right to it.

Brief Story Line

Krypto (voiced by Dwayne Johnson - Rampage, Fast and Furious: Hobbs & Shaw etc) was a super dog who became superheroes with his master Superman (John Krasinski - A Quiet Place Part II, The Office TV series etc). As he got close with his girlfriend Lois Lane (Olivia Wilde - Richard Jewell, Cowboys & Aliens etc), Superman realized that Krypto needed some new friends. So he tried to adopt new pets from an animal shelter where there were a dog named Ace (Kevin Hart - The Man from Toronto, Fatherhood etc), a pig called PB (Vanessa Bayer - Ibiza etc), Chip the red squirrel (Diego Luna - Blood Father, If Beale Street Could Talk etc), Merton the turtle (Natasha Lyonne - Russian Doll TV series etc) and a guinea pig named Lulu (Kate McKinnon - Yesterday, The Bubble etc).

The Batman - A Unique Take on the Iconic DC Character

After a couple of weeks playing in theaters, my wife and I finally went to see this movie yesterday. We have been putting off going to the cinemas due to the latest surge of Covid-19 in Indonesia. Anyway, we saw this film in a small exclusive theater with reclining seats that only had 20+ people in it. We used my wife's vouchers that she had for years which we thought was the perfect time to utilize as the movie had nearly 3 hours duration. OK I'll get right to it then.

Brief Story Line

In Gotham city, Bruce Wayne (Robert Pattinson - Twilight Saga, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire etc) had been operating as vigilante for 2 years. When there was a murder of high profile person by a man who called himself Riddler (Paul Dano - The Guilty, There Will be Blood etc), Lieutenant James Gordon (Jeffrey Wright - No Time to Die, The French Dispatch etc) asked Batman's help despite the objection from other police. 

(TV SERIES) Peacemaker Season 1 - An Amazing Series Based on DC Characters Introduced in The Suicide Squad

After waiting for a while, the first season of this series was finally completed on Thursday. And I had the chance to watch the whole season yesterday on HBO Go. All right, why don't I just get right to it.

Brief Story Line

After the events in The Suicide Squad, Chris Smith aka Peacemaker (John Cena - Bumblebee, Vacation Friends etc) who just recovered from his injury, thought he could run free only to find himself recruited again by ARGUS for a special project called Butterfly. The team now was led by Murn (Chukwudi Iwuji) supported by Agent Harcourt (Jennifer Holland - American Pie Presents: The Book of Love etc), the tech guy John Economos (Steve Agee - The Sarah Silverman Program series etc) and the newest member Leota Adebayo (Danielle Brooks - Orange is the New Black TV series etc). 

The Suicide Squad - Shockingly Violent Movie of the Task Force Comprised of Some Villains in DC Universe

This movie had been playing in Indonesian cinemas for quite some time now. But we were not able to see it back then, and so it was a pleasant surprise for me when I found out the film would be released via streaming on 4 November. Anyway, it was released on few platforms but we chose to see on HBO Go which allowed us to watch without additional fee. OK, let's get on with it now.

Brief Story Line

When a coup happened in the country of Corto Maltese, agent Waller (Viola Davis - How to Get Away with Murders TV series, The Help etc) decided to recruit team of ex convicts once again who were referred to as Task Force X aka Suicide Squad. Due to the extent of the danger, there were plenty of them recruited. The team itself was led by Colonel Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman - The Informer, Altered Carbon TV series etc).

(TV SERIES) Superman & Lois Season 1 - The Story of One of the Most Beloved Superhero from Unique Perspective

Finally I got the chance to watch this series which was just released on HBO Go few days ago. If you access to HBO Go application you would notice that there have been tons of DC movies, series and animated series available there. So it was a total treat for superhero fans out there. Without further ado, I'll get right on it.

Brief Story Line

Clark Kent/Superman (Tyler Hoechlin - Stratton etc) and his wife Lois Lane (Elizabeth Tulloch - Grimm TV series etc) decided to move their family from Metropolis to Smallville. This decision were not really welcomed by their teenage twin boys, the introvert Jordan (Alex Garfin) and the popular & athletic Jonathan (Jordan Elsass). Even Lois' father General Sam Lane (Dylan Walsh - Nip/Tuck TV series etc) was worried of this decision since it might make the villains in Metropolis suspicious of Superman's movement.

(TV SERIES) Sweet Tooth Season 1 - A Dark and Sometimes Depressing Fantasy Series that got Better as it Progressed

On Friday, this new series was released on Netflix which I was a bit doubtful to give a try since I was not familiar with the character and it looked weird too. But when I read that it was well received by critics, I decided to give it a try and finished in 1 day. All right, let's dive into it.

Brief Story Line

Story was set during the time when the world was hit by a deadly virus while at the same time new born babies were somehow became a hybrid of half human and animal. A deer-boy named Gus (Christian Convery) had to be raised by his father Pubba (Will Forte - Scoob!, Keanu etc) in the forest to avoid being captured by people who believed hybrids were the cause of the virus. After 9 peaceful years though, Gus met with a traveler named Jepperd (Nonso Anozie - Artemis Fowl, Zoo TV series etc) and decided to leave the forest with him. During their journey, they met with a young woman who was the leader of resistance movement and called herself Bear (Stefania LaVie Owen - Messiah TV series etc).