There are classic shark flicks like JAWS and Deep Blue Sea, then there are modern somewhat enjoyable ventures like The Meg, and also disasters like The Meg 2. The Last Breath (2024) falls in between the latter two.

The plot follows 5 young divers who get trapped in a wrecked warship with a shark. 

The concept is unique but you can see that this movie required a much bigger budget. However, I still felt the sense of dread and claustrophobia which encompassed the second and third arcs of the story. The sharks are menacing yet at the same time, due to the lower production costs, not as lifelike as one would expect.

Overall, it’s a good shark movie. I’m surprised at its 4.7/10 rating on IMDb. It deserves a higher score but alas it’s not a must-watch spectacle of shark survival.

The Rating: 6.5/10

 

I was skeptical about Batman: Caped Crusader being a good show after watching the first 2 episodes, but turns out, it’s one of the pieces of animation released this year.

What I liked was how it doesn’t rely fully on Batman or the Joker to form a fully-fledged 1st season narrative. Instead, it offers us a seemingly unconnected storyline throughout this foremost season.

Amazon Prime has already hit their stride with Invincible, Batman: Caped Crusader is a very different show though. It’s PG-13 but still adult as there are killings unlike that in the classic Batman: The Animated Series.

The voice acting, neo-noir animation style, are all fantastic but the latter takes some getting used to especially if you’re not well-acquainted with Batman: The Animated Series.

The 3rd episode about Catwoman is great but it’s the 4th episode which turns the tide and gives us one of the best DC animated episodes in history. You won’t forget the plot of the 4th episode even if you tried to.

I liked how vast the rogues gallery was with a new villain introduced in almost every episode. The show also shows us Batman’s psychological vulnerability which was also showcased in Batman: The Animated Series.

Overall, Batman: Caped Crusader is an awesome entry in DC’s already well-established animated universe. It is a spiritual successor to Batman: The Animated Series, and although it doesn’t give us a huge jump in quality (like X-Men 97 did compared to X-Men: The Animated Series) it’s still entertaining in its own right.

The Rating: 8 out of 10.

P.S. I found the 4th episode and the last 2 episodes to be stand-outs especially compared to the first 2 episodes which didn’t resonate with me. 

Amber Heard stars in this new thriller called In the Fire (2023) from Saban Films. Now when I saw the opening credit of Saban Films I was afraid as they are known for bad low-budget films like Agent Game and The Old Way. But finally they have released something decent.

In the Fire has commentary on science vs. spirituality which I thought should've been expanded upon in the narrative. The movie is also plain boring at times. It also has the semblance of a western but maybe because the director made a western in 2021. The cinematography is beautiful and the acting by the entire cast is good but not great.

Overall, In the Fire is an unoriginal thriller which barely makes a name for itself in the overcrowded genre. It's just average and I have seen much superior films with a similar premise.

The Rating: 5 out of 10.