4K Digital Review: Wakanda Forever

 

Wakanda Forever had the near impossible task of moving a massive franchise forward after the loss of Chadwick Boseman and does so in the most heartfelt way. The movie begins with the loss of King T'Challa and takes us through where his mother, Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett), and sister Shuri (Letitia Wright) are at. So much of real life is emulated here and the movie becomes one of dealing with loss. 

With T'Challa gone, Wakanda is in the global spotlight with other countries trying to get their hands on vibranium. As other countries discover that vibranium also exists on the bottom of the ocean, they unknowingly awaken Namor (Tenoch Huerta) and his nation of Talokan. This leads to Shuri having to figure out how to save the young scientist Riri Williams (Dominique Thorn) from Namor and a possible war.

The cast is amazing and the standout here is easily Angela Bassett who gives and Oscar worthy performance. Letitia carries a lot of emotional weight here as well. Tenoch is powerful as Namor and makes you feel his emotion of protecting his people. Just an absolute solid cast and I cannot wait to see where Shuri and Namor go into the future of the MCU. 

Video Quality:

The streaming 4K video is pristine. Every detail from skin tones to the intricate details of the costumes are a sight to be seen. The wide variety of colors are rich and lush. An absolute visual delight that needs to be seen in this format. 

Audio Quality: 

The Dolby Atmos mix here is wonderful. Dialogue is clean and without any issues. The surround is put to good use in both the water and battle sequences. The score rumbles and gets the best bass here. 

Bonus Features:

Gag Reel

·       Take a look at some of the lighthearted moments on the set of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

Audio Commentary

·       Listen to Ryan Coogler, Joe Robert Cole, and Autumn Durald Arkapaw discuss the film.

Featurettes

·       Envisioning Two Worlds – Uncover the making of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever through the lens and leadership of co-writer/director Ryan Coogler, production designer Hannah Beachler, and costume designer Ruth Carter.

·       Passing the Mantle – Follow the evolution of the Black Panther through the films. In tracing Shuri, Ramonda, and Riri’s journeys through the film, this featurette explores what legacy ultimately means in Wakanda and how it will resonate with MCU viewers for years to come.

Deleted Scenes

·       Outside The Scope – Okoye has a shocking standoff with Ayo and the Dora Milaje. Aneka makes a challenging decision.

·       The Upstairs Toilet – Ross infiltrates the NSA in disguise in an attempt to uncover information.

·       Daughter of the Border – After a conversation with her Uncle, Okoye is faced with a daunting choice.

·       Anytime, Anywhere – In Haiti, Shuri and Okoye share a bittersweet moment.

Conclusion:

Wakanda Forever pays a fitting tribute to the loss of Chadwick Boseman and propels the franchise forward. A wonderful transfer and audio mix combined with some great bonus features including a must listen to audio commentary makes this a solid addition to your personal library.  

(The review copy was provided by Walt Disney Home Entertainment and the review is solely my opinion)

Digital Review: Mickey & Minnie 10 Classic Shorts

 

Just in time to celebrate Disney's 100th Anniversary comes Mickey & Minnie 10 Classic Shorts. This is the first of several planned releases throughout the year. The digital, Blu-Ray and DVD versions are out now.

The following shorts are included on the disc (1:23:14 total runtime):

• Steamboat Willie: It's a pleasant time for Mickey Mouse, who is whistling and merrily piloting a steamboat. However, Captain Pete angrily pushes him aside to take the wheel. Things get crazier when Minnie Mouse nearly misses the boat but drops her music. The sheet is eaten by a goat, so the two ingeniously find a way to produce the music, anyway.
• Brave Little Tailor: Mickey, a simple tailor, boasts about his prowess as a swordsman, supposedly having killed seven giants with one blow. He is called before the king, recounts his tall tale, and is recruited to slay a giant the king wants dead. Of course, Mickey didn't really do the deed -- he killed a few flies instead -- but when he learns that successfully slaying the giant will win him Minnie Mouse, he decides to take on the impossible task in hopes of earning great reward.
• The Little Whirlwind: Its baking day, and Minnie has prepared some scrumptious-looking cakes. Mickey Mouse wants some cake, too, and he's promised to have some if he will clean up Minnie's cluttered yard. However, a tornado pops up nearby, and it seems to have a mind of its own: a mind to make Mickey's chores a pain!
• Mickey's Delayed Date: Mickey has a date with Minnie, and he's about to miss it! When she rings to remind him that the time is at hand, he scrambles to get into his tuxedo. Unfortunately, a series of misadventures cause him to lose the tickets and ruin his formal wear. Can anything salvage this date?
• On Ice: This short follows a trio of on-ice tales: Mickey teaches Minnie how to ice skate, Goofy tries to go fishing using chewing tobacco as a lure, and Donald causes Pluto to go for an unexpected ride on the ice.
• Hawaiian Holiday: It's time for the crew to go on vacation, and where better than the sun, surf, and satisfaction of a relaxing Hawaiian getaway? Of course, in classic cartoon fashion, "relaxing" isn't the name of the game: antics and shenanigans are! In short: what can go wrong in Hawaii does go wrong in Hawaii, but to satisfying comic effect.
• Mr. Mouse Takes a Trip: Mickey and Pluto are travelling via train, illicitly. Dogs aren't allowed, so Mickey has smuggled his four-legged best friend in a suitcase. Can the two keep up the ruse, or will the train's conductor, Pete, catch wind of dog and dump the pair from the ride?
• Figaro and Frankie: Minnie's cat Figaro is trying to catch a cat nap but finding it impossible with the caged Frankie bird tweeting nearby. Fig wants to silence the bird, but Minnie threatens him with a good old-fashioned spanking if he does so. However, his feline instincts get the best of him, much to Minnie' chagrin and possibly Frankie's demise.
• Bath Day: Figaro needs a bath! Minne makes sure her cat is clean, and smells good, too, but the question is whether Fig can stay clean. Some stray cats will have something to say about that!
• Thru the Mirror: When Mickey falls asleep reading Through the Looking Glass, he finds himself in a topsy-turvy Lewis Carrol world! Can he navigate the newfound curiosities in this wonderland cartoon?

Unlike previous releases of shorts that feature a playlist where you can select to play each short individually or a "Play-All" option, you get a different approach with this release. Here it plays out more like a package feature with interstitials to play between each short. The idea is that Mickey and Minnie are putting together a scrapbook and looking back upon ten of their favorite memories. 

The ten shorts that appear are all fully restored in high definition and look fantastic. Each short appears to have been restored as any of the full-length animated features of the time have been restored. The audio is a 2.0 Dolby Digital stereo mix, an upgrade from the original mono tracks.

Mickey & Minnie 10 Classic Shorts - Volume 1 is a wonderful way to celebrate Disney's rich animation history as part of the 100th Anniversary of the company this year. It is a fun way to showcase some of Mickey and Minnie's most iconic animated shorts and hopefully leads the way to move fun volumes throughout the year. 

(Walt Disney Home Entertainment provided the digital copy for review purposes and my review is strictly my opinion only)

JON FAVREAU’S HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME CEREMONY

 

Disney+ is pleased to share photos from multi-hyphenate Jon Favreau’s Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony where a star in his honor was unveiled today. Guest speakers Robert Downey Jr. and Chef Roy Choi honored Favreau at the event, which celebrated his contributions to television.

 

Jon Favreau is currently showrunner and executive producer of the acclaimed, Emmy award-winning Star Wars series from Lucasfilm, “The Mandalorian,” which begins its third season exclusively on Disney_­+ March 1. For Lucasfilm and Disney+, Favreau also served as executive producer for “The Book of Boba Fett” and is executive producing the upcoming Star Wars series “Ahsoka” and “Skeleton Crew.” 

BIG GAME TV SPOT FOR “INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY”

 

BURBANK, Calif. (February 12, 2023) - The TV spot that debuted during today’s big game for Lucasfilm’s “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny,” starring Harrison Ford as the legendary hero archaeologist and directed by James Mangold (“Ford v Ferrari,” “Logan”), is available now. The highly anticipated fifth installment of the iconic franchise will open in theaters on June 30, 2023.

 

Starring along with Ford are Phoebe Waller-Bridge (“Fleabag”), Antonio Banderas (“Pain and Glory”), John Rhys-Davies (“Raiders of the Lost Ark”), Shaunette Renee Wilson (“Black Panther”), Thomas Kretschmann (“Das Boot”), Toby Jones (“Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom”), Boyd Holbrook (“Logan”), Oliver Richters (“Black Widow”), Ethann Isidore (“Mortel”) and Mads Mikkelsen (“Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore”). Directed by James Mangold, the film is produced by Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall and Simon Emanuel, with Steven Spielberg and George Lucas serving as executive producers. John Williams, who has scored each Indy adventure since the original "Raiders of the Lost Ark" in 1981, is once again composing the score.