Murphy's Multiverse

Author: Nicole

  • REVIEW: ‘The Adam Project’ is a Delightful Time Travel Movie

    REVIEW: ‘The Adam Project’ is a Delightful Time Travel Movie

    When it comes to time travel, it often feels like it has been overdone. Most of the time, the concept of time travel in the media we consume can be overly complicated for no apparent reason. And then there are the instances in which it feels as though little to no thought was put into the science of it all. Thankfully, The Adam Project seems to comprehend how to tell a good story with the use of time travel, opting not to complicate things, but also ensuring it tries to explain the science for the general audience. The film is everything viewers can want from a time-travel moment; it’s smart, it has heart, and the cast is pretty dang stellar, but more importantly, it never forgets to tell a good story throughout it all.

    The Adam Project kicks things off with Ryan Reynolds‘ Adam in a ship seemingly crashing down to Earth. It’s a hell of a sequence, and one that immediately pulls viewers in. It doesn’t waste time trying to set anything up, it wants to let viewers know they’re in for a bumpy ride. What follows is the introduction of young Adam and his mom, played by Jennifer Garner, as he finds himself at the center of a fight in school. Much like the introduction to Reynolds‘ adult Adam, this helps to set up the character of young Adam, proving he’s always been a bit of a troublemaker. Naturally, the two soon come into contact, resulting in a chaotic story that soon follows.

    There’s much to love about The Adam Project. It’s a family film that is full of adventure and heart. It’s visually stunning with a soundtrack that perfectly matches the tone of the film. As for the action? There’s one particular action sequence involving Zoe Saldaña‘s character that is so well-done, it feels like it is pulled from a superhero film. The action is big and explosive, and yet, it still feels as if it’s purposeful; the action doesn’t exist merely to look cool. Each sequence serves a purpose and helps to move the story forward. 

    Where the film truly excels is in its small moments. For such a large story that takes place across multiple timelines, The Adam Project knows when to scale things back. Shawn Levy does a great job directing the film from a script penned by Jonathan Tropper, T.S. Nowlin, Jennifer Flackett and Mark Levin. The scenes between Mark Ruffalo and the Adams are heartfelt and wonderfully shot. They feel intimate and provide some of the best character development throughout the movie. The only issue with the film? It doesn’t make nearly enough use of Ruffalo and Saldaña.

    All in all, The Adam Project is a blast. It’s full of fantastic performances — especially Jennifer Garner, who plays the role of a widowed mother so heartbreakingly well — and wonderful character moments. Sure, it might occasionally fall into the typical Reynolds humor, however, it works in this film. This is the perfect family film to watch over the weekend. There’s plenty of action, the dialogue is well-written and the small cast allows the creatives to maintain control of what could have otherwise been a cluster of a film. If you’re looking for something to watch this weekend on Netflix? Give The Adam Project a watch, you won’t be disappointed.

  • REVIEW: ‘Human Resources’ is a More In-Depth Story Than its Predecessor

    REVIEW: ‘Human Resources’ is a More In-Depth Story Than its Predecessor

    Netflix’s Big Mouth is a huge success for the streaming service. The story of a group of teens who find themselves struggling with puberty was a well-done take on the things adolescents often find themselves dealing with — mostly due to the inclusion of the often ridiculous hormone monsters. So, it’s not entirely surprising that Netflix moved ahead with a spinoff series focusing on not just the Hormone Monsters and the Shame Wizard, but the rest of the various creatures that make up the Human Resources department. While many might have felt that the fifth season of Big Mouth spent too much time establishing the spinoff, Human Resources manages to successfully craft a strong story without relying on its predecessor.

    Part of what makes Human Resources such a delight to watch is that it truly tries to be its own thing. It might take an episode or two, but once the series finds its own voice? It establishes itself as one of Netflix’s best-animated series — and yes, that’s including Big Mouth. Although the Hormone Monsters feature frequently in Human Resources, this series moves beyond them. In fact, the entire first season has an impressively well-structured storyline that, while allowing for their explicit behavior, manages to succeed without relying on them. Instead, the Lovebugs take center stage this go-round, and while they could appear off-putting initially, by season’s end, the Lovebugs might just become a new fan favorite.

    Human Resources revolves around various creatures — including the Lovebugs, Hormone Monsters, Logic Rocks and Shame Wizards — aiding humans journey through every aspect of life from puberty to childbirth to the twilight years. Unsurprisingly, though, as the series goes on, the creatures begin to find a bit of humanity within themselves, too. This is the type of animated series that, while being advertised as raunchy and funny, is more than meets the eye. It’s packed full of emotion, from grief, to love, to depression and acceptance. There’s a heck of a lot here to unpack, and yet, the series manages to tell such a well-balanced story within so few episodes. It’s honestly impressive just how well the writers handle the variety of topics and the massive cast of creatures.

    Human Resources focuses on one individual for the most part and the creatures that try and help her journey through life. However, over the course of the series, we are slowly introduced to a few other key characters that’ll become entwined in the main storyline in various methods. The fascinating part about Human Resources is that it successfully plays the long game with its background characters. Some of these individuals are introduced merely as background characters at first, but by the end of Season 1, they become fully incorporated into the story with the series somehow successfully tackling their tales alongside Becca’s journey. It’s a juggling act and, somehow, the series juggles each storyline so wonderfully.

    Big Mouth might’ve come first, and it might be a hit, but when it comes down to it? Human Resources is everything Big Mouth is and more, in all of the best ways. Romance. Grief. Love. Vulgarity. Comedy. It’s a mismatch of everything and it works so wonderfully. Just don’t be surprised when, by the season’s end, tears escape your eyes because the ending is an emotional one, and it earns every moment of emotion it delivers in the final episode. 

    Human Resources hits Netflix on March 18, 2022.

  • Will Forte and Lana Condor Join John Cena in ‘Coyote Vs. Acme’

    Will Forte and Lana Condor Join John Cena in ‘Coyote Vs. Acme’

    Will Forte and Lana Condor are set to join John Cena in the Looney Tunes flick, Coyote Vs. Acme. The news was first reported by Deadline, with the outlet revealing Forte will play the lawyer for Wile E. Coyote, as they work together to go against Forte’s intimidating former boss played by Cena. However, while working together, the duo soon find themselves developing a friendship between man and cartoon, which only makes them all the more determined to win. Details surrounding Condor’s role are being kept under wraps.

    Coyote vs. Acme will focus on Coyote, who after ACME products fail him one too many times in his dogged pursuit of the Roadrunner, decides to hire a billboard lawyer to sue the ACME Corporation. The film is being produced by James Gunn (Peacemaker, Guardians of the Galaxy), who reteams with Cena yet again, and Chris DeFaria.

    The film was written by Samy Burch and is based on the New Yorker humor article “Coyote v. Acme” by Ian Frazier. Dave Green, who has directed Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows, will helm the film.

    Coyote vs. Acme will hit theaters on July 21, 2023.

    Source: Deadline.

  • ‘Meg 2: The Trench’ Gets 2023 Release Date

    ‘Meg 2: The Trench’ Gets 2023 Release Date

    Warner Bros. continues to shift release dates. After moving the release dates for a fair amount of its DC properties, the studio has given a new release date to the sequel to The Meg.

    Meg 2: The Trench has secured a 2023 release date. Per Variety, the Jason Statham-led film, will hit theaters on Aug. 4, 2023. It is the sequel to the smash-hit The Meg, which pulled in $530 million at the worldwide box office upon release in 2018. Fans of the first film have been eagerly awaiting the sequel, which will see Statham’s Jonas Taylor return.

    The first film followed a group of scientists who were tasked with exploring the Marianas Trench. During their exploration, though, they found themselves face to face with the largest marine predator that has ever existed: the Megalodon. The film, and its sequel, are based upon the books from author Steve Alten.

    The Meg 2: The Trench stars Statham, Sienna Guillory, Skyler Samuels, Cliff Curtis and Sergio Peris-Mencheta. It is directed by Ben Wheatley (High-Rise) from a script by Dean Georgaris and Erich Hoeber.

    Source: Variety.

  • ‘Quantum Leap’ Sequel Series Pilot Rounds Out its Cast

    ‘Quantum Leap’ Sequel Series Pilot Rounds Out its Cast

    A day after confirming Ernie Hudson has joined the cast of its Quantum Leap sequel series pilot, NBC has announced three more actors set to join the cast. Per Variety, Caitlin Bassett, Nanrisa Lee, and Mason Alexander join the cast of the NBC pilot. The trio will star alongside series leads, Raymond Lee and Hudson.

    Bassett will play a character named Addison. She is a project lead at Quantum Leap headquarters and operates a “state-of-the-art technology to communicate with an individual time traveling in the past.” This will mark Bassett’s television debut. She was a part of the ABC Discovers Talent Showcase and is a military veteran who previously worked with the U.S. Army Intelligence and the National Security Agency.

    Lee will play a character named Jenn. She’s said to be the head of security for Quantum Leap headquarters. While Alexander will play Ian, the chief architect of Quantum Leap’s A.I. program. Lee has previously appeared in shows such as Westworld and The Morning Show. As for Alexander, they most recently starred in Netflix’s live-action take on Cowboy Bebop and are set to appear in the streamer’s adaptation of The Sandman.

    Steven Lilien (Gotham) and Bryan Wynbrandt (Gotham) will pen the pilot script.

    Source: Variety.

  • REVIEW: ‘Upload’ Season 2 Avoids the Sophomore Slump

    REVIEW: ‘Upload’ Season 2 Avoids the Sophomore Slump

    It has been nearly two years since Upload first premiered on Amazon, and now, the second season is finally upon us. Even better? It was worth the excruciating wait.

    Living in the pandemic era, it’s hard to imagine a series about death and the afterlife could be exactly what audiences need, and yet, Upload continues to be exactly that. Season 2 of the Amazon Prime series wastes no time picking up where Nathan and Ingrid’s story leaves off. After Nathan opts to go to the 2 Gigs as a means to break free of Ingrid, he soon finds himself approached by her as she comes to tell him she’s uploaded. Unfortunately, though, he’s out of data following his decision to try and help Nora. This brings us to Season 2, which brings Nathan back to Lakeview and back to Ingrid.

    It is very normal for most shows to suffer a sophomore slump. It’s even more natural for a show that takes such massive breaks between seasons to lose momentum. Upload manages to avoid both of these issues. In fact, Season 2 of Upload manages to be an improvement upon an already stellar first season. Still, the season isn’t without its issues. As thrilling and captivating as Upload Season 2 is, the series does encounter hiccups occasionally. They’re incredibly minor, though, and are often resolved by episode’s end. One of the biggest hiccups this season is the character arc Nora undergoes. The Nora we met during Season 1 of Upload is long gone; she’s been replaced by someone on a mission, even if she’s not entirely certain her actions are in the right. There’s still a compassionate part of her who is desperate to do the right thing, but she’s also more confident and developed. The issue, however, is that the reintroduction of Nora nearly sees her abandon everything that was so important to her in Season 1 within a single episode.

    This, thankfully, is addressed fairly quickly and it becomes clear what her true motives are. It’s just a frustrating bump along this tale that goes well beyond a simple satirical love story. Upload Season 2 still puts love at the forefront, of course, but it becomes a story about self-discovery more so than anything, for all of the main characters. The amount of character growth over these seven half-hour episodes is impressive. Even our Angels get the chance to shine outside of Horizen and their avatars. It’s a nice change of pace that takes viewers outside of the virtual reality of Horizen for a bit.

    As for answers, though, it’s best to go into Upload Season 2 knowing there will be more questions than answers. One big question will be slightly resolved, however, it’ll only lead to a handful more, making the ending all the more frustrating. It’s a valid ending, one that properly serves the story being told, but it’ll leave fans eagerly awaiting a third season that’ll, hopefully, come sooner than another two years.

    All in all, Upload Season 2 is everything fans have been waiting for and more. It’s thrilling, it’s fun and it’s full of surprises. More importantly, though, every character undergoes a transformation of sorts this season and it opens up potential seasons to even bigger storylines. It’s must-see television.

    Upload Season 2 hits Amazon Prime on March 11th.

  • REVIEW: ‘Heckle’ Often Feels Like a Copycat

    REVIEW: ‘Heckle’ Often Feels Like a Copycat

    When it comes to indie horror films, some of them can be truly exciting. There’s a sense of passion that drives them, allowing these types of films to succeed in place of their small budgets. (Perfect example: The Last Possession.) Unfortunately, Heckle is not one of those films.

    From the moment it begins, it’s evident that Heckle is a cold, stale film. It tries so hard to try and replicate the magic of films before it and ultimately fails. The script is so poorly conceived, and the plot just makes no sense. It’s baffling that the movie exists, and yet, it does. As a fan of horror films, I was thrilled to watch Heckle because the synopsis made it sound like a fascinating new horror tale. If only. Heckle likes to think of itself as smarter than it actually is.

    The story focuses on comedian Joe Johnson. He’s supposed to be a big-time comic who is starring in a movie about Ray Kelly, a comedian he looked up to in his younger years. During his most recent show, though, he finds himself dealing with a heckler in the crowd, who makes it clear it will be the worst heckle of his life. What happens next is a bunch of absurdity that never quite makes sense. The heckler goes on to stalk him, or so it seems. It’s hard to tell what’s real and what’s not. The only thing that is certain is that Johnston is a poorly written character with a storyline that is all over the place.

    The biggest issue with Heckle is that it tries too hard to be an iconic slasher flick. It tries to pull the best elements from Scream, Friday the 13th and Halloween. The issue is that it doesn’t know how to make use of these elements. Copy and pasting does not make for a good title. It makes for a poor imitation that is sure to leave a bad taste in the mouths of viewers. Even worse? The kill scenes are so poorly crafted. The sounds are off, the acting is just downright terrible and the movements are so stilted. 

    I wish I could say something positive about Heckle. Unfortunately, there are no redeeming qualities to this film. It feels like a rough draft that needed more time baking but was rushed into production. None of the plotlines truly receive an ending. It’s as if those involved forgot the story they were telling and forgot how to go about ending it. If you’re looking for a good indie film, try The Last Possession. Don’t waste your time on Heckle.

  • Ernie Hudson Joins ‘Quantum Leap’ Reboot Pilot

    Ernie Hudson Joins ‘Quantum Leap’ Reboot Pilot

    NBC’s Quantum Leap reboot pilot has added a legendary actor.

    Per Deadline, Ernie Hudson is set to join the cast of the pilot for NBC’s reboot of Quantum Leap. He will play a lead alongside Raymond Lee, who joins the series as a character named Dr. Ben Seong. Hudson’s role will be that of Herbert “Magic” Williams, a Vietnam veteran and head of the time travel project at Quantum Leap. His character is said to use a “bit of politicking and his military know-how to keep the Pentagon at bay” in order to help Ben bring back after he gets stuck in the 80s.

    The synopsis for the series describes it as being a follow-up to the original, with the story jumping ahead 30 years, trying to offer answers from the original series, while also introducing viewers to a new team.

    It’s been 30 years since Dr. Sam Beckett (Scott Bakula) stepped into the Quantum Leap accelerator and vanished. Now a new team has been assembled to restart the project in the hopes of understanding the mysteries behind the machine and the man who created it.

    The reboot will be written and executive produced by Steven Lilien and Bryan Wynbrandt, as well as Martin Gero. The creator of the original series, Don Bellisario, returns to produce the reboot, alongside Deborah Pratt, who also served as a narrator on the original series.

    Source: Deadline.

  • Breeda Wool Joins the Cast of ‘National Treasure’ for Disney+

    Breeda Wool Joins the Cast of ‘National Treasure’ for Disney+

    Disney Plus’ National Treasure series has added yet another actor to its roster.

    Breeda Wool is the latest actor to join the cast of National Treasure for Disney Plus. She joins the previously announced Lisette Alexis and Catherine Zeta-Jones, with Alexis set as the series lead, Jess. Zeta-Jones will serve as the series co-lead, Billie, while Wool will take on the role of Kacey, a sarcastic, kick-ass henchwoman who also serves as Billie’s second-in-command. Wool’s role will be a recurring one.

    The National Treasure series will expand upon the movie franchise, while telling this new story through the story of Jess, a DREAMer in search of answers about her family — who embarks on the adventure of a lifetime to uncover the truth about the past and save a lost Pan-American treasure.

    Also starring in the forthcoming series are Lyndon Smith, Zuri Reed, Jake Austin Walker, Antonio Cipriano and Jordan Rodrigues.

    Mira Nair (Queen of Katwe) will direct the pilot episode from a script by Cormac Wibberley and Marianne Wibberley. Production on the series kicked off in mid-February in Baton Rogue.

    National Treasure is being produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, Jon Turteltaub and Marianne and Cormac Wibberley.

    Source: Deadline.

  • ‘The Batman’ Scores $128 Million Opening

    ‘The Batman’ Scores $128 Million Opening

    The Caped Crusader has topped the box office.

    The Batman has secured the second-best opening weekend behind Sony and Marvel Studios’ Spider-Man: No Way Home. The latest film from Matt Reeves is looking to bring in around $128 million in its opening weekend, following a $43.2 million Saturday. Of course, as it is still early in the day, the film’s opening could rise to $130 million depending on how Sunday progresses.

    The Batman marks the biggest opening for Warner Bros. during the pandemic era, as well as the best opening for Reeves, coming in above Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, which opened to $73 million. More impressively, however, The Batman‘s opening weekend is currently the best domestic opening for the year. The film’s opening numbers are all the more impressive given its nearly three-hour runtime.

    Regarding The Batman, Toby Emmerich, president of Warner Bros. Motion Pictures, spoke highly of Reeves and his vision for the film. “You to buy into the idea that Batman is like Hamlet. He’s such a rich character. And that the only reason to do it is if you find a different swim lane and a Batman that’s true to the DNA, but is a different interpretation,” he said in a statement to THR. “From the very beginning, Matt consciously made sure that the character and the story he was telling was different than anyone that had been told before.”

    The Batman is in theaters now.

    Source: THR.