2023 160 Movies Challenge

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Spider-Man Across The Spider-Verse
9/10

A very entertaining great sequel.
The movie has continuity from Spider-Man Into The Spider-Verse.

The movie shows Miles having the challenge of balancing being Spider-Man and being a good student.
I enjoyed this movie remained believable since Miles's parents are suspicious about his double life including when he's absent for a long time during a Party.

The movie shows the high price of what Spider-Woman aka Spider-Gwen had to do, along with a drawback that doesn't have an easy solution which created a believable misunderstanding.
The goal of the Spider Society is a logical one.

The reunion with Miles and Gwen is very entertaining including them swinging through New York City.

The movie does explain the devices characters can use to travel to other Spider-Man universes.
Spider-Man (Miles Morales) being chased by vast Spider-Men and Spider-Women is an amazing scene.

Great action scenes and multiple scenes look like from a comic book.
The stakes are high since the Spot can destroy the Multiverse.




This is the first Spider-Man movie that has the futuristic Spider-Man that is Spider-Man 2099. He has a unique Spider-Man costume, and the movie shows off his impressive powers.

The Spot is the main antagonist, and the movie shows the explanation for how exactly he got his powers. He has a believable motivation for his goal, and he becomes more dangerous as his powers increase.

Complex themes are explored including Spider-Man (Miles Morales) that wants to change an outcome that goes against the Spider Society that has a conclusion that is a tragic outcome that shouldn't be prevented because of the benefits according to what an algorithm shows.
This movie explores Gwen more including Gwen's relationship with her father, and I'm very happy the movie gives a realistic reason why Gwen doesn't want to talk about her emotions instead of something flimsy.

Multiple different Spider universes are explored including the Universe that Spider-Woman (Gwen Stacy) lives in.

It was very entertaining watching the Spot go into different Spider-Man universes including the Lego Spider-Man universe, and the cinematic Venom universe.

This movie has a terrific to-be-continued cliffhanger ending. Also, the movie does show a comic book cover of what be viewed as an accurate teaser for the third Spider-Verse movie.
Good dialogue, memorable liners, and a Spider-Man movie that highly succeeds with the wisecracks used by Spider-Man (Miles Morales.

The movie would be over 3 hours long if this wasn't a traditional 2 parter so I don't think this can be criticized as just a way for Sony to make more cash with the third Spider-Verse movie.

 

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(2023) Super Mario Brothers
9/10

A terrific Fantasy Adventure movie based on the Super Mario video games, and it's a very faithful adaptation which isn't surprising because Nintendo was involved in making this animated adaptation.
It's a great remake that fans of the Super Mario Brothers video games can enjoy because it's a very faithful adaptation made by Nintendo.


The movie does show more of Mario and Luigi's world in Brooklyn including what they're doing when they aren't working as Plumbers in Brooklyn, and shows is Mario and Luigi live with their family.



The movie has sounds from the Super Mario Brothers video games, music from the Super Mario Brothers video games, same rules for power-ups which is the power-up is lost by a character if a foe or thing successfully attacks the character.

The movie has an open ending so very likely Nintendo wants to make a sequel.

Amazing-looking worlds same as shown in the Super Mario Brothers video games.
A variety of entertaining action scenes including Mario, Bowser, and other characters riding go-karts on a rainbow road.
Good dialogue, Mario does struggle to become a competent protagonist, and the movie does give a great payoff since Mario states he and Luigi can be great.
An entertaining straightforward story with Mario, Luigi, Donkey Kong, and other protagonists having an understandable motivation to achieve their goal, Bowser has an understandable motivation for his goal, and high stakes.

Princess Peach is a strong female character except she has limitations.
She isn't a Mary Sue which is a protagonist that has no flaws, and no limitations since the protagonist can mostly do anything to win which is extremely boring.


Bowser singing a song while playing the Piano was a priceless scene. He has a soft spot for romance since he wants to marry Princess Peach so they can rule the Kingdoms.
He is an entertaining charismatic main antagonist that does get his hands dirty instead of just having his subordinates do all the dirty work. He does use his recognizable attack that is he breathes fire including during the climax when he fights Luigi and Mario.

Bowser aka King Koopa is a formidable antagonist that isn't easily defeated, and Mario and Luigi fighting him during the climax is a highly entertaining action scene.

All characters including Mario, Luigi, Bowser, and Princess Peach, look the exact same as they do in the Super Mario Brothers video games.

 

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Hocus Pocus 2
7/10

An entertaining good direct sequel that has continuity from the first Hocus Pocus movie including talking about events from the first movie, and showing scenes from the first movie.
Amazing special effects include lightning which looks very realistic, magical blasts, etc.

The movie is set in 2022, and it's very entertaining with the Sanderson Sisters looking at items in a Wal Green's, and also them reacting when they hear a Siri Homepod.

In this sequel, the book is shown to be a character with agency.

The movie does show a high drawback for a spell that the Sanderson Sisters use.

The movie does have good messages including calling people weird after stating their differences is making fun of people.

The movie provides a strong explanation of how the Sanderson Sisters can get resurrected a second time which is needed because the black candle that Max lit from the first movie is shown to be melted.

The opening scene is mostly a prequel showing information about why the Sanderson Sisters become Outcasts in Salem Massachusetts, and why they become witches.

Even if a Hocus Pocus 3 is never made, this sequel did show a memorable change in the Hocus Pocus movie universe.

An obvious flaw is 2 characters in a house are shown watching Hocus Pocus which is unbelievable because this is in the same universe as Hocus Pocus.
It's not an issue that characters in a bar are watching (1978) Halloween in the sequel Halloween 3 because Halloween 3 is not the same Halloween movie universe as the first 2 Halloween movies.

Well-done comedy, with good action scenes, 3 unique antagonists with an achievable goal, and 3 unique protagonists.


Cassie, Becca, and Izzy are all shown to be competent protagonists.
A standout aspect is the drama with the teenage protagonists has believable reasons instead of being a contrived drama, or drama happens for flimsy reasons.
Becca has a main advantage that Izzy and Cassie don't. and I'm very happy she isn't shown as a Mary Sue.
Mary Sue is a protagonist that removes all drama and is very boring since Mary Sue has no flaws or limitations, and also no struggles to win since Mary Sue can do mostly anything to defeat an adversary.

 

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(2011) Red Dog
8/10

An entertaining great Australian Family Drama movie about an amazing dog that is a kelpie/cattle dog cross.
This Australian Movie is based on the True story of Red Dog, and the 2002 Novel Red Dog by Louis de Bernieres is
the main source.

John Grant played by Josh Lucas is using his normal voice which fits because he's playing an American, and that is confirmed in the movie since an Australian character calls John a Yank.
The romance story with John and Nancy has not shoehorned in, and it has realistic progression.



John is shown to be a likable character, and the movie shows a believable reason why Red Dog decides John is his master.


The movie has a very unique style since a character's name will be shown on a side of a character when a character is first shown.

Dampier, Western Australia does get shown off in this movie.
Multiple miners tell their stories about Red Dog to Thomas in a bar.

Red Dog is shown to be a likable character including he did save a man from getting eaten by a Shark.

The movie states what Red Dog is searching for when he starts searching Dampier, other locations in Australia, and Japan. Most of the traveling is Red Dog walking, and Red Dog does realize a somber truth about why he can't find what he's searching for so he returns to Dampier, Australia.
Red Dog did travel more than 80 miles mostly by him walking before realizing the somber truth about why he can't find what he was searching for which is a reason to be amazed, and an extraordinary feat.

Red Dog does unite an Australian mining community. Also, Red Dog was shown to be a successful hitchhiker.

This Australian family drama movie has unique characters, an entertaining story, a lovable protagonist dog, good acting, drama including reasons to be sad, and a conflict that doesn't have an easy solution.


I highly enjoyed that John and Nancy are shown watching the famous great movie Jaws at a Drive-in Theater. It's a very retro scene since it's in the era when Drive-In Theaters were a dime a dozen.

This movie has an epic fight between Red Dog and Red Cat which mostly seems like something from Looney Tunes.
The change in Red Dog and Red Cat's relationship is well-earned.

The climax is unforgettable.
An amazing memorable ending that made me very happy.

Red Dog did become as iconic as Balto because a Red Dog Statue was installed in Dampier, Australia.

 

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TMNT Mutant Mayhem
7/10

An entertaining good reboot TMNT movie that is unique, and is the darkest TMNT movie.
The reason why it's the darkest is because SuperFly's goal is to eradicate all humans, and he has a believable motivation for why he wants to achieve this destructive goal.
Also, the humans are shown to be terrible characters because they reacted with panic and fear when they saw SuperFly and his group of Mutants instead of accepting them, and humans react with fear and hostility after seeing Splinter after seeing that he is a bipedal rat.

A glaring flaw is multiple action scenes are hard to follow.
Standout details for product placement are the Pizza Hut Pizzas, and Raphael is shown holding an Adidas Orignal t-shirt that is gray and the Adidas Original logo is red.
Splinter has a believable reason why he doesn't want the Turtles to interact with humans.


A highly entertaining climax with the Turtles, Splinter, and the Mutants having to defeat a giant animal.

It's believable that Donatello would think of a weakness that the giant animal has after Leonardo reminds him that he's read multiple comic books where a group of super heroes have to defeat a giant animal that has a common vulnerable area.
SuperFly does introduce the group of mutants to the Turtles which does include Rocksteady and Bebop.


April O'Neal is a unique character that has an understandable motivation for her achievable goal.

A flashback scene is shown when SuperFly talks to the Turtles that he and his group of mutants weren't accepted by humans when humans saw them because humans reacted with fear and panic even though SuperFly and the Mutants weren't doing anything harmful.
This information shows the main antagonist SuperFly to be a tragic character since he wanted him and the group of mutants to be accepted by humans which didn't happen so as a result he has a cynical view of humans, and he's not wrong when he states the main flaw about humans which is why he believes he's justified to eradicate humans which he explains to the Turtles for how he plans to achieve a destructive genocidal goal.

The Turtles know that humans are terrible mainly driven by fear so it's believable that Leonardo is asked why the turtles should not eradicate humans, and he gives an understandable cliche answer for why the Turtles eradicating humans is wrong.

The changes in this TMNT Movie are earned because of great writing, and an entertaining ending.

 

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Meg 2 The Trench
8/10

An entertaining great sequel.
The Trench in this movie is 25,000 feet below the Ocean. That area gets explored by Jonas and the other protagonists in advanced submersibles.

The human antagonists have a believable motivation for their main goal.
The movie does have a high amount of entertaining action scenes most of which happen on Fun Island.



How Jonas Killed a Meg Shark has high suspense, and how he attracts a Meg Shark obviously was inspired by Jaws 2.


This sequel does have 1 line which is a reference to the first movie, and with returning protagonists, it's unmistakable this is a direct sequel.

A giant octopus does fight a Meg shark, also Jonas does ride a Jet Ski while using Makeshift Harpoons to kill the Meg Sharks.
Jonas does have a memorable creative 1 liner after defeating a human antagonist.
The 1 liner is similar to "Let off some Steam Bennett." from Commando because it's creative. Also because the 1 liner fit with what was shown in the scene.

The movie repeatedly uses the perfect timing cliche which isn't a flaw because this is a Popcorn movie set in a universe that has Meg Sharks, a giant octopus, and prehistoric marine reptiles.
It's not contrived that a protagonist says he modified bullets for his hand gun to poison-tipped bullets which he got from Jaws 2.
Multiple protagonists are shown to be competent protagonists in action movie scenes which made me very happy.

This sequel does focus on human antagonists that have a believable motivation for their achievable goal, also prehistoric marine reptiles that can run on land, a giant octopus, multiple Meg Sharks including the biggest Meg, and the protagonists exploring the Trench area.

All reasons why this sequel is outside the box instead of being an uncreative sequel that reuses the same style creature feature killer shark story.

This movie does have a high body count including creative for the Meg Sharks that are shown killing human characters.

The third act on Fun Island is a high-stakes battle for survival with the Protagonists having to save bystanders from the giant Octopus and the Meg Sharks, also the Protagonsits and Anatagonsits having to kill the prehistoric marine reptiles, also the Human Antagonists fighting the protagonists.