My Review of Peacemaker: "Back To The Suture"

 

Written by James Gunn 

Directed by Alethea Jones

Economos (re QUC): "Use it? Why are we going to use it?"

Harcourt: "Because we're going to get Chris back."

It's amazing how Harcourt looked like she was all set to betray Chris in order to get back into ARGUS but in reality, she had a clever plan. Except it fell apart because Chris couldnt tell the meaning of a code word.

Chris showed up to the meeting point and wouldn't take the hint to leave. He knew it was a trap and even managed to use Kline as a human shield. Then Emilia knocked his ass out and he ended up being brought to ARGUS. On the other hand, Chris did manage to avoid death by Sasha Bordeaux.

While Harcourt failed to stop Chris being taken by ARGUS, she did manage to make Economos useful by having Chris booked. Just in time too as a vengeful Flag Sr was having too much fun beating the shit out of Chris. Also, another ruse as Harcourt reacted exactly how Flag Sr predicted. Looks like Rick has been able to think big picture strategy after all.

By the end of this episode, Chris was done and decided to take himself and Eagly to the other world. He got to be part of the Top Trio and by the end of the episode, it looked like Chris also got to be with the other Emilia Harcourt as well. Yeah, this isn't going to end the way that Chris hopes it will.

As for the rest of the 11th Street Kids, I did feel for Adrian feeling ignored by Chris and crying when the latter left. However, I did like his delight in the possibility of him meeting another version of himself. Yup, Emilia mobilised the team into using the Quantum Unfolding Chamber into getting Chris back. Next week that is.

Last but by no means least, there was the demise of Red St. Wild. Oh, Michael Rooker, your record for playing characters who wind up dead in James Gunn's world remains unmatched. Red got an absolutely well deserved and satisfying demise thanks to Eagly. I guess we'll see Michael Rooker in Man Of Tomorrow as anothrr new character.

- Eagly was revealed to be the prime eagle. Keith also seemed a bit weirded out by his presence when introduced to him.

- The Top Trio killed the Kaiju in a nod to Superman (2025). Judomaster also followed Chris and Eagly into the other world.

- Sasha was revealed to be part cyborg and Economos had a photo of her pre-op as his phone screen for a bit. Emilia's reaction to that was spot on. Fleury was less objectionable this week.

- This week it was manta rays that Adrian had the most extensive knowledge on. Also factored into the post credit scene this week.

- Standout music: Diemonds Ain't That Kind Of Girl and Guns 'n' Roses November Rain.

- Chronology: From where the previous episode left off. The opening scene was Rick Flag Jr's funeral from three years ago.

Back To The Suture was another set up episode but it had it's moments and the stage has been set for the last three episodes. Given how much hasn't been revealed about them, here's hoping they truly deliver. This was pretty great though.

Rating: 7 out of 10 

My Review of Annabelle Comes Home (2019)

 

Written And Directed by Gary Dauberman 

Judy: "What else did you touch?"

Daniela: "...Everything."

I'm impressed that a spin off managed to complete it's trilogy before the parent movie but that's kind of what happened here. Although if you do love Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga), you get some of them here for this third instalment on that killer doll.

Although it's a movie that had their daughter, Judy (Mckenna Grace) play a much larger role than before. Yup, because of her patent psychic powers and the parents she has, it's not too surprising that Judy would be something of an outcast with her peers.

Unfortunately for Judy, she had a birthday party looming and her classmates didn't seem interested in attending. Judy also had a babysitter named Mary Ellen (Madison Iseman) who was nice to her. Mary Ellen also had a friend named Daniela Rios (Katie Sarife). Daniela had some nice words to say to Judy about feeling like an outsider.

Daniela had also lost her father to a car crash and it was her snooping into the Annabelle doll that caused the mayhem in this movie. Add in a love interest for Mary in the form of shy grocery worker, Bob (Michael Cimino) and it wasn't just Annabelle who wrecked havoc in this movie.

Why just have Annabelle creating mayhem when you can also add Black Shuck, the Ferryman, ghost priest and a werewolf into the mix? It's enough to make you think that poor Bob was done for. Enough for Daniels to wind up possessed while Judy and Mary had to work together to put everything back together and save both Bob and Daniela.

Surprisingly enough, this managed to be low on the body count for this franchise. There's a birthday party for Judy with new friends and a nice closure moment for Daniela courtesy of Lorraine.

- The end credits had a dedication to the real Lorraine Warren who died the same year as this movie's release.

- Mckenna Grace replaced Sterling Jerins as Judy. Jerins would reprise the role for The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It.

- Standout music: King Harvest's Dancing In The Moonlight.

- Chronology: The film was set around Judy's birthday.

Well, I gotta admit that I liked Annabelle Comes Home a lot more than the previous one. It still doesn't touch the same greatness as the first movie but it had some better jump scare moments and a better third act.

Rating: 6 out of 10 

My Review of Annabelle: Creation (2017)

 

Written by Gary Dauberman

Directed by David F. Sandberg

Janice: "Forgive me, Father, for I am about to sin."

How do you follow the success of Annabelle? Well, you follow it up with a prequel that gave the evil doll it's origin story of course. Yup, that's how you do it.

You've got the Mullins family - doll maker, Samuel (Anthony LaPaglia), his wife Esther (Miranda Otto) and their daughter, Annabelle (Samara Lee). They're a happy family until tragedy struck and poor Annabelle died early in the movie.

It also didn't take this prequel to change course a little by having a group of characters who'd end up on the Mullins land and would interact with a certain doll. Those people included Father Massey (Mark Bramhill), Sister Charlotte (Stephanie Sigman) and a bunch of young girls.

The girls in questions were Linda (Lulu Wilson), Carol (Grace Fulton), Nancy (Philippa Coulthard), Kate (Tayler Buck), Tierney (Lou Lou Safran) and Janice (Talitha Bateman). It's not long before Annabelle and the Demon (Joseph Bishara/Fred Tatasciore) began to terrorise everyone.

Things didn't particularly end well for the grieving Mullins family and the demon in particular took something of an interest in Janice. In fact Janice's story tied in rather fittingly to the first movie when she ended up with a new family and a new name.

Janice became Annabelle Higgins and her unfortunate adoptive parents, Pete (Brian Howe) and Sharon (Kerry O'Malley) would later become victims of Annabelle. Yup, this really did tie nicely back to a key event from the first movie.

- David F. Sandberg who directed this movie would later feature the Annabelle doll in both of his Shazam! movie. His wife, Lotte Losten had a small role in the film.

- There's a teaser for The Nun at the end of the movie.

- Standout music: Charles MacDonald's You Are My Sunshine.

- Chronology: Twelve years before the events of Annabelle.

Annabelle: Creation is a very dull, often confusing prequel. I've watched it enough times and I just don't like it that much as either a prequel or movie (though I did appreciate the brief appearance of what the real doll looks like in real life). It's very tedious and drawn out.

Rating: 5 out of 10 

My Review of Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale (2025)

 

Written by Julian Fellowes 

Directed by Simon Curtis 

Lady Mary Crawley (from the trailer):  "Families like our must keep moving to survive and all of your support is more important to me than I can say."

It feels like the moment has been prepared for. In the span of fifteen years, we've had this world encompass six series, five Christmas specials and now three movies. Is it really the end? For now, seemingly so.

Last time we left things, Violet Crawley (Maggie Smith) had died and her presence still was felt amongst the characters throughout this movie. Particularly with the ex Lady Mary Talbot (Michelle Dockery). Yup, she's a divorced woman and yes, for this era it was a scandal.

Mary being separated from Henry had her thrown out of a party organised by Lady Petersfield (Joely Richardson), much to the annoyance of Robert (Hugh Bonneville) and Cora Grantham (Elizabeth McGovern). Unfortunately as the movie progressed, Robert ended up channeling his anger at Mary for being a divorcee.

Yes, Mary somewhat dominated this last movie. Being a divorced woman made into something of a social pariah but it also made her vulnerable to the scheming conman, Gus Sambrook (Alessandro Nivola). The latter brought into Mary's orbit due to the return of Cora's brother, Harold Levinson (Paul Giamatti). Harold's still a bad businessman by the way but he's at least nice to Mary during the whole movie.

Mary's plight also inspired playwright, Noël Coward (Arty Froushan) to put on a play named Private Lives. Froushan's portrayal of Coward was a big highlight in this movie. We got funny lines, a single song and an implied threeway relationship with him, Thomas Barrow (Robert James Collier) and Guy Dexter (Dominic West). Oh and Molesley (Kevin Doyle) was also rather taken with Noel to boot. He was easily my favourite character that wasn't one of the main family/staff members.

As for the rest of the movie, there's a true passing of the torch moment. Mary took over Downton while Robert and Cora moved into the Dowager's house. There's a beautifully touching final scene that evoked so much of the series rich past. I had a tear when I watched it and it was clever use of archive clips. It might rank as one of my favourite movie moments of 2025.

Elsewhere, the rest of the movie had nice moments with Tom Branson (Allen Leech) and Edith Pelham (Laura Carmichael) and Bertie (Harry Hadden-Paton) truly stepping up for Mary, along with Isobel Grey (Penelope Wilton) and even Daisy (Sophie McShera). Not to mention another look into Mary's relationship with Anna (Joanne Froggatt). As you can tell, this movie was very much Mary's from beginning to end and no, that wasn't a bad thing at all. Let the divorced diva be lady of the manor for a good few years. 

- Henry cheated on Mary with another woman but hired a different one for the separation to be made official. All because Matthew Goode had scheduling conflicts for these movies.

- Cora and Harry's mother, Martha (Shirley McLaine) died between movies. There's also a tribute to Maggie Smith at the end of the movie.

- Anna and Mr Bates (Brendan Coyle) were expecting another child, while Molesley/Miss Baxter (Raquel Cassidy) and Mrs Patmore (Lesley Nicol)/Mr Mason (Paul Copley) got married between movies.

- Andy (Michael C Fox) succeeded Mr Carson (Jim Carter) as butler and there was some nice scenes with the latter and Mrs Carson (Phyllis Logan). Sir Hector Moorland (Simon Russell Beale) was also a minor thorn for Mary.

- Standout music: Arty Froushan's Poor Little Rich Girl.

- Chronology: 1930 at Downton Abbey for the majority of the movie as well London.

For a finale, I think Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale truly stuck the landing. It's a beautiful ending (for now) for this world and it had so many gorgeous character moments, dialogue and that last scene truly made the movie for me.

Rating: 9 out of 10 

My Review of Downton Abbey: A New Era (2022)

 

Written by Julian Fellowes 

Directed by Simon Curtis

Violet: "Stop that noise. I can't hear myself die."

The not surprising success of Downton Abbey (2019) meant that a sequel had to happen and after setting up a major storyline, this would be the movie to pay off that story in particular.

Yes, I'm talking about the imminent death of Violet Crawley (Maggie Smith). Between movies, Mary Talbot (Michelle Dockery) was no longer the only person who knew. Everyone did and there's moments where both Robert Grantham (Hugh Bonneville) and Isobel Grey (Penelope Wilton) confessed to their spouses about their feelings of losing Violet.

However there was also the issue of a villa in France. Violet was left one y a former paramour and she felt that Sybbie deserved it, much to the delight of the newly married Tom (Allen Leech) and Lucy Branson (Tuppence Middleton). Tom and Lucy along with Robert, Cora (Elizabeth McGovern), Edith Pelham (Laura Carmichael ), Bertie (Harry Hadden-Paton), Lady Rosamund (Samantha Bond), Maud (Imelda Staunton), Mr Bates (Brendan Coyle), Miss Baxter (Raquel Cassidy) and Carson (Jim Carter) head to France to inspect the property.

While in France, they met up with the deceased Marquis de Montmirail's wife (Nathalie Baye) and son, Edouard (Jonathan Zaccaï). For a large portion of the movie, Robert feared that he might be half French (he wasn't) while also worrying about Cora's health (her symptoms were curable). Then there was the event itself.

We've had shocking deaths in the past like with Sybil and Matthew but Violet's was sweet, with her family and even Denker (Sue Johnston) by her side. I also think that Violet's death added more poignancy to the subtitle of this movie along with a few characters pointing out that Mary would be her natural successor.

Speaking of Mary, she might not have gone to France but she had her own adventure at home. Downton became the set of a movie named The Gambler and despite being a married woman, Mary was very tempted by charming director Jack Barton (Hugh Dancy). Is it bad that I wanted Mary to cheat on her absent husband?

The movie plot was a lot of fun. You had both Anna (Joanne Froggatt) and Daisy (Sophie McShera) fangirling actress Myrna Dalgleish (Laura Haddock). Myrna turned out to be a nightmare who had to have her lines dubbed by Mary when the movie had to retooled into a talking picture. This part of the story also had Molesley (Kevin Doyle) become a screenwriter.

However the best thing to come out of the movie - Thomas Barrow (Robert James Collier) found love with closeted leading man, Guy Dexter (Dominic West). In fact, he hit the romantic jackpot that he handed his notice in so he could be Guy's right hand man in Hollywood. After all he's been through, Thomas deserved his shot at love here. Oh and it meant that Andy (Michael C. Fox) would be his successor at Downton.

- The movie started with Tom and Lucy getting married and having a baby by the end of the movie. Edith and Bertie's son was called Peter.

- Andy and Daisy married offscreen and set up Mrs Patmore (Lesley Nicol) and Mr Mason (Paul Copley). Molesley also proposed to Miss Baxter. Mrs Carson (Phyllis Logan) had a nice scene with Thomas before the Guy plot kicked off.

- At one point, both Carson and Maud were mistook for a married couple. Jim Carter and Imelda Staunton are married in real life. Elizabeth McGovern's husband also directed this movie and the next one.

- With this film, Robert and Cora now have six grandchildren, although Sybbie was the only one who got any lines in the movie.

- Standout music: Guy, The Handsome Mr Barber, Am I Blue? and Next Generation. 

- Chronology: 1928 at both Downton Abbey and in France. 

Although I did prefer the first movie, there's a lot to enjoy with Downton Abbey: A New Era. I'll admit the movie plot was more fun than the France story. I definitely would've given that more screen time. Violet's passing was handled well and this felt like a good note to end her formidable character on.

Rating: 8 out of 10 

My Review of Downton Abbey (2019)

Written by Julian Fellowes

Directed by Michael Engler

Henry Talbot: "Leave Downton? We're stuck with it, aren't we?"

Lady Mary Talbot: "Yes. Yes, I believe we are."

I was a fan of Downton Abbey in the day. I caught up with the first series in time for the second and watched the remaining series until it's end on Christmas Day 2015. However, it's really taken me this long to catch up with the movies.

Four years after the show ended, it was time to go back to Downton and for two hours, there were a lot of plots to get through with this film. Some are resolved better than others but all of them at least managed to hold my general interest regardless.

First of all, there's a Royal visit that had the downstairs staff in quite a tizz. Notably because it was only King George V (Simon George) and Queen Mary (Geraldine James), along with Princess Mary (Kate Phillips) and the latter's much older and cantankerous husband, Henry, Viscount Lascelles (Andrew Havill). Their arrival caused quite the fuss.

Let's see, we had poor Thomas (Robert James Collier) demoted from butler so that Carson (Jim Carter) could come out of retirement. Carson butted heads with Mr Wilson (David Haig) while Mrs Carson (Phyllis Logan) also clashed with Mrs Webb (Richenda Carey). Add a snooty chef in the form of Monsieur Courbet (Phillippe Spall) to get Mrs Patmore's (Lesley Nicol) back up and Anna (Joanne Froggatt) going up against the thieving Miss Lawton (Susan Lynch) and it's proof that even the staff will clash over the least thing.

Moving away from the staff for a bit, who would've thought that Branson (Allen Leech) would've scuppered a would be assassination attempt from Irish sympathiser, Major Chetwode (Stephen Campbell Moore)? I didn't predict it. However, the romance between between Branson and the rather sweet Lucy Smith (Tuppence Middleton) was as telegraphed as possible. It's like they found Brandon's perfect woman in this movie after a string of post Sybil misfires in later series of the main show.

Lucy came under a lot of fire in this movie for being the ladies maid of Maud Elliot, Dowager Baroness Bagshaw (Imelda Staunton). Violet Crawley (Maggie Smith) wanted a possible inheritance to go to Robert (Hugh Bonneville) and was pushing the point too much that even Isobel Grey (Penelope Wilton) had to step in. Of course the real reason behind Maud's devotion towards Lucy also made a lot of sense before it was made clear.

What of everyone else in this movie? Mary Talbot (Michelle Dockery) spent most of it away from her husband, Henry (Matthew Goode) while trying to organise the big event. She was also the one whom Violet confided her health issues to. Edith Pelham, Marchioness of Hexham (Laura Carmichael) was expecting a baby and didn't want Bertie (Harry Hadden-Paton) away for the birth. She ended up getting her wish. Cora (Elizabeth McGovern) arguably had very little really do compared to the rest of her family or even some of the staff.

- Even I was a little exasperated with Molesley (Kevin Doyle) being too much of a Royal fanboy. Fortunately, Daisy (Sophie McShera) provided a good contrast to that.

- Thomas got to see an underground gay nightclub, got arrested and then bailed by Royal footman, Richard Ellis (Max Brown). There was a spark with them.

- Other characters that appeared were Mr Bates (Brendan Coyle), Miss Baxter (Raquel Cassidy), Andy (Michael C. Fox), Albert (Charlie Watson), Mr Bakewell (Mark Addy), Tony Sellick (James Cartwright), Lord Merton (Douglas Reith) as well as the children. There's a few missing recurring characters but also so many characters to keep up with.

- I continue to love the snarky relationship that Violet and Isobel have with each other. Mary's daughter is named Caroline.
- Standout music: Traditional arrangements of On Ilkla Moor Baht 'At, God Save The King as well as I've Danced With A Man.

- Chronology: It's 1927 at Downton Abbey. Over a year since the series finale. Henry was in Chicago for the majority of the movie.

It had a lot going on with it and while some plots might have felt a little too easy in how they were resolved, I love this movie. Downton Abbey (2019) could've felt like a desperate cash in but it managed to avoid that general pitfall. It was nice catching up with these characters again. Now onto the sequels.

Rating: 9 out of 10 

My Review of Peacemaker: "Need I Say Door"

 

Written by James Gunn 

Directed by Peter Sollett

Adebayo: "Chris, no matter how green the grass is over there, our biggest problems in life are the one that we carry within ourselves. Everything else evens out. This is where God put you. You belong here."

With that very speech, Leota spoke like she was a member of the audience trying to warn Christopher that his perfect world likely isn't so perfect after all. Did he take anything she said on board? Not really. Will there be consequences? Most definitely.

I do like that when things go to hell, Leota's the first person that Christopher would ring for help. That's after the fact that Economos actually put his neck on the line to warn Christopher that ARGUS were about to get him. He really did just about manage to escape them this and with a certain item.

This episode gave a quick origin into the Quantum Unfolding Chamber and of course it was something that Augie callously stole off a harmless alien than something he made. Even Christopher had to remind Leota of how thick his father actually was. 

Economos provided enough of a distraction to set the QUC in an old cabin with Vigilante getting some doors to help out. I love that Leota was the rational one about Christopher's hopes of living in his other self's life. He can't do it and within the next four episodes, he'll find he won't be able to either.

As for the rest of the episode, Rick Flag Sr managed to get a down and out Emilia Harcourt to betray Christopher by offering her way back into intelligence work. I actually don't blame Emilia for taking it, though like Economos I do think she'll try and undermine Flag Sr's one man revenge mission.

Going into other dynamics, I forgot how much annoying Judomaster can actually be in parts. Still though, I'll give him points for his tenacity in his fights with Peacemaker and the unbridled disgust he had with being around Red St. Wild. The banter between Judomaster and Economos was funny enough too.

Speaking of Red St. Wild, I am rooting for that guy to get mauled to death by Eagly. His high key racism, cultural appropriation and general grossness I find to be on a par with Fleury. Unfortunately he did actually have the type of magic that allowed him to track Eagly, so he did have that advantage.

- Sasha Bordeaux seemed to be mildly irritated by everyone but also winked at Fleury. Both Kline and Vega got a little more screen time here.

- Harcourt was about to have her utilities switched off before getting a job offer from Flag Sr. Waller was responsible for her being blacklisted.

- Economos hacked into the CIA when he was fourteen and Red St. Wild tasted Eagly's poop, knowing what the bird has eaten.

- Did Leota really waste money on an adventure for her security firm in a magazine with twelve readers? Use social media for your business already.

- Standout music: Pretty Maids Please Don't Leave Me and H.E.A.T. A Shot At Redemption.

- Chronology: From where the previous episode left but also a flashback to thirty five years ago for the QUC story.

Need I Say Door did feel like another episode that didn't move things too much along but I really liked it. I liked that Leota raised the questions about the other world that Christopher should've been asking. I liked this one a lot.

Rating: 8 out of 10