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Heart of the Beast – Movie Review

Jay Katz — Mon, 28 Sep 2026 12:45:24 +0000

Heart of the Beast – Movie Review

SYNOPSIS

After a harrowing plane crash, Special Forces officer James Belmont (Brad Pitt) and his combat dog, Odin, find themselves stranded deep in the Alaskan wilderness. Together, they are forced into a brutal fight for survival against the elements. From acclaimed filmmaker David Ayer, Heart of the Beast is an intense adventure thriller that explores the unbreakable bond between a man and his best friend as they face their greatest battle yet.

EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS

Damien Chazelle, Scott Lumpkin, Cameron Alexander, Chris Long, Pete Chiappetta, Anthony Tittanegro, Andrew Lary, Sophie Cassidy, Zack Conroy

PRODUCED BY

Olivia Hamilton, p.g.a., Marty Bowen, David Ayer, p.g.a., Brad Pitt, p.g.a.

WRITTEN BY

Cameron Alexander

DIRECTED BY

David Ayer

CAST

Brad Pitt, J.K. Simmons, Anna Lambe

This film is pretty much everything you expect it to be. Does that automatically make it a bad thing? No. You’re getting a fairly predetermined story for the price of admission, backed by fantastic visuals, a very well-played part from one handsome furry friend, and, of course, Brad Pitt.
Pitt carries a surprising amount of this movie without having much dialogue to lean on. He has to reach into that emotional side of acting where facial expressions, body language, and reactions have to do most of the work, all while sharing much of the screen with an animal. That’s not exactly an easy assignment. But Brad Pitt is an A-lister for a reason, and he pulls it off.
That doesn’t mean the entire film works because of him. Although, if we’re being fair, Pitt may very well be the saving grace as we watch one expected life obstacle after another get thrown in his path.
Before Murphy’s Law completely takes over, we’re introduced to Odin, who somehow doesn’t seem to get much casting recognition online. Odin is immediately established as far more than a companion to Special Forces veteran James Belmont. These two are brothers. They’ve seen some serious firefights during their years of service together, and the movie makes that bond clear very early on.
Both James and Odin are dealing with the aftermath of what they experienced in combat. The film shows each of them struggling with trauma, with one comforting the other whenever those memories begin creeping back in. It’s probably one of the better ideas in the film because their relationship never feels like the typical man-and-dog setup. There’s history there.
Then J.K. Simmons shows up as Watkins for what feels like five minutes.
Simmons is always fun to watch, but his appearance here feels strangely manufactured. It’s almost as if somebody decided they needed Brad Pitt and J.K. Simmons in a scene together, so there you go. Mission accomplished.
To be fair, Watkins does provide some background on James and Odin, so the scene isn’t completely pointless. It just feels overly planned. Watkins shows up, explains some things, warns them about what’s coming, and then Watkins goes bye-bye.
Why not let James reveal some of that history himself? Maybe talk about their combat tours or what the two of them survived together? This is their story, after all.
James and Odin eventually take off in their small twin-engine plane despite Watkins warning them that a storm is coming. Because, naturally, when the wise old guy tells you a storm is coming in a survival movie, you absolutely get in the plane.
From there, the movie really begins.
James experiences an incident in the air, the plane violently crashes, and Heart of the Beast officially enters its “what can possibly go wrong next?” phase.
The answer: pretty much everything.
Murphy’s Law takes over. Whatever can go wrong will go wrong, and most of the time you can see the next problem coming well before James does. Still, you tag along for the ride because Pitt and Odin are good enough together to keep things moving.
After several expected setbacks, the movie eventually arrives at one massive one. There’s a violent and messy confrontation that comes with a serious price, and once it begins unfolding, it isn’t difficult to figure out where things are headed.
That predictability becomes one of the movie’s biggest problems.
Heart of the Beast desperately wants to pull on the heartstrings. It wants you invested in James and Odin enough that every setback hurts a little more than the last.
For me, it just never completely got there.
Maybe I can blame some of that on the flu bug I had while watching it. Hence the late review. But even taking that into consideration, the emotional punch never landed the way the movie clearly intended it to. Somewhere between the woods, the swamp, the survival elements, and one unfortunate event after another, that emotional connection got lost.
It certainly didn’t hit me anywhere near the way something like Marley & Me did. Not even close.
That doesn’t mean Heart of the Beast is a bad movie, and it certainly doesn’t mean it won’t connect differently with someone else. Animal stories have a way of finding the right nerve with certain viewers, and this one may very well do exactly that.
It just didn’t find mine.
Perseverance, will, fight, faith, and courage are all built into these two characters. The sheer determination to keep moving forward, no matter what is thrown in their way, becomes a big part of what James and Odin represent. There’s something very human about that idea of pushing through when everything tells you to stop. And when you have someone beside you carrying that same drive, that same fight, the impossible suddenly feels a little more attainable.
Brad Pitt is fantastic throughout, especially considering how much of the performance relies on emotion rather than dialogue. Odin is superb and arguably steals a good portion of the movie. J.K. Simmons does what J.K. Simmons always does and makes the most out of his limited screen time.
In the end, Heart of the Beast is a beautifully shot, well-acted survival movie trapped inside a story that rarely surprises you. You know the road is going to get ugly. You know something else is going to go wrong. And you have a pretty good idea where the emotional punches are coming from before they arrive.
But Pitt and Odin make the journey worth sticking around for.
Sometimes knowing exactly where a movie is headed isn’t enough to ruin the ride. Heart of the Beast proves that. It just would have been nice if the road getting there had a few more turns.

-Jay Katz

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Onslaught Movie Review: Super Soldiers Miss the Mark

Jay Katz — Tue, 01 Sep 2026 17:53:58 +0000

Onslaught – Movie Review

Onslaught Movie Review: Super Soldiers Miss the Mark

Release Date: September 4, 2026
Director: Adam Wingard
Screenwriter: Simon Barrett
Runtime: 92 minutes
Distributor: A24
Top Cast: Adria Arjona as Celeste, Drew Starkey as Cyrus, Rebecca Hall as Hanna, Dan Stevens as Hans, Eric Wareheim as Kovacks, Reginald VelJohnson as Josiah, and Michael Biehn as Baylor.

Synopsis: Former Army sniper Celeste is forced back into survival mode when a group of genetically engineered super soldiers escapes into the desert. With the killers closing in on the remote trailer park where she lives, Celeste must use her military training to protect her young daughter and anyone unfortunate enough to be caught in the soldiers’ path.

I go into every film screener with the intention of liking the movie first—or, at the very least, finding something redeemable within the story. I fully understand how much work goes into making a feature-length film. In this case, 92 minutes represents months, sometimes years, of work and dedication from everyone involved, from the director and actors all the way down to the person making the Uber Eats delivery to the set. I respect that. But when a film ends and I’m annoyed because I feel like I could have been doing something more valuable with my time, it becomes difficult not to get a little hasty with the criticism.

When the credits rolled on Onslaught, I sat there like a defiant child who didn’t get another blue slushie after spilling the first one all over the floor. The lights weren’t coming on. There was probably a post-credit scene. Maybe there wasn’t. At that point, I literally couldn’t have cared less. I got up and left, then remembered I had a 50-minute drive home. I was not a happy camper, to say the least. So, heads up—this may get a little ugly at times.

The paper-thin plot was enough to make this reviewer shift around in his seat more than a few times. It became increasingly uncomfortable watching everything unfold across this gorgeous IMAX screen, and eventually I started asking another question: Why exactly am I watching this in IMAX? Not everything requires the grandeur of an enormous screen. Dune, The Odyssey, Spider-Man, Avengers: Doomsday—those types of movies logically lend themselves to that massive presentation. Onslaught never gave me that feeling. Bigger does not automatically mean better, especially when the material itself never feels particularly big.

And then there was the sound. At least at my screening, it was ridiculously loud. Yes, I understand that IMAX is supposed to be big in every conceivable way, including the sound, but this became obnoxious. Scene after scene seemed buried beneath unnecessarily aggressive music. At times, I felt trapped inside one continuous 1980s MTV music video. Cue the slow motion. Cue the dramatic stare. Cue the shadowy figures standing ominously in the distance. Cue the glowing eyes. We get it. Their eyes glow. We got it the first several times. Instead of building menace, the constant repetition actually worked against these supposedly terrifying super soldiers. The movie kept telling me these guys were unstoppable killing machines while repeatedly showing me reasons to question that description. That became one of my biggest problems with Onslaught.

There were numerous scenes involving these “super soldiers” that simply made zero sense to me. One sequence in particular has the killers essentially stalling while Celeste and the others are holed up around the trailer park, running from one trailer to another. These genetically engineered killing machines suddenly need to strategize? Seriously? They’re dealing with an injured woman operating with one eye and limited resources, an aging Vietnam veteran, and a terrified young girl. Yet these super soldiers somehow have to regroup and plot their next move like they’re storming Normandy. Come on. I willingly pay money to watch a guy dressed in spandex shoot webs from his wrists and swing between skyscrapers in New York City, and somehow that feels more believable than portions of what happens here. That’s a problem.

I can’t place all the blame on the actors, because much of what doesn’t work begins with the material they were given. That said, there were performances and character choices that certainly didn’t help matters. Lead actress Adria Arjona, as Celeste, never completely sold me on the menacing, battle-hardened persona the film desperately wanted her to have. There were moments when the toughness felt forced rather than natural, which made it harder for me to completely buy into her as this intimidating former sniper capable of standing toe-to-toe with genetically engineered killing machines.

Then there’s Drew Starkey as government agent Cyrus. This character irritated me almost every time he appeared on screen. I couldn’t tell whether he was supposed to be a good guy, a bad guy, comic relief, completely unhinged, or some combination of all four. Maybe that uncertainty was intentional, but the quirky mannerisms and exaggerated delivery became more frustrating than interesting. Instead of wondering what Cyrus was going to do next, I found myself waiting for his scenes to end. For me, the character crossed the line from eccentric into over-the-top ridiculousness.

Rebecca Hall and Dan Stevens, as Hanna and Hans, suffer from a similar problem. Both performances lean so heavily into the dramatic side of their characters that it sometimes feels as though they’re trying to create far more depth than the screenplay actually gives them. There simply isn’t enough underneath these characters to support that level of intensity. When the foundation is this thin, pushing harder doesn’t necessarily make the character more compelling—it can make the weakness of the writing even more noticeable.

And that really becomes the bigger problem with evaluating the cast. With a script and premise this shaky, it’s difficult to place the disappointment entirely on the actors. They’re trying to bring energy, personality and menace to characters who often aren’t given enough substance to work with. Unfortunately, the remaining cast doesn’t fare much better. Whether it was the performances, the direction, the dialogue or some combination of all three, very little clicked for me. The entire thing increasingly felt like a collection of people trying very hard to elevate material that simply wasn’t giving them enough to work with.

Then we get to the gas station sequence. Ironically, this may be one of the more realistic moments in the movie in terms of how suddenly violence can erupt—and I absolutely hated it. The scene was disgusting, excessive, disturbing and, in my opinion, completely unnecessary. Given the climate we live in today, I struggled to understand what purpose this sequence served beyond demonstrating that the super soldiers are capable of indiscriminate violence. We already knew that. The movie had already established what they were supposed to be. So what exactly did this add?

If the purpose was to demonstrate their capabilities and establish these characters as unstoppable killing machines, the same point could have been made inside the military facility. Put these enhanced soldiers against a larger group of trained combatants. Show us why they’re terrifying. Show us why conventional soldiers cannot stop them. That would have accomplished essentially the same storytelling goal without what felt to me like mindless violence for the sake of mindless violence. And worse, after establishing these characters as brutally efficient killing machines, the film later has them struggling against a dramatically smaller and less-equipped group of people. That contradiction weakened them tremendously. Instead of fearing these super soldiers, I started questioning them.

Onslaught can easily be described as a modern-day cousin of Universal Soldier from 1992. Genetically or scientifically enhanced military killing machines, secret programs, government involvement, nearly unstoppable soldiers—it’s difficult not to make the comparison. The difference? Universal Soldier was more entertaining. The Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren film knew exactly what type of movie it wanted to be. It gave audiences memorable characters, memorable confrontations and enough ridiculous action to completely embrace its premise.

Onslaught feels like Jason Voorhees showed up with a couple of his friends, announced that they were unstoppable military badasses, and then spent much of the movie trying to convince us of it. They came away looking surprisingly weak, figuratively and literally. There are obvious slasher influences running through the film as well, with the enhanced soldiers deliberately presented as hulking, nearly silent boogeymen. I understand what the movie was trying to do. I simply don’t think it worked.

If you’ve never watched the 1992 Van Damme/Dolph Lundgren film Universal Soldier, do yourself a favor and watch it. Then watch Onslaught. The similarities are certainly there. The difference is that more than three decades later, Universal Soldier somehow still comes away feeling like the stronger, more entertaining version of this particular brand of super-soldier insanity. And that might be the most disappointing thing about Onslaught. There was a fun movie buried somewhere inside this thing. I just wish they had let it out.

-Jay Katz

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For Grand Theft Auto Fans

Jay Katz — Sun, 30 Aug 2026 20:13:29 +0000

For Grand Theft Auto Fans

With Grand Theft Auto VI speeding toward its November 19, 2026 release, now is the perfect time to explore five crime comics that capture the chaos, corruption, dark humor, and morally questionable characters that have defined the legendary video game franchise. From botched heists and criminal conspiracies to gang wars and dangerous antiheroes, these comics should keep GTA fans occupied while they wait to return to Vice City. Rockstar Games currently confirms the November 19 release date for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. Rockstar Games

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American Caper Volume 1: Red-Pilled Blues
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Creators: Dan Houser, writer and creator; Lazlow, additional writer; David Lapham and Chris Anderson, artists; Tyler Boss, cover artist

Created and written by Rockstar Games co-founder Dan Houser, with additional writing by longtime Rockstar collaborator Lazlow, American Caper carries unmistakable traces of the creative DNA behind Grand Theft Auto. The opening volume brings together a Mormon hitman, a gambling-addicted lawyer, a conspiracy-obsessed housewife, and members of a Mexican drug cartel in Verona, Wyoming.
Its rotating perspectives, exaggerated personalities, political commentary, criminal schemes, and biting portrayal of modern America make this the closest comic-book relative to GTA on the list. It feels like the player has switched between several unstable protagonists whose separate missions are about to collide in one spectacular disaster. Absurd Ventures

Criminal
Publisher: Originally Icon Comics; currently Image Comics
Creators: Ed Brubaker, writer and co-creator; Sean Phillips, artist and co-creator; Val Staples, Elizabeth Breitweiser, and Jacob Phillips, colorists across different stories

Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips’ Criminal explores an interconnected world of thieves, killers, pickpockets, corrupt police officers, heist planners, and career criminals. Each storyline examines another corner of Center City’s underworld, where loyalty is temporary and even the most carefully planned job can collapse without warning.
The series resembles the more grounded side of Grand Theft Auto. Its elaborate scores, double-crosses, criminal families, getaway plans, and morally compromised protagonists could easily serve as GTA missions. It replaces some of the game’s outrageous satire with hard-boiled noir, but the basic rule remains the same: every lucrative opportunity comes with several people waiting to betray you. Image Comics

100 Bullets
Publisher: DC Comics under the Vertigo imprint
Creators: Brian Azzarello, writer and co-creator; Eduardo Risso, artist and co-creator; Patricia Mulvihill and Grant Goleash, colorists; Clem Robins, letterer; Dave Johnson, cover artist

100 Bullets begins with the mysterious Agent Graves approaching people who have been wronged. He provides each person with proof identifying who destroyed their life, along with an untraceable gun and 100 bullets. What initially appears to be a collection of revenge stories gradually expands into a massive conspiracy involving assassins, criminal organizations, powerful families, and a secret war for control.
Much like GTA, one seemingly simple assignment can uncover an entire criminal network. The competing factions, shifting alliances, revenge missions, gang conflicts, and increasingly dangerous stakes resemble the way a GTA protagonist rises from street-level trouble into a much larger underworld conspiracy. DC Comics

Stray Bullets
Publisher: Originally El Capitan Books; currently Image Comics
Creator: David Lapham, writer, artist, and creator

David Lapham’s Stray Bullets follows small-time criminals, killers, desperate families, reckless teenagers, and innocent bystanders whose lives become connected through violence and terrible decisions. Its nonlinear structure moves across different characters and decades, revealing how one impulsive criminal act can create consequences that last for years.
The comic captures the unpredictable sandbox energy of Grand Theft Auto. Minor arguments escalate into shootouts, inexperienced criminals attempt ridiculous schemes, and ordinary people suddenly find themselves trapped in someone else’s chaos. Its combination of brutal violence, absurd situations, memorable lowlifes, and extremely bad decision-making makes it feel like a GTA side mission that went completely off the rails. Image Comics

Scalped
Publisher: DC Comics under the Vertigo imprint
Creators: Jason Aaron, writer and co-creator; R.M. Guéra, primary artist and co-creator; Davide Furnò, Igor Kordey, Francesco Francavilla, and Danijel Žeželj, contributing artists; Jock, primary cover artist

Scalped centers on Dashiell Bad Horse, an undercover FBI agent who returns to the Prairie Rose Indian Reservation to infiltrate the criminal organization controlled by tribal leader Lincoln Red Crow. Bad Horse must navigate illegal gambling, drug trafficking, murder, federal investigations, tribal politics, and unresolved connections to the community he abandoned.
Its GTA similarities come from the classic criminal-undercover narrative. Bad Horse operates between law enforcement and the underworld while taking assignments, managing rival factions, entering hostile territory, and questioning where his loyalty truly belongs. The reservation functions like a tightly controlled GTA map where nearly every character has an agenda, every neighborhood has a history, and every mission pulls the protagonist deeper into the criminal empire he is supposed to destroy. DC Comics

-Jay Katz

Jay Katz of InvestComics now has three comic-themed books available on Amazon: The Beginner’s Guide to Comic Investing, The Ultimate Comic Book Word Search, and The Ultimate Comic Crossword Puzzle. Whether you want to sharpen your comic speculation skills or test your knowledge of heroes, villains, creators, and comic history, there is something here for every comic fan. View all three books on Amazon

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Spider-Man: Brand New Day Movie Review

Jay Katz — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 00:59:20 +0000

Spider-Man: Brand New Day – Movie Review

Directed by: Destin Daniel Cretton
Written by: Chris McKenna & Erik Sommers
Based on the MARVEL Comic Book by: Stan Lee and Steve Ditko
Produced by: Kevin Feige, p.g.a. Amy Pascal, p.g.a. Avi Arad Rachel O’Connor, p.g.a.
Executive Producers: Louis D’Esposito David Cain
Cast: Tom Holland – Zendaya – Sadie Sink – Jacob Batalon – Jon Bernthal – Tramell Tillman – Michael Mando – Mark Ruffalo

This film delivered—and then some. That’s not to say it was without shortcomings, but overall, it was one seriously fun ride.

Right off the bat, I have to say that the visuals were absolutely stunning. Previous films featured fantastic cinematography while following Spider-Man’s swinging patterns through New York City, but this time, it was mesmerizing. While director Destin Daniel Cretton will deservedly receive plenty of accolades, I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge cinematographer Brett Pawlak. Kudos to Brett for making every movement appear so seamless, fluid, and lifelike.
From the opening scene to the very end, New York City became our playground—from the rooftops and penthouses to the pointed antennas atop the tallest skyscrapers. For the first time, I literally felt like I was Spider-Man. Wow.

The film begins right where things left off, with everyone having forgotten the identity of the person beneath Spider-Man’s mask, Peter Parker. Tom Holland truly shines as he embraces the emotional weight of that reality. His performance sold everyone at the screening on the fact that Peter was genuinely going through it. The pain, anguish, hurt, sadness, and darkness were all there, and Holland delivered every bit of it extremely well.
For the first time, we really get to see Holland show the full extent of his acting ability, and he does not disappoint. Dare I say it? He puts on a near-perfect acting clinic. Every time Peter sees his former best friend, we feel the hurt. Whenever he watches MJ or interacts with her, we feel his sorrow and his yearning to be with his soulmate. His pain feels real, and the audience is behind him every step of the way.

Zendaya is equally stunning as MJ. She absolutely lights up the screen whenever she appears. Her beauty and charm shine through like a diamond, while her acting has reached another level with each film. She appears increasingly confident in both the role and the character. In my opinion, she is by far the best MJ ever to grace a Spider-Man movie screen.
As the story unfolds, we finally get to know the MJ who exists outside Peter’s world. It is an interesting take on what her life is really like without him in it. Certain scenes are not easy to watch because MJ is no longer Peter’s rock. She is no longer the guiding light that Peter—and Spider-Man—feeds off. She is the opposite of everything we have come to associate with her, not in a bad way, but because the audience has been spoiled by their relationship for so many years. The sadness is deeply felt, and Zendaya delivers an acting clinic right alongside her co-star. Riveting.

Peter’s former best friend, Ned Leeds, played by Jacob Batalon, also gives us a different version of the character. Granted, he no longer knows Peter, but this take on Ned is noticeably more mature, and it is welcomed. He is not simply the goofy best friend anymore. He is now a mature nerd who still slips into those familiar “Ned” moments every so often.

You can truly feel how much these characters have grown since we first met them in 2017. Memories of the three of them together are revisited throughout the film, bringing tremendous sadness with them. Each reminder feels like reopening a fresh wound.

Frank Castle, played by Jon Bernthal, proves once again that Bernthal was born to play the Punisher. However, I did notice a slight variation in the skull-wearing vigilante compared with the version we saw during his Daredevil appearances. That is not to say the Punisher does not live up to his anger issues—because he certainly does—but viewers should be prepared for a somewhat different version of the character. This is still a Spider-Man movie, so the variation is understandable in many ways. Fans of the television version of the Punisher will recognize what I mean when they see this Spider-Man-friendly interpretation. Regardless, Bernthal is awesome.

The film is also packed with surprises. I will not spoil any of the fun because I am bound by Sony not to reveal anything—and I would not ruin it anyway. There are a couple of very good surprises, so stay away from social media if you do not want to have them spoiled.

The Hulk, played by Mark Ruffalo, is a major part of the film’s tremendous action sequences. Visually, everything is off the charts, and the sequence involving Spider-Man, the Punisher, and the Hulk is next-level superhero movie action. It will literally leave you on the edge of your seat.
The eye candy is so good that I already want to see the movie again just to experience the action involving this trio. I cannot say much more without ruining anything, but the Hulk delivers in a very big way.

Sadie Sink plays [REDACTED], but the pacing of her storyline feels uneven. At times, it takes far too long to land the plane. I wanted to understand exactly what was happening with her character, but the answers unfolded at an oddly sluggish pace. Was it a little clumsy? A little too drawn out? Something simply felt off.
Perhaps a second viewing will help everything fall into place. This is not to say Sink fails to deliver her lines or perform the role well. The issue is not necessarily her performance; something about the pacing and placement of the storyline just does not completely work.

Supporting actress Liza Colón-Zayas is an absolute delight as Detective Jean DeWolff. She is charismatic, energetic, intelligent, and a devoted family provider. She becomes a beacon within an already stacked cast. I loved her role, and she was delightful in every scene. I cannot wait to see her return in another Spider-Man film someday.

Overall, this film is aesthetically appealing beyond words. The dialogue is on point, and Peter’s personal struggle is far more compelling than the other major storyline unfolding around him. That uneven secondary storyline is the only thing preventing me from giving the film an easy 8 or 9 out of 10.
If that storyline had been more tightly wrapped and better paced, the movie would have earned a much higher score. For now, I am giving it a strong 7 out of 10. Maybe a second viewing will change my mind, but at the moment, I am standing firmly behind my 7+ rating.

I would most definitely recommend this film to friends and family. This is one Spider-Man movie that should not be missed.

P.S. Stick around after the credits.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day – Movie Review

-Jay Katz

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New Funko Pops This Week 7-1-26

Jay Katz — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 00:08:57 +0000

New Funko Pops This Week 7-1-26

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Funko Pop Heroes Supergirl Lobo #636
Lobo is the DC wildcard in this week’s Hot New Funko Pops lineup. The figure is tied to the Supergirl 2026 movie collection, stands approximately 4.1 inches, and DC Shop lists it as a pre-order item. Lobo works here because this is not the polished hero corner of the shelf. DC describes him as one of the galaxy’s most brutally effective bounty hunters, with powers that include super strength, invulnerability, speed, healing factor, combat skill, and weapons expertise. No chase or limited sticker is visible on the box image, so this appears to be a standard release rather than a special variant.

Funko Pop Animation Chainsaw Man Reze #2348 Chase
Reze is one of the strongest anime pulls among the Hot New Funko Pops this week. Funko lists this figure under Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc, with the vinyl figure standing approximately 3.8 inches. The official listing notes a 1-in-6 chance at the chase version in her alternate outfit, with chase variants shipped at random and not guaranteed. The image you supplied shows the Limited Chase Edition sticker, which is the collector note that matters here. Reze already brings major Chainsaw Man character heat, and the chase sticker adds the exact kind of shelf argument collectors pretend they are above.

Funko Pop Movies Universal Monsters Invisible Man Anime #2412 Chase
The Invisible Man Anime Chase is the strange one in the best way. Funko’s official listing calls this an anime-inspired Universal Monsters release, standing approximately 4 inches tall, with a 1-in-6 chance at the translucent chase. That chase treatment actually makes sense for the character instead of feeling like a random repaint. The classic Invisible Man identity traces back to Universal’s 1933 film directed by James Whale, starring Claude Rains as Jack Griffin, the bandaged and dark-glasses figure that helped define the character’s screen look. For Hot New Funko Pops collectors, this is the horror pick with a little more style than expected.

Funko Pop Animation One Piece Tony Tony Chopper with Rumble Ball #2340 Chase
Tony Tony Chopper brings the One Piece pull this week, and this version has a useful collector hook. Funko lists Tony Tony Chopper with Rumble Ball at approximately 4.4 inches tall, with a 1-in-6 chance of receiving the chase version featuring the Amiudake mushroom. The chase is shipped randomly and is not guaranteed. Chopper is the Straw Hat Pirates’ doctor, and the Rumble Ball is tied to his ability to push his Devil Fruit transformations further, which makes this release more than just another cute Chopper box on the shelf. Among the Hot New Funko Pops this week, this is the anime piece that probably gets grabbed fast by One Piece collectors.

-Jay Katz

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Hot New Funko Pops This Week

Jay Katz — Sat, 20 Jun 2026 03:02:05 +0000

Hot New Funko Pops This Week 6-24-26

Pop Animation One Piece Monkey D. Luffy with Flag #2214 Entertainment Earth Exclusive
Monkey D. Luffy continues to be one of the strongest anime characters in the Funko catalog because One Piece is not just a long-running series, it is a collector machine. This Luffy with Flag Pop captures the Straw Hat captain in a confident, celebratory pose, holding the pirate flag like he already knows the shelf belongs to him. Funko lists this as a retailer exclusive, with the vinyl figure standing approximately 5.5 inches tall, making it larger than the standard Pop size and more display-forward than a typical Luffy release. Entertainment Earth also lists it as an exclusive limited edition item, which adds another layer for One Piece Funko collectors watching availability closely.

Pop Marvel Spider-Man Brand New Day Spider-Man No Way Home Suit #1587 Vinyl Bobblehead
Spider-Man is never really out of the Funko conversation, and this Spider-Man No Way Home Suit Pop from Spider-Man: Brand New Day keeps that red-and-blue suit in battle-damaged form. Funko describes this vinyl bobblehead as showing Spidey after a rough ordeal, with a mangled suit and ready-to-fight stance. The figure is approximately 3.2 inches tall and carries box number 1587. This one is a clean Marvel shelf add because it blends movie energy, modern Spider-Man branding, and that classic “he got wrecked but still showed up” Peter Parker problem.

Pop Movies Jason Universe Jason with Axe Head #2034 Entertainment Earth Exclusive
Jason Voorhees remains horror royalty because the mask does half the work before the character even moves. This Jason Universe Pop gives collectors the hockey mask, the worn-down outfit, and the axe lodged in his head, which is exactly the kind of peaceful decorative item every horror shelf needs. Funko lists this Jason as a retailer-exclusive item, while Entertainment Earth identifies it as an Entertainment Earth Exclusive limited edition Funko Pop inspired by the Jason Universe horror franchise. The figure stands around 4.3 to 4.5 inches tall depending on product listing details, and the special exclusive angle makes it one of the stronger horror picks among the new Funko Pops this week.

Pop Pirates of the Caribbean Jack Sparrow Skeleton #1724 Limited Edition Royalty Collectible
Jack Sparrow already has one of the most recognizable silhouettes in modern Disney film history, but the skeleton version gives this Pop a better collector hook than a standard pirate pose. The figure leans into the cursed treasure mythology from Pirates of the Caribbean, with the skeletal face, red bandana, beads, and pirate gear making it instantly recognizable even before the nameplate does its job. Funko lists this Jack Sparrow Skeleton as a Limited Edition Royalty collectible, with only 3,500 made, and notes that it comes pre-packaged in a UV Premium Plastic Pop Protector. That limited piece count is the key detail here, and it should be mentioned every time this collectible is discussed.

Pop Television Stranger Things Eleven Split #1910 Vinyl Figure
Eleven gets one of the more visually interesting Stranger Things Funko designs with this split Rightside Up and Upside Down look. The half-normal, half-gray presentation is a smart way to represent the supernatural divide that has always powered the series. Funko lists Eleven Split as box number 1910, item number 93088, and approximately 3.6 inches tall. This is not just another Eleven figure with a slightly different outfit. The split design gives it an immediate display identity, which matters when Stranger Things collectors already have plenty of Hawkins options fighting for shelf space.

-Jay Katz

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Masters of The Universe – Movie Review

Jay Katz — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 23:34:10 +0000

Masters of the Universe Movie Review: A Film That Would Have Worked Better in 1984

Synopsis: In MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE, Director Travis Knight brings the legendary franchise back to the big screen in this epic live-action adventure. After being separated for 15 years, the Sword of Power leads Prince Adam (Nicholas Galitzine) back to Eternia where he discovers his home shattered under the fiendish rule of Skeletor (Jared Leto). To save his family and his world, Adam must join forces with his closest allies, Teela (Camila Mendes) and Duncan/Man-At-Arms (Idris Elba), and embrace his true destiny as He-Man — the most powerful man in the universe.

Starring Nicholas Galitzine, Camila Mendes, Alison Brie, James Purefoy, Morena Baccarin, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson, Charlotte Riley, Featuring Kristen Wiig as the voice of “Roboto” with Jared Leto and Idris Elba

Directed by Travis Knight

Where to begin?

Let’s sum this up quickly before getting into the details: Masters of the Universe would have been a fantastic movie in 1984. My 14-year-old self probably would have held this thing right up there with E.T., maybe even higher in certain moments because, let’s be honest, this movie has a lot more punching, lasers, swords, and fantasy action flying around.
The obvious glaring issue is that it is 2026, and I am not 14 anymore.
This comedic fantasy action adventure falls flat. Very flat.

The first glaring takeaway is the music score. Brian May is highly regarded as a fantastic guitarist among musicians, best known as the lead guitarist of the legendary band Queen. He plays the theme for our hero, He-Man, throughout the film, and wow, does it get tired fast. I am not entirely sure if Brian May handled the electric guitar soundtrack throughout the entire movie, but it certainly felt like it. The result was dated, loud, irritating, and completely out of sync with the moving pictures on the screen. Every fight scene seemed to call for another electric guitar squeal that came blasting in as if volume alone could create excitement. It did not. The anticipation of that music kicking in every other scene was honestly starting to give me anxiety.
The movie itself is an absolute mess. From the amateur dialogue to the fight scenes, nothing was engaging enough to make me care about character development. Which brings up another major issue: the character development was so weak that I found myself wondering whether I was being punked.
This became especially obvious whenever the movie attempted to shift into serious emotional territory. Every dialogue-heavy scene seemed to turn into someone needing to talk about feelings, open up, or explain the obvious. The scene between He-Man and his father, more than midway through the film, was especially guilty of this. It dragged into an overbearing emotional exchange that felt less like character depth and more like the movie begging us to care.
Meanwhile, the only question running through my mind was: where is Skeletor? I am guessing I was not the only person in the packed theater asking that during this touching father-and-son moment.
Later, during the next-to-last act in the jail, He-Man rallies the masses as some sort of general and starts regurgitating the names of characters we already know because he already named them earlier. Yet we still have to sit through the scene as though this is new information. It was cringe. As bad as the score, and that is saying something.

Idris Elba plays Duncan, father of Teela, who is played by Camila Mendes. Let me say this clearly: I absolutely adore Idris Elba as an actor. Now comes the bitter pill. He is atrocious in this film. Not because he suddenly forgot how to act, but because the character and script are so off-kilter that he never had a chance. This was not a role Idris Elba should have been associated with. He is much better than this material. His character is just as annoying as everyone else, which is almost impressive considering how much talent Elba usually brings to the screen. Before the big battle, Duncan and Teela have to stop and have their big emotional talk. You could feel the collective sigh coming because the movie telegraphed it from miles away. The predictability here was off the charts.
In fact, the person I brought with me to the screener (Hi Cosmo!), he and I both literally predicted the two post-credit scenes before the movie even began. We were just looking at the still image of the movie poster on the screen and called both of them. After the first extra scene played, which was my prediction, we looked at each other in disbelief, but also in that sad, expectant way because we knew what was coming next. Once the credits finished, his prediction hit right on cue. It is kind of sad when you are sitting there waiting for a movie to begin and you have already figured out the two extra scenes at the end.

The two main characters do not fare much better. Adam, also known as He-Man, is played by Nicholas Galitzine, while Skeletor is played by Jared Leto. Both are very forgettable.
Galitzine clearly tries to make this work. You can feel the effort. Unfortunately, that effort falls short every time. This is not the same feeling I had watching Dolph Lundgren in the 1987 Masters of the Universe film. Back then, even if the movie had its own problems, I could still see Lundgren’s potential as an action star. I wanted to see him in something else. That eventually came to fruition with The Punisher two years later and later with Universal Soldier. None of it was Academy Award-winning material, but it was memorable enough to make him more than just the guy who played Drago. I am not saying Nicholas Galitzine will not have a successful Hollywood career. He might. But based on this film, I would not exactly miss him if he never played this type of role again.
Jared Leto, meanwhile, gives an effort that is mediocre at best. Once again, there is almost no meaningful character development. We are given very little understanding of where Skeletor really comes from or why he is so angry all the time. Yes, he is the villain, but villains still need something. Andrew Scott, the Dolph Lundgren character in Universal Soldier, was a villain too, but we knew exactly why he was such an angry guy. Here, Skeletor is mostly just angry because the script says he is angry.
Leto also appears to recycle a bit of his Joker laugh for Skeletor, which is wild once you hear it. To be fair, he was not given much to work with. But let’s also be honest: Jared Leto is not exactly running an acting clinic at this stage either. Maybe someday. Not right now. A little word of advice for Leto: step into some serious civilian roles. Play the jaded lover, the try-hard dad, the husband barely holding it together. Something grounded. Something human. That might be the path that pushes him to the next level. Just a thought.

The supporting cast is as mediocre as the rest of the film. A bad script really shines here, and not in a good way. Nothing works. The jokes fall flat. The fight sequences fall flat. The drama falls flat. The character development falls flat. The pacing is off from beginning to end.

Overall, Masters of the Universe is a disappointing live-action fantasy adventure that does no justice to the original 1983 animated series. I thoroughly enjoyed that show as a 13-year-old boy, and I know for sure that version of me probably would have loved this movie too. The 17-year-old version of me even enjoyed the original 1987 Masters of the Universe film more than this new remake.

That really says it all.

This film feels like something built for a younger version of the audience while forgetting that much of the audience grew up. Nostalgia can get people into the theater, but it cannot carry a weak script, dated execution, poor pacing, forgettable performances, and a score that feels like it is attacking the movie instead of supporting it.

Masters of the Universe had the tools, the characters, and the built-in recognition to deliver something bigger, sharper, and more memorable. Instead, it gives us a film that feels stuck between eras, trying to pull in old fans while never truly understanding what those fans might expect from a modern version of Eternia.

The 13-year-old in me wanted to love it. The adult watching it in 2026 knew better.

-Jay Katz

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Power Ballad – Movie Review

Jay Katz — Tue, 02 Jun 2026 10:20:58 +0000

Power Ballad – Movie Review

Starring: Paul Rudd as Rick, Nick Jonas as Danny, Havana Rose Liu as Marcia, Jack Reynor as Mac, Peter McDonald as Sandy McDonald as Sandy, Marcella Plunkett as Rachel, Rory Keenan as Binzer, Keith McErlean as Kyle, Paul Reid as Bernard, and Beth Fallon as Amanda.

SYNOPSIS:
When Rick (Paul Rudd), a past-his-prime wedding singer, meets fading boy-band star Danny (Nick Jonas) during a gig, the two bond over music and a late-night jam session. But when Danny turns one of Rick’s songs into the hit that reignites his career, Rick sets out to reclaim the recognition he believes he deserves – even if it means risking everything he cares about. From writer-director John Carney (Sing Street, Once), POWER BALLAD is a feel-good story about music, self-respect, friendship, and the price of ambition.

Lionsgate presents, in association with 30WEST + Fís Éireann / Screen Ireland, a Likely Story / Distressed Films production, in association with Treasure Entertainment.

When I arrived at the AMC Theatre in Aventura for the Power Ballad screening, I immediately knew this wasn’t going to be a typical early showing. A live musician—Josh Gluck—was performing at the foot of the massive screen, filling the room with an acoustic set that set the tone long before the film even started. I walked in twenty minutes early, expecting the usual trickle of attendees, but the place was already packed. The energy was warm, lively, and surprisingly communal. It felt less like a screener and more like a pre‑show experience designed to ease you into the world of the film. And honestly, it worked.

As always, I go into these screenings blind. I accept them based on the synopsis and sometimes the cast, but I never watch trailers beforehand. I love experiencing a movie with zero preconceived images—no trailer moments, no expectations, no hints. If you’ve never done this as a moviegoer, try it at least once. It’s exhilarating to let a film reveal itself to you in real time.

Once the live music ended, the movie began, and Power Ballad wasted no time establishing its tone. The soundtrack is strong throughout, with a mix of catchy melodies and emotional undercurrents that fit the story well. That said, the film’s central song, “How to Write a Song Without You,” gets played a few more times than necessary. It’s a good track—written and performed by Nick Jonas himself, with a memorable hook—but by the final repetition, I found myself wishing the film trusted the audience to remember it without reinforcement.

The story unfolds largely as I expected, but that doesn’t mean it lacked charm. Paul Rudd’s performance as Rick is instantly likable. He plays a man who’s been knocked around by life but still carries a spark of sincerity and hope. Opposite him is Nick Jonas as Danny Wilson, a character who slowly reveals layers of dishonesty and self‑interest. Jonas develops Danny just enough to make you genuinely frustrated with him, which is exactly what the story requires. Together, the two create a dynamic that pulls you into the film’s central conflict—one rooted in trust, integrity, and the painful gray area between ambition and betrayal.

The film’s message is clear without being heavy‑handed: choose the high road, even when it’s the harder one. Stand up for yourself. Protect your passion. Don’t let others rewrite your truth. And just as importantly, listen to the people who care about you—especially when you don’t want to hear what they’re saying.

Supporting performances add real value. Peter McDonald as Sandy, Rick’s guitarist and best friend, brings a grounded, loyal presence that balances the emotional swings of the story. Beth Fallon, playing Rick’s daughter Amanda, adds heart and authenticity. Neither character feels forced or inserted for convenience; they fit naturally into the film’s rhythm and help flesh out Rick’s world.

The movie begins with a light comedic tone, but as Rick’s quest to prove Danny stole his song intensifies, the story shifts into more serious territory. A pivotal confrontation between the two artists—occurring well past the halfway mark—serves as the emotional turning point. It’s a strong scene, one that reframes the stakes and propels the film toward its final act. Even though I had a sense of where the story would ultimately land while Amanda was skimming around, the journey there remained engaging and satisfying. As felt by the audience reaction as well.

Power Ballad is, without question, a great date‑night movie. It’s a feel‑good film with enough emotional weight to spark conversation afterward—especially around themes of trust, creative ownership, and how one might react if placed in Rick’s situation.

At a brisk 1 hour and 38 minutes, the film moves quickly and never overstays its welcome. Not once did I feel my time was being wasted, which is more than I can say for many films in this genre. It’s not a great film, but it is a good one—earnest, entertaining, and easy to enjoy.

Go see Power Ballad. It’s worth your time.

— Jay Katz

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Hot New Funko POPS! This Week 5-13-26

Jay Katz — Sun, 10 May 2026 01:04:47 +0000

Hot New Funko POPS! This Week
These new Funko Pops are scheduled for release on May 13th, 2026. As of now, we are not aware of any delays and cannot be held responsible for any unforeseen changes.
Explore any red-highlighted links or collectibles to shop directly from all available eBay sellers now.
*This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Hot New Funko POPS! This Week

New release day for May 13, 2026 brings a surprisingly strong batch of Funko Pops for collectors, and this week is not just about grabbing another vinyl figure because the shelf looked lonely. This lineup has franchise depth, character demand, display appeal, and a few early sell-out warning signs that make the collector radar start blinking.

Funko POP! Heroes DC Pride Jonathan Kent Vinyl Figure belongs in this week’s collector conversation, especially with Midtown Comics showing the item as sold out for the 5/13/2026 release window. Jonathan Kent has become one of DC’s more important modern Superman-family characters, and this Pride release gives the figure an added collector hook beyond the standard hero pose. Funko’s listing describes the figure as Jonathan Kent in his iconic super suit with a Pride flag twist, standing approximately 4.7 inches tall, while Entertainment Earth lists it as DC Heroes Pride Jonathan Kent Funko Pop! Vinyl Figure #620. For collectors, this one checks a few boxes at once: modern DC relevance, Pride collection appeal, Superman-family visibility, and early sold-out movement where collectors were already watching.
Funko POP! Star Wars: Legends Mara Jade is the kind of release that makes longtime Star Wars collectors stop scrolling. Mara Jade still carries that Expanded Universe / Legends gravity, which means she is not just another background character in a sea of galactic plastic. BigBadToyStore lists the Mara Jade Specialty Series Pop as a May 2026 pre-order, with some condition tiers already showing sold out, while another retailer result shows Mara Jade sold out entirely. That does not automatically mean every retailer is tapped out, but it does tell collectors the demand is already there.
Funko POP! NBA Chicago Bulls Michael Jordan 1998 All-Star Game MVP feels like the safest collector logic in the group because Jordan collectibles rarely need a long sales pitch. This one ties directly to the 1998 All-Star Game MVP moment, which gives it a cleaner hook than a random pose or generic uniform release. NBA Store labels the item “Most Popular,” and multiple retailer pages show sell-out signals on versions or listings connected to this Pop. That is exactly the kind of early movement collectors tend to notice after the easy copies disappear.
Funko POP! & Buddy Supergirl with Puppy Krypto has the built-in advantage of timing. Supergirl and Krypto together make this more than a single-character release, and collectors tend to pay attention when a movie-tied Pop includes a companion figure with shelf appeal. BigBadToyStore shows the Supergirl with Puppy Krypto listing as a May 2026 pre-order with at least one condition option sold out.
Funko POP! Premium Yu-Gi-Oh Red-Eyes Black Dragon Card Vinyl Figure is one of the sharper collector pieces this week because it is not just a character standing in a box. The premium card-style presentation gives it more display value, and Red-Eyes Black Dragon has that old-school Yu-Gi-Oh collector recognition that still pulls weight. A much stronger shelf concept than the standard “here is another dragon, please make room” routine.
Funko POP! Nooks Lord of the Rings Bilbo Baggins is another one that feels built for display collectors. The Pop Nooks format gives Bilbo a Bag-End themed setup, which immediately separates it from a basic Lord of the Rings release. Current product listings show it across major collectible retailers including Funko, Entertainment Earth, BigBadToyStore, BoxLunch, and Hot Topic. That wider availability may help collectors early, but Lord of the Rings display pieces have a funny way of looking “easy” until everyone suddenly decides they want one.
Funko POP! Marvel X-Men ’97 Apocalypse brings Marvel animation heat into the week, and Apocalypse remains one of those villains who always feels bigger than the box he comes in. Midtown lists Apocalypse, Cable, En Sabah Nur, and Storm Wasteland X-Men ’97 Pops for 5/13/2026, giving collectors a mini-wave to track. Apocalypse gets the edge here because major villain Pops tied to an active animated brand usually carry better long-term collector logic than another background roster filler.

-Jay Katz

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Michael – Movie Review

Jay Katz — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 03:38:44 +0000

Michael – Movie Review

This screening was, without exaggeration, the wildest I’ve ever attended. The place was buzzing. Right at the foot of the IMAX screen, a DJ was blasting Michael Jackson classics while three major local radio stations had their own DJs hyping up the crowd. Before anyone even sat down, it felt like a full‑blown event. There was a three‑person MJ dance‑off judged by the audience, a Michael trivia battle, and a final open‑invite dance showcase where at least twenty people jumped up to show their best MJ moves. Prizes were flying out left and right. For a stretch of time—longer than a stretch—it genuinely felt like 1983 again. The energy was real, sincere, and contagious. The turnout was massive. And once the movie finally started, that momentum carried straight into the film.

First things first: this movie needs to be seen in IMAX. Not “should,” not “would be nice”—needs. The scale, the sound, the cinematography… they’re built for that giant canvas. Watching it anywhere else strips away a chunk of its impact. The film breathes differently in IMAX. Do yourself a favor and experience it that way.

“Michael” opens in the final, brutal days before the Jackson 5 landed their first real gig. Rhyan Hill (Tito), Jayden Harville (Jermaine), Jaylen Lyndon Hunter (Marlon), Nathaniel Logan McIntyre (Jackie), and Juliano Krue Valdi as young Michael all deliver, but it’s the dynamic with Joe Jackson—played with chilling precision by Colman Domingo—that hits hardest. It’s infuriating, heartbreaking, and gripping from the jump. You want to leap through the screen and stop him yourself.

From there, we ride the wave of the Jackson 5’s rise and eventually land in 1978, where Michael starts pushing toward a solo career—much to Joe’s disapproval. Joe’s worldview is summed up in one line: “You’re either a winner or you’re a loser.” Simple words, but when they’re beaten into you, they take on a whole different meaning. Joe Jackson was an abusive force, and the film doesn’t soften that truth. Even Michael’s mother, played beautifully by Nia Long, is powerless against him. Her attempts to protect her son never land. Michael never gets the rescue he deserved.

We all know the broad strokes of Michael’s story, but this film fills in the emotional architecture. It’s like watching the Titanic—you know the ending, but you still want the full picture. Here, you get it brick by brick.

The performances across the board are phenomenal. Not a single weak link. Young Michael commands the screen every time he appears—anger, joy, trauma, all of it. It’s rare to see a child actor deliver with that level of depth. KeiLyn Durrel Jones as Michael’s bodyguard is another standout. And Colman Domingo? He gives you the blueprint for Michael’s lifelong wounds. His portrayal makes the psychology click in a way that’s both devastating and illuminating.

The pacing is spot‑on, the music pulses through the visuals, and the cinematography is razor‑sharp. Every shot feels intentional. Every close‑up has weight. And yes—this is exactly why IMAX matters.

By the time we reach 1978/1979, Jaafar Jackson steps in as Michael and absolutely nails it. You feel the internal tug‑of‑war—his ambition, his fear, his need to break free. The 1984 Pepsi accident becomes a turning point, clarifying the direction he wanted to take… while also introducing the painkillers that would eventually cost him everything.
We dive into the making of the biggest‑selling record of all time, Thriller, and the behind‑the‑scenes process is absolutely captivating. From the origins of “Beat It” and “Thriller” to the very first “Billie Jean” performance, the film lays it all out. One moment I was waiting for in particular was the iconic guitar riff in “Beat It.” Would they acknowledge the legendary guitarist behind it? The movie doesn’t miss a beat.

The film does not cover the early 90’s controversy surrounding Michael. One major reason for this is because the film does not approach this particular era of his life. Maybe in a second film?

One noticeable omission: Janet Jackson. If there’s one thing to nitpick, it’s the absence of the sibling he was closest to. Their bond mattered, and it’s strange not to see it represented—especially considering they later teamed up for “Scream,” a song built on shared frustration and injustice.

Semi-spoiler alert!?
The ending hits like the final scene of The Sopranos—abrupt, intentional, leaving the entire audience wanting more. And honestly, there is more. Director Antoine Fuqua knew exactly what he was doing. He absolutely deserves an award consideration for this film. Actually, the whole team does—cinematographer Dion Beebe, the makeup department, sound, everyone. They all crushed it.
IMAX Stat.

-Jay Katz

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