Music Is All That Matters Anymore

[popentertainment-moviereviews]

AQUAMAN AND THE LOST KINGDOM (2023)

Starring Jason Momoa, Patrick Wilson, Amber Heard, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Randall Park, Dolph Lundgren, Temuera Morrison, Martin Short, Nicole Kidman, Vincent Regan, Jani Zhao, Indya Moore, Pilou Asbæk, Jay McDonald, Natalia Safran, Samuel Gosrani, Jay Rincon, Jonathan Bremner, Jack Waldouck, Jonny Vaughton, Osian Roberts and Grant Huggair.

Screenplay by David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick.

Directed by James Wan.

Distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. 124 minutes. Rated R.

Let’s face it, it’s a bad time for Aquaman to continue his adventures in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. A whole tidal wave of issues are pressing against the return of the King of Atlantis.

First off, and most basic – the world at large seems to be getting a case of superhero fatigue. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom in particular is in a precarious place, as the last remnants of the old Zack Snyder-planned DCEU of which this film is a part has come to an end, and the new James Gunn DC universe is going in a completely different direction – a direction which may or may not include Aquaman. (The appearance is that at least for now, Aquaman has no place in Gunn’s DC films.)

The last several DCEU films have been box office disappointments, including The Flash, Shazam 2 and Blue Beetle. It’s not unique to DC, who has always been the also-ran comic book cinematic universe. Even the grand poohbah of the art form, Marvel, has had recent films become severe box office disappointments. (The Marvels, Thor: Love and Thunder and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, anyone?)

Not only that, but there have also long been rumors of an uncomfortable, strife-filled set for this film – particularly an apparent feud between star Jason Momoa and co-star Amber Heard, which is a concern, considering they are playing husband and wife. In fact, Heard’s role seems to have been cut due to Momoa’s insistence on limiting her involvement – although that limitation also may have to do with Heard being essentially cancelled after the infamous trial against her ex-husband Johnny Depp.

Still, Warner Brothers thought enough of Aquaman to toss it out in the deep end and make it a Christmas tentpole title.

I can’t say that I share their optimism. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is the best and the worst of modern superhero filmmaking all mixed up into a big, confusing mess. There is very little in the way of a plot here, although there is nearly constant eye-popping action which the filmmakers hope will distract you from the fact that not much of this stuff makes much (or any) sense.

Also, the attempts – mostly by Momoa, but by some other characters as well – to add some much-needed levity and humor to the film almost inevitably fall flat. (This was also a problem with the first Aquaman film.)

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is lost itself, a huge, shambling series of poorly edited (mostly) underwater battle sequences held together with just the barest wisp of a plot. And that little wisp of story is basically one we’ve seen over and over now, particularly in superhero movies.

The cast feels like they are on autopilot for the most part – particularly Nicole Kidman who looks like she would love to be anywhere, anywhere, but where she is. On the other hand, Randall Park steals pretty much every scene he is in as a scientist who is dragged into an evil plot.

I can sort of relate to him. Although, in fairness, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom does have some fun action sequences, for the most part you’d have to drag me kicking and screaming into ever watching this again.

Jay S. Jacobs

Copyright ©2023 PopEntertainment.com. All rights reserved. Posted: December 21, 2023.

[feetonthegroundtx]

Fuck yeah been waiting for the story to continue

[feetonthegroundtx]

Rest in Peace Melissa. Now you can always be on Beto’s shoulder guiding him to Presidency

[feetonthegroundtx]

mayim bialik (@missmayim) on Threads

Jeopardy! announcement.

[feetonthegroundtx]

[feetonthegroundtx]

Jenny-Jaymes Gunn (@gunngirlunicorn) on Threads

There hundred of thousands of democrats that don’t vote in Texas. How do we improve that

[veganvarian]

Thanksgiving is a holiday founded on the genocide of native peoples and continues to celebrate the abuse of native populations, as well as the mass murder of non-human animals.

I encourage everyone to donate to these two organizations which are working to redefine Thanksgiving, and to watch their livestreams:

United American Indians of New England (National Day of Mourning protest at noon EST, livestream available)

Farm Sanctuary (annual Adopt a Turkey program and Celebration for the Turkeys livestream)

[feetonthegroundtx]

Absolutely.

[veganvarian]

Sometimes I feel like the mainstream media is just trying to make people give up.

They go on and on for hours about Biden's dropping poll numbers, how Biden is polling low in young voters, how most Democrats want someone else...

And then in the same breath they will say no one is opposing him, or that only Dean Phillips is. Meanwhile Marianne has been in the game since March 2023.

The blackout is astounding, and if it continues without any intervention by us, it will have devastating consequences. I try to be positive, but make no mistake: if the media continues to pretend that Marianne doesn't exist (because they don't like how anti-corporate she is), then people will not vote in the primary for her. If people aren't mobilized for Marianne, Biden will win the nomination, and when it's Biden vs. Trump, the electorate will tap out. Trump will win with the Electoral College and again become President of the United States.

And, as intrenched in the establishment as Biden is, Trump is even worse, and even more "trickle-down economics" nonsense, so the establishment, and the billionaires, and the media, want him President even more.

And sometimes I think about how the media acted during Trump's presidency and start to believe that their hatred of Trump had nothing to do with the fact that he was a racist piece of shit, and everything to do with he blew up the establishment and took it over. (And then, became the establishment, so now they like him).

That was all pretty depressing so here's the part where I slap you and tell you to put your head up.

This will happen UNLESS we fight. If we fight, we can stop it from happening. We need people to mobilize for Marianne right now. We need to be hopeful. The establishment, the media, the corporations, they WANT us to be scared. They want us to hide in our shells and not vote and not get out there. So that's what we need to do.

The ice is cracking; I've seen it. I've seen it with every interaction I've had on the campaign trail, where "she's running against Biden" is answered with "good, Biden sucks. Tell me more." I've seen it in the poll numbers, slowly, but surely rising. I've seen it in the little bit more media coverage.

One day that dam is gonna break and all the water is going to come rushing in. They can't ignore us forever. So keep pushing, keep canvassing, keep phone banking, keep posting on social media. Keep calling CNN and yelling at them. Keep emailing groups and nicely asking for endorsements.

And if I do excuse myself to commit a reference to a piece of media I greatly cherish, "Hope is a ninja's greatest weapon."

[feetonthegroundtx]

Our Voices Will Be Heard

[feetonthegroundtx]

Buttigieg, Harris, Klobuchar, Sanders and Warren To Take Questions From Live Student Audience   CAMBRIDGE, MA – The Institute of Politics at

Harvard canceled @mariannewilliamson2024 speech this Sunday citing NO presidential candidates may speak there. How did this happen in April?

[feetonthegroundtx]

[shesnake]

SHUNGA collection by Lucy Liu

Liu’s figurative paintings — inspired by shunga, Japanese erotic art popularized in the 17th century — are ruminations on her upbringing in a family where sex and nudity were taboo. When she first began to show these works, a dealer suggested she recut the canvases to eliminate the exaggerated genitals (the work in this article is a relatively tame example). “I can’t do that,” she said. “They were like, ‘Well, do you want to sell? Do you want to create this career?’ I found that so outrageous. [I was] being censored once again. As a child I was not allowed to ask questions but now I can’t even show …” she trails off. “I know it’s aggressive, maybe it’s not your taste, but that’s not the point of the piece.” 

“Hanging on the wall of Liu’s studio are three large paintings of nudes. In one, two females crouch head-to-head as if sharing a kiss — or a secret. Get close enough to the canvas and you can see a window ornamented with a flower box; you realize that there is another painting underneath: The original works are paintings of old family photographs.”

src: 1 / 2 / 3

[feetonthegroundtx]

What a badass

[feetonthegroundtx]

RED ALERT: Republicans make DANGEROUS move in Pennsylvania

#shorts

[feetonthegroundtx]

https://x.com/thedifiori/status/1708230100238450931?s=12&t=a0Zmo4dk5ZAyUOxnjpk2gQ

I wonder what trick the governments of the Earth have up their sleeves to save us from 45 degrees Celsius?

They can’t even organize to stop Covid

[feetonthegroundtx]

Log into Facebook | Facebook

Log into Facebook to start sharing and connecting with your friends, family, and people you know.

Sunny Disposition makes it into the Dallas Observer💗

[feetonthegroundtx]

For all you Climate Crisis Deniers

[feetonthegroundtx]

Log into Facebook | Facebook

Log into Facebook to start sharing and connecting with your friends, family, and people you know.

STOP WORLDWIDE TOURS. It’s hypocritical and selfish

Let’s get together to make a song for the world to sing together as we GO GREEN

[feetonthegroundtx]

Iceland is 1.05% as big as the USA.

It’s 2 power grids for the country are running 20.12 terawatts

As opposed to

Texas power grid that is running around 8,700 megawatts right now

Makes you say hmmmmm how come our power grid hasn’t been modernized since the 80’s?

[feetonthegroundtx]

California appeals court will hear lawsuit seeking to overturn rooftop solar decision

The California Public Utilities Commission's NEM 3.0 decision reduced the credits customers receive

THESE MOTHERFUCKERS

1. Encourage everyone, Even the low income - Lets all give the grid a break and GO SOLAR FOR THE PLANET!!! (Grid first, of course 🤦‍♀️)America, Fuck Yea!!!

2. INSTANTLY regret it because it REDUCED CUSTOMERS BILLS 75%

3. Tell CUSTOMERS, SORRY, We CHANGED OUR MINDS, You’re gonna have to understand, We’re runnin a business here!!! (Best Mobster Voice, in your mind)

4. CUSTOMERS FIGHT BACK

5. CUSTOMERS LOSE

6. CUSTOMERS TAKE IT TO THE COURT OF APPEALS (shoots the bird towards #cpuc)

7. COURT OF APPEALS AGREES to Oral Argument

8. I’m a Texan and waiting with baited breath and VOICE FOR AMERICANS