Today we lost our last cat and a valued member of our family, Garfield. He was a very old cat but lately, he’d hadn’t been acting like himself. He started not walking and eating much. Today he started twitching and we knew it was time bring him in to put him to sleep. Death of a pet is not something anyone enjoys going through but it is something that will happen.

Garfield was responsible for many wacky moments in our lives. One involved getting trapped under the bathroom and another hiding in one of the drawers in our camping trailer. One time he went missing for two days until one night Brady spotted him in the backyard. Whenever we got a new Christmas tree, he’d rub his body on the floor and acted like a cat on catnip, it was so cute and hilarious. In an ironic way, Garfield from the comics was almost exactly like our Garfield. Both are huge compared to an average cat. Both wake up there owners up for breakfast. Both liked to eat a lot, chicken for our cat was basically like lasagna for Jon’s cat, he just couldn’t get enough of it. Both cats also like to sleep a lot. our Garfield would sleep on our parent’s bed with all the pillows fenced around him and he also had a stuffed moose that kept him company.

We were lucky to Garfield for as long as we have. While me and family are sad that he’s gone now, we are happy that he has finally reunited with his sister Nermal in Heaven. Garfield and Nermal brought so much joy to our lives. Me and my family will never stop missing both of them and will always keep them in our hearts forever. Thank you, Garfield, and Nermal for all the memories, warmth and comfort you gave our lives. You two will always be a part of our family. We will miss both of you.

In loving memory of Garfield

2004-2022

Today marks the 20^th anniversary of the Sly Cooper series. I’ve said a few months ago that Kingdom Hearts was me and my brother’s favorite video game series but Sly is a close second place. Sly Cooper is one of the most unique game series (especially the later entries) because it perfectly recreates the heist genre. Every mission you complete in an episode plays a huge part in the operation at the end of the episode. I love the characters, the comic book art style, the music, and the missions. It all started when Dad bought the 2^nd game after a trip he took and we were hooked immediately. The franchise brought a lot of happiness to different parts of our lives, like how we got the 3^rd game as a reward for a stay in the hospital. Sly 4 was practically our most anticipated game next to Kingdom Hearts 3. My brother and I would constantly think up new ideas for villains and levels for future entries. Hopefully one day we’ll see a return to this wonderful series.

To conclude this anniversary, I have decided to rank the games from worst to best and say what my favorite episode from each game is. My brother’s order is pretty much the same as mine.

4. Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus

Favorite Episode: Sunset Snake Eyes

3. Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time

Favorite Episode: Go West Young Raccoon

2. Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves

Favorite Episode: Flight of Fancy

1. Sly 2: Band of Thieves

Favorite Episode: He Who Tames the Iron Horse

What’s your favorite Sly Cooper game/episode? Feel free to comment your thoughts and be on the look out for new two lists, one celebrating Cartoon Network’s 30th anniversary and one one another game series I love coming soon.

Happy 20^th birthday to our favorite ringtale thief.

It’s ironic that in Forest Gump Tom Hanks played a character who inspired Elvis and now he’s playing Elvis’s manager. Elvis is directed by Baz Luhrmann who also did Moulin Rouge and The Great Gatsby. The best way to describe Baz Luhrmann is that he’s an eye candy director meaning his movies are visually amazing to watch no matter how bad the story is. This movie is extremely colorful and uniquely shot and edited. It was kind of like a drug trip but without the drugs.

The two biggest standouts in terms of the cast were Austin Butler as Elvis Presley and Tom Hanks as Elvis’s manage Colonel Tom Parker. I wasn’t sure if Austin Butler was actually singing or if the film just used audio from the real Elvis but he really was singing he did an excellent job recapturing the charm of Elvis. Seeing Elvis deteriorate is really heartbreaking and unlike other musician biographies like Bohemian Rhapsody or Rocketman, this film ends more on a depressing note. The Colonel is such a vile despicable lonesome monster and one of those villains that you love to hate. He felt like an animated villain put in a live action film but Tom Hanks managed to give such a terrific performance.

Honestly the one problem I do have is the long runtime which I kind of felt near the end but’s really a nitpick. I also would’ve liked it if the film ended with Elvis dying the toilet but that’s just the inner “black comedy loving” me speaking. Elvis is probably my favorite musician biography and anyone who loves Elvis and his songs will love it. This is a film that will definitely not leave the building anytime soon.

Verdict:

+Austin Butler as Elvis

+Baz Luhrmann’s directing

+The editing

+Tom Hanks as the Colonel 

-Long runtime

Score: A

It’s nice to be doing this again. This follows as the same rules before. My choices are in bold and these predictions are based on my opinion. Feel free to comment your predictions.

Best Picture

Belfast

CODA

Don’t Look Up

Drive My Car

Dune

King Richard

Licorice Pizza

Nightmare Alley

The Power of the Dog

West Side Story

Actor in a Leading Role

Javier Bardem Being the Ricardos

Benedict Cumberbatch The Power of the Dog

Andrew Garfield tick, tick…Boom!

Will Smith King Richard

Denzel Washington The Tragedy of Macbeth

Actress in a Leading Role

Jessica Chastain The Eyes of Tammy Faye

Olivia Colman The Lost Daughter

Penélope Cruz Parallel Mothers

Nicole Kidman Being the Ricardos

Kristen Stewart Spencer

Actor in a Supporting Role

Ciarán Hinds Belfast

Troy Kotsur CODA

Jesse Plemons The Power of the Dog

J.K. Simmons Being the Ricardos

Kodi Smit-McPhee The Power of the Dog

Actress in a Supporting Role

Jessie Buckley The Lost Daughter

Ariana DeBose West Side Story

Judi Dench Belfast

Kirsten Dunst The Power of the Dog

Aunjanue Ellis King Richard

Directing

Belfast Kenneth Branagh

Drive My Car Ryusuke Hamaguchi

Licorice Pizza Paul Thomas Anderson

The Power of the Dog Jane Campion

West Side Story Steven Spielberg

Writing (Adapted Screenplay)

CODA

Drive My Car

Dune

The Lost Daughter

The Power of the Dog

Writing (Original Screenplay)

Belfast

Don’t Look Up

King Richard

Licorice Pizza

The Worst Person in the World

Animated Feature Film

Encanto

Flee

Luca

The Mitchells vs. the Machines

Raya and the Last Dragon

Cinematography

Dune

Nightmare Alley

The Power of the Dog

The Tragedy of Macbeth

West Side Story

Film Editing

Don’t Look Up

Dune

King Richard

The Power of the Dog

Tick, Tick…Boom!

Animated Short Film

Affairs of the Art

Bestia

Boxballet

Robin Robin

The Windshield Wiper

Music (Original Score)

Don’t Look Up Nicholas Britell

Dune Hans Zimmer

Encanto Germaine Franco

Parallel Mothers Alberto Iglesias

The Power of the Dog Jonny Greenwood

Music (Original Song)

“Be Alive” from King Richard

“Dos Oruguitas” from Encanto

“Down To Joy” from Belfast

“No Time To Die” from No Time to Die

“Somehow You Do” from Four Good Days

Production Design

Dune

Nightmare Alley

The Power of the Dog

The Tragedy of Macbeth

West Side Story

Costume Design

Cruella

Cyrano

Dune

Nightmare Alley

West Side Story

Makeup and Hairstyling

Coming 2 America

Cruella

Dune

The Eyes of Tammy Faye

House of Gucci

Sound

Belfast

Dune

No Time to Die

The Power of the Dog

West Side Story

Visual Effects

Dune

Free Guy

No Time to Die

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

Spider-Man: No Way Home

1996-2022

Before we begin, I wanted to tell a funny and personal story involving Arthur and me. I used to be afraid of the intro because of the moment at the end where DW shouts HEY! It scared me so much that I either waited in the other room or closed my eyes until it was over. I never even conquered this fear until years later. LOL

Today, marks the end of an era. Arthur one of the longest running kids shows and one of the most popular PBS shows has finally aired its final episode. This was a show that’s been around for nearly my whole life since I was one when it first premiered. The characters were so memorable and I love how we got to see some episodes that focused not just on Arthur’s friends but also their families too. It gave Elwood City so much life. This show also taught really good morals. Probably the most famous episode was April 9^th which was a response to the September 11^th attacks. This episode dealt with many things we felt during the tragedy such as lost, fear, trauma and even not knowing how to feel. Anyone can relate to these feeling even me since I went through due to recent history.

Spoiler Warning: The final episode is about Arthur and his friends playing a game that tells your future but aren’t thrilled with there results especially Arthur who didn’t get one. After a very sweet cameo of the original author Marc Brown the episode time skips 20 years into the future where the characters are actually happy with there futures. The episode then ends with Arthur (cleverly played by his original actor) showing his friends his published graphic novel of his childhood (specifically the story of when he got his glasses) and wow seeing his book got me right in the feels. I can’t think of a more beautiful way to end this series.

PBS would’ve never been the same or ever will be the same without our favorite aardvark and we will miss him and everyone in Elwood City. Thank You Marc Brown and everyone who worked on the show for making every day a wonderful kind of day, where we can learn to work and play, and get along with each other.

Hey! What a wonderful kind of day, Hey! What a wonderful kind of day, Hey!

50 years ago today, Walt Disney World opened its doors to the Magic Kingdom for the first time. It was a place where families can be together and ironically Disney World wouldn’t have happened if it wasn’t for Walt Disney’s family. Walt Disney sadly died without seeing his Florida Project fulfilled but Walt’s brother Roy Disney helped carry out his legacy. It wasn’t just a carbon copy of Disneyland; it was something incredibly different and unique. Soon after more parks opened and this Disney World became more huger than anything Disney has ever done.

My introduction to Disney World was odd. I was familiar with Disneyland but when I was young, I came across maps of Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, and MGM Studios. The weirdest thing to me was seeing Big Thunder Mountain next door to Splash Mountain. Later I was a commercial for Mickey’s PhilharMagic and while I thought it looked neat, I knew it would be impossible to see it. That is, on Christmas day of 2003 my biggest gift that we received was our first trip to Disney World. Our trips got better each time.

Thank You Walt Disney and  the imaginers for the memories, thrills, excitement, and magic you have filled the hearts of my and me family for over 50 years and many more to come.

Happy 50^th anniversary Walt Disney World!

Today we’ve lost one of the best actors of all time Ed Asner. His most famous role in my opinion was Carl Fredricksen from Pixar’s Up. For those who still don’t know me Pixar’s Up isn’t just my favorite Pixar or animated movie, it’s my favorite movie of all time. It’s a film that means so much to me and my family and friends. Ed gave so much life and heart to this grumpy old man and now Carl can finally reunite with his true love Ellie. Thank You so much Ed for giving us one of the great Disney characters of all time in one of the greatest movies of all time.

RIP Ed Asner

The Suicide Squad is the first movie in the DC Extended Universe since Birds of Prey more than a year ago. Although I’m not a huge fan of the series I have seen all of them (except Justice League Synder’s Cut) so I thought I’d share my thoughts on the series with a ranking.

10. Batman vs Superman:

9. Suicide Squad:

8. Justice League:

7. Wonder Woman 1984: I didn’t really feel the 80s in this movie. Felt too long and too silly especially in the mall scene.  

6. Man of Steel: I do like Han Zimmer’s score An Ideal of Hope but this way too edgy and violent for a movie about the symbol of hope.

5.Wonder Woman:

4. Aquaman: This one kind of grew on me. Rupert Gregson-Williams’s score is catchy and the costumes and underwater scenes are vibrantly colorful.

3. Birds of Prey:

2. Shazam!:

1. The Suicide Squad:

Pokémon is a lot of things. It is one of the biggest franchises of all time with video games, movies, cards, and toys. It’s arguably a lot of kid’s (including me) introduction to anime. It’s also one of my brother’s favorite video games series. The world of Pokémon is so huge and full of over 800 amazing Pokémon. Thank you Pokemon for 25 years of memories. Now let’s celebrate this day with a bag of jelly filled donuts.

BTW: my favorite Pokémon is Eevee. Not only is he cute but he can evolve into one of seven evolutions. Who’s your favorite Pokémon? Leave a comment below and like.

I can’t believe it’s been half a decade since I started this blog. To think I started this blog as an assignment for one of my college classes and now it’s become more than that. Reviewing movies and other stuff is one of my biggest passions and I want to thank everyone who supported me through these 5 years. Here’s to more years to come on JacobsonCinema!