Movie Reviews
BATWHEELS: Episodes 1.1-1.3 Review
The action BATWHEELS is set during the cloak of night in Gotham City. So, the animation is visually dark. However, the creators employ bright colors through the character’s outfits and the animation to make the series lively. The episodes aren’t long, but they keep viewers of all ages engaged and even laughing. BATWHEEELS has a strong moral worldview. It promotes helping others without expecting anything in return, staying together as a team, and instilling confidence in others by believing in them. Episode Three even has a strong redemptive theme of love thy enemy. Each episode contains fights that aren’t overly violent. There are some scenes involving creepy villains, however. So, Movieguide® suggests discernment for younger children.
Dominant Worldview and Other Worldview Content/Elements:
Strong moral worldview promotes helping others without expecting anything in return, staying together as a team, and instilling confidence in others by believing in them, plus Episode Three has a redemptive theme of loving thy enemy, which leads to repentance;
Foul Language:
No foul language;
Violence:
A few scenes contain mild violence with several heroes and villains fighting one another such as vehicle chases, villain’s boat causes vehicles to crash, and Mr. Freeze tries to freeze Batman and finally is able to freeze Batman in his Batmobile, but a side villain repents and helps Batman and his friends;
Sex:
No sex;
Nudity:
No nudity;
Alcohol Use:
No alcohol use;
Smoking and/or Drug Use and Abuse:
No smoking or drugs; and,
Miscellaneous Immorality:
There are more minor questionable elements such as stealing, lying, deceiving.
BATWHEELS is an exciting, funny animated adventure series on Max based on the famous comic book characters Batman, Robin and Bat Girl. The three famous vehicles of the superheroes jump into action to save Gotham City and put villains behind bars. Each episode features action sequences that are not overly violent but include some violence. There are creepy scenes involving villains such as Harley Quinn’s menacing gaze. So, MOVIEGUIDE® suggests discernment for younger children.
BATWHEELS Episode One opens after the notorious villain, the Joker, and his cohorts have stolen a boatload of money. Just when they think they’ve gotten away with the robbery, Batman, Robin and Bat Girl come to the rescue and stop the villains from completing the robbery.
Following the trio’s successful mission, the Gotham City mayor offers to honor them with the keys to the city. Bat Girl and Robin are excited by the recognition, but Batman initially declines the invitation stating they “don’t protect Gotham for awards.” After some convincing, Batman relents, and the group accepts the mayor’s invitation.
Meanwhile, back at the Batcave, an intruder triggers the bat computer to activate the heroes’ vehicles to protect the cave and the city in the absence of the heroes. Assisted by Batman’s robot aid, MOE the Bat Mobile (BAM) receives upgrades, bringing the vehicle to life to fight crime in Gotham City.
Episode Two shows the Batmobile, Redbird and the Batgirl Cyle and their friends thwarting the villainous Penguin’s Ducky Boat’s evil schemes. As the Batwheels hit the streets of Gotham City, they arrive at the marina where Ducky Boat can be found. Ducky Boat has been given a fuel cell upgrade and has become the fastest boat at the marina. The Batgirl Cycle impulsively races towards Ducky Boat, jolting the rest of the Batwheels into action. However, each vehicle is plagued by an obstacle from Ducky Boat, ranging from beach balls stuck in tires or green slime which cause crashes. Ducky Boat escapes, so the Batwheels return to the Batcave for needed repairs.
One of the team’s challenges is establishing a leader to turn to in times of trouble. Bam, the Batmobile, takes on that role and does his best to lead the team to victory. However, he messes up, and the team flops. Bam soon realizes that being a good leader requires more than barking orders. It’s about trusting the team to do what they do best and step in only when necessary.
In Episode Three, Batman is battling Mr. Freeze and his snowcrusher vehicle, Snowy. Batman ends up chasing them, but Snowy swerves to avoid an animal and crashes. As a result, Mr. Freeze is thrown from the vehicle. Mr. Freeze keeps running, and Batman keeps chasing him.
Buff, the Bat Truck, stops to help Snowy. He suspects Snowy is not such a bad vehicle, because he risked injury to save the animal. Buff and Snowy become friends, and Buff takes Snowy to the Batcave to get repaired. The other vehicles are wary of Snowy, but they start making friends too, and Snowy creates a bunch of fun ice ramps for them to play. He even makes it snow in the Batcave!
However, Mr. Freeze orders Snowy to return so he can use Snowy’s ice machine to freeze Batman. A fight ensues, but Buff still believes in Snowy. He doesn’t think Snowy will hurt him. However, will Buff’s faith in his new friend be rewarded?
The action in the first three episodes of BATWHEELS is set in the cloak of night in Gotham City, so the atmosphere is dark. However, the creators employ bright colors through the character’s outfits and the animation, which makes the series lively. The episodes aren’t long, but they keep viewers of all ages engaged and even laughing.
BATWHEEELS has a strong moral, redemptive worldview that promotes helping others without expecting anything in return, staying together as a team and always instilling confidence in others by believing in them. Episode Three adds a strong redemptive theme with a wonderful message of love thy enemy.
Each episode in BATWHEEELS contains fights, but they aren’t overly violent. There are a few creepy scenes, however, involving villains such as Harley Quinn’s menacing gaze. So, MOVIEGUIDE® suggests discernment for younger children.
Movie Reviews
Miyamoto says he was surprised Mario Galaxy Movie reviews were even harsher than the first | VGC
Nintendo’s Shigeru Miyamoto says he’s surprised at the negative critical reception to the Super Mario Galaxy Movie.
As reported by Famitsu, Miyamoto conducted a group interview with Japanese media to mark the local release of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie.
During the interview, Miyamoto was asked for his views on the critical reception to the film in the West, where critics’ reviews have been mostly negative.
Miyamoto replied that while he understood some of the negative points aimed at The Super Mario Bros Movie, he thought the reception would be better for the sequel.
“It’s true: the situation is indeed very similar,” he said. “Actually, regarding the previous film, I felt that the critics’ opinions did hold some validity. “However, I thought things would be different this time around—only to find that the criticism is even harsher than it was before.
“It really is quite baffling: here we are—having crossed over from a different field—working hard with the specific aim of helping to revitalize the film industry, yet the very people who ought to be championing that cause seem to be the ones taking a passive stance.”
As was the case with the first film, opinion is divided between critics and the public on The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. On review aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes, the film currently has a critics’ score of 43% , while its audience score is 89%.
While this is down from the first film’s scores (which were 59% critics and 95% public) it does still appear to imply that the film’s target audience is generally enjoying it despite critical negativity.
The negative reception is unlikely to bother Universal and Illumination too much, considering the film currently has a global box office of $752 million before even releasing in Japan, meaning a $1 billion global gross is becoming increasingly likely.
Elsewhere in the interview, Miyamoto said he hoped the film would perform well in Japan, especially because it has a unique script rather than a simple localization as in other regions.
“The Japanese version is a bit unique,” he said. “Normally, we create an English version and then localize it for each country, but for the first film, we developed the English and Japanese scripts simultaneously. For this film, we didn’t simply localize the completed English version – instead, we rewrote it entirely in Japanese to create a special Japanese version.
“So, if this doesn’t become a hit in Japan, I feel a sense of pressure – as the person in charge of the Japanese version – to not let [Illumination CEO and film co-producer] Chris [Meledandri] down.
“However, judging by the reactions of the audience members who’ve seen it, I feel that Mario fans are really embracing it. I also believe we’ve created a film that people can enjoy even if they haven’t seen the previous one, so I’m hopeful about that as well.”
Movie Reviews
‘I Swear’ Review – Heart Sans Sap, Cursing Aplenty
The sixth outing in the director’s chair for filmmaker Kirk Jones, I Swear dramatizes the real-life story of touretter John Davidson (played by Robert Aramayo). Tourette’s Syndrome, for those unfamiliar with the condition, is a nervous system disorder that causes various tics, the most prolific being erratic and explicit language. However, as I Swear expertly showcases, the syndrome is far more than ill-timed outbursts of curse words. Davidson’s story is one of societal frustration, finding your people (both with and without the condition), and using your voice to help others rise. The subject and subject matter are handled with absolute care and understanding under Kirk’s measured vision and Robert Aramayo’s BAFTA-winning performance.
The film kicks off with the greatest exclamation to democracy ever uttered (*%#! the Queen!), as a nervous John Davidson prepares himself before entering an awards ceremony hosted by Britain’s royal family. Right away, the film tells us what it is: a triumph over adversity that blends humor and human drama with education. It’s an important setup, as the film flashes back to Davidson’s 1980s youth, where we see his time as a star soccer recruit flatline as his condition takes hold. Davidson’s life spirals from there. Some aspects, like school bullying and accidental run-ins with authority figures, are expected but important to empathizing with young Davidson’s (young version, played with heart by Scott Ellis Watson) new everyday life. The more tragic, a complete meltdown of his family system, is unsettling if quick. His father (Steven Cree) is never given enough screen time to explore his alcohol coping tendencies. However, his mother Heather’s descent into easy fixes and blaming is crushing and convincing. Harry Potter series actress Shirley Henderson (Moaning Myrtle) gives a layered performance as Heather. Someone who loves her son, but also feels cursed by him as the entire family exits the picture. It’s bitter, she’s tired, and fills each conversation with ‘only medication and your mother can save you’ energy.
From there, the viewer and Davidson find refuge in a host of characters. Maxine Peake plays Dottie, the mother of a childhood friend and a retired mental health nurse. Screen vet Peter Mullan plays maintenance man Tommy Trotter. Together, they help Davidson build a life and an understanding of himself that carries the film forward into its second half. After that, the film is primarily a 3-actor show as director Kirk fills the screen with these tour-de-force performances. Peake and Mullan are great vessels to get the film’s main message across: patience, love, and a shared responsibility between the diagnosed and those who understand their struggle can help change the path for people quickly left behind by a normative world. Together, they are the soul of the movie, with the filmmakers clearly hoping the audience will follow their lead after they exit the theater (in my case, the beautiful Oriental Theater for the Milwaukee Film Festival). Both performances are perfectly warm and reflective and shouldn’t be left out in discussions of I Swear.
I say this because the movie is anchored by The Rings of Power actor Robert Aramayo, who leaves Elrond’s elf ears behind to bring an acute naturalism to his performance of main character John Davidson. Aramayo’s physicality and timing of the fitful Tourettes Syndrome never feel out of place or overplayed. In fact, the movie as a whole does an amazing job of never veering into sentimentality. While many moviegoers left with tissues dabbing their eyes, the filmmaking never felt like it was forcing that reaction out of audiences. It straddles the line between feel-good and reality with every story beat and lands squarely on the side of letting the real inform our feelings. Anyone with an ounce of empathy will grasp the film’s message and hopefully take it with them into life.
I Swear continues at the Milwaukee Film Festival on Tuesday, April 21st, and releases nationwide April 24th, 2026, courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.
Movie Reviews
Six 100-Word Movie Reviews
Pizza Movie (2026) Director: Nick Kocher and Brian McElhaney, Star: Gaten Matarazzo and Sean Giambrone
Somehow, I got through an hour of this movie. I was seconds away from turning off in the first fifteen minutes because of the juvenile humor. Pizza Movie is too silly, repetitive, and the characters are annoying. Stranger Things Gaten Matarazzo and Sean Giambrone star as college friends, Jack and Montgomery. College angles are rarely seen in films right now, and that’s the one saving grace of the film. Similar to high school, people are also trying to fit in. The story and visuals were too corny. You can only watch someone’s head exploding for so long without letting yours.
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie (2026) Director: Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic, Stars: Chris Pratt, Charlie Day, Anya Taylor-Joy
I never saw the first Super Mario Brothers Movie when it was out, but I heard it got positive reviews. My brother always loved playing Super Mario video games as a kid, and I’d watch him. I tagged along with my friends to see Super Mario Galaxy Movie, and it’s a cute and fun film. I like it when movies explore the video game world. The animation creates unique worlds and characters. The characters are split into their own storylines, and for me, I felt like it worked. It adds more action, especially for kids who are seeing the films.
Emily in Paris Season 5 (2025) Creator: Darren Star, Stars: Lily Collins and Ashley Park
After a bright spot in season 4, I thought season 5 of Emily in Paris would continue its growth in the story and its protagonist, but no, it’s all drained out in the usual Emily (Lily Collins) mishaps. Ashley Park (Mindy) has become too good for this show. Emily and Mindy waste several opportunities because of their love lives. The whole relationship angle is ruining it. I don’t understand why Alfie (Lucien Laviscount) is still in the show. I thought writers learned their lesson, but by the last episode, they’re continuing to bring the past into an apparent season 6.
Sarah’s Oil (2025) Director: Cyrus Nowrasteh, Stars: Naya Desir-Johnson and Zachary Levi
There’s always history lurking right beneath our noses. Sarah’s Oil (2025) tells the true story of Sarah Rector, an Oklahoma-born African American girl who became the first black female millionaire in the U.S. Naya Desir-Johnson is fierce and driven as Sarah. Zachary Levi is also along for the ride as Bert, a man who helps Sarah. Kate (Bridget Regan) was another favorite character as an intelligent woman. Cyrus Nowrasteh was drawn to the subject for its story and its themes. Nowrasteh’s direction is compelling as he unearths a hidden story from history. The film is streaming on Amazon Prime.
Jack Goes Boating (2014) Director and Star: Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Amy Ryan
Jack Goes Boating (2014) didn’t quite work for me, largely because of its slow pace and uneven storytelling. The film stars the late Seymour Hoffman as Jack, who also directed the film. This was Hoffman’s first and only time in the directing chair. Amy Ryan also stars in the film, giving a solid performance. This was also based on a play that Hoffman starred in. Jack wants to participate in a swim championship. That’s hardly what the film is about, tracking other characters’ stories. While the film aims for quiet intimacy, it ultimately drags, making it an underwhelming viewing experience.
You Kill Me (2016), Director: John Dahl, Stars: Ben Kingsley, Tea Leoni, Luke Wilson
Meet You Kill Me (2016), yet another film that I found in the museum of underrated gems. The concept revolves around Frank (Ben Kingsley), a hitman, who is sent to an A.A. meeting to get his mind focused again. A different story happens, where Frank falls in love with Laurel (Tea Leoni). Leoni is one of my favorite actresses. It also stars the funny Luke Wilson. I liked the trio’s dynamics. You Kill Me is a mental health movie. It’s okay to make changes if you’re not happy. I recommended that you keep an eye out for this movie.
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