Episode 67 - Soul/Wonder Woman '84 Review

Alright people, this is it! The grand finale, the grand hoo-rah! Our final podcast episode of 2020, and boy is it a doozy!!! Chris & I have had an absolute blast entertaining you guys throughout the dreaded year of 2020, and they're here to wrap it up with the two movies that dropped on Christmas Day, the streaming services finally beginning their long awaited battle, as they review #ww84 and #soul. Wonder Woman '84 picks up 65 years after the original, seeing Diana having to deal with modern day threats such as Pedro Pascal as a Trump-like villain who gains the magical ability to grant wishes and gain power in return, and Kristen Wiig as the Cheetah, and boy is this movie a mess. It's full of moments that feel like they were made to appeal specifically to little kids, with superhero themes and messages that are beyond annoying and pandering. It's a shame because the original was so enjoyable, but for this to be the first gigantic blockbuster to be dropped directly to HBO Max, it certainly did not live up to the hype. And to wrap up the year, we have the new Pixar film released directly to #disney+ Soul. The latest film from the legendary Pete Docter follows Joe Gardner (Jamie Foxx), a middle aged music teacher who lands the gig of a lifetime before he accidentally falls down a manhole, his soul separated from his body, and ends up in a place outside of space and time known as the Great Beyond, where souls go when they die. After escaping, he ends up in the Great Before, the place where souls come from to go to Earth, and has to coach the uncoachable soul 22 (Tina Fey), as they go on a whirlwind adventure about life, passion, belonging, and the things that make life worth living. Its so soothing to know that a powerhouse studio like Pixar can churn out masterworks, because this movie is everything that made them great to begin with. Its funny and colorful enough to be for kids, but contains enough deep ideas to appeal to even the most cynical adult, and there's a strong argument to be made that it's the best that 2020 has to offer. It's all covered here on Talkin' TV!!!