Video Games

‘A Minecraft Movie’ Review and 4K Review

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

The following review was written by Ultimate Rabbit correspondent, Tony Farinella.

“A Minecraft Movie” is the highest grossing film of 2025 so far, and it’s easy to see why.  It’s based on a popular video game, so it has a built-in audience with teens, and even young adults who grew up playing the game.  It’s a family-friendly movie which is inoffensive, harmless and silly. For someone like myself, who is nearing his 40th birthday, I understand I’m not the key demographic. I never played the video game, and I’m not at all familiar with the source material. The jokes are also not my cup of tea, as they seem to be aimed at a younger demographic who find things such as “Chicken Jockey” hilarious. This became mainstream news when teenagers would lose their minds throwing popcorn in the air and making a mess in local theaters. This was another reminder of why I prefer to watch my movies from the comfort of my couch.

“A Minecraft Movie” was directed by Jared Hess of “Napoleon Dynamite” fame, and his sense of humor is on full-display here. The humor is juvenile, goofy and over-the-top. Jack Black stars as Steve, a doorknob salesman (is that a thing?), who is looking to make up for lost time by breaking into a mine. When he was younger, kids were forbidden from doing this sort of thing. While in the mine, he discovers the Orb of Dominance and the Earth Crystal. When they are put together, a portal is created to the Overworld where cubes can be molded to your desire, and Steve creates three houses for himself in the process.

We are also introduced to a World Champion Video gamer from 1989 by the name of Garrett “The Garbage Man” Garrison, played by Jason Momoa. He looks like professional wrestler Randy “Macho Man” Savage, and he’s struggling to stay relevant with his video game store, which is about to go out of business. In an effort to keep his business afloat, he tries to win the contents of a storage unit which he believes houses Atari Cosmos. Instead, he gets his hands on the Orb and the Crystal, which once belonged to a young Steve. Garrettt doesn’t know what he has his hands on, but he’s in for quite a rude awakening.

During all of this, Garrett befriends a young boy named Henry (Sebastian Eugene Hansen) who has moved to Chuglass, Idaho with his sister Natalie (Emma Myers) after their mother passed away. Henry is looking to fit in at school, and Natalie is looking to keep a roof over their heads. Little do they know that they are about to enter a world which is beyond their wildest dreams when they are sucked into a portal and enter the Overworld. They must team up with Steve in order to fight off Malgosha, a piglin ruler of an evil world known as the Nether. Henry is very creative and full of ideas which he will need to use in order to help them fight off various creatures and obstacles along the way.

Even though my rating of this film will be harsh (ONE STAR), my overall review is not that harsh because this film isn’t poorly made or a waste of time.  Instead, it’s just not for someone like me.  The audience for this movie is young boys who are looking to laugh, have a good time and be entertained without thinking too much. They are also familiar with all the jokes, characters and the world in which those characters inhabit. For me, I understood what was going on and the rules of the world, but I didn’t connect with it as I simply didn’t care about what was happening on screen from a story perspective. I found Jack Black to be loud throughout, and I found it very grating and tiring after a while as this was Jack Black on steroids and screaming throughout. Momoa was an aloof goofball who was in love with himself, and he does provide a few laughs.

I liked the brother/sister relationship and how close they were after the passing of their mother, and I wish the film would have given this storyline a little more time on screen. Jennifer Coolidge also appears as the vice principal, and she does her best, but the material doesn’t do her any favors. Even with Jason Momoa, he seemed to know the assignment, and he was game, but before long, everything and everyone got lost in the world of Minecraft. I know that is what the audience is paying for, and they give them plenty of goofiness, silliness, and wild action. If that is what you are looking for, I imagine “A Minecraft Movie” will be right up your alley. If you are looking for a little more to the story and to the film, you won’t find it here. 

* out of * * * *


4K Info: A Minecraft Movie is released on a single-disc 4K from Warner Brothers Home Entertainment. The film has a running time of 101 minutes and is rated PG for violence/action, language, suggestive/rude humor and some scary images. It also comes with a digital copy that can be redeemed online.

4K Video/Audio Info: This is, so far, the best-looking 4K of the year. Wow. The colors are bright and full of life. This is a terrific transfer that features eye-popping visuals. The Dolby Vision transfer gets an A+. The Dolby Atmos soundtrack also gets an A+, as this film is a true theatrical experience in the comfort of your own home. Subtitles are included in English, Spanish, and French.

Special Features:

Building the World of Minecraft: Block Party – featurette (14:19)

Creepers, Zombies, and Endermen Oh My!  – featurette (13:14)

A Minecraft Movie: Block Beats – featurette (9:01)

A Minecraft Movie: Pixel Pals – featurette (14:02)

Marlene + Nitwit – featurette (5:07)

Should You Buy It?

If you enjoyed this movie in theaters, and plenty of people did, you couldn’t ask for a better home video release than Warner Brothers has put together for “A Minecraft Movie” on 4K. I couldn’t believe how amazing it looked and sounded in 4K. Even though what was happening on screen wasn’t connecting with me, I couldn’t take my eyes off the screen, as it was so colorful. There are also some interesting special features included on this 4K release. Again, this falls under the category of “This was not my cup of tea.” However, I can acknowledge this was a labor of love and people enjoyed the film. Who am I to be the Grinch and ruin their good day? I’m just here to tell you that this film is only for Minecraft fans and for families. For everyone else, there is little to like here and a lot that will annoy, especially Jack Black’s boisterous performance.

**Disclaimer** I received a copy of this film from Warner Brothers to review for free.  The opinions and statements in the review are mine and mine alone.

The SAG/AFTRA Strike Continues on at Warner Brothers Studios

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

It has been a bit, but I finally made the time to walk the picket line in support of the SAG/AFTRA strike. The WGA strike concluded after 148 days after a tentative agreement with the AMPTP was reached, but many of their members still took the time to join the picket line in continued support of the union’s efforts to gain a fair contract. While I have traveled to different strike locations in the past, this one had me returning to Warner Brothers Studios in Burbank, California. This is because I do not often get over the hill (figuratively speaking) to the other side where the valley is.

Actually, this day, October 2, 2023, is a very significant one as the SAG/AFTRA negotiators are set to meet with the AMPTP in an attempt to end this long-running strike once and for all. In the meantime, we still marched up and down Barham Street to make our presence known. The sun was still shining brightly in the sky, but the temperatures have cooled down a bit and there was a nice breeze going on which we really could have used during July and August.

For me, this day allowed me to catch up with friends I have not seen in the longest time (thanks for nothing COVID). It was fantastic running into Madonna Cacciatore and Robin McWilliams, both of whom have been doing fantastic work as strike captains, making sure everyone crosses the street safely and no one gets hurt. In the past, the three of us trained together for the Los Angeles Marathon as part of Team to End AIDS. More importantly, we ran it in 2011 which became forever known as the monsoon marathon as the rain kept pouring down on us with a vengeance.

I also ran into a former neighbor of mine, a screenwriter whose career has unfortunately taken a hit due to the work stoppage. Fortunately, his wife has a big job which has proven to be all consuming, and this allows him to be a stay-at-home dad to his children. Of course, he would like to get back to work soon.

But even as the SAG/AFTRA strike could be reaching an end, another one is set to begin as the union has a authorized a strike against video game companies. I included a quote near the end of this video I edited about my day on this picket line from Ralph Garman, a longtime voiceover artist and host of “The Ralph Report,” who voiced his frustrations with doing video game work, and his remarks speak volumes about how performers are endlessly being taken advantage of.

Please check out the video below and be sure to make a donation to those artists in need.

John Carpenter on ‘The Ward’ and the State of Movies

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

WRITER’S NOTE: This article was originally written in 2011.

In July, America will finally get to see John Carpenter’s first feature length film in 10 years, “The Ward.” After the critical and commercial disappointment that was “Ghosts of Mars,” Carpenter seemed determined to retire from filmmaking as he felt it was no longer fun for him. But after working on a couple of “Masters of Horror” episodes, he seemed rejuvenated and ready to take on another film of his choosing. While appearing at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood for a 25th anniversary screening of “Big Trouble in Little China,” Carpenter talked about the upcoming movie, and what he thinks about the state of movies today.

The famed director described “The Ward” as an “old school horror film” and a “psychological thriller.” It stars Amber Heard as Kristen, a young woman who is institutionalized in a psychiatric ward which turns out to be haunted by a ghost as mysterious as it is deadly. Carpenter said he was attracted to the project because it had a low budget which would give him creative control, limited locations, and a short schedule which he especially liked. With the schedule being short, Carpenter knew he could finish the film before any form of exhaustion did him in.

“The Ward” first premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and has since opened in the United Kingdom. Word of mouth indicates the movie has received mixed reviews thus far, but his fans are thrilled he went back behind the camera once again. Carpenter feels that “The Ward,” in his own estimation, is “pretty good” and found some fanboys liked it while others felt it was not “gruesome enough.”

Audience members asked Carpenter’s opinion on the state of movies today which is swamped with endless remakes and a frightening lack of originality. He openly described most films which are out now as being “still bad,” said some were fair, and others were “really good.” In his view, the movie industry has not changed. The present cycle of movies will pass, he said, and he is looking to a “more positive future” and encouraged the audience to do the same.

John Carpenter said his career as a filmmaker has really been the result of luck, and he’s done many of the things he always wanted to do. While he still gets caught up in video games (he was a creative consultant on “F.E.A.R. 3”) or contemplates perhaps doing a music score for another director’s movie, it is great to see him behind the camera once again. And, if we’re lucky, he and Kurt Russell will get another chance to work together in the future, and that’s even if it’s not a sequel to “Big Trouble in Little China.”

‘Scott Pilgrim vs The World’ – 10 Years Later and it is Still Awesome!

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

Upon seeing how the filmmakers gleefully manipulated the Universal Pictures logo to make it look like something out of an old Atari or Nintendo game in addition to scoring the fanfare with the prehistoric techno music we knew these games to have, I knew I was in for a very entertaining time at the movies. I always get a kick out of people messing around with the studio logos we see at the beginning of every motion picture. It is an immediate sign of how we are about to see something different from the usual Hollywood fare, something we do not get enough of. Perhaps if audiences embraced more movies like these, we wouldn’t have to deal with all these remakes and reboots!

“Scott Pilgrim vs. The World” was without a doubt the most fun I had watching a movie in a theater back in 2010. It is also another inspired masterpiece from director Edgar Wright who has previously given us the giddy cult classics “Shaun Of The Dead” and “Hot Fuzz.” Based on the comic book series by Bryan Lee O’Malley, it is really an ode to all things video games and a collage of the visual audio effects from them, and they are combined with a story featuring characters who are anything but boring. It is also beautifully shot, perfectly cast, very well written, and extremely well directed. In case you are wondering, yes, I love this movie, and I love it just as much 10 years after its release.

The Scott Pilgrim of the movie’s title is a 22-year-old man child who plays bass guitar with his friends for the rock band Sex Bob-omb. Finally rebounding from a devastatingly painful break up a year ago, he has started dating a 17-year old girl named Knives who is still in high school. Scott’s friends, including his gay roommate Wallace, tell him ever so bluntly he has lost his mind and assume he is trying to rebound with someone they consider to be his “fake girlfriend.” But then he gets a glimpse of the new girl in town, the mysterious raven-haired Ramona Flowers, and he is hopelessly smitten on sight and becomes intent on asking her out.

However, there is a catch; if Scott is going to be in a relationship with Ramona, he will have to defeat her seven evil exes. Indeed, Scott does get an email warning him of this, but he ends up deleting it quickly after declaring it as “boring.” As Arnold Schwarzenegger would say, big mistake! When Scott and his friends perform at a battle of the band’s competition, he is suddenly met by the first evil ex of the bunch, Matthew Patel. Other exes include those with mystical powers, a former skateboarder who has since become an actor, and another bass player who has developed telekinetic powers thanks to his Vegan diet. Let the battles begin!

Basically, the movie treats Scott’s life as though it were one old school game with dated graphics, and we watch him take on each ex (note, not all of them are men) as if he were in a real life Mortal Kombat tournament but without all the blood and guts. That’s the thing; there is no real gore to be found here as was the case in Edgar Wright’s previous two films. I bring this up because I gave my sister in law the DVD for “Hot Fuzz,” and she was horrified at the sight of Timothy Dalton’s face being impaled on a tiny replica of the Big Ben tower.

Scott defends himself pretty well, but he is also dealt a harsh beating without suffering any broken bones. It sounds cool when you think you can take a licking without a shattered collarbone or worst, but he does feel pain, so this side effect of taking on those people who were at other times equally enamored by Ramona is unavoidable. In defeating the exes, he will capture Ramona’s heart and become the first boyfriend of hers who is far from evil. He will also end up inheriting a boatload of coins after delivering the final blow.

I do have to say, however, it sucks he has no time to collect the coins or have some big gym bag to put them in. The amount spilled would have set him up in the local video arcade for life!

What I loved about “Scott Pilgrim vs. The World” is how endlessly inventive it is in its visuals and the scenarios Wright comes up with, and it integrates all these images from video games deeply engraved in our minds to make us feel like kids again. There is one shot in particular which defies easy description, but it had me laughing harder than anything else I had seen in 2010 to the point where I got seriously light-headed. I’m pretty sure you’ll know it when you see it.

Now the pitfall of having such great visuals is other elements like acting and the screenplay might fail to get the same attention. But Wright, along with Michael Bacall, has written a script containing characters who, while flawed, I came to care about deeply. Unlike all those characters from those Pac Man or Super Mario Brothers games we played at home or, in my case, at a friend’s house, these are not just one-dimensional beings with one simple goal in mind. Scott doesn’t just have to defeat the league of evil exes, he also has to develop a strong self-respect before he can move on with his life in Canada.

Leading the cast here is Michael Cera who plays Scott, and he gives one of his best performance here. He was dealing with a backlash back then because many assumed he was just playing the same character in every movie he was in; an awkward young man who isn’t sure how to feel or act about anything due to a deep fear of embarrassment. But Scott is not really the same sort of character Cera has been portraying. Sure, there is a good dose of awkwardness when we first see him talking to Ramona, but he’s about to give up on getting her to go out with him.

It’s also important to note that Scott is not always a likable character. At times he is caught red-handed in being very dishonest with his friends, and he doesn’t always take their feelings into consideration. The major triumph of Cera’s performance is he still makes you root for Scott in spite of some of his selfish actions.

Playing the beautiful Ramona is Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and I cannot think of another actress who has looked so incredibly gorgeous with dyed hair. Winstead has appeared as John McClane’s daughter, Lucy, who proved to be just as tough as her dad in “Live Free or Die Hard,” she showed off a fantastic set of vocal pipes in Quentin Tarantino’s “Death Proof” (one of the two movies in “Grindhouse”), and she was a force to be reckoned with in “10 Cloverfield Lane.” Winstead makes Ramona look tough and intimidating on the outside, but she also allows us to see the wounded person underneath that cold defensive exterior of hers. Ramona may look mean, but she is a wounded soul. Then again, who wouldn’t be after having endured seven failed relationships?

There is also a dynamic scene stealer to be found here, and it is Kieran Culkin who plays Scott’s roommate, Wallace Wells. Shamelessly stealing men from Scott’s little sister while texting gossip on his phone like it is second nature, Culkin gets to bring the same biting wit of his which he used to great effect in “Igby Goes Down.” He is a fiendish delight in every scene he is in.

As for the exes, each actor imbues their characters with the specific traits and powers they come equipped with, and they succeed in making each one totally unique from the other. Brandon Routh gets to really let loose here in a way he never got to in “Superman Returns” as Todd Ingram, the Vegan ex with telekinetic powers. Witnessing his expected demise brings about one of the funniest moments as Scott finds this rival bass player’s kryptonite. Jason Schwartzman is also excellent as a slick theater manager who uses his charms on anyone and everyone around him, and he is a slimy delight as a record company exec who earns your trust only to break it when you’re not looking.

What else is there to say about “Scott Pilgrim vs. The World?” Plenty! The director of photography on this splendid picture was Bill Pope, the same man who did wonders for many of Sam Raimi’s films as well as “The Matrix” trilogy. His style perfectly matches up with Wright’s sensibility, and the way he sets up certain shots is amazingly brilliant. Furthermore, I have to applaud artists like Beck and Nigel Godrich for giving Sex Bob-Omb some kick ass music for them to play. In movies like these, I expect the bands to get stuck with some lame music which is geared more to sell a soundtrack than fit in with the overall story. That’s not the case here, thank goodness.

There are also inspired turns from Anna Kendrick (“Up In The Air”) as Scott’s sister Stacey, Alison Pine whose character of Kim Pine shows a bitter and stony expression, and Aubrey Plaza whose heavy stares and sarcastic state of mind as Julie Powers is a sight to behold.

I was depressed to see “Scott Pilgrim vs. The World” bomb back in 2010. I could not believe it had such a lousy opening weekend, and I was miffed that audiences were more eager to see the god-awful comedy “Vampires Suck” snag the number one spot at the box office instead of this one. Over the years though, it has become a cult hit, and Wright did manage to score a big hit with “Baby Driver.” Regardless of its initial reception, this movie has proven to have a long shelf life, and I invite you to watch it if you have not already. Besides, in this time of an endless global pandemic, this one will take your mind off of it for a couple of hours.

Loved this movie, I did!

* * * * out of * * * *