Occult themes aren’t the only elements viewers must be mindful of in Disney+ & Marvel’s “Agatha All Along.” There’s action, humor and, yep, even some heart in this latest animated “Transformers” pic. Sylvester Stallone plays a man with a kernel of a conscience. But “Tulsa King” itself can get pretty … rocky.
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Agatha All Along– Series Streaming on Disney+
It’s not often that a show’s title is actually a spoiler for an entirely different show. But sure enough: In “WandaVision,” it was Agatha all along.
Back in 2021, when Disney+ audiences first walked into the deceptively charming town of Westview, WandaVision also introduced us to Agnes, nosy next-door neighbor to domesticated Marvel superheroes Wanda Maximoff (a.k.a. The Scarlet Witch) and Vision (a.k.a. Vision). The show careened through the history of sitcoms almost decade by decade before we discovered that Westview’s entire workings were set in motion by a grieving Wanda — who trapped the town’s real inhabitants in a surreal telescape filled with laugh tracks and lowkey domestic problems.
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The one element not under Wanda’s control? That’d be Agnes — or, rather, “Agatha,” a witch ever so eager to find the secret to Wanda’s power. The two spellcasters tangle, of course, and Wanda ultimately strips Agatha of her powers, traps her in Westview and blocks her memories. Agatha ends the series as Anges in earnest, obliviously locked in Wanda’s suburban prison forever.
But forever is a relative term in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And you can’t keep a good villain down.
(Editor’s Note: Plugged In is rarely able to watch every episode of a given series for review. As such, there’s always a chance that you might see a problem that we didn’t. If you notice content that you feel should be included in our review, send us an email at letters@pluggedin.com, or contact us via Facebook or Instagram, and be sure to let us know the episode number, title and season so that we can check it out.)
Read the rest of the review here. Watch the trailer here.
Transformers One – In Theaters Now
When you hear about a new Transformers movie, your mind probably jumps to images of bombastic set pieces, top-shelf CGI and slam-bam action sequences. After all, that’s where the past seven live-action films associated with this Hasbro toy franchise have excelled.
One of the areas that those past pics were a bit creaky and clanky, however, is the whole dramatic story side of things. You know, all that touchy, feely human stuff. Big bots and ‘splosions have ruled this movie roost.
Well, the lastest film in the franchise “Transformers One” takes place, oh, about a billion years before the bots ever landed on Earth. There ain’t a solitary human in the whole animated tale. And yet it probably has the most “human” narrative of all of them.
This story focuses on a pair of friends who get in trouble together, face common struggles together, fight together, laugh together and become as close as brothers. Then they grow strong. And they can’t agree on how to deal with the evil they face. One wants empathy the other destruction.
It’s a story we’ve seen before. (Think, Professor X and Magneto in the “X-Men” films.) And all of that helps the movie’s human audience connect with and cheer for the best big bot bout outcome.
There’s also not too much here that will keep young humans from enjoying their time on the planet of Cybertron — especially when compared to the live-action film franchise, which sports plenty of PG-13 problems. This animated PG origin story feels closer to the heart of the original ‘80s animated show — albeit with better animation and a deeper storyline.
That said, a touch of coarse language here is a bit disappointing. And there’s lots of slam-bam-boom action, but nothing too perilous or scary. (Betrayal and smashed robots are the worst of it.). Still, by 2024 standards, the content concerns here should be pretty navigable for tweens on up.
All in all, “Transformers One” is a fun, fast-paced, and lightly funny action film that families and, yes, even fanboys can enjoy in equal measure.
Read the rest of the review here. Watch the trailer here.
Tulsa King – Series Streaming on Paramount+
Dwight Manfredi spent the past 25 years in prison. He took the blame for a murder that his Don committed in order to save the Mafia boss’s son, Chickie, from going to prison for “whacking” a guy that Manfredi actually kinda liked and who certainly didn’t deserve it.
Why would Manfredi do that? Well, because he’s loyal. From the time he was 17 years old, all he wanted was to become a gangster. He’s married to the life.
Unfortunately, the Mafia doesn’t quite feel the same way.
Upon his release, they abandon Manfredi, telling him there’s no longer a place for him in New York’s mob families. Instead, he’s being sent to Tulsa, Oklahoma, to set up shop on his own.
“I’m giving you a city!” the Don says.
But Manfredi doesn’t see it that way. To him, it’s a banishment. And they’re going to regret writing him off.
You know, if you take away the foul language, violent tendencies, illegal activities and sexual encounters, then Tulsa’s new “king” is actually kind of a nice guy. Manfredi doesn’t stand for sexual harassment, racism or gang activity (unless it’s Mafia gangs, that is).
But “Tulsa King” doesn’t take away any of those nasty things.
Language is a heavy hitter here with 25 uses of the f-word in the first episode alone. Manfredi beats up four different men within the first 48 hours of landing in Tulsa. And at the end of Season 1, he and his crew wipe out a local biker gang, killing eight bikers, including the leader (Manfredi shoved the man’s head into a bullhorn before shooting him in the face). And then, of course, there’s all the illegal activity that Manfredi engages in while trying to establish himself as Tulsa’s own Don.
Manfredi says that his time in prison wasn’t worth 25 seconds, let alone 25 years. Who knew that the same could be said of this show?
(Editor’s Note: Plugged In is rarely able to watch every episode of a given series for review. As such, there’s always a chance that you might see a problem that we didn’t. If you notice content that you feel should be included in our review, send us an email at letters@pluggedin.com, or contact us via Facebook or Instagram, and be sure to let us know the episode number, title and season so that we can check it out.)
Read the rest of the review here. Watch the trailer here.
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Plugged In is a Focus on the Family publication designed to shine a light on the world of popular entertainment while giving families the essential tools they need to understand, navigate, and impact the culture in which they live. Through our reviews, articles and discussions, we hope to spark intellectual thought, spiritual growth and a desire to follow the command of Colossians 2:8: “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.”
Reviews written by Paul Asay, Bob Hoose, and Emily Tsaio.
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