AlphaDovah Reviews

Alice in Borderland (2020– )

Just turn your brain off for a bit

[23 December 2023]

Alice in Borderland is entertaining enough as time filler. It starts off interestingly enough but after a few episodes it loses any potential witty charm. At first, just a few plot holes here and there exist but the further we go the more they prevail and expand. Coupled with the intense lack of realistic developments that become more and more commonplace (barring the sci-fi/supernatural setting of the show) and the non sequitur lines of "reasoning" it becomes a show best suited to numb the brain a bit before bed or the like. It at least deserves the corny horror movie treatment where we can laugh at the people being dumb as they knock over an armed assailant and keep running without stopping to take their weapon.

Mech Cadets (2023– )

Heartfelt with worlds of potential

[14 August 2023]

"Mech Cadets" is not the generic kids show it may resemble at first glance. It has depth and heart(ache) from its character development to its plot progression. Theirs is a world ravaged by loss at the claws of the Shargs and the show refuses to shy away from presenting those elements, instead using them to strengthen each characters story and provide meaningful motivations for those characters' actions. Mech Cadets also does well at integrating an animation style that doesn't feel childish and, despite some choppiness in frame rate , possesses laudable detail (especially in regard to its mechs and Kaiju) and vibrant special effects. Vaguities such as the absence of a more dominant and numerous military defense do plague the narrative, but are likely to be overlooked in favor of the raw emotional force of the voice actors' character portrayals and the story itself. It's world-building lends hope for further exploration as there are numerous questions, especially regarding the mysterious Robos and the menace they face, pleading for answers.

In Short: "Mech Cadets" is surprisingly emotional, suitable for any audience, contains detailed animation with high quality effects, open world-building, and most (perhaps even all) plot weaknesses are easy to dismiss in favor of the shows powerful storytelling.

Craig of the Creek (2017–2024)

Pure Childhood

[8 August 2022]

Every day at the creek is a wholesome journey of imagination with family and friends where occasional lessons are learned amid the myriad shenanigans and fun times that only childhood can allow. :)

The Sandman (2022– )

Gorgeous & interesting but drowning representation

[8 August 2022]

Fascinating characters each capable of inspiring their own works, intriguing story, and beautiful CGI present a wonderful look at the world of The Dreaming. However, It does suffer from continuously immersion breaking representation and odd script/acting choices for characters like Mathew, Constantine, and Rose. An otherwise enjoyable story and worthy of a second season where they will hopefully take into account season 1s shortcomings.

Halo (2022– )

Entertaining minus Kwon

[21 May 2022]

(Episodes 1-9) Barring the series original character, (who no one asked for. Skip episode 7!) Kwon, and ignoring any connection one may feel to the game franchise, "Halo" is still entertaining and shows it's potential with the intrigue created from the mysteries of Halo and the artifact, John's backstory, and his personal growth and development as he steps into his humanity. Even though most of the side characters do detract from the story's more interesting aspects, and the CGI and action scenes belie the purported high budget, we're still presented with a fairly average, loosely game-inspired sci-fi show. It's not as bad as people say (again, with the exception of Kwon's character and basically any instance of her story). 6/10.

Supernatural Academy (2022)

Strangely addicting

[21 February 2022]

Supernatural Academy is thoroughly amusing and proves difficult to put down. The show sports an ambiguous animation style more commonly seen in series meant for children under ten, and while most of the developments throughout would be acceptable for younger audiences, occasional cursing and suggestive dialogue push this show to an odd tv-14+. The intriguing world building and plethora of fantasy potential for future episodes keep the story interesting and leave plenty of room for eagerly anticipated expansion and growth. Despite already being very fun, if Supernatural Academy ever decides to focus on the higher age range and strays away from the safe and easy relationship developments (romantic and otherwise) introduced so far while simultaneously capitalizing on its world of possibilities, we will be met with something truly magical.

The Legend of Vox Machina (2022– )

Bumpy start but promising

[29 January 2022]

(Episodes 1-12) Perhaps in an attempt to brace us for the show's more easy-going but graphic style, Vox Machina is initially laden with immature depictions of random violence and sexual humor. This persists throughout much of the show, especially anytime Scanlan is in scene. But past that we are given glimpses of real backstory with potential for compelling narrative, notably where Pike and Percy are concerned, and action scenes that shape up to be quite nice during serious moments. In addition, the animations on backgrounds and the opening are worthy of attention for their beauty. For those of us who have no knowledge of Critical Role especially, It's still unlikely to become a "masterpiece" but, at the very least, it offers a fun and entertaining ride.

Dota: Dragon's Blood (2021–2022)

Season 1 is good. Season 2 is great.

[18 January 2022]

DOTA is very fast-paced and covers a lot of content very quickly. It requires paying attention and some thought, but even as someone who hasn't played the game and knows nothing of the lore, it's possible to keep up with and greatly enjoy the series. That said, the show would benefit greatly from a longer more paced run time. DOTA exhibits good animation, an intriguing world, and adventure focused on characters that don't fit into the standard binary of hero or villain. They're layered and each has their own story and complexity for what and why they do what they do, be it "good" or "evil". Give it a modicum of focus and the reward will be an evocative and wild journey.

He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (2021–2022)

Give it a chance. Different doesn't mean bad.

[19 September 2021]

Here we have an actual reboot with some tone shifts and reimagined points from the original done in an enjoyable and interesting way. It's just as cheesy as the original would seem to most now, buts it's fun and the characters are likable. It was almost immediately charming for me despite going into it with a negative impression of the trailer and freshly stinging opinion of Revelations. The animation will be the biggest obstacle for the shows popularity and for new viewers; it comes across as outlandish in its exaggerations and is obviously meant to also appeal to younger audiences. The action and transformation sequences still look nice and are appropriately flashy. It grows on you. He-Man and the Masters of the Universe also runs a fantastic cast with every voice feeling natural and appealing. A special shout to Ben Diskin who does an incredible and hilarious job as Skeletor. (weighted score: 8/10 and a solid 7/10 all things considered)

The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf (2021)

A Stunning "prequel" to a beloved saga.

[23 August 2021]

(Edit: It may be best to treat this film's story as a re-write or alternative adaptation of The Witcher universe.) Any fans of The Witcher and its many works know and love Geralt, but we've rarely been given stories of his teacher. This movie resolves that issue by giving us a heart-felt, detailed, and beautiful, and I say again, Beautiful look at Vesemir's origins. Without spoiling anything, Nightmare of the Wolf shows us an emotional and epic telling of a critical event in Witcher history while delivering the tale of what led Vesemir to becoming the vaunted teacher to the "hero" we know. The writing was evocative. The characters were interesting and believable. The action was jaw-dropping. And holding it all together was some of the most brilliant animation to ever grace Netflix. It does have some instances of predictability and some of its pacing could've been worked out better if it were allowed more run time as a season instead of a movie, but none of it was to any significant detriment to the overall feel and enjoyment of the film.

Hachi: A Dog's Tale (2009)

The epitome of man's best friend

[13 August 2021]

This film is a paragon of the pet film genre. A significant portion of the movie will be viewed through blurry eyes and sobbing, but the result is clear: one of the greatest emotional pet stories ever told. It's a tale of love and dedication that may very well prevent audiences from looking at dogs the same way henceforth. Bring tissue and enjoy.

Centaurworld (2021)

Wacky, Wild, and Beautiful (with powerhouse vocals)

[31 July 2021]

It's absurd and silly for much of the show while simultaneously delivering consistent and recurring moments of beautiful raw emotional intensity...from a horse and a llama... This ungulate driven show has absolutely no business possessing the degree of song and vocal quality it has, but it does so unabashedly and to great effect. We never know what to expect, but it's certainly never boring in its zany, charming, and albeit sometimes inappropriate, humor and dialogue. Fun, wacky, emotional and brilliantly musical; I loved everything it (almost literally) threw at me and will eagerly await season 2.

Luther (2010–2019)

A Masterpiece if you Disregard seasons 4 and 5.

[6 March 2021]

They do so much with so few episodes and all of the characters and developments are intelligently written and delivered with all the power that powerhouses Elba, Wilson and co. can deliver. The chemistry between Luther and Alice is explosive, playing off of and complimenting each other perfectly. The shows only downfall is the pointless and weak writing present in seasons four and five, which are best skipped in my opinion.

Wolfwalkers (2020)

As pleasantly emotional and beautiful as could be hoped for.

[29 December 2020]

Wolfwalkers is downright beautiful in both art and story as most reviews will state, and though the story is one told many times before, it's done splendidly and I didn't find myself occupied with any concerns over similarities with other films and tales. It's too rich in its own world, not to mention the nowadays rare, gorgeous hand-drawn art style. I can't ask for much more, and I would certainly be hard-pressed to find it.

WALL·E (2008)

Whatever I was expecting, I got more.

[17 December 2020]

I'm very late to the party on this, obviously, but I have rarely been so blown away by a film. Simply viewed as an attempt to round out my list of completed animated Disney films, I was gifted with exquisitely detailed animation, a heart-enveloping story, and characters so charming, their inability to form complete sentences doesn't even register. It easily eclipses almost every film I've seen to date with it's intricate detail and sweepingly epic emotional journey. It's simple, but incredible, and I will be re-watching it.

Motherland: Fort Salem (2020–2022)

An unexpected gem from Freeform.

[5 July 2020]

Freeform is known for shows targeted toward teens, and it's subject matter usually reflects this with an emphasis on young romance and relationship related drama that often feels forced or flimsy. It's not uncommon for this to be the primary driving force and plot of their shows. This being the case, and past the point of being a teenager myself, I was thus dubious in beginning another such show in Motherland: Fort Salem. It was a pleasant surprise to find that, although youthful romance and it's accompaniment of drama was a significant aspect of the show, it wasn't what Motherland relied on or even needed. Motherland brings us into an intriguing world of reimagined witches with its own separate history, mechanisms for magic, and mysterious but shockingly deadly villainous organization. While some of these aspects weren't as thoroughly delved into as I might've preferred, there was certainly enough there and they were written and portrayed well enough to keep me actively engaged and eagerly awaiting a season 2.

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018–2020)

Has ups and downs but is a very rewarding watch by the end.

[19 May 2020]

Season 5 ends the series with its arguably best season to date. The series finale provides us with an incredible conclusion to the sensational ride we've been on thus far. And as the audience, we're left with pure satisfaction as a multitude of conflicts and (highly) anticipated emotions are smoothly developed and then resolved in this powerful finish.