Tag Archives: Disney

Clone Wars Season 7 Episode 6 Review: NOW-stalgia on Disney+

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Review by Joshua Jordan

“Mistakes are valuable lessons often learned too late.”

(Warning: minor spoilers for the episode)

Last week introduced the Martez Sisters Trace and Rafa whom Ahsoka helped them out of a jam. Now Rafa decides to hire Trace for a big transporting job with her ship The Silver Angel. Ahsoka wants to keep an eye on her new friends so she also decides to tag along. It turns out that the big job is transporting spice from the planet of Kessel. This worries Ahsoka because nothing good can come from transporting spice and more importantly it seems her friend Trace is really ignorant to the wider Galaxy. Will they end up transporting the spice safely? Or are the Martez Sisters in over their heads?

This episode was a pretty interesting as it was one of the very few that didn’t have any action or fighting in it because it was more of a character driven story. While I would have liked it to focus more on Ahsoka herself it mainly focuses on the Martez Sisters and who they are. I feel that the sisters are interesting characters and show us the viewer a little of the part of the Star Wars Galaxy that we very rarely see, the everyday people. This has given these last two episodes a kind of unique feel to it. I also want to mention Anakin’s cameo that he has in this episode as it is definitely one of my favorite scenes. This scene is kind of call back to a scene from Return of The Jedi which I won’t spoil here if your reading this before you watch the episode but if you’re a Star Wars fan you’ll know what I am talking about. Third thing I liked about the episode, I really liked seeing the planet Kessel again which was last seen in Solo: A Star Wars Story. Since Solo is one of my favorite Star Wars movies any shout out to it makes me happy plus we get to see a whole different side of the planet too.

While I thought the pacing of the episode was kind of slow and there wasn’t any action or fighting. I understand that these are only because this episode is character driven and not every episode has to have fighting in it. Regardless this episode did keep me engaged and interested.  

Episode Review Score: A

Clone Wars Season 7 Episode 5 Review: NOW-stalgia on Disney+

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Review by Joshua Jordan

(Warning: slight spoilers for the episode as well as the series if you haven’t finish it)

“If there is no path before you, create your own. “

Ahsoka is back! This episode starts the beginning of a new arc staring everyone’s favorite ex-padawan. Not long after leaving the Jedi Order, Ahsoka is still trying to find her place in the world. While pondering this her speeder glitches and causes her to clash land near a repair shop owned by a younger girl named Trace and her older sister Rafa. While fixing her speeder Trace and Ahsoka become friends and Ahsoka learns that the pair have dealings with some of the more unsavory characters in the area. Rafa gets a job to fix some droids for a client and tasks Trace and Ahsoka with it. It turns out they are very dangerous load lifting droids and once one gets loose it’s up to Trace and Ahsoka to try to stop the crazed droid. Can the pair stop it before it wrecks everything?

Ahsoka is one of my favorite characters in Star Wars and I was really glad to see her back. This episode was a little slower than the previous ones as it was more of a character driven story and an introduction to some new characters, Trace and Rafa,

that will be with us for the next few episodes. I like the new characters and they interests me enough to see where this arc is going to go. This episode also sported some great action as well, from Ahsoka trying not to die while landing her speeder to the chase with the dangerous load lifting droid, it was all done with beautiful animation. This was another great beginning to another arc with one of my favorite characters and I can’t wait for next week.

Episode Review Score: A

Clone Wars Season 7 Episode 4 Review: NOW-stalgia on Disney+

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(Spoiler warning to those who haven’t watched this or the previous episodes)

“Trust placed in another is trust earned”

With the mission to save Echo complete, The Republic decides to make a desperate play to retake their shipyards. Echo decides to help using what the Techno Union did to him against The Separatists. Yet, questions arise among some of The Bad Batch, who are tagging along for the mission, on Echo’s loyalty. On the other hand Captain Rex trusts his friend and believes in their mission. Will Echo help the Republic or is the an elaborate trap laid by The Separatists?

This episode had it all action, character development, and a good amount of comedy. The action was effective and kept me on the edge of my seat. Like such as when Mace and Obi-Wan where fighting the hoards of battle droids, the action was thrilling and well paced. The character development was really good too. Seeing Echo and The Bad Batch start out not trusting each other at the beginning but ending up with Echo joining the team. Another good example is one we’ve seen before with Anakin again straddling the line between the light and dark sides. Even though I’ve seen it before it’s really good to see the continuing progression towards what he ultimately becomes. I also applaud the comedy, it never over stays its welcome and there where times it genuinely made me chuckle. Like when Crosshairs brags about taking out more droids than Wrecker.

Finally, while I feel The Bad Batch arc is a great arc altogether I don’t feel it will be counted as the most memorable of all the arcs in this show. But as the first arc of this last season, that we’ve been waiting years for, it was a nice way to ease you back in.

Episode Review Score: A

Arc Review Score: A

Clone Wars Season 7 Episode 3 Review – Now-stalgia on Disney+

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Review by Joshua Jordan

“Survival is one step on the path to living”

After finding the source of the information leak to the Separatist, Anakin, Captain Rex, and The Bad Batch have to escape The Techno Union Army’s base. This escape has them going back to the Poletecan village where Anakin’s group along with the Poletecans have to fight the Techno Union’s forces and protect the village.

This episode was short, sweet, and to the point. Because of this it has no real story meat just a lot of action. This isn’t in any way a bad thing at all it just a story the bridges the gap between the previous episode and the next one. Just like the ones before episode 3 has fantastic animation and with amazingly staged action scenes, making this story anything but boring. I felt that this episode’s biggest strength is that it got me excited for the next episode, which will mark the end of our first of three-story arcs this season.

Episode Review Score: A

Big City Greens Season One and Amphibia Season One Review: NOW-stalgia on Disney+

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Review by Joshua Jordan
NOW-stalgia on Disney+ is all about reviewing modern animated shows that you can find on the Disney+ streaming service.

Big City Greens Season One (2018)

The Green Family are simple farm folk who are having a hard time. So much so that Bill Green decides to sell the farm and move in with his grandmother. Along for the ride is Bill’s two kids Cricket and Tilly. Cricket is a high energy, super confident, and at times a bit too selfish but lovable kid and living in the city is what he’s really excited about. In contrast is his younger sister Tilly, while Tilly shares a mischievous side with Cricket she is much calmer and is more inclined to follow the rules. Together The Green Family has some fun and wacky adventure as they learn to adapt to their new surroundings.

 In my opinion The Big City Greens is like an updated version of the classic television series, The Beverly Hillbillies mixed with character designs straight out of The Muppets. Not only is the character designs influenced by The Muppets but It’s humor is too, very smart, quirky, and imaginative. Another great thing but Big City Greens is the fact there is no season long narrative. Unlike shows like Gravity Falls or Big Hero 6 you can just kind of leave for a bit then come back to once you’re finished bingeing something else. It’s just a fun time as you watch and enjoy this family’s misadventures.

The only criticism I have is that of Cricket, while I don’t mind his character Cricket is very selfish which comes off as being a little of a jerk and almost being unlikable. Whether or not this is intentional by the writers or it’s just me but since he is the main character of the show and it can hurt my enjoyment of Cricket and be a little too much. These times however are few but I would be remiss if I didn’t mention it. Altogether The Big City Greens is very fun and can laugh out loud funny and a great show to jump in and out of between other shows you can watch on Disney+.

Review grade for season one: B+

Amphibia Season One (2019)

After Anne is peer pressured into stealing and opening a weird music box, she is transported to a new world filled with intelligent Frogs, Toads, Newts,etc along with dangerous giant insects and birds. It’s here that Anne meets Sprig, a young and super energetic frog whom she befriends. Together with Sprig’s Grandpa Hop Pop and his younger tadpole sister Polly, Anne tried to live in this beautiful yet dangerous world while trying to find a way back home.

Since Amphibia’s announcement I’ve been very interested in seeing what kind of show this would be. It turns out it has similar humor and mystery as Gravity Falls with an interesting and unique world like Adventure Time. The main cast is also very interesting and I like that the writers are taking their time to get the audience to care for them even if this slows the story down a bit near the middle of the season. Other than that I feel this series has really great potential and has a very satisfying end to season one.

Review grade for season one: B+

Liked these reviews? Then check out our others
Click here for my review of Milo Murphy’s Law and season one of Big Hero Six The Series.
Click here to start reading the episode by episode review of Star Wars The Clone Wars as they air on Disney+

Clone Wars Season 7 Episode 2 Review – Now-stalgia on Disney+

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Review by Joshua Jordan

“The search for truth begins with belief”

After the events at the end of episode one Anakin, Captain Rex, and The Bad Batch go to Skako Minor to see the source of where they believe The Separatist are getting their information from.

Episode two, titled “A Distant Echo” is a great continuation from episode one and builds on what was set up last week. Having a personal touch to the episode is what I really liked the most about it. Its hard to think of the Clones as nothing more than cannon fodder but the best thing about The Clone Wars is that by the end you really care for the Clones. Since The end game of the series is to hook up to Revenge of The Sith I liked that it took a moment to focus on Captain Rex and Anakin’s relationship as friends. Which may or may not play into the last arc of the series. Another pleasant surprise in this episode is that it took time to give us some more humor, which was a nice breather between the more action and dramatic scenes.

Lastly, I want to also compliment the animation again this time focusing on the facial expressions. They have come a long way since The Clones Wars Movie back in 2008 where they seemed kind of stiff. This episode showcases some of the subtlest of gestures from Anakin trying to tell Captain Rex something with is eyes to Obi-Wan not looking surprised at who Anakin is talking to in secret. All of this together makes a much more fluid and almost realistic way to connect to the characters. This story arc is really turning out to be a good one but the question is how does this tie in to the end? I guess we’ll just have to watch to find out.

Episode Review Score: A

Clone Wars Season 7 Episode 1 Review – Now-stalgia on Disney+

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Review by Joshua Jordan

(Spoiler Free)

Clone Wars is back with an impressive first episode of the last season. The title of the episode is The Bad Batch and introduces the viewers to Clone Force 99 aka The Bad Batch. They’re a group of mutated clones with abilities beyond that of normal clones. Their mission is to join Captain Rex and Commander Cody to find out why The Separatists keep countering all of Captain Rex’s Strategies. Can Rex and Cody work with a bunch of over the top mutated clones? And how are the Separatists getting their information?

The Bad Batch is a great start to the last season and I can’t wait to see how this arc ends and how it’s tied to the end of the series. In my opinion the two things that stood out were the animation and the voice work. First, the all-around presentation was gorgeous, especially the animation for the actions scenes. This is truly the best Clones Wars has ever looked. I loved a lot of the camera angles that they used which they would have never been able to do easily when the show first premiered. Second, the voice work on this episode is great since most of the characters are clones they are all voiced by the amazing Dee Bradley Baker. It consistently amazes me how he can voice each clone and give them the same voice while also making them sound distinct. 

This season of The Clone Wars seems to have a strong beginning with The Bad Batch and I can’t wait to see what else this arc has in store as well as the rest of the season.

Episode Review Score: A+

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