Rafael Motamayor, Author at Pay Or Wait

‘Peacemaker’ Is Pure James Gunn Glee

by Rafael Motamayor - January 13, 2022

Even as TV becomes increasingly filled with superhero deconstructions like The Boys and Invincible, DC's latest TV show, Peacemaker, feels distinct in that it could only exist in the mind of James Gunn. In many ways, the new HBO Max show is a greatest hits compilation for the horror filmmaker

Jupiter’s Legacy Season 1 Review: This Superhero Family Drama Lacks Focus And Superheroics

by Rafael Motamayor - May 7, 2021

We've reached a point where no matter your taste, there's a superhero show out there for you. Do you want gory satires that deconstruct the meaning of a superhero? Watch The Boys. Do you want an action thriller? Watch Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Want an animated meta-comedy? How about

Godzilla Vs. Kong Review: A Worthy Fight Between Titans

by Rafael Motamayor - April 9, 2021

There was only one thing that really mattered going into the latest film in the MonsterVerse: would the titular fight be worth the six-year wait? Thankfully, the answer is a resounding yes! Unfortunately, this isn't exactly the home run it could have been. You don't really want a recap of the

Son of Monarchs Review: A beautiful, complex, but at times puzzling film

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by Rafael Motamayor - February 8, 2021February 9, 2021

The monarch butterfly is one of the most well known and studied butterflies on the planet, and it is also of tremendous cultural importance in Mexico, both for its beauty and for what it does for the tourism industry in Michoacán. But the butterfly has also become a symbol for

Wolfwalkers Review: The Best And Most Beautiful Animated Movie Of The Year

by Rafael Motamayor - December 11, 2020December 11, 2020

The search for the next Studio Ghibli is neverending. Though the answer is not one you can pinpoint easily, the latest film from the acclaimed Irish animation studio Cartoon Saloon, Wolfwalkers, feels like a strong contender. Taking visual cues from The Tale of Princess Kaguya and with a narrative that feels

Mank Review: A Gorgeous Movie About Legacy And Failure That’s Devoid Of Emotion

by Rafael Motamayor - December 2, 2020

David Fincher's Mank is brilliantly summarized by its titular character when he says "You cannot capture a man’s entire life in two hours. All you can hope is to leave an impression of one." Sadly, the impression Netflix's Oscar-hopeful leaves is not a very lasting one, but a surface-level, distant

The Haunting Of Bly Manor Review: Mike Flanagan Crafts Another Horror Winner That Will Make You Scream, Then Make You Cry Ugly Tears

by Rafael Motamayor - October 5, 2020

Mike Flanagan is one of the most interesting voices working in horror today, and it's baffling that he has only worked 9 years in the genre. Though he hasn't enjoyed the kind of mainstream success other horror auteurs like James Wan have enjoyed, his output the past decade is full

The Boys Season 2 Review: Bigger, Badder, Meaner, And Yet Kind Of Hopeful Superhero Satire

by Rafael Motamayor - September 1, 2020September 1, 2020

When The Boys premiered last year, it was a bit of a double-edged sword. It came at the perfect time for a satire of superheroes and how they would act in the real world (premiering a couple of months before Watchmen) but more importantly, it satirized the way we consume

Project Power Review: A Thrilling And Genre-Bending Superhero Story That’s Grounded In Real Issues, And Real Powers

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by Rafael Motamayor - August 13, 2020August 13, 2020

Even with a global pandemic, there's no denying superhero movies and TV shows are approaching zombie-levels of saturation. This year alone saw the release of Birds of Prey, the Harley Quinn animated show, the last season of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., as well as the upcoming (hopeful) release of The New

The Old Guard Review: A Cookie-Cutter Action Thriller That Is Saved By A Kick-Ass Charlize Theron And Intriguing Mythology

by Rafael Motamayor - July 12, 2020

The worst thing to be said about The Old Guard is that it feels like the Marvel shows made for Netflix, in that it feels mostly like it's saving up the good stuff set up for a sequel. The good news is that The Old Guard kicks so much ass

Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga Review: A Movie That’s Best When It Reminds Us Of How Weird, Campy And Heartfelt The Real Eurovision Is

Streaming

by Rafael Motamayor - June 26, 2020

EUROVISION SONG CONTEST: The Story of Fire Saga

How do you parody what is already half a joke? How do you present an event that's so ingrained in European pop culture as the Eurovision Song Contest to an American audience that has never paid attention? The wrong answer, is to make it a rom-com with the juggernaut singing

Sergio Review: Wagner Moura And Ana De Armas Can’t Save This Messy, Shallow Biopic

by Rafael Motamayor - April 17, 2020April 27, 2020

They really should have stopped making biopics after Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, the 2007 satirical music biopic, pulled back the curtain to reveal and make fun of all the tropes and clichés of the biopic movie. Netflix’s newest movie, Sergio, tries to get ahead of the tropes by

‘My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising’ Encapsulates Everything That Makes The Anime Great, And Everything Bad With Movies Based On Anime Shows [Review]

by Rafael Motamayor - February 25, 2020April 27, 2020

My Hero Academia is one of the most popular ongoing anime shows, and it’s easy to see why. The show appeals not only to anime fans, but to superhero fans (of which there are a ton today) by presenting a world where 80% of the world population has superpowers, or