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“Moana 2” Brings Oceanic Waves with New Characters and a New Voyage

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Three years later after returning the heart to Te Fiti, Moana (Auliʻi Cravalho) is seen exploring a deserted island and discovers an artifact indicating the island was inhabited. She sails back to Motunui to share her findings with her family and island community. At the celebration, she gets a calling from her wayfinding ancestors and learns that she must go on a quest to find the hidden island of Motufetu, which is believed to be the connection to other communities across the Oceania. This is the only option that will help preserve and continue their bloodline, otherwise their tribe will fade into nonexistence.

We see new characters that have particular useful skills and become part of Moana’s crew. Together, they prepare for the dangerous voyage in search for Motufetu. Yes, HeiHei (Alan Tudyk) and this time Pua join in on the excitement. The adventure gets hysterical when Moana and crew encounter the Kakamora – the coconut pirates. I love these guys, the minions of the sea! With the help of Moni (a storyteller), he was able to translate the Kakamora’s banging chest and tribal drums language. They come to understand the Kakamora have been sailing the ocean longing to find their homeland. It was thrilling to see Kotu unite with Moana in search for the lost mysterious island. Finally, Maui (Dwayne Johnson) makes an appearance in his mischievous ways, stuck in a bind with a mysterious “bat lady”, Matangi (Awhimai Fraser). Not much is revealed about Matangi – Goddess of Wind, just that she’s an enslaved demigod under Nalo, and has a connection to bats. She also has a threatening demeanor. Matangi sends Moana, Maui and crew through the portal to face Nalo, the powerful God of Storms, who deliberately keeps humans divided for he fears their powers when they are united. Moana realizes the best way to defeat Nalo, and to lift up the lost island Motufetu, is with strong teamwork, creative thinking, sacrifice, and with a little help from her spiritual ancestors.

Moana 2 has a good storyline with some exciting action and stunning animation. However, it went overboard with the flatulence humor and projectile regurgitation. The songs were fun and rhythmic – Maui (Johnson) performing “Can I Get a Chee Hoo?!” sounded a bit like Busta Rhymes with a similar saxophonist dance move scene from 1987 vampire movie The Lost Boys. I wonder if that was a connection to the “bat lady” Matangi.

Moana 2 did not have a strong enough wave impact as the first movie, but I do believe it will be used to bridge over a connection to a potential Moana 3. Stay for the post credits. More is revealed about Matangi who is still enslaved under Nalo’s control, and is in talks with him to perhaps assist in his revenge on Moana. Meanwhile, a familiar devious crustacean happens to be eavesdropping.

Sabrina - Kiddo is the newest member of Countdown City Geeks and is a contributor of movie and television show reviews. Her passion for film derived from her college days where her rhetoric-writing professor focused on the aspects of screenwriting and music lyrics. She also has a knack for saying movie quotes.

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‘Good Boy’: An exceptional haunting film from a dog’s perception. – Review

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Have you ever wondered why your furry companion stares at the wall or barks when there is nothing around? In this independent horror film, it presents a possible explanation to why your dog behaves in a peculiar manner. Good Boy is a unique take on creating a horror film where the main character is Indy, an adorable loyal dog that will do what it takes to protect his human friend and not leave his side.

Indy made his grand entrance at the 2025 SXSW in Austin, Texas and captivated the audience with his handsome furry coat and charming face. Indy was trained by his owners Kari Fischer and Ben Leonberg, along with the help of a professional trainer. It took more than 400 days (over the course of a couple of years) to complete filming due to the specific commands and desired behaviors that Indy had to learn, but most importantly ensuring his comfort and safety.

You can watch the video here of Indy showing off his impressive skills during the Q&A with Ben Leonberg and Kari Fischer (aka dog parents).

The screenplay was written by Alex Cannon and Ben Leonberg, who also directed the film. They created a unique perspective of a horror film by developing the storyline from a dog’s point of view.

The film begins with Todd in his apartment looking catatonic with indications that he might be suffering from an illness. Indy is by his side and appears to be uncomfortable and restless witnessing Todd being lethargic. Todd decides to move out of the city to the family’s countryside home and takes his loyal dog, Indy, with him. It is here where the supernatural forces lurk in the shadows and Indy feels its strange presence.

The scenes have all those spooky elements a horror, suspense film should have – the dark rooms, chilling sounds, creepy shadows, and thunderous storms. There is even a mysterious cemetery that is part of the property. It is said that dogs have a sixth sense, and this film depicts the fear and concern from Indy that death may be lurking around.

If you are a dog owner or an avid dog lover, Good Boy will touch your emotions as you observe Indy’s faithfulness and courage to save his owner, Todd, from whatever entity haunting them.

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Dreambreaker: A Pickleball Story – Review

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This documentary film shines light on the sport of pickleball and the competition against leagues to cash in on the now popular sport. Two wealthy Texas entrepreneurs form rivals in professional pickleball leagues and feud over obtaining contracts on the world’s top players.

Austin billionaire Steve Kuhn, a hedge fund manager turned philanthropist, and sports mogul built Dreamland, an outdoor entertainment and arts venue in Dripping Springs, Texas located in the Hill Country. The site features 16 dedicated pickleball courses, miniature golf courses, and one state of the art music stage.

In 2021, Kuhn co-founded Major League Pickleball (MLP) and held tournaments in Dreamland. I was surprised to learn how this sport evolved into a franchise and attracted investors like Milwaukee Bucks owner Marc Lasry, and elite athletes like LeBron James, Patrick Mahomes, and even Drew Brees.

Like in all investments and in sports there is always a competitor – here is where Connor Pardoe steps onto the court. Pardoe formed the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) back in 2018, which required the players to sign a one year exclusive contract and transformed the industry from a recreational activity to a burgeoning sports powerhouse. The PPA then gets a new player, investor Thomas Dundon a chairman and managing partner of Dundon Capital Partners in Dallas, Texas. Dundon extended the exclusivity contracts to 3 years.

This sporty film has the tournament founders going head to head, evolving the sport into social media influencers, and chasing the gold. It also stars John McEnroe, no stranger to sport action drama.

Pickleball fanatics and those curious about the sport will find this documentary interesting, maybe even have more people interested in participating in playing pickleball or as a spectator.

The documentary is produced and directed by Ashley Underwood and written and produced by Craig Coyne is set to premiere Friday, April 11 on truTV and also will be streaming afterwards on the Max platform.

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‘Drop’ is a thrilling, modern cat & mouse game – Review

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Hitting theaters this weekend is DROP—a pulse-pounding thriller that brings you to the edge of your seat and dares you to blink.

Starring The White Lotus’s Meghann Fahy and 1923’s Brandon Sklenar, this tightly wound suspense flick delivers a smart, high-stakes ride that’ll keep your heart racing long after the credits roll.

Fahy plays Violet, a widowed single mom cautiously dipping her toe back into the dating scene, but what starts as a simple blind date quickly spirals into something far more sinister. Unbeknownst to her, Violet has become a pawn in a much larger, meticulously crafted scheme—her every move tracked, every word being monitored, and her options vanishing fast.

What follows is a relentless game of cat-and-mouse in the digital age, where escape routes are illusions and the villain is always one step ahead. As the tension ratchets up, so does the claustrophobic dread, with Violet scrambling to outwit a faceless enemy who seems to know her better than she knows herself.

Director Christopher Landon (Freaky, Happy Death Day) once again proves he’s a master at twisting the familiar into something fresh and terrifying. With DROP, he delivers a modern thriller that’s not just entertaining—it’s unnervingly plausible. At this point, Landon isn’t just on my radar—he’s fast becoming one of my new favorite filmmakers working today.

Catch the movie in theaters now.


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