Entertainment
Perfect Sequel To Legendary Action Franchise Streaming On Netflix
By Chris Snellgrove
| Published
Sometimes, blockbuster franchises go so far off the rails that it can really skew your perspective of earlier films. The Jurassic World movies are a great example of this: Fallen Kingdom was a braindead horror movie, Dominion was a lazy nostalgia fest, and Rebirth was a soulless schlockfest. Because of this, many movie lovers have written this franchise off and are waiting for the next asteroid to conveniently make this entire franchise extinct.
However, the film that originally brought all this “dino DNA” back to the big screen is still a very solid blockbuster unto itself. Thanks to a talented director and some solid talent all around, Jurassic World (2015) is a movie that keeps you on the edge of your seat with both CGI spectacle and surprisingly good character development. It’s currently streaming on Netflix, making it easier than ever for you to return to the cinematic universe first made famous by Steven Spielberg.
They Just Won’t Stay Extinct
The premise of Jurassic World is that a new CEO has decided to revive the original Jurassic Park concept, making it bigger and better than ever, despite the highly publicized tragedies portrayed in earlier films. It works at first, and the newly-minted Jurassic World is a hit with almost everyone, including the visiting nephews of the new park’s operations manager. But Chaos Theory wins out again, and once the dinos inevitably get loose, it becomes a race for survival for everyone involved. This includes an experienced raptor trainer, a scheming security chief, and a geneticist who witnessed the rise and fall of the original park.
The cast of Jurassic World is mostly filled with faces new to the franchise, including Chris Pratt (best known for Guardians of the Galaxy) as a charismatic raptor trainer and Bryce Dallas Howard (best known for Jurassic World: Dominion) as the park operations manager and his ersatz love interest. One of her nephews is played by Ty Simpkins (best known as Tony Stark’s kid sidekick in Iron Man 3), while Vincent D’Onofrio (best known for Men in Black) plays a shady security chief who wants to weaponize the raptors. Surprisingly, Jurassic Park alumnus BD Wong (best known outside this franchise for Mr. Robot) returns as the brains behind the ill-fitting park’s revival.
A Dangerous Gamble Pays Off
As with John Hammond’s original decision to bring back the dinosaurs, the studio’s decision to revive Steven Spielberg’s prehistoric powerhouse of a franchise was quite the gamble. Fortunately, it paid off: against a budget of approximately $215 million (some estimates go as low as $150 million), Jurassic World earned a whopping $1.671 billion. That made sequels inevitable, although the next three Jurassic World films could be summed up by Ian Malcolm from the original Jurassic Park: “Now, that is one big pile of sh*t.”
When Jurassic World came out, the general consensus regarding this revival of Spielberg’s blockbuster franchise was that it was good, not great. On Rotten Tomatoes, it has a 72 percent rating, with critics praising the movie for being a visually stunning thriller that’s great for those just looking for a bombastic good time. They did note that this revival doesn’t offer nearly as much innovation in terms of effects and storytelling as the original Jurassic Park. Casual moviegoers enjoyed the film as a spectacle of violent action unto itself, and the film has a notably higher 78 percent audience score.
A Thrill Ride Millions Of Years (And Dollars) In The Making
You probably know all about how bad the later movies get, so let’s cut to the chase: why would you return to the original Jurassic World? For one thing, the movie is a cinematic spectacle that takes the theme park thrills of the earliest film in the franchise and takes everything to a whole new level. There is wonder in seeing these fantastic creatures brought back to life, and there is pathos in seeing them harmed by new threats like the Indominus Rex. Mostly, there is nailbiting intensity as you watch a cast of likeable characters escape seemingly certain death in scene after scene.
Speaking of the characters, the real secret weapon of Jurassic World is the cast: while Chris Pratt is very played out these days, he is at his affable best in this movie, channeling all the charm of Star-Lord and transforming his character (not to mention himself) into a modern-day action hero. Additionally, he has solid chemistry with Bryce Dallas Howard, and their sparking chemistry echoes the ferocious flirtiness of Han Solo and Princess Leia. With these characters, Colin Trevorrow shows that he understands something very fundamental to these prehistoric blockbusters: that the audience must care about your flesh and blood characters before they can care about your next-level CGI.
We’re Just Along For The Ride
Also, if you’re a real fanboy for the original Jurassic Park, Jurassic World wears its nostalgia very proudly, going so far as to include an in-universe character who’s a huge JP fan. Is this just some straight-up member berries fan service? Absolutely. But it’s done so well that this adds extra appeal for any ‘80s and ‘90s kids who grew up endlessly quoting Steven Spielberg’s seminal work (like yours truly).
Obviously, Jurassic World isn’t going to dethrone Jurassic Park as the greatest dinosaur movie ever made. However, it is arguably one of the best films in this long-running franchise, one that will constantly remind you of why you fell in love with this tangled tale of dinosaurs and destruction in the first place. With heart-racing thrills, memorable action, and a talented cast giving it their all, Jurassic World is a perfect little paradox: it’s pure schlock, but it’s blockbuster schlock, and some of the best we’ve gotten in nearly two decades.
Will you agree that shlock, uh, finds a way, or is Jurassic World the kind of movie you’d rather feed to a raptor? The only way to find out is to stream this high-flying blockbuster remake on Netflix for yourself. The streamer is currently showing the sequels, but trust me: this is one franchise that you’re better off forgetting that it ever got any follow-up films!
Entertainment
Snag a pair of Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones for $50 off
SAVE $50: As of May 6, get the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) for $399 at Amazon, down from their usual price of $449. That’s a discount of 11%.
$399
at Amazon
$449
Save $50
If you want to experience your favorite music to the fullest, you need headphones that are up to the task. Bose can typically be counted on to provide that kind of quality, especially with its QuietComfort lineup. You can try its newest model for less right now for less thanks to this Amazon deal, which heavily discounts the cans so you don’t have to spend an arm and a leg on them.
As of May 6, get the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) for $399 at Amazon, down from their usual price of $449. That’s $50 off and a discount of 11%.
Though an incremental upgrade from the previous QuietComfort model, these have some new features you’ll want to try out. But mostly, these comfortable headphones are all about feeling great on your ears and sounding fantastic. They offer noise cancellation and spatialized audio so it sounds as though you’re right where the music is. The new Cinema Mode can help to spatialize and balance background and sound and sound effects when watching movies to help put you right into the film as well.
Beyond that they can be used to take calls with their built-in microphones. They’ll last a long time while you’re on the phone too, with 30 hours of play time when listening to songs, podcasts, or taking meetings.
Mashable Deals
Mashable Lead Shopping Reporter Bethany Allard took the headphones for a spin in her review and and called them a “well-rounded pair of headphones”, praising their blend of “comfort, noise cancellation, and sound”.
If you’re ready to pick up a new pair of headphones at a discount that’ll tick all the boxes for you, grab these before the discount disappears.
Entertainment
Score up to 64% off at EcoFlow and snag free solar panels with your purchase.
SAVE 64%: Between May 6 and May 17, you can score up to 64% off at EcoFlow and snag free solar panels with your purchase.
Get up to 64% off plus a free solar panel with purchase
I live in an apartment, so I don’t exactly have a “whole home” to back up. But if there’s one thing I hate, it’s losing power. There goes the AC, the internet, the food in the fridge — it’s a total nightmare. If you actually own a house and have been putting off buying a backup power system because it’s pricey, I have some good news.
The DJI Power 1000 Mini portable power station just launched — U.S. availability is pending
Right now, EcoFlow is running a Mother’s Day Sale through May 17 with discounts as high as 64%. They’re also throwing in free hardware to sweeten the deal: All single orders between $600 and $3,000 come with a free 45W solar panel, and orders over $3,000 come with two free 160W solar panels. If you’re looking for something more portable, their RAPID Power Banks are also up to 53% off right now.
Just keep an eye on the countdown clock — it’s for the Flash Sale items that have even better, limited-time price cuts. If you miss the flash window, the standard Mother’s Day and Home Improvement deals (including a $700 installation discount for larger systems) are still valid through mid-May.
Mashable Deals
Here are a few of the best deals I’ve spotted so far:
Entertainment
Maddies Secret trailer reveals John Early as youve never seen him before
Comedian John Early makes his feature directorial debut with Maddie’s Secret, an offbeat homage to melodrama that he wrote and headlines as its eponymous heroine.
As an aspiring food influencer, Maddie Ralph (Early) is passionate about her cuisine. And at first glance, she’s got a picture-perfect life: a loving husband (Eric Rahill), a devoted best friend (Kate Berlant), and a job at a culinary content studio called Gourmaybe. But as the title suggests, there’s a side to Maddie she can’t stomach sharing with her loved ones. And this secret could kill her.
Out of the movie’s premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival last fall, I cheered Maddie’s Secret, writing in my review for Mashable, “The film is silly and strange, but even amid campy bits, sincere. So, you’ll laugh at its parody elements, but may well be genuinely moved by Early’s commitment to this strange and splendid film.”
I also said “John Early is a better ingénue than Sydney Sweeney,” comparing Maddie’s Secret to another earnest (but less entertaining) TIFF offering, Christy. And I stand by it.
Maddie’s Secret opens in theaters in New York on June 19, and in Los Angeles on June 26.
Snag a pair of Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones for $50 off
Score up to 64% off at EcoFlow and snag free solar panels with your purchase.
