Does Disney Buying Fox Hurt The X-Men Franchise?

Julian Meush November 9, 2017

With the news that Disney could possibly buy 21st Century Fox a lot of the surrounding talk has been about what would happen with Fox's Marvel properties, specifically The X-Men. People get excited at the prospect of seeing Wolverine and the gang join up with The Avengers in the MCU but is it really a good idea?

Marvel's Luke Cage: Season 1 Review

Julian Meush October 5, 2016

When Marvel releases a new Netflix series everything stops. I become a hermit for a few days as I binge the entire season in an unhealthy amount of time. This continued to be the case with the release of Marvel’s Luke Cage. I shut myself off from the world, and much like a child that eats too fast, I ingested the entire 13-hour run in just over two days. I’ve spent the time since then actually digesting it. But unlike the kid who eats too quickly, it didn't leave me feeling sick to my stomach. Instead, I thought it was a fun ride even if it was, if you’ll allow me to continue the food analogy, somewhat undercooked.

Whats Wrong with Today's Animated Programming?

Julian Meush April 10, 2014

With Beware the Batman on the verge of cancellation I take a look at the recent trend in animated programming moving away from complex storytelling. Why have great shows been sentenced to early deaths only to be replaced by mindless drivel? I attempt to pull the curtain back and take a look at what is wrong with animated programming today.

Five Thoughts - March 8, 2014

Julian Meush March 8, 2014

After a few busy months I'm back with another Five Thoughts (so much for "working title"). This time I explore a few of my favorite things: Lego, Star Wars and Batman. I also look at some of the big reveals from the past few weeks, including the Guardians of the Galaxy and Arkham Knight trailers.

"Thor: The Dark World" Review

Julian Meush November 11, 2013

I put my thoughts about Thor: The Dark World on paper (err e-document?) and spill my guts about the meh-ness of it all. I also address some of the post-credits scenes and the impact on the rest of the MCU.

Top 5 Best & Worst Things about Batman: Arkham Origins

Julian Meush November 2, 2013

I break down the best and the worst that Arkham Origins has to offer. From voice acting to game mechanics, nothing is off the table.

Apr 25, 2026

Episode 205 - CinemaCon 2026 + News Roundup

It's been a minute since Matt and Julian sat down to cover the latest in film and TV news. Some might say it's been dearly missed. Well wait no more folks because this week it's all news and nothing but the news so help me god! If the last few weeks (months?) of stories weren't enough, CinemaCon 2026 also just concluded which had it's own news deluge. The guys unpack it all (well most of it anyway)! Of utmost priority is the news of Michael B Jordan and Austin Butler's reboot of 'Miami Vice', which is close to Matt's heart. Plus 'Spaceballs 2' gets a title and release date, trailers for 'Dune 3', 'Clayface' and 'Street Fighter' all surprise (in a good way), and a new 'Lord of the Rings' movie is announced (and you won't guess who's writing it!). Plus, a 'Game of Thrones' movie, more 'Transformers' and is 'Avatar' over? All this and so much more on this week's Tower of Babble Podcast!

Apr 23, 2026

SSSW - Maul: Shadow Lord - Chapter 5 & 6

We’ve reached the halfway point of the season and with it comes a tonal shift back to the roots of Star Wars animation - 'The Clone Wars'. With the arrival of the Empire, the focus shifts away from Maul and his dealings and toward the pair of Jedi as they are now in the crosshairs. The noire tone takes a back seat, next to Maul, as things become more pulpy, mixed with an impending doom that is reminiscent of the final season of 'The Clone Wars'. The set-piece action sequences get an injection of scale and danger, which is exciting, and some of the early seeding of characters like Rylee start to pay off. While maybe a bit different from the previous 4 episodes, the quality and the stakes remain high (well... for every character except Maul I suppose). Join Julian and Rachel as the unpack it all in excruciating detail.

Apr 15, 2026

SSSW - Maul: Shadow Lord - Chapter 3 & 4

Now that the premiere is out of the way, the team at Lucasfilm Animation can focus on driving the story forward with authority. The pacing is much improved this week as time feel more evenly dispersed across the characters. There's a greater concentration on characters who can wield a lightsaber and it's appreciated. No shade to the crime syndicate storyline, but we've kind of seen all that already (it was quite literally a 'Clone Wars' arc). The action remains strong while taking another step forward with lightsaber duels joining the mix. Plus, the fast cutting from last week seems to have been dialed back, which is appreciated as it provides more clarity in action scenes. For example, Devon's engagements with Maul are gripping, and with the additional time provided to Master Daki, the stakes feel ratcheted up. Kevin Kinner's music remains a highlight, the illusions to the Anakin vs Obi-Wan Mustafar theme was a particular highlight. In general, there is still room for more character growth, especially with characters not named Maul, who really can't/won't change - but happy to proven wrong! This show feels like it's in full swing already, which is good because next week things look to be really heating up as we hit the half way mark. Julian and Rachel unpack it all!

Apr 9, 2026

SSSW - Maul: Shadow Lord - Chapter 1 & 2

It's been some time since we've been able to sink our pointy teeth into a meaty Star Wars animated project. Since the finale of 'The Bad Batch' all the way back in May of 2024, all we've had to tie us over were anthology installments of varying quality. Praise the Force, that wait is finally over with the release of 'Maul: Shadow Lord', the latest full length series from Lucasfilm Animation. The series marks another technical leap forward for the animation studio, taking their patented visual style and adding another layer of detail and artistry that jumps off the screen. The story follows the titular, Maul shortly after the fall of the Republic and the rise of the Empire, he's looking for revenge and the series wastes no time dropping us right into the thick of things (3 car/speeder chases in 40 mins is impressive). And while we know much of Maul's criminal dealings (and most of the rest of his life actually), the introduction of a new Padawan into the mix, another apprentice-to-be for Maul, adds a layer of intrigue to an otherwise underworld focused story. Join Julian and Rachel as they unpack Chapter 1: "The Dark Revenge" and Chapter 2: "Sinister Schemes", in intricate detail.