AKAPAD the FILM BUFF Podcast

DAREDEVIL and the SPIDER-MAN 1994 Animated Series

TGIF, Film Buffs! It’s Friday, so let’s have some fun. Arena Wars (2024), directed by Brandon Slagle, thrives on the power of crowdfunding, delivering a brutally thrilling world packed with everything you'd expect from a film of this nature—and that’s exactly what makes it so damn fun. AKAPAD The Film Buff continues his mission to revive the joy of watching movies, reminding us why heading to the theater for pure entertainment is a tradition worth keeping alive.

Now streaming on Disney+, The Film Buff dives into Mufasa: The Lion King—a remarkable prequel directed by an Oscar winner. But is it truly an animated feature? Let’s break it down!

AKAPAD The Film Buff dives back into the Hellboy fray with his take on the character’s latest cinematic outing, Hellboy: The Crooked Man (2024). This $20 million gem looks and feels like it was torn straight from the comic page, drenched in gritty folk-horror vibes. But here’s the head-scratcher: despite all its strengths, this flick got the cold shoulder from every tier of fan you’d expect to champion it. Time to dissect why the faithful adaptation, killer practical effects, and Jack Kesy’s brooding Big Red failed to ignite the passion this movie deserved.

Those who brought you Hellboy the Crooked Man

Cast

Jack Kesy - Hellboy

Jefferson White - Tom Ferrell

Adeline Rudolph - Bobbie Jo Song

Leah McNamara - Effie Kolb

Joseph Marcell - Reverend Watts

Hannah Margetson - Cora Fisher

Martin Bassindale - The Crooked Man

Nathan Cooper - Farmhand

Carola Colombo - Old Woman

Suzanne Bertish - Grammy Oaku

Crew

Director - Brian Taylor

Writers - Brian Taylor, Mike Mignola, Christopher Golden

Producers - Mike Richardson, Jeffrey Greenstein, Jonathan Yunger, Les Weldon, Rob Van Norden, Yariv Lerner, Sam Schulte

Executive Producers - Avi Lerner, Trevor Short, Boaz Davidson, Tanner Mobley, Lati Grobman, Christa Campbell, Mike Mignola, Michael Mullner, Julia Muentefering, Victor Hadida, Cristina Serafini, Gareth West, Artur Galstian, Vahan Yepremyan

Cinematographer - Ivan Vatsov

Editor - Ryan Denmark

Composer - Sven Faulconer

Production Companies - Millennium Media, Dark Horse Entertainment, Nu Boyana Film Studios, Campbell Grobman Films

Distributor - Ketchup Entertainment

More about Hellboy The Crooked Man

Alright, True Believers, let’s dive into Hellboy: The Crooked Man (2024), the latest gritty reboot of our favorite cigar-chomping demon! This flick, helmed by Brian Taylor, drags Big Red (Jack Kesy) and rookie B.P.R.D. agent Bobbie Jo Song (Adeline Rudolph) into the eerie backwoods of 1950s Appalachia. They’re up against a coven of witches and the sinister Crooked Man (Martin Bassindale), a devilish creep tied to Hellboy’s past. Think folk horror meets paranormal detective vibes—less blockbuster bombast, more low-budget chills. Co-written by Hellboy creator Mike Mignola, it’s a faithful stab at his 2008 comic, with practical effects that’d make Sam Raimi nod approvingly.

Box office? Well, brace yourselves, Wiz fans—this one didn’t exactly set the world ablaze. Skipping U.S. theaters for a direct-to-VOD drop on October 8, 2024, it scraped together a measly $2 million internationally. With a rumored budget “way under $20 million,” it might’ve turned a profit via digital and streaming, but don’t expect it to topple Hellboy II: The Golden Army’s $160 million haul. A cult classic in the making? Maybe. A cash cow? Not a chance. Excelsior!

In 2024, Netflix released another outstanding addition to modern science fiction. What followed was a stark revelation about The Film Buff. Today, Peter urges you to take the time to experience this film, as its lack of press could signal a troubling future for the sci-fi genre as a whole.

Those who brought us Bionic

Main Cast:

Jessica Córes as Maria

Gabz as Gabi

Bruno Gagliasso

Christian Malheiros

Kagga Jayson

Klebber Toledo

Director:

Afonso Poyart

The Academy rightfully recognized September 5 with a nomination for Best Original Screenplay this past year, but this film offers so much more. In fact, AKAPAD The Film considers it one of the most underrated movies of 2024. Join him on the Movie Pod of Movie Pods as he delves into an in-depth discussion of its brilliance.

Those who brought us September 5

Director

Tim Fehlbaum

Cast

Peter Sarsgaard as Roone Arledge

John Magaro as Geoffrey Mason

Ben Chaplin

Leonie Benesch

Zinedine Soualem

Georgina Rich

Corey Johnson

Marcus Rutherford

Benjamin Walker

Daniel Adeosun

Solomon Mousley

Caroline Ebner

Daniel Betts

Screenwriters

Tim Fehlbaum

Moritz Binder

Production

Distributor: Paramount Pictures

More about this time.

September 5: A Gripping Retelling of the 1972 Munich Tragedy

The 2024 film September 5, directed by Tim Fehlbaum, is a tense historical drama that revisits the harrowing events of the 1972 Munich Olympics massacre. The film follows an American sports broadcasting team, led by Roone Arledge (played by Peter Sarsgaard), as they become unwitting witnesses to one of the most tragic acts of terrorism in sports history.

Historical Context

On September 5, 1972, a Palestinian terrorist group known as Black September infiltrated the Olympic Village, taking 11 Israeli athletes hostage. What began as a global celebration of unity turned into a 21-hour standoff, culminating in a disastrous rescue attempt at a German airbase. All the hostages were killed, along with several terrorists and a German police officer.

Film’s Perspective and Impact

September 5 brings this historical event to life from the perspective of journalists who had to navigate the ethical dilemmas of live reporting while witnessing history unfold. The film has been praised for its gripping storytelling, nuanced performances, and its deep dive into the role of media during crises.

Despite being nominated for Best Original Screenplay at the Academy Awards, many critics and film enthusiasts, including AKAPAD The Film, consider it one of the most underrated films of 2024.

While conducting his in-depth study of Daredevil’s media appearances for this week's Weekend Animation, The Film Buff examines the Fantastic Four animated series' Season 2 premiere, "And a Blind Man Shall Lead Them." However, the real takeaway from this episode isn’t what you might expect. Is Marvel overlooking this accessible yet compelling character during a booming era for comic book adaptations?

More about this series and episode.

FANTASTIC FOUR – THE CARTOON YOU (KIND OF) FORGOT!

Before X-Men: The Animated Series and Spider-Man stole the '90s cartoon spotlight, Marvel threw their first family onto the small screen with Fantastic Four—a show that had one rough start but managed to pull off an epic comeback. Running from 1994 to 1996, this series was part of the Marvel Action Hour alongside Iron Man, and while it didn’t set the world on fire (except maybe when Johnny yelled “Flame On!”), it gave us some killer classic comic adaptations—especially in Season 2.

SEASON 1: WHAT WENT WRONG?

Picture this: weirdly stiff animation, cringe-worthy dialogue, and more camp than a summer retreat. If you ever wanted to hear The Thing rattle off one-liners like he was auditioning for a bad stand-up gig, Season 1 was your jam. Fans weren’t exactly clobberin’ their way to praise it, but the potential was there.

SEASON 2: NOW WE'RE TALKIN’!

Cue the glow-up! The second season got a total overhaul, ditching the cheese for serious storytelling, improved animation, and a focus on classic comic arcs. One of the biggest standouts? The season premiere, featuring none other than Marvel’s favorite blind lawyer—Daredevil!

"AND A BLIND MAN SHALL LEAD THEM" (SEASON 2, EP. 1)

Based on Fantastic Four #39-40 (1965) by Stan "The Man" Lee and Jack "King" Kirby, this episode is a true-blue Marvel throwback that packs action, drama, and a touch of legal consultation from Matt Murdock.

THE PLOT:

After getting wrecked by Doctor Doom, the Fantastic Four lose their powers thanks to a nasty energy blast. No stretching, no invisibility, no rock-smashing—just four regular humans with a serious supervillain problem.

With the Baxter Building under siege, Reed Richards does what any genius would do—call a blind lawyer for help. Enter Daredevil, who proves that you don’t need sight to throw hands. Using a combo of street smarts and insane agility, Matt helps the team stay in the fight until they can reclaim their powers and put Doom back in his place.

WHY THIS EPISODE ROCKS:

🔥 Daredevil Gets Animated! – Long before Charlie Cox suited up in Daredevil on Netflix, this was one of the few times Matt Murdock showed up in animation. And he wasn’t just a cameo—he was the MVP of the episode.

🧠 Reed Proves Why He’s the Smartest Guy in the Room – Even without his stretchy powers, Reed strategizes his way out of Doom’s trap. Who needs superpowers when you’ve got big brain energy?

👑 Doctor Doom Doing What He Does Best – The man doesn’t waste a second taking over the Baxter Building. Doom stays winning—until he doesn’t.

🎬 A Sign of Things to Come – This episode set the tone for the more mature, comic-accurate second season, proving that Fantastic Four could hang with the best of ‘em.

FINAL VERDICT:

Fantastic Four (1994-1996) may not have hit the same legendary status as X-Men or Batman: The Animated Series, but if you skipped out after Season 1’s cheesefest, Season 2 is worth a revisit. And if you're a Daredevil fan? This episode is a must-watch.

Now the real question—why wasn’t Marvel using Daredevil more in this golden era of cartoons? Missed opportunity or just bad timing? Sound off, true believers! 🚀

For today's Animation Weekend, AKAPAD The Film Buff shares his initial thoughts on Disney's 1937 masterpiece, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

Today, The Film Buff makes a passionate case for Den of Thieves 2: Pantera on Netflix. Too many moviegoers misunderstood this film, and he's here to set the record straight. Don't miss out—this sequel deserves your attention.

What happens when you dive headfirst into a series without any prior context? Today, AKAPAD puts this experiment to the test with Sonic the Hedgehog 3, skipping the first two films entirely. The result? A surprising revelation that challenges expectations and redefines how we experience sequels.

Those who brought us Sonic the Hedgdehog 3

Main Cast:

Ben Schwartz – Voice of Sonic

Colleen O'Shaughnessey – Voice of Tails

Idris Elba – Voice of Knuckles

Keanu Reeves – Voice of Shadow the Hedgehog

Jim Carrey – Returning as Dr. Robotnik

James Marsden – Tom Wachowski

Tika Sumpter – Maddie Wachowski

Crew:

Director: Jeff Fowler

Screenwriters: Patrick Casey, Josh Miller, John Whittington

Producers: Toru Nakahara, Toby Ascher, Hitoshi Okuno

Executive Producers: Tim Miller, Haruki Satomi, Shuji Utsumi

Additional Credits:

Music Composer: Tom Holkenborg (Junkie XL)

Visual Effects Supervisors: Ged Wright, Hayden Landis, Rhys Claringbull

Animation Supervisor: Stewart Alves

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (2024) brings Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles together to face Shadow, a powerful hedgehog seeking revenge. The story draws inspiration from Sonic Adventure 2 and Shadow the Hedgehog, delving into Shadow's tragic past and his connection to Dr. Gerald Robotnik. As a secret space weapon threatens Earth, Sonic and Shadow must confront their own emotions and power. The film features Keanu Reeves as Shadow, Jim Carrey reprising his role as Dr. Robotnik, and Ben Schwartz as Sonic​