In “LEGO Marvel Avengers: Strange Tails” from Disney Plus, Earth’s mightiest heroes face their most chaotic enemy yet—not Thanos, not Ultron, but something far more sinister: social media. This same force that can make a dance trend go viral now threatens to unleash a catastrophic apocalypse.
The story begins when a mischievous influencer livestreams Magneto tossing bricks (literally) at the Avengers. What starts as clickbait spirals into a global event, culminating in a “Cats vs. Avengers” showdown. Amid the memes and mayhem, Hawkeye realizes that this battle isn’t about saving the planet—it’s about keeping the algorithm.
The voice cast expertly captures the tone: Troy Baker brings dry wit to Hawkeye, keeping things grounded, while James Mathis III gives Black Panther a regal gravitas. Jason Alexander’s portrayal of Magneto, which combines ego and exhaustion, steals scenes like he’s auditioning for a stand-up special titled “Mutants and Microphones”. Meanwhile, Alia Shawkat’s Meryet perfectly embodies influencer chaos, channeling a mix of Loki and Logan Paul.
Director Ken Cunningham, along with writers Eugene Son and Henry Gilroy, clearly understands the magic of LEGO: they take the absurd, add self-aware humor, and never forget the heart beneath the plastic. The result is an adventure that serves as both a commentary on our obsession with likes and views and a love letter to Marvel’s animated legacy.
Final Grade: B
“LEGO Marvel Avengers: Strange Tails” is available to stream now on Disney+.
Nineties R&B was home to many female groups, so standing out took more than good looks and a major industry endorsement. I still remember seeing Allure in a Vibe ad and thinking how gorgeous those four women were. The question was whether they had the talent to compete in the music scene.
In 1996, I first heard the Houston quartet Ideal on the Original Gangsters soundtrack. Their interpretation of Marvin Gaye’s “Inner City Blues,” featuring the Chi-Lites, caught my attention.
For this week’s Second Listen Sunday, I want to revisit 2004 and highlight Romeo’s debut solo album, formerly of Immature. Titled “Food for Thought” and released on June 22nd, this project marked the singer’s change of name to Young Rome in an effort to distance himself from the youthful sound of his group, much like his bandmate Marques Houston had done a year earlier.