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+.
As a longtime music enthusiast, I’ve often wondered how quickly record labels expect lead singers from groups to release solo albums. This question came to mind recently when my iPod played “So You Like What You See” by Samuelle. Listening to the song, I realized he would be a great choice for this week’s Second Listen Sunday.
You know the voice. The moment Michael Marshall starts singing the hook in Luniz’s “I Got 5 on It,” anyone who grew up in the nineties knows exactly what time it is. However, nearly a decade before that 1995 hip-hop classic, Marshall was already responsible for another instantly recognizable vocal.
There are some albums you revisit because of nostalgia, and then there are albums you return to because they remind you just how high the standard used to be. Anita Baker’s Rapture falls into that second category. Released in 1986, the album did more than make Baker a star. It helped define what sophisticated, grown R&B could sound like without losing any soul, sensuality, or personality.