Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings takes the next phase of the Marvel cinematic universe to a whole new level. It has a unique and appealing approach, and is an absolutely brilliant and spectacular Marvel film. The film had me in pure adrenaline mode, and the action was non-stop fun.

The film focuses on Shang-Chi, played by Simu Liu, who changes his name to Shaun while living in San Francisco. His close friend Katy is played by Awkwafina. Shaun’s life takes a drastic turn as his past comes back to haunt him. He realizes that his sister Xialing, played by Meng’er Zhang, is in danger and he must fly to Macau to get her to safety. Shaun’s enemy is actually his father, Xu Wenwu, played by Tony Chiu-Wai Leung. Shaun was taught to be a master of martial arts by his father, but to overcome his father’s evil past he must learn to adapt to the powers he has inherited.
 

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings feels like a rollercoaster ride of kung-fu extravaganza, and I loved it. Its fighting choreography mixed with brilliant technology provided energy and excitement. The film also has some hidden realizations that will be exciting for Marvel fans.

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings provides the perfect foundation for a new Marvel hero, and for what to expect later from Marvel. There is an element of importance and curiosity in the film.

This is easily a four-star film. The film is enthralling, not just because of the action sequences, but also for the hidden gems in the film. Whether or not you are a Marvel fan, do not miss Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.

Reminiscence is a film that blends the genres of mystery, romance and sci-fi with an adept premise. It has all the fundamentals to be spellbinding, but it tries too hard to make the suspenseful situations even more so, and the film becomes messy and fragmented as it progresses.
 

Reminiscence is set in New Orleans and Miami. The main character, played by Hugh Jackman, is Nick Bannister, a unique type of private investigator who uses brain activity software to help people sort through their memories and revisit past portions of their lives. His clients are in a tank with a brain-therapy attachment, and Nick can visually see their memories. Nick’s assistant is Emily ‘Watts’ Sanders, played by Thandiwe Newton.

Life changes for Nick as he becomes obsessed about former client Mae, played by Rebecca Ferguson. Nick revisits his own memories to try to track Mae down, which soon leads on a dark path of disturbing secrets, gangs, and allies that endanger Nick’s life, and maybe even Mae’s.

Unfortunately, when Nick starts on his quest to find Mae, the film just gets confusing. Reminiscence jumps weird hurdles of different past and present moments between Nick and Mae, some with Nick individually and some with Mae individually. The disorganized, non-chronological puzzle was not appealing, and I found myself wondering whether a particular scene had happened yet or not, and how certain events were relevant.

Director Lisa Joy does get credit for the futuristic setting of Reminiscence. She previously wrote, produced, and directed Westworld for HBO, which was more intriguing than Reminiscence. But again, the scenery as well as the choice of locations in Reminiscence was excellent. 

Reminiscence has a careful, steady pace in the beginning, but as the film goes deeper the storyline is just out of focus, the confusion begins, and the plot also becomes dry. The futuristic aspect is intriguing, but the film could have been much stronger. I give Reminiscence 2.5 stars.

Chicago fans of horror films will be into Candyman because it was filmed in downtown Chicago. They will also be into it if they are up for unexpected gory violence mixed with supernatural elements. Unfortunately, Candyman is also predictable and repetitive, and even somewhat boring at times.

Candyman centers on Anthony McCoy, played by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II. Anthony is an artist who moves into a loft apartment and soon meets a man named William Burke, played by Colman Domingo. Burke tells Anthony the story of Candyman, and the horror soon ensues. Anthony’s dark past also comes into play.

Candyman is a sequel from the 1992 Candyman, but it has a spiritual aspect that wasn’t present in the 1992 film. Despite this addition, I didn’t feel anything much different or more harrowing with this new Candyman film. And some of the dialogue in this new film is actually rather funny at times, especially when the phrase “Candyman, Candyman, Candyman” is repeated many times.

Overall, Candyman is just an average horror flick. I felt at times that it was trying to be like the It films, but it isn’t nearly as mortifying as those films. I give Candymana solid 2.5 stars.