Free Guy is a creative and fun comedy that fits Ryan Reynolds perfectly. Director Shawn Levy brings us a ride of laughs and twists, and Reynold’s humor drives those two elements. It is innovative and hilarious on many levels. Free Guy’s approach is similar to Deadpool (2016), but without the excessive swearing and weird innuendo. People of all ages will be able to connect with its humor and will have a good time.

In Free Guy, Reynolds is Guy, a bank teller that realizes he is an NPC (non-player character) in a video game that is open world. Guy takes his chances in the video-game world to live his virtual life to the fullest. He begins to find ways to level himself up to earn more in the video game. He faces challenges along the way that contain hilarious twists, as well as some glitches. And Reynolds is not the only great character in Free Guy. Jodie Comer plays Millie, who Guy has a crush on. Lil Rel Howery is Buddy, Guy’s colleague and best friend. Taika Waititi is Antoine, the game’s creator, who only wants big profits for the game. Everyone associated with Free Guy adds fun and humor to the film

Free Guy may seem a bit ridiculous at times, but it’s clever. I loved how the film connects elements that many gamers will know about. No spoilers here, though; the audience will have to find the elements for themselves. I also loved that Free Guy gives more than the audience expects. The film is full of surprises, and in those moments there’s no better fit than Ryan Reynolds.

I laughed often throughout Free Guy. Honestly, anything with Ryan Reynolds is a joy, and I know that this film will touch gamers and families alike with its entertaining humor. Three and a half stars for Free Guy.

In Ema, Director Pablo Lorraín delivers a confusing and frivolous drama that will be challenging to watch for many audiences. Ema has a unique setup, but it is a mix of weird music, unexplained conflicts, and a situation gone awry that is just a mess. I found myself intrigued with fragments of this Spanish language film, but I was also consistently lost with the plot.
 

Ema is set in the port city of Valparaiso, Chile. The film focuses on Ema, played by Mariana Di Girolamo, and Gaston, played by Gael Garcia Bernal, a couple who are on harsh terms after an adoption that fell through. Ema is a dancer and she takes a break from Gaston to recuperate after the failed adoption, but she is not recuperating in the healthiest ways. She ends up in a spiral of affairs and she falls in with the wrong crowd.

Where I became lost with Ema was its screenplay. Often, the conversations just did not add up or did not feel realistic. The scoring, the lighting and the cinematography were fine, but the screenplay lacked realism. The film seemed to be trying to present a haunting view with some weird technological tricks, and there were some positive moments, but those were brief.

As for Bernal, his talent and emotion does show through at times, but this was probably my least favorite film that he has starred in. Amores Perros (2000), The Motorcycle Diaries (2004), and Rosewater (2014) were brilliant films, but Ema is just average, despite Bernal’s emotional acting.

I will admit that I did not have the highest expectations for Ema and, again, there were some positives. But this is a film that I will give just two stars.

The Suicide Squad will make its fans forget about the 2016 Suicide Squad, a far inferior version of this story . Director James Gunn brings us a high-octane, and hysterical DC Comics hit that is a wild ride of lethal entertainment. The Suicide Squad takes the DC superhero film to a whole new level. It was utter joy, with Idris Elba playing Bloodsport, John Cena playing Peacemaker, Margot Robbie playing Harley Quinn, and Nathan Fillion playing T.D.K. The film is a recipe for unpredictable twists where the laughs will have your sides hurting.

In The Suicide Squad, supervillains are recruited by the government for a mission to infiltrate an enemy-infused island. Amanda Waller, played by Viola Davis, is the recruiter. They seem right for the job, and they may be labeled heroes for the mission, but being heroes is not their cup of tea. Not when there is Blackguard, played by Pete Davidson, or Savant, played by Michael Rooker. The film keeps you guessing whether all or only some of the supervillains will follow through with the mission, and you wonder who you can trust, with everyone being supervillains. 

The Suicide Squad has lots of graphic language and violence that doesn’t detract, but actually adds to the film, and it’s appropriate for the story. And the actors are also in just the right roles. Cena has just the right egotistical mindset, Elba has a short-fused temper, and Robbie has that innocent girl personality with a bad side to her. And all of the actors keep you laughing because we already know how funny they are from previous projects. Especially Pete Davidson as Blackguard, who we all know from Saturday Night Live and his other comedy bits. The Suicide Squad has its characters in the comedic roles that fit them perfectly.

The Suicide Squad was the most fun I’ve had at the movies this summer. Seeing the film with the giant screen and crisp sound of IMAX added to that entertainment experience. It can also be seen on HBO MAX, but I believe The Suicide Squad is worth the price of seeing it on IMAX. Three and a half stars for The Suicide Squad.