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Film reviews

Mission: Impossible-Dead Reckoning Part One

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The franchise continues. Tom Cruise is back as Ethan Hunt, Simon Pegg is back as Benji Dunn, Ving Rhames is back as Luther Stickell, and Rebecca Ferguson is back as Ilsa Faust. Mission: Impossible-Dead Reckoning Part One is the start of a new adventure where the mission goes deeper, the risks become more dangerous, and Cruise is still doing his own stunts. The film starts off seeming like it could be a drag, but that all changes as soon as Cruise comes in and the storyline starts to develop.

In Mission Impossible-Dead Reckoning Part One, Ethan has a new mission, one that is tedious and frustrating, but many lives around the world are at stake. He must collect a key that holds the ability to give someone a lot of power, and has the potential to cause serious destruction, financially and otherwise. Benji and Luther are back to help Ethan with this mission. The team must contend with the enemy Gabriel (played by Esai Morales), and both Gabriel and the team have to deal with Grace (played by Hayley Atwell), who has a similar background to Ethan, Benji, and Luther. She has a relationship to the key and she stands to earn redemption if the mission is pulled off successfully. And as the team moves forward with the tasks and operations seemingly under control, there are moments where trust is questioned. Could it be that there are both allies and enemies within the IMF?

The technology on display in Mission Impossible-Dead Reckoning Part One is next level, so the team is advanced for success but also has its moments of failure. I was intrigued by the innovations that Benji and Luther exhibit. I was also intrigued by the many layers of suspense—ten times the suspense of the previous films. Cops, criminals, and the IMF having a brawl of multiple vehicles through different countries, disguises with surreal twists, and Cruise riding a motorcycle off a mountain, free-falling then opening a parachute and trying to land and save a train, are all part of the formula.

A film with Cruise doing his insane jumps and stunts makes for a pure Mission Impossible expedition. Seeing Cruise jump off buildings, make it through collisions, and perform many other amazing stunts proves that this franchise is far from over. If the stunts sell, the movie sells. The technological elements and creative advancements also make Mission Impossible-Dead Reckoning Part One mind-blowing on a whole new level.

But could this new mission be too much for Ethan to tolerate? Is the IMF at risk of imploding from within? Mission Impossible-Dead Reckoning Part One will enthrall its audiences from the very opening, with layers of unexplained events bringing anticipation. Three and a half out of four stars for Mission Impossible-Dead Reckoning Part One.

Film reviews

Every Body Review

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The term intersex is at the center of Every Body. For those unfamiliar with this term, intersex refers to people born with genitals, chromosomes or reproductive organs that don’t fit into a male/female sex binary. It is a story of individuals who have encountered many hurdles before owning and accepting their bodies. Every Body is a daring documentary and a revolutionary achievement. Every Body is a film that proves how hard it can be to be accepted. I found the film engrossing because the stories are touching and courageous. The exploration of fear experienced by the starring individuals is where Every Body stands as a sentimental struggle.

Every Body shares the stories of Sean Saifa Wall, Alicia Roth Weigel, and River Gallo. These individuals shine by being brave as they share their secrets about their own bodies. They talk about how medical advice and shame have brought them mental challenges throughout their tough journeys. The film is brilliant in capturing their emotions as they elaborate on hiding the truth about themselves. Every Body is a sensory experience and an important and invigorating documentary.

It is said in the film, “Surgery is not medically necessary.” This quote reminds us that one’s gender is about how one chooses to live their life. Someone may want to live with the body parts they were born with.  Others may elect surgery to help them feel like they are their true gender. Every Body is a scientific ride which reveals the traits, personalities, and complex challenges of Wall, Weigel, and Gallo. Their success is illustrated in this documentary as all three intersex individuals have had to overcome many rough encounters while dealing with their unique gender scenarios.

I respect those who identify in different ways. I feel I have even more empathy for those who feel the way they do after watching Every Body. The in-depth descriptions and topics are emotional and compelling. The stories described in the film display how there is increased awareness and more support for gender diversity in society today. The topic is still quite sensitive, but the film demonstrates the resilience of those impacted by being intersex and the hope that there is increased understanding. The documentary shines a light on the positives of being open and honest about the issues that are highlighted in Every Body.

The emotional content of the film is sensitive and requires empathy. It is a documentary of a serious topic told in a highly personal way. The concept of delving into individuals’ feelings connected to their gender and anatomy is bold. Every Body carries a strong and powerful message that everyone no matter what their gender should be accepted. The talents that Wall, Weigel, and Gallo carry with them add to the unique way they each identify with the world around them. Every Body is an intriguing documentary focused on awakening acceptance and being an ally for those who identify differently. Three and a half out of four stars for Every Body.

Film reviews

Joy Ride Review

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Joy Ride is a title that was used in another film, from 2001. That one was a horror and suspense flick. This version of Joy Ride has suspense but not horror, and it’s focused on four close friends who are on an adventure with a lot of annoyances. The director is Adele Lim, who wrote Crazy Rich Asians (2018). In many ways Joy Ride is almost like Crazy Rich Asians on acid. There are drugs, big international errors, and much humor and ridiculousness. The writing felt heartfelt, but the film was really quite bonkers.

Joy Ride introduces its audience to a diverse group of four women who decide to go on a getaway through Asia. They are Audrey (played by Ashley Park), Kat (played by Stephanie Hsu), Lolo (played by Sherry Cola), and Deadeye (played by Sabrina Wu). As they travel they each begin to realize their purpose in life, what they love, what they are interested in, and many aspects about theirselves. But the process through which they gain these realizations has lots of slapstick. One of the women has a goal of trying to find her birth mother, while the rest seem to mostly wonder what raunchy behavior they can become part of. Sex, drugs, misused social media, and rock and roll are all part of the formula. Joy Ride has seemingly no filter to its explicit, yet hysterical, directing. There is a dark side to Joy Ride, but the laughs are more of the focus.

For me, the gross moments in Joy Ride were some of funniest, like when drugs make one of the characters very aroused, to the point where sports equipment becomes a means of sexual gratification. These ladies seem to be inexperienced or ignorant about use of drugs, and this is what leads to many of the gross scenarios.

But the dynamic between the four friends is where Joy Ride really gets its positive joy. Despite the weird or dangerous scenarios that arise on this international trip, the film is a reminder of all the fun that true friends can have together. The trip is a ride of quirks and mysteries throughout. The moments of laughter, disasters, and irreverent scenarios just doesn’t stop. The disasters that arise make the film’s audience want more and more.

There are some somber moments in Joy Ride, especially with the friend trying to find her birth mother. It’s not a major focus of the film, and its presentation comes in at the right time in the film, to calm the craziness a little. But there is plenty of time for both having fun and getting serious in Joy Ride. Three out of four stars for Joy Ride.