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Film reviews

M3GAN 2.0 Review

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Robots and artificial intelligence stroll along well in this sequel. I found myself feeling like I wanted to do the robot dance. The brigade of adventures is set right from the beginning of M3GAN 2.0. The events of the first film, M3GAN in 2023, are not forgotten which helps take this sequel to a new level. Directed by Gerard Johnstone, this film contains promising factors—because the world of revenge and robots keeps testing the limits. Only this time, M3gan must be revived.

Life has shifted in new directions for Gemma (Allison Williams) and her niece Cady (Violet McGraw). Gemma still utilizes technology and has learned to promote her work within thelimitations of technology utilization. The events of the first film take a new approach and Cady is still in her rebellious stage. Gemma tries to help Cady with the process of growing up. At the same time though, their home is filled with all kinds of artificial intelligence. A new risk comes presents itself when there is a new robot on the loose that goes by the name of Amelia (Ivana Sakhno). This means that going forward, Gemma and Cady may have to revive M3gan who bashed in a lot of heads in the first film.  The question is whether she can fight to stop a bad cause.

M3GAN 2.0 feels scientific with the suspense building based on factors related to technological differences. Gemma is still intent to do good with her resources, but at the same time, Cady is still a young girl testing boundaries. Their main risk, however, is Amelia. Espionage goes a long way in M3GAN 2.0 and there is plenty of danger in this new and daring adventure. M3gan is played by two actresses—Jenna Davis and Annie Donald, both of whom make M3GAN 2.0 dance and thrive with the action they are programmed for. There is a moment where M3gan is told to, “Get down,” and she dances with vengeance. The world of robots at risk and the revival of M3gan leads to a rapid tango.

This is a most thought-provoking and joyful sequel. M3GAN 2.0keeps robot dancing for fun, danger, and to save the world. I felt like there was a Robocop feeling to this sequel especially with more robots programmed, and clouds storage spaces encountering risk. All these components come together to push the limits of safety. In addition, this comes at a time where the utilization of teamwork excels in M3GAN 2.0. The movie is a thrilling rollercoaster filled with lovely lady robots flying. There is no escape from the many joyful tunes in M3GAN 2.0. Three-and-a-half out of four stars.

Film reviews

Love Hurts Review

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When there is a film with Ke Huy Quan, expect it to bring grandeur with mesmerizing characterizations full of personality. His acting makes audiences think back to his role as a child in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. He still brings fascination that shines wonderfully on the screen many decades later. His role this time around is as a successful career man trying to deal with many life and death issues. The past, however, is what comes to haunt him. Love Hurts is one-of-a-kind and quirky with excellence. 

Quan plays Marvin Gable, a realtor who has had a life with many deadly trails. He is in the mindset of assuming life is good, but it’s about to get a whole lot worse. As he is navigating his days with his colleagues, fragments of his past come back to him. There are various strange signals, and chances of danger. An anonymous message comes into his life, and from there, Love Hurts spirals. There is a whole lot of negative impactwhich comes on gradually and then accelerates. The instigator of the past scenarios which comes back around for vengeance is Rose Carlisle (played by Ariana DeBose). Another individual that comes into the picture is The Raven (played by Mustafa Shakir). Both characters are part of Marvin’s life before his career achievements. The antagonist is Alvin ‘Knuckles’ Gable (played by Daniel Wu), and he is also Marvin’s brother. A trail of deceit and vengeance grows rapidly and turns into a rollercoaster ride full of genius moments.

Love Hurts is wonderful because of the way fantasy decreases and then increases vividly. It goes from Marvin seeing red flags and then progresses to when Rose comes into the picture. Once Rose comes around, the duo dynamically evolves into scenes which are part of a wild death match of an adventure. The action correlates with having a humorous tone while also being visually enticing. Quan and DeBose are a duo of extravaganza. Love Hurts will dazzle its audiences to the max. It is a new direction that does not have to be taken seriously. Before seeing the movie, I was not expecting much. But it turned out to be more than what I was hoping for. The continued trails of trial and error, and the harsh previous events create a tornado of twists and turns. 

In terms of expectations, I will try to put my comparisons into cinematic terms. Think of John Wick meeting Office Space. Both find a pattern to tie together. John Wick for the action sequences and Office Space for the characters’ personalities. When the scenarios involving conflicts and enemies occur, the movie is filled with a climax like Everything Everywhere All at Once. Quan was in Everything Everywhere All at Once and he won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his performance while the film even won Best Picture. Love Hurts has a lighter, more subtle plot than Everything Everywhere All at Once yet still well worth seeing. Three out of four stars.

Film reviews

Wicked Review

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The film’s introduction is enchanting and succeeds in preparing viewers for a musical adventure making its way to The Emerald City. By utilizing an opening logo like The Wizard of Oz and then topping it off with flying monkeys, Wicked gets off to a positive start. However, the foundation is not strong enough to sustain the entire film. Wicked is a Broadway musical adaptation that needs improvement. While the presentation of musical numbers abounds, there are not as many as audiences anticipate. The backstory is tolerable as is the scenery and settings that are visually stunning. The continuity is where Wicked tends to fall flat.

The story is about two witches, Elphaba (played by Cynthia Erivo) and Glinda (played by Ariana Grande). Elphaba is green and that makes her a turn-off to the world. Glinda on the other hand is pink, cute, and glamorous. They are assigned to be roommates, and soon their friendship blossoms as they find connection in their fantasy environment at Shiz University. The witches’ experiences involving miracles, munchkins, and musical fun is where Wicked attempts to build upon the fundamentals of the storyline more than it does on finding musical connections.

The most interesting part of the story is the opportunity to meet the Wizard (played by Jeff Goldblum). This is definitely the most monumental segment of the film. The green train making its way to the Emerald City dazzles with amazement. The songs are joyful, but do not have frequent transitions the way they do in the musical version. This is why the chance to visit the Wizard offers audiences more to look forward to.

Because I have seen the Broadway musical, I felt the film fell off track more than it should have.  Some of the interconnectedness in the movie version simply does not make sense. Overall, the performances of Erivo and Grande are magnificent, but the pacing of the movie is lacking.  There is going to be a Part Two, so perhaps there will be several improvements made to this grand introduction before continuingwith the story. Despite all the frustration and shortcomings I’ve noted, the film still a gem-like quality which lead to feel-good moments for people of all ages, in particular, fans of the musical.  

My appreciation for Wicked remains tied to the theme of friendship. The performances of Erivo and Grande showcase their magical touch at displaying joyfulness in Wicked. With Erivo playing the witch who is trying to overcome her ugly side, and Grande thriving on her good looks, Wicked is like a duo between beauties trying to compare their best elements. The era before Dorothy still has a positive connection before all the events in The Wizard of Oz. Unfortunately, the backstory of Wicked struggles to portray these positive connections. Given that there is a second film in the making, I still have faith in thechance for a continuation with some much-neededimprovements. Despite the film’s shortcomings, Wicked has that touch which is sure to enlighten many. Two-and-a-half out of four stars.