Month: June 2025

M3GAN 2.0

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It’s been two years since M3GAN’s (Jenna Davis) destruction. Gemma (Allison Williams) vowed never to dig up the past. Unfortunately she has no choice when she’s asked to take down Amelia (Ivanna Sakhno), a mass military weapon built using M3GAN’s blueprints.

The first M3GAN was a runaway smash hit that made me appreciate the genre. I remember how excited I was about it; the campiness and absurdity of it all just worked. Hearing that a sequel was on the horizon seemed inevitable and I could not wait to see what our favorite killer robot would get up to next. I never could have imagined this.

It’s important to note that if you are going into this film expecting horror, you will be disappointed. The complete shift in genre is one that had many fans, including myself, scratching their heads. While the storyline itself was actually interesting and it dealt with the very topical subject of AI, I’m not sure why they went down this route.

All the familiar faces of the original are back. Williams reprises her role as Gemma and I liked how her character ended up developing throughout this instalment. Violet McGraw, as Gemma’s niece Cady, took a bit of a backseat though her special bond with M3GAN was still very evident. Brian Jordan Alvarez and Jen Van Epps, Cole and Tess respectively, are vital members of Gemma’s team. I couldn’t imagine these films without them.

The titular M3GAN is, of course, the main event once more. From the moment she is resurrected, the audience is put under her trance yet again. While I was missing her murderous ways, I can understand their reasoning for making her more human. It fit with the new story. Though I wish we’d had one of her epic dance routines, there is a scene that rivals Titanium which had me in stitches.

Overall, M3GAN 2.0 is a decent enough film as long as you can wrap your head around the complete tonal shift. I do wish it had stuck more to the root of what made it so lovable in the first place, however, I respect the choices that were made to focus on another vital situation. It may not have been what I wanted, but I will always tune in for another adventure with M3GAN.

Rating: ♥️♥️.5

F1: The Movie

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The blockbuster event of the summer has arrived! F1: The Movie follows Sonny Hayes (Brad Pitt), a driver coming out of retirement for the first time in thirty years. After he is approached by his old friend Ruben (Javier Bardem) to join his failing team APXGP, Sonny is paired up with a rookie named Joshua Pearce (Damson Idris). Together the two must learn to put aside their differences otherwise the team will cease to exist.

I’d like to think that I’m not a total amateur when it comes to Formula One. My husband, being the sports fanatic that he is, always has the races on so I have picked up some things over the past eight years. That being said it was never something that really appealed to me. I didn’t think watching cars race around a track was interesting. And then this movie came around and made me rethink everything.

Right from the beginning I was swept up into this world. Pitt delivers a brilliant performance as our underdog protagonist. He’s got a major chip on his shoulder and as the film progresses the audience is let into his life. Idris is a star in the making. I wish we’d had more backstory to his character. These two men worked really well off each other; their constant jabs were comical though at the end of the day they had a lot more in common than they could have expected. The rest of the cast were stellar too. Kim Bodnia, Sarah Niles, Abdul Salis and Tobias Menzies each added that extra something to the film. I also enjoyed Kerry Condon’s Kate McKenna, the team’s technical director. Her romance with Sonny did seem like an afterthought and either could have been developed more or scrapped all together. Give us a girl boss who doesn’t need a man!

I thought it was genius to film the races alongside actual stops of the 2023-2024 seasons. It made the feel so much more authentic. They used the exact same grids and we even had plenty of cameos by the real racers and behind the scenes people of the sport. Not only was it thrilling to watch and be part of, I also learned a lot.

F1: The Movie is what any summer smash should be. It’s got adrenaline pumping race sequences, a killer soundtrack and great performances. I’m not sure if I’ll start watching the actual races just yet, but I’m definitely not opposed to the idea anymore. Go and see this film on the biggest screen possible. You won’t regret it!

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️

Elio

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Pixar’s latest offering follows Elio (Yonas Kibreab), a space fanatic whose life has been upended after the death of his parents. He moves in with his aunt Olga (Zoe Saldana), but the two don’t exactly see eye to eye. Elio can’t help but feel like he doesn’t belong and when he’s beamed up to a planet in the sky he’s hopeful that he’s finally found his place.

I’ll admit that I wasn’t overly excited for this film. Maybe that’s because there was little to no marketing for it. This was a pity because it had a lot of things going for it. It may not be one of the best Pixar films ever, but it was still solid.

Let’s start with the voice talents. While I was unfamiliar with Kibreab before, I felt like he perfectly encapsulated the titular character. Elio is someone you want to root for. He feels misunderstood and like he hasn’t found his purpose which is just so relatable. Saldana is similarly just as relatable as aunt Olga; nothing could have prepared her to look after her brother’s son and the fact that she gives up her dreams of becoming an astronaut to do so shows that she cares. In the Communiverse we meet an array of unique characters voiced by the likes of Brad Garrett, Jameela Jamil, Matthias Schweighöfer and Shirley Henderson, all of who gave their best to the performances.

The film is filled with some beautiful animation. It’s bursting with rich colors and zany designs. From there it almost seemed like an entirely different story which isn’t necessarily a bad thing – if anything it helped set aside the difference from Earth.

Perfectly blending humor, emotion and action, Elio was an enjoyable enough film for the whole family. Dealing with themes of loss, grief and the desire to belong, it’s unfortunate that not a lot of people seem to know about it. I’m sure the delayed release didn’t do the film any favors and I definitely think it’s still worth checking out.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️

Echo Valley

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Kate (Julianne Moore) owns and lives in Echo Valley, a tranquil ranch, where she trains horses and provides riding lessons to the community. Struggling with the loss of her wife, she is starting to wonder how she will continue to make ends meet. When her daughter Claire (Sydney Sweeney) shows up unexpectedly, Kate’s life is turned upside down.

Penned by Brad Ingelsby, the man behind Mare of Easttown, the audience is gripped from the get go. While it takes a bit of time to set up, this is all important in the grand scheme of things. Once the players are established and we learn what’s at stake, it ramps up rather quickly.

Where the film excels is definitely in its performances. Moore is almost always perfect and she more than delivers here. She really drives home the never-ending question of how far a mother would go for their child. Sweeney is a convincing drug addict. She really made me hate her character which just goes to show that she gave everything she had to the role. Fiona Shaw portrays Leslie who serves as an anchor of sorts for Moore’s Kate; a ride or die friend who deserves a medal. Lastly Domhnall Gleeson is dealer Jackie. Perfectly creepy in every single way, it was strange to see him like this!

There’s no doubt that the setting is stunning. It helps bring out the uneasy tone that is felt throughout. From the vast acres of the ranch to the serene lake and the old-fashioned house where Kate resides, the limited locations make the film even more intimate and like these characters and places could actually be real.

Overall Echo Valley is an entertaining thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat. It may have taken some time to get going and the plot may not be entirely original, but that didn’t bother me. I liked that it didn’t go where I was expecting it to and that there were still some surprises along the way.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️.5

The Ballad Of Wallis Island

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Based on the short film The One and Only Herb McGwyer Plays Wallis Island, this feature length version follows Charles Heath (Tim Key), a two time lottery winner who lives on a mostly remote island. He hires former duo and lovers Herb McGwyer (Tom Basden) and Nell Mortimer (Carey Mulligan) to perform for him at his house.

This is the perfect example that a film can just be. There are no special effects, no overly complicated storyline. Instead it is almost like a character study of these three individuals and how their lives intertwine during a period of time. For that reason it won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but it felt like such a breath of fresh air.

Key and Basden starred in the original. While I have not seen it, I thought that they nailed their roles. Key provided the comedic relief though it was clear that under the surface he’s putting up a front. Basden perfectly encapsulated the jaded musician who believes the whole world is out to get him. Although Mulligan wasn’t in the film as much as I would have liked her to be, she lit up the screen when she was there.

Though it is pegged as a romance, I’d say that this is not at the forefront. Basden and Mulligan had an organic chemistry that was obvious from the get go. When they sang you could feel the sparks. But I liked how the film focused more on other themes too. Yes it was funny and quirky, but there was also a combined feeling of loneliness and the desire of acceptance each character shared that I really vibed with.

Overall, The Ballad of Wallis Island is a heartwarming and at times heartbreaking piece of cinema. With brilliant performances by the cast and a stunning island backdrop that made me want to pack my bags immediately, this is one film that should not be slept on.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️♥️