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Showing posts with label Violet McGraw. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Violet McGraw. Show all posts

Monday, June 30, 2025

MOVIE REVIEW: M3GAN 2.0

 






















Two years after M3GAN, a marvel of artificial intelligence, went rogue and embarked on a murderous rampage, its creator, Gemma, has become an advocate for government oversight of AI. Unbeknownst to her, a defense contractor has created a military-grade weapon known as Amelia, the ultimate infiltration spy. However, as Emlia's self-awareness increases, it becomes less interested in taking orders. Hoping to stop Emilia, Gemma decides to resurrect M3GAN, making it faster, stronger, and more lethal.

Director: Gerard Johnstone

Cast: Allison Williams, Violet McGraw, Amie Donald, Jenna Davis, Ivanna Sakhno, Aristotle Athari, Timm Sharp, Jemaine Clement

Release Date: June 27, 2025

Genre: Action, Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller

Rated PG-13 for strong violent content, bloody images, some strong language, sexual material, and brief drug references.

Runtime: 1h 59m

Review:

M3GAN 2.0 switches up the horror tone of the original to a goofier, sci-fi slant that mines films like Terminator 2 among others which works more often than not if you go with the flow.  Gerard Johnstone avoids making this series into a Chucky clone by going in a different direction which is sure to turn off some people, but he manages the change in tone and genre with impressive ease.  The film has a breezy feel to it that makes it easy to enjoy even though its story is more than a tad nonsensical.  He's clearly comfortable leaning into the sillier aspect of this particular story something he did with the original, albeit in a more restrained manner.  The action is bigger and louder across the board with the climatic robot karate fight being chock full of B-movie cheese.  The cast fully embraces it all and seems up for everything that Johnston throws at them.  Allison Williams and Violet McGraw return from the first film as adoptive mother and daughter with McGraw being given more to do this go around.  Williams is given much more latitude as the disgraced robot designer turned advocate for ethical usage of AI in this entry than her more reserved turn in the original.  Violet McGraw also got so much to do here as a preteen with her character having turned into something of robotics prodigy in the intervening years.  They both work well together as parent and siblings who have dealt with a bit more than the usual preteens.  Brian Jordan Alvarez and Jen Van Epps both also return as Gemma's coworkers who have stuck with her for some reason all things consider but it does provide some comedy once M3GAN returns in earnest.  Amie Donald and Jenna Davis are back providing the body and voice to a now slightly taller M3GAN that's explained away in a throwaway line of dialogue.  Davis' voice work is hilariously sardonic here even as the titular robot experiences a bit of personal growth throughout the film from killer robot to more of a protector.  Jemaine Clement has a fun but all too brief appearance as a tech billionaire in the mold of Elon Musk that leaves you wishing he'd gotten more screentime.  Ivanna Sakhno is given the rather thankless role of AMELIA (Autonomous Military Engagement Logistics & Infiltration Android) who serves as M3GAN rival.  While the majority of the returning cast is given so much more to do this go around, Sakhno isn't asked to do much outside of look robotic and make good use of her stunt fighting training.  With the film clocking in at nearly 2 hours it would have been worthwhile to have given her something more interesting to do than what she's tasked with.  M3GAN 2.0 has plenty of fat that could have been trimmed to make room for a bit more time with Sakhno's character but she's more than capable of giving off a murderous stare in this enjoyably comedic sci-fi romp.  

B+

Monday, July 17, 2023

Cindy Prascik's Review of A Christmas Mystery

 






















My dear friends on the Nice List, in the interest of enjoying a little holiday cheer for Christmas in July, this weekend I checked out A Christmas Mystery.

Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailer.

When her best friend's father is unjustly accused of stealing the town's famous Jingle Bells, a girl uses her sleuthing skills to track down the real thief.

A Christmas Mystery is a by-the-numbers holiday tale, full of faces you'll know even if you don't quite know the names. It's fair to say no one's talent is over-taxed, but the familiar story is as comfortable as your favorite fuzzy Christmas socks. The sunny setting keeps A Christmas Mystery from feeling super Christmasey, and odds are you'll see the ending coming from as far away as the North Pole, but if you're looking for an easy, feel-good film, A Christmas Mystery will find a place on your Christmas list.

A Christmas Mystery clocks in at a quick 87 minutes, and is rated PG for "mild thematic material."

It won't exactly keep you on the edge of your sleigh, but A Christmas Mystery is a sweet story with a likeable cast, good fun for the whole family.

Of a possible nine Weasleys, A Christmas Mystery gets five.

A Christmas Mystery is now streaming on Max.

Merry Christmas in July, everyone!

Until next time...

Friday, January 6, 2023

MOVIE REVIEW: M3GAN

 






















M3GAN is a marvel of artificial intelligence, a lifelike doll that's programmed to be a child's greatest companion and a parent's greatest ally. Designed by Gemma, a brilliant roboticist, M3GAN can listen, watch and learn as it plays the role of friend and teacher, playmate and protector. When Gemma becomes the unexpected caretaker of her 8-year-old niece, she decides to give the girl an M3GAN prototype, a decision that leads to unimaginable consequences.

Director: Gerard Johnstone

Cast: Allison Williams, Violet McGraw, Ronny Chieng, Brian Jordan Alvarez, Jen Van Epps, Stephane Garneau-Monten

Release Date: January 6, 2023

Genre: Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller

Rated PG-13 for violent content and terror, some strong language and a suggestive reference

Runtime: 1h 42m

Review:

M3gan plays like the strange offspring of The Twilight Zone episode, I Sing the Body Electric, and the Chucky franchise.  It’s the kind of genre film that could have recycled tone and tropes from various other sources, Speilberg’s A.I., HBO’s Westworld or the original Westworld movie, to deliver passable entertainment.   Thankfully, Akela Cooper’s screenplay is self-aware enough to try something different and embrace some of the funnier elements of the conceit and deliver a film that will deliver more laughs than actual scares.   Gerard Johnstone directs a sleek, efficient film that’s easy to enjoy, especially once the opening act sets up the introduction of the titular android.  Once M3gan shows up, the film really finds it footing due in no large part to well the live action/FX creation works as a character.  It’s a fascinating bit of screen alchemy with the character feeling authentically artificial while still having a clearly defined persona.   Amie Donald physical performance combined with Jenna Davis voice work serve as the life blood of the film, making incredibly watchable especially when it leans into the funnier aspects which are best left as a surprise.  The supporting cast is solid but Voilet McGraw interactions with M3gan really make the film pop before the fairly sanitized homicides start happening.   The plot, itself touches on themes like technology raising our children but it’s nothing terribly in depth or meaningful. The film moves at such a fast pace that you get the sense there is a more detailed longer cut of the film somewhere which expands on some the story threads.  Needless to say, that there’s something to explore in the inevitable sequel which will hopefully maintain the same level of fun as this entry. 

B+

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