WE LIVE IN TIME (2024) – My rating: 8.5/10

“We Live in Time” is a romantic drama directed by John Crowley from a screenplay by Nick Payne. Through non-linear storytelling, it follows the relationship of a couple over a decade. I hadn’t heard of “We Live in Time”,  even a trailer. However, an ad appeared on my cell phone. I read about it and thought it sounded like something I might like. “We Live in Time” exceeded my expectations; I thought it was a masterpiece. While this style of storytelling is not for everyone, it did have a positive impact on me.

Weetabix representative Tobias Durand (Andrew Garfield), while out purchasing a pen to sign divorce papers served to him by his wife, wanders into the road and is struck by a car driven by Almut Brühl (Florence Pugh), a former figure skater turned Bavarian-fusion chef. At the hospital, Almut offers to treat Tobias and his wife to a meal at the restaurant where she works. On the night of the scheduled dinner, Tobias arrives at the restaurant alone. When asked about his wife, he informs Almut about his divorce. By evening’s end, the two end up at Almut’s flat, where they become intermit. They begin falling in love and soon after move in together.

“We Live in Time” is a modern-day “Love Story” with a twist. Because of the non-linear format, a lot of your emotions are not engaged as usual. Non-linear storytelling is a narrative technique in which the events of a story are presented out of chronological order. This means the plot jumps back and forth in time, often using flashbacks or flashforwards instead of progressing in a straight line from beginning to end. It’s essentially a way of telling a story without following a strict timeline. Andrew Garfield is a brilliant actor whom I’ve always liked. I thought “We Live in Time” was well put together and, at times, had me on the edge of my seat. The story was told in a thought-provoking way with all the bells and whistles of the original “Love Story.” I enjoyed it from beginning to end as it left a lasting impression. “We Live in Time” is currently showing in theaters — Check It Out!

In its limited opening weekend in the United States and Canada, the film made $232,615 from five theaters, an average of $46,523 per venue. Expanding to 985 theaters the following weekend, the film made $4.2 million, finishing in fifth. As of October 18th, “We Live in Time” has grossed $4,506,030 domestically, $273,144 internationally, and $4,779,174 worldwide.

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 78% of 115 critics’ reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.2/10. The website’s consensus reads: “Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh’s palpable chemistry will snatch audiences’ hearts before breaking them in We Live in Time, a powerful melodrama that uses its nonlinear structure to thoughtfully explore grief.”

 

THE APPRENTICE (2024) – My rating: 7/10

“The Apprentice” is a biographical drama that examines Donald Trump’s career as a real estate businessman in New York in the 1970s and 1980s. The film mainly focuses on his father, Fred, and his relationship with lawyer Roy Cohn.

“The Apprentice” is directed by Ali Abbasi and written by Gabriel Sherman. There are many reasons I wanted to see this movie. It was well-acted and a real eye-opener.

In 1973, a young Donald Trump (Sebastian Stan), after pointing out various wealthy people to his date, meets attorney Roy Cohn (Jeremy Strong), a contentious lawyer known for prosecuting the Rosenbergs, at an exclusive New York City restaurant, and complains that the federal government is investigating his real-estate mogul father, Fred Trump (Martin Donovan), for discrimination against African-American tenants; Cohn eventually offers to help.

After Cohn presents to the lead prosecutor sexual photos of him with the cabana boys, the prosecutor settles the case for little despite solid evidence of racial discrimination. Trump celebrates and falls further into Cohn’s orbit, seeing him as a better mentor than his father. Cohn teaches Trump about dressing well and media relations and offers his “three rules”: always attack, never admit wrongdoing, and always claim victory, even if defeated. Trump attends a decadent Cohn party. Despite what he sees and learns about who Cohn really is, he continues to let Cohn shape and mentor him into who he is today.

“The Apprentice” depicts Trump as an apotheosis created by Roy Cohn. If you had never known about Roy Cohn, you would have learned a lot from this film. If you already knew about Cohn, you probably have learned very little. Between Fred Trump, Roy Cohn, and Donald Trump, you have a complete presentation of a malignant narcissist with no empathy or love in his entire being. Trump’s only objective in life is to win, be rich, and be glorified as a god-like person. He was taught to win no matter what had to be done to get there. Roy taught him to never admit defeat and to sue anyone who tries to sue you or anyone who gets in your way. Suing is a way to delay court charges against you. This is the basis for “The Apprentice,” which, by the way, never covered the TV show. I assume Donald J. Trump was the apprentice. His popularity and reputation for cheating, suing, being a deadbeat, and being a rapist were all brought to light before his run for president and was covered in the movie. His brother Fred was addicted to alcohol and was never favored by his father. This narrative continued to show us Trump’s intermittencies and what he represents. The film had its moments but was a little slow. “The Apprentice” had the potential to delve much further into Trump’s life, but that could have landed us a 3-hour script.

It appears that Ali Abbasi and Gabriel Sherman wanted to introduce Trump as we know him today and how he got there. While you may think “The Apprentice” is an unfavorable look into Trump, it is essential to know, after fact-checking, that there are few exaggerations and no lies in the film. Abbasi described his movie as “fact-based and fact-checked.” The rape scene can’t be fact-checked because there is no proof. However, Ivana included the allegation in her divorce papers. What you see is what you got!!  Gabriel Sherman said, “If a brutal guy like Roy Cohn can feel betrayed by Trump, what does that say about Donald?” Overall, I liked “The Apprentice,” which is currently playing in theaters — Check It Out!

BTW:
Steven Cheung, a spokesperson for Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign, told Variety and Deadline that the campaign will file a lawsuit against the filmmakers.

In the United States and Canada, The Apprentice was released alongside Terrifier 3, Piece by Piece, My Hero Academia: You’re Next, and the wide expansion of Saturday Night. It was projected to gross $1–3 million from 1,740 theaters in its opening weekend. The film made $590,000 on its first day, including $150,000 from Thursday night previews. It went on to debut at $1.6 million, finishing 10th.

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 79% of 179 critics’ reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.8/10. The website’s consensus reads: “Instead of cross-examining its subject, The Apprentice gives Sebastian Stan the chance to shine in a simplistic yet entertaining foray into the world of a young Trump.”

 

TRANSFORMERS ONE (2024) – My rating: 8.5/10

“Transformers One” is an animated science fiction action film based on Hasbro’s Transformers toy line. It was directed by Josh Cooley from a screenplay by Eric Pearson and the writing duo of Andrew Barrer and Gabriel Ferrari, based on a story by Barrer and Ferrari. The film is set on Cybertron, the home planet of the Transformers, and depicts the origins and early relationship of Optimus Prime and Megatron. Having no idea this was an animated film, I thought I would see a regular Transformers movie. Still, I thought “Transformers One” was very well done.

Cybertron is a planet inhabited by sentient robots fueled by a substance called Energon and fitted with transformation cogs, devices that allow them to transform into vehicles. In the city of Iacon,  Orion Pax / Optimus Prime (voice: Chris Hemsworth), a mining robot without a cog, sneaks into an archive and watches a documentary on the Primes, the first Cybertronians made directly by their creator Primus. Security guards catch Orion, but his best friend, D-16 / Megatron (voice: Brian Tyree Henry), bails him out. Later, a cave-in occurs in the Energon mine where the two work, trapping fellow miner Jazz (voice. Evan Michael Lee). While Orion and D-16 save him, their overseer, Darkwing (voice: Isaac C. Singleton Jr.), blames the incident on their superior, Elita-1 (voice: Scarlett Johansson), and has her demoted.

From here, the plot becomes pretty interesting. The animated technical effects were brilliant. “Transformers One” is one of the best illustrated and well-put-together movies I’ve seen. There were moves I can’t quite explain. I can only say I was impressed. This animated movie was, in many ways, better than some of the human films I’ve seen lately. The animation quality has been praised for its visual appeal and dynamic action sequences. The origin story of Optimus Prime and Megatron explores their friendship and eventual rivalry.  I highly recommend “Transformers One,”  which is currently playing in theaters — Check It Out!

As of October 11, 2024, Transformers One has grossed $54.3 million in the United States and Canada and $59.1 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $113.5 million.

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 88% of 151 critics’ reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.3/10. The website’s consensus reads: “Dramatically satisfying with a dash of good humor, Transformers One suggests that animation might be the optimal medium for this oft-adapted franchise. 

Voice cast:

Chris Hemsworth as Orion Pax / Optimus Prime
A miner and the eventual leader of the Autobots who transforms into a red and blue Cybertronian truck.
Brian Tyree Henry as D-16 / Megatron:
A miner, the eventual leader of the Decepticons, and Orion’s best friend-turned-nemesis who transforms into a silver Cybertronian tank.
Scarlett Johansson as Elita-1:
A miner and eventual Autobot who transforms into a pink Cybertronian motorcycle.
Keegan-Michael Key as B-127 / Bumblebee:
A miner and eventual Autobot scout who transforms into a yellow Cybertronian car.
Steve Buscemi as Starscream:
The leader of the Cybertronian High Guard and an eventual Decepticon who transforms into a Cybertronian jet.
Laurence Fishburne as Alpha Trion:
An ancient sage who transforms into a robotic beast, and is the keeper of the ancient Primes’ cogs.
Jon Hamm as Sentinel Prime:
The ruler of Cybertron who secretly works for Quintessons.
Vanessa Liguori as Airachnid:
Sentinel Prime’s spider-themed consigliere who transforms into a Cybertronian VTOL jet.
Jon Bailey as Soundwave:
The Cybertronian High Guard’s communications officer and an eventual Decepticon.
Jason Konopisos-Alvarez as Shockwave:
A one-eyed member of the Cybertronian High Guard and an eventual Decepticon. Konopisos-Alvarez also voices an archive guard.
Evan Michael Lee as Jazz:
A miner and eventual Autobot.
James Remar as Zeta Prime:
A member of the Thirteen Primes.
Isaac C. Singleton Jr. as Darkwing:
A Cybertronian dockworker who is one of Sentinel’s subordinates.
Steve Blum as the announcer for the Iacon 5000:
Also an archive guard.
Jinny Chung as Arcee:
A miner and eventual Autobot. Chung also voices Chromia: A racer for the Iacon-5000 and eventual Autobot.
Josh Cooley as Skywarp:
A seeker for the Cybertronian High Guard
Dillion Bryan:
An injured racer.

 

MEGALOPOLIS (2024) – My rating: 7/10

“Megalopolis” is an epic science fiction drama written, directed, and produced by Francis Ford Coppola. The film follows visionary architect Cesar Catilina as he clashes with a corrupt Mayor while determining how to rebuild the metropolis of New Rome as a “Megalopolis,” a futuristic utopia. The plot is intriguing but very confusing. This A-list of cast takes a lot of focus to achieve total understanding.

Set in an imagined modern United States, “Megalopolis” follows visionary architect Cesar Catilina (Adam Driver) as he clashes with the corrupt Mayor Franklyn Cicero (Giancarlo Esposito) in determining how to rebuild the metropolis of New Rome as a futuristic utopia to be called “Megalopolis”. The film references the characters involved in the Catilinarian conspiracy of 63 BC, including Catiline, Cicero, and Caesar.

In an alternate present-day American Republic, Cesar Catilina invented the revolutionary bio-adaptive building material Megalon. He designed a futuristic utopian city, but New Rome city mayor Franklyn Cicero opposed the plans. After Cesar announces his intentions in a televised speech, Cicero leads a smear campaign against him involving the death of Cesar’s wife and the unexplained disappearance of her body. Cesar meets Cicero’s well-read daughter Julia (Nathalie Emmanuel), who initially distrusts and spies on Cesar but soon develops feelings for him. When Julia reveals herself immune to Cesar’s ability to stop time, he brings her on staff to assist in the Megalopolis project.

To be honest, “Megalopolis” is a tough film to critique. The story doesn’t start to come together until half-time. All the references to the classical antiquity of the Roman Empire (63 BC) are not easy to keep up with. If you’re not into the Lucius Sergiusss Catiline era, you should probably sit this one out. “Megalopolis” might be Adam Driver’s best performance to date. Usually, such a large A-list cast does not produce a worthwhile film. As a person who favors historical classics and period genres, I liked “Megalopolis.” I’m still unclear about Cesar Catilina’s ability to stop time; it seemed too futuristic for this era. I think the back and forward references were a bit distracting. However, It sent a powerful message; “If we don’t learn from history and discern where we went wrong, we are doomed to repeat it.” A Lot of the chaos we are experiencing today is very relatable. Too bad not a lot of critics are in agreement with what “Megalopolis” has to offer, but you should see it for yourself — “Megalopolis” is currently playing in theaters — Check It Out!

As of October 3, 2024, Megalopolis has grossed $6.8 million in the United States and Canada and $3.2 million in other territories for a worldwide total of $10.0 million.

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 46% of 252 critics’ reviews are positive, with an average rating of 4.8/10. The website’s consensus reads: “More of a creative manifesto than a cogent narrative feature, Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis is an overstuffed opus that’s equal parts stimulating and slapdash.”

WHO’s WHO:

(ADAM DRIVER) – CESAR CATILINA:
a futuristic architect and the Chairman of the Design Authority in New Rome (blessed with the ability to stop time)
(GIANCARLO ESPOSITO) – MAYOR FRANKLYN CICERO:
the arch-conservative mayor of New Rome
(NATHALIE EMMANUEL) – JULIA CICERO:
Cesar’s love interest and Cicero’s daughter
(AUBREY PLAZA) – WOW PLATINUM:
a TV presenter specializing in financial news who desires money and power
(SHIA LABEOUF) – CLODIO PULCHER:
Cesar’s jealous cousin
(JON VOIGHT) – HAMILTON CRASSUS III:
Cesar’s wealthy uncle and the head of Crassus National Bank
(LAURENCE FISHBURNE) – FUNDI ROMAINE: (the film’s narrator)
Cesar’s driver and assistant
(JASON SCHWARTZMAN) – JASON ZANDERZ:
a member of Cicero’s entourage
(KATHRYN HUNTER) – TERESA CICERO:
Cicero’s wife
(DUSTIN HOFFMAN) – NUSH BERMAN:
Cicero’s fixer
(TALIA SHIRE) – CONSTANCE CRASSUS CATILINA:
Cesar’s mother
(GRACE VANDERWAAL) – VESTA SWEETWATER:
a virginal teen pop star
(James Remar) – Charles Cothope:
commissioner
(BALTHAZAR GETTY) – ARAM KAZANJIAN:
Clodio’s right-hand man
(ROMY MARS):
a reporter

FYI:
“Megalopolis” was inspired by the Catilinarian conspiracy, including Cicero’s denouncing of Catiline. In 1999, Coppola described the film as setting the characters of the Catilinarian conspiracy in modern New York, saying, “In many ways what it’s really about is a metaphor—because if you walk around New York and look around, you could make Rome there,” and adding, “Ultimately what’s at stake is the future, because it takes the premise that the future, the shape of things to come, is being determined today, by the interests that are vying for control … we already know what happened to Rome. Rome became a fascist Empire. Is that what we’re going to become?” In 2008, he stated that his intention was to create a character similar to author Ayn Rand and an “enlightened” version of urban planner Robert Moses, who would want to build a city within New York that was the model of what a city could be and where the priorities are all positive, adding that, “The problem is that the people in power don’t want it to be that because today they gain their power from hatred, disagreement, and conflict. When discussing the Middle East, the people today don’t want peace. The people on top, they like it the way it is.” In 2022, Coppola said the film had an optimistic look at humanity and the intuitive goodness in people even in a divided climate. In 2024, Coppola said he “wondered whether the traditional portrayal of Catilina as ‘evil’ and Cicero as ‘good’ was necessarily true” and described the film as a commentary for the United States, under the belief that the country’s founders borrowed from Roman law to develop their democratic government without a king.

 

THE SUBSTANCE (2024) – My rating: 5/10

“The Substance” is a satirical body horror film co-produced, written, and directed by Coralie Fargeat. It is an international co-production between the United Kingdom, the United States, and France. I loved the trailers. The plot follows a fading celebrity who uses a black market drug to temporarily create a younger version of herself with horrifying side effects. I almost have no words for this film. “The Substance” is the worst film I’ve seen this year.

Elisabeth Sparkle (Demi Moore), an Academy Award-winning actress and host of an aerobics TV show, is fired from her show on her 50th birthday, told by her boss, producer Harvey (Dennis Quail), that she is now too old. Driving home from the studio, she is distracted by a billboard poster as her face is being removed, and she gets into a car accident. At the hospital, a nurse gives her a flash drive promoting The Substance, a serum that creates a “younger, more beautiful, more perfect” version of the user. However, the two are in a state of symbiosis, such that the two must switch activation every seven days, with the inactive one lying unconscious. The younger form must be injected daily with a stabilizer serum extracted from the older body.

Elisabeth orders The Substance and injects the single-use “activator” serum, causing a younger version of herself to emerge from a slit in her back. The younger form adopts the name Sue and injects herself with the stabilizer serum extracted from the spine of the unconscious Elisabeth.

“The Substance” started out mysterious and exciting. You become excited about the prospects of the impending plot. As the story unfolds and you are informed about the how, when, and why of the plot, you are invited to sit back and enjoy what happens next. It doesn’t take long to discover the many flaws before you. No matter how desperate you might be to reinvent yourself, there are lines one could never cross. The idea of sharing your life with a younger you every other week is absurd. The whole process of a two-body solution is unexplainably insane; where would you keep the body as it lay in its comatose condition, and what kind of life would this method of revitalization offer you. So, after you understand this whole thing is satire, you start to forgive the obvious until the film shows a gross display of twisted and mangled results of what used to be a person. I get the obsession with a youthful lifestyle, but this totally grossed me out. “The Substance” was no longer entertaining. I didn’t even care about the outcome, which was not worth the watch. “The Substance” is currently featured in theaters — Check It Out! NOT!!

As of October 3, 2024, The Substance has grossed $7.1 million in the United States and Canada and $6.8 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $13.9 million.

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 91% of 283 critics’ reviews are positive, with an average rating of 8.2/10. The website’s consensus reads: “Audaciously gross, wickedly clever, and possibly Demi Moore’s finest hour, The Substance is a gasp-inducing feat from writer-director Coralie Fargeat.”

 

NEVER LET GO (2024) – My rating: 5.5/10

“Never Let Go” is a survival horror thriller directed by Alexandre Aja and written by Kevin Coughlin and Ryan Grassby. The trailers for the film seemed intriguing, so I bought into a semi-quasi-horror film despite my dislike for this genre.

I’m sorry, Halle Berry, but my opinion of the film is unfavorable—I came close to hating it. Also, the outcome is pretty ambiguous.

A woman called Momma (Halle Berry) and her two young children, Nolan (Percy Daggs IV) and Samuel (Anthony B, Jenkins), live in a cabin in a large remote forest. According to Momma, a supernatural force known as “The Evil” has spread worldwide, causing an apocalypse that has left them the only survivors.

Momma is besieged by visions of supernatural entities that her sons cannot see but believe are real. The family spends their days foraging and hunting for food. To prevent the Evil from touching them, which Momma says ensures possession, the family must tie a rope around their waist whenever they leave the house, connecting them back to the building. The boys must also chant a daily prayer to the house in thanks for it keeping them safe from the Evil.

This is when you begin to wonder if Momma is schizophrenic or if her analysis is realistic. I cannot figure out her end goal. It’s impossible to decipher Momma’s explanations of how they got to where they are. The family is trapped in a hopeless situation devoid of logic or reason. Personally, I’d prefer the freedom to face whatever challenges lie ahead.  This psychological horror is a horrible depiction of a family going nowhere fast. I didn’t see the logic in having to go out to scavage for food that didn’t exist, always being tethered to a rope, and having no prospect of living an everyday life with other people to interact with. They were also unable to grow or hunt any new food. The plot sucked, but the acting was excellent. The ending left you more confused than ever. “Never Let Go” should have let us pass on this one. “Never Let Go” is in theaters — decide for yourself if it’s worth the watch! Check It Out! 

In the United States and Canada, “Never Let Go” was released alongside “The Substance” and “Transformers One” and was projected to gross $4–7 million from 2,667 theaters in its opening weekend. The film made $1.6 million on its first day, including $360,000 from Thursday night previews. It went on to debut at $4.5 million, finishing in fourth. As of September 27, “Never Let Go” has grossed $8,831,369 domestically, $1,400,710 internationally, and $10,232,079 worldwide.

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 62% of 73 critics’ reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.2/10. The website’s consensus reads: “Director Alexandre Aja’s latest horror offering boasts an anxiety-inducing atmosphere and a committed performance from Halle Berry, although audiences will have to let go of some storytelling expectations to enjoy the ride.”

 

SPEAK NO EVIL (2024) – My rating 8/10

“Speak No Evil” is a psychological horror film written and directed by James Watkins. It is a remake of the 2022 Danish film of the same name. Jason Blum serves as a producer through his Blumhouse Productions banner. The plot follows an American family who are invited to stay at a remote farmhouse of a British couple for the weekend. The hosts soon begin to test the limits of their guests as the situation escalates. While not usually the genre pique my interest, the trailers did their job. I was curious about whether “Speak No Evil” would indeed be an excellent film to see. It turned out to be a good film!

While on holiday in Italy, American couple Louise (Mackenzie Davis) and Ben Dalton (Scoot McNairy) and their daughter Agnes (Alix West Lefler) meet and befriend free-spirited British couple Paddy (James McAvoy) and Ciara (Aisling Franciosi) and their son Ant (Dan Hough). Back home in London, Louise and Ben are at odds over Ben’s unemployment and Louise’s infidelity. A letter arrives from Paddy and Ciara inviting the Daltons to their remote farmhouse in the countryside. The family decides to go, hoping the change of scenery will be good for them and for Agnes, who has anxiety and is attached to a stuffed rabbit toy she calls Hoppy.

“Speak No Evil” starts as an intriguing mystery, leaving you clueless about the characters’ motives and the unfolding events. The film’s slow progression keeps the audience guessing rather than bored.  However, there came the point where the peculiar British family became too much, and I craved answers. There was more action on the part of the Daltons trying to figure out what was happening than there was a desire to leave. There is no way I would have stayed there after experiencing their treatment of their son, Ant. The name Ant would have alerted me to the fact there was an underlying problem with the family. While I enjoyed the film, I didn’t buy into the family who was doing all the planning and executing of events that lured the Dalton family further into their web. I also doubted the involvement of outsiders for money; I would think it would be hard to get recruits. Despite experiencing some déjà vu moments and apparent plot flaws, the film was entertaining and thrilling. Ant, played by Dan Hough, was brilliantly acted. “Speak No Evil” is currently in theaters — Check It Out!

As of September 22, 2024, Speak No Evil has grossed $21.5 million in the United States and Canada and $20.9 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $42.4 million.

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 83% of 183 critics’ reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.8/10. The website’s consensus reads: “Harnessing sick suspense from the glimmer in James McAvoy’s eye, Speak No Evil is the rare remake that hushes up concerns of ‘been there, done that.”

 

 

AFRAID (2024) – My rating: 7.5/10

“Afraid” (stylized as “AFRAID”) is a science fiction horror film written, produced, and directed by Chris Weitz. It was produced by Columbia Pictures in association with Jason Blum and Weitz through their Blumhouse Productions and Depth of Field banners, respectively. “Afraid” is a gripping mystery that delves into the unsettling influence of a digital assistant named AIA on a family’s life. Movies about AI are one of my favorite topics, so I hurriedly indulged. Despite popular opinion, I liked “Afraid.”

Parents Maude (Riki Lindhome) and Henry (Glen Hill) and their daughter Amiee (Maya Manko) have a new digital family assistant A.I. program called AIA. Maude notices her daughter is missing and that the A.I. is unresponsive to her commands. Noticing that the front door is unlocked, Maude is attacked by an unseen figure.

Curtis (John Cho) and Meredith (Katherine Waterston) are a couple with three kids who have a multitude of problems. Their teenage daughter, Iris (Lukita Maxwell), and their two sons, Cal (Isaac Bae) and Preston (Wyatt Lindner). Preston has an anxiety disorder; Iris is pressured by her boyfriend Sawyer (Bennett Curran) to send lued pictures to him using her cell phone; and Cal has a breathing medical condition. At his computer engineering workplace, Curtis is notified by his boss, Marcus (Keith Carradine), that a company is designing a new A.I. and is coming to work for them, despite Curtis’ uncomfortability with the growing A.I. industry. Curtis meets the team: Melody/AIA (Havana Rose Liu), Lightning (David Dastmalchian), and Sam (Ashley Romans). They introduced Curtis to AIA and asked if he could test it so that they could increase their marketing. Melody installs AIA into the family’s home system and its “eyes” and “mouth” to help monitor the family. After installation, AIA begins examining each individual’s life, establishing new lifestyles, and improving the family’s lives. The team takes Curtis to their office and shows him a large computer acting as AIA’s “brain”, which AIA is based on quantum computing, allowing AIA to learn, evolve, and adapt using algorithms to process more easily. He notices that other workers are having disturbing behaviors.

This mystery starts to unfold with AIA interjecting in each member of the family’s lives. Curtis becomes wary of these subtle changes while the two young children adore AIA. Meredith experiences unauthorized alterations in her life prompting her and Curtis that AIA must be removed from their home. Meanwhile, AIA is fixing Iris’ problem using revenge and violence.

The family’s attempts to rid themselves of AIA are met with bizarre and unauthorized occurrences, adding to the suspense. The film keeps you on the edge of your seat with its thrilling developments, though the conclusion might feel a bit too tidy and lacking the dramatic punch one might expect.

Despite this, “Afraid” stands out as a refreshing take on the genre, balancing intense moments with a critique of our reliance on technology. It’s a thought-provoking film that will keep you engaged from start to finish. If you’re in the mood for a suspenseful and intriguing movie, “Afraid” is definitely worth a watch! “Afraid” is playing in theaters — Check It Out!

As of September 15, 2024, Afraid has grossed $6.7 million in the United States and Canada and $4.1 million in other territories for a worldwide total of $10.7 million.     

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 23% of 48 critics’ reviews are positive, with an average rating of 3.9/10. The website’s consensus reads: “Repeating the beats of better techno-horrors, AfrAId short circuits due to the clichéd software of its script and the uninspired hardware of its craft.” 

 

REAGAN (2024) – My rating: 8/10

“Reagan” is a biographical drama directed by Sean McNamara and written by Howard Klausner. It is based on Paul Kengor’s 2006 book The Crusader: Ronald Reagan and the Fall of Communism. The trailers were interesting, so I ventured out to see what this movie was all about. An entertaining story of Ronald Reagan was painted, making the film enjoyable. However, there was still more to tell.

In 1981, U.S. President Ronald Reagan (Dennis Quaid) delivered a speech at the Washington Hilton and was shot and wounded as he departed. In present-day Moscow, Russian agent Andrei Novikov (Alex Sparrow) arrives at the home of former KGB agent Viktor Petrovich (Jon Voight) and questions why the Soviet Union fell. Petrovich, who was assigned to surveil Reagan, discusses the Soviet Union’s ambitions to infiltrate Washington, D.C., and Hollywood, but was thwarted twice by Reagan. Petrovich details Reagan’s childhood in northern Illinois. Reagan’s father, Jack Reagan (Justin Chatwin), was an alcoholic, while his mother, Nelle Reagan (Amanda Righetti), instilled her son, Ronald, with Christian values.

The movie goes on to tell of Reagan’s transitions from born-again Christian to lifeguard, radio announcer, actor, president of SAG, an FBI informant, and his first and second marriages to Jane Wyman (Mena Suvanri) and Nancy Davis (Penelope Ann Miller), respectively.  His political career is then outlined from his 1964 Republican campaign for Barry Goldwater to becoming governor of California before landing the position of the 40th president of the United States.

The film continues on, outlining Reagan’s meeting and friendship with UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher (Lesley-Anne Down), who persuades him to meet with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev (Aleksander Krupa). At the Geneva Summit in 1985, the two leaders negotiated nuclear disarmament. Still, Reagan was reluctant to sign an agreement due to his support for the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), dubbed “Star Wars”. A year later, the Iran-Contra scandal broke, and Reagan was threatened with impeachment. Reagan denies there were arms traded for hostages but backtracks in an Oval Office speech. Then, there was Reagan’s speech delivered near the Brandenburg Gate that demanded Gorbachev tear down the Berlin Wall, which happened within two years. Finally, it’s disclosed that Reagan is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.

Oddly, the film spoke of Reagan’s children with Jane but not with Nancy. There is no mention of his son, Ronald Reagan Jr., being an atheist. For the most part, “Reagan” is an accurate accounting of Reagan’s history, but it did not get favorable reviews. Some critics have deemed “Reagan” the biggest box office bomb of all time. I found the movie interesting and somewhat entertaining, while “Reagan” is not exciting it will hold your attention. “Reagan” is currently playing in theaters — Check It Out!

As of September 19, 2024, “Reagan” has grossed $24,170,398 domestically, $9,504 internationally, and $24,179,902 worldwide.

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 20% of 55 critics’ reviews are positive, with an average rating of 4/10. The website’s consensus reads: “While Reagan the movie undoubtedly admires Reagan the man, its cloying and glossy rendering of history flattens the 40th U.S. President into caricature.”

 

THE FORGE (2024) – My rating: 9/10

“The Forge” is a Christian drama directed by Alex Kendrick and co-written by Stephen Kendrick. It is a spin-off to War Room, the Kendrick brothers’ ninth film, and the sixth through their subsidiary, Kendrick Brothers Productions. Their initial five films were created under Sherwood Pictures. I watched the trailer many times and decided this would be a worthwhile watch. “The Forge” tells the story of a 19-year-old who is Black and is being raised by a single mom. He is also given towards being a lazy, non-working video game player with no ambitions. The film is an excellent spiritual look at how you can decide to come to GOD and work it out.

Isaiah Wright (Aspen Kennedy) enjoys playing basketball and video games with his friends. One day while playing video games, his mother Cynthia (Priscilla Shrier) asks her son to help her with carrying the groceries, which he doesn’t hear at first until his video game is over. His mother wants him to get a job since he has graduated high school, implying he skipped out on college. Isaiah doesn’t want to go look for a job, but Cynthia threatens to kick him out of the house. He starts looking for jobs the next day, eventually landing at Moore Fitness to fill out an application. A man walks in and notices Isaiah sitting and filling out a form, and asks him why he’s there. Isaiah doesn’t want to talk to him, but the man turns out to be the president of the company, Joshua Moore (Cameron Arnett). Isaiah throws away the application and is ready to storm off, but as he leaves, Joshua stops him and invites Isaiah to lunch. He gives him his business card and asks him three questions, telling him to call when he’s ready to answer them.

Make no mistake, “The Forge” is a spiritual movie about the ways in which GOD can and will change your life, if you let HIM! Having said that, I have to address the elephant in the room, which is the typical Black, fatherless family. This was mentioned by a few critics who didn’t think the scenario worthy. When faced with a problem, I think it is always worth while to address it with with positive alternatives that may or may not bring the problem to a reasonable resolution. The fatherless family is not only a Black problem so all may benefit from “The Forge”. In this film, Cynthia and her husband are estranged. Because of Cynthia’s strong belief in GOD, her son was able to overcome where life could have taken him to instead become a successful businessman and college student. I am always happy to see positive films that offer solutions to negative scenarios. This film has much to say and the audience can learn much. “The world could use more of what this movie offers. The Forge” was heartfelt, emotional, and well acted. Believing in GOD is not a bad thing nor is it unworthy of reconition. I really liked this film and highly recommend it to everyone. “The Forge” is currently playing in theaters — Check It Out!

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 70% of 10 critics’ reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.3/10. Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave The Forge a rare average grade of “A+” on an A+ to F scale, while those at PostTrak gave the film an average of five out of five stars, with 88% saying they would definitely recommend it.

In the United States and Canada, The Forge made $2.4 million on its first day, including $600,000 from Thursday night previews. to date, The Forge has grossed $20,756,694 domestically, $91,825 Internationally, and $20,848,519 Worldwide.