The Nun II
Summary: Four years after the events of the first film, The Nun, Valak has returned, reigning terror across European churches. When a priest is murdered in France, Sister Irene is called upon to perform another miracle and send the demon back to Hell.
Jacob’s review – 3/5 Stars:
A welcome improvement from its predecessor, The Nun II is an entertaining, albeit relatively shallow entry into the Conjuring Franchise. While the tension and scares are generally well crafted, they rely heavily on cliches that have been used hundreds of times in other horror films. Sister Irene and Maurice are the best characters in the film, mostly due to Taissa Farmiga and Jonas Bloquet’s performances. The secondary characters are mainly just there to be killed, but their deaths would’ve been far more effective if the audience was made to care about the characters. The plot is an improvement from the last film, however, it reuses some aspects to a varying effect. Valak is, unsurprisingly, the star of the show. Unlike the first movie, The Nun II uses Valak to his full potential, not holding back on the jumpscares, violence, or death. Overall, The Nun II doesn’t reinvent the horror genre in any major ways, but it’s still a delightful, scary-but-not-too-scary, hour and fifty minutes that any horror fan would have a great time watching.
Stephanie’s review – 3/5 Stars:
Having watched the prequel to The Nun II, I was happily surprised by the visual and plot improvements made. It is fair to say my expectations were well exceeded. That being said, don’t walk into this movie thinking it’s going to be the best cinematic horror film you’ll ever see. The star of the franchise, the demon Valak, is the main antagonist, leaving a wake of destruction and death wherever he goes. And once again, Sister Irene is the only one seemingly capable of banishing Valak back to hell. Ignoring the few plot errors and stereotypicalness, such as why a newly novitiate turned nun is the only one able to save the day, or how demon goats and the blood of Jesus come into play, I enjoyed the attempts to make it unique. I would suggest against watching it in theaters if you are easily triggered by jumpscares, but in hindsight, said points in the movie seem docile and the overall experience was enjoyable.
Barbie
Summary: Barbie does some stuff while Alan steals the show. Ken is also there.
Jacob’s Review – 4/5 Stars:
A cultural phenomenon, Barbie is entertaining, funny, and surprisingly emotional at times. While the sets, music, acting, and directing were amazing at their best, the humor was all over the place. Some jokes had the entire theater laughing, while others were downright cringey. But besides some disjointed jokes, Barbie, despite what some reviews might have you think, is actually pretty good. Sure some scenes are questionable at best, but overall, it’s a powerful, uplifting film. That being said, I wish they leaned more into the emotional aspects, as they were the best parts of the film, but were few and far between. Considering the film is already “controversial”, I still wish they dug deeper, yet I understand why they left the themes at a more surface level. At the same time, it feels like they left out interesting thematic elements in favor of cheap humor. The whole cast did a great job of making their characters feel like actual children’s toys. Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling were great as Barbie and Ken, and Michael Cera stole the show as Alan. Furthermore, director Greta Gerwig does an amazing job at creating Barbieland and contrasting it to the real world. The soundtrack of the film also adds to its atmosphere, with “Dance the Night”, “What Was I Made For?”, and “I’m Just Ken” standing out from the rest. If you’ve purposely been avoiding this movie, or just haven’t gotten a chance to see it, I highly recommend it. It provides a new perspective on current society, and implements important lessons and ideas. While it may have some flaws, Barbie is one of the most influential movies of the year, and rightfully so.
Stephanie’s review – 3.5/5 Stars:
The introduction to Barbie was pretty rough and I questioned my sanity until BAM, MARGOT ROBBIE STOLE THE SHOW!!! The casting of her as Barbie was spot on and I can’t think of anyone who could have done it better. Ryan Gosling (A.K.A. Ken) was clearly just there as arm candy, but his song “I’m Just Ken” just may be the only profound thing to come out of 2023. While you may have been easily deceived by who the true star of the show is by the name of the movie, I think it is obvious to say that Alan, played by Michael Cera, is the true celebrity. “Ken’s special friend” has never had a more special place in our hearts than through his heartwarming performance as the savior of Barbieland. When watching this movie, I would advise against dressing as Barbie – we all know that is overdone. Instead, live out every girl’s fantasy and dress as Alan. While the plot seems a bit far-fetched at points and can appear downright ridiculous, the real reason for the popularity of Barbie is in its message, not the face value content. From empowerment and feminism to equality for both men and women, this movie has all the boxes checked, making it one of the most talked about movies recently. The highest grossing film to hit box office written by a woman is definitely worth a watch – seeing the way it ate up everyone’s attention, you’ll have no room for popcorn and drinks.
