Welcome to a new year, Cougars! With every new month comes the release of new films, so let’s get into a couple of the notable releases.
Megan (2023) PG-13
When I first saw the poster for this film, I was intrigued by the look of the titular character and felt slightly unnerved by her appearance. Piquing my interest enough and having been written by Akela Cooper (Malignant), I took a chance on it. The result was the equivalent of walking into my local Forever 21, a mess. Megan (stylized as M3gan) is a horror film that follows Allison Williams’ character’s attempt to help her niece, played by Violet McGraw, through the devastating loss of her parents with a highly advanced robot doll.
The film follows tropes of typical “evil doll” movies: the child grows overly attached, its intentions are unknown by the adults around it, and it begins cursing and acting fantastically by the final act. While the film follows almost all these tropes, it does attempt to critique the current landscape of the toy industry and how technology and the Internet are not substitutes for human beings. This is often seen through the interactions with the lead and her niece, which results in interesting themes about disconnection from reality and the importance of family. Despite this, the characters are incredibly underdeveloped.
Another point that I see becoming significant in this film and similar films is that the trailers went viral for the weird moments in the film, which drummed up hype for the film as a result. Making a film just to have memes made of it results in a lack of substance in the film itself, and this is no exception. The entire story feels hollow, with one-dimensional characters and a villain that was hyped up only to end up falling flat. Throughout most of the film I was reminded that there are better films playing in the theaters next to me. It is a film that hinges solely on its ability to go viral which results in the entire film feeling like nothing more than a cash grab made to boost social media engagement.
To put it plainly, watch Megan when it hits streaming if you’re able to. It’s what I consider to be a “TikTok Movie” that had little time or thought put into fully developing its characters and story. As a result, it comes off as derivative and uninspired. It’s a film made to boost engagement and go viral with no other significant goals behind it.
4 paws out of 10
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022) PG
I always like sitting down to watch the Shrek films every now and again to relive some of the best animated stories of the past two decades. I have a special place in my heart for the characters and how far they’ve come since their inceptions. These notions are what drew me in to the latest installment of the franchise. Puss in Boots: The Last Wish follows the titular character, voiced by Antonio Banderas, on a quest to find the “wishing star” and use it to cheat death, while his many adversaries are looking for the same thing.
A major positive of the film comes from the animation itself. The film blooms with color and every shot is action-packed and artistically sound. I was drawn in by the dynamic camerawork and unique characters from the opening battle on. By the end of the film, I was hoping for it to continue long after the credits ended. It truly is a modern gem of animation. I hope other large studios take notes from this film in their future animated projects.
Another plus for me was the impeccable cast. They portray their characters with flair and easily fit into the modern style of the Shrek films. The casting directors made flawless choices, from Florence Pugh absolutely nailing her coarse portrayal of Goldilocks to Harvey Guillen stealing scenes as Perrito. While a couple of the supporting actors faltered in their performances, they did not take away from my overall enjoyment of the film.
Along with the animation and cast, the story and its themes were poignant and easy to understand for all ages. Puss’s entire arc throughout the film hinges on him trying to escape death, in the literal and metaphorical sense. His journey is impeccably told and whether you are watching this one only or if you’ve known him since his introduction in Shrek 2, you’ll be able to understand his arc perfectly. Having grown up with the Shrek movies myself, I liked seeing the film grow up with its audience a bit.
Altogether, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish restored my faith in the animated movie genre even more. Knowing there are creative minds willing to tell complex stories that all ages can understand and studios willing to take the risk on these minds tells me that more stories in this vein will get told.
8 paws out of 10
The preceding reviews were written by Collin College student Nadia Arain. Collin College News appreciates their assistance.