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Wonder Woman 1984

A Much-Awaited Movie that Ultimately Missed the Mark

Reviewed By: Olivia Landivar

24 March 2021

After its original release date was pushed back due to Covid-19, Wonder Woman 1984 debuted in theaters and on HBO Max on December 25, 2020. It is one of the first major blockbusters to debut on a streaming service. For the rest of 2021, Warner Brothers movies will be released on HBO Max and in movie theaters. Successful releases on streaming platforms will likely call into question the validity of movie theaters. While it is no longer available for streaming, you can still buy tickets to see it in theaters.

Wonder Woman 1984 picks up years after the events of the first Wonder Woman movie. Diana Prince (Gal Gadot) is working at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC, while discreetly saving lives as Wonder Woman-- a part of her life she still has not introduced to the world. She becomes fast friends with Barbra Ann Mivera (Kristen Wigg), a quirky, outcast, who is a new employee. When a mysterious stone that can grant wishes falls into the hands of oil tycoon Maxwell Lord (Pedro Pascal), Diana knows she must put a stop to Lord’s sinister plot before it is too late.

The cast of the movie is perfect and helps carry an otherwise lackluster script. Gal Godot is the perfect person to play Wonder Woman. She plays the character with a sense of charm and optimism, while still tugging at your heart strings in more serious moments.

Kristen Wigg’s performance of the kind-hearted Barbra who turns into the villain, Cheetah, showed that she could play more sinister, serious roles despite working with a script that still holds her in a comedic mold at times. Pedro Pascal does an amazing job portraying the complexity of Patty Jenkins’s version of Maxwell Lord. He moves effortlessly between charming and villainous. Chris Pine played Steve Trevor, Diana’s love interest, for a second time. His performance was fine, but he did not have a lot to work with, since his character did not have much to offer to the story. However, he did have some memorable comedic moments.

It is always hard to make a successful prequel. How do you get someone invested in a story if they already know the outcome? A good prequel focuses on it's characters and their relationships; not action or suspense. Diana’s struggle with loneliness, not using her powers, and not taking the easy way out is a good internal conflict. However, her arc was executed badly and by the end of the movie, it did not feel like Diana developed at all.

The run time comes in at an excessive two hours and thirty-one minutes. After about halfway through, the movie loses momentum and starts to drag on and on. There is also a lot of information that is crammed into the story. The movie struggled to focus on important plot points and did not explore anything interesting in depth. The movie really embraced the “more is better” mentality of the 80’s.

In the past couple years, there has been a trend of revivals, sequels, and reimaginings of beloved TV shows and movies. Capturing the essence of an era is no easy task and when the time period has just as much of a presence as the main characters; a movie needs to put attention into things beyond costumes or pop-culture references. While Oceans 11 (2001) takes place in the modern era, it feels like a movie from the 60s.This is because of the movie’s camera work, music, and character dynamics. In Wonder Woman 1984, there is only a mall scene, some leg warmers, and a comedic make-over scene for Steve Trevor. It is full of lack-luster nostalgia that does not dig into the details that truly capture the personality of the 80’s. By using nostalgia as a crutch, it feels like a cheap ploy by executives to get people to spend money.

While the movie was entertaining, it simply fell short. The story was confusing, the conflict was weak, and everything felt very rushed. If you are solely trying to keep up with all the storylines in the DC Extended Universe, reading the plot summary on Wikipedia for Wonder Woman 1984 will suffice.

However, I cannot help but wonder if my opinion would be different had I seen the movie in theaters. Maybe with surround sound the swelling of the music would have made the montages more bearable. Maybe with pitch darkness and absolute silence I would have been able to escape more into the Wonder Woman Universe and become more attached to the characters. I am left wondering: how much influence does the traditional experience of watching movies have on our opinions? Either way, with the continuing release of major movies, like Wonder Woman 1984, on streaming services, this question might be answered soon.

Cry Me a Sad River

Reviewed by Alicia Olguin-Macedo

11 March 2021

Debuting in China in 2018, Cry Me a Sad River was a movie I had personally never heard of. Like many other people, I learned about this movie through TikTok. I initially went into it blindly, which allowed me to grasp the emotions of the characters and events that happened better than having had learned about it beforehand. While the film is an adaptation of the novel Cry Me a Sad River, it remains true to the plot. It follows Yi Yao, a high school student through her life. She is friends with her neighbor Qi Ming, who also happens to be a classmate and a new transfer student’s crush. The transfer student becomes jealous of Yi Yao and Qi Ming's relationship and begins to follow Yi Yao where she learns one of her secrets. Tan Xiao Mi ( the transfer student) then exposes her to the whole school and begins relentlessly tormenting and bullying her. Yi Yao, desperate for compassion from another person, befriends Gu Sen Xi, and things are great until Tan Xiao Mi interferes again.

Cry Me a Sad River became my favorite movie simply because it covers themes we could experience in real life. It addresses topics like sexually transmitted disease, bullying, and, unfortunately, suicide. The way the scenes and story unfold, however, serve as a reminder that we never know what others are going through. It’s a tragic story in which it’s actors play so well you almost forget it’s not real. It is also quite a tear jerker; you can’t help but want to console Yi Yao through her moments of despair. I do now want to give away any spoilers simply because I do believe everyone should watch this movie at some point in their lives. The story is much more complex and interesting than just the basic synopsis. There are many more characters and situations involved in the life of Yi Yao that can remind us how we should care and treat others. The movie is free on YouTube and is an hour and forty-four-minute watch.

This movie may be triggering for people going through bullying and those who may have suicidal thoughts in real life. If you feel this way, please don’t hesitate to reach out to an adult who can handle those situations.

"The Mandalorian": Season 2

Reviewed by: Olivia Landivar

11 January 2021

The galaxy’s best dad returns to Disney+ in an action-packed, emotional Season Two that dives further into the Star Wars Universe.

The Mandalorian (Pedro Pascal) is a highly skilled bounty hunter who moves through life one job at a time. Everything changes when he comes across the most adorable creature in the galaxy: the child, more popularly known as Baby Yoda. He is quested to return the child to its people or adopt it until it comes of age. The latter choice is impossible since the child is fifty years old and is still a baby. Mando goes planet to planet saving villages and running heists in exchange for any information that could help him on his quest. The stakes are raised when the Empire takes a sinister interest in the child.

The second season continues Mando’s quest to return the child to its people. As the season progresses, a new story is weaved underneath the main plot. Die-hard Star Wars fans will be delighted to see characters such as Ahsoka Tano, Bo-Katan, and Boba Fett appear on their screen. Their presence does not overshadow the original characters created for the Mandalorian, but instead enriches the story. The show dives into Star Wars’ extensive lore just enough for die-hard fans to appreciate, but not too much to confuse casual viewers.

The Mandalorian himself is an extremely well-crafted character. One appeal to this show is the depth and development its characters have. Mando is presented as a lone wolf driven by a mission and creed. His character draws comparison to Clint Eastwood’s character in the Dollars Trilogy. However, in this season, his creed, and therefore identity, is called into question. A softer side is shown as he develops a father-son relationship with the child. By the end of the season, there is almost a sense of emotional turmoil since he has undergone so much change.

The Mandalorian Season Two has it all: good character development, thrilling action sequences, and cool Sci-Fi creatures and planets. There is much more to be explored in upcoming seasons, but if you’re not into any of that, you can still watch it just for Baby Yoda.

Filming The Mandalorian came with new challenges for actors and directors. The two main characters are a person clad in full battle armour 24/7 and a rubber puppet-- a puppet that cost around five million dollars to make and was worth every single penny. However, some of the most emotional scenes happen between that helmet and that puppet. Pedro Pascal makes every small gesture or phrase have meaning. No moment is without intent. The music composed by Ludwig Göransson creates a unique staple for the show and heightens emotions in scenes that could feel flat. More importantly, the show takes a step back from the convoluted mess that is the Skywalker family and moves somewhere new, yet familiar. Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni add a spark to The Mandalorian that just makes Star Wars feel like Star Wars again.

"Cobra Kai"

Reviewed By: Olivia Landivar

15 October 2020

The script is flipped in this nostalgic, action-packed show.

Instead of focusing on the wax on and wax off champion, Daniel Larusso (Ralph Macchio), the show follows his rival from the first movie, Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka). The beginning of the series mirrors the first movie when Johnny saves Miguel Diaz (Xolo Maridueña), the new kid in school, from a bunch of bullies. He decides to teach Miguel karate so that he can stand up for himself. But instead of teaching Miguel kata or how to do a crane kick, Johnny teaches Cobra Kai karate: “Strike First, Strike Hard, No Mercy.”

The thing that makes “Cobra Kai” so interesting is that it operates in a morally gray area; most of the time, no character is completely wrong or completely right. Most people would hear the premise to this show and write Johnny off as an anti-hero, but he is much more complicated than that. Johnny is human and he is someone who is trying to get his life together. For every good piece of advice he gives, he gives five bad pieces of advice. For every bad action, he does five good deeds. As the show progresses, Johnny learns and works to better himself. Of course, happiness won’t be easy to achieve.

Yes, somehow the show gets you to root against Daniel Larusso, the star and protagonist of the iconic movies. When the Cobra Kai dojo enrolls more students, Daniel decides to do everything he can to shut it down. The juxtaposition of Daniel’s country club life and Johnny’s working class life, makes Daniel come off as unfair and self-righteous. Also, by Season Two, viewers might pick up on the fact that Ralph Macchio can only deliver his lines about five different ways. Five is being generous. However, I will admit that it is really cool to see Daniel teach his students Mr. Miyagi’s way of karate and recreate some iconic scenes.

A new generation is also introduced. Miguel Diaz is Cobra Kai’s top student and has a father-son like relationship with Johnny. Trouble ensues when he starts to fall for Daniel’s daughter, Sam (Mary Mouser). And even more trouble comes when Robby (Tanner Buchanan), Johnny’s estranged son, begins to take lessons from Daniel. Besides those three, there is a wonderful cast of new characters that are added to the “Karate Kid” universe.

The show is often difficult to watch because of it's “cringey” moments, but it is extremely “bingeable.” Characters make bad decisions all the time and small misunderstandings are blown way out of proportion. This causes almost every episode to end on a cliffhanger. Also, when watching “Cobra Kai”, it's important to remember that it's based off a cheesy movie. Unrealistic things happen all the time. Sometimes it's best to shut off your brain, remember it's a show, and enjoy.

“Cobra Kai” Seasons One and Two are available for streaming now on Netflix. A third season will be released in 2021.

"Enola Holmes"

Reviewed By: Olivia Landivar

5 October 2020

Feminism, political reform, attempted murder (several times), and a missing-persons case. All of this can be found in “Enola Holmes” on Netflix.

“Enola Holmes” is a reimagination of the Sherlock Holmes universe that follows the younger sister of the famous detective. The movie is based off of the book series written by Nancy Springer and roughly follows the plot of the first book: The Case of the Missing Marquess.

The movie begins with Enola Holmes (Millie Bobby Brown) looking down the barrel of the camera and telling the audience about the disappearance of her mother (Helena Bonham Carter). She goes to collect her brothers Sherlock (Henry Cavil) and Mycroft (Sam Claflin) Holmes to help her find their mother. When her brothers have other plans for her, Enola decides to escape to London and find her mother herself. She must navigate her way through the city alone. Along the way she meets Tewkesbury (Louis Patridge), another escaped youth, and other mysterious characters. The more clues Enola finds, the more it seems there's a larger, more sinister plot that goes beyond her mother’s disappearance.

The story is at the mercy of it's perspective. There is layer upon layer of various details and events occurring all at once. As Enola walks down the street, a man shouts out a newspaper headline about a reform bill. In a flashback, Enola recalls walking in on a secret meeting her mother was leading. On paper, it seems like there is too much trying to be told, however, it is the limited perspective that saves the movie from being overwhelmed. An interesting world has been created, but viewers only need to know what Enola knows; they only need to care about what pertains to Enola. This creates a satisfying ending that still leaves some things to be explored in potential sequels (fingers crossed).

The casting of Henry Cavill as Sherlock Holmes is definitely questionable. In the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s books, Sherlock is described as being “so excessively lean that he seemed to be considerably taller. His eyes were sharp and piercing ... and his thin, hawk-like nose gave his whole expression an air of alertness”. Henry Cavil played superman; inn fact his most popular roles have been the Man of Steel himself and his role in The Witcher. Granted, he does play the role well, but it is hard to imagine Cavill as the iconic detective. However, the movie is not about him.

Millie Bobby Brown proves that she is much more than Stranger Things in this movie. She brings a level of energy to each scene that elevates each moment to the next level. Everytime she stops to talk to the camera, you almost feel like she is talking directly to you. She plays the charm and wit Enola has with ease and makes viewers always root for her in whatever shenanigans she gets herself into. Brown also shows off her range and delivers some powerful, heart wrenching scenes. It is also notable that Brown played a part off screen as well as one of the movies producers.

The movie has a great cast. Helena Bonham Carter is technically in the movie for only one scene, and it is arguably the best scene in the movie. The chemistry between Millie Bobby Brown and Louis Partridge is also a delight to watch. There are many moments of connection between the characters in the two-hour span of the movie. Overall, if you can’t follow along with the plot, you’ll enjoy the charming cast and the wonderful chemistry their characters have.

“Enola Holmes” is number six at the moment on Netflix’s top ten and available for streaming now.

"The Social Dilemma"

Behind the Screen

Reviewed by: Ty Henry

28 September 2020

How old were you when your parents gave you your first phone or when you created your first social media profile? A majority of our generations can say they were pretty young. Just as technology can be impressive and change people’s lives for better, it has its downsides too. Netflix’s recent documentary is a quintessential film that exposes these downsides within modern technology. “The Social Dilemma” gathers engineers that were there at the start of the most popular social media platforms. From Google to Pinterest, they expose the dangers that social media has on users that go deeper than creating insecurities.

The film follows a former engineer from Google,Tristan Harris. He left the company in December 2015 after seeing the negative effects Gmail had on its users. He attempted to bring attention to these ethical problems, but Harris’ concerns went unnoticed. He is now the co-founder and president of “Center For Humane Technology.” “Social Dilemma” shadows Harris during his public appearances and interviews to talk about what “Humane Technology” is and why it was created. Along with Harris, the documentary features many other engineers from other social media platforms that all left for the same reason - ethical problems going unnoticed.

The documentary focuses on many points and goes into great depth using a fictional family to portray the relationship between social media and human psychology. We follow the character “Ben”, an average male teen, who takes a bet with his sister and mom to not use his phone for a week. In exchange, his mom would pay to get his shattered phone screen repaired. The portrayal of the family was an interesting piece to the documentary; the audience gets to see the negative effects in action and they can begin to compare the portrayal to their own lives.

One of the ethical problems the documentary addresses is how social media makes trillions of dollars a year by allowing the users to be the product to the consumers (advertisers). All social media platforms are competing for the users’ attention. Ideally, they want their users to spend hours on their platforms. Instagram notifications regarding a friends’ posting or an update to their story is one of the many tactics used to get the user to come back and spend more time on the app. With the engagement of the platform, computers begin to log every detail about how the user spends their time and to make predictions on their next move. Those predictions are then sold to advertisers to use. It may sound harmless to some, but that is just one of the points ‘Social Dilemma’ highlights.

Altogether, the film was informative and eye-opening to the many users of these technical platforms. It makes the audience think about what goes on behind the screen and how users make themselves vulnerable. In the documentary they touch on how the world may already be controlled by artificial intelligence, how social media can ruin democracy, and much more. If these topics sound interesting, definitely watch the film!

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