Weekend Film Reviews: A Mixed Bag of Action and Animation
This weekend, moviegoers are treated to a diverse range of films, from the high-octane action of Bad Boys: Ride or Die to the whimsical animation of Robot Dreams. Our critics, Witney Seibold and Amy Nicholson, weigh in on these new releases, along with The Watchers and Handling the Undead.
Bad Boys: Ride or Die is the latest installment in the Bad Boys franchise, starring Martin Lawrence and Will Smith as detectives trying to clear the name of their late police captain. According to Seibold, “It’s almost like a Spider-Verse movie, with all of these swirling colors… But beneath the flashy camera work, the story is clichéd and uninteresting.” Nicholson, on the other hand, praises Martin Lawrence’s performance, saying “He’s maybe at his best in all of the Bad Boys franchise in this movie.”
In contrast, Robot Dreams is a beautifully animated film that tells the story of a dog and a robot who become friends in 1980s New York City. Nicholson raves about the film, saying “It’s absolutely stunning… a wordless, all-ages story about companionship.” Seibold agrees, noting that the film “examines what friendship feels like, what a first friendship feels like, what jealousy in a friendship feels like.”
For horror fans, The Watchers offers a chilling tale of a young woman stranded in the woods, where she must shelter from murderous creatures with a group of castaways. Nicholson praises the film’s atmosphere, saying “Ishana Shyamalan has a good feel for how to set a mood, how to create scares.” Meanwhile, Handling the Undead is a Norwegian horror mystery that explores what happens when deceased family members come back to life. Seibold describes the film as “aggressively depressing,” while Nicholson notes the tenderness with which the characters care for their loved ones.
This weekend’s films offer something for everyone, from action-packed blockbusters to whimsical animations and chilling horror tales. Whether you’re in the mood for thrills, laughter, or tears, there’s a movie out there for you.
