Free Guy

Actors: Ryan Reynolds, Jodie Comer, Joe Keery, Lil Rel Howery, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Taika Waititi

Rating: 9 out of 10, I’m not a gamer by any stretch of anyone’s imagination so I wasn’t sure I would get all the inside jokes in this flick about a game character that achieves self-awareness. I shouldn’t have worried because Ryan Reynolds is perfect for the part of making us first like the guy and then root for him in his hopeless quest. He’s ably supported by a fun cast of supporting actors, especially Jodie Comer as the female lead. It’s an entertaining ride with some really sweet characters and I found myself laughing almost constantly. It was also a funny jab at gaming and gamers in general, encouraging us to find the joy in real life, because we have it. This was well worth the watch, Reynolds’ winning streak continues.

MVP: Reynolds as Guy, the bank teller turned super hero, kind of

The Protege

Actors: Michael Keaton, Maggie Q, Samuel L. Jackson, Patrick Malahide, David Rintoul, Ori Pfeffer, Ray Fearon, Caroline Loncq, Robert Patrick

Rating: 9 out of 10, I really enjoyed the Protégé featuring Samuel L. Jackson as a world class assassin and Maggie Q as his devoted apprentice/partner. This is Q’s movie and she’s more than capable of carrying the action. She is trying to find the people responsible for a personal tragedy and woe be unto those who stand in her way. There is a very interesting dynamic with Michael Keaton as an admiring adversary. The action is well executed and the characters fully fleshed out. I was happy to see Q get a chance to really star in her own movie versus her usual supporting role. She was more than up to the task. A great summer action flick, go see it.

MVP: Maggie Q as the deadly sexy Anna