Barbie (2023), Lars and The Real Girl (2007), and Megan (2023)

Barbie is the movie of 2023! No doubt about it. I went to see it and really liked it. It is funny on a way that satires our society and felt very much like the great movies that Mel Brooks made in the 1970s. Greta Gerwig's comedic touch is certainly in this and the only thing missing is her doing a supporting role somehow in some scene; I think she's really funny as noted before in other reviews here.  But Margot Robbie as Barbie is really good, and worth of some awards for her performance. 

Ryan Gosling is very good too, as "Ken". It reminded me that he was in another movie about a doll, Lars and the Real Girl, which is a really great and underrated gem. Ryan is so good in this film as a man who develops a serious attachment to his new plastic friend. It's a quirky movie but it's profound as well and is really worth seeing.

Barbie reviews by other bloggers:

• Out There In the Dark
• Critic After Dark
• Laura's Miscellaneous Movies
• Surrender to the Void

Another movie about a doll that came out earlier this year is Megan. I really loved this one! It's a horror-comedy about a killer doll, sort of like Child's Play/Chucky but not as violent/bloody. One of the new twists of this movie's doll is that it's programmed with an ability to attach with it's owner, and ultimately becomes possessive and needless to say, creepy. But very fun to watch, and ultimately satisfying. 

Deep Focus Lens review of Barbie and the film's dance sequences, choreography, and sets

Blade Runner 2049 (2017)

I went to see this film over the weekend but I was not blown away by it. I thought it was okay, especially the visual effects and sets. I liked the protagonist's quest to solve the mystery of the film, which pretty much remains a mystery up until the very last minute, and even when its over there are unanswered questions.  I was left to wonder if there will be additional films in this series, and whether I would be interested in the characters enough to want to see additional films in a possible series (I might skip them if they come out). The original Blade Runner from 1982 was a great film that stood alone well by itself, and in my opinion this new film isn't necessary. There were also some awkward comedic moments in the film, especially with Harrison Ford's character Deckart, who has been in hiding for 30 years since the original film's ending. You would never expect a futuristic thriller like this have "cameos" by Elvis and Frank Sinatra, but they do appear, and it's feels awkward. Also, a few more familiar faces from the 1982 film make short appearances in this movie, but they probably didn't need to be in it, really. The movie is long, almost 3 hours. I wouldn't recommend unless you are a huge fan of the first film and absolutely want to see more to this story. This is the kind of film where you really should see the first movie to understand the second.