They Have Become AFRAID

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to Bluray and Digital from writer/director Chris Weitz and Blumhouse and Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is the AI and being AFRAID.

Curtis (John Cho) is a computer engineer who enjoys a great relationship with his boss Marcus (Keith Carradine). He wants the company to design something A.I. realizing it is a growing industry. Curtis isn’t really happy about what is happening with the A.I. industry but holds his opinion when he meets Melody (Havana Rose Liu), Lighting (David Dastmalchian) and Sam (Ashley Romans). They have come to a meeting to show Curtis and Marcus their own idea with AIA.

Convincing Curtis to allow AIA into their home to wife Meredith (Katherine Waterston), daughter Iris (Lukita Maxwell) and sons Preston (Wyatt Lindner) and Cal (Isaac Bae), almost immediately Curtis sees unusual people around their home. AIA makes herself invaluable to Meredith and finds a way to ingratiate herself to teen daughter Iris but Curtis is not fooled. He decides to take matters into his own hands when Marcus informs him that the company has been sold and Curtis can become the new boss. Going to the headquarters is where Curtis makes a stand but AIA isn’t about to let him get away with anything.

At home, it all begins to become crazier and this time, he has the family behind him. Will it be enough to go against a strong AIA?

Cho as Curtis is a man who is happy with his family and his work. Of course, there are struggles with the kids and trying to make everyone happy but he does try. Bringing AIA home offers a bit of time with the wife and a connection for the kids. Surprised at first that the family finds their own place with AIA, it doesn’t take long before his return feelings about A.I. are validated.

Waterston as Meredith is a wife who begins to question being a Mom. AIA is there to listen but there comes a time when even she questions how the line blurs between a human beings’ true feelings and A.I.’s programed responses. Maxwell as Iris is a typical teenager who lets social media rule her life until AIA steps in. Bae as Cal is a youngster with an ipad and we all know how that can be. Preston as Lindner gets the chance to show he is just as brave, and a tad cleverer, than his dad. 

Shout out to Liu as Melody, Dastmalchian as Lightening and Romans as Sam for providing the creepiness needed for this to work. To be honest, had I ever met these three – I’d have run the opposite way so fast it would make my own head spin!

Other cast include Bennett Curran as Sawyer, Greg Hill as Henry, Riki Lindhome as Maud, Todd Waring as Papa and Ben Youcef as Ben.

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment encompasses motion picture production for television, digital content and theater releases. The studios include Columbia Pictures, Screen Gems, TriStar Pictures, Sony Pictures Animation, Stage 6 Films and Sony Picture Classics. To see what is coming to theaters and to home entertainment please visit www.sonypictures.com.

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Extra features include Five Deleted & Extended Scenes Including Alternate Ending and Dark Side of AI.

AFRAID is a look at how quickly A.I. can permeate family life in a larger sense. We use computers, phones, social media, websites etc. but AIA shows that in a snap how it can be used in the worst way. Cho brings the naysaying to it all but finds himself a bit pulled in by it until it starts to make him suspicious.

AIA actually becomes a bit of a star in this film solving problems and becoming best friends with the wife solving her issues, bff to the daughter solving her teen issues yet with the sons, the A.I. takes on a different look and feel. The film falls into the “beware of A.I.” that seems to permeate films right now and truthfully, I’m a bit on their side. Although, I have to also say I do like having Alexa around when I have weird questions I’m too lazy to look up myself so there’s that.

That being said, watch the film and discover which side you are on.

In the end – be careful what you let in!

 

 

Sony and Netflix Bring us the Story of Friendship with WISH DRAGON

 

Jeri Jacquin

Currently on Netflix from Sony Pictures Animation, writer/director Chris Appelhans and Jackie Chan comes the heartwarming story of friendship and understanding with WISH DRAGON.

Din (voiced by Jimmy Wong) and Lina (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) discover in elementary school that they have so much in common. From their love of mischief comes a friendship so deep that when Lina moves away with her father, it is a sad day for Din. As the city grows around him, Din still finds a bit of trouble missing school and keeping up with his delivery job.

Making a delivery, he is given a teapot for no reason at all but is told all the answers he needs is with the teapot. There is someone who is equally interested in the teapot and that’s the slightly villainous looking Mr. Wong (Will Yun Lee) who will stop at nothing to get his hands on it.  

After a chastising from Mom (Constance Wu) about his schoolwork, Din is more interested in who he is excited to see. The teapot has other plans when it opens up and he meets Long (John Cho), a dragon who let him know that he gets three wishes. After trying to get to know one another, Din lets Long the Dragon know he wants to see his friend Lina again.

That can be kind of difficult as Lina is now living a big life. Din crashes her birthday party only to discover that the change from childhood to adulthood can be painful. Trying to explain things to Long is difficult but the very colorful dragon has another take on how humans behave and there is a very good reason for it. It is time for each of their stories to be told and friendship to find them once again and not just the two-legged friendships!

All that glitters is not gold.

Wong as Din is a young man who has hung onto his childhood memory and the belief that one day he will see Nina again. When Long enters his life, things become more complicated than Din could ever have imagined. Wong gives his character a wonderful sense of life, love, friendship, loyalty and a bit of comedy thanks to his dragon friend.

Bordizzo as Nina is as mischievous as Din when they are children. As the years go by, Nina’s father is part of the business world, and it affects her life in ways she could not have imagined. Bordizzo gives her character such a lovely and fun aspect but also a sense of responsibility that keeps her away from the people she truly wants to be with.

Wu as Mom only wants the best for her son and works hard to make sure he is taken care of. There is a sense of community and family that are there with her and it is something that Nina gets to experience.

Other cast include Bobby Lee as Tall Goon, Jimmy O. Yang as Small Goon, Ian Chem as Young Din, Alyssa Abiera as Young Lina, and Gabriel Lee as Wen.

Sony Pictures Animation produces a variety of animated entertainment for audiences around the world. The visually groundbreaking and critically acclaimed SPIDER-MAN: Into the Spider-Verse is the studio’s latest release, and the winner of the 2019 Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. Other amazing films include THE SMURFS, CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS and HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA. For more of what they have to offer please visit www.sonypicturesanimation.com.

WISH DRAGON is a colorful, beautiful, loving story of friendships and loyalty surrounded by community. It is also the story of Din and Lina and, with a little push of faith, remembering what is important in life once you tear down the materialistic things that become traps.

There is also the story of Long and his journey of being a dragon which is equally important. Watching Long experience the modern world is entertaining to be sure, but it is also rediscovering his connection with people that is sweet, caring and sometimes very funny.

The animation is stunning and brilliant which lends to the enjoyment of the film in so many ways. So, gather the family and prepare to make a few wishes of your own when the WISH DRAGON comes into your home for a visit.

In the end – three magical wishes and one life changing adventure!