Film Review: “Sonic the Hedgehog 2”

The colorful SEGA spiny mammals are back and fully charged!

If there’s one thing the live-action Sonic the Hedgehog films have shown, it’s that Jim Carrey is sorely missed as a regular on-screen presence. His performance in 2020’s Sonic the Hedgehog was, not so arguably, the best part of the film and without it the film would’ve been easily dismissed. The sequel, coming out only two years after the first, is a rare instance of more-is-better working for a franchise. Carrey remains the main draw, and he once again delivers the manic goods. Two new colorful iconic characters from the SEGA game’s universe, Tails and Knuckles, are fun additions. Unsurprisingly, the addition of extended plotlines surrounding minor side characters isn’t as fun. Like a broken record, I’ll once again say that movies are too long these days. Sonic 2 is twenty minutes too long (23 minutes longer than the first movie). Despite some extraneous tangents, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 doubles down on the jokes, the action, and the energy.

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Film Review: “Sparkle”

Jordin Sparks and Whitney Houston in SPARKLE

starring: Jordin Sparks, Carmen Ejogo, Tika Sumpter, Whitney Houston, Mike Epps, Derek Luke, Omari Hardwick

written by: Mara Brock Akil

directed by: Salim Akil

MPAA: Rated PG-13 for mature thematic content involving domestic abuse and drug material, and for some violence, language and smoking

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