Latest news with #Terminator2:JudgmentDay
Tom's Guide
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
‘M3GAN 2.0' takes the killer robot doll in a ridiculous new direction — and it mostly works
The original 'M3GAN' succeeded in part thanks to its simple, straightforward premise: Robot doll turns murderous. There's nothing simple or straightforward about the new sequel 'M3GAN 2.0' (in theaters Friday), which is both a strength and a liability for writer-director Gerard Johnstone's film. It's impossible to say that 'M3GAN 2.0' is just a repeat of its predecessor, which is a trap that too many horror sequels fall into. But by shifting so sharply away from small-scale horror into what is essentially a superhero action movie, 'M3GAN 2.0' loses a bit of what made the first film so appealing. Still, I'll take an ambitious mess over a boring retread, and even at its messiest, 'M3GAN 2.0' is lively and fun, full of the same snarky humor and gleeful nastiness as the original. The first movie rose to popularity on a wave of memes, and there are times when 'M3GAN 2.0' is clearly trying to engineer new meme-able moments. It's tough to recapture that same kind of viral attention, but even if 'M3GAN 2.0' doesn't equal the first movie's quotable charms, it has plenty of memorably outrageous bits. The biggest change between the 'M3GAN' movies is that M3GAN herself is now more or less on the side of the good guys. Originally designed as an android companion for young orphan Cady (Violet McGraw), M3GAN (played onscreen by Amie Donald and voiced by Jenna Davis) went rogue in the first movie, taking her mandate of protecting Cady way too far by murdering anyone she perceived as detrimental to the child's happiness. There's now a much more dangerous threat in the form of Amelia (Ivanna Sakhno), a military-grade android who's disobeyed her programming and seems intent on staging a robot uprising. Of course, M3GAN wasn't actually destroyed at the end of the first movie, and her electronic consciousness lives on, keeping tabs on Cady and Gemma (Allison Williams), Cady's engineer aunt and M3GAN's designer. When government agents break into Gemma and Cady's house demanding information about Amelia, who was built using M3GAN's initial designs, M3GAN reveals herself and offers to help track down her megalomaniacal counterpart. The most obvious touchstone for this transition is James Cameron's 'Terminator 2: Judgment Day,' which refashioned Arnold Schwarzenegger's killer cyborg into an ally for potential human savior John Connor (Edward Furlong) and his mother Sarah (Linda Hamilton). M3GAN even ends up with an inhibitor that prevents her from killing humans, just like the order that John gives to the T-800 in 'Terminator 2.' But there's also a long history of superhero stories about wary team-ups between heroes and villains in order to take on bigger enemies, putting M3GAN alongside characters like Magneto and Loki. Like those characters, she retains her devious edge even as she agrees to a truce with Gemma and semi-apologizes for her past behavior. In that way, 'M3GAN 2.0' gets to revel in M3GAN's violent actions and snarky asides while making her into a more palatable — and even nuanced — protagonist. It takes nearly an hour of the overlong two-hour movie before M3GAN is once again fully functional, though. There's way too much set-up to get to that point, involving Gemma's new role as an activist for responsible technology, working with her smarmy boyfriend Christian (Aristotle Athari), plus Gemma's tech start-up with returning colleagues Cole (Brian Jordan Alvarez) and Tess (Jen Van Epps). Jemaine Clement has an amusing supporting role as a grandiose tech mogul who wants Gemma to work with him, but he mostly serves as a red herring, disappearing from the movie far too early. By the time M3GAN convinces Gemma to build her a new, stronger, taller body, the world is already on the verge of an AI apocalypse, and 'M3GAN 2.0' has practically turned into a 'Mission: Impossible' movie. There are multiple sub-missions within the main mission, leading to lengthy villain monologues and somewhat obvious plot twists. There are also some well-staged action sequences, including a battle between M3GAN and Amelia at a tech conference in a neon-lit corridor that looks like something out of 'Tron.' There's some genuine character development for Gemma, Cady and M3GAN, with strong performances (including Donald and Davis working well in tandem). It gets excessive and tiresome after a while, especially in the drawn-out climax involving multiple reversals. 'M3GAN 2.0' doesn't resemble a horror movie at all, but it's not like the original 'M3GAN' was all that scary. By expanding the character's world, Johnstone and co-writer Akela Cooper set the stage for future installments, making M3GAN into a high-profile vigilante who could take on any future nemesis. The message about technology and AI is hopelessly muddled by the end, but the message about M3GAN herself remains clear: She's fierce and formidable, and she isn't going anywhere.
San Francisco Chronicle
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
Review: ‘M3gan 2.0' is clever about AI, but its tired plot wastes a smart premise
The least that can be said for 'M3GAN 2.0' is that it concerns itself with real things. Though it's more or less a comedy — as well as a cyber thriller and an action film — it's grounded in something serious: the threat posed by artificial intelligence. The movie doesn't sugarcoat the situation. It stipulates that every technological advance since the beginning of time has been used for military purposes and then postulates what would happen when AI gets more advanced and more weaponized. It also reminds us, in vivid terms, of what we already know — that we, as a species, are 'catastrophically unprepared' for this and that capitalism won't save us. Indeed, this time the profit motive may be leading all of us off the proverbial cliff. Further, almost in passing, it shows some of the dangerous seductions of AI such as a disabled man who can suddenly walk or a tech billionaire who becomes more productive thanks to a chip in his brain. Ever since the industrial revolution, every generation has needlessly worried that, in the future, technology will fundamentally change what it means to be human. But it's hard not to see how that concern will be proved valid, once people start lining up to become cyborgs. So all this is to say that 'M3GAN 2.0' is too smart and on target to be dismissed, and it's even more worthy of respect because it offers no obvious solution. It imagines a very-near future in which all the choices will be bad. (It would be interesting to see how this film is regarded in 50 years, assuming the AI overlords allow people to see it.) But as a movie? As a work of entertainment? Eh, it's OK. It has a good opening, and then falls off. It never completely falls apart, but it's a close call. Think 'Terminator 2: Judgment Day' meets the 'Venom' series. In the first film, 'M3GAN,' the eponymous AI doll was the menace. But this time, as in the second 'Terminator,' the former villain is now fighting on the side of humanity. The current threat is Amelia (Ivanna Sakhno), an advanced AI machine that was developed by the U.S. military. Amelia has gone rogue, and her goal is to find her way to a motherlode of AI knowledge. Once she gets plugged into that, she will have the ability to destroy the world. Have you already guessed where this is going? You have a rampaging, humanoid evil AI entity, and nothing can stop it, except for — maybe, if we're lucky — another rampaging, humanoid AI entity, working for the side of good. This is essentially the story of 'Venom: Let There Be Carnage' and about a dozen other superhero movies, with a climax involving two non-human entities battling it out for the future of the universe. It's ironic that a movie so adventurous in its thinking should prove so imitative and pedestrian in its plotting, but that's what we have in 'M3GAN 2.0.' Still, it has the benefit of being funny, although it gradually loses most of its humor in the second half. There are sight gags, wisecracks and unexpected pop culture allusions. (A reference to the Kate Bush song, 'This Woman's Work,' is particularly funny.) It's a weird combination. 'M3GAN 2.0' leaves you bored, but also leaves you thinking.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Residents, business owners bring mural concerns to Wilkes-Barre City Council
Jun. 13—WILKES-BARRE — City council heard public comments on Thursday night regarding a controversial mural at 93 Blackman Street, which has caused a stir amongst some residents and business owners in the city's Rolling Mill Hill section. The mural depicts scenes and imagery from the "Terminator" film franchise, including a famous scene from "Terminator 2: Judgment Day." In the film and the mural, the villainous T-1000 wears a uniform that is reminiscent of a typical police uniform. Linda Joseph, president of the Rolling Mill Hill Residents' Association, spoke about the positive progress that has been made in that section of Wilkes-Barre and offered an alternative mural concept that would have found her approval. "The paintings — or, as many say, graffiti — recently put on the building at Blackman and Arch streets, definitely isn't what we, as homeowners, want to be the impression of our neighborhood of Rolling Mill Hill," Joseph said. "Personally, I would have loved to have seen a mural there that enhanced the look of the neighborhood and told a story that would show the pride of the area, not just Rolling Mill Hill, but so much history that our city represents." Joseph gave council members a copy of the City of Pittston's stricter mural ordinance policy in the hopes that something similar could be enacted in Wilkes-Barre. Laura Mudlock, funeral director and owner of Mamary-Durkin Funeral Home, offered many of the thoughts she previously gave to the Times Leader, and appealed to a spiritual drive to improve the neighborhood's image. "Let's do something that's going to edify our neighborhood, and not be violent, and not promote violence amongst our children," Mudlock said. The artists were not represented at Thursday's meeting. However, council Chairman Tony Brooks said he received an email from the artists and suggested that a dialogue be set up between them and the Rolling Mill Hill residents. Near the end of the council meeting, former Wilkes-Barre Police Chief and Councilman Bill Barrett called for an ordinance to be drafted based on the Pittston ordinance. "I'm personally offended by what I see there also, especially that drawing of the police officer with the bullet holes," Barrett said, referring to the depiction of the T-1000 character in the mural. He continued: "If we can do something with that ordinance and have something drafted up that we can possibly use, that would be great." Additional items Council authorized the following agenda items: —Authorized Mayor Brown — who was absent from Thursday's meeting — to take any and all necessary actions related to retaining a finance package not to exceed $600,000, under the terms available to fund the emergency repairs recommended to restore the integrity of the line and avoid any necessity of repeated repairs at the 60" culvert located in an area off of Conyngham Avenue. —Authorized the administration to take any and all necessary actions related to entering a five-year lease/purchase agreement with Community Leasing Partners for a total of $384,815 with an annual payment of $89,231.76 for five new police vehicles. An additional five vehicles will be purchased through the LSA Grant. —Authorized the proper city officials to take any and all necessary actions related to the following purchases from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's Cooperative Purchasing Program; 14 Panasonic Toughbook FZ-55 from Baycom for a purchase price of $52,402; and 14 Havis DS-PAN-432 Docking Stations (installed) from 10-8 Emergency Vehicle Service for a purchase price of $16,553.04, —Authorized the proper city officials to purchase ArcGIS Velocity program to utilize real-time data integration to enhance public health preparedness and emergency management and to purchase Velocity, an automated program to integrate GPS data for public health advisories and communications in the amount of $52,530 from Environmental Systems Research Institute. The purchase will be funded by a Public Health Emergency Preparedness Grant. Featured Local Savings Featured Local Savings
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Yahoo
Mural mayhem: Business owners, artists clash over graffiti-style artwork in Wilkes-Barre
Jun. 11—WILKES-BARRE — Business owners in the Rolling Mill Hill section of the city are upset by a mural at 93 Blackman St. depicting scenes and imagery from the "Terminator" film franchise. Meanwhile, a representative for the artists who painted the mural is firing back, defending their freedom of expression in the face of criticism. The building — and, in turn, the mural — is on the corner of Blackman and Arch streets. Much of the stir on social media and among the business owners surrounds the painted image of the villainous T-1000 filled with bullet holes on the building's Blackman Street side. The image depicts a famous scene from "Terminator 2: Judgment Day." In the film and the mural, the T-1000 wears a uniform that is reminiscent of a typical police uniform. Laura Mudlock, funeral director and owner of Mamary-Durkin Funeral Home, was shocked when she saw the mural first being painted. She compared the finished product to something one might see in "the ghetto" or in the "not nice sections of New York." "I do appreciate the talent of that artwork," Mudlock conceded, before adding, "It obviously is not something that I would choose to represent this area — this neighborhood. I see it as violent." Mixed interpretations The "ghetto" descriptor was also used by Amanda Crich, owner of neighboring business Crich Realty. She was critical of the piece in general, referring to it as an "eyesore," and questioned its artistic merit. "I can't even say that I could appreciate the kind of work because it doesn't look like a finished job," Crich said. Mudlock referenced her connections to local law enforcement as the reason for her disappointment in the mural's images. In addition, Mudlock said that the children of the area — and even some adults — might not understand the "Terminator" imagery, and may therefore interpret the mural as something unrelated to the movie. Crich agreed, and said that others might use the graffiti-style mural as ill-conceived inspiration for other local buildings to be painted, but without the owner's consent. According to Marie Cecile Flageul in a letter written on behalf of the more than a dozen artists who worked on the mural, the "Terminator" theme was approved by the owner of 93 Blackman Street in advance. The owner, according to Luzerne County's GIS mapping tool, is KBA Realty. The phone number on the building's exterior is no longer in service. Amy Basham, a teacher of 30 years and real estate agent at Crich Realty, concurred that the mural is ripe for misinterpretation and said that the failure to commission a local artist or student to paint the mural was a missed opportunity. Furthermore, Basham is concerned that prospective property buyers might find the area less attractive because of the mural's style. "[Businesses are] taking a look at — sometimes it's just a snapshot — and if they see anything like that [mural as] their first impression, that's it," said Basham. "You lose their interest, because they see graffiti. They don't see art. They see graffiti, and graffiti is an artwork. I'm not taking that away from it, but there are people — investors — they see an area like that, that particular corner, and they're walking away." Crich said that the mural's imagery can also send the wrong messages to those looking to buy property in the nearby area, and that it is hard for a potential buyer to change their first impression of a building based on its exterior. "For a family that's moving into a new home and a new neighborhood, that's not having their children look up to the right things," Crich said of the mural. "It's bringing violence. It's showing them that violence is okay." Responding to the city Though Wilkes-Barre Mayor George Brown stated to WBRE/ WYOU, the Times Leader's media partner, that the city cannot mandate the mural's removal, Crich suggested that the exact placement within the city's borders is a factor in the mayor's decision-making. "If this was Downtown Wilkes-Barre, [Mayor Brown] would make sure something was done about it," Crich asserted. Though the mural is located just blocks away from the Hanover Township border, Brown was just in saying that the city could not mandate the mural's creation or current form. Flageul said in her letter that the building is not located in a historic district and is not a landmarked structure, meaning that the building owner's approval was all that was needed. In response, Mudlock suggested that Wilkes-Barre could enact stricter mural ordinances, which she said should be aligned to those enacted in her hometown of Pittston. Mudlock said she will bring the specifics of Pittston's mural ordinances to the attention of Wilkes-Barre's city council at its meeting on Thursday night. As far as the creative elements of local murals are concerned, Mudlock and Crich pointed to pieces in the area that explore and incorporate local history. By contrast, not even the building owner who commissioned the mural is a local, according to Mudlock. "The owner lives in New York, so it's not like he even looks at it," said Mudlock. "They left; we have to look at it." "Yeah, they don't care," Crich added. Letter on behalf of the artists In her letter on behalf of the mural's artists, Flageul claimed that the artists were the subject of "hostile verbal attacks" from the public, including "expletives and dismissive remarks." Flageul additionally took issue with comments made by business owners to the local media, including those made by Mudlock to WBRE/WYOU, in which she stated, "I feel like I live in the ghetto." "These are not only unfounded interpretations but also border on profiling and classist overreach," Flageul said in her letter. Basham denied the notion of the business owners' criticisms being "classist," though she understands the social dynamics in this case are complicated. "I'm a white female, and I have that privilege. But I'm also a white female who has had a life that has exposed me to all manner of different types of people. So I would have a conversation with that person," said Basham, referring to Flageul. Near the end of her letter, Flageul said she would be willing to travel to a future city council meeting to testify on behalf of the artists. "Despite the controversy, many community members have expressed gratitude and enthusiasm for the mural," Flageul wrote. "Others may disagree with its style or message, but that diversity of opinion is precisely what art exists to provoke — ideally through respectful dialogue." Featured Local Savings Featured Local Savings
India.com
05-06-2025
- Politics
- India.com
Indian Defence Planners, Take Note! Ukraine Now Using Rifle-Wielding Robots To Battle Russia
New Delhi: While most armies are still figuring out how to use drones effectively, Ukraine has already moved to the next frontier – remote-controlled ground robots that carry rifles, hurl grenades and take the fight to Russian trenches without risking a single soldier's life. In what sounds straight out of a sci-fi thriller, Ukrainian soldiers are now deploying weaponised robots in combat zones to take on Russian forces head-on. These are not the humanoid machines of Hollywood dreams, but something far more practical and real. Mounted on wheels or tracks, some look like tripods with guns, while others are miniature tanks with automated grenade launchers strapped to their backs. Oleksandr Yabchanka, the head of robotic systems for Ukraine's Da Vinci Wolves Battalion, called the tech a 'game changer' for soldiers in the field. Business Insider has quoted him as saying that even the bravest infantry cannot keep firing under intense shelling but these robots can. Indian defence planners, take note. While India debates the use of quadcopters and kamikaze drones, Ukraine has leapt ahead – fielding an evolving arsenal of ground-based killer bots. And they are not prototypes sitting in hangars, these machines are being tested, refined and modified live on the battlefield. Yabchanka draws a wild comparison that makes the tech sound even more insane. He likens Ukraine's grenade-launching bots to the iconic weapon wielded by Arnold Schwarzenegger in Terminator 2: Judgment Day, saying, 'They are somewhat similar, but slightly better.' One such killer bot is the Burya – a remote grenade-launching turret that can be mounted on a tripod or a small vehicle. Another recent addition is the D-21-12R, an indigenous robotic beast equipped with a US-made Browning .50 caliber machine gun. Approved in April by Ukraine's defence ministry, this machine could give nightmares to any enemy squad. But there is a catch. These war machines still face technical limitations. Russian jamming and direct hits can knock them offline – turning them into nothing more than expensive scrap metal. That is one reason why they have not so far been deployed in large numbers, though their battlefield effectiveness continues to improve. Lessons for India Ukraine's wartime innovation lab is like no other. Companies from Ukraine, Estonia and beyond are in a technological race to outsmart Russian forces. Estonian firm Milrem Robotics, for instance, has already supplied its THeMIS Unmanned Ground Vehicles to Ukraine. These rugged bots can haul supplies or launch attacks where human soldiers cannot go. Back home, this is a wake-up call. With India facing regular border stand-offs, especially with Pakistan and China, and gearing up for future conflicts in extreme terrains, why are not ground robots part of the military doctrine yet? Ukraine's battlefield data, gathered in real-time, proves that these robots are not sci-fi, they are survival tech. Yabchanka, who regularly liaises with developers from the frontlines, says the feedback loop between soldiers and engineers has become a major strength for Ukraine. 'What was relevant six months ago is already outdated,' he told the publication, stressing that Europe and the West must co-develop with Ukraine. As Ukraine continues to weaponise AI and automation, the question is no longer if but when countries like India will follow suit. Will Indian troops someday be supported by robotic gun crews on the icy heights of Ladakh or the dense jungles of the Northeast? If the Ukraine war is any indication, the next battle will not only be fought with muscle but with machines as well. And they have already started pulling the trigger.
