“The Nun II”

(Horror/Thriller: 1 hour, 50 minutes)

Starring: Taissa Farmiga, Storm Reid, Jonas Bloquet and Bonnie Aarons

Director: Michael Chaves

Rated: R (Violent content and terror)

Movie Review:

A sequel to 2018’s “The Nun,” this series lost its edge once the nun became an evil explained. The absence of the mystery removed the attached fear this character created when experienced in “The Conjuring 2” (2016).

This one is interesting but feels akin to a been-there-done-that horror.

When the Demon Nun (Aarons) returns, Catholic officials send Sister Irene (Farmiga) to track down the malevolent being. The demon wants something specific and travels across multiple towns to get it. Sister Irene with the help of a fellow nun (Reid) must solve the mystery surrounding this demon.

The cast is interesting. Taissa Farmiga is as intriguing to watch in movies as her older sister Vera Farmiga, who plays Lorraine Warren in “The Conjuring” franchise. She and others fit the era in which their characters exist. The performances are better than this clichéd narrative. “The Nun II” has more freights than its prequel. However, that improvement is not an indication it is a good movie. This movie suffers from a lack of originality.

Grade: C (‘Nun’thing new.)

“My Big Fat Greek

Wedding 3”

(Comedy: 1 hour, 32 minutes)

Starring: Nia Vardalos, John Corbett and Louis Mandylor

Director: Nia Vardalos

Rated: PG-13 (Suggestive material and nudity)

Movie Review:

This comedy is the second sequel to “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” (Director Joel Zwick, 2002).

The movie is similar to the first two. The characters offer the same comical bits, but the antics are less funny this outing. The Greek stereotypes become repetitive generalizations at this point.

Fotoula “Toula” Portokalos (Vardalos), her husband Ian Miller (Corbett) and several other relatives travel to Greece for a village reunion. Toula plans to give her deceased father’s notebook to his childhood friends. Her attempts to locate the men prove challenging. However, other surprises are in store for The Portokalos Family.

These characters are endearing as nostalgic gems from the previous prequels, but their antics remain the same comedy. The jokes fall flat often or are unnecessarily recycled quips.

Even more, the story is weak. It includes segments that dissuade one from enjoying these characters as much as one may have in the earlier movies.

Grade: C (A slimmed-down Greek wedding, it is.)