Review of Jem and the Holograms (2015) by Gabriela R — 23 Oct 2015

Jem is back! It was about time! I grew up with the show and its music and I was cautiously optimistic when I went to see movie. The spirit of the original is fortunately there. I recognized my girls, I smiled, I cringed at some terrible plot choices, but I cried in the end. Yes, I did. And I'll die if they don't make a sequel.

I hate today's pop and I was surprised I liked all the songs and I really loved a couple. I love the fact that Aubrey Peeples (Jem/Jerrica) sang and played live the YouTube song. You can hear the studio version in the soundtrack. I wish she had a real secret identity and I wish Synergy had some more magic to it. But I hope we'll see more in a sequel.

At first I didn't like that Eric became Erica. But Juliette Lewis is perfect. Now I can't picture a man conveying that character any better.

Using the YouTube videos as a Greek chorus was really cool. But no other reviewer seemed to appreciate it. Far from distracting, I found them cool, original. A brave, interesting choice. One of those things you'll read in film-making essays, some day.

And what can I say about Kesha as Pizzazz and the Misfits? That scene only is worth the ticket price. Why keep it a secret? That will remain a mystery to me. Worst marketing ever.

Whether you're a fan of the cartoon or not, this is a very nice movie for young girls (and maybe some open-minded boys). It's not a movie for critics, so don't let the bad reviews influence you. I know a few Jem fans who were strongly against this movie but they ended up enjoying it.

A few questions remain. Ryan Landels, I'm talking to you. I'll still reward the effort and the courage to bring this brand back to life with 4 stars. I hope the film does well and grants us a better sequel. With a different writer and a different marketing supervisor, please.

Edit: my daughter asked me to add an extra star. She was like,.

Mommy, can we watch it again, pleeeease?

Maybe on DVD. Or maybe next weekend.