Bone Lake

Movie Name: Bone Lake
Year of Release: 2024
Director: Mercedes Bryce Morgan
Starring: Marco Pigossi, Maddie Hasson, Andra Nechita, Alex Roe, Clayton Spencer, Eliane Reis
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 1
Watch it on Netflix

Synopsis and Review

Admittedly I went into this film knowing nothing from its director, writer, and performers. As it turns out, the poster may be the best thing about it. The film follows the story of a couple, comprised of Diego and Sage, who rented a nice place for a weekend. They want some time away from professional responsibilities, as Diego has decided to put his teaching career on hold to write a book he thinks will put him on the map, while Sage supports them both with her current job. Upon arrival they're delighted to witness the stunning locale and house, however their joy is cut abruptly when another couple appears, and claims to also have booked the place for the weekend. They all go back and forth, and eventually settle on sharing the place, before the latest arrivals leave to go to a nearby hotel. This new couple, comprised of Will and Cin, start wanting to know more about Diego and Sage's relationship, seizing any opportunity they have with each of them alone to spread some information they think will spark some friction. Things escalate when Will steals Diego's engagement ring that he intended to propose to Sage during the weekend, and does so to propose to Cin. That spurs an acrimonious discussion, and Diego and Sage start realizing there's more to these two than what they originally thought.

There are films and situations in life that are a head scratcher. I once witnessed a driver climb a curb with her car, rotate it in mid-air, and land on all the cars of my co-workers who were parked in front of the office building where we all were. "Bone Lake", while not at that level of perplexity, comes across as an amateurish attempt to create a "Dangerous Liaisons" of sort, with some erotic touches, but none of the sophistication, elegance, intelligence, or for that matter, good acting that has been associated with any of the adaptations that literary piece has had. By the time the plot is clarified, which doesn't take long to be illustrated, the interest has waned, and whatever gore/violent moments that happen soon after (on the final chapter of the film), are a shoddy attempt at retaining the attention of the audience, and even those are not entirely well crafted. It's a film that tries to live in a similar space as "Ready or Not", namely emphasizing the aspect of privileged people who are dysfunctional, however unlike that feature Mercedes Bryce Morgan just piles on interminable clichés, including the aspiring writer, the partner who's not totally convinced of this new direction in life, the dashing and seductive couple who is meant to seduce them, the list goes on. Ultimately this film only knows one tone, and it's one that is repetitive, and not very alluring. The cast, with Marco Pigossi aside, simply doesn't have the skills to tackle what these characters are aiming to supposedly be, and eventually the film implodes on both the implausibility of the situations, and the lack of credibility and verisimilitude of the performances. The production team is fairly solid, though the cinematography from Nick Matthews is flat, particularly during the day sequences. It's one of the least successful films I've seen in a few years, failing as a thriller, horror film, or whatever genre aspirations it's aiming for. It's sole score point goes for Marco Pigossi and what he is able to do with the character he has. Avoid.

Evil Dead Burn

Movie Name: Evil Dead Burn
Year of Release: 2026
Director: Sébastien Vanicek
Starring: Souheila Yacoub, Tandi Wright, Hunter Doohan, Luciane Buchanan, Erroll Shand, Maude Davey, George Pullar, Greta van den Brink, Keanu Karim, Victory Ndukwe
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 4
Watch it on HBO Max

Synopsis and Review

The "Evil Dead" series is alive and well, no matter what the title suggests. After the installment written and directed by Lee Cronin, "Evil Dead Rise", which was met with critical and commercial success, this follow up from Sebastien Vanicek, though less successful, demonstrates that Sam Raimi's original IP still holds people's attention. The film follows the story of Alice, a young French woman who is stuck in an abusive marriage. Will, whom she fell in love with and married not that long ago, accuses her of everything and berates her for every action she takes. Following a heated argument outside a club/restaurant they both own and run, Will takes off. Driving at high speed, he hits a woman possessed by one of the demons from the Necronomicon. While he dies, he's also possessed by the demon. During the cremation of Will's remains, Alice reunites with his family, including his younger brother Joseph, his girlfriend Thya, Will's parents, Susan and Edgar, and his grandmother, Polly. Before the cremation takes place, Edgar asks for some time alone with the coffin so he can say goodbye to this son, but the demon kills the crematorium attendant, and Edgar is also possessed. As they all go back home, the events sparked by the possession(s) increase, as do the brutal killings of the family members in the process. 

There's something to be said about Sam Raimi's ability to construct gruesome and horrific horror tales that are also peppered with enough humor, tales that manage to counter balance the bloody and sinister, with moments of levity. His ability as it turns out is quite unique, since "Evil Dead Burn" and co-writer/director Sébastien Vanicek, tilt the direction of the feature more heavily into the gruesome, than focusing on character development or even offering some episodes of humor. The film is grim from the go, with a stylistic approach that focuses on a desaturated color palette, which not only makes the sets very unflattering, but also gives the film a low budget, Eastern-European look to it, which isn't necessarily a great compliment. The characters of this film are bare bones (well at least while they still have them): the father is a cypher, the mother seems a glacial, self restrained individual, whereas the younger brother lacks spine and initiative. Both Thya and Alice, the outsider members of this family, end up being direct victims of the male members of this family's inability to be full grown adults with a shred of emotional maturity. One is an abuser, the younger one doesn't stand up for his girlfriend, and the father is emotionally withdrawn. The creative team on this film seems to have focused all its attention on the buildup of the gruesomeness of the killings and torture that occur during the entire duration of the film. And those elements are plentiful and well orchestrated/choreographed, however at some point that seems to be the only thing really happening in the film. Whereas Lee Cronin's "Evil Dead Rise" gave enough attention to the members of the family that were being afflicted, leveraging the darkness of the building, bringing the neighbors into the fold, and creating a menacing/claustrophobic all-around environment, Sébastien Vanicek and his approach to the material focuses on a style that is gratuitously gruesome, where subtlety is simply a word on the dictionary, and where none of his characters matter. It's a bit of a letdown from the prior film, and definitely a chapter that doesn't bring Sam Raimi's series stamp to the foreground. The cast doesn't have much to do, since their characters are flat, though Hunter Doohan is a highlight, since he does manage to embody Joseph's feeble and cowardly stance quite accurately. The production team is underwhelming, though the production design from Nick Connor and Arnaud Bouniort, particularly the set design has some great details. It's a minor chapter in a series that has seen some truly interesting features. 

Carrie

TV Show Name: Carrie
Year of Release: 2026
Created by: Mike Flanagan

Director: Mike Flanagan, Kyra Sedgwick, Kate Siegel, Hiromi Kamata

Stars: Summer H. Howell, Samantha Sloyan, Siena Agudong, Alison Thornton, Matthew Lillard, Tim Bagley, Amber Midthunder, Rahul Kohli, Heather Graham, Joel Oulette, Arthur Conti, Thalia Dudek, Michael Trucco, Tahmoh Penikett, Mapuana Makia, Josie Totah, Rowan Danielle, Katee Sackhoff, Kate Siegel, Naika Toussaint

Genre: Drama, Horror

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 8
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis:

Writer/Producer/Director Mike Flanagan has started his partnership with Amazon tackling the adaptation of one of Stephen King's most emblematic titles. His constant engagement with Stephen King's literary output has produced some thoughtful and entertaining adaptations, including "Gerald's Game", "Doctor Sleep", and "The Life of Chuck". Much like the iconic and towering take on the book that Brian De Palma brought to life in the 1970s, the show follows the story of young Carrie White. Her life changes abruptly when her father suffers a lethal accident at work, forcing the intervention of the state, who is suddenly interested in how her education has been handled. A social worker assigned to her family forcibly moves Carrie into a regular high school, while her mom has to find a job, and provide proof of a consistent income which will allow for their family unit to remain intact. At the same time these life altering events are taking place with Carrie, other young women in the same town are going through their own challenges, including Sue Snell, a consistent achiever who balances sports with academic prowess, who is anxious about her next steps, namely which university has accepted her application. Sue's best friend, Chris Hargensen is witnessing her life disintegrate before her eyes. She's also waiting for feedback from the colleges she's applied to, but her parents have split up, her father is in deep financial problems, and she feels alone and abandoned. Carrie's appearance in class, is like a jolt in the life of many of her classmates. Unlike them, Carrie doesn't have social media, hasn't relied on the internet, and is an avid reader. She's also honest, kind, and devoid of malice. As she tries to fit in and becomes acquainted with the social dynamics of school, her mother is having to deal with a job she doesn't like, and ultimately doesn't fit with. But she's cunning and starts architecting the downfall of her manager. Carrie's life takes a dramatic turn following a physical education class. She's unaware of changes in her body, and as those manifest, the other girls react in a way that traumatizes Carrie, but also lead to a series of dramatic and questionable decisions from many of them.

Of all the adaptations Mr. Flanagan has tackled from Stephen King's books, this may well be the most successful one. Having personally reread the book fairly recently, I have to give kudos to Mr. Flanagan for smartly keeping much of the spirit and events that are described in the book intact, but also by his insightful vision of bringing those same events to this current decade. What does that mean? He interjects the narrative with the domineering presence of social media, how that channel both consumes and pressures young people's lives in ways that parents and teachers are unaware. The more supernatural aspects of the book are still there and are retained, but in a way that ties them with the history of women finding their own voice throughout history, and how that has been very much a trajectory of fear, silence, and violence. The show is richly layered, with characters that finally have enough room for growth, including the young women who surround Carrie, but also Mrs. White herself, who in different versions of prior adaptations has been somewhat bluntly presented as a born-again Christian, but who here gets to have a much richer inner and outer life. Mr. Flanagan smartly creates enough and provides enough character development for this universe of characters without losing sight of the narrative that he's setting in motion. The cast is uniformly solid, with highlights going for Summer H. Howell, Samantha Sloyan (a usual collaborator of Mr. Flanagan), Matthew Lillard, Tim Bagley, Michael Trucco, Alison Thornton, all of which are superb. The production team is impeccable as well, including the Newton Brothers' score, the cinematography from Michael Fimognari, Maria Rusche, and Michael Wale, and the production design from Tony Wohlgemuth. I'm not typically a consumer of TV shows, but this is a solid endeavor from a very talented storyteller. 

Paralyzed by Hope: The Maria Bamford Story

Movie Name: Paralyzed by Hope: The Maria Bamford Story
Year of Release: 2026
Director: Judd Apatow, Neil Berkeley
Starring: Maria Bamford, Joel Bamford, Marilyn Bamford, Conan O'Brien, Zach Galifianakis, Stephen Colbert, Patton Oswalt, Ron Funches, Gary Gulman, Ted Sarandos, Mitchell Hurwitz, Jackie Kashian, Melinda Hill, Scott Marvel Cassidy, Sarah Bamford Seidelmann, Sarah Silverman, Tig Notaro, Kevin Krieger
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 8
Watch it on Netflix

Synopsis and Review

Judd Apatow has recently been documenting the lives of a few comedians in a series of insightful documentaries for Netflix. Maria Bamford is one of them (which he has co-directed with Neil Berkeley), but he has also one devoted to Norm McDonald and one focused on the legendary Mel Brooks. "Paralyzed by Hope: The Maria Bamford Story" is a very interesting take on this idiosyncratic comedian, whose style and voice, or I should say voices, are uniquely her own. While the recent documentaries on other comedians such as John Candy, Martin Short, Paul Reubens, are thoughtful and well deserved homages, Judd Apatow and Neil Berkeley go on a journey of attempting to understand what makes Maria Bamford so unique. For those of have not seen her show "Lady Dynamite", I highly recommend you do so, since it's a show that is quite autobiographical and that touches many of the topics that this documentary seeks to clarify. And one of those topics is mental health, an issue that has been a part of this performer's life since she was a child. This documentary is an insightful perspective on how Maria Bamford has built her unique take on comedy leveraging afflictions that have been a part of her life since she was a child. Her comedy is dominated by many of her perpetual struggles with staying afloat, constant attempts at preventing her OCD and depression of taking her on a downward spiral. The documentary captures the insights of her family, who emotionally describe her path, while her colleagues and friends, give voice on how this uniquely talented performer has managed to carve out a path for herself, despite her struggles. It's a fascinating documentary, with Judd Apatow and Neil Berkeley managing to humanize Ms. Bamford while still providing a bit of a celebratory view on how her talent has persevered with her mental health challenges notwithstanding. Worth watching. 

Mr. Mom

Movie Name: Mr. Mom
Year of Release: 1983
Director: Stan Dragoti
Starring: Michael Keaton, Teri Garr, Martin Mull, Ann Jillian, Jeffrey Tambor, Christopher Lloyd, Graham Jarvis, Carolyn Seymour, Michael Alaimo
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

Mr. Stan Dragoti did not have a very prolific directorial career. He directed 6 feature films and his last directorial endeavor came out in 1991 (Mr. Dragoti passed away in 2018). That being said, "Mr. Mom" turned out to be a considerable hit when it premiered in 1983 and cemented Michael Keaton's reputation as a leading man (on his way to his early successes such as Ron Howard's "Gung Ho" before eventually landing on Tim Burton's "Beetlejuice"). It also cemented John Hughes' career as a successful screenwriter. The film follows the story of Jack Butler, who lives with his Caroline and their three children in a suburb of Detroit. Jack, alongside his friends Larry and Stan, all lose their engineering jobs at Ford during the early 1980s recession. Out of alternatives and having a large family both Jack and Caroline suddenly realize that Caroline has more opportunities to get a new job, since she has experience in advertising and marketing. Jack has to tackle the responsibilities of being a stay-at-home dad, which he soon realizes is a bit more complicated than what he assumed. While the first weeks are a challenge, he starts adjusting, and soon feels confident in what he's doing at home. Caroline on the other hand is climbing the corporate ladder, though her boss is intent on seducing her. She scores a major campaign with a big client, and has to go to Los Angeles for a video shoot. Her boss sees that as an opening, whereas Jack has an opportunity to interview for his old job back.

What has always been so interesting about John Hughes' scripts, was his ability to create memorable dynamics between characters even if his scripts operated within cliché-type situations. "Mr. Mom" which dabbles with the change of domestic roles, which had started happening in the 1970s, is particularly interesting since it takes place during the Reagan years, which were the years where a certain machismo and individualistic power moves were happening (one can't forget the whole yuppie trend/mentality that started during that decade). The film at some point could almost play as a pilot for a sitcom, but Michael Keaton and Teri Garr exude confidence, charisma, and chemistry, which elevate the material above what could be considered tepid situations. In a way, Ron Howard would work within these confines when he tackled "Parenthood", which feels like a cousin-feature to this one. However, whereas Ron Howard's feature is about family dynamics, "Mr. Mom" is about couple dynamics, family roles, and generally speaking, making both parties in the relationship be more aware of the challenges they go through in order to make their family stay together and flourish. John Hughes, as usual, peppered the script with an array of supporting characters that are one note, but "funny" nonetheless, including Joan the flirty neighbor, Ron the pushy and brazenly sexually harassing boss, Jack's work buddies, and of course the kids themselves. The script has a way of making the events in the feature heartfelt, even if some of the situations themselves can be considered problematic, and kudos to John Hughes for always being able to redeem his characters before the situations turned quite dark. The cast is top notch, particularly Michael Keaton and Teri Garr. They get good support from Martin Mull, Jeffrey Tambor, and Christopher Lloyd. Visually the film bears a rather generic look, thought the production team is solid, including Victor J. Kemper's cinematography and Lee Holdridge's score. It's a film that bears watching, even if it feels like a lifetime ago. Its shortcomings are overcome by a great cast, and by a heartfelt script. 

The Mandalorian and Grogu

Movie Name: The Mandalorian and Grogu
Year of Release: 2026
Director: Jon Favreau
Starring: Pedro Pascal, Sigourney Weaver, Brendan Wayne, Lateef Crowder, Steve Blum, Jeremy Allen White, Jonny Coyne, Matthew Willig, Martin Scorsese, Hemky Madera, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Shirley Henderson
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5
Watch it on Disney+

Synopsis and Review

Actor, writer, producer, director Jon Favreau has been involved in the Star Wars universe since the show "The Mandalorian" premiered on Disney + in 2020. In fact one has to go all the way back to 2019 to check his latest directorial endeavor, the "live action" rendition of "The Lion King". The narrative focuses on the bounty hunter Mando, and his adopted son Grogu, who are working for the New Republic, hunting associates or warlords of the former Galactic Empire. They tackle a new mission, to locate a Commander by the name of Coin. They've gotten intel on his location by the Hutt twins, siblings of Jabba The Hutt. The twins demand that the Mandalorian brings back Rotta, Jabba's son, who is on a different planet though they know very little of what's come of him. Mando discovers Rotta is in reality a very popular gladiator in a fighting pit. That fighting pit is run by Janu, a crime-lord. Rotta doesn't want to go back, as he suspects his uncles want to kill him, and he only needs to fight once more to get his freedom. What he doesn't realize is that the fight is rigged and he has no chances of winning. Mando is forced to fight in the pit, and he does vanquish Rotta, but refuses to kill him. They're forced to fight a series of lethal monsters, which they nearly avoid, but in the process have to escape the city once those creatures evade the pit. Mando realizes that Rotta just wants to live his life, and that he knows where the Commander he was set to bring back is located. 

I have to confess I have not seen "The Mandalorian" show, and went into this film with certain reservations in terms of what I would understand from the narrative and characters. As it turns out, this film and the creative team behind it, introduce the scope of the narrative and its main characters very efficiently, setting up the main purpose for the storyline, its key characters, and the obstacles they're likely to encounter. It's a b-movie approach to the Star Wars universe, which makes this film for the most part, quite enjoyable and never dull. There's been a progressively digital and artificial look to these films and its characters since George Lucas' came out with his first prequel in 1999 ("The Phantom Menace" was released that year). Jon Favreau in that regard, doesn't stray far from the style and perspective George Lucas created: this film in particular, feels very much like an overabundant exercise in digital animation, where human characters have very little to do or even say. And that is coincidentally where the film feels very light and not particularly accomplished: there isn't much in terms of characters, both human and digital, which add substance to the narrative unfolding. The Mandalorian doesn't get a chance to demonstrate much in terms of layers, including a sense of humor, whereas the main antagonists, the villainous twins, are criminals mostly from reputation, and eventually from the treatment they impose upon Mando, but there's never an actual sense for what is these creatures control and what they stand to win (and lose) by the events that are taking place. The film does play out like a small episode that exists within a much bigger narrative (the whole Star Wars universe), however the film does fail to bring these characters some extra dimension and even create interactions that would make them more alive, and not just digital artifacts moving around. The cast tries their best with the material they have, with Sigourney Weaver clearly having the most fun with what is happening. Pedro Pascal sadly has only a few brief sequences to be visible, since for the most part he is hidden behind the helmet. The production team is impeccable, including David Klein's cinematography, Luwig Goransson's score, and Doug Chiang & Andrew L. Jones production design. The visual effects are also impeccable. It's watchable, Sigourney Weaver has a blast, and the creatures are endearing, but sadly this is a film that is also quickly forgettable.

P2

Movie Name: P2
Year of Release: 2007
Director: Franck Khalfoun
Starring: Rachel Nichols, Wes Bentley, Simon Reynolds, Philip Akin, Philip Williams, Arnold Pinnock
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 3
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

"P2" is Franck Khalfoun's feature directorial debut. He's been a close collaborator of writer/producer/director Alexandre Aja, who made a name for himself in the horror genre with "High Tension", followed by the remake of Wes Craven's "The Hills Have Eyes", and more recently the remake of Joe Dante's "Piranha". Mr. Aja is a producer on this feature, and also one of the writers of the script. The film's narrative focuses on a character by the name of Angela Bridges, a young attorney who works very long hours in a Manhattan office. She lives by herself and is single, but on this day in particular she has a place to be. It's Christmas Eve, and her sister has called her and made sure she doesn't run late for the family gathering, as Angela has missed quite a few in the past. On her way out, she realizes her car doesn't start. She eventually calls a taxi, but realizes the building is locked, and she can't get out to catch the taxi. She goes back to the garage, and as it turns out, the security person by the name of Thomas, whom she spoken with earlier, drugs her. When she regains her senses, she finds herself chained to a table. Thomas confesses that he loves her and has been watching her for quite some time. He forces her to call her family and lie about an illness to justify her tardiness and non-attendance. Thomas has a rottweiler with him, which also prevents Angela from trying to escape. Thomas takes Angela to a different parking floor, where he has one of he co-workers tied to a chair. This co-worker verbally assaulted her, and tried to do physically. Thomas witnessed it, and tortures the man, before killing him. Angela manages to escape and desperately tries to figure out what she can do to escape the hands of her obsessed captor. 

So many film makers have tried to replicated what Alfred Hitchcock did with "Rope". A tense exercise in suspense with a minuscule cast of characters. Some have been more successful than others, for instance take what David Fincher did with "Panic Room" as one of the more successful endeavors, and "P2" as one of the lesser successful ones. While "P2" presents itself as a polished B-movie, sadly and for its entire duration it never gives much insight into who these two characters are. Angela is summarized as a young woman with ambition who is overworked, and that summary seems to be all there is about her. Oh and she looks great in whatever clothes she wears (nothing like a bit of objectification to get the wheels moving). Thomas, the scoundrel/stalker lout, gets cornered into a simplification of what a stalker with no real life or motivation is all about. Apparently Angela is a target because she exists, is polite, and is an attractive young woman. The entire duration of the film doesn't provide much more insight to the characters than this, and while some brutal/violent episodes occur, the script doesn't go very far in terms of providing some intelligence/nuance for the game of cat and mouse these characters get involved in. Sadly there isn't much to say about this film, other than to say the film lasts 98 minutes, and you can feel everyone of them passing by. There's not much subtlety or irreverence to this script, not to mention much humor either, and the actors while invested, can only do so much to bring this narrative to life. Rachel Nichols is rather bland in the part (Jennifer Carpenter would probably, at the time, be a better choice), whereas Wes Bentley's trademark villainous persona is wasted in a film that doesn't make the best use of his constant ambiguous stare. The production team is adequate, meaning, the film doesn't look crass, but doesn't necessarily register as emblematic. It's a wasted opportunity, and ultimately a forgettable endeavor. 

Tron: Ares

Movie Name: Tron: Ares
Year of Release: 2025
Director: Joachim Ronning
Starring: Jared Leto, Greta Lee, Evan Peters, Gillian Anderson, Jeff Bridges, Jodie Turner-Smith, Hasan Minhaj, Arturo Castro, Cameron Monaghan, Sarah Desjardins, Aaron Paul Stewart, Roger Cross
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 3
Watch it on Disney+

Synopsis and Review

Since his Oscar nominated feature "Kon-Tiki", director Joachim Ronning has taken a different path in his career, becoming a stalwart for any franchise Disney owns and that needs a solid and resourceful task master. He has tackled the "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchise, the "Maleficent" franchise, and his most recent franchise has been "Tron" (which started with the classic from Steven Lisberger released in 1982). "Tron: Ares" focuses its narrative on a program by the name of Ares, created by Julian Dillinger, head of the organization with the name Dillinger Systems. Ares is created with the purpose of being an expendable soldier, though he begins to show signs of self awareness. Dillinger Systems and ENCOM are currently on a race to bring digital constructs to reality. While Dillinger Systems manages to bring theirs to reality for 29 minutes, Eve Kim and her associate Seth Flores from ENCOM, discover Kevin Flynn's original permanence code, which allows for digital constructs to exist for more than those 29 minutes. Ares is tasked with tracking Eve as she returns to ENCOM with the permanence code. Ares and Athena (another master program) track Eve throughout the  real city, but are unable to capture her or the code - Julian eventually digitizes Eve into the Dillinger Grid. Ares manages to save Eve in an exchange for her to grant him the permanence he so desires. However Julian tasks Athena to track both Ares and Eve, get the code, and stop at nothing to realize her mission.

Here's another film to add to the list of feature films that are conceived, shot, and released, for no reason other than the familiarity of movie audiences with this particular universe. What I mean by my previous statement is the fact that this is yet another film that begs the question: does this really needed to happen and be shot? From this mediocre output, I'll go ahead and say no. This film isn't in reality a sequel to Joseph Kosinski's "Tron: Legacy" from 2010. It operates in the same universe, and even brings back Jeff Bridges for a cameo-like participation, but it chooses to focus its attention on different programs, and on a storyline that brings AI once again to the center stage, without bringing much of the whimsicality and inventiveness of the first film, or the slick sophistication from the second film. This film looks and feels like an attempt at mimicry of the films of this franchise, bares no soul or discernible point of view, and ultimately by the end of the feature, it feels as meaningless and devoid of substance much like the digital bits and bytes that is the core of most of these characters. About the characters of this film: there isn't much to say about any of them, since they're literally cardboard clichés, from the villainous CEO who stops at nothing to get ahead in business, the emotionally bruised but conscientious benign opposing CEO, and the programs who are logical, and yet bravely venturing into the real world, some experiencing an awakening, while others remain intent on following on their directives. It's baffling witnessing a film this expensive, and with such an impeccable production team, have so little to say about technology, AI, what it means to be human, and ultimately have a storyline that is exciting and adventurous. The cast is a bit all over the place, with Gillian Anderson and Jodie Turner-Smith being the only two who escape from this debacle unblemished, they make this film watchable, and dare I say it, tolerable. Jared Leto ads nothing to this film, the same going for Greta Lee. The score from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross is fantastic, as is the cinematography from Jeff Cronenweth, with Darren Gilford's production design also featuring some inspired choices (the corporate offices for instance). It's a forgettable and mediocre endeavor. 

The Last Voyage of the Demeter

Movie Name: The Last Voyage of the Demeter
Year of Release: 2023
Director: Andre Ovredal
Starring: Corey Hawkins, Liam Cunningham, Aisling Franciosi, David Dastmalchian, Chris Walley, Jon Jon Briones, Stefan Kapicic, Martin Furulund, Nikolai Nikolaeff, Woody Norman, Javier Botet
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

At this point, as an audience member, one just has to resign to the fact that some books will be remade over and over again, even though there's no discernible proof that people still have any willingness or desire to see these adaptations. The never ending films about Robin Hood, Romeo and Juliet, Frankenstein, Ebenezer Scrooge, Peter Pan, Pinocchio, the novels by Jane Austen, and the everlasting Dracula, are classics that not only occupy a permanent state in everyone's literary collection, but seemingly in every director's ambitious "most desired" film project. "The Last Voyage of the Demeter" focuses on one of the episodes that takes place in Bram Stoker's "Dracula" novel. The narrative follows the crew of the vessel by the name of Demeter. They're carrying unknown cargo, and sailing from Varna, Bulgaria, all the way to London, England. A man by the name of Clemens overhears the vessel is needing more crew members, and  seeks out that opportunity. Turns out he has medical training, astronomy knowledge, and his family was also comprised of seamen. Even though he has all these credentials, Wojcheck the ship's quartermaster, rejects him and hires an older and more experienced seaman. However upon noticing the emblem of one of the containers the ship is carrying, the man quits, almost causing a fatal accident in the process. Clemens intervenes and saves Toby, the grandson of the Captain of the Demeter. Clemens is eventually hired. During the trip one of the containers falls and breaks, revealing a woman trapped inside. Clemens decides to perform blood transfusions to treat her, since he believes she's suffering from possibly fatal infections. Weird occurrences start happening, commencing with all the animals aboard all of which are viciously killed. One of the crew members is also killed. Anna, the woman rescued from the crate, warns them all about a monster from Transylvania, someone named Dracula, who is on board and needs to feed. She was on the crate to be a blood bag for him. While they're skeptical of her words, the attacks continue, eventually targeting Toby. The despair increases as the crew keeps getting attacked, until the remaining surviving ones decide to set up a trap for Dracula.

At this point is there anything to say about Dracula that hasn't been covered by the multiple adaptations that the book has gone through (there's even a recent one from Luc Besson which came out in 2025). "The Last Voyage of the Demeter" focuses on the part of the book where the captain of the vessel recounts violent and mysterious episodes that occurred with his crew on their trip from Bulgaria to England. The film expands this part of the narrative, to illustrate, much like Ridley Scott did with "Alien", that one alien-like creature, starts killing each one of the members of the crew, using darkness, tempests, and fog to hide its presence and attacks. What "The Last Voyage of the Demeter" fails to do quite so well, is give each of these characters a bit more dimension or identifiable traces, ones that makes them resonate a bit further with the audience. While the Nostromo crew from "Alien" was able to have unique identifiable characteristics and personality to them, the crew from the Demeter, save for its Captain, doctor, and quartermaster, are largely forgettable. This scenario was ripe for a more suspenseful and character- developed storytelling, because most people already know the outcome of that dramatic journey - the creative team had the opportunity to bring all these characters to life without relying so much on common places. While the film isn't necessarily contrived, it hits more clichés than surprising turns. The cast is solid, with Liam Cunningham, David Dastmalchian, and Corey Hawkins in particular, creating memorable performances. The production team is top notch, including Bear McCreary's score, Tom Stern's cinematography, Eward Thomas' production design, and Carlo Poggioli's costume design. It's possibly an unnecessary film, but one that is competently illustrated, and worth watching. 

Stop! That! Train!

Movie Name: Stop! That! Train!
Year of Release: 2026
Director: Adam Shankman
Starring: RuPaul, Ginger Minj, Jujubee, Rachel Bloom, Brooke Lynn Hytes, Symone, Marcia Marcia Marcia, Latrice Royale, Chris Parnell, Brian Jordan Alvarez, Natasha Leggero, Nicole Richie, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Drew Droege, Guy Branum, Missi Pyle, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, June Diane Raphael, Michelle Visage, Evan Mulrooney, Charo, Jai Rodriguez
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 0
Watch it on Netflix

Synopsis and Review

Director Adam Shankman is back, following his lackluster sequel to Kevin Lima's "Enchanted". Mr. Shankman has become a staple of "Ru Paul's Drag Race" reality tv show, and therefore it's only suitable that he tackles this spoof/satire/comedy made entirely of contestants from the show, and the sizable & diverse array of guest judges they've featured. The narrative follows two best friends, Tess and DeeDee, who work as train stewardesses. They find themselves unexpectedly out of a job, but quickly bounce back when they get a new gig with Glamazonian Express, a fancier and more upscale train line. They immediately have some antagonism with a trio of other stewardesses, who deem them subpar. While the Glamazonian Express is crossing the country, at the United States Train Command Center, devoted employee Donna Dusk discovers that the train is headed towards a massive storm, which can derail the train and possibly kill every passenger and crew member. The President of the United States, Judy Gagwell, is made aware of the news, and following some poorly handled public statement, eventually appears on the train itself to try to save the situation.

For those who have seen "Ru Paul's Drag Race", it will come as no surprise that this feature film looks like and feels like one of the acting challenges the contestants have to go through, on their journey to win the coveted prize money and title of America's Drag Superstar. Sadly, for a feature that is meant to be a spoof/satire of catastrophe films, akin to what ZAZ (Jerry Zucker, Jim Abrahams, David Zucker) did with "Airplane", "Stop! That! Train!" has very little in terms of comedy or for that matter, entertainment value. It's not so much that the cast doesn't try - the main issue with this feature lies with its material, the script, which is so mediocre and borderline amateurish, that this feature feels like a high school endeavor peppered with TV stars who all thought this would be a good way to keep their personas alive in the mind of this particular audience. It's ironic that by the end of the film, when the end credits start rolling, the creative team decided to include the bloopers from the shooting, and even those fall so flat that the only people laughing are the performers who originated the mistake. This film had the potential to be a great excursion and satire on destroy films, from a very unique perspective, peppering the over the top events with high camp, particularly considering drag queens are the lead performers, but instead we get a version of what putting a film around Ru Paul's show's drag challenges actually are. The ambition should be a tad higher, particularly considering that while the budget for this film was low, it was still much higher than many independent films that are currently being shot or seeking funding to be shot. The creative team for this film should have aimed to create something that satisfied an audience thirsty for escapism and satire, as opposed to creating something that feels like a wink for their friends and people in their arena. Of all the cast assembled, Chris Parnell, Missi Pyle, and Rachel Bloom escape with their dignity intact, whereas the remaining should hope they never have a retrospective of their film work include this particular endeavor. It's a miss. 

Backrooms

Movie Name: Backrooms
Year of Release: 2026
Director: Kane Parsons
Starring: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Renate Reinsve, Mark Duplass, Finn Bennett, Lukita Maxwell
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

Much like "Obsession", "Backrooms" has been a big success for its distributor and for the director and creator of the narrative behind the feature. The narrative focuses on Clark, an architect by trade, who is currently managing his own struggling business, a furniture store. He is coping with the challenges of his life, which include a failed marriage and professional ambitions, by over-drinking, but also by attending therapy sessions with Mary Kline, a well known therapist. Mary has a traumatic past of her own, having lived with a shut-in mother which scarred her for life. One evening Clark uncovers in the lower floor of his store, what seems to be a portal to another space which appears to be boundless, with rooms that are empty and others with furniture that seem cropped or half materialized. He manages to get back to the store, and recounts this exploration to Mary, who doesn't seem to fully understand what he's saying. Aiming to get solid proof from his discovery, Clark ventures in the boundless space, but with his sales assistant, Kat, and her boyfriend Bobby who has a video camera. As the three go in the backrooms and start exploring, they soon realize they're not alone, and something eventually attacks Bobby and Kat. Later on Mary receives a puzzling voice message from Clark, and after his absence from a series of sessions, decides to check in on the store and his whereabouts. The space looks abandoned and as she goes to the bottom floor, Mary uncovers the portal as well. 

What's interesting with films with enigmatic premises, is essentially what is the journey where the creative team behind them wants the viewers to go on. "Backrooms" has a great premise: a boundless, possibly alien created space, which consumes memories and possibly brings to life the worst aspects of people's identities or feelings (the dark side of each individual that is). That's a possible interpretation, but much like any work of art, it can possibly be open to many types of interpretations. And while not every story needs to be a linear one, something that David Lynch taught us so well with his films, it does have to have a momentum, a sense of a continuous journey that leads us somewhere. Mr. Kane Parsons, for whom this is his feature directorial debut, definitely has a way of bringing this world to life, and his characters have enough dimension to make them somewhat interesting, however as the film progresses, and eventually gets to its final act, all the momentum that was built, it starts to fizzle, as if the creative team doesn't really know where they want to take the narrative or the characters themselves. The film is built like an MC Escher universe brought to life, with the characters' psyche resembling a bit of that deconstructed universe: however towards the epilogue, when trying to wrap up the narrative, the film attempts a series of signals, a series of cues that may help the viewer with the interpretation of what just happened, and they sadly feel undercooked. A film's intelligence isn't measured by how much of its plot-line is given away, but how much of it can be emotionally resonant, and intellectually stimulant for its viewers. I personally didn't need to know what Tippi Hedren's character's fate was going to be as the group left Bodega Bay at the end of "The Birds", but I was invested all along to sit for the end to come along. "Backrooms" gets halfway there, but the problem is lots of misdirection that is given throughout the narrative, promising something that isn't really there. It's a stylish film indeed, but in a way, it's more formally interesting than narratively arresting. Chiwetel Ejiofor and Renate Reinsve are great. The production team is solid, particularly Jeremy Cox's cinematography and Danny Vermette's production design. It's worth watching, even if a bit overhyped. 

The Muse

Movie Name: The Muse
Year of Release: 1999
Director: Albert Brooks
Starring: Albert Brooks, Sharon Stone, Andie MacDowell, Jeff Bridges, Mark Feuerstein, Bradley Whitford
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 4
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

Following the well received "Mother", actor/writer/director Albert Brooks returned with another stellar-filled cast for his follow up, "The Muse". The film's narrative focuses on Steven Phillips, a writer/screenwriter, whom we first encounter winning a lifetime achievement award. He soon realizes that most people in the industry consider his career past its prime, and for all intended purposes dead. The latest script he was working on, an action picture, is brushed aside. Steven's wife, Laura, suggests he seeks out the help/advice from his friend Jack, who is a very successful screenwriter and has even won an Oscar. Jack lets him know that what has kept his sparkle and good ideas going is the help of a muse, a woman by the name of Sarah. He forewarns Steven that Sarah is very picky about who she chooses to take as a client. She also likes to receive gifts. Steven meets Sarah, and she eventually decides to take him on as a client. However, she sets a series of demands, that are met with surprise for both Steven and eventually Laura. Steven starts noticing that a series of Hollywood heavyweights reach out to Sarah for ideas/inspiration, and he eventually gets an idea that he starts converting to a script. However, the demands from Sarah keep growing, and eventually she turns her attention to Laura, inspiring her to start a business of her own. Steven's anxiety and lack of what he considers palpable results, starts creating some friction with Sarah.

"The Muse" has the makings of a great satire on Hollywood, the creative process, the ageism of being in an industry that caters to mostly young people, the shallowness of overhype, and the list goes on. However and sadly for this film and for all the talent involved, this turns out to be quite a limp story with a third act that doesn't go anywhere. Albert Brooks has always utilized the same persona across all feature films he's in, including films that he has not directed himself, such as his character in Martin Scorsese's "Taxi Driver" and James L. Brooks' "Broadcast News". That persona is always characterized by being overly verbose, insecure, always challenged in his romantic relationships with women who are clearly out of his league, and eventually someone who always sabotages himself, for not believing in his own abilities. He is essentially a less prolific, less funny, and possibly less intellectual version of Woody Allen. Which is to say, the persona he always embodies is a schtick that has a limited shelf life. "The Muse" however could have gone in a very different direction, since it had the opportunity to shift the focus to the Muse herself, played with enough sharpness by Sharon Stone. Sadly the film never strays too far away from Mr. Brooks' central character, and underplays and underwrites the supporting characters, including Sarah, Laura, and even the best friend Jack. So much could have been done with those characters, and these talented performers, but the film gives them so very little to do. The entire film feels like it's at the constant precipice of something terribly funny, biting, or even daring happening, but for its entire duration it remains limp and tepid, precisely like the scripts Steven is accused of writing. The best gag of the entire film takes place early on when Steven shows up for a meeting with the other Steven (as in Spielberg). They make him walk for a ton of miles, only for him to be received by Mr. Spielberg's cousin, who hasn't even seen his films. This type of acidity and irreverence, could have been applied to the rest of the film, but sadly it never makes a mark again. The talented cast is wasted, and the production team is solid without being remarkable. It's a waste of talent and a quickly forgotten endeavor.

You're Next

Movie Name: You're Next
Year of Release: 2011
Director: Adam Wingard
Starring: Sharni Vinson, Joe Swanberg, AJ Bowen, Nicholas Tucci, Wendy Glenn, Margaret Laney, Amy Seimetz, Ti West, Rob Moran, Barbara Crampton, L. C. Holt, Simon Barrett, Lane Hughes, Larry Fessenden, Kate Lyn Sheil
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

While Adam Wingard is now a well established director, courtesy of the successful films he has directed in the last few years which includes "Godzilla vs. Kong" and "Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire", and even the smaller scale "The Guest", "You're Next" is the film that was his breakthrough and opened the door to his subsequent features. "You're Next" follows the events surrounding a family who gets together for a dinner celebration at their vacation home in rural Missouri. The Davison family is comprised of the parents, and 4 adult offspring, all of whom appear with their significant others. One of the offspring is Crispian, who has always been the target of the taunting of his older brother Drake. Crispian shows up with Erin, who used to be his teaching assistant, but who is now his partner/girlfriend. During the dinner and as tensions start rising up between Crispian and Drake, the family is attacked by an assailant in a tiger mask. That person shoots a crossbow, and kills Tariq, Aimee's boyfriend. Everyone is shocked and distressed, and immediately try to reach out to the police. However they all realize their cell phones have no reception, and that something may be jamming it. The family decides that one of them can quickly run outside past the intruders, and either get to one of the cars or to the road and ask for help. Aimee who's a runner, volunteers to do so, but as she sprints out of the house, she gets detained by a garrote wire, that kills her. The panic ensues, and as the family and their loved ones react differently to what is happening, these attackers brutally murder them one by one, that is until Erin starts fighting back.

"You're Next" very much sets itself up as a narratively economic B-movie. The characters are all briefly and succinctly introduced, with the archetypes ranging from the bullies, to the no-nonsense attackers, the rebels, the pretentious intellectuals, and the list goes on, with the sole purpose of getting the relationships between everyone progressively clearer, particularly when the brutal killings commence. The film smartly doesn't focus itself around uncovering the why of it all happening, opting instead to focus on the fight for survival that everyone is going through. The reason for the brutal attack is uncovered as the relationships between everyone become clearer. While some of the situations have a McGiver vibe to them, particularly some of the defensive tactics Erin chooses to adopt, Mr. Wingar smartly keeps all these interactions on a brutal and economical state. There's no empathy buildup, no reasoning, no negotiating: everyone is trying to survive, and as the motives for the blood fest become clearer, there's also no excuse, and no escape. The cast is solid, with Sharni Vinson making the most of her central role, with Joe Swanberg providing good support as the spoiled bully. The production team is solid, particularly Andrew Doz Palermo's cinematography and Tom Hammock's production design. It's a violent, but well crafted film. 

Robots

Movie Name: Robots
Year of Release: 2023
Director: Casper Christensen, Anthony Hines
Starring: Shailene Woodley, Jack Whitehall, Paul Rust, Nicholas Rutherford, Paul Jurewicz, David Grant Wright, Emanuela Postacchini, Chelsea Edmundson, Samantha Ashley, Richard Lippert
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 3
Watch it on Netflix

Synopsis and Review

"Robots" is the feature directorial debut for Casper Christensen and Anthony Hines. They have quite an extensive career in film writing, with Mr. Hines in particular having had an ongoing partnership with actor/writer/producer Sacha Baron Cohen (he has co-written "Borat" and its sequel, as well as "Bruno"). "Robots" takes place in the near future, and follows the story of Charles Cameron, the spoiled and self entitled son of real estate mogul/financier Ted Cameron, who has figured out a way of doing almost nothing with his life: he has spent a small fortune to have someone build a robot replica of himself (which is not permitted), who goes to work, cooks, cleans, and even jumpstarts romantic entanglements with women, with his only chore being to bed them once they're ready to move to the next step. Charles' replica, named C2, meets a beautiful woman at an ice skating ring. That relationship evolves pretty quickly, but as they're ready to consummate the relationship, Charles gives C2 the wrong address. He ends up going to a business meeting, where C2 goes to meet Elaine, the woman he's been dating, and that he is supposed to have sex with. As it turns out, Elaine is also enjoying a similar swindle to Charles: she also has a similar robot to herself, which she uses for menial jobs, but also to have sex with the men she dates and gets money from. The replicas spend the night together, fall in love, and decide to evade their situations. The following morning Charles and Elaine realize what has happened, and they resort to Zach, the engineer who created the replicas, to locate and terminate them, before authorities realize what has happened.  

The premise for this film is an interesting one, since it bypasses all the heart and intelligence Steven Spielberg and Stanley Kubrick depicted in "AI", and instead goes for a quasi romantic comedy of sorts, where robots eventually become sentient, evade to Mexico so they can be free, whereas humans are egotistical, selfish, and immature individuals. In other hands, this film could be a potent satire, addressing issues like personal freedoms, emotional shallowness, political unrest, and the list goes on. The creative team chooses to go with a rather emotionally stunted version of "Overboard", where the rich and spoiled Charles gets a lesson of how the other side lives, from a slightly less selfish and emotional unavailable person embodied by Elaine. These are both ethnically questionable individuals, who get a sort of awakening during the film, while going through situations that are meant to be humorous (they're not for the most part), and as it turns out, in the end everyone gets a happy ending. It's a bland storyline, with a modest budget, which the final rendered output comes across as even cheaper than what the team must have had to begin with. One questions how Curry Barker was able to make "Obsession" with so little money and make it look so polished, whereas this film had a budget of 21 million dollars, and literally looks like it was made for 50K. The sole positive nod for this film is the shining and winning presence of Shailene Woodley, a very talented performer, who brings a nuanced perspective to her portrayal of Elaine: she's a grifter, but she's not completely without principles. Jack Whitehall can't quite keep up with her, and the rest of the cast doesn't have much to work with. The production team is forgettable, which sadly is the same that can be said for this film. Skip it. 

The Long Walk

Movie Name: The Long Walk
Year of Release: 2025
Director: Francis Lawrence
Starring: Cooper Hoffman, David Jonsson, Judy Greer, Mark Hamill, Charlie Plummer, Garrett Wareing, Tut Nyuot, Josh Hamilton, Ben Wang, Joshua Odjick, Jordan Gonzalez, Roman Griffin Davis, Noah de Mel, Daymon Wrightly, Jack Giffin, Dale Neri
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

While producer/director Francis Lawrence started his career in music videos and commercials, before moving on to feature films with "Constantine" back in 2005, he has since carved a niche for himself directing the adaptations of many of Suzanne Collins' books from "The Hunger Games" universe. At the time of writing this review, his most recent film is premiering in 2026, another Suzanne Collins adaptation, "The Hunger Games: Sunrise of the Reaping". "The Long Walk" is another book adaptation, but this time around from a Stephen King novel (adapted by JT Mollner), an author who usually works with another writer/director, the talented Mike Flanagan, who has worked on Mr. King's adaptations such as "Gerald's Game", "Doctor Sleep", and has the upcoming "Carrie" miniseries to premiere. "The Long Walk" takes place in an alternate United States in the 20th century, where the country is dominated by a totalitarian military regime. This regime has instated an annual event named "Long Walk", which aims to inspire commitment/devotion to the regime for those who are less fortunate, particularly as the country is in the throes of an economic depression. This event consists of 50 teenage boys, one from each state, who are chosen randomly, are given rations and water, and must walk continuously while escorted by armed soldiers. If they fall below a certain speed, they're given up to three warnings, before they're killed. The last one who survives gets a large cash prize and can have one of their wishes fulfilled. This particular year of the Long Walk features a young man by the name of Ray Garraty, who has a secret agenda behind his participation (his father was killed by the military for inspiring critical thinking). His mom is devastated to see him go and participate in the event. He becomes friends with Pete McVries, a young man who also has a past story of his own, and soon the both of them have a small nucleus of buddies including Billy Stebbings, Art Baker, Collie Parker, and a few others. As the walk continues, different boys get killed, which only reinforces their drive of making it to the end.

This dystopian and alternative universe doesn't look quite so far off and different from where we currently stand. This is actually Stephen King's first written novel, even though it got published after "Carrie". While this narrative was written as response to the Vietnam War, including the drafting and killings happening then, the book is also a critique of authoritarian regimes, despots, and unchecked violence. Francis Lawrence takes a rather stripped away look to what is happening in this narrative: he illustrates the events sequentially, with a cinematography that looks unglamorous, and also without any stylized camera angles, which sometimes punctuate his films (and some of his films have great and unexpected shots, something "Constantine" and "I Am Legend" demonstrated). He illustrates the depression populations are going through (not just economical, but also moral), and the walk demonstrated the bleakness of the future that lies ahead for these young men, as they witness the wreckage that lies within the towns they walk by. Where John Hillcoat's adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's "The Road" was all about gray tones, bleakness/survival, and the ashes/remainders of the end of civilization, "The Long Walk" gives us a new perspective on how dehumanizing totalitarian regimes are, how little human lives matter to them, and how every action is a deliberate step in the direction of pushing an agenda that has very little to do with making lives better, but instead, keeping the interest of those in power protected. It's a metaphor that reads across so many different events that have occurred in the past, and continue to occur in the present. The film uses this array of young men to illustrate this brutal story, and while the script could have given a bit more nuance to some of these characters, the director is able to capture who each of them are just by a few interactions between them, glances they share, and general physical portrayal. The cast is solid, particularly Cooper Hoffman, David Jonsson, Charlie Plummer, Judy Greer, and Mark Hamill, the same going for the production team. Jeremiah Fraites' score, Jo Willems' cinematography, and Nicolas Lepage's production design, all work together to bring this universe to life. It's entertaining, well crafted, and sparks much needed reflections.