Bang My Box: The Robin Byrd Story, Marty Life is Short

Movie Name: Bang My Box: The Robin Byrd Story
Year of Release: 2026
Director: Jyllian Gunther, Stephanie Schwam
Starring: Robin Byrd, Shelby Byrd, Daylon Orr, Sandra Bernhard, Lou Cass, Porsche Lynn, Sean McKenna, Michael Musto, Cheri Oteri, Bob Morris
Genre: Documentary
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 8
Watch it on HBO Max

Synopsis and Review

Prior to watching this documentary, I have to admit I had never heard of Robin Byrd. However, Jyllian Gunther and Stephanie Schwam have both managed to illustrate not only Ms. Byrd's incredibly colorful life, but also the impact that her shows, have had on society. While some may be quick to dismiss this documentary as something solely focused on sex work or the evolution of pornography on TV, Video, and Digital, this documentary humanizes and gives context to the life of Ms. Byrd, the challenges she had, and most of all, the incredible resilience, intelligence, and resourcefulness she has had during her life. It's also an incredibly touching document of New York during the AIDS epidemic, how marginalized individuals were being brushed to the sides, and how her show managed to bring sex education, playfulness, and irreverence to cable TV. It's a documentary that takes the audience on the journey of finding out more about Robin Byrd, her devoted husband Shelby, but also how the stigma of sex work, sex positivity, and even gay visibility on mainstream media has evolved since the 1970s. Worth watching. 

Movie Name: Marty, Life is Short
Year of Release: 2026
Director: Lawrence Kasdan
Starring: Martin Short, Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara, Steve Martin, Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg, Andrea Martin, Michael Short, Oliver Short, Rita Wilson, Walter F. Parkes, Laurie MacDonald, Kate Capshaw, Paul Shaffer, Nora Short, Brian Short, Nancy Dolman, David Short, Ron Howard
Genre: Documentary
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7
Watch it on Netflix

Synopsis and Review

The wonderfully talented Lawrence Kasdan (director of "Body Heat", "The Big Chill", "Grand Canyon", and "The Accidental Tourist", to name but a few), has directed a wonderful homage on the consistently underrated Martin Short. This documentary traces his roots back to his home country Canada, how he started his acting career, all through Mr. Short recalling his own memories, archival footage, and just as importantly, through the depositions of his close friends and co-workers, including Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara, Andrea Martin, all talented individuals who came from a similar background and stayed friends with him for over 50 years. It's a documentary that illustrates how much of a family centered person Mr. Short is, his ability to create ties with friends who have stayed with him for decades, including his partnership with Steve Martin, but also the emotional bonds he has created with Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg, their families, and other known artists in the Hollywood milieu. It's a film that focuses mostly on the emotional ties Mr. Short has created, particularly the one towards his late wife, but also the ones he has shaped and cherished with his children and friends. The documentary does illustrate Mr. Short's colorful career, but doesn't necessarily probe deeper on what has made him gravitate towards certain material, or certain characters. It's a documentary that humanizes this iconic performer, but also one that leaves the cinephile fan a bit undernourished, when it comes to understanding the long career path of this talented performer. It's a moving homage, and one worth watching. 

The Devil Wears Prada 2

Movie Name: The Devil Wears Prada 2
Year of Release: 2026
Director: David Frankel
Starring: Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, Stanley Tucci, Kenneth Branagh, Lucy Liu, Justin Theroux, Tracie Thoms, Tibor Feldman, B.J. Novak, Patrick Brammall, Simone Ashley, Caleb Hearon, Helen J Shen, Rachel Bloom, Larry Mitchell, George C. Wolfe
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 2
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

The original "The Devil Wears Prada" came out in 2006, and while not a particularly good film, it has since then grown in popularity, particularly Meryl Streep's iconic performance as Miranda Priestly, which was always the main reason the film had some relevance and has since then become something many other films and tv shows, have attempted to mimic (with the boss from hell type of premise). This sequel picks up 20 years after the original. Andrea Sachs is now a celebrated journalist, but sadly gets laid off from the newspaper she works for, alongside a group of colleagues and friends as she's collecting an award. In the interim Runway has also evolved, now primarily focused on digital, though still under the tutelage and guidance of Miranda Priestly. One of Runway's articles gets Miranda in trouble on social media, and Irv Ravitz the business mogul owner of Elias-Clarke (and Runway), hires Andy as a features editor, without consulting Miranda. Andy's return is not taken very seriously, though Nigel understands what she's attempting to do, though her articles and efforts get no traction. Emily in the interim has become a top player at Dior, one of Runway's top advertising clients. At the risk of losing her position, Andy eventually manages to get an interview with the elusive Sasha Barnes, the ex-wife of billionaire tech mogul Benji Barnes. This article turns the tide for Runway and Andy, also positioning Miranda to get the next role she wants to play in Irv's conglomerate, that of Head of Global Content. Sadly, during his birthday celebration, he passes away, changing everyone's life in the process. 

If there has ever been a film that is literally about nothing, this is one good case for it. What made Miranda Priestly so interesting in the first film has now been reduced to a caricature, and that includes even her relationship with her husband Stuart, which is illustrated as superficially as possible. The creative team behind this film constructed this narrative based on feedback from users on IMDB and/or Reddit boards, and essentially distilled it all into the following aspects: more fashion, more opulence, more runways with cameos from fashion designers of various labels, while capturing all these events with various other cameos from stylists, pop culture personalities, and whatever else can be deemed as "relevant". Somewhere along the line, whatever purpose this film was meant to have, completely disappeared, and became a superficial bauble about nothing. These characters have no depth, their relationships are inconsequential, and there's not much sense for what they've become since we last saw them from the first film. There's an attempt at picking fun at guileless billionaires, by getting Justin Theroux to play an over the top and smitten tech mogul who literally has nothing much to do, while also capturing the reasonable and deeply intelligent ex-wife of that mogul, played by Lucy Liu, and once again making these characters as basic and meaningless as possible. The script doesn't have the snark or intelligence to position the parody of some of these characters as vicious as it should be, nor does it have the ambition and subtlety to give dimension to the ones who are supposed to represent the more humane and admirable path very rich people should take. The creative team, including writer Aline Brosh McKenna, looked at what Darren Star and Michael Patrick King did with the series "And Just Like That", and basically said: we can do that, and even overdo it. And indeed they have. While this film has been successful on the shoulders of a rather mediocre first film, it has also done a disservice to everyone else involved. Meryl Streep as always manages to walk away from this film with her dignity intact, the same going for Stanley Tucci (I personally don't understand why the fantastic Kenneth Branagh was in this). The rest of the cast should definitely rethink their choice of roles and projects. The production team is competent, featuring Florian Ballhaus cinematography, Theodore Shapiro's score, and Molly Rogers' costume design. It's a forgettable film with some good actors, and that's it. 

Red Sonja

Movie Name: Red Sonja
Year of Release: 2025
Director: MJ Bassett
Starring: Matilda Lutz, Robert Sheehan, Wallis Day, Trevor Eve, Luca Pasqualino, Rhona Mitra, Michael Bisping, Martyn Ford, Tony Way, Katrina Durden, Ben Radcliffe, Tim McMullan, Eliza Matengu, Danica Davis
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 1
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

The world of comic book adaptations doesn't end with Marvel and DC comics and the studios backing them. There's plenty of iconic characters that live outside that ecosystem. "Red Sonja" has had a steady cult following for years since it appeared in Marvel adventures in 1973 (inspired by Robert E. Howard's writings, which hail back to 1934 - 1935 when he started writing "Conan the Barbarian" and created that whole universe of sword and sorcery). This version of "Red Sonja" follows the adventures of the valiant warrior since a small child, when her village is invaded by barbarians, who kill her mother in the process, and push her to live in the woods. Sonja grows up by herself, having nothing but a horse as a companion, respecting nature and the woods that provide nourishment and protection for her. New in her adulthood, Sonja realizes the forest is being pillaged by mercenaries hunting for animals for gladiator games that honor the emperor Draygan. Retaliating against the cruelty of these mercenaries, Sonja is eventually captured and taken back to also fight in the games. Sonja gradually gains the camaraderie of others, who like her, were also captured and have to fight for their survival in the games. When she frees a mythological Cyclops creature, she and her group of friends flee, in order to prepare for the juggernaut of violence the emperor will unleash upon them. 

Unlike the "Red Sonja" from Richard Fleischer which premiered in 1985, and had many of the traces the director had established with "Conan the Destroyer" in 1984, this new iteration of this heroine lacks both a strong directorial point of view, alongside a script that does this character and her adventures some justice. The narrative fails to make Sonja the rebel and the indomitable spirit she was in the comics, not to mention when the magical and supernatural aspects of the story occur, they do so without much context to it (spoiler warning: she gets dropped in this magical pond, that cures everything, including her mortal wounds, and gives her hair a much needed injection of color). The film feels like a cobbled web of episodes, and less of a structured script where the central character creates bonds with others, where we witness what makes other characters special or unique. The writers gathered/pillaged inspiration from "The Lord of the Rings", "Gladiator", and even some sprinkles from Guillermo del Toro's universe, and tried to create some coherence into this narrative, sadly there's so many jarring aspects to it, incluing the existence of an Emperor who looks like a New York talent scout, where the villainess Annisia has no discernible personality, but listens to demonic voices, which is apparently an apt replacement for a personality, and looks like a model ready for her "Project Runway" catwalk. There are different species also co-existing with humans, but that's not mentioned either, so this film ends up being a porridge with many different ingredients, all of which don't necessarily taste well together. MJ Bassett who has primarily made a career for herself directing TV episodes for shows including "The Equalizer" and "Reacher", illustrates rather generically what is on this script, once again trying to emulate what others have done better and with more resources. While this film is clearly a low budget endeavor, at times much can be done with modest resources, something "Obsession" has aptly proven many times over: MJ Bassett however fails to bring a unique point of view to the sequences, the action driven ones, and the more low volume ones. It would have been so interesting to see what Bryan Fuller or someone unexpected like Coralie Fargeat could have done with this material. The cast doesn't fare very well, sadly more so for Matilda Lutz who was so unforgettable in "Revenge", and here is completely wasted. Robert Sheehan, who has made a name for himself with "The Umbrella Academy", is in a different film altogether, while Trevor Eve and Rhona Mitra are just trying to keep their dignity (and bank accounts) with some padding. Simply put: this isn't good at all. 

Masters of the Universe

Movie Name: Masters of the Universe
Year of Release: 2026
Director: Travis Knight
Starring: Nicholas Galitzine, Camila Mendes, Idris Elba, Jared Leto, Alison Brie, Jon Xue Zhang, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson, Charlotte Riley, James Purefoy, Sam C. Wilson, Kristen Wiig, Morena Baccarin, Christiaan Bettridge Artie Wilkinson-Hunt, Eire Farrell, James Wilkinson, Dolph Lundgren
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 4
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

Cracking the code of a good adaptation for the 1980s animated series "He-Man and the Masters of the Universe", seems to be an impossible task. The prior version from Gary Goddard, in his sole directorial endeavor, was met with negative reviews, even if it had an eclectic cast which included Dolph Lundgren, Frank Langella, Courteney Cox, and Meg Foster. This new version from director Travis Knight, who previously directed the fantastic "Kubo and the Two Strings" and the well received "Bumblebee", doesn't fare much better, mostly because the film has a challenging script and tone that can't quite find its footing. The narrative follows the story of Adam, who is the son of the King and Queen of Eternia. He is trained by Duncan, the king's Man-At-Arms, who is also the father of his friend Teela, however Adam is smaller than everyone else, and has some challenges. His life, and that of everyone in Eternia, is forever changed when the planet is invaded by Skeletor. He captures the King and Queen while Adam is sequestered by the Sorceress, guardian of Castle Grayskull. He is sent through a multi-dimensional portal to Earth, however during his escape, Adam loses the sword. 15 years later, Adam is working in human resources and shares an apartment with his friend Hussein. He obsesses about finding his sword, and doesn't have much of a private life. He finally gets a text that his sword has been found, and causes all sorts of ruckus at a local comic book store where it's located. As it turns out, the sword is indeed the legitimate one, and it has acted like a beacon to indicate its location. Adam is attacked by one of Skeletor's minions, only to be saved by Teela. They manage to escape, and head back to Eternia, a place that is now very different than what Adam has remembered. They have Skeletor to defeat, and bring back Eternia to its lost wonder.

While "He-Man" does come across as a super hero (of sorts), this film has a bit of a challenge in creating an origin story that does it justice. On one hand the script forcibly tries to be funny (Adam works in HR, where conflict and friction are addressed by joint conversations and collaboration), and secondly it doesn't provide much depth about who Adam actually is, aside from the anecdotal aspect he has a roommate (who apparently doesn't work and spends all his time looking at the TV). There isn't much context as to what has happened to Adam during the 15 years he was on Earth and how he even adapted to such a different reality. The fish out of water narrative does indeed present itself, but in how Adam readjusts himself to Eternia and to the fact that no one remembers him, or think of him as a lame and feeble individual. As it happens, no one in Eternia knows the meaning of pacifism, or truces, or finding a compromise when a war needs to come to an end. The script for this film is quite puzzling, since on one hand the creative team introduces Duncan, the Man-At-Arms as an alcoholic with something to prove to himself and his daughter, while on the other, it makes Skeletor as a bit of clownish villain, with no backdrop, or perspective other than wanting to rule the planet of Eternia. The film has all these influences from various films, including the iconic "Star Wars" saga, but while trying to entertain children, it fails to realize that these characters can't just be human versions of the cartoon, they have to behave and feel like real people. The creative team for this film should have looked at what Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley did with "Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves", and created a script that is able to appeal to a child, but still retain enough character dimension and quirkiness, that goes beyond colorful costumes and questionable line reads regarding some of the characters' names. The cast sadly can't do much with the material, though Idris Elba is always great, the same going for Alison Brie. The production team is competent and solid, including Fabian Wagner's cinematography, Daniel Pemberton's score, and Guy Hendrix Dyas' production design. It's a missed opportunity for a director who has demonstrated a strong affinity for material that crosses multiple generations of viewers. 

Obsession

Movie Name: Obsession
Year of Release: 2025
Director: Curry Barker
Starring: Inde Navarrette, Michael Johnston, Cooper Tomlinson, Megan Lawless, Andy Richter, Haley Fitzgerald, Darin Toonder, Anthony Pavone, Anthony Casabianca, Chloe Breen
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

"Obsession", not referring to the Brian De Palma film with the same name released in 1976, has become a cultural phenomenon, particularly the aspect of the narrative of how such a low budget film has managed to outsmart, and outperform the bigger budget films that have premiered alongside it. The film follows the story of Baron Bailey, affectionately named Bear by his friends, who works at a local record store alongside Nikki, Ian, and Sarah. Bear has romantic feelings towards Nikki, but doesn't know how to approach her. He fears she has placed him in a "friend zone", and doesn't even consider him dating material. On one occasion he goes to a crystal shop to buy Nikki a replacement tiger's eye necklace, but ends up buying a "One Wish Willow", a novelty item that claims to grant one wish per person, once broken. Following an interaction with Nikki, where he once again chickens out, he decides to use the wish on himself, and wishes that Nikki loved him more than anything or anyone else. She immediately appears near him, and asks to stay with him over night. They eventually start kissing, but during it, she stops the contact, moves away and screams horrified, as if she has no idea of what is happening. She gets back to normal, but the following morning Bear witnesses a shrine she built honoring his dead cat. She explains her mood swings are from taking MDMA. They start dating and Nikki is at his place all the time. Sarah in the meantime mentions to Bear that Nikki saw him as a "little brother", and this sudden change of heart may hide something more sinister. That night Bear wakes up and is freaked out when he notices Nikki is wide awake and is watching him sleep. The next morning when he goes to work he's surprised that she duct-taped the front door, and from then on the events just start getting more disturbing. 

"Obsession" is Curry Barker's sophomore directorial endeavor, and it has already opened a variety of doors for him. Unlike Robert Rodriguez's "El Mariachi", which was a low budget film, and it looked as such, "Obsession" while also low budget, doesn't look like it, and it has an assuredness, polish, and point of view which are hard to dismiss. One can easily try to compare this film with what Osgood Perkins has been doing with his brand of low budget, retro-looking, horror films for Neon (particularly "Longlegs" and "The Monkey"), but Mr. Barker goes in a very different direction. "Obsession" smartly has a progressive disclosure type of narrative, where the characters slowly reveal themselves, and more details about the characters keep emerging as the narrative unfolds. There's some stylistic choices made that are reminiscent of David Cronenberg from the 1980s, but the film retains a freshness and unexpectedness to it, that also brings to mind David Robert Mitchell and his most resounding feature, "It Follows". One of the most successful aspects to this film is the ability the writer/director has to build this universe, trace these characters' lives, and sharply introduce disruption, graphically illustrating extreme behaviors that are unexpected and shocking. This film could have easily been a harrowing look at misogyny and objectification, but instead becomes something else, far more disturbing and quite unforgettable. Much of the success of this film lies with its actors, particularly Inde Navarrette, who is superb in what is almost a dual role. On one hand, she plays the cool and friendly Nikki, and once the supernatural tone kicks in, she becomes something else, a force that stops at nothing and at no-one. Michael Johnston, Cooper Tomlinson, and Megan Lawless, make for suitable scene partners, but Ms. Navarrette is formidable in this film, and definitely someone to pay attention to. The production team is solid, particularly Taylor Clemons cinematography, and Vivian Gray's production design. Worth watching, and definitely sparks the curiosity of what this writer/director is going to do next.  

Dead Man's Wire

Movie Name: Dead Man's Wire
Year of Release: 2025
Director: Gus Van Sant
Starring: Bill Skarsgard, Cary Elwes, Dacre Montgomery, Colman Domingo, Al Pacino, Kelly Lynch, Myha'la, John Robinson, Todd Gable, Mark Helms, Michael Ashcraft, Neil Mulac, Daniel R. Hill, Dean Coutris, Vinh Nguyen, Maresha Robinson
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

The talented Gus Van Sant is back, after taking a detour with directing the mini-series "Feud", and following his underrated gem, "Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot". This time around he tackles a real life event which took place in the 1970s, in the Indianapolis area. The narrative follows the events set in motion by Tony Kiritsis, who arrives for an appointment with a mortgage broker by the name of M.L. Hall, who owns Meridian Mortgage, only to find out that M.L. is on vacation in Florida. He meets with M.L.'s son, Richard, who is also employed at the same Mortgage company. Upon reaching Richard's office, Tony quickly seizes the situation with a hidden shotgun, and wires it to Richard's neck as a dead man's switch. He claims that M.L. and Meridian robbed him of millions, after he bought some land and planned to work with an investor to develop it. Tony communicates with the police what he has done and what his demands are, and eventually manages to get in a police car with Richard, and instructs the latter to drive them both to his apartment. Tony claims he has booby-trapped his apartment and if someone tries anything, the entire complex will explode. Tony explains to the local radio DJ, Fred Temple, what has prompted his extreme behavior, and makes a variety of demands, including his own exoneration from what is happening. 

Gus Van Sant is a great storyteller. He manages to both capture poetry in motion, but is also able to capture the nuances of relationships between his characters, be it in dramatically inclined storylines, or in dark comedy ones, which can be witnessed in "Milk" and "To Die For" respectively. "Dead Man's Wire" brings to life, with an accurate detail for the period, the despair of someone who believes wholeheartedly how deeply wronged they have been. Tony, perfectly embodied by Bill Skarsgard, is seeking some restitution, but the film suggests this is a story of a man who always faded into the background, and who wants his comeuppance. Tony views the the missed opportunity he had as more than a business venture that just eluded him, it's a life that passed him by, that was denied to him. His need for revenge, his need for that public attention, and for that public apology, is a shout against all that life has failed to provide him. Mr. Van Sant manages to keep this narrative moving with gusto, with a set of characters that are illustrated briefly, but with enough detail to make them all feel vividly real. The cast is fantastic, led by the wonderful Bill Skarsgard, who gets great support from Colman Domingo, the always fantastic Al Pacino, and the underrated Cary Elwes. The production team is superb, including Danny Elfman's score, Arnaud Potier's cinematography, Stefan Dechant's production design, and Peggy Schnitzer's costumes. It's a solid film from an underrated storyteller. Worth watching.

Pillion

Movie Name: Pillion
Year of Release: 2025
Director: Harry Lighton
Starring: Harry Melling, Alexander Skarsgard, Douglas Hodge, Lesley Sharp, Jake Shears, Mat Hill, Nick Figgis, Zoe Engerer, Jake Sharp, Jacob Carter, Anthony Welsh
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

Harry Lighton's "Pillion" had its debut at the Cannes Film Festival of 2025, where it won the screenplay prize in the "Un Certain Regard" section of the festival. Since then it has collected a plethora of awards across a variety of film festivals, and it was nominated for three Bafta awards, including Outstanding British Film of the Year. A well deserving collection of awards for what is Harry Lighton's feature directorial debut. The narrative follows the story of Colin, a meek and shy gay man who lives with is parents in the London area. His mom is battling a terminal illness, he works a rather dead-end job, and takes some joy in singing with his dad in a barbershop quartet. During one of his performances at a local pub, he gets a note from Ray, a tall and handsome biker. The two hook up during Christmas, and while Colin eagerly wants to reconnect, Ray simply states he is not around much. They eventually reconnect, and Colin enters into a master/servant type of relationship with Ray, which includes him cooking, cleaning, shopping, and sleeping on the floor, at the foot of the bed. They have a controlled sexual relationship, which also does not include kissing, or any intimacy afterwards. Colin settles into Ray's universe and becomes familiar with his lifestyle, including the group he usually hangs out with. Colin's parents become worried about this new direction in his life, and want to know more about Ray. Ray eventually agrees to have lunch with his parents, which turns awkward very quickly, as they don't understand the dynamics of the relationship between the two men. A few weeks go by, and Colin's mother dies. The unravel he experiences following this event sends him on a path to challenge the dynamics of the relationship, which leaves Ray increasingly uncomfortable.

While the relationship dynamics this film illustrates may not be to everyone's taste, the most remarkable thing about this film is the disarming way in which Harry Lighton illustrates how these two individuals connect, and make a relationship work (without judgement). At least for a while. At the core of this film is also the realization that behind the artifice there has to be something emotionally real and tangible, which ties people together. Otherwise, it's just an empty game that soon runs out of novelty and meaning. While Colin quickly realizes this and wants to progress to something more meaningful in the relationship, Ray avoids exposing himself in any way that will present something more emotionally vulnerable and unfiltered from the rigid rules he has set up in his life. The film traces this path in the relationship between these two people, how something evolves, and how these paths force people to make decisions in which way they want to go and be. For some, it's a question of learning more about who they are, for others is about preserving an illusion of control and detachment. This film smartly asks all the right questions of what we want from a partner, even if it presents them in a master/servant environment, with sex excursions thrown in to spice things up a bit more. There are certainly aspects to these characters that could have been more expanded, but as is, they still come across quite vividly. Harry Melling and Alexander Skarsgard are fantastic, and get solid support from Douglas Hodge and the always fantastic Lesley Sharp. The production team is equally solid, including the formidable score from Oliver Coates, Nick Morris' cinematography, and Grace Snell's costume design. Move past the judgment, and enjoy this relationship tale from Harry Lighton, one that is grounded, pertinent, and asks all the right questions. Worth watching. 

Keeper

Movie Name: Keeper
Year of Release: 2025
Director: Osgood Perkins
Starring: Tatiana Maslany, Rossif Sutherland, Birkett Turton, Eden Weiss
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

These last few years have been particularly busy and prolific for writer/producer/director Osgood Perkins. Following the breakout hit which was "Longlegs", the multi-hyphenate has subsequently released "The Monkey", which was another modest and well reviewed hit, and "Keeper" which largely flew under the radar. And he currently is in post-production for another film to be released this year. "Keeper" follows the narrative of a recent couple consisting of Liz and Malcolm, who go to a cabin in the woods during a weekend to celebrate their one-year anniversary. They're getting close to making it official. Liz is far more cosmopolitan than Malcolm, and one of her closest friends bluntly asks why is she going to a remote cabin with a man she's known for little over a year. When they get to the cabin they encounter a cake left by the caretaker on the kitchen table. They're soon interrupted by Malcolm's loud cousin Darren, who has a model girlfriend in tow, Minka. While the two men go off to briefly chat, Minka tells Liz the cake tastes awful. Even though Liz doesn't like chocolate cake, Malcolm insists she has some. She caves in, and during the night while Malcolm is sleeping, she has haunting visions. She is also drawn to the cake, which she finishes in one sitting, even though she encounters severed fingers inside. Malcolm who is a doctor is called into town due to an emergency with one of his patients. Liz stays behind and strange occurrences start happening. She encounters a ghostly presence of Minka, alongside a woman wearing a plastic bag over her head. Darren shows up again, demanding to be let it in the cabin. While reticent, Liz agrees and following a brief chat, goes and hides in the bathroom. Darren is attacked, but Liz is unaware of the situation, but asks her friend Maggie to come get her. 

"Keeper" is a smaller scale film for Osgood Perkins, particularly when compared with "Longlegs" and "The Monkey". The script written by Nick Lepard, largely takes place in the cabin and its nearby woods. Mr. Perkins is successful at quickly establishing the dynamics between the couple, and their personality traits: the cosmopolitan yet not entirely self assured Liz, and the quieter, sensible, and devoted Malcolm. He also manages to illustrate the environment quite successfully, with the cabin having a retro look to it, which also brings back to mind some horror films of the 1980s. The supernatural elements are added progressively, like preparing a concoction where the unsettling ingredient shows progressively, and not all at once. The sentiments of unease grow for Liz, who feels somewhat trapped in a strange environment, and the more she uncovers, the more unsettled she is, while Malcolm never loses his mild mannered behavior. While all the ingredients for this film are there, and the cooking is done impeccably, the problem lies with the recipe itself. When the final chapter comes along, and the revelation behind all the supernatural events occur, there isn't much substance to it: these events feel underdeveloped, which poses a higher challenge for the creature and visual effects to do the additional work for a story that is poorly put together. Mr. Perkins manages to craft a visually compelling film, with a very talented cast, particularly the always underrated Tatiana Maslany, who has great support from Rossif Sutherland, but try as they might, the narrative just doesn't sustain their talent, nor the horror factor they're trying to convey. Sadly, and unlike "The Monkey", this film also doesn't have much humor to it, which also makes it less palatable. The production team is great, with Edo Van Breemen's score, Jeremy Cox's cinematography, and Danny Vermette's production design, shining through. Mr. Perkins is a solid storyteller, but this script just didn't do his talents enough justice. Watchable, but forgettable.

Lee Cronin's The Mummy

Movie Name: Lee Cronin's The Mummy
Year of Release: 2026
Director: Lee Cronin
Starring: Jack Reynor, Laia Costa, May Calamawy, Natalie Grace, Shylo Molina, Billie Roy, Veronica Falcon, Hayat Kamille, May Elghety, Emily Mitchell, Husam Chadat
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

After establishing himself with his bloody take on the"Evil Dead" franchise, writer/director Lee Cronin is back, this time around tackling a different mythological character from another well known horror/adventure franchise, "The Mummy". The narrative follows the story of the Cannon family, comprised of father Charlie, mother Larissa, and two young kids, Katie and Sebastian. They're stationed in Egypt, as Charlie is an investigative reporter. Katie is taken by a woman known as the Magician, and while the family desperately looks for her, she is never found. The family moves back to New Mexico, and eight years go by, during which time Larissa has gives birth to another girl, though the family never loses faith of Katie being discovered. A cargo plane in Egypt in the meantime crashes, and inside its remains a sarcophagus is uncovered. When archeologists open the sarcophagus, they're horrified to find Katie, wrapped in parchment inscribed with an ancient language. Charlie and Larissa are informed of the development, and they quickly get to Egypt to retrieve her. However they're informed the person that has been uncovered, is not the same girl they once knew. She is in a catatonic state and isn't able to communicate. They bring Katie back to New Mexico, where they have the assistance of Larissa's devout catholic mother, Carmen. Charlie wants to learn more about what has happened to his daughter, as does one of the police officers who investigated the case in Egypt. Charlie eventually discovers that the inscriptions on Katie's skin and on the bandages, are about a Nasmaranian, a demon that destroys and communities. The mummification ritual and the scriptures on the skin manage to contain it. While he is uncovering all this, Katie's behavior becomes more violent, as the entity manifests itself more strongly.

Audiences expecting this film to be an expansion of the universe created by Stephen Sommers' "The Mummy", are in for a radical experience (and departure), since this film is more firmly planted in the "Evil Dead" type of genre, more so than the action/adventure stylings that brought fame to Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz, and John Hannah in the aforementioned series. Lee Cronin takes his time establishing the backdrop to the events that start occurring with this family, though once again, not much attention is granted to these characters, beyond the fact that they're parents and hold a job (well loosely hold a job). The traumatic disappearance of the young Katie could have been a situation that would have driven these individuals apart, but that doesn't seem to be the case. Mr. Cronin, much like he did with his version of "Evil Dead", brings the disruptor force into a confined space, with this demonic entity preying on this vulnerable family. The confinement gives the narrative a sense of dread and inescapability, with the progressive violent attacks being heightened by the gore of the situations. The extreme gore and grotesqueness of certain scenes is where the film also falls prey to some sensationalism - at times restraint, suggestion, is far more interesting than going for shock value for the audiences. The film feels unbalanced, as if the director is trying to be analytical and create a thriller about a young girl gone missing, while simultaneously dialing up the grotesque and horrifying elements. These two aspects don't necessarily co-exist very harmoniously, making in the process most of the characters rather bland and forgettable. The cast tries their best with the material they have, with Veronica Falcon and Natalie Grace coming across with the stronger performances. The production team is solid, particularly David Garbett's cinematography, Nick Bassett's production design, and the visual & makeup effects. It's an interesting take on a classical and iconic figure, one that could have benefited from a more integrated storyline. 

They Will Kill You

Movie Name: They Will Kill You
Year of Release: 2026
Director: Kirill Sokolov 
Starring: Zazie Beetz, Patricia Arquette, Paterson Joseph, Heather Graham, Tom Felton, Willie Ludik, Myha'la, David Viviers, Gabe Gabriel, James Remar, Viktoria Korotkova
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 2
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

"They Will Kill You" is a production from the Muschietti siblings, who have been responsible for "It" and "The Flash", all under the Warner Bros. banner. The film follows the story of Asia Reaves, whom we first encounter trying to escape her abusive father with her young sister in tow. He soon catches up with them, and following a heated situation, Asia ends up in prison, and her young sister back in the claws of the abuser. 10 years go by, and Asia gets released from prison. She goes after her sister, who is now working at a place by the name of Virgil, an exclusive high-rise in NY. She introduces herself as someone else, a cleaning woman who was supposed to come for a job, and Lily Woodhouse, the manager of the building, explains a bit of the history of the building and its occupants. Everything seems fine, until during the night while Asia is asleep, she's attacked by a slew of individuals. She wards them off, and kills a few in the process, much to their surprise, who were expecting a docile and powerless woman. Lily is furious at the outcome of the situation, and warns Asia there's no escape. Asia in the meantime explains she's there for her sister, and won't leave without her. Much to Asia's surprise and shock, all her attackers come back to life: she hides in the vents of the building while she tries to figure out a strategy to get Maria and escape these killers. Ray, Lily's husband, comes to her rescue, and explains the truth behind the building, his wife, and the attackers. 

These days not many people remember the name Timur Bekmambetov, but twenty something years ago he made a splash stateside with the films "Night Watch" and "Day Watch", which were huge hits in Russia. Those films opened the doors for him to direct "Wanted" which turned out to be his biggest hit so far. He followed "Wanted" with "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" and the remake of "Ben Hur", films that landed with poor reviews and meager audience attendance. Why am I bringing this name into this review? Kirill Sokolov also hails from Russia, and prior to this film he has tackled a few shorts and two feature films, which apparently granted him the keys to this film with a solid cast and great production values. Sadly that's where this film ends. The film has more than obvious references to Quentin Tarantino, Walter Hill, and even Michael Davis' "Shoot 'Em Up", sadly without much of the humor, or point of view these film makers have displayed in their films (well at least Mr. Tarantino and Mr. Hill). There are no characters in this film, just disposable puppets who meet their end in various situations of carnage, which in premise may seem fun, but in reality is not. And it's not funny, because this film doesn't have enough smarts to play with concepts of entitlement, economic disparity, or even racial profiling, instead using violence as a slapstick moment that grows old very quickly. Turns out, exuberant death scenes only mean anything when there's a bit of character development to illustrate why they deserve some of the fate they're (repeatedly) experiencing. What's left after all this is said and done: Zazie Beetz and Patricia Arquette are solid actresses who deserve better material, but who at least get a lion share of attention, while Tom Felton and the underused Heather Graham are just fodder for the killing grinding that occurs during the film. The production team is solid, giving the film enough of a stylized look to make it watchable. That includes Carlos Rafael Rivera's score, Isaac Bauman's cinematography, and Jeremy Reed's production design. This is a formula driven film that doesn't live up to the pretension it has or the films that is inspired by. It's a pass.

Robocop

Movie Name: Robocop
Year of Release: 1987
Director: Paul Verhoeven
Starring: Peter Weller, Nancy Allen, Kurtwood Smith, Miguel Ferrer, Ronny Cox, Ray Wise, Robert DoQui, Felton Perry, Paul McCrane, Jesse D. Goins, Dan O'Herlihy, Del Zamora
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

Few films have managed to become imminently associated with a particular decade, but the 1980s has quite a few of them, including Steven Spielberg's "Indiana Jones" series, Joe Dante's "Gremlins", Robert Zemeckis' "Back to the Future", Ivan Reitman's "Ghostbusters", James Cameron's "Aliens", Tim Burton's "Batman", James Ivory's Merchant Ivory adaptation "A Rom with a View", and the list goes on, but one that is unmissable from that list is Paul Verhoeven's "Robocop". Mr. Verhoeven who at the time had just directed "Flesh + Bood", sped up his career into bigger projects thanks to the success of "Robocop", which originated not quite as interesting sequels, animated shows, and the list goes on. The film follows the story of Alex Murphy, an honest police officer with a wife and a kid, living in Detroit, a city that is at the brink of social and financial collapse. The city has set up an arrangement with a private corporation, Omni Consumer Products, to control and assist the Detroit Police Department that is struggling with salaries (and retention of their police officers), and the non stop crime and violence in the city. Omni wants to add more technology to the Police Department, including a concept for a Robocop. The prototypes are not faring quite so well. Murphy and his partner Anne Lewis, are pursuing criminals, in particular Clarence Boddicker, a violent and sadistic individual who leads a gang, and they have their hands involved in everything. Murphy and Lewis manage to locate Boddicker's gang, but they're separated, and Murphy gets violently killed by the gang. Murphy's remains are assigned to the Robocop project, and he is revitalized as a human/cyborg hybrid. He is brought back to Metro West, and while everyone believes his memories of his former self have been erased, he still remains with traits of his Murphy personality, something that Anne Lewis starts noticing. Another thing everyone starts noticing, is how Robocop wastes no time, and stars battling crime with no ambiguity or fear. That is until he uncovers wrongdoing coming from Omni itself.

"Robocop" features something that has become a stalwart of Mr. Verhoeven's films, particularly the futuristic ones: he embeds his films with social-economical view points which illustrate societal unbalances, political allegories on fascism, how crime prevails across a putrid system that thrives on abusing those with few resources while those in positions of power thrive. "Robocop" which could at first glance go in the direction of a reductive comic book type of approach, meaning formulaic and revenge driven, opts instead to bring questions such as the relationship between humans and technology, ambition walking hand in hand with crime, society collapsing due to greedy corporations, all of these topics wrapped up in what is, in a lot of ways, a modernized western with a lone ranger at its core. Mr. Verhoeven manages to create an entertaining and also very palatable allegory, one that illustrates where societies can in fact go when economic power tilts the direction of government, when crime goes unchecked, particularly as it climbs the economic and political ladder, and how frail and expendable human lives can be in these types of situations. Essentially, how human lives become pawns in a game that is solely focused on money and power, and where human lives register very poorly. It's a film where the director knows he has to entertain and bring an aspect of action and excitement to what is happening, but he does so with a very well positioned critical view of society, peppering the narrative with his particular heightened taste in violence and gore, which once again illustrates just how brutal life and individuals can be. The characters could benefit from extra development, particularly Nancy Allen's Anne Lewis and Ronny Cox's Jones, but the film still manages to pack a powerful punch. The cast is uniformly great, with Peter Weller, Nancy Allen, Ronny Cox, Miguel Ferrer, Robert DoQui, Kurtwood Smith, and Dan O'Herlihy, creating strong and memorable performances. The production team is equally top notch, including Jost Vacano's cinematography, Basil Poledouris' score, and William Sandell's production design. It's a classic that hasn't lost any of its power or relevance. Worth watching.

Project Hail Mary

Movie Name: Project Hail Mary
Year of Release: 2026
Director: Phil Lord, Christopher Miller
Starring: Ryan Gosling, Sandra Huller, Lionel Boyce, Milana Vayntrub, Ken Leung, James Ortiz
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

The directing team of Phil Lord and Christopher Miller have been very prolific with the projects they produce, but not so much with the ones they direct themselves. Prior to "Project Hail Mary", their last feature directorial endeavor was "22 Jump Street", which came out in 2014. "Project Hail Mary" is an adaptation of the book with the same title from author Andy Weir (who also wrote "The Martian"), and follows the narrative of a high school teacher by the name of Ryland Grace. We first encounter Ryland waking up from an induced coma inside a spacecraft named Hail Mary. He has no recollection of what has happened and how he's in the middle of space by himself, because the other crew members are dead. As he attempts to get his bearings around the spaceship his memory also starts to return. He remembers he's on a trip intended to reach Tau Ceti, which is 11.9 light-years from Earth. He also recalls that the reason for the trip he's on is a consequence of the discovery of a substance named Astrophage, that is eating away at the Sun's light, and that in 30 years Earth will suffer devastating consequences as a result of a global cooling effect. Ryland was recruited for an international team of scientists because of his work in astrobiology. He is able to uncover that the Astrophage is composed of unicellular organisms that absorb electromagnetic radiation from the sun and expel it for propulsion. While a team is assembled to go on the suicide mission to find a solution for the Astrophage problem, that changes when a few of them die due to an explosion during one of their preparation trials. While Ryland doesn't want to go, he's the only person with the expertise to do something substantial on the expedition, and is placed in a coma against his will. As Ryland recalls all this, he reaches a point on his journey where he encounters an alien spacecraft that eventually makes contact with him, and docks with the Hail Mary. The surviving entity and that whole species is trying to survive the Astrophage dilemma, much like the entire human race. 

When Ridley Scott directed "The Martian" he managed to do something that evades most of his directorial endeavors: he was able to marry a visually compelling narrative, with one that bore just enough character development to entice the viewer to remain focused on the adventures of Matt Damon's character. Andy Weir who wrote "The Martian" and also "Project Hail Mary" places his unlikely heroes in extreme circumstances, and in doing so, finds ways to humanize them, but also reveal their ability for self preservation and to be selfless. His heroes are not martyrs, they're flawed individuals who are attempting to survive, and if possible, save others in the process as well. Both adaptations of Mr. Weir's books are from Drew Goddard, himself a filmmaker (he directed the underrated "The Cabin in the Woods" and "Bad Times at the El Royale"), though this latest adaptation veers off into quasi Disney territory in the way it portrays the alien creature for instance, which Ryland names "Rocky". The film is economical in establishing the context of what is taking place, initially placing Ryland and the viewer in the middle of an enigma - why is he in the middle of space and what is happening. As the narrative unfolds, the picture of who Ryland is becomes clearer, though the supporting characters fare a bit worse, something that had more substance and development in the book. In attempting to compress the details and personality of the book, Mr. Goddard and the film making duo, created what at times feels like a rushed endeavor, in order to get to what they think is the gist of the feature - will they or won't they make it. In the book the getting there, the journey on Earth, reveals more of who these people are, and if also clarifies how this relationship with the alien creature develops. The film introduces a questionable sense of humor, and makes certain situations into rather pedestrian ones, however it does manage to illustrate the challenges and hardship these adventurers are going through, and the bond they develop. At times it borderlines on making the feature into Wall-E meets Ryan Gosling, which isn't necessarily a good thing, but the good taste refrains them from openly going in that direction. The cast is solid, with Ryan Gosling delivering a good central performance, with the fantastic Sandra Huller being fairly underused. The production team is fantastic, including Greig Fraser's cinematography, Daniel Pemberton's score, Charles Wood's production design, and the incredible visual effects from the multiple teams involved in bringing these alien worlds and entities to life. It may not be as compelling as the book that originated it, but it's still a watchable and entertaining film. 

Shaun of the Dead

Movie Name: Shaun of the Dead
Year of Release: 2004
Director: Edgar Wright
Starring: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Penelope Wilton, Bill Nighy, Kate Ashfield, Lucy Davis, Dylan Moran, Peter Serafinowicz, Rafe Spall, Martin Freeman, Reece Shearsmith, Tamsin Greig, Matt Lucas, Nicola Cunningham
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 8
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

It's difficult to believe that "Shaun of the Dead" was released in 2004, and introduced the movie world to the talents of Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, and Edgar Wright. The film was the directorial sophomore endeavor for Edgar Wright who had been largely directing TV in the 1990s, while Simon Pegg had made a name for himself as the creator and lead for the show "Spaced" (which Edgar Wright directed), but had also acted in "Band of Brothers" and "24 Hour Party People". "Shaun of the Dead" follows the story of Shaun, a twenty-something year old who is a sales advisor, who shares a flat with a far more ambitious roommate, whose best friend is the equally slacker/relaxed Ed, and whose romantic relationship is fizzling. Liz, his girlfriend, has given him a few ultimatums, regarding his ambition in life, his job and life prospects, and particularly his investment and attention towards her. Shaun also doesn't get along with his stepfather Philip who also wishes he would wise up. When Shaun fails to set up a celebration for his and Liz' dating anniversary, she calls the relationship off, resulting in Shaun and Ed getting drunk at their pub of preference. Unbeknownst to them, London has been taken over by a zombie outbreak. When they wake up the next day, Shaun and Ed notice a couple of strangers in the garden. While they initially think the situation is hilarious, they soon realize these individuals are zombies and want to eat them. They realize there are zombies everywhere, and that they need to save Shaun's mother, Barbara, but also Liz. Aside from those goals, they don't really know what else to do, or where to go.

Putting a comedic spin on the zombie genre has been attempted before, but it has never quite gelled as well as what Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright managed to do with this film. The most interesting aspect of the film, aside from its comedic instances, and great chemistry between all the cast, is the fact that these characters feel believable and familiar. The creative team from this film managed to illustrate these characters with such efficiency and economy (and restraint), that one can't help but witness how all these individuals exist in this world, relate to each other, and how the "zombification" of the world is just another thing that disrupts their attempt at living a chilled existence. Mr. Wright has managed to marry his stylistic point of view, with a comedic take on this slacker with a heart of gold, making this film both riveting in parts, but always funny, as if we're peering into the "Singles" of the 2000s in London. As we get to learn more about Shaun, his friends, his relationships, we can't help but cheer him on, he's the struggler who has always been a whisper away from breaking through, and this situation awakens him to protect what matters the most to him. It's a film that is immensely funny, perfectly acted, with the right amount of emotional episodes, featuring the talented Penelope Wilton and the phenomenal Bill Nighy, all of which translates into a film that is always a delight to watch. Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Ms. Wilton, Mr. Nighy, Kate Ashfield, and all the cast, are spot on, as is the production team (featuring David M. Dunlap's cinematography and Dan Mudford & Pete Woodhead's score). Worth watching and savoring. 

Scream 7

Movie Name: Scream 7
Year of Release: 2026
Director: Kevin Williamson
Starring: Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, Isabel May, Anna Camp, Joel McHale, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Mason Gooding, Celeste O'Connor, Sam Rechner, Asa Germann, Mckenna Grace, Matthew Lillard, Kraig Dane, Ethan Embry, Mark Consuelos, Victor Turpin, Amy Louise Pemberton
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 3
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

Writer/director Kevin Williamson had his first produced script released 30 years ago, courtesy of Wes Craven's partnership, which resulted in the release of "Scream". Since then he has had a very robust screen writing career, particularly for the small screen, and this new installment of the "Scream" franchise is in fact his sophomore directorial feature, following "Teaching Mrs. Tingle" (originally called "Killing Mrs. Tingle"). This new chapter of the "Scream franchise finds Sidney Prescott, now going by her married name of Sidney Evans, living in Pine Grove, Indiana. She is married to the chief of police, Mark Evans, runs a popular coffeehouse, and is raising her children, including her oldest teenager, Tatum (with whom she experiences some friction). She starts receiving videocalls of what appears to be Stu, one of the original killers from 30 years ago. This older "Stu" threatens to go after Tatum to get her attention. Ghostface kills Tatum's friends Hannah and Aaron, and flees as the police arrives. Ghostface strikes again, this time around at Sidney's place, who barely manages to escape with her daughter to a panic room that exists in the house. As the killer pursues them both as they flee the house, he's run over by Gale Weathers, who is in town with her assistants. Sidney recognizes the killer, since he had bought coffee at her place hours earlier. As it turns out he was a murderer who escaped a nearby mental institution. Sidney and Gale suspect there's more than one killer, which is typical with Ghostface, and Sidney agrees to an interview on live television hoping to lure "Stu", or whomever is impersonating him. As it turns out that ploy does work, as another Ghostface attempts to kill Tatum who is with her friends at a local tavern. 

While the previous two episodes of this franchise were directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, and featured scripts from James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick (Vanderbilt is well known for having written David Fincher's "Zodiac"), this one is written by Busick and Kevin Williamson, who also directs. One of the most obvious aspects about this film is how it obviously cannibalizes its own mythology, but also as the narrative reaches its climax, how ludicrous and underwhelming that third chapter turns out to be. It literally turns out to be a film that doesn't know what to do with its characters, repeating strategies, plot lines, since the writers obviously didn't know where to take these characters, or for that matter, properly develop them. The strained relationship that exists between Sidney and her oldest daughter is never fully explained, and that character remains in perpetual "rebel mode" for the entire duration of the film. Even for a teenager that is a big grudge to carry. The director is able to establish Sidney's new existence in very quick brush strokes, but there's nothing particularly distinctive or insightful about this character and this universe she created for herself: that idyllic life seems Hallmark manufactured, and turns out to be, something the director captures without a hint of irony, something these films always managed to have or at least be self aware of their own machinations. Ultimately this is a film that is a low grade copy of some of the episodes of the series, only one that features none of the snarky edge or even intelligent references the other episodes had. The cast tries their best with the material they have, with Neve Campbell giving the film its only impact, with Courteney Cox lending good support, though even their best efforts can't make this feature memorable. The production team is rather generic. Now in its third decade of existence, the creative team behind this series should challenge itself with producing better scripts to keep it going, as opposed to moving ahead with non-sensical material that comes across as an attempt to make money. This is a missed opportunity and a mediocre feature.

Ladies First

Movie Name: Ladies First
Year of Release: 2026
Director: Thea Sharrock
Starring: Sacha Baron Cohen, Rosamund Pike, Charles Dance, Fiona Shaw, Emily Mortimer, Richard E. Grant, Kathryn Hunter, Bill Paterson, Kadiff Kirwan, Ron Cook, Maddie Rice, Jordan Metcalfe, Dani Moseley
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 3
Watch it on Netflix

Synopsis and Review

Director Thea Sharrock has consistently been working since her feature directorial debut with "Me Before You". "Ladies First" follows her previous Netflix partnership "The Beautiful Game" with the great Bill Nighy, which was met with tepid reviews. "Ladies First" whose script is co-authored by Natalie Krinsky, Cinco Paul (who has written many animated feature films, including "The Lorax" and "Despicable Me 3"), and Katie Silberman (one of the writers of "Booksmart"), focuses its narrative on high profile advertising executive Damien Sachs. He's a self centered, wealthy, and chauvinistic individual, who is very ambitious and wants to get to CEO of the agency he works for. One of his big clients disapproves of the fact that his company's executive ranks lacks diversity, particularly when it comes to women in positions of authority. Damien quickly makes up that they have a recently promoted female Creative Director. He asks his assistant to locate someone in the company that can fit that profile, and she chooses Alex Fox, a 20-year veteran of the agency, who has consistently done good work, but has always been overlooked. Alex is thrilled by the promotion, but later overhears the reason why she got the role, and decides to quit. On her way out she gives Damien a piece of her mind. He follows her out, hurling offensive justifications, until he hits a metallic pole on the street and knocks himself out. When he comes back to himself, he slowly realizes the world isn't what it used to be - the world is flipped, including society roles, where women exhibit sexist and vile behavior much like the one he used to demonstrate towards women. He realizes the people he works with all have different roles, the same going for his family. What appears to be a homeless man, eventually confesses to him what has happened, and what he needs to do to get back to his reality.

When you look at the fantastic cast this film has, one would be inclined to think this is a biting satire at swapping power dynamics in society typically dominated by men. Sadly this film comes across more like a gutless romantic comedy, that while attempting to make a point about sexism and misogyny, it really illustrates these points very superficially, with no wit, no vivacity, miles away from what George Cukor and his films with Katherine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy did far better on the same topics 80 years ago. The film doesn't really look head on at these problems, choosing instead to make Damien a benign yuppie sexist Scrooge, who gets a taste of his own medicine when he sees himself in a position of being undermined for his gender, and therefore has to learn a lesson on how to behave in order to return to his reality. It's a formula that doesn't really work, and in this particular case it is also a missed opportunity, as Damien is far more believable as a morally bankrupt individual, who still has a shred of humanity in his dealings with his family, but who then becomes a better version of himself when he realizes how unfair life can truly be. Unlike Harold Ramis' "Groundhog Day" where Phil Connors truly has to go through hell and back to realize what life is all about, Damien just has to go through a workout montage, and some seduction parlor games, and poof, he has gained perspective. Hopefully the irony isn't lost, that in film about gender power dynamics, even Alex gets very little screen time or opportunity in terms of character dimension or insight into who she is. The cast try their best with what they have, and it's a delight to see Fiona Shaw, Charles Dance, Kathryn Hunter, and Bill Paterson in delicious supporting roles. Sacha Baron Cohen and Rosamund Pike are sadly wasted. The production team is solid, including Haris Zambarloukos' cinematography and Atli Orvarsson's score. It's a tepid and forgettable endeavor.