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.

Supergirl

Movie Name: Supergirl
Year of Release: 2026
Director: Craig Gillespie
Starring: Milly Alcock, Matthias Schoenaerts, Jason Mamoa, Eve Ridley, David Corenswet, Ferdinand Kingsley, Diarmaid Murtagh, Bruce Lennox, Emily Piggford, David Krumholtz, 
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

The always underrated Craig Gillespie is back, following the well received past features, "Cruella" and "Dumb Money", alongside his consistent directorial work on prestige shows, such as "Physical", "Your Friends and Neighbors", and "The Better Sister". The narrative for this film focuses on Supergirl/Kara Zor-El, whom we first encounter on a remote planet celebrating her birthday. Her celebration comes to a halt with the appearance of Ruthye, wanting to hire someone to help her avenge the murder of her entire family at the hands of a ruthless group by the name of Brigands. They're confronted by that group once again, and while they manage to escape, Kara's dog, Krypto, is shot with a poisonous dart. Kara has 72 hours to get the antidote to save her dog, and agrees to take Ruthye along. Once again in possession of her powers (thanks to the yellow sun), Kara is able to thwart the attack of space pirates, and learns of the location of the Brigands. The criminal and brutal group has also been kidnapping young women to force them to be their brides. Kara has another confrontation with the Brigands, and while she manages to defeat them, many of them escape, even if she has the help of the mercenary Lobo. She eventually manages to convince local aliens to indicate the location of the Brigands, but not all goes well when they leave her at that location. Ruthye comes to the rescue. 

One of the best things about James Gunn's take on "Superman" was its screenplay, one that married the general societal anxiety, with social media pervasiveness, image manipulation, with the constant emergence of authoritarian-like regimes that seem to be flourishing all over the world, all this wrapped around this concept of a hero who is trying to do the right thing, even when that right thing seems more and more out of reach. It was visually dazzling, but also reflected what is happening in the world, moving beyond the typical stereotypes that comic book films seem to constantly reinforce. "Supergir", stemming from Craig Gillespie, who in the past has directed the great remake of "Fright Night" alongside "I, Tonya", and also the underrated "Lars and the real Girl", can't overcome the terrible script he has been dealt with. It's a script that amasses every conceivable cliché that has been heard of, mixing elements from "Conan, The Barbarian", "Red Sonja", "Batman", and every other hero origin story in existence (the parents who have been killed in front of the pure hero, who is then hellbent on revenge), throwing multiple splashes  from other influences such as George Miller's "Mad Max: Fury Road", and even James Gunn's own "Guardians of the Galaxy". There's nothing ostensibly wrong with this film, aside from the fact that it feels generic and devoid of any intelligence, nuance, or even memorable reasoning. Supergirl's motivation for this storyline is saving her dog, but also coming to peace with the life she now has on Earth, something that her relationship with Ruthye brings into perspective. Aside from that, the film and the script offer absolutely nothing that is distinctive: the characters barely have any dimension, and the actors for all their effort, can't inject charisma and humor when there isn't much to work with. Matthias Schoenaerts, who is a solid actor, has very little to do here, aside from parading a series of makeup effects, and acting very disgruntled. Jason Mamoa shows up to collect his paycheck, and attempt to convince the audience that his character isn't the same as "Aquaman", just with a space motorcycle, leaving Milly Alcock with most of the heavy load to make the film have some interest and charisma. For the most part, Ms. Alcock does manage to do so, but the script doesn't give her much to do. The production team is solid, featuring Claudia Sarne's score, Rob Hardy's cinematography, and Michael Mooney & Anna B. Shephard's costumes. It's not by any means a wreck, but another example of the importance of having good scripts that go beyond a bunch of clichés tied together with little humor, or written with no sense of what is happening in the world. Give Mr. Gillespie better material, and let him do his own thing. 

The Whisper Man

Movie Name: The Whisper Man
Year of Release: 2026
Director: James Ashcroft
Starring: Robert De Niro, Michelle Monaghan, Adam Scott, Michael Keaton, Owen Teague, Acston Luca Porto, Hamish Linklater, Will Brill, Robert Clohessy
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5
Watch it on Netflix

Synopsis and Review

The multi-hyphenated James Ashcroft, who started his career in acting but has since moved on to writing and directing features, has followed the well received "The Rule of Jenny Pen", with this Netflix produced and released feature which has substantial viewership numbers. The film follows multiple threads, all of which converge on a serial killer who was captured in the 1990s, who had a particular signature: he murdered boys, recorded messages of the captives addressing their loved ones, and their bodies were eventually discovered with a shirt wrapped around their heads. This serial killer, by the name of Frank Carter or The Whisper Man, was apprehended by the now retired, Peter Willis. In 2026, Detective Amanda Beck discovers the body of a dead boy featuring the same trademarks of the imprisoned Frank Carter. She seeks out the advice of Peter Willis, since she knows Frank Carter won't speak to anyone but him, but he admits to being retired and having nothing else to add to that story. In the meantime Peter's estranged son, Tom Kennedy, moves back to the same town with his young son, following the death of his wife. The little boy by the name of Jake, has an imaginary friend, and his mom's long illness has traumatized him. He finds out someone outside his room, who also tries to reach out to him through the letter box located in the front door, events that spark serious concern with Tom. Jake's imaginary friend also warns him of "the boy in the floor". Jake is kidnapped, leading Tom to reach out to Peter asking for help. Peter eventually uncovers a new person into this scenario, a very wealthy man by the name of Norman Collins, who collects serial killer memorabilia. While the police suspects he is involved in the current kidnappings, he has alibis for all these occurrences. As time is running out for Jake, further aspects of Frank's previous killings come into play, that influence what is taking place. 

"The Whisper Man" is adapted from the very well received book with the same title from Alex North. Much like James Patterson's books, these thrillers touch similar universes as the ones Thomas Harris' tackled with "Red Dragon", "The Silence of the Lambs", and "Hannibal", namely stories about unflinching serial killers who develop an obsessive relationship with the detective who has imprisoned them. James Ashcroft is able to illustrate this universe quite deftly, if somewhat generically: the characters have enough substance to remain interesting and compelling, but are also elusive, relying on the quality of the cast to bring them to life, and breathe some uniqueness into them. In this particular case, Michael Keaton is the one who fares best, even if he doesn't have much screen time. Magnetic as always, he creates Frank Carter as someone who is very much in control, someone who has nothing to lose, but who remains attached to the actions he performed, and the person who uncovered him 30 years earlier. Robert De Niro, Michelle Monaghan, and Adam Scott, are wonderful actors, but sadly the script doesn't give them much to do with roles that are underdeveloped and in Ms. Monaghan's case in particular, a bit muted. There's nothing necessarily wrong with this film/procedural: it has all the ingredients of a solid thriller, similar to the ones that fared so well in the 1990s, such as Gary Fleder's "Kiss the Girls", Lee Tamahori's "Along Came a Spider", or even David Fincher's "Seven", however it lacks a more unique point of view on the material, someone who can elevate and make the material something more visceral and memorable, as opposed to the rather generic output that it ends up being. The cast is solid, as is the production team, including the cinematography from Peter Deming (the long time collaborator of the late David Lynch), Colin Stetson's score, and Anastasia White's production design (the house rental is a highlight). It's watchable, adequate, but also quickly forgettable. 

The Lighthouse

Movie Name: The Lighthouse
Year of Release: 2019
Director: Robert Eggers
Starring: Willem Dafoe, Robert Pattinson, Valeriia Karaman
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

Following his auspicious feature directorial debut with "The Witch", writer/producer/director Robert Eggers returned with another stylish feature, this time revolving around a chamber piece featuring the performances of Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson. The film takes place in the late nineteenth century and follows two men, one older by the name of Thomas Wake, and one younger, by the name of Ephraim Winslow, who are assigned the job of lighthouse keepers during four weeks, in an area of New England. Thomas who is the supervisor, puts Ephraim through hard work, preventing him from accessing the lantern room in the lighthouse. Ephraim begins to hallucinate about sea monsters and mermaids. While having dinner Thomas reveals that his prior employee died after losing his mind, whereas Ephraim reveals that he was a former timberman from Maine, who is now embarking on a new trade. A brutal storm hits the island, and the two men spend that evening getting drunk. The storm prevents their replacements from coming in and also destroys their rations. While Ephraim thinks only a day has gone by, Thomas tells him that they have been stranded for weeks. As the storm continues to rage, the two men continue to drink, leading them to expose hidden secrets, and even question their sanity.

It's curious how some writer/directors are very much visual artists with a stylistic point of view, something that they apply with more largesse or finesse, depending on the story they're telling, while others become prisoners of that very specific point of view. Wes Anderson, for all his virtuosity and uniqueness, has become a prisoner of this world he has created, and while in some features his detailed point of view works remarkably well, such as "The Grand Budapest Hotel", his more recent endeavors feel progressively more trapped in this highly artificial construct in which his characters exist. Robert Eggers seems to be embarking on a journey somewhat similar to Mr. Anderson's. And while his recent "Nosferatu" displayed his ability to take Werner Herzog's 1970's version of that story to a much grander and far more stylized stage, "The Lighthouse" on the other hand, feels at times like an indulgent stage play that is going nowhere. It's undeniable there's much to admire about this film, particularly the performances of both leads, the production design, the cinematography, but the narrative itself eventually becomes a repetitive descent into madness and despair of two alcoholics that for all its good intentions and artistry, has already been captured, and far better, in other films. When someone thinks of descent into madness and isolation, one always thinks of the majestic "Apocalypse Now" by Francis Ford Coppola, one of the best films ever created, and one that truly depicts how war, guilt, isolation/deprivation, and mental instability, can lead to monstrous outcomes. Mr. Eggers attempts to create something lyrical with "The Lighthouse", with the watery metaphors and the mythical creatures hallucinations, while simultaneously peppering the narrative with violent streaks, sadly the combination of all these elements isn't the most graceful one, and the film ends up being very one-note, without a semblance of humor, and at some point, without a semblance of momentum (that third chapter where the audience eventually asks, "where is this going"). I found this film less rewarding than his other films, both prior and subsequent ones, something that even the phenomenal Willem Dafoe could not save. Robert Pattinson for all his good intentions, much like some of his collaborations with David Cronenberg, felt out of place, a bit like someone experimenting with a concept of a role, while not truly embodying it. The production team is excellent, including Jarin Blaschke's cinematography, Mark Korven's score, Craig Lathrop's production design, and Linda Muir's costume design. It's an interesting endeavor, but not necessarily a great experience. 

Tow

Movie Name: Tow
Year of Release: 2025
Director: Stephanie Laing
Starring: Rose Byrne, Simon Rex, Dominic Sessa, Elsie Fisher, Octavia Spencer, Ariana DeBose, Demi Lovato, Corbin Bernsen, Lea DeLaria, Roma Maffia
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

Rose Byrne had a very busy and celebrated 2025. In parallel with her celebrated (and awarded) turn in "If I Had Legs I'd Kick You", she also produced and starred in "Tow" and continued to feature on the Apple produced series, "Platonic". "Tow" follows the story of Amanda, who is living in her car, in the streets of Seattle, following a series of events that have left her almost destitute of everything. Her teenage daughter is living with her ex-husband in Utah, while she's trying her best to secure a job as a vet-assistant. While on a job interview, her car is stolen and eventually finds itself in a car lot. Amanda who no longer has a place to sleep, eventually finds herself seeking refuge in a shelter run by Barbara, who imposes very clear rules for those who stay in that space. When Amanda attempts to get her car back, the lot imposes a fee, which she doesn't have. She goes to court to attempt to dismiss that fee, as it wasn't her fault that the car was stolen. By the time she gets a ruling (in her favor), the lot has sold her car. A young pro-bono lawyer, takes on her case, to attempt to get her car back, so she can go visit her daughter in Utah. However when the car returns to the lot, their feels to release the car have skyrocketed. As her problems mount, she slips on her sobriety journey, and finds herself at odds with Barbara, who demands that everyone staying at the shelter are sober. Her daughter in the meantime, doesn't realize all the tribulations Amanda is going through, and disengages of any communication with her.

"Tow" reminded me at some point of James Mottern's "Trucker", which featured a naturalistic and stripped performance from the underrated Michelle Monaghan, something that also occurs with Rose Byrne in this feature. The film is modest in its ambitions, but it does manage to fill itself with the personality of Amanda, played with subtlety and restraint by Rose Byrne. The film illustrates the difficulties of living in a major city in the US, when everything is stacked against you, not solely because of past bad choices, but of the fact that the gears of life, can so easily be wrecked and turned against you, when you least expect it. It's a film that doesn't wallow on poverty porn, but illustrates the thin line that separates those who have something, from those who have nothing. It also showcases the impact that trauma and abuse can have in people, how those events can cripple someone throughout their lives. It's not a film that tries to offer answers on the issues of homelessness, but it does provide a human glimpse on them. It also illustrates a great character study on a woman who continuously fought to get a bit of her life back, even if everything else seemed to be crumbling. This is Stephanie Laing's sophomore directorial endeavor. Most of her career has been spent directing TV shows, and while this film doesn't have a strong point of view, and at times feels a bit generic, she has constructed a narrative that allows for the lead character to fully exist, where she's fallible, imperfect, rude, and also worthy of attention and love. The cast is great, with Rose Byrne once again proving she's one of the finest actors working these days, with solid support from Simon Rex, Octavia Spencer, and Corbin Bernsen. The score from Este Haim and Nathan Barr is solid, as is the Leah Katznelson's costume design. Worth watching. 

Mortal Kombat II

Movie Name: Mortal Kombat II
Year of Release: 2026
Director: Simon McQuoid
Starring: Karl Urban, Adeline Rudolph, Martyn Ford, Tati Gabrielle, Jessica McNamee, Mehcad Brooks, Ludi Lin, Josh Lawson, Tadanobu Asano, Chin Han, Damon Herriman, Joe Taslim, Hiroyuki Sanada, Max Huang, Lewis Tan, CJ Bloomfield, Ana Thu Nguyen, Sophia Xu
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 3
Watch it on HBO Max

Synopsis and Review

After the success of the reboot of the "Mortal Kombat" franchise in 2021, director Simon McQuoid has returned with a sequel, which has once again fared quite well, with even higher audience numbers since it made its premiere on streaming. The narrative of this sequel focuses once again on the Mortal Kombat tournament, The power hungry Shao Kahn, has his intent on taking over control of Earth. Lord Raiden, aided by Sonya Blade, attempt to convince the jaded Johnny Cage to fight alongside the warriors who are defending Earth, but he refuses to do so. As the tournament starts, Sonya defeats her first opponent, while Johnny is brought into the arena, against his wishes, and is ultimately defeated by Kitana (Shao Kahn's adopted daughter, who secretly hates him, after witnessing him kill her father and taking her mother as his consort, against her wishes). Kitana spares Johnny, and reveals she's been a spy for Lord Raiden. As the fights continue, Shao Kahn's lust for power stops at nothing, that is until the defenders of Earth start working as a team.

This franchise at some point will probably become the new "Police Academy", where the (mis)adventures of the players never stop, but the audience has checked out. For the time being however, people are still being drawn to the series by the combination of martial arts and visual effects, both of which are a considerable improvement on the original films which were released in the 1990s. While the reviews for this film were middle of the road, it's a challenge for me to agree with these takes. Granted, I don't watch a "Mortal Kombat" film for character development, however there's a plethora of action films that give just enough flavor to the characters to make them interesting to follow or even understand their motivation. And while the motivation here is very obvious, vanquish the opponent and stay in the game, the film and its creative team don't really stretch much in terms of storytelling, or even creating characters that go beyond cardboard clichés. To illustrate my point: the main villain, Shao Kahn, is a colossal individual who is nearly invincible and wants to win the Kombat, and add more planets to his inventory. That's it. There really isn't much about the creature, his intelligence, personality, he's just the brutish oaf that needs to be vanquished. While the film has some moments of humor, they aren't nearly enough, considering the silliness that is taking place onscreen. Most of these moments are illustrated by the introduction of Johnny Cage, who is a proxy for the audience, who is the fish out of water character, in this particular case the jaded action movie star who is in utter disbelief of what is happening to him. Ultimately, this is a film that needed just a bit more investment in the storytelling and script, and dare I say it, a better action choreographer, one that could make the events taking place that much more memorable. The underrated Karl Urban does the best he can with this role, almost winking at the audience and letting us know that he is aware of the silliness that is happening. The production team is solid, particularly Benjamin Wallfisch's score, Stephen F. Windon's cinematography, and Cappi Ireland's costume design. It's not offensive bad, but it's not memorable either. 

Filho da Mãe/Son of a Mother

Movie Name: Filho da Mãe/Son of a Mother
Year of Release: 2022
Director: Jú Amaral, Susana Garcia
Starring: Paulo Gustavo, Déa Lúcia, Ingrid Guimarães, Thales Bretas, Regina Casé, Marcus Majella, Mônica Martelli, Malu Valle, Pedro Bial, Preta Gil, Fil Braz, IZA, Júlio Márcio Monteiro de Barros, Carol Del Vecchio
Genre: Documentary
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7
Watch it on Amazon Prime

Synopsis and Review

For those of you who don't know who Paulo Gustavo is, this documentary is a great introduction to this force of nature, who sadly passed away in 2021. Paulo Gustavo was a genial writer/producer/actor/performer, who rose to great heights of popularity in Brazil, thanks to his play, which was later converted into a film (with two sequels), "A Minha Mãe é uma Peça". This documentary, co-authored by Susana Garcia (who collaborated with Paulo Gustavo in the second sequel to the blockbuster "A Minha Mãe é uma Peça"), and Paulo's sister Jú Amaral, tracks Paulo Gustavo's last years of existence, as he goes through a sold out tour with his mother named "Filho da Mãe". The documentary which starts by capturing the dynamics of Paulo and his mother, and how their tour and show across Brazil was going, quickly evolves to being an homage, a retrospective on who this talented performer actually was. Many of his collaborators, family, and friends provide insights into the person he was, his path in theater, and later on film, though the documentary fails to provide enough context into all the creative endeavors he was able to touch upon, and particularly how insightful and funny he was with all the characters he created for the various shows he was a part of. This documentary ultimately sheds light on how generous, intelligent, talented, and unapologetic Paulo Gustavo was, and the impact he had on the lives of his loved ones, his fans, and also Brazil and those who were (and are) familiar with his work (and even on how an openly gay performer, was able to get married, have children with his partner, and face prejudice, all the while staying truthful to himself). It also illustrates the grave consequences of the pandemic, how much Brazil was impacted by it, particularly seen through the eyes of someone who was desperate to get vaccinated, and whose life was cut short as a result of a vaccine arriving too late. It's a great introduction to the personality and enormous talent of a wonderful individual.