MOVIE REVIEW: EENIE MEANIE

 

A reformed teenage getaway driver is dragged back into her unsavoury past when a former employer offers her an opportunity to save the life of her chronically unreliable ex-boyfriend.

Director: Shawn Simmons

Cast: Samara Weaving, Karl Glusman, Jermaine Fowler, Marshawn Lynch, Randall Park, Steve Zahn, Andy Garcia

Release Date: August 22, 2025

Genre: Comedy, Horror, Thriller

Rated R for violence/bloody images, pervasive language, nudity, some sexual material and brief drug use.

Runtime: 1h 46m

Review:

Eenie Meanie is the kind of film that feels instantly familiar since it borrows from far better heist films but it’s still entertaining enough thanks to another strong turn from the Samara Weaving who carries the film with incredible ease.  Shawn Simmons feels like a mash up of a Baby Driver and Ocean’s Eleven if you bought the off-brand version from a discount store.  That's not to say that his film doesn't boast some inspired moments because it does especially during the film's first two acts.  Those moments are fun, but the characters and situations are incredibly familiar which leaves the heavy lifting up to his cast which proves to be up to the task.  Samara Weaving is given another chance to showcase her talents here with the film giving her plenty of time to shine.  Weaving is an immensely talented actress and here she's given the opportunity to display her comedic and dramatic throughout.  There are plenty of familiar faces here in supporting roles with Karl Glusman, who happily chews up scenery as the loser love interest, getting the largest amount of screen time but Weaving proves to be the glue that keeps it all together no matter how nonsensical the situations get.  Andy Garcia and Steve Zahn pop up in limited roles but both actors seem to be screaming for screentime to flesh out their respective roles.  Giving each of them a bit more time, especially with Weaving, could have given the film a more nuanced sense of depth that's sorely lacking.  Also, the film takes a turn, tonally, in the film's final act that jarring since everything up to that point had been so lighthearted and freewheeling.  It leaves Eenie Meanie on rather dour note, which is a strange choice since everything else has played out in a fairly predictable manner.  

B-

MOVIE REVIEW: BORDERLINE

 

A helplessly romantic sociopath escapes from a mental institution and invades the home of a '90s pop superstar. He just wants to be loved; she just wants to survive.

Director: Jimmy Warden

Cast:  Samara Weaving, Ray Nicholson, Jimmie Fails, Alba Baptista, Eric Dane

Release Date: March 14, 2025/UK Digital release September 8th 2025

Genre: Comedy, Horror, Thriller

Rated R for violence and language

Runtime: 1h 34m

Review:

Writer turned director, Jimmy Warden, debut film is a fun, if uneven comedy elevated by a strong comedic turn from Samara Weaving and a wonderfully unhinged performance from Ray Nicholson.  Warden seems to be brimming with ideas he wants to toy with which makes the breezy runtime feel more chaotic than it needed to be.  He's got a solid eye for visuals as he delivers a handful of well-crafted sequences that are sure to linger in your memory after the film ends, particularly one involving a certain Celine Dion song.  He does struggle with keeping a consistent tone as the film swings from over the top comedy to something darker and much more off kilter.  It makes for a herky jerky experience as we get inspired moments of madness followed by some dead spaces that kills the momentum.  Thankfully, his cast proves to be more than capable of carrying the film over the majority of these bumps in the road.  Samara Weaving flexes her impressive comedic muscles as the self centered singer/actress that fuels Ray Nicholson's Duerson obsession.  Her reactions are hilarious throughout as she reacts to the insanity provided by Nicholson and scene stealer Alba Baptista.  This film offers Ray Nicholson a wonderful showcase for his acting chops as he gets plenty of time to shine.  At this point in his career, it’s difficult not to see bits of his father come through especially in a role like this but that's not to say he isn't immensely talented in his own right.   Alba Baptista proves to be the real surprise here though as she brings her own brand of insanity to her role as a fellow escaped mental patient.  It’s a shame that the role is painfully underwritten because she could have really done something special with a better script.  Eric Dane gets the thankless job of being the straight man here which he can do in his sleep as Weaving steadfast bodyguard.  All in all, Borderline may not be a perfect entity, but it is entertaining enough, primarily thanks to its cast, to overlook some of its more glaring flaws.

B-

MOVIE REVIEW: HONEY DON'T!

 

Small-town private investigator Honey O'Donahue probes a series of strange deaths that are tied to a mysterious church.

Director: Ethan Coen

Cast: Margaret Qualley, Aubrey Plaza, Chris Evans, Charlie Day, Kristen Connolly

Release Date: August 22, 2025

Genre: Comedy, Crime, Mystery, Thriller

Rated R for strong sexual content, graphic nudity, some strong violence, and language.

Runtime: 1h 29m

Review:

Honey Don't boast an eclectic collection of characters and a stylish approach to the noir inspired tale, but it never manages to coalesce into a cohesive whole.  Ethan Coen's second entry in his "lesbian B-movie trilogy," after 2024's Drive-Away Dolls, offers a similar assortment of colorful characters, random smattering of violence and fun sense of black comedy.  That film wasn't perfect, but it did have a more focused and coherent plot that drove the film forward, something sorely missing here.  The story here is more of a collection of disparate story threads that are not fully formed or organically connected.  That's not to say there aren't inspired moments because there are quite a few thanks to some witty, rat-a-tat dialogue and strong turns from the cast.  The film never manages to get out of first gear as it struggles to find its flow throughout in spite of the film's cast.  The cast is primed and ready to deliver the goods led by another solid turn from Margaret Qualley.  Qualley is laser focused as the tough as nails, quick witted private investigator who loves a pair of click clackin heels.  She's always the most interesting character onscreen but the film seems to be content to go off on a handful of assorted tangents.  The supporting characters are all fun with both Chris Evans and Aubrey Plaza clearly having a ball as the cult leader and Honey's love interest respectively.  Unfortunately, both characters feel painfully underwritten and the film gives them scant time to make the kind of impression you'd expect.  It all makes up for a collection of characters and storyline that feel painfully undercooked which keeps Honey Don't! from being something memorable.  

 

C

MOVIE REVIEW: NOBODY 2

 

Workaholic assassin Hutch Mansell takes his family on a much-needed vacation to the small tourist town of Plummerville. However, he soon finds himself in the crosshairs of a corrupt theme-park operator, a shady sheriff, and a bloodthirsty crime boss.

Director: Timo Tjahjanto

Cast: Bob Odenkirk, Connie Nielsen, RZA, Colin Salmon, Gage Munroe, Paisley Cadorath, Christopher Lloyd, John Ortiz, Colin Hanks, Sharon Stone

Release Date: August 15, 2025

Genre: Action, Comedy, Crime, Thriller

Rated R for strong bloody violence, and language throughout.

Runtime: 1h 29m

Review:

Nobody 2 is a straightforward sequel that focuses on what made the first one fun and turns it up to an almost cartoonish level of incredibly fun action which is all anchored by Bob Odenkirk central performance.  Timo Tjahjanto takes the reins behind the camera and proves more than capable of delivering the over-the-top action that the first film delivered.  There are fits of frenzy as he delivers a pair of particularly impressive set pieces, one on a boat and the water park finale, that are as nonsensical as they are enjoyable.  You get the sense that Tjahjanto is just itching to bust out the next action sequence during some of the more plot driven moments.  Those expecting the characters to get fleshed out more in this entry might be left a little disappointed since the film moves at a breakneck pace.  Odenkirk is still incredibly fun as the workaholic middle aged assassin who is desperately in need of a break.  He manages to balance his character's duel sided personality which makes it mostly believable that he's a family man and incredibly lethal side at the same time.  He does get some small scenes with Connie Nielsen that gives her a tad more to do this go round but she still feels woefully underused.  Likewise, Christopher Lloyd and RZA pop in and out of the story periodically with both getting their big moment which is great but you are left wishing they had a bit more time to work with.  Newcomers, Sharon Stone, John Ortiz and Colin Hanks are also shuffled on and off screen so quickly that they really don't make much of an impact.  Sharon Stone does manage to chew up every scene she's in with impressive gusto but the film never takes full advantage of her.  It all keeps Nobody 2 from being better than the original but still more than fun enough for fans of that film.  

B+

MOVIE REVIEW: THE BAD GUYS 2

 

Reformed criminals Mr. Wolf, Mr. Snake, Mr. Piranha, Mr. Shark and Ms. Tarantula are trying very hard to be good. However, they soon find themselves hijacked into a high-stakes heist that's masterminded by a new team of delinquents they never saw coming -- the Bad Girls.

Director: Pierre Perifel

Cast: Sam Rockwell, Marc Maron, Awkwafina, Craig Robinson, Anthony Ramos, Zazie Beetz, Alex Borstein, Richard Ayoade, Lilly Singh, Danielle Brooks, Maria Bakalova, Natasha Lyonne

Release Date: August 1, 2025

Genre: Animation, Action, Adventure, Comedy, Crime, Family, Mystery

Rated PG for action/mild violence, rude humor and language.

Runtime: 1h 44m

Review:

The Bad Guys 2 is an energetic follow up to the original that's more than capable of standing on its own two feet with bigger action sequences, paired with a fun script and confident voicework from its cast.  Pierre Perifel follows up his original film with another blast of colorful, kinetic pop that's able to deliver fun for kids and adults alike.  The film's animated Ocean's Eleven energy is a fun departure from the standard family fare.  It’s still got a solid underlying message about finding redemption after making mistakes but it’s never overly didactic in its messaging which allows it to keep an adventurous sense of fun.  Sam Rockwell, Craig Robinson, Awkwafina, Anthony Ramos and Marc Maron all return from the original as the titular Bad Guys who are now finding their way after they've reformed.  They share an established chemistry together that works well for the story especially when the script lets them bounce back and forth with slyly witty dialogue.   Sam Rockwell again serves as the film's backbone as the Wolf who still possess the natural confidence from the first film, but the character is given some actual growth as he tries to navigate the straight and narrow while keeping his crew together.  Danielle Brooks is a perfect foil to his character as a fan/competitor who drags him back for one last heist by blackmailing him.  Brooks brings a similar sort of confidence as the leader of the Bad Girls who feels wants to leave her mark regardless of the consequences.  Maria Bakalova and Natasha Lyonne are fun as her lackey's although the script gives them the short end of the stick with neither getting fleshed out the way the other characters are.  Lyonne manages to make the most of scenes especially early when paired with Marc Maron's Snake.  Once we arrive at the extended final act, the film starts to lose a bit of steam as it struggles with the same energy which could have been fixed with some judicious editing to knockdown the film's runtime by 15 minutes or so.  That being said The Bad Guys 2 proves to be one of the better animated sequences that improves on nearly everything that made the original work.

B+

MOVIE REVIEW: WEAPONS

 

When all but one child from the same classroom mysteriously vanish on the same night at exactly the same time, a community is left questioning who or what is behind their disappearance.

Director: Zach Cregger

Cast: Josh Brolin, Julia Garner, Cary Christopher, Alden Ehrenreich, Austin Abrams, Benedict Wong, Amy Madigan

Release Date: August 8, 2025

Genre: Horror, Mystery 

Rated R for strong bloody violence and grisly images, language throughout, some sexual content and drug use.

Runtime: 2h 8m

Review:

Zach Cregger's sophomore film, Weapons, is a Pulp Fiction style maze that's equal parts unnerving and hilarious, powered by stellar turns from Josh Brolin and Julia Garner.  Cregger's film is visually potent from the start, and he delivers a series of shocks that are sure to leave an impression long after you leave the theater.  That shouldn't come as a surprise after his debut film, Barbarian, which was populated with more than enough nightmarish imagery but here he uses structure to slowly unfurl the central mystery from different points of view.  It keeps everything off balance and unpredictable, particularly in the first half of the film before it shows its hand.  Its grabs and holds your attention for the majority of the film but it might lose some more hardcore horror aficionado once it reveals the game Cregger is playing since it blends more than a few genres with its twisted sense of humor.  The characters are all damaged individuals that are dealing with variety of issues that makes them feel more three dimensional than you'd expect from most horror films.  It helps that his cast is fully committed to his brand of madness and deliver strong performances across the board.  Julia Garner leads the way with a multilayered turn that really shows off her immense talent in a way the other films she has been part of this year have not.  Her alcoholic, obsessive teacher is a treasure trove of complexity and imperfections even before her class goes missing.  She's traumatized and ostracized by the event but Garner is still able to give her an authentic sense of caring about the kids and what happened to them.  Josh Brolin's character is obsessive, to a fault, about finding out what happened to his child and aims his ire at Garner's character initially.  Brolin brings the appropriate sense of misguided parental intensity that just comes through the screen especially early on.  Alden Ehrenreich's recovering alcoholic cop who's involved in affair with Garner's character is a bit more straightforward and one dimensional with his subplot being used more as connective tissue for the overall narrative as opposed to a fully formed character.  Cary Christopher, Austin Abrams and Benedict Wong are solid in smaller supporting roles even though their character could use a bit more depth before the wheels start to fly off in Weapons rather nutty finale that's sure to be contentious with some people. 

B+