MOVIE REVIEW: HOT SPOT

 

In a near-future society ruled by sentient AI, a private eye who's investigating a murder case encounters a rebel group that's capable of undermining the digital overlord.

Director: Agnieszka Smoczynska

Cast: Andrzej Konopka, Noomi Rapace, Reika Kirishima 

 

Genre: Crime, Drama, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Thriller

Rated R for strong violent content, gore, graphic nudity, sexual content and brief language.

Runtime: 1h 41m

Review:

Agnieszka Smoczynska’s Hot Spot starts off like a solid cyberpunk amalgam of The Matrix and Mad Max paired with striking visuals but whatever energy it starts with quickly fizzles as reveals a meandering, muddled plot that borders on absurdity at various points during its runtime.  Konopka’s garish visual style gives the film a psychedelic energy that should make the entire thing much more entertaining than it is.  Plot points are dictated at various points during the film which makes for more than a few moments of clunky exposition that doesn’t come close to explaining what’s going on outside of the most basic aspect of the AI totalitarian dystopia on display.  All other bits of oddity thrown on screen like Andrzej Konopka’s detective, Jan 623, generally bizarre wardrobe and look, man eating pet worm, or his partner randomly having elf ears aren’t given even a passing line of explanation.  Konopka seems dead set to make things odd just for the sake of being odd with these choices, amounting to nothing in the grand scheme of the story.  The script has plenty of ideas bouncing around but it doesn’t have any conception of how to form these assorted themes and concepts into a cohesive whole.  While the film has a decidedly advent garde looks and feel there barely enough to make any of it engaging enough for you to care about what’s going on, making the whole thing an increasingly difficult slog as the film drags on with very little actually happening.  The primary cast of Andrzej Konopka, Noomi Rapace and Reika Kirishima have all clearly bought into the director’s vision and seem primed and ready to do anything and everything she asks of them.  It’s shame that they’re given virtually nothing to work with outside of the most abstract bits of a concept, none of which is fully realized.  The cast generally seems desperate to be given something substantial or meaningful to work with.  It all makes Hot Spot feel like a hollow, wasted attempt at a film that’s so incoherent and incomplete that it leaves you wondering how it all went so wrong during the creation of the project.  

D-

MOVIE REVIEW: TONY

 

Nineteen-year-old Anthony Bourdain stumbles into the chaotic world of a restaurant kitchen, setting off a summer that shapes the course of his life.

Director: Matthew Johnson

Cast: Dominic Sessa, Emilia Jones, Dagmara Domińczyk, Rich Sommer, Stavros Halkias, Leo Woodall, Antonio Banderas

Release Date: August 7, 2026

Genre: Biography, Comedy, Drama

Rated R for pervasive language, drug use, and sexual content/nudity.

Runtime: 1h 46m

Review:

Tony doesn’t require you to know much about the man at the center of the film which makes it an impressively accessible coming of age tale that never lionize which makes the character onscreen feel all the more real and human.  Matthew Johnson’s film lives and breathes as a portrait of a young man desperately searching for meaning and direction in his life that gives everything an air of authenticity.  He isn’t afraid to show his main character in an unflattering light for large portions of time as he’s shown to be a self-aggrandizing liar who’s most concerned with people being impressed with him.  He fails regularly and makes some horrible decisions along the way that should feel relatable to large portion of people.  Dominic Sessa captures that energy effortlessly as he gives the audience a sense of the character’s unearned superiority which masks an undercurrent of his failures.  His lanky figure and hunched over posture give the audience a sense of his awkwardness and insecurity along with a general willingness to follow anyone who’s willing to give him the time of day.   He becomes fast friends with Leo Woodall misfit restaurant worker, Sal, who possesses a chaotic charisma that Tony is initially entranced with until things go off the rails with their mentor played by Antonio Banderas.  Banderas has rarely been better as he delivers an award worthy turn as 'Chef' José Vatel who owns the small restaurant Tony ends up working and living with during that formative summer.  Banderas plays the character with impressive nuance and depth as he depicts the character as a tough taskmaster but underneath it there’s an understated soulfulness that enchanting once it reveals itself.  Their stellar work makes the emotional turns hit like a gut punch as this motley crew of a family fractures and nearly falls apart.  The restaurant relationships are so well done that it leaves Emilia Jones’ love interest story line feel more perfunctory than engaging even though his pursuit of her gets the plot rolling.  Those looking for a more expansive exploration of Bourdain will probably be better off sticking with his famous memoir, Kitchen Confidential, since Tony is concerned with a very specific point in time in his life.  That laser focus allows Tony to be a complicated but thoughtful tribute that displays the kind of honest humanism Bourdain would have likely appreciated.  

A-

MOVIE REVIEW: INSIDIOUS: OUT OF THE FURTHER

 

Gemma is a young mother who discovers she can travel into the Further, a purgatorial realm of lost souls. When something evil comes after her, she realizes she can bring what lives there back to the real world. Once the demons realize her power, our world becomes their playground.

Director: Jacob Chase

Cast: Amelia Eve, Brandon Perea, Maisie Richardson-Sellers, Lin Shaye

Release Date: August 21, 2026

Genre: Horror, Mystery,Thriller

Rated PG-13 for strong violent content, bloody images, terror and some strong language.

Runtime: 1h 46m

Review:

Insidious: Out of the Further offers up an expansion of the franchise by opening up the world and bringing in more creepy monsters and delivers a consistent series of haunted house jump scares that’s predictable, occasionally goofy but still mildly entertaining.  Jacob Chase capably directs the film with an efficient hand, wasting little time getting into the film’s central plot and laying down the ground rules which should be familiar to fans of the franchise.  He set up a series of set pieces that rely heavily on old school tension and jump scares highlighted by a trek in the world’s strongest sofa pillow fort.  There are plenty of spooky and gross imagery thrown onscreen, definitely gives you a better appreciation for dental hygienist, to keep the action rolling along at a steady pace.  A large part of the plot feels fairly predictable with large swaths of the story reveals being telegraphed a mile away.  The central villain in this entry does offer up some interesting ideas by bringing in death cults and the afterlife that gives him a different angle although the script doesn’t explore it in a meaningful way.  There are plenty of unanswered questions about how him and his acolytes gained the kind of power they display throughout but it does make for a series of amusing moments such as Brandon Perea’s policeman questioning the aforementioned acolytes.  Amelia Eve, who looks like she could be Charlize Theron’s sister that nobody talks about, is perfectly capable in the central role even if her character is thinly written.  Eve and Island Austin, who plays her daughter Maya, have some solid onscreen energy with Austin bringing some real presence as a child actress which makes you wonder why the film didn’t spend a little more time with their relationship before things get supernaturally nutty.  They still manage to make their characters likable enough that you have enough vested interest in their survival to keep you engaged in the story.  Franchise stalwart, Lin Shaye, returns and is given a bit more to do here than previous entries while still serving as the connective tissue for the series.  The rest of the supporting players played by Brandon Perea and Maisie Richardson-Sellers are given the most basic character traits and a willingness to go along with whatever Amelia Eve’s Gemma layouts for them with little to no push back or questions.  Insidious: Out of the Further is a solid if forgettable entry in the series with enough slivers of Lucio Fulci's The Beyond scattered throughout to make it easier to overlook some of the more generic elements.

C+

MOVIE REVIEW: TEENAGE SEX AND DEATH AT CAMP MIASMA

 

A queer director making a slasher franchise sequel becomes obsessed with casting the original film's "final girl," leading both women into psychological and sexual chaos.

Director: Jane Schoenbrun

Cast: Hannah Einbinder, Gillian Anderson, Jack Haven, Patrick Fischler, Zach Cherry, Dylan Baker

Release Date: August 7, 2026

Genre: Drama, Horror, Romance, Thriller

Rated R for bloody violence, gore, sexual content, graphic nudity, drug use and some language.

Runtime: 1h 52m

Review:

Jane Schoenbrun’s third feature film, Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma, explores how formative genre film, slashers in particular, shape people’s journey to self-discovery in a loving, occasionally hilarious tribute/dissection.  Those expecting a straightforward slasher from Schoenbrun will be disappointed here with her focus centered on the effect of the classic slasher genre, warts and all, on a generation that grew up watching them.  The story feels incredibly personal and semi-autobiographic with Hannah Einbinder’s indie director tasked with rebooting the long dead Miasma franchise.  She offers plenty to unpack thematically which be dissected in a variety of ways but if there’s something that shines through is the genuine love of the genre even with some of its more problematic elements.  It’s clearly something that was foundational to her development and while this story feels very personal to her but it’s easy to see parallels to anyone who grew up with these violent films that had more than a healthy amount of sex in them.  Her use of a film within a film device is a clever approach to flip the perspective back and forth with the in-film sections carried by a striking Amanda Fix who naturally exudes youthful sadness and confusion paired with some of more over the top first person kills around.  The dreamlike atmosphere that’s pervaded Schoenbrun’s previous films are ever present but this film is far more playful which allows for some truly funny sequences such as a zoom pitch meeting that goes off the rails in an uber meta way or the final bloodbath that’s more slapstick than horrific.  Hannah Einbinder and Gillian Anderson carry the film with their chemistry together serving as the beating heart of the film with both delivering eclectic but endearing turns.  Einbinder, fresh off of a different kind of May/December relationship in HBO’s Hacks, is appropriately awkward and unsure of herself as this meeting with Anderson’s reclusive star takes an unexpected course.  Anderson, sporting a Dolly Parton accent, is strangely soulful even as she serves up KFC like meal from a Michelin star restaurant, dressed like some long-forgotten heiress in a cabin.  They make for an oddly matched pair but can tell both actresses are fully committed to the roles and what Schoenbrun is trying to accomplish.  She aims to bring together so many concepts and themes it shouldn’t come as a surprise that there are some choppy moments especially as shift into more meta commentary heavy in the final act.  Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma isn’t going to be for everyone, almost by design, but that doesn’t keep it from being a fascinating multifaceted film that’s got plenty to offer for those will to go on the journey.  

B+

MOVIE REVIEW: THE END OF OAK STREET

 

A mysterious cosmic event rips Oak Street from suburbia and transports a neighborhood to someplace unknown. The Platt family soon discovers that their very survival depends on sticking together as they navigate their now unrecognizable surroundings.

Director: David Robert Mitchell

Cast: Anne Hathaway, Ewan McGregor, Maisy Stella, Christian Convery

Release Date: August 14, 2026

Genre: Action, Adventure, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller

Rated PG-13 for some strong violent content, bloody images, some strong language and suggestive material.

Runtime: 1h 40m

Review:

The End of Oak Street is a throwback on multiple levels with it taking cues from Steven Spielberg, Steven King and Ray Bradbury to deliver a family adventure that’s as fun as it is bloody.  David Robert Michell paints the prototypical 80’s suburb with its neighborhood cookouts, bullies and marital discord simmering underneath it all.  He avoids the usual pitfalls of going for the super garish 80’s styles and goes for a more typical look and feels that should feel familiar to anyone who lived through the decade, which is refreshing.  Michell spends little time before thrusting this generic suburban neighborhood into prehistory carnage which become increasingly bloody and brutal.  He slowly reveals the reality of the situation of the confused community and then stages some thrilling set pieces as the carnivorous start attacking before even larger predators show up.  It’s briskly paced for the most part, with small character moments thrown here and there for the family with Anne Hathaway and Ewan McGregor doing the majority of the heavy lifting.  Hathaway and McGregor carry the film by delivering thoroughly committed performances as they add so much nuance and texture to their relationship.  There’s nothing groundbreaking about their fractured marriage as a storyline but they both give their characters enough nuance and shades of grey which would be missing in hands of lesser performances.  They give you a solid sense of their frustrations but underlying love that keeps them together, especially as they try to deal with the insanity of the situation they are in.  It’s a testament to the talent of both performers because they pull everything they can out of the script to make you care about them, especially once the film takes a surprising turn.  Unfortunately, the rest of the supporting cast don’t fair as well with the script offering up fairly one-dimensional cookie cutter types.  Their kids, played by Maisy Stella and Christian Convery, get the most screentime and there are tidbits dropped here and there about their personalities, but they’re never really explored.  The rest of the neighbors serve as little more than cannon fodder for the marauding monsters running about.  Still, the script’s shortcoming doesn’t keep The End of Oak Street from being a fun ride that feels like a theatrical episode pulled from the 80’s series Amazing Stories created by Steven Spielberg.

B+

MOVIE REVIEW: ONE NIGHT ONLY

 

Two New Yorkers search for love on the one night of the year when sex is legal.

Director: Will Gluck

Cast: Monica Barbaro, Callum Turner, Maya Hawke, Julia Fox, Molly Ringwald, LeVar Burton, Michelle Hurd

Release Date: August 7, 2026

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance

Rated R for sexual material, language and brief nudity.

Runtime: 1h 42m

Review:

One Night Only could have been a fun, mindless rom com propped up by its two stars screen magnetism but framing the whole story in a dystopic, prudish near future makes the whole thing more perplexing than anything.  Will Gluck is familiar with this space, scoring a hit with 2023’s Anyone but You which share quite a few similarities with this film.  His films typically have an easy to watch flow that leans heavily on its stars charisma with Monica Barbaro and Callum Turner bringing plenty of it to this film.   The script offers up plenty of jokes and moments with some landing better than others but overall, it’s a breezy film that offers up a series of misadventures for our central couple to go through before they eventually end up together.  That part is never in question as the film plays out fairly predictably as these lovelorn individuals keep running into other before getting more and more interested in other the course of the night.  Barbaro and Turner are both solid throughout with both bringing a level of weirdness to their generally hot appearances.  They share some solid chemistry together even though the film keeps them apart for large swaths of time which is an odd choice since it makes their “deep” connection feel much less organic than it should by the time it’s all said and done.  It all makes for a fairly standard bit of rom-com silliness that’s entertaining until you think about the concept too much.  The concept offers up a myriad of questions that the film never really seems all that interested in engaging with.  It even wades into some strange acceptance of the whole concept as being romantic and even dropping the line, “Maybe the fascists were right about this one.”  It’s a weird message to end the film on that, for all its sexual romp trappings, seems to land on the government forced chastity side of the argument.  Will Gluck made his name with the Emma Stone vehicle, Easy A, which also dealt with morality, but that film was far more thoughtful in its approach while still working as a comedy, something One Night Only struggles to do. 

C