MOVIE REVIEW: THE UGLY STEPSISTER

 

Elvira dreams of the weak-kneed virgin, Prince Julian, and is willing to go to great lengths to conform to the kingdom's ideals of beauty. A surprising and raw twist on the fairy tale `Cinderella', seen from her stepsister's point of view.

Director: Emilie Blichfeldt

Cast: Lea Myren, Thea Sofie Loch Næss, Ane Dahl Torp, Flo Fagerli

Release Date: April 18, 2025/UK Cinemas April 25, 2025

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Horror, Sci-Fi

Unrated 

Runtime: 1h 50m

Review:

Emilie Blichfeldt's debut film, The Ugly Stepsister, is a lavishly demented and darkly funny take on the Cinderella story from the Stepsister's point of view full of body horror and subtext.  Blichfeldt's film has a dreamlike fairy tale feel to it juxtaposed with varying moments of increasingly intense body horror as we follow the eldest stepsister's, Elvira played with wide eyed earnestness by Lea Myren, a quest to achieve nearly impossible beauty standards to save her family.  The script avoids the usual depictions of the stepmother and daughter as outright evil and more as products of their unfortunate circumstances as they attempt to survive an intensely patriarchal society.  This approach gives Elvira and her family a much more sympathetic feeling as we follow her to do pretty much anything to give her a chance to marry the prince who isn't as charming as he is on paper.  Lea Myren delivers a stellar performance in the central role that's makes her increasing desire to achieve her goal which drives her to a series of extreme measures.  It’s a fascinating performance that always makes her the most interesting performer on screen even as the character slowly starts to tear apart at the seams, quite literally at certain points.  She's able to make the audience feel every moment, especially those wince inducing moments that's sure to turn more than a few stomachs.  There's a thematic echo of last year's The Substance but here there's still a sliver of redemption for our central character thanks to her more sensible younger sister played by Flo Fagerli who makes the most of her limited screentime.  Ane Dahl Torp and Thea Sofie Loch Naess play the stepmother and Cinderella respectively with an air of sadness throughout as opposite sides of the same coin where fortune shines on one but not the other.  The Ugly Stepsister's more extreme moments will be its calling card for years to come but there's so much shimmer under the surface that you must appreciate the level of talent behind its creation.  

A

MOVIE REVIEW: WARFARE

 

A surveillance mission goes wrong for a platoon of American Navy SEALs in insurgent territory in Iraq.

Director: Ray Mendoza; Alex Garland

Cast: D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Will Poulter, Cosmo Jarvis, Joseph Quinn, Kit Connor, Finn Bennett, Taylor John Smith, Michael Gandolfini, Adain Bradley, Noah Centineo, Evan Holtzman, Henry Zaga, Charles Melton

Release Date: April 11, 2025

Genre: Action, Drama, War

Rated R for intense war violence and bloody/grisly images, and language throughout.

Runtime: 1h 35m

Review:

Ray Mendoza and Alex Garland's Warfare is an intense, nerve-racking retelling of an engagement gone wrong which puts the audience on ground with the platoon.  The film plays out in real time with the script based on testimonial from those involved back on November 19, 2006, in Ramadi, Iraq.  As a result, the plot is about as barebones as they come with the mission and subsequent rescue being the main propulsive force for the narrative.  We are given only the slightest tidbits of information on the respective members of the platoon as we watch them fight for their lives when things go off the rails.  This isn't the type of film that gives you the traditional tropes found in most war films so those looking for deep character exploration might be left wanting to know more about each person.  Mendoza and Garland are much more focused on bringing the chaos and its effect on these mostly 20 something soldiers as they struggle to survive and cope with deeply disturbing situations.  The ensemble cast is made up of a bevy of familiar faces with each delivering excellent work by delivering realistically raw reactions to the traumatic events on display.  There are still displays of heroism, but the film avoids overt jingoism with both sides presented as apolitically as possible.  The action sequences are technically impressive across the board, some of which give you the disorienting sense of shell shock the characters feel. There's an intentionality to everything Mendoza and Garland throw onscreen in Warfare with their aim being to give the audience a small sense of what these people went through for that hour and half and hopefully release some of the pent-up trauma along the way.   

A-

MOVIE REVIEW: THE AMATEUR

 

Charlie Heller is a brilliant CIA decoder whose world comes crashing down when his wife dies in a London terrorist attack. When his supervisors refuse to take action, his intelligence becomes the ultimate weapon as he embarks on a dangerous trek across the globe to track down those responsible.

Director: James Hawes

Cast: Rami Malek, Rachel Brosnahan, Caitríona Balfe, Jon Bernthal, Michael Stuhlbarg, Holt McCallany, Julianne Nicholson, Adrian Martinez, Danny Sapani, Laurence Fishburne

Release Date: April 11, 2025

Genre: Action, Thriller

Rated PG-13 for some strong violence, and language.

Runtime: 2h 3m

Review:

The Amateur is a solid, albeit predictable, revenge thriller elevated by a nuanced, tortured turn from Rami Malek who channels some old Mr. Robot energy.  James Hawes directs the film with a steady hand, giving it a polished look and feel that harkens back to old school spy thrillers.  He moves the film at a steady pace which makes for a breezy two hours taking full advantage of its European locales.  The set up is decidedly simple and there's a steady sense of tension built up throughout even though you never get the sense that Malek's Charlie Heller won't achieve his ultimate goals.  Malek though manages to add so much more depth and pathos to his character that makes his quest more intriguing.  It goes without saying that Malek doesn't look like an action star and the film smartly avoids trying to make him into one instead leaning into his introverted intellect.  Even as the kills get more grandiose and ridiculous, Malek manages to keep his character's motivation grounded through his haunting desire to avenge his wife, an underused Rachel Brosnahan.  While Malek delivers strong work throughout the film doesn't take full advantage of its supporting cast's talents.  Laurence Fishburne gets most screentime proving to be more than capable of pulling off an experienced black bag agent even in his 60's but your left wishing the script had given him a bit more to do.  It’s a similar story with Caitríona Balfe, sporting a spotty Russian accent, who's a dark web contact that assist Heller and shares the loss of a spouse.  Their relationship seems ripe for exploration, but the script never delves too deeply into it before moving on.  Holt McCallany, Jon Bernthal and Michael Stuhlbarg all have small supporting roles that feel like they should be more impactful than they are, but the script gives them such thin characterization that you kind of wonder why they bothered casting such capable performers only not to use them.  These missed opportunities keep The Amateur from becoming something truly special as opposed to the enjoyable but forgettable thriller it is.  

B-

MOVIE REVIEW: DROP

 

Violet is a widowed mother who goes to an upscale restaurant to meet Henry, her charming and handsome date. However, her pleasant evening soon turns into a living nightmare when she receives phone messages from a mysterious, hooded figure who threatens to kill her young son and sister unless she kills Henry.

Director: Christopher Landon

Cast: Meghann Fahy, Brandon Sklenar, Violett Beane, Jacob Robinson, Reed Diamond, Ben Pelletier, Gabrielle Ryan, Jeffery Self, Ed Weeks, Travis Nelson

Release Date: April 11, 2025

Genre: Drama, Mystery, Thriller

Rated PG-13 for strong violent content, suicide, some strong language and sexual references.

Runtime: 1h 40m

Review:

Christopher Landon's Drop is admittedly ludicrous at various points during its runtime but that doesn't keep his well-crafted pseudo Hitchcockian thriller from being an entertaining experience.  Landon’s direction is confident and efficient as he wastes little time getting the general premise and setting established with general ease.  He adds a handful of visual flourishes that work well to make sequences pop and put us in the mind of Meghann Fahy, Violet, as she's being taunted by her unseen assailant.  The script does give Landon a more complex female lead to work with than he has in his previous films, and he proves more than capable of handling her tragic backstory in a meaningful way which gives the character a solid story arc.  Impressively, Landon still manages to bring the same type of comedic sensibilities that he's known from his previous films, like Happy Death Day and Freaky, while balancing some of the heftier themes at play here.  It might not work as well if Meghann Fahy didn't deliver such a well-balanced performance that keeps her character likable even though she might be the worst first date ever through no fault of her own.  Her and Brandon Sklenar share some strong screen chemistry which helps keep the whole thing watchable even as things get increasingly more outlandishly detached from reality and logic.  Sklenar is perfectly suited as the dream date with a nearly unlimited sense of patience and goodwill paired with good looks.  They make for a believable pair even amongst the clandestine madness going on in the background.  The supporting players are given generic, one note, characters but Gabrielle Ryan and Jeffery Self make the most of their screentime as an attentive bartender and overly excited waiter.  There's a strong verve to most of Drop, thanks to its cast and direction, but the wheels do start to fly off the narrative once the central mystery is revealed which makes the film's finale choppier than everything that came before it.  

B-

MOVIE REVIEW: FREAKY TALES

 

An NBA star, a corrupt cop, a female rap duo, teenage punks, neo-Nazis and a debt collector embark on a collision course in 1987 Oakland, Calif.

Director: Ryan Fleck, Anna Boden

Cast: Pedro Pascal, Ben Mendelsohn, Jay Ellis, Normanit, Dominique Thorne, Jack Champion, Ji-young Yoo, Angus Cloud

Release Date: April 4, 2025

Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Crime, Drama

Rated R for strong bloody violence, language throughout including slurs, sexual content and drug use.

Runtime: 1h 47m

Review:

Freaky Tales is a quirky, Interconnected Tarantinoesque anthology that delivers a hefty dose of 80's Bay area nostalgia with increasingly off the wall chapters that benefit from a strong vibe and cast.  Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden borrow elements from a variety of sources for the four chapters that make up the story with noticeable nods to Pulp Fiction and Kill Bill being readily evident and even some sprinkles of Scott Pilgrim in the opening.  The pairs deep love and affection for this time and space seeps through the screen as they touch on everything from the punk and hip-hop scene to dirty cops, Nazis and basketball ninjas.  Some chapters are far more grounded than others with the filmmakers asking you to roll with the punches especially as events get nuttier in the final act.  Like most anthologies, some chapters work better than others with the first two really nailing down the vibe of each setting before stalling out in a more straightforward crime drama with the Pedro Pascal focused third chapter.  That's not to say the third chapter is bad, it just marks a notice shift in the film's tone to establish the connective tissue that brings everything together in its final act.  It’s a minor hiccup but it does have a fun cameo that makes the tonal change easier to deal.  The ensemble cast turns in solid work across the board with Jack Champion and Ji-young Yoo sharing some believable romantic chemistry in the opening act with Normanit and Dominique Thorne bringing a similar authenticity to their friendship in the rap battle portion.  Pedro Pascal is given the least showy role in the whole thing but delivers a solid turn as usual.  Ben Mendelsohn and Jay Ellis are given more fun roles as a sleazy detective and rather lethal point guard.   It all makes Freaky Tales a rather unexpected surprise of a film that's sure to become a cult classic in the years to come.

B+

MOVIE REVIEW: A WORKING MAN

 

Levon Cade left behind a decorated military career in the black ops to live a simple life of working construction. However, when human traffickers kidnap his boss's daughter, his search to bring her home uncovers a world of corruption far greater than he ever could have imagined.

Director: David Ayer

Cast: Jason Statham, Michael Peña, David Harbour, Jason Flemyng, Arianna Rivas, Noemi Gonzalez

Release Date: March 28, 2025

Genre: Action, Thriller

Rated R for strong violence, language throughout, and drug content.

Runtime: 1h 56m

Review:

A Working Man, David Ayer's second collaboration with Jason Statham, is self-serious but entertainingly over the top at the same time which makes it feel like an old school, 80's actioneers likely due to the influence of Sylvester Stallone who co-wrote the script.  Ayer brings his usual grim style to the proceedings while lifting bits and pieces from the John Wick franchise in the form of garishly, cartoonish villains that populate the vast underworld that Statham is tasked with annihilating in steady succession.  The script does try to humanize Levon Cade with relationship to daughter, but it never lands the way it should since Cade is pretty much an invincible killing machine with a singular mission.  Statham has made a career of playing these sorts of characters with his steely gaze even as he unleashes increasingly violent and extreme forms of violence on whoever stands in his way.  Michael Peña and David Harbour have small supporting roles with each popping up sporadically throughout, but neither is given much to work with outside of the most generic characteristics.  Harbour's character in particular seems to be screaming for a bit more depth which the script never offers.  The villains are equally forgettable with each serving as paper thin versions of countless clichéd bad guys we've seen before.  The final act starts to border on Schwarzenegger's Commando territory without the one liner as we watch Statham's Cade mows down wave after wave of bad guys.  A Working Man will make people of certain age feel like they've been transported back to the 80's where action films weren't terribly concerned with logic as much as it was with kicking ass.  

C+

MOVIE REVIEW: DEATH OF A UNICORN

 

When a man and his daughter accidentally hit and kill a unicorn with their car, his boss tries to exploit the creature's miraculous curative properties -- with horrific results.

Director: Alex Scharfman

Cast: Paul Rudd, Jenna Ortega, Will Poulter, Téa Leoni, Richard E. Grant, Anthony Carrigan, Sunita Mani

Release Date: March 28, 2025

Genre: Comedy, Fantasy, Horror, Thriller

Rated R for strong violent content, gore, language and some drug use.

Runtime: 1h 48m

Review:

Death of a Unicorn works best as a cartoonish black comedy thanks to its collection of talent, led by Paul Rudd and Jenna Ortega, but it struggles to merge the satirical and horror elements which keeps it from being something special.  Alex Scharfman's freshman film has a quirky, energetic vibe that comes through the screen especially during some of the film's more outlandish sequences.  The straightforward narrative works in the film's favor with it, wasting very little time before moving into the meat of the story.  Some judicious edits would have helped streamline some of the clunkier moments that sap the film of some of its energy.  The parts that work is goofy, gory fun like its Aliens riff that proves to be one of the film's high points.  Scharfman would have been wise to lean into that sort of nuttiness rather than bluntly hammer home tired takes on the entitled elite and pharma exploitation of nature.  The father/daughter storyline is basic as well, but it’s salvaged by Paul Rudd and Jenna Ortega likable turns.  Rudd could play this sort of character in his sleep while Ortega is fully embracing her role as this generations Winona Ryder as the smart, quirky but emotional distressed daughter.  Richard E. Grant and Téa Leoni are fun as the obscenely wealthy couple that Rudd's character aspires to work for, it’s just a shame that the script doesn't give them a ton to work with outside the most clichéd traits.  Will Poulter fares far better as the couple's overly entitled son that gets more and more intense as the effects of unicorn's dust take hold.  Poulter's comedic timing is perfectly suited to the role and he's clearly having a ball onscreen as he's bursting with energy especially in the final act.  Anthony Carrigan and Sunita Mani are both solid comedic performers, but they're mostly wasted in underserved roles, which is a shame to say the least.  It’s one of the elements in Death of a Unicorn that feel undercooked or unfinished much like the shoddy CGI that brings the magically vicious creatures to life which keeps it from really hitting the sweet spot.    

 

C+

MOVIE REVIEW: LOCKED

 

When Eddie breaks into a luxury SUV, he steps into a deadly trap set by a self-proclaimed vigilante who delivers his own brand of twisted justice. Trapped inside the car, Eddie soon discovers escape is an illusion and survival is a nightmare.

Director: David Yarovesky

Cast: Bill Skarsgård, Anthony Hopkins, Ashley Cartwright, Michael Eklund, Navid Charkhi

Release Date: March 21, 2025

Genre: Horror, Thriller

Rated R for strong violent content/bloody images, language throughout, and brief drug use.

Runtime: 1h 35m

Review:

Locked is a claustrophobic, single location thriller that gets the most mileage out of the conceit thanks in large part to strong turns from Bill Skarsgård and Anthony Hopkins.  David Yarovesky's slickly directed film feels like a spiritual successor to Joel Schumacher's 2002 film, Phone Booth with its static setting, flawed protagonist and malevolent, mostly unseen, antagonist.  The script provides a handful of blunt discussions about societal decay and class disparity which are intriguing ideas but done in such a heavy-handed manner that they feel inorganic to the story.  Discussions of Tolstoy's War & Peace and Karl Marx coming from Skarsgård's street urchin, deadbeat dad feels more than a little inauthentic regardless of how committed he is to the role.  Thankfully, Skarsgård is allowed more than enough time to overlook that bit of heavy-handed messaging by delivering an intriguing turn as the unlucky loser to step into Anthony Hopkins' twisted trap.  He's onscreen for nearly the entire film's runtime with little to react to outside of planted torture devices hidden in the vehicle and Hopkins' disembodied voice.  Skarsgård, who looks like Pete Davidson clone here, manages to keep the whole thing afloat by having his character go through a variety of emotional states as he's subjected to a variety of torturous situations that increasingly become more ludicrous.  Hovering over it all is Anthony Hopkins' dying one percenter with a grudge, William.  Hopkins gives the character a noticeable spark even though the character's motivations are rather clichéd by the time it’s all said and done.  He manages to mine every bit of gravitas he can out of the role even though he's offscreen for 90% of the time.  Sadly, by the time he shows up onscreen, the script and David Yarovesky struggle to close out the story in a satisfactory manner relying instead on a jarring ending that feels like they pulled the emergency brake on the film once they couldn't land on a more meaningful.    

B-

MOVIE REVIEW: SNOW WHITE

 

Disney's Snow White, or simply Snow White, is a 2025 American musical fantasy film directed by Marc Webb and written by Erin Cressida Wilson.

Director: Marc Webb

Cast: Rachel Zegler, Gal Gadot, Andrew Burnap, Martin Klebba, Ansu Kabia, Patrick Page, Jeremy Swift, Tituss Burgess

Release Date: March 21, 2025

Genre: Adventure, Family, Fantasy, Musical, Romance

Rated PG for violence, some peril, thematic elements and brief rude humor.

Runtime: 1h 49m

Review:

Disney's live action Snow White had a rather turbulent ride on its way to the big screen with the result being a rather inoffensive, albeit forgettable, family musical carried by a strong, earnest turn from Rachel Zegler.  Marc Webb's visually garish production is lively for most of its runtime even though it does rely too much on CGI for my taste.  Webb delivers some solid set pieces for the film's catchy musical number with Good Things Grow, Heigh-Ho and Whistle While You Work being the best of the bunch.  There's a real sense of energy that comes through during those sequences even if the film struggles to maintain it on a consistent level.  The mash up of classic tunes from the original animated film and new tracks is hardly seamless as there's a noticeable contrast between them with the new songs which have a very modern Broadway feel to them.  Rachel Zegler proves to be more than capable of traversing the choppiness of the mash up with impressive ease by delivering a strong vocal performance along with a wide-eyed authenticity that works well for the character.  Zegler's vocal talents are put on full display here, which allows her to shine during her musical numbers.  The character is written with a bit more agency here but like the mash up of songs there's a clunkiness to it all that feels like it could have been worked more subtly into the narrative especially the ending which feels tacked on.   Andrew Burnap's Jonathan is solid and likable but there's nothing close to any sort of chemistry here between him and Zegler to make you believe the "true love" thread that's central to the final act.  Gal Gadot embraces the look of the Evil Queen with a vamp/camp performance that's sure to be a point of discussion along with her musical number which does more to hide her voice than highlight it.  After all the belly aching about this film's version of the seven dwarfs, they appear pretty much like they did in the animated film but with a strange realistic look that is more distracting than anything.  Martin Klebba's vocal work as Grumpy leaves the biggest impression with the others proving to be rather interchangeable and non-descript.  Once it’s all said and done, Snow White ends up in the same category as the majority of the other live action remakes, passable entertainment that never reaches the heights of the classic animated film.  

B-

MOVIE REVIEW: BLACK BAG

 

When his beloved wife, Kathryn, is suspected of betraying the nation, intelligence agent George Woodhouse faces the ultimate test -- loyalty to his marriage or his country.

Director: Steven Soderbergh

Cast: Cate Blanchett, Michael Fassbender, Marisa Abela, Tom Burke, Naomie Harris, Regé-Jean Page, Pierce Brosnan

Release Date: March 14, 2025

Genre: Drama, Thriller

Rated R for language including some sexual references, and some violence.

Runtime: 1h 33m

Review:

Steven Soderbergh's sleek spy thriller crackles off the screen thanks to a pitch perfect script and stellar turns from its cast.  Soderbergh's film instantly pops off the screen with its stylized aesthetic that gives every shot and the film overall a certain verve that's infectious.  This film has no interest in being gritty in any shape or form as every person and locale looks like it was lifted from a fashion catalogue.  As a spy thriller, it’s more of a throwback to old school films that focus more on the machinations at play than large scale carnage.  David Koepp's script provides the cast with plenty of meaty dialogue that moves from biting and wry to sexy with incredible ease.  Cate Blanchett and Michael Fassbender are perfectly in their element as the central spy spouses who may or may not be hiding something from each other.  Blanchett's statuesque frame and refined voice make her an imposing figure that can inspire a bevy of emotions with a simple look.  Fassbender, on the other end, plays his character much more analytically and cerebrally as you watch him dissect every person and moment throughout.  They share a wonderful, believable chemistry onscreen that makes their deep emotional connection ring true even through all the deceptions that are part of their lives.  Marisa Abela leaves a strong impression as a firecracker of a data analyst who's ensnared in a larger plot but proves to be more than capable of standing on her own volition.  Regé-Jean Page, Tom Burke and Naomie Harris all have smaller supporting roles with each leaving their mark in their limited screentime.  Pierce Brosnan has what amounts to an extended cameo as the section chief and serves a bit of a garnish to the decadent dish that Soderbergh delivers with Black Bag.

A

MOVIE REVIEW: NOVOCAINE

 

When the girl of his dreams gets kidnapped, a man turns his inability to feel pain into an unexpected advantage as he fights a bunch of thugs to get her back.

Director: Robert Olsen, Dan Berk

Cast: Jack Quaid, Amber Midthunder, Ray Nicholson, Jacob Batalon, Betty Gabriel, Matt Walsh

Release Date: March 14, 2025

Genre: Action, Comedy, Thriller

Rated R for strong bloody violence, grisly images, and language throughout.

Runtime: 1h 50m

Review:

Novocaine is fun, over the top, gimmick driven action film that stays afloat thanks to its gonzo approach and likable turns from Jack Quaid and Amber Midthunder.  Directors Robert Olsen and Dan Berk deliver a quirky blend of rom-com moments offset by a series of increasingly gory violence throughout the film.  There are echoes of 2006's frenetic Crank even though this film can't maintain that sort of unbridled manic energy consistently.  There are plenty of high points scattered throughout the film's nearly two-hour runtime which makes for a choppy experience that screams for some judicious editing especially for this kind of film.  When it works it does so because of the well acclimated set pieces that make great use of our living crash test dummy as he pursues his kidnapped love interest.  Jack Quaid brings what's quickly becoming a trademark goofy charm to the role that fits this incredibly sheltered character perfectly.  Quaid makes it easy to root for this character that's totally out of his depth who's more than willing to risk life and limb to rescue the girl that's taken his heart.   Amber Midthunder works well as the love interest here as she's clearly more than just a damsel in distress.  Midthunder gives her character a bit more depth than you'd expect from this sort of role and the film is better for it overall.  The supporting players aren't so lucky as we get a handful of generic police and thug types played by Betty Gabriel, Matt Walsh and Ray Nicholson with only Walsh leaving noticeable mark.  This film also serves as a perfect example of the film's marketing killing most of the surprises and fun it has to offer as the trailer provide a nearly step by step run of the film's best parts leaving very little unseen.  It’s a shame because if you've seen any of the trailers for Novocaine, you've likely seen the best parts of the film as nearly every moment is given away beforehand.   

C+

MOVIE REVIEW: MICKEY 17

 

A disposable employee is sent on a human expedition to colonize the ice world Niflheim. After one iteration dies, a new body is regenerated with most of his memories intact.

Director: Bong Joon-ho

Cast: Robert Pattinson, Naomi Ackie, Steven Yeun, Toni Collette, Mark Ruffalo

Release Date: March 7, 2025

Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Sci-Fi

Rated R for violent content, language throughout, sexual content and drug material.

Runtime: 2h 17m

Review:

Mickey 17 is another darkly funny but thematically packed sci-fi feature from Bong Joon-ho powered by a fun dual performance from Robert Pattinson.  Fans of Bong Joon-ho will find plenty to enjoy here as there are traces of Snowpiercer, The Host and Parasite scattered throughout this entry.  He still manages to create a distinctively quirky world for his characters to inhabit with plenty of not so subtle allusions to current day issues.  It’s decidedly lighter in tone than his previous efforts but there's plenty of darker themes at play simmering underneath such as socioeconomic disparity, demagoguery along with many more.  It’s a film that's far denser once you start digging deeper into what's going on screen.  There are a few choppy spots here and there which would have benefited from some tighter editing to make the film more effective overall.  At the center of it all is Robert Pattinson who clearly feels in his element playing the dim "expendable" worker.  Pattinson's turn is fun from the start as we watch his human guinea pig live, die in rinse and repeat fashion.  He takes it to another level once his much darker and angrier "multiple" appears on screen which gives him a wonderful berth of emotional range to work through to give us two distinctive versions of the same character.  It makes him the most interesting performer onscreen for a variety of reason even though the supporting cast is made up of talented performers who aren't given as much to work with as Pattinson.   Naomi Ackie and Steven Yeun are solid, but the script leaves them underserved with neither leaving the sort of impression they should since they are integral parts of Mickey's story.  Likewise, Mark Ruffalo and Toni Collette's oversized characters are fun but there's not a ton of depth to them since they written in such a cartoonish manner, Ruffalo's oversized capped teeth notwithstanding.  It’s not a horrible misstep but it does leave you wishing that for a film that's over 2 hours long it would have given these characters a bit more depth.  Small issues aside Mickey 17 is the kind of darkly funny satire we've come to expect Bong Joon-ho and another solid entry in his filmography.  

B+

MOVIE REVIEW: LAST BREATH

 

The true story of seasoned deep-sea divers who battle the raging elements to rescue a crewmate who's trapped hundreds of feet below the ocean's surface.

Director: Alex Parkinson

Cast: Woody Harrelson, Simu Liu, Finn Cole, Cliff Curtis

Release Date: February 28, 2025

Genre: Drama, Thriller

Rated PG-13 for brief strong language.

Runtime: 1h 33m

Review:

Last Breath is a sleek, efficient thriller that sets you firmly in the moment of this dramatic retelling of a real-life deep-sea rescue.  Alex Parkinson, who directed the documentary of the same, takes the reins for this cinematic recreation and displays an impressive eye for realism.  Parkinson delivers some impressive underwater sequences that make you feel the enormity of the ocean and dire nature of the situation which echoes other survival thrillers like 2013’s Gravity and 1995’s Apollo 13.  He moves his film at such a brisk space that we’re given only the smallest bit of characterization for each of the principles.  Parkinson’s laser focus on the rescue and extenuating circumstances are admirable but you are left wishing he'd spent a bit more time fleshing out each character to create a stronger emotional connection.  Luckily, he’s blessed with a strong collection of actors who squeeze every bit of emotional resonance from their scenes.  Woody Harrelson is perfectly suited portraying the grizzled veteran/mentor for the group.  His natural, everyman persona fits perfectly here even though the script doesn’t give him a ton to work with.  He has believable chemistry with Finn Cole who plays the youngest member of the trio.  Cole brings a wide-eyed innocence to his character that informs his eagerness to do well on the job.  Simu Liu is solid but understated for most of the film as he struggles to make his underwritten character more three dimensional than its written.  All three deliver workmanlike performances that keeps the film engaging despite its incredibly thin script.  If anything, the cinematic version of Last Breath is strong enough to make you search out the Netflix’s documentary about the real event.  

B-

MOVIE REVIEW: HEART EYES

 
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A masked maniac with glowing, red eyes returns every Valentine's Day to slaughter unsuspecting couples. When a cynical ad executive and her hopelessly romantic colleague become the next target, they decide to fight back and end the reign of terror.

Director: Josh Ruben

Cast: Olivia Holt, Mason Gooding, Gigi Zumbado, Michaela Watkins, Devon Sawa, Jordana Brewster

Release Date: February 7, 2025

Genre: Comedy, Horror, Mystery

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

Runtime: 1h 37m

Review:

Heart Eyes is a fun slasher/rom com mash up that works more often than not thanks in large part to its tongue in cheek tone and strong chemistry from Olivia Holt and Mason Gooding.  Josh Ruben shows off his ability to balance the horror and rom-com elements with general ease much like he did in his 2021 sleeper, Werewolves Within, which hit some similar notes.  He leans into the general silliness of both genres by playing up the clichés by peppering the film with elements of each throughout.  Outside of a few clunky moments here and there it mostly works in the film's favor which makes it surprisingly likable even with its occasional stumbles.  There's a fun, playful spirit running through the film that should make it readily apparent that this whole endeavor is more of a lark than a straightforward slasher which may leave a few people wanting for more straight up scares to go along with the blood and guts.  The rom-com elements work more organically thanks to the film's two leads who clearly understood the assignment.  Olivia Holt and Mason Gooding share some strong chemistry onscreen with both showing off some impressive comedic timing during the mayhem.  They both fully buy into what Ruben is trying to do with the film, and both are clearly having a ball onscreen which makes them a likable pair that's easy to root for.  The supporting players are equally locked with Gigi Zumbado and Michaela Watkins leaving the biggest impressions with their limited screentime.  Devon Sawa and Jordana Brewster's detectives are fun but underutilized even though both are more than ready to ham it up.  It makes for a slightly uneven final act especially once the predictable reveal occurs.  It ultimately doesn't keep Heart Eyes from being an enjoyable endeavor especially for anyone who's sat through one too many slashers or rom coms in their time.

B

MOVIE REVIEW: THE MONKEY

 

When twin brothers find a mysterious wind-up monkey, a series of outrageous deaths tear their family apart. Twenty-five years later, the monkey begins a new killing spree, forcing the estranged siblings to confront the cursed toy.

Director: Osgood Perkins

Cast: Theo James, Tatiana Maslany, Elijah Wood, Christian Convery, Colin O'Brien, Rohan Campbell, Sarah Levy

Release Date: February 21, 2025

Genre: Horror

Rated R for strong bloody violent content, gore, language throughout and some sexual references.

Runtime: 1h 38m

Review:

The Monkey is a devilishly dark, horror comedy that delivers a gory collection of kills that never gels into an entirely cohesive film.  Osgood Perkins' adaptation of Stephen King's short story takes the most basic parts of that story to create an anarchic tale of death and destruction that only expands in scope as the story goes on.  Perkins takes a gleeful approach to each kill with each one taking full advantage of gooey blood and gore to a cartoonish degree.  There's nihilistic undercurrent that pervades throughout the film's runtime that might be off putting to some as Perkins offers no clear answers to what's happening or why.  It’s a demented joyride that leans into the silliness of the haunted toy conceit paired with the kind of adolescent trauma that peppered early era King.  It’s a different approach for Perkins, especially after last year's Longlegs was far more self-serious than this blissfully, bleak jaunt.  Theo James is tasked with carrying the lion's share of the load here in dual roles.  James delivers a fun, tongue-in-cheek performance that puts his level of commitment to the material on display, especially once his twin character takes center stage.  He's clearly open to anything that Perkins throws at him as he and his characters roll with the increasingly outrageous splatter fest thrown onscreen.  He shares the majority of his screentime with Colin O'Brien who plays Petey, his estranged son, with both sharing some solid chemistry together.  Tatiana Maslany is given painfully little screentime in flashback as the twin’s single mother.  Maslany manages to leave an impression in her limited screentime which leaves you wishing Perkins had made better use of her and the character as opposed to all the extended voiceovers from James.   It might have given the story and central character a better-defined emotional core which would have made some of the reveals more impactful.  There's plenty to enjoy, especially if you enjoy gratuitously gory deaths, The Monkey feels a bit too emotionally untethered to leave the kind of impact intended.   

B-

MOVIE REVIEW: CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD

 

Sam finds himself in the middle of an international incident after meeting with President Thaddeus Ross. He must soon discover the reason behind a nefarious global plot before the true mastermind has the entire world seeing red.

Director: Julius Onah

Cast: Anthony Mackie, Danny Ramirez, Shira Haas, Carl Lumbly, Xosha Roquemore, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson, Giancarlo Esposito, Tim Blake Nelson, Harrison Ford

Release Date: February 14, 2025

Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, and some strong language.

Runtime: 1h 58m

Review:

Captain America: Brave New World tries its best to be bring a level of intrigue to its comic story but there's something decidedly bland about the whole thing that never connects the way it should.  Julius Onah does a serviceable job in delivering a glossy but exposition heavy, political thriller.  There are plenty of characters and moving parts at play from the start to keep the action rolling.  It should make for an engrossing mystery, but it never engages the audience the way it should with the reveals coming off as more perfunctory than revelatory.  The main issue is that the central mystery isn't all that interesting or shocking, especially since the previews gave away the biggest reveal in the film.  The action sequences are decent but slightly uninspired with none of them giving the film the sort of pop that would liven up most of these films.  Anthony Mackie takes up the Captain America mantle with an earnest air that fits the role, but he struggles to find the real meat of his character.  He does his best with the script he's given as he's clearly searching for an emotional center to this new iteration of the character throughout.  A few quick moments in the final act do touch upon the weight of his new mantle, something the story would have been wise to use to greater effect.  Instead, he almost feels lost in his own film that should have served as his big spotlight.  Harrison Ford joins the fray here, taking over for the late William Hurt, as Thaddeus Ross who has just been elected president.  Ford brings some of the old school Air Force One energy to the role, but he suffers a similar fate to Mackie with an underwhelming script that paints his character in the most generic terms possible.  There's supposed to be an air of antagonism between the two that never comes through the screen the way it should, which kills a lot of conflict that's written on the page.  It doesn't help that the main reveal was given away months ago thanks to the film's advertising which kills most of his character's story arch.   The supporting players are all serviceable even if they don't leave much of an impression with Danny Ramirez and Shira Haas making the most of their limited screentime.  Carl Lumbly brings some gravitas to the screen, but the film never takes full advantage of his presence or his character, especially in relation to Mackie's Sam Wilson.  Giancarlo Esposito shows up for a cup of coffee as a hired mercenary that there mostly to connect the plot to Tim Blake Nelson's Leader from 2008's The Incredible Hulk.  It's a strange choice to connect so much of this film that, mostly forgotten Marvel entry and 2021's Eternals but ultimately Captain America: Brave New World main purpose seems to bring a certain element to the universe and everything that entails.  

C

MOVIE REVIEW: PADDINGTON IN PERU

 

When Paddington discovers his beloved aunt has gone missing from the Home for Retired Bears, he and the Brown family head to the jungles of Peru to find her. Determined to solve the mystery, they soon stumble across a legendary treasure as they make their way through the rainforests of the Amazon.

Director: Dougal Wilson

Cast: Hugh Bonneville, Emily Mortimer, Julie Walters, Jim Broadbent, Carla Tous, Olivia Colman, Antonio Banderas, Ben Whishaw

Release Date: February 14, 2025

Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Family, Mystery

Rated PG for action, mild rude humor and some thematic elements.

Runtime: 1h 46m

Review:

Paddington's third outing shakes up the formula by moving to a more action adventure focus which gives this entry a different feeling while never losing the family friendly charm of the first two films.  Dougal Wilson does an admirable job taking over the reins from Paul King who directed the first two well-regarded entries.  Wilson can conjure up a similar sense of whimsical fun throughout even if he can't quite match the levels of his magical predecessor.  That's not to say this entry isn't as earnest and heartfelt as those previous entries but just lighter throughout as we follow Paddington's adventure through the Peruvian jungle as he searches for Aunt Lucy and a mystical city.  Ben Whishaw easily moves back into the titular bear's hat and duffel coat proving more than capable of exuding his polite charm through the screen.  Whishaw again does an excellent job of balancing the sillier and more emotional moments with impressive ease.   Hugh Bonneville and Julie Walters reprise their roles from the first two entries as the Brown patriarch and housekeeper with Emily Mortimer taking over for Sally Hawkins as Mary Brown.  Mortimer along with Madeleine Harris and Samuel Joslin, as the pair's older children, brings a slightly different energy to the family as the kids are growing up and starting on their own journey's.  The returning and new cast members manage to give the audience an authentic sense of the love that exists in their family and their ability to come together.  Olivia Colman and Antonio Banderas are clearly having a great time hamming it up in key supporting roles.  Colman brings her very specific sort of energy to her instantly suspicious Mother Superior while Banderas has fun being able to play a larger array of personas.   Throughout all the jungle hijinks Paddington and his family encounter, the story still manages to stay grounded with the series' overarching theme of family whether it be by blood or chance.  

B+

MOVIE REVIEW: LOVE HURTS

 

Marvin is a Milwaukee realtor who receives a crimson envelope from Rose, a former partner-in-crime whom he left for dead. He now finds himself thrust back into a world of ruthless hit men and double-crosses that turn his open houses into deadly war zones. Hunted by his brother, a volatile crime lord, Marvin must confront the choices that haunt him and the history he never truly buried.

Director: Jonathan Eusebio

Cast: Ke Huy Quan, Ariana DeBose, Daniel Wu, Marshawn Lynch, Mustafa Shakir, Lio Tipton, Rhys Darby, André Eriksen, Sean Astin

Release Date: February 7, 2025

Genre: Action, Comedy

Rated R for strong/bloody violence and language throughout.

Runtime: 1h 23m

Review:

Love Hurts boasts a game cast, led by an ever-likeable Ke Huy Quan, and some fun action sequences but the clunky executions keep this action comedy from hitting its mark.  Stunt performer/Assistant Director, Jonathan Eusebio, helms his first film here and he clearly feels much more comfortable during the highly energetic and choregraphed fight sequences, but he struggles to find a cohesive flow and tone outside of those moments.  The film moves at a breakneck pace which should work in its favor, but it doesn’t matter since the characters are written so cartoonishly over the top that you are left wishing Eusebio would just fully embrace the Looney Tunes madness.  Instead, there's far too much time spent on a rather nonsensical love story that never connects the way it should despite Ke Huy Quan and Ariana DeBose best efforts.   André Eriksen and Marshawn Lynch prove to be a better onscreen bouncing off each other with ease as a pair of dim assassins.  Mustafa Shakir and Lio Tipton also bring some fun chemistry together as another, more cerebral, assassin and realtor assistant who finds a weird sort of love connection.  Ke Huy Quan is fully committed in the main role, and he brings his generally likeable onscreen persona to his reformed killer.  Ariana DeBose is oddly stiff here, never nailing the funny cool vibe the character is supposed to exude.  Daniel Wu does what he can in the villain role but there's not much there to work with outside of his perchance for revenge and love of boba tea.  Love Hurts ultimately feels instantly disposable and forgettable once it’s all said and done.

C-

MOVIE REVIEW: THE BABY IN THE BASKET

A baby in a basket is left on the steps of an isolated monastery on a Scottish island. The nuns take it in, planning to care for it until a storm passes. Soon though, strange and unexplained events begin to happen at the convent.

Director: Andy Crane, Nathan Shepka

Cast: Amber Doig-Thorne, Michaela Longden, Elle O’Hara, Lisa Riesner, Nathan Shepka, Annabelle Lanyon, Maryam d’Abo and Paul Barber

Release Date: February 17, 2025

Genre: Drama, Horror, Mystery

Unrated

Runtime: 1h 40m

Review:

The Baby in the Basket does its best to emulate 70's style religious horror films by focusing more on the psychological aspect of terror instead of outright gore but it's ultimately held back due to its lackluster execution.  It’s easy to appreciate what directors Andy Crane and Nathan Shepka, the latter of which also stars, are trying to achieve with their film that takes bits and pieces of classic horror films like1976's The Omen and 1973's Don't Look Now.  The script gives them plenty to work with as the majority of the film's story focuses on the character’s mental state as they slowly fall victim to supernatural forces.  The script smartly moves from one character to another as the central point of view to give the entire film an off kilter, unbalanced feel since we are not quite sure who the main character is since the focus shifts at various points during the film.  It gives each member of the cast a chance to shine with Elle O'Hara and Lisa Riesner carrying the load early on before Amber Doig-Thorne and Michaela Longden take over the spotlight.  Together they make for a solid ensemble especially early on when they share the screen together, something the film should have taken advantage to give each nun a more time to develop well defined characterizations.  Elle O'Hara does a lot of heavy lifting in the first half of the film as earnestly devoted Valerie who is trying desperately to understand what is going on after the titular baby arrives.  Amber Doig-Thorne moves into center stage midway through the film with a fun, energetic and ultimately crazed turn as Agnes.  Doig-Thorne's gives the film a boost once she's unleashed only to be matched by the scene stealing Michaela Longden as Eleanor.  Longden stands out every time she's onscreen with her naturalistic verve that leaves you wondering why she's kept offscreen for the entire middle portion of the film.  Her chaotic, adversarial energy would have given the film a definite boost across the board.  It’s compounded by some clunky pacing issues that never allow anything to naturally settle before moving on.  Shooting on location at Scotland's St Conan’s Kirk also should have been a boost but the film rarely takes full advantage of its gothic backdrop.  There's are plenty of moments during The Baby in the Basket that feel as if they are heading toward a crescendo only to fumble the moments with some coming off as more silly than scary despite the best efforts of the script and cast. 

C