MOVIE REVIEW: MORTAL KOMBAT II

 

Johnny Cage joins other fighters in the ultimate, no-holds-barred battle to defeat the dark rule of Shao Kahn, a powerful tyrant who threatens the very existence of the Earthrealm and its defenders.

Director: Simon McQuoid

Cast: Karl Urban, Adeline Rudolph, Tati Gabrielle, Jessica McNamee, Josh Lawson, Ludi Lin, Mehcad Brooks, Lewis Tan, Damon Herriman, Chin Han, Tadanobu Asano, Joe Taslim, Hiroyuki Sanada

Release Date: May 8, 2026

Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Sci-Fi

Rated R for strong bloody violence and gore, and language.

Runtime: 1h 56m

Review:

Mortal Kombat 2 ups the schlock factor from the original as it leans harder into old school B movie territory which works perfectly for the franchise with Karl Urban brings fresh energy as Johnny Cage.  The film offers up the most basic of storylines to prop up the action borrowing heavily from Marvel’s Thanos and his “daughters” for the Shao Kahn, Kitana and Jade plotline which drives the action.  The story is almost secondary though as director Simon McQuoid is almost overanxious to get the action started and deliver his rather impressively acclimated action sequences that most people come for.  The action sequences are all well-constructed and choregraphed throughout although I could have done without some of the slow-motion shots.  The visuals, though, are truly impressive with the fights set on a celestial temple and the final act’s underworld hellscape leaving the biggest impression.  Those moments are where the film really pops off the screen and are sure to make fans of the video game series grin from ear to ear.  Unfortunately, the script is rather clunky throughout with plenty of groan inducing line peppered throughout the film.  The cast does what they can with the material, and you can feel that Adeline Rudolph and Tati Gabrielle are trying desperately to pull something a bit meatier out of Kitana and Jade’s relationship.  Fairing far better is a Karl Urban who joins the series as fan favorite Johnny Cage who is a washed up 90’s martial arts movie star.  Urban is clearly having a ball in the role and his natural gruff charisma works so well that you wish the film took better advantage of it.  In between the fight scenes, Urban makes the film pop far more than anybody else onscreen, especially once Josh Lawson resurrected Kano joins the fray.  They bounce off each other with such natural chemistry that you’re left wishing the film had given them a heavier focus.  They bring the right kind of energy to the whole thing and are well aware of what kind of movie they are making, especially since the film’s costumes seem like they were raided from 1987’s Masters of the Universe.  Much like that film, Mortal Kombat 2, won’t ever be considered a cinematic classic but it definitely has an old school B movie charm that makes it easy to enjoy.  

B-

MOVIE REVIEW: HOKUM

 

When novelist Ohm Bauman retreats to a remote inn to scatter his parents' ashes, he's consumed by tales of a witch that haunts the honeymoon suite. Soon, disturbing visions and a shocking disappearance force him to confront dark corners of his past.

Director: Damian McCarthy

Cast: Adam Scott, Peter Coonan, David Wilmot, Florence Ordesh, Michael Patric, Will O'Connell, Brendan Conroy, Austin Amelio

Release Date: May 1, 2026

Genre: Horror

Rated R for some violent/disturbing content, and language.

Runtime: 1h 41m

Review:

Damian McCarthy’s latest film, Hokum, is another atmospheric exploration of trauma and regret, carried by a strong central performance from Adam Scott, that doesn’t bring as many scares as 2024’s Oddity but still works as an effective thriller with hefty supernatural elements.   The central conceit of a damaged writer traveling to a haunted hotel immediately elicits comparisons to Kubrick’s The Shining which will be hard to avoid.  There are similarities between the two, but McCarthy does manage to pave his own path by delivering something closer to a murder mystery paired with a haunted house.  He takes his time setting up the location and the eccentric collection of locals at the hotel who come in contact with Adam Scott’s novelist.  Scott delivers a fairly engaging turn in the lead by dialing up the asshole level to 11 especially in the first half of the film.  His character just seeps with nihilistic energy from the open shot which starts to make more sense as we learn more about his traumatic childhood.  There’s enough nuance to his performance to even out some of his outright hostility which gives you peeks into the pain he’s carried through his life.  Once the action moves into the more self-contained Honeymoon suite, he sheds that top layer as he moves into survival mode as he’s dealing with murderous entities, both real and supernatural.  McCarthy sets up a claustrophobic, haunted fun house that delivers the majority of the film’s scares.  There are only a handful of jump scares scattered throughout with using the atmosphere to great effect that builds to a creepy conclusion that still offers a sliver of hope amid all the dour darkness wrapped into the narrative.  Fun supporting turns from Peter Coonan, David Wilmot and Florence Ordesh leave you wishing the film spent a bit more time fleshing out their characters to make them more three dimensional and take advantage of the performers’ talents.   Small complaints aside, Hokum is a rather impressive puzzle box of a supernatural thriller that delivers a story that’s far meatier than most other films in the genre.  

A-

MOVIE REVIEW: THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA 2

 

Miranda Priestly struggles against Emily Charlton, her former assistant turned rival executive, as they compete for advertising revenue amid declining print media, while Miranda nears retirement.

Director: David Frankel

Cast: Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, Stanley Tucci, Justin Theroux, Kenneth Branagh

Release Date: May 1, 2026

Genre: Comedy, Drama

Rated PG-13 for strong language and some suggestive references.

Runtime: 1h 59m

Review:

The Devil Wears Prada 2 is a glitzy dose of cinematic comfort food that brings back beloved characters in an enjoyable follow up that doesn’t reach the levels of the original thanks to a script that decides to play the hits instead of bringing something new to the table.  The film feels instantly familiar as director David Frankel brings us back into this world with relative ease after twenty years.  The film takes very little time catching everybody up on what the central quartet of characters have been up to since the end of the first film.  The slow grinding death of print media is peppered throughout the film’s plot, offering some superficial commentary on the state of that business and its effect on former titans of the industry.  Meryl Streep’s Miranda Priestly is appropriately rattled by the shifting landscape and navigating her path forward until she’s dealt an unexpected career blow.  Streep shifts back into the role with incredible ease which shouldn’t come as a surprise for such a talented actress.  Her acidic line delivery is still fantastic across the board even though there aren’t as many memorable lines as the first time around.  She’s given a few moments where we get a more honest peek into Miranda mentality with her guard down which prove to be highlights of the film.  Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci also jump back into these characters’ skins like nary a day has passed since the first film.  Hathaway’s Andy Sachs has become a well-respected journalist whose paper was shut down due to a corporate merger leading her back to Runway and Miranda.  The film notes how much journalistic success she’s had in the past 20 years, but she reverts back into a wide eyed, eager to please go getter who slowly folds herself back into the fashionista world with the help of Stanley Tucci’s ever charming Nigel.  Tucci is fun across the board, but you get the feeling he’s dying for something a bit more substantial to work with.  Its similar story with Andy’s frienenemy played by Emily Blunt who moved on from Runway to become a senior executive at Dior.  Blunt is great across the board especially when her character is brought back together with Streep and Hathaway, but the characters are all given painfully little growth or depth since the last film.  If the script didn’t tell you about Blunt’s and Hathaway’s successes you’d assume they never left since they act like they did in the original film.  Considering the amount of time between the films you’d hoped they would have crafted a slightly meatier script for the collected talent.  Newcomers, Lucy Liu, Kenneth Branagh and Justin Theroux all have supporting roles which don’t amount too much outside of being plot devices which are a waste of their talents.  The Devil Wears Prada 2 is perfectly fine follow-up to get wine drunk too and reconnect with another chapter in these characters lives even though you’ll probably forget about by the next morning.  

B-

MOVIE REVIEW: MOTHER MARY

 

Long-buried wounds rise to the surface when iconic pop star Mother Mary reunites with her estranged best friend and former costume designer on the eve of her comeback performance.

Director: David Lowery

Cast: Anne Hathaway, Michaela Coel, Hunter Schafer, Atheena Frizzell, Kaia Gerber, Jessica Brown Findlay, Isaura Barbé-Brown, Alba Baptista, Sian Clifford,  FKA Twigs

Release Date: April 17, 2026

Genre: Drama, Music, Thriller

Rated R for some violent content and language.

Runtime: 1h 50m

Review:

David Lowery’s Mother Mary is a densely packed, mesmerizing film that is unconventional at nearly every turn which is sure to turn off plenty of viewers but those who engage with it will find a haunting tale powered by excellent turns from Anne Hathaway and Michaela Coel.  Lowery’s film feels like stage play for large portions of its runtime, keeping the focus on the central pair and their damaged relationship with the script offering up a series of impressive monologues for each.  The dialogue drives the film, giving Michaela Coel plenty of time to shine as she delivers a nuanced fiery turn.  She captures the screen with impressive confidence as you get a sense of her character’s pain and resolute determination to move forward in spite of the past.  Her delivery captures the lion’s share of the theme’s Lowery packed into its script with such ease that she almost drowns out Hathaway at various points throughout the film.  That’s not to say Anne Hathaway doesn’t deliver a strong turn because she’s rather fascinating as the broken pop star searching for absolution.  It’s all very dialogue heavy before things shift into something more metaphysical and abstract which is all open to interpretation.  This isn’t the type of film that’s provides a straight-line narrative which can make it a challenging especially since Lowery packs the script with so many metaphors and analogies that it overwhelms the narrative at various points during the film.  His visuals also vacillate between genres going from a single location melodrama to horror with moments of a concert film interspersed in between.  Some of it works incredibly well, such as a rather virtuoso moment that has Hathaway’s Mother Mary come off and going on stage in rapid succession, while others don’t land as intended which leaves you with a sense that the film would have benefited from a more focused approach.  Mother Mary is bound to elicit a wide range of reactions since it’s open to multiple interpretations by design which is sure to please some but utterly frustrate others. 

B+

MOVIE REVIEW: MICHAEL

 

The story of pop superstar Michael Jackson -- from his extraordinary early days in the Jackson 5 to the visionary artist whose creative ambition fuels a relentless pursuit to become the biggest entertainer in the world.

Director: Antoine Fuqua

Cast: Jaafar Jackson, Nia Long, Laura Harrier, Miles Teller, Colman Domingo

Release Date: April 24, 2026

Genre: Biography, Drama, History, Music

Rated PG-13 for some thematic material, language, and smoking.

Runtime: 2h 7m

Review:

Michael is a glossy biopic that recreates major moments in his career with impressive care and attention to detail but the rest is a sanitized, superficial look at his life and complicated legacy.  Antonie Fuqua delivers a well acclimated film that moves at steady pace as he jumps through time periods fairly quickly relying a bit too much on montages.  The early Jackson 5 days are all appropriately nostalgic while also setting up the film’s central relationship between Michael and his task master father Joe.  Unfortunately, Fuqua seems impatient with the non-musical moments as he rushes through most of the character moments in order to get to the next set piece.  There are hints dropped here and there about Michael’s insulated, controlled life leading to his eccentricities as he gets older, but it’s never explored in any meaningful way.  There are times when you feel like the film starts to swerve into more uncomfortable territory and it quickly pulls back into safer, family approved aspects of his life.  It’s a real shame because you get the sense throughout the film that there’s a better, more insightful film in there which has been stripped down to basics to avoid dealing with any of the issues of his complicated upbringing, career and life.  It’s a wasted opportunity especially since the two actors portraying Michael turn in impressive turns that really capture his aura especially as a performer.  Juliano Krue Valdi plays young Michael in the early moments, and he isn’t asked to do much dramatically, but he really captures the look and feel of Jackson from those early performances.  Jaafar Jackson, as the older version of Michael, is really impressive as he captures his mannerism on and off stage to an eerie degree especially with the help of prosthetics and makeup in the back half of the film.  It’s just a shame the script doesn’t offer him much to work on the dramatic end since he proves to be a capable actor.  We are given glimpses into him creating his signature album, Thriller, but doesn’t offer much in the way of his inspiration or motivation outside of wanting to break free from his father’s grip.  It would have helped if any of the supporting characters were fleshed out with only Coleman Domingo’s Joe Jackson leaving an impression.  Domingo, under heavy prosthetics as well, steals every scene he’s in with his fiery turn that also could have also benefited from meatier script to work with.  KeiLyn Durrel Jones plays Michael's bodyguard, and he’s presented as a pseudo father figure/protector, but the film never bothers to explore their relationship outside of a few quick moments between the two.  It all reinforces how superficial Michael is as biopic since its more concerned with recreating well known moments than digging into what makes the man tick something that the second film, hopefully, digs into.  

C+

MOVIE REVIEW: NORMAL

 

The new sheriff of a small town in Minnesota uncovers a dark secret while investigating a botched bank robbery.

Director: Ben Wheatley

Cast:  Bob Odenkirk, Henry Winkler, Lena Headey, Reena Jolly, Ryan Allen, Billy MacLellan, Brendan Fletcher

Release Date: April 17, 2026

Genre: Action, Crime, Thriller

Rated R for strong bloody violence, and language.

Runtime:1h 30m

Review:

Ben Wheatley’s Normal is what happens when you throw Fargo, 30 Days of Night (sans the vampires) and Hot Fuzz into a blender, the result is a bloody but choppy, tonally inconsistent film that’s highly entertaining in spots thanks to Bob Odenkirk keeping the whole thing from flying off the rails.  Wheatley’s film has an easy air about it, especially in its opening act as we are introduced to the assorted collection of characters in the quirky small town.  He gives you just enough of a hint that something’s off about the whole thing before the full reveal of the town’s secrets.  Bob Odenkirk’s world weary interim Sheriff, Ulysses, is more than content to just go through the motions and humor of the small town and its quirky residents.  His own checkered past has him adrift, moving from one town to the next, hoping to reconnect with his estranged wife.  A pair of hapless bank robbers reveal the town’s ugly underbelly that begins with the rather graphic violence that takes up the film’s back half.  There are wild swings in tone from there which occasionally shift from serious to devilishly brutal, sometimes in the same scene.  It makes for a herky-jerky feel as the film struggles to maintain a steady rhythm even as the action gets more insanely kinetic and ultra-violent.  The biggest issue is that, besides Odenkirk’s Ulysses, everybody else onscreen is little more than thinly written caricatures who are given scant time to leave any sort of noticeable impression.  Billy MacLellan’s Deputy Mike Nelson and Henry Winkler’s Mayor Kibner both turn in fun performances but the script wastes their efforts by taking them offscreen far too early.  Those sorts of missed opportunities keep Normal from being something far more memorable than it ends up being.   

C+

MOVIE REVIEW: LEE CRONIN'S THE MUMMY

 

The young daughter of a journalist disappears into the desert without a trace. Eight years later, the broken family is shocked when she's returned to them. However, what should be a joyful reunion soon turns into a living nightmare as she starts to transform into something truly horrifying.

Director: Lee Cronin

Cast:  Jack Reynor, Laia Costa, May Calamawy, Natalie Grace, Verónica Falcón

Release Date: April 17, 2026

Genre: Horror

Rated R for strong disturbing violent content, gore, language and brief drug use

Runtime: 2h 14m

Review:

Lee Cronin’s The Mummy is an intense and gory horror film that feels more like a mash up of The Exorcist and other assorted classics more than its namesake.  Writer/Director Lee Cronin sets up an intriguing mystery initially after the family’s daughter is introduced and then quickly kidnapped before jumping eight years into the future.  He takes the time to let the characters breathe so we get a good idea of the family dynamics at play in the aftermath of the disappearance.  Once the missing daughter reappears, after a mysterious plane crash, Cronin starts to slowly unfurl a series of gory moments of body horror that are definitely not for the squeamish.  There are plenty of well set up scares throughout especially once Natalie Grace’s comatose Katie goes full spider monkey mode.  There’s a grab bag of possession tropes thrown at the screen with The Exorcist being the most obvious along with bits of The Omen and even some elements from Bring Her Back in the back half of the film.  Cronin decide to take the film in another direction entirely in its final act, changing the tone entirely which feels closer to his last film, a strange choice to say the least especially considering slow burn set up.  This is the type of horror film that suffers from a lack of individual identity as it’s clearly borrowing from other well-known horror classics, but it doesn’t bring anything new to the table.  It’s frustrating because the film isn’t terrible since it’s fairly engaging and entertaining for large swaths of time and the cast delivers solid performances across the board.  Jack Reynor and Laia Costa are strong as the parents with my sole complaint being they seem way too young considering the kids ages.  They are appropriately distressed and loving even as the situation begins to spiral out of control with small tidbits of resentment between the pair offered up but never explored.  The younger cast members each turn in believable performances with the youngest, Billie Roy, getting to unleash a particularly memorable line in the third act.  Natalie Grace is appropriately disturbing throughout boasting heavy make up throughout that does its job of looking disturbing and gross from the moment she shows up onscreen.  Verónica Falcón has fun with her limited screentime but I do wish Cronin had made better use of her talents.  Lee Cronin’s The Mummy offers up a handful of head scratching decisions which leaves the whole thing feeling a missed opportunity since there are signs of a better movie scattered throughout.    

C

MOVIE REVIEW: FACES OF DEATH

 

A content moderator stumbles upon a series of violent videos that appear to re-enact death scenes from the infamous 1978 film "Faces of Death." In an online world where nothing can be trusted, she must determine whether the violence is fake or unfolding in real time.

Director: Daniel Goldhaber

Cast: Barbie Ferreira, Dacre Montgomery, Josie Totah, Aaron Holliday, Jermaine Fowler, Charli XCX

Release Date: April 10, 2026

Genre: Horror

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

Runtime: 1h 46m

Review:

Reviving the infamous pseudo-documentary, Faces of Death, into a feature is a tall order but this meta-approach about the current algorithm driven culture creating a serial killer is more insightful than expected.  Writer/Director Daniel Goldhaber shows a healthy amount of confidence behind the camera as he sets up the general premise and concepts which offer up plenty of intriguing about the original documentary and how the world has changed since it caused such a stir.  There are plenty of tantalizing ideas thrown about in the first half of the film especially reflecting on how horrors in our “post truth” world is little more than content with the film reflecting its gaze back at the audience for watching it all.  It’s a fascinating approach which sadly starts to lose a bit of its shine in the second half of the film as Goldhaber continually beats you over the head with the message.  That latter half does start to feel more like a traditional serial killer film which is topped off with an appropriately gory finale.  There’s plenty of inspiration pulled from films like Silence of the Lambs and Michael Mann’s Manhunter for Dacre Montgomery’s serial killer who is using the original film as inspiration for his kills.  Montgomery goes full bore into the role with impressive gusto as he proves to be the most interesting performer on screen throughout.  Barbie Ferreira is solid as the content moderator that falls down a dangerous rabbit hole as she searches for the deranged killer.  Unfortunately, both characters are thinly written, which is a missed opportunity since both performers are begging for something meatier to bite into for their characters.  It’s not a fatal flaw but you are left feeling there was something more substantial that could have been explored.  Issues aside, Faces of Death proves to a pleasant surprise considering the random source material.  

B-

MOVIE REVIEW: THE DRAMA

 

A happily engaged couple get put to the test when an unexpected revelation sends their wedding week off the rails.

Director: Kristoffer Borgli

Cast: Zendaya, Robert Pattinson. Mamoudou Athie, Alana Haim

Release Date: April 3, 2026

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance

R by the MPA for sexual content, language, and some violence, featuring disturbing thematic material, intense bullying flashbacks, suicide threats, and implicit sexual scenes.

Runtime: 1h 46m

Review:

Kristoffer Borgli’s The Drama is a messy, slow motion car crash of a relationship dramady that’s just as funny as it is cringe inducing thanks to fully committed performances from its cast, led by stellar turns from Robert Pattinson and Zendaya.   Borgli’s film has a similar vibe to his last film, Dream Scenario, where it feels grounded for large portion of the proceedings feels grounded and relatable before taking more and more flights of fancy that give us insights into the character’s rather complicated mental gymnastics once the central premise is revealed.  There’s plenty of thematic meat on the bone to dissect as a series of ideas are thrown at the wall that range from political level to more personal relationship level.  It’s definitely the type of film that’s going to illicit different reactions from different people for a multitude of reasons by design.  There’s a fascinating balancing act on display as we follow the central couple’s journey to the altar as the audience follows along on their journey of discovery.  Giving away too much about the story’s plot and its effect on the characters feels like a disservice since I’d say it’s better to go in fresh and take the journey along with the characters.  Robert Pattinson and Zendaya deliver excellent turns as the central couple with the pair going through an endless series of emotions as they grapple with the fact that the people they thought they were was more of a façade than unfiltered truth.  Pattinson’s character is a goofy and nebbish, but you get the sense that he and Zendaya’s character have a real connection together.  They both have natural chemistry together with both losing themselves fully into the roles especially as things spiral increasingly out of control.  They’re both in fine form throughout with no easy answers provided by the time it’s all said and done which might be frustrating, but it does feel truer to life.  Pattinson and Zendaya carry the lion’s share of the load here but Mamoudou Athie and Alana Haim, who’s bitchiness level is set to 11 throughout, make the most of their screen time.  The Drama is the kind of film that will definitely spark conversations once the final credits roll and although all the concepts don’t gel as well as they should it’s still one of the more fascinating films of the year.

A-

MOVIE REVIEW: THE SUPER MARIO GALAXY MOVIE

 

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is a 2026 animated adventure comedy film based on the 2007 video game Super Mario Galaxy and its 2010 sequel, as well as Nintendo's broader Mario franchise. 

Director: Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic

Cast: Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Day, Jack Black, Keegan-Michael Key, Kevin Michael Richardson, Benny Safdie, Donald Glover, Issa Rae, Luis Guzmán, Brie Larson

Release Date: April 1, 2026

Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy, Family, Fantasy

Rated PG for action, mild violence and rude humor

Runtime: 1h 39m

Review:

The Super Mario Galaxy movie is a colorful collection of frenetic action set pieces thrown onscreen in rapid succession which feels like mainlining fructose until you collapse.  Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic return behind the camera and you can’t fault them for going full bore by making everything bigger, brighter and louder from the start and rarely pulling back on the brakes.  Their film is a visual feast of candy-colored worlds that are populated by a seemingly endless assortment of characters which should keep the younger kiddos entertained for large portions of the film’s runtime.  There is a literal cornucopia Easter Eggs scattered throughout for fans of video game franchise along with a few inspired 8-bit meta moments that really stand out.  The action is well constructed and fun, especially early on, but the seemingly endless set pieces start to wear as the threadbare story gives the characters and audience very little to work with.  The plot almost feels like an afterthought with its main purpose being to move the characters from one world to another in steady succession.  The two main plots involve a long-lost sister and father/son story which would have been more engaging if the film had given its characters a moment to breathe which waste the talent assembled.  Anya Taylor-Joy seems to be trying the most to get something out her character moments during film although you are left wishing her character had a bit more time with Brie Larson’s Princess Rosalina before everything wraps up.  Chris Pratt is fine throughout, but he still seems off as the voice of Mario for some reason as opposed to Charlie Day who fits Luigi’s neurotic energy perfectly.  Jack Black does his usual shtick as a sort of reformed Bowser with Benny Safdie taking on the role of Bowser Jr. who’s trying to rescue his dad.  When their characters are onscreen together, they do have a fun, father son banter which the film never truly takes advantage of.  Donald Glover voices franchise favorite, Yoshi, but if you didn’t know it was him it wouldn’t register at all since there’s not much to the character when it all said and done outside of some cutesy moments.   It sidelines, Keegan Michael Key’s Toad which leaves him with very little to do in his limited screentime.  Ultimately, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie will probably keep diehard fans and smaller kids entertained for everyone else it’s little more than a fizzy, sugary drink that doesn’t linger too long on the palette.  

C-

MOVIE REVIEW: THEY WILL KILL YOU

 

A woman answers a cryptic ad for a housekeeping job at a luxurious yet foreboding New York City high-rise. Upon arrival, she discovers residents have vanished without a trace for decades, fueling whispers of a satanic cult lurking in the shadows.

Director: Kirill Sokolov

Cast: Zazie Beetz, Myha'la, Paterson Joseph, Tom Felton, Heather Graham, Patricia Arquette

Release Date: March 27, 2026

Genre: Horror, Comedy

Rated R for strong bloody violence, gore, language and brief sexual content/nudity.

Runtime: 1h 35m

Review:

They Will Kill You has all the makings of a fun over the top exploitation grindhouse film, boasting a handful of visually impressive action sequences that are incredibly fun, but the undercooked story keeps it from being something really special.  Writer/Director Kirill Sokolov’s film has a fun energy that seeps through the screen especially once the first action sequence hits the screen.  The arterial blood splattered across the screen is going to give more than a few people flashbacks of Tarantino’s Kill Bill: Volume 1.  Sokolov throwing that sort of action into a devil cult seems like a slam dunk as it’s even more over the top and extreme than the recent Ready or Not films.  The action set pieces are wonderfully choregraphed with each moment delivering a very distinctive visual from the initial bedroom fight to a fun vent chase and topped with a fire axe sequence that’s the highlight of the film.  The kinetic action is sure to keep genre fans thoroughly entertained for large chunks of the film’s runtime but there’s a noticeable lull in between those moments since the story leaves more than a bit to be desired.  Zazie Beetz makes for an intriguing, blood splattered heroine as she brings an impressive intensity to the role that shows off her total commitment to the role.  She is more than willing and able to deliver so much here but the script offers her and the supporting characters the thinnest of characterizations which waste the talent assembled.  Patricia Arquette, sporting a strange Irish accent, does what she can with as the cult leader and de facto villain but there’s painfully little on the page to work with outside of the most basic defining characterization.  Heather Graham and Tom Felton are given even less than that to work with both as they serve as little more than familiar faces to be chopped through over and over again.   It doesn’t help that the dialogue is painfully clunky and strangely lacking in any tongue in cheek wink and a nod about how silly the whole thing is.  There’s a message mixed in there about the rich taking advantage of the poor, but it’s so ham fisted that it doesn’t land the way it should much like the central relationship between the sisters which leaves They Will Kill You less memorable than it should be.  

C+

MOVIE REVIEW: READY OR NOT 2: HERE I COME

 

After surviving an all-out attack from the Le Domas family, Grace discovers she's reached the next level of the nightmarish game, and this time with her estranged sister, Faith, by her side. To survive, Grace must keep Faith alive and claim the High Seat of the Council that controls the world. Four rival families are also hunting her for the throne, and whoever wins will rule it all.

Director: Tyler Gillett, Matt Bettinelli-Olpin

Cast: Samara Weaving, Kathryn Newton, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Shawn Hatosy, David Cronenberg, Elijah Wood

Release Date: March 20, 2026

Genre: Horror, Comedy

Rated R for strong bloody violence, gore, pervasive language and brief drug use.

Runtime: 1h 48m

Review:

Ready or Not 2: Here I Come offers up a bigger, bloodier bit of carnage that should provide fans of the original plenty to enjoy, powered by another ferociously fun turn from Samara Weaving who’s paired with Kathryn Newton this go around which brings a fresh dynamic to the film.   Tyler Gillett and Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Radio Silence, return behind the camera for this follow and do so with a self-assured sense of confidence that comes through every frame.  The script picks up immediately after the first one ended and it immediately opens up the world and concept overall to include a global cabal of Satan worshippers and another round of the murderous game with much higher stakes.  It doesn’t make a ton of sense if you think about it too much, but it does offer up the chance to introduce another group of murderous blue bloods who are on the hunt for Samara Weaving’s Grace.  Weaving picks up right where she left off in the original film, easily inhabiting the character’s skin with a less naïve turn after what she experienced on her wedding night.  Kathryn Newton joining the fray as her long, lost sister brings something fresh to the table which keeps this entry from being little more than a rerun of the original film.  As a result, this entry has its own vibe even if the general concept is the same as the pair’s natural chemistry together makes the whole thing incredibly watchable and fun.  They bring a natural sibling energy to the characters which makes it easier to overlook some of the clunkier and generic aspects of their backstory.   They’re both clearly having a great time, especially as the action gets bloodier and bloodier as the film goes along with a battle of brides to be proving to be the comedic high point of the film.  The supporting characters are led by Sarah Michelle Gellar and Shawn Hatosy’s twin siblings who are trying to keep control of the council seat that runs the world.  They serve as solid foils to Weaving and Netwon’s sisters, but their backstory and relationship feel a tad undercooked, suffering from generic motivations.  Gellar and Hatosy are both solid in the roles, but you are left wishing they’d been given something a bit meatier to work with especially as Hatosy’s Titus Danforth is revealed to be the more brutally unhinged of the two.  The rest of the supporting players are mostly cannon fodder for the sisters with each making the most of their limited screentime, personally would have loved to have seen more Néstor Carbonell’s gloriously over the top Ignacio El Caido.  Minor issues aside, Ready or Not 2: Here I Come is an incredibly fun follow up to the original which is sure to leave fans grinning by the time the credits roll. 

A-

MOVIE REVIEW: PROJECT HAIL MARY

 

Science teacher Ryland Grace wakes up on a spaceship with no recollection of who he is or how he got there. As his memory slowly returns, he soon discovers he must solve the riddle behind a mysterious substance that's causing the sun to die out. As details of the mission unravel, he calls on his scientific training and sheer ingenuity -- but he may not have to do it alone.

Director: Phil Lord, Chris Miller

Cast: Ryan Gosling, Sandra Hüller, James Ortiz, Lionel Boyce, Ken Leung, Milana Vayntrub, Priya Kansara, Liz Kingsman

Release Date: March 20, 2026

Genre: Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller

Rated PG-13 for some thematic material and suggestive references.

Runtime: 2h 36m

Review:

Project Hail Mary is easy to enjoy blockbuster that melds 2001 with E.T. that’s powered by impressive visuals and stellar turn from Ryan Gosling that propels the film to impressive heights.  Phil Lord and Chris Miller deliver a solid combination of emotion and large-scale visuals that make for more than a handful of dazzling moments.  Interspacing flashbacks throughout gives the film a slow reveal of the plot that works well since Gosling’s character awakens in a state of semi amnesia.  The slow rolls out does more to flesh out the character than it does to provide any real surprises as to how he ended up on the ship in the first place.   Those flashbacks give Sandra Hüller time to flex her impressive dramatic muscle as she delivers a rather textured turn as the mysterious woman tasked with trying to save the Earth who recruits Gosling’s, school teacher, Ryland Grace.  Hüller and Gosling share strong chemistry together which leaves you wishing the film had given their relationship just a tad more time to germinate especially since they both working off each incredibly well.  Lionel Boyce’s officer Carl also could have used more screentime as well since they also work off each other with a naturalistic ease that really speaks to their fast friendship.  It’s a minor issue but considering the film’s sizable length it would have been great to have those relationships fleshed out a bit more especially since both performers are begging for more to do.  That being said, this film is carried from start to finish by Ryan Gosling’s multi-faceted turn that makes the entire thing so incredibly watchable.  Gosling is in rare form here as he seamlessly shuffles through a series of emotions over the course of the film.  It’s a particularly impressive since he’s working with a puppet for the majority of the time in the form of his alien counterpart Rocky.  The fact that their relationship comes through as genuine and believable is a testament to his talent and the vocal work from lead puppeteer, James Ortiz.  Their relationship plays out like an older version of Elliot and E.T.’s relationship from the Spielberg classic with much more collaboration at play as they try to save their respective worlds.  Their bromance is fun and heartfelt enough that you won’t mind too much that your heartstrings are being purposely pulled for maximum “aww” effect.  It’s not a terribly complicated or revelatory story but Gosling provides so much depth to his accidental, coerced hero that you can’t help but get enveloped in their journey even if Project Hail Mary has nearly as many false endings as Return of the King.  

A-

MOVIE REVIEW: UNDERTONE

 

A podcast host covering spooky content moves in to care for her dying mother. When sent recordings of a pregnant couple's paranormal encounters, she discovers their story parallels hers, each tape pushing her toward madness.

Director: Ian Tuason

Cast: Nina Kiri, Kris Holden-Ried, Adam DiMarco, Michèle Duquet, Keana Lyn Bastidas, Jeff Yung, Sarah Beaudin, Brian Quintero

Release Date: March 13, 2026

Genre: Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller

Rated R for language.

Runtime: 1h 25m

Review:

Undertone auditory focused horror is a novel approach to creating a sense of building dread and tension, even though the story boasts a bevy of well-worn tropes, that leads to a frightful funhouse finale which is sure to be divisive.  Writer/director, Ian Tuason, feature film debut is impressively well constructed using the single location setting to great effect by creating a claustrophobic sense of isolation for his lead character.   Tuason borrows from multiple sources to craft his story which leans heavily into religious horror ala The Exorcist while mixing it with a heathy dose of elements from the Paranormal Activity films with a sprinkle of 1981’s Possession.  His use of a static camera to slowly reveal blink or you’ll miss them imagery which makes for a handful of effective moments of dread, rarely relying on cheap jump scares.  It’s definitely more of a slow burn approach which requires a fair amount of patience as we follow Nina Kiri’s Evy descent into darkness.  Kiri is the lone performer onscreen for the better part of the film, Michelle Duquet’s Mama is comatose for the majority of the film, and she delivers a solid if even performance.  Kiri is far more comfortable in the podcast portion of the film, playing off Kris Holden-Ried’s disembodied voice on the phone with naturalistic ease that gives you a sense they’ve known each other for a good amount of time.  The story doesn’t give this relationship nearly enough time to fully establish their connection or even why they started this podcast in the first place which would have provided some better insight into both characters.  There are bits and pieces of background information dropped about Evy which leans heavily into Catholic guilt while also leaving open a sliver of an opening as to whether anything we are seeing is real or simply a result of her having a severe mental breakdown.  The moments with her bed-stricken mother are a tad clunkier than they should be but it’s hard to place all the blame on Kiri since the script has some terribly generic characterization and dialogue.  Jeff Yung and Keana Bastidas's performances as Mike and Jemma as the doomed couple on the audio files are solid throughout, painting a vivid picture of their Paranormal Activity like experience which propels the action into Undertone’s finale which is sure to provide its fair share of chills and groans.  

B+

MOVIE REVIEW: HOPPERS

 

When scientists discover a way to transform human consciousness into robotic animals, Mabel uses the new technology to uncover mysteries of the animal world that are beyond anything she could have ever imagined.

Director: Daniel Chong

Cast: Piper Curda, Bobby Moynihan, Jon Hamm, Kathy Najimy, Dave Franco, Melissa Villaseñor

Release Date: March 6, 2026

Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy, Family, Sci-Fi

Rated PG for action/peril, some scary images and mild language.

Runtime: 1h 45m

Review:

Hoppers is a chaotic mix of Avatar, Mission Impossible and Game of Thrones in the form of an animated kid’s film that leans heavily on its endearing charm even as the story veers wildly in all sorts of directions, especially in its final act.   Anyone familiar with Daniel Chong’s long running Cartoon Network series, We Bare Bears, will find plenty of similarities at play in this feature as his overreaching theme of environmentalism, characters finding their way in unfamiliar societies and friendship are all present.  Chong moves his film along at a steady pace after setting up the general concept and characters by introducing the audience to the lush animal kingdom.  The visuals are impressive throughout as we traverse the colorful, animal world that looks like a mix of The Wild Robot and We Bare Bears’s character designs.  Piper Curda and Bobby Moynihan voice the central characters of Mabel and King George, the beaver monarch, who make up the emotional core of the film.  Curda’s character is headstrong to a fault which leads her to make more than a few questionable decisions throughout especially if you start to really analyze the plot.  She shares some solid chemistry with veteran comedian and voice actor, Bobby Moynihan whose King George is instantly likable.  The rest of the kingdom’s kings and queen, however, are played as much more cutthroat especially once they find out what the mayor, voiced by Jon Hamm, has planned for the glade.  Once the council is introduced you get the sense that Chong has way too many ideas on his mind and has the story veer into strangely aggressive areas that are played as zany and over the top but are kind of strange choices for an animated family film when you really start to think about it.  There’s a noticeable sense that he would have been better off keeping Hopper’s story more tightly focused, which would have made the emotional aspect of the story far more impactful than it ends up being when it’s all said and done.   

B

MOVIE REVIEW: THE BRIDE

 

In 1930s Chicago, groundbreaking scientist Dr. Euphronious brings a murdered young woman back to life to be a companion for Frankenstein's monster. What happens next is beyond what either of them could ever have imagined.

Director: Maggie Gyllenhaal

Cast: Jessie Buckley, Christian Bale, Peter Sarsgaard, Annette Bening, Jake Gyllenhaal, Penélope Cruz

Release Date: March 6, 2026

Genre: Drama, Horror, Romance, Sci-Fi

Rated R for strong/bloody violent content, sexual content/nudity and language.

Runtime: 2h 7m

Review:

Maggie Gyllenhaal’s The Bride! burst on the screen with an anarchic energy, powered by a pair of gloriously unhinged performances from Jessie Buckley and Christian Bale which carries the film first half before losing a hefty amount of its propulsive fervor in the back half of the film.   There is a noticeable spark of energy from the start as the 30’s stylized Chicago setting is used to great effect with Buckley taking center stage with an intriguing dual role.  Buckley’s a real treat as we watch her effortlessly flip back and forth between Ida’s and Mary Shelly’s personas showing an impressive commitment to the role.  She’s generally the most captivating performer onscreen with Christian Bale delivering a more subdued turn for the better part of the film.  They make for a rather fascinating pair as they bounce off each other with such natural ease that it makes the whole thing work even as the film takes some chaotically strange turns.  In lesser performers’ hands, this film would have flown off the rails immediately, but they manage to make the first half immensely watchable and engaging.  The back half of the film starts to lose its luster once the film moves into a pseudo-Bonnie and Clyde mode which feels rather undercooked much like all the well-worn themes it throws onscreen.   There’s a noticeable sense that the script is trying to say something impactful about gender roles, but the concept is so unfocused and superficial that it never really lands the way it should.  The supporting roles are populated with name stars such as Annette Bening, Peter Sarsgaard, Penélope Cruz and Jake Gyllenhaal, which the film never fully takes advantage of by handing them the most generic, one note roles.  Peter Sarsgaard and Penélope Cruz’s detective subplot in particular brings the film to a grinding halt, sapping much of film’s initial energy and the less that’s said about Cruz’s rather unfortunate “Lord Farquaad” haircut the better.  It proves to be a bit frustrating by the time The Bride! comes to an end because you’re left with the feeling that there’s a much better film in there somewhere had it kept a sharper focus.  

B-