MOVIE REVIEW: PSYCHO THERAPY: THE SHALLOW TALE OF A WRITER WHO DECIDED TO WRITE ABOUT A SERIAL KILLER

 

A writer befriends a retired serial killer in a desperate attempt to find inspiration for his next novel and save his marriage. Covering as his marriage counselor, the killer teaches him his methods as reality becomes deadlier than fiction.

Director: Tolga Karaçelik

Cast:  John Magaro, Steve Buscemi, Britt Lower, Ward Horton, Sydney Cole Alexander

Release Date: April 4, 2025 (United States)/September 15, 2025 (UK)

Genre: Comedy, Crime, Thriller

Unrated 

Runtime: 1h 42m

Review:

Tolga Karaçelik's English language debut is a manic, black comedy that's as chaotic as it is funny thanks to excellent turns from its central cast.  Karaçelik film possesses a palatable energy from the start which it maintains for the majority of the film's runtime.  He moves the film along at a steady pace even as it threatens to veer off the rails as the situation gets increasingly insane.  As the film's overly long title suggests, this isn't the type of film that takes itself seriously with the script providing a handful of laugh out loud moments thanks to wonderful performances from its trio of stars.  John Magaro brings a kind of aloof energy to his character who's desperate to find inspiration for a new project.  There's something likable about the character even though he's nearly incapable of making a decision on his own without being pushed into it.  Britt Lower is a perfect foil to him as his exhausted, passive aggressive wife who resents her husband with increasing intensity.  When the pair is onscreen, they have wonderful chemistry together as a longtime couple who are on totally different wavelengths after years of resentment and miscommunication.  They make for a fascinating onscreen couple, especially as Lower hurls acidic comments that reflect the level of disdain her character has for her aloof husband.  Steve Buscemi is perfectly cast as the disarmingly friendly, retired series killer who is more than happy to provide background for Magaro's Keane.  The film is at its best when the three share the screen together like an impromptu meeting in the middle of night or the pseudo marriage counseling session, topped off by a riotous sequence in the final act.  Psycho Therapy proves to be one of those hidden gems that deserves a larger audience in the long run.

B+

MOVIE REVIEW: SEPTEMBER 5

 

During the 1972 Munich Olympics, an American sports broadcasting crew finds itself thrust into covering the hostage crisis involving Israeli athletes.

Director: Tim Fehlbaum

Cast: Peter Sarsgaard, John Magaro, Ben Chaplin, Leonie Benesch, Zinedine Soualem

Release Date: December 13, 2024

Genre: Drama, History, Thriller

Rated R for language.

Runtime: 1h 35m

Review:

Tim Fehlbaum's September 5 is a tense retelling of the 1972 Munich massacre told with an "in the moment" immediacy that recounts the tragic events of that day and powered by an excellent ensemble cast.  Told almost exclusively from the ABC sport production point of view gives the audience a sense of the unexpected and unsettling nature of events as they unfold.  Events are condensed for maximum efficiency but it’s still a fairly accurate retelling that hits the main points of what occurred on that faithful day.  Fehlbaum creates an environment that leaves his cast of characters with a moral quandary the actual people had to deal with as events shifted over the course of the day.  There are more than a few bits of retroactive pontificating on how this moment could set journalism on a more sensationalized slant going forward which breaks up the sense of realism built up throughout.  Small moments like that do lean more towards didacticism, which feels unnecessary since we live in the reality of Sidney Lumet's classic film, Network, come to life.  His cast does manage to keep everything grounded performances that speak to humanity and the fallibility of people making decisions while traversing uncharted ground.  Peter Sarsgaard brings a decisive, unemotional pragmatism to his turn as ABC Sports president Roone Arledge who clearly grasp some of the larger scale implications of the situation.  John Magaro has a sort of nervous energy as the head of the control room, Geoffrey Mason, who is initially out of his depth before he slowly gains confidence despite any moral questions that continually arise.  Ben Chaplin brings a strong sense of journalistic integrity to Marvin Bader, the head of operation at ABC Sports, who consistently runs on a razors edge as he tries to counsel on the most prudent path to take.  Leonie Benesch's German translator, Leonie Benesch, a composite character of multiple real-life people who served in that capacity during the crisis serves as the film's tortured soul.  The ensemble works incredibly well together to reflect an authentic sense of fallible people with varying agendas flying by the seat of their pants in the face of an unprecedented situation.  Intersplicing bits of actual broadcast footage adds to the overall feeling of being in the room as these events occurred.  September 5 isn't interested in exploring the causes that led to this, but it excels as a singularly focused recreation. 

A

MOVIE REVIEW: OVERLORD

On the eve of D-Day, American paratroopers drop behind enemy lines to penetrate the walls of a fortified church and destroy a radio transmitter. As the soldiers approach their target, they soon begin to realize that there's more going on in the Nazi-occupied village than a simple military operation. Making their way to an underground lab, the outnumbered men stumble upon a sinister experiment that forces them into a vicious battle against an army of the undead.

Director: Julius Avery

Cast: Jovan Adepo, Wyatt Russell, Mathilde Ollivier, John Magaro, Gianny Taufer, Pilou Asbæk, Bokeem Woodbine.

Release Date: November 9, 2018

Genres: Action, Horror, Mystery

Rated R for strong bloody violence, disturbing images, language, and brief sexual content

Runtime: 1h 49 min

Review:

Overlord is a schlocky B movie that hits all the right notes.  Julius Avery directs the film with a steady hand.  The film opens with an amazing aerial sequence that will make some people think of the opening sequences in Saving Private Ryan.  As the film settles in, you get the feeling you are watching a well made World War 2 film as the film introduces us to classic war movie types.  These types could typically come off as clichéd but the performances from the cast makes them all interesting and engaging.  Avery and his cast establish an excellent sense of atmosphere and the feeling that something is just a tad bit off.  Once the film takes its right turn, which has been highlighted in the trailers, it turns into a full tilt horror film and does it quite well.  It calls to memory the reaction people had to From Dusk till Dawn, some people will go with it others will be turned off by where the film ends up.  Those that stick with it will find plenty to enjoy because as a horror film it’s an effective gory ride.  

B+