MOVIE REVIEW: BOB TREVINO LIKES IT

 

Lily Trevino unexpectedly befriends an online stranger, sharing her self-centered father's name. This new Bob Trevino's support could transform her life.

Director: Tracie Laymon

Cast: Barbie Ferreira, John Leguizamo, French Stewart, Rachel Bay Jones, Lolo Spencer

Release Date: March 21, 2025 

Genre: Comedy, Drama

Rated PG-13 for brief strong language, and thematic elements.

Runtime: 1h 45m

Review:

Tracie Laymon's feature length debut is equal parts funny and moving as it explores the ability of human connections to heal deep rooted familial trauma powered by a pair transformative performance from Barbie Ferreira and John Leguizamo.  Laymon's film is disarmingly easy going even as we are introduced to Lily's tattered life as she struggles to find her way in the world and connect with her self-centered, mean spirted father.  Her naturalistic approach is well suited for the deeply personal, semi-autobiographical story being told.  There's an air of authenticity and refreshing lack of cynicism throughout as we watch these characters search for meaningful connections in their lives.  Barbie Ferreira delivers a raw and honest turn as Lily who has suffered a series of traumas by the time we meet her.  She is desperate to please her cruel and spiteful father played with a razor's edge of animosity by French Stewart.  They only share a handful of scenes during the film, but each one is so bitingly effective as their exchanges move from cordial, playful to vicious.  Ferreira pours every ounce of emotion onscreen as her character suffers through these moments before finding an earnest connection in the form of an accidental father figure played with impressive nuance by John Leguizamo.  Leguizamo's role isn't as showy as Ferreira's but it’s just as impressive as his character is equally broken, just more capable of compartmentalizing his pain.  His earnest, well-meaning Bob is a good man who has poured himself his work while his wife, played by Rachel Bay Jones, loses herself in her scrapbooking hobby to cope with their shared loss.  Their accidental connection turns into something deeper and more meaningful as they each heal long festering wounds.  Ferreira and Leguizamo make for an engaging pair on screen as their surrogate father-daughter relationship blossoms into a real connection that will have you fully invested by the time the final act rolls around.  Bob Trevino Likes It proves to be an inspiring, heartfelt testament to the power of real connections even if they aren't bound by blood.  

A-

MOVIE REVIEW: THE ACCOUNTANT 2

 

Forensic accountant Christian Wolff teams up with his estranged but highly lethal brother to track down mysterious assassins.

Director: Gavin O'Connor

Cast: Ben Affleck, Jon Bernthal, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, J. K. Simmons, Daniella Pineda

Release Date: April 25, 2025

Genre: Action, Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller

Rated R for strong violence, and language throughout.

Runtime: 1h 43m

Review:

The Accountant 2 loosens up the reins on the original's formula which gives this entry a bit more room to breathe and take full advantage of Ben Affleck and Jon Bernthal onscreen chemistry.  The central mystery here is more outlandish and unbelievable than the original film but Gavin O'Connor guides the film with a steady hand by keeping things moving at a steady pace, avoiding some of the original film's dead spots.  The story is far more convoluted than necessary especially once the main reveal occurs which requires more than a few logical leaps.  It’s a testament to cast and crew that the film doesn't fall apart once this happens as they manage to deliver a thrilling finale that makes it easier to overlook some of the story's more glaring issues.  Ben Affleck and Jon Bernthal deserve a lion's share of the credit for carrying the film as their onscreen back and forth give the film a hefty bit of humor and heart.  Affleck slips back into the role of Christian Wolff with general ease by giving the character a bit more subtle depth especially when it comes to his relationship with his younger brother played by Jon Bernthal.  Bernthal is given much more time to shine in this entry which works in the film's favor as his chaotic onscreen charisma works as an excellent counter point to Wolff's persona.  There's an authenticity to their interchanges with each bouncing off each other like long lost brothers who have long simmering issues bubbling underneath paired with a believable sense of brotherly love.  Their performances make the film work far better than it should as they carry the film from start to finish.  The supporting cast is sparse with Cynthia Addai-Robinson and J. K. Simmons returning from the first film but are ultimately given very little to do outside of moving the plot forward as needed.  Daniella Pineda's mysterious assassin should be far more engaging than she ultimately is with the script, giving her very little to work with to flesh out the character.  Ultimately, they're minor issues since The Accountant 2 proves to be a more complete package than the original.  

B+

MOVIE REVIEW: UNTIL DAWN

 

One year after her sister disappeared, Clover and her friends head to the remote valley where she vanished to search for answers. Exploring an abandoned visitor center, they soon encounter a masked killer who murders them one by one. However, when they mysteriously wake up at the beginning of the same night, they're forced to relive the terror over and over again.

Director: David F. Sandberg

Cast: Ella Rubin, Michael Cimino, Odessa A'zion, Ji-young Yoo, Belmont Cameli, Peter Stormare

Release Date: April 25, 2025

Genre: Drama, Horror

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

Runtime: 1h 43m

Review:

Until Dawn is a fun horror mashup of countless 80's slasher tropes paired with a gorier version of Edge of Tomorrow's rinse and repeat conceit.  Since I'm not personally familiar with the game this film is based on, I can't speak to how this works as an adaptation but as a horror film it has a wickedly fun tone that embraces the bloody carnage on display.  Once the film sets up the general premise, director David F. Sandberg moves the action along at a steady pace by delivering a string of effective jump scares and inventive kills.  A handful of those moments are truly inspired and sure to make old school gore hounds grin with glee as the splatter hits the screen.  There are a few that don't work quite as well but the film moves by them so quickly that it doesn't negatively impact on the overall experience too badly.  The cast of fresh-faced actors is well aware of the kind of film they’re in and lean into their roles with a knowing wink and just have fun with it.  The script is a bit clunky in spots with cast doing their best to deliver convincing reads of slow rolled realizations and revelations.  Ella Rubin makes for a fine lead while the supporting cast is capable even if the script doesn't give them a ton of depth. There isn't much to them and if any of the characters annoy you too much there's the fallback of watching them die multiple times. Odessa A'zion with her raspy voice, green eyes and messy hair leaves the most noticeable impression of ensemble that feels vaguely reminiscent of late 90's slashers like I Know What You Did Last Summer and Urban Legend.  Long-time character actor, Peter Stormare feels terribly underutilized here, which feels like a misstep since he could have brought so much more to his role.  Missteps aside, Until Dawn is like cinematic fast food that makes for a bit of a mindless treat for horror fans. 

B-

MOVIE REVIEW: SINNERS

 

Trying to leave their troubled lives behind, twin brothers return to their hometown to start again, only to discover that an even greater evil is waiting to welcome them back.

Director: Ryan Coogler

Cast: Michael B. Jordan, Hailee Steinfeld, Miles Caton, Jack O'Connell, Wunmi Mosaku, Jayme Lawson, Omar Miller, Li Jun Li, Delroy Lindo

Release Date: April 18, 2025

Genre: Action, Drama, Horror, Thriller

Rated R for strong bloody violence, sexual content and language.

Runtime: 2h 17m

Review:

Sinners echoes more than a few beats from 1997's From Dusk Till Dawn but Ryan Coogler elevates the pulpy material with his lush visuals, a multilayered script and stellar cast.  Coogler's trek through the Jim Crow era south instantly pops off the screen with its distinctive look and feel as we follow identical twins, Smoke and Stack, return to Mississippi.  He slowly weaves musical elements into the narrative to create something truly special exemplified by a time blending set piece that marks one of the film's highlights.  It’s a slow burn early on, as he gives his characters and actors time to breathe before moving into the film's gleefully gory final act. Coogler takes full advantage of the collection of immensely talented cast led by Michael B. Jordan in dual roles.  Jordan is pitch perfect in both roles, giving each of the twin’s distinctive personalities paired with a believable sense of fraternal affection for each other.  Each character carries so much subtext intertwined with each interaction that is makes for another fascinating performance from Jordan proving again that Coogler knows how to bring out the best in him.  Miles Caton making his screen debut as Sammie Moore, the twins’ younger cousin, leaves an impression throughout thanks to his baritone voice and musical talents which are on full display.  Hailee Steinfeld and Delroy Lindo both make the most of their screentime with memorable supporting turns that leave you wishing the film had used them more.  Wunmi Mosaku and Jayme Lawson are both solid but their character's feel like they needed a tad bit more fleshing out to really leave a more substantial impact.  Jack O'Connell makes for an intriguing villain as the Irish vampire who unleashes the vampiric plague on the unsuspecting town.  O'Connell gives the character an unpredictable feeling with him being able to turn from understated to menacing in an instant.  There's plenty packed into his backstory much like the Sinner's story overall which leaves you with plenty to chew on even after the credits roll.   

A-

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-