Zootopia 2 - Review: Disney's Newe-ssssss-t Hare-raising Z-equel

 

Somewhere squeezed into the 2010s Disney canon, between the snow queens, princesses, and video game baddies, there is “Zootopia,” an original film that surprised the world with its quality, prodding social commentary, and rocket ship-esque box office receipts. What started as Disney’s springtime offering for 2016, a film that would certainly play second-fiddle to its Thanksgiving 2016 release (a little ocean themed princess adventure called “Moana”), became an Academy Award winner and grossing over a billion dollars worldwide. Now, almost a decade later, Disney has finally brought a second adventure for the animal city’s resident bunny and fox duo to the big screen.

“Zootopia 2” picks up shortly after the events of the first film and finds police officer Judy Hopps, played by Ginnifer Goodwin (“Big Love,” “Once Upon a Time”), and conman-turned-rookie-cop Nick Wilde, played by Jason Bateman (“Horrible Bosses,” “Arrested Development”), attempting to prove that their previous success was more than a one-time occurrence. They get that chance when, on the eve of the city’s Zoocential hundred-year celebration, Gary De’Snake, played by Ke Huy Quan (“Everything Everywhere All At Once,” “Loki”), finds his way into the city, the first snake to do so since reptiles were exiled a hundred years prior. Now Judy and Nick are attempting to solve the mystery of Gary’s appearance, how it might involve the Lynxley family led by patriarch Milton Lynxley, played by David Strathairn (“Good Night and Good Luck,” “Lincoln”), and the true history of Zootopia’s very creation.

Returning co-director Byron Howard (“Encanto,” “Tangled”) and writer/returning co-director Jared Bush (“Encanto,” “Moana”) are clearly right at home returning to their animalistic city and characters for this second tale. With an increase in animal-based puns, Judy and Nick’s second adventure is off at a quicker pace than before. Gone is the more deliberate mystery and first act, instead we hit the ground running and hardly let up. It’s a film that manages to pack far more into its plot than its 108-minute runtime might suggest, but that fast pace never drags. A few more moments of calm would’ve been nice, and the film isn’t without them, but it's a very confident film within that. It never feels as though the pacing is a victim of needing to keep the seven-year-old’s attention.

That central mystery is one that only the best kinds of sequels can offer. Not only does it further expand the ideas of social commentary using the animal world that the first film managed to (messily) deliver, but it expands the lore and world-building of the titular city itself. Bush’s script, like the best family films, doesn’t talk down to the audience about its themes or events. It understands the levels that the kids watching can work at and helps to bring them up. Sure, there are plenty of pop-culture references sprinkled throughout as well, but it's clear that the emotional journey of Nick, Judy, and Gary is the main focus.

Goodwin and Bateman’s chemistry is still here in spades, and the pair are simply a delight. This second adventure deepens their relationship even further and allows them to explore their friendship in ways the first simply couldn’t. Quan’s performance is also fantastic, with his trademark enthusiastic delivery bringing Gary to life in exceptionally fun ways. The extensive supporting cast, prominently featuring Andy Samburg (“Hot Rod,” “Hotel Transylvania”) as Pawbert Lynxley, Fortune Feimster (“The Mindy Project,” “The L Word: Generation Q”) as Nibbles Maplestick, and Patrick Warburton (“The Emperor’s New Groove,” “Seinfeld”) as Zootopia’s new mayor Brian Winddancer, all feel right at home in this world. Samburg and Feimster are particular highlights, with the latter avoiding a potential easy annoyance with pure charms.

The gorgeous animation further fleshes out the world that came before by expanding things beyond the four major districts of the city into more hidden, background areas. The new Marsh Market is a highlight, emphasizing more aquatic elements and characters than before. There’s also a focus on more industrial, metallic areas, separating things further from the first film. Michael Giacchino’s (“The Batman,” “Up (2009)”) score keeps things flowing, clearly curbing from other films this series owe tribute to, and it, along with the expansions of the world, allows things to truly feel like a buddy cop film, especially a buddy cop sequel, in all the best ways.

After a few rocky years for Walt Disney Animation Studios, “Zootopia 2” has managed to rocket the studio back to their former heights. A sequel that expands the world, characters, mythology, and narratives rather than retreading what came before, it's the best example of a follow-up film. Still packed to the brim with excellent vocal performances, gorgeous animation, and a fantastic sense of fun and mystery, it’s an easy recommendation for anyone looking for a delightful bit of furry family entertainment over the holidays. 4.5/5 

Rental Family - Review: You Can Choose Your Family

 

There’s something about being kind in the modern film making landscape that seems to have fallen out of style. Blockbusters and television shows are focusing more on crime and despicable individuals or actions, and the idea of being nice to people has been tossed aside. Recently though, with films like “Superman (2025),” there has been a surge of kindness to the mainstream once again. While not a blockbuster itself, “Rental Family” is a film that finds kinship with others like it by taking a look at one of Japan’s most unique industries with a careful and sympathetic eye that is, above all else, kind.

The film follows Phillip Vandarploeug, played by Brendan Fraser (“The Mummy (1999),” “The Whale”), a struggling American actor living in Japan trying to make ends meet. That is until he meets Shinji, played by Takehiro Hira (“Shōgun (2024),” “Gran Turismo (2023)”), the manager of Rental Family Inc., an agency that allows people to rent people to pretend to be friends, family members, lovers, or any other kind of person missing from their lives. Initially reluctant, Phillip takes on the role after the encouragement from fellow Rental Family employee Aiko, played by Mari Yamamoto (“Monarch: Legacy of Monsters,” “Pachinko”), and soon finds himself taking on the roles of a young woman’s fiancé, a reporter interviewing an aging movie star, and a young girl’s absent father.

While the very concept of the film will likely raise eyebrows, the way co-writer/director Hikari (“37 Seconds,” “Beef”) and co-writer Stephen Blahut approach the material is really admirable. These are actual agencies that exist in Japan and while the film certainly points out some of the more absurd scenarios they’re used for, it's never mocking in any way. More than anything, it's a legitimate dissection of the very concept, of how it can majorly benefit an individual as well as harm them. Hikari’s hand is a deft one, and the film breezes along every as things begin to get more complicated and emotions bubble up. The overwhelming sense of kindness can lead to the film feeling a bit too sugary sweet though. Everything happens in a very specific way that leads the film to feel very “convenient” with many of the plot developments, as if it's skirting over a lot of real-world details to reach the emotional truth it wants to.

Fraser’s performance leads the film and it’s a remarkably honest and vulnerable kind of role. It’s not a difficult or ambitious kind of character, but there’s a deep truth to his arc and the decisions that he makes. Fraser brings a true sense of joy to the role and he’s simply a joy to watch; a big beating heart of a man at the center of an already emotional vulnerable tale. Hira gets more of the sillier bits of the film, but he keeps a gruff exterior allowing him to fill the teacher role to Fraser’s student role without betraying his own arc. Yamamoto is the scene-stealer though, with her sweetly abrasive side playing wonderfully against Fraser’s overt optimism.

No matter your thoughts on the tale, it is a gorgeous looking and sounding film that is a fantastic display of Japan. As opposed to most Hollywood films that stick to the big cities, Hikari and cinematographer Takurô Ishizaka (“Enter the Fat Dragon,” “Tang”) showcase a little bit of everything the country has to offer. From wide vistas and tree-laden countryside to snow-covered mountains overseeing small cities and towns, it's a quietly beautiful film that matches the film’s quietly beautiful score from Jónsi (“How to Train Your Dragon (2010),” “We Bought a Zoo”) and Alex Somers (“Captain Fantastic,” “Nickel Boys”). If nothing else, it’s a calm and beautiful film to sit back and breathe in.

“Rental Family” won't be for everyone based purely on how nice it can be. Some simply won’t be able to get on board with that sense or the central concept itself. But Hikari has crafted a film that is able to deliver on its numerous ambitious by bringing this aspect of Japanese culture to a broader audience. Packed with some great performances, gorgeous camerawork and music, and a sweet and honest script, if a bit convenient, it's an emotional salve of a film. The kind that can easily be described as a nice movie; not in the sense that it's middling or of simply good quality. It’s just a nice movie. 4.5/5

Wicked: For Good - Review: Be Changed For Good

 

After years of dominating Broadway and musical stages across the globe, 2024 finally saw “Wicked” grace movie theaters the world over to critical and financial success. Well, it saw the first act of “Wicked” grace movie theaters, as Universal and director John M. Cho (“In the Heights,” “Crazy Rich Asians”) saw fit to split the behemoth into two films, expanding on the tale and character arcs in each. Now, one year after the first, we have the second act of the musical in film form as “Wicked: For Good.”

Set some time after the events of the first film and act, “For Good” sees Elphaba, played by Cynthia Erivo (“Harriet,” “Bad Times at the El Royale”), villainized by the Wizard of Oz, played by Jeff Goldblum (“Jurassic Park,” “Thor: Ragnarok”), and Madame Morrible, played by Michelle Yeoh (“Everything Everywhere All At Once,” “Crazy Rich Asians”). In order to keep the Wizard in the good graces of the people of Oz, they’ve fabricated a story of Elphaba and the talking animals of Oz being responsible for the recent issues in the land, propping up Elphaba’s former friend Glinda, played by Ariana Grande (“Victorious,” “Sam & Cat”), as the Good Witch of Oz and Elphaba as the Wicked Witch of the West. Elphaba’s attempts to speak truth to the people of Oz and dethrone the Wizard’s powers eventually come to a head as a tornado blows into the land, bringing a young Kansas girl along with it.

Notoriously so, the second act of “Wicked” as a Broadway musical is... less good than the first. Most of the moments and songs people know from the show all come from the first act, and that rings true for the film version as well. Like the first film, co-writers Winnie Holzman (“Roadies”) and Dana Fox (“Cruella,” “The Lost City”) have expanded the second act as well, adding additional scenes and, unlike with the first film, new songs. Those expansions, unfortunately, add little to the overall story and serve to simply extend what is already a fairly long and overdrawn film. The two new songs added certainly fit within the film (if you didn’t know they were added, you likely wouldn’t notice), but they are fluff compared to the others, repeating already established plot and character developments in a different way.

Erivo and Grande’s performances are still fantastic, and when the pair of them are together, the film becomes magical. The gradual evolutions of these characters are really fascinating to watch, and their arcs help the film build toward its gradual point about fascism and media manipulations. Goldblum keeps the same kind of weird, very Goldblum-y charm that he always has in spades, and it keeps his wizard unique. Not much has changed about Yeoh’s performance in this film versus the first, however her singing is far grander here than before. Which is unfortunate as, in a film packed full of singers, Broadway and otherwise, her average voice stands out far more than it otherwise would.

The supporting cast feels mostly forgotten about this time around, with many of the performances being fine but simply disparate in the plot itself. Marissa Bode, Ethan Slatter (“Lost on a Mountain in Maine”), and Johnathan Bailey (“Jurassic World Rebirth,” “Bridgerton”) all return as Nessarose, Boq, and Fiyero respectively, but you’d be hard pressed to notice. While Bode's role is understandably slim, Slatter simply vanishes from the film for the entirety of the third act. Bailey meanwhile is more present but seems to have the same care given to his character as the one-dimensional damsels that populated 1960s black-and-white noir films. Their performances are fine, doing the best they can with what they’re given, but the script simply doesn’t do them any favors.

The biggest issue with why this second half simply fails to elicit the same excitement as the first really does come down to the script and overall plotting. Given the simultaneous shooting schedules, the film maintains the same fantastic costuming work, production designs, cinematography, and visual effects that helped bring this vision of Oz to life in the first. While there are a handful of odd sore spots, such as the film's interpretation of the Scarecrow, it's mostly excellent work across the board just as before.

“Wicked: For Good” was likely always going to be a slight dip from the first film given the status of the original musical’s second act. However, the new songs and expansions certainly don’t help matters. As it stands, this is still an entertaining film, with performances that help overcome the weaker extended material almost in spite of itself. The technical merits remain as great as the first film’s, and those who are already completely on board are unlikely to be swayed, but the magic isn’t as strong as before. 3.5/5

The Running Man (2025) - Review: Catch Me If You Can

 

If Hollywood is going to continue to dig up old properties and franchises and remake them until the heat death of the universe, then it at least stands to reason that they should remake some films that weren’t beloved to begin with. Works that didn’t live up to their original potential. The 1987 adaptation of “The Running Man” is certainly one of those works, tossing out all but the most basic concepts of Stephen King’s original novel to turn it into an Arnold Schwarzenegger action vehicle. And it wasn’t very good. Now, co-writer/director Edgar Wright (“Shaun of the Dead,” “Baby Driver”) has arrived to try this all too-pertinent concept once again, with a far more faithful adaptation and an up-and-coming movie star front and center.

Set in the near future, the film follows Ben Richards, played by Glenn Powell (“Twisters,” “Anyone But You”), a blacklisted blue-collar worker trying to scrap funds together to afford medicine for his sick daughter and get his family out of the slums permanently. That’s how he happens upon “The Running Man,” a ultra-violent reality show watched by millions created by super producer Dan Killian, played by Josh Brolin (“Avengers: Infinity War,” “Dune (2021)”) and hosted by Bobby T, played by Colman Domingo (“euphoria,” “Sing Sing”). The show allows people to attempt to run from the general public and a group of skilled Hunters, led by McCone, played by Lee Pace (“Pushing Daisies,” “Foundation”), for thirty days in an attempt to win $1 billion at the end. Against the better wishes of his wife Sheila, played by Jayme Lawson (“The Batman,” “Sinners”), he enters believing he can win and change the rigged game for good.

It’s not hard to imagine why a director like Wright would want to tackle material like this. The ripe social satire and commentary on reality television, as well as media manipulation, has only become more relevant in recent years. He and co-writer Michael Bacall (“Scott Pilgrim vs. The World,” “21 Jump Street (2012)”) have zeroed in on the novel and Richards’ intense anger in an exceptionally compelling way. Regardless of anything else in the film, the idea of this man and the world broiling just below the surface at the media conglomerates is executed wonderfully. It gives everything a distinctly fiery personality, and it helps to smooth over the film’s rough edges. It also allows Powell some material that really lets him explode. He's a great lead, riding the line between an action hero and an every-man. Thankfully he’s more than just a muscular exterior, and he gets a lot of room to run around with ingenuity and smarts.

The surrounding cast are all fine enough, with Domingo and Brolin being particular standouts. However, the nature of the pseudo-road trip adventure is that no one really gets to make a particularly large impact. A late game addition of civilian Amelia, played by Emilia Jones (“CODA,” “Locke & Key”), kidnapped by Richards in the third act, injects some perspective into the adventure by setting him up against someone from the upper crust, but it feels like a band-aid to jam more perspectives into the film. The rest of the supporting cast outside of Domingo, Brolin, and Jones are just underutilized. Outside of the central anger at the establishment, the rest of the scripts themes feel half-baked and underutilized, as if Wright and Bacall went through a checklist of dystopian thriller ideas and what to include.

From a technical standpoint, the film’s production design and sets are fantastic. The grim and smudge of this vision of future America is detailed and fun to explore, and the pacing is quick and frenetic. As stated before, while the film has a lot of ideas it mostly just gives surface glances to, it keeps everything moving along briskly for the two-hour-and-thirteen-minute runtime. However, for as nicely as everything moves along and as good as the world looks, you’d be hard-pressed to say this feels remotely like an Edgar Wright film. It’s a competently shot action-adventure film, but the filmmaker’s signature style is gone. There’s no fun camera tricks from cinematographer Chung-hoon Chung (“Last Night in Soho,” “IT (2017)”), editing tricks, or any flourishes whatsoever. Even the musical score from Wright’s longtime collaborator Steven Price (“The World’s End,” “Baby Driver”) is a generic bunch of action movie musical touches. Energetic, sure, but generic as hell.

While its certainly much better than the 1987 original film, it's hard not to view Edgar Wright’s version of “The Running Man” as at least a semi-disappointment. For a director as stylish and unique as him, to have a pet project of his result in a film that feels almost indistinguishable from any other director is sad. The deep-seated sense of anger at the world and Powell’s great lead performance makes it a watchable good time, and the film certainly still looks good and moves along well. But for those expecting the next mega hit in Wright’s filmography might want to keep on walking. 3.5/5 

Predator: Badlands - Review: Welcome to the Hunt

 

Reappraisal is a funny thing within the world of 1980s nostalgia. While a fair share of maligned films from the era have been looked upon fondly nowadays, the “Predator” franchise is one that’s been mostly respected rather than liked. Sure the first film is good, and the design of the titular alien killer is cool, but you aren’t likely to find someone willing to watch the franchise at the drop of a hat like they would the “Alien,” “Back to the Future,” “Indiana Jones” “Die Hard,” or “Ghostbusters” franchises. That is until Dan Trachtenberg (“10 Cloverfield Lane,” “The Boys”) came along and effectively revitalized the franchise, directing three films back-to-back; 2022’s excellent “Prey,” “earlier this year’s adventurous and fun anthology film “Predator: Killer of Killers,” and now this latest film, his first theatrical “Predator” tale: “Predator: Badlands.”

Set in the distant future, the film follows Dek, played by Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi (“Red, White, and Brass,” “The Panthers”), a young runt in a clan of Yautja (the alien species we know as Predators). After his Father, played by Reuben De Jong and voiced by Schuster-Koloamatangi, sentences his to death due to his size and weakness, Dek sets off for Genna, the deadliest planet in the galaxy, on his first hunt. While on the planet, he befriends Thia, played by Elle Fanning (“The Great,” “Super 8”), a friendly damaged Weyland-Yutani synthetic who agrees to help Dek on his quest to find and kill the legendary Kalisk, a creature also sought by Thia’s fellow synthetic and surrogate sister Tessa, also played by Fanning.

In a franchise first, Trachtenberg and co-writer Patrick Aison (“Prey (2022),” “Last Light”) have made the smart decision to center this adventure around a Yautja itself. As opposed to previous films, which feature the alien as a monstrous force attempting to hunt and slaughter the other human characters, here we get to see a side to the creature and their culture never explored before. It’s hard to say it was necessary or revelatory, but it's an amount of care and expansion rarely seen in modern day blockbusters. It being tied directly to Dek’s story and evolution also means that it never feels as obvious or eye-rolling as moments like “when Han Solo got the name Solo” or things like that. Plenty of these moments also work fantastically as simple setups and payoffs. This is a tight and simple script, and Trachtenberg and Aison know how to set up an item, creature, device to later have it used in spectacular fashion. It’s a perfect example of how you don’t need a complicated setup to give way to a wonderful payoff.

Schuster-Koloamatangi's physical performance is remarkably impressive here. Given the fact that the Yautja’s face is mostly CGI, it means much of his performance has to be communicated physically and vocally. He does a remarkable job getting us to care for this alien killer, using some easy short hands to communicate where he’s at emotionally at the start of his journey. Like the script, his performance is a great example of effective simplicity, allowing Dek to evolve throughout the film from a runt of his clan to a formidable warrior and letting us attach to that journey with him. Fanning is fantastic as well in her dual roles; she manages to deliver two very different interpretations of the same character dynamically, with Thia easy to fall in love with and Tessa easy to hate. She’s the cherry on top of a simple, effective, physically demanded cast at the center of this adventure.

Given the focus on an alien species notorious for its brutality and weaponry, you’d hope that the action and stunt sequences are up to snuff, and thankfully Trachtenberg and his team have delivered the goods here. While the look of the film itself is on the flatter and blander side, the action is well worth it. There are plenty of fantastic sequences of practical and digital effects work, meshing together to deliver Dek’s epic adventure through the jungles and creatures of Genna. The PG-13 rating doesn’t hold this tale back either: while there might not be any red human blood, it’s still a gruesome and delightfully viscously violent tale.

As the guttural chants and deep growls of Sarah Schachner (“The Lazurus Effect,” “Prey”) and Benjamin Wallfisch’s (“Blade Runner 2049,” “IT (2017)”) excellent musical score shade this tale of a warrior’s journey in a sense of brutal menace, what’s at the core of Trachtenberg and Aison’s story is much more ambitious for the franchise. It might be hard to believe, but there’s a legitimate emotional core at the center of this film and Dek’s journey that works excellently. Like most of the film’s strengths, it’s an example of the effective simplicity at the core of Trachtenberg’s work here. It’s nothing exceptional, but there is something surprisingly moving about this Yautja’s tale.

“Predator: Badlands” continues Dan Trachtenberg’s streak of bringing new blood to the franchise and delivering some of the best stuff it’s ever seen. This third film delivers on its intriguing premise with remarkably effective simplistic approaches to its story, action, setups, and emotional arcs, even if the film’s look is blander than one would expect. It’s a popcorn movie through and through, but an excellent one that will satisfy anyone looking for a thrill, whether they’re familiar with the Yautja’s previous exploits or not. 4.5/5 

Die My Love - Review: One Crazy Mother

 

The prospect of going to the movies to specifically seek out a “bad time” might seem foreign to some. But some directors make their living off of tackling uncomfortable, unpleasant, or downright confusing ideas on the big screen. Lynne Ramsay (“We Need to Talk About Kevin,” “You Were Never Really Here”) is one of those directors, and she’s returned with a new project featuring two of cinemas most flexible actors and source material that’s been described simply as “uncomfortable.” It’s an interesting one to say the least.

Based on the 2012 Spanish novel by Ariana Harwicz, “Die My Love” follows Grace, played by Jennifer Lawrence (“The Hunger Games,” “No Hard Feelings”), and Jackson, played by Robert Pattinson (“Twilight,” “The Batman”). They’ve just moved into a house in the countryside and Jackson is off every day working in the city, leaving Grace at home alone with their new baby. As the days grow longer, Grace finds herself slipping into madness, injuring herself around the house, and slowly dipping more and more into post-partum depression, much to the fear of Jackson.

How to describe this film is as much a question as what actually happens in this film, as much of the time it borders on being indescribable in its events and the order in which they appear. Co-writers Ramsay, Enda Walsh (“Hunger,” “The House (2022)”), and Alice Birch (“Dead Ringers,” “Normal People”) craft a film that feels more like a series of segments in Grace’s larger journey into madness than a strictly coherent three-act structured film. It’s a film that coasts along on vibes and energy rather than any narrative structure, and while your mileage may vary with that kind of approach, it’s nevertheless effective in evoking this very specific emotional panic.

This is Lawrence’s film, no doubt about it, and she carries the entire thing from start to finish. It's the sort of project most actors would die to get a hold off, taking material that’s this elaborate and metaphorical and running away with it. Regardless of your opinion of the rest of the film, her performance is undeniably fantastic. Pattinson gets just as much to sink his teeth into, delivering a wild and crazed performance to match hers. Given that the film is entirely her tale, he doesn’t get as much to play with, but he’s great regardless and any scene where they’re at each other's throats is a great time.

Meanwhile, anyone outside of Lawrence and Pattinson gets a lot less to work with. Sissy Spaeck (“Badlands,” “Carrie (1976)”) has a fun, but all to brief role as Jackson’s mother Pam. She lights up the screen when she appears, adding an older female perspective to Grace’s turmoil, but nothing substantial as a character. LaKeith Stanfield (“Sorry to Bother You,” “Atlanta”) pops up for what charitably might be two lines and 5 minutes of screentime as a pseud-imaginary affair for Grace named Karl, and the film simply wastes him. Nick Nolte (“48 Hrs,” “The Prince of Tides”) appears briefly as well as Harry, Jackson’s elderly father who somehow manages to deliver great warmth and humor despite being just as brief as Stanfield, if not moreso.

There is clearly a goal in the visuals, editing, and cinematography to evoke the kind of unhinged, slowly escalating madness that Grace is going through but in film form. Large swaths of the film have little to no dialogue and the musical score ratchets up at random points mixed in with needle drops from everything from “Love Me Tender” to “Hey Mickey” to “Souljacker Part 1.” Cinematographer Seamus McGarvey (“Atonement,” “Anna Karenina”) crafts a look that somehow makes the surrounding forest and open house claustrophobic, draped in some positively gorgeous nighttime photography. The musical score composed by George Vjestica (“The Sky Above Zenica”), Raife Burchell, and Ramsay is deeply unsettling, when it does appear, while also maintaining a playfulness purposefully absent in the rest of the film.

Ramsay’s vision for this film is a clear and deliberate one; it's just that said vision is one meant to evoke specific feelings and interpretations rather than present a concise narrative structure. It’s a viewing experience that feels purposeful even in the moments it becomes challenging to parse. The ending in particular is a perfect example of the film’s daring visual and metaphorical goals while also settling into a very specific vibe and refusing to explain itself further. While not so much the sort of “art house” film shown in museums, it's definitely not a mainstream hit and that should be noted for any viewer going in blind.

“Die My Love” certainly accomplishes its goals of maintaining a specific vibe somewhere between despair and feminist rage, without ever tipping its hand to explain what it's all specifically “about.” Lawrence and Pattinson run away with their roles, helping to ground the project in their excellent performances, even amongst a mostly wasted supporting cast. It's hard to say that anything in this film is “bad” or didn’t accomplish exactly what Lynne Ramsay set out to do. It’s just hard to say that it’s a good recommendation for anyone who would normally turn their nose away at a film like this. If you can get on its wavelength though, it’s a hell of an entertaining piece of madness. 3.5/5 

Bugonia - Review: This Is Your Brain on Bugs

 

Never one willing to let us wait for too long, a little over a year after his previous work, Yorgos Lanthimos (“The Favourite,” “Poor Things”), Emma Stone (“Easy A,” “Zombieland”), and Jesse Plemons (“Game Night,” “The Power of the Dog”) have all reunited once again for a film that certainly fits the oddball wheelhouse of each of their previous works together and apart. With Lanthimos’s uncomfortable directing style and ample source material to dive into, “Bugonia” is yet another adventure that will head in directions you simply won’t expect. However, whether or not that means it's any good is a different matter.

A remake of the 2003 South Korean film “Save the Green Planet,” this film follows paranoid conspiracy theorist Teddy Gatz, played by Plemons, and his cousin Don, played by Aidan Delbis in his film debut, as they kidnap Teddy’s boss and pharmaceutical CEO Michelle Fuller, played by Stone. Teddy is convinced, through years of internet research and his own supposed evidence, that Michelle is an alien sent to Earth to slowly poison it by killing off the bee population. And he’s determined to force her to help himself and Don find a way to fix it.

Almost entirely shot within Teddy and Don’s claustrophobic ramshackle home, Lanthimos and cinematographer Robbie Ryan (“C’mon C’mon,” “Poor Things”) keep things close and tight and nerve-wracking throughout this misadventure. Even when venturing outside of the house, the slight fish-eyed look to the 1.33:1 frame of the film sets everything up with odd angles and purposefully disconcerting feelings. It’s an intricately constructed location, and it becomes a character in and of itself, with each new camera angle and lighting cue giving way to the possibility of some hidden camera or device made by Teddy. It might just be the best use of one location in a mainstream film since “Parasite.”

Stone is fantastic, nailing the pseudo “we’re all a family here” corporate speak expected from someone in a position such as this. She wavers back and forth throughout the film between victim and aggressor and she works together with Plemons to create a ridiculously entertaining ping pong game of tension. Their performances are great, but the scene stealer is the quiet presence of Delbis. He has a simple naivety to him, which gives him a wonderful sense of calm and kindness that pierces through the noise and absurdity of the film’s narrative. It’s a delightful little role and one of the most memorable aspects of the film.

Without getting into spoilers, Will Tracy’s (“The Menu,” “The Regime”) script maitains a tight tense atmosphere and mystery without every taking itself too seriously or losing its bizarre sense of humor and style. The mixture between the upper- and lower-class perspectives, as well as just generalized corporate doubletalk, is mined for perfect comedy here, and Plemons in particular gets to deliver some true gems. It never tips its hand too early, and you’ll be guessing what exactly is going to happen right up until the film’s final moments. The paranoia is also perfectly underscored by Jerskin Fendrix (“Poor Things,” “Kinds of Kindness”) with a musical score that mutates between something deeply guttural and alien and something right out of a Broadway instrumental score.

If there’s one aspect to the film that feels the most at odds with its absurd sense of humor and generally oddball tone, it's the film’s conclusion. Without spoiling anything, it inadvertently reveals a nihilistic streak throughout the rest of the writing that hurts the overall idea rather than helps it. It’s hard to imagine someone like Lanthimos wanting something more ambiguous or less dark. This is a pitch-black dark comedy after all and how far it pushes into this nihilism is an element to the absurdist sense of humor. But it nevertheless leaves it all feeling a bit like a lead balloon in the end. The same goes for two random flashback sequences that feel completely out of place with the rest of the film’s world and tone, drawing you out for brief, crucial moments.

“Bugonia” is a smartly written, exceptionally crafted, absurdist and funny film that somehow dances around complicated ideas without becoming a drag or a downer. Featuring three excellent performances all housed in a gorgeously shot and constructed set, it’s yet another oddball hit for Lanthimos, delivering an adventure that will leave you feeling bugged out. 4.5/5 

Black Phone 2 - Review: A Chilling Reception

 

In the world of horror sequels, there are two schools of thought on how to approach a follow-up film: doing everything virtually the exact same as before or mixing it up completely. After the smash-hit success of 2021’s “The Black Phone,” Blumhouse has reteamed with that film’s director Scott Derrickson (“Sinister,” “Doctor Strange”) and co-writers Derrickson and C. Robert Cargill (“Sinister,” “Doctor Strange”) for a sequel that certainly sets itself apart from the original in setting and temperature.

Set four years after the events of the first film, this tale follows teenaged boy Finney, played by Mason Thames (“How to Train Your Dragon (2025),” “Regretting You”), the only known survivor of the serial killer known as the Grabber, played by Ethan Hawke (“Training Day,” “Before Sunset”), and his teenaged sister Gwen, played by Madeleine McGraw (“Outcast,” “Secrets of Sulphur Springs”). After Gwen begins to have dreams of communicating with her deceased mother at her old mountain Christian youth camp, Finney, Gwen, and Gwen’s crush Ernesto, played by Miguel Mora, venture to the camp. After arriving, Finney finds himself once again haunted by a disconnected ringing phone allowing him to talk to the spirits of the deceased with Gwen’s dreams becoming more violent as the Grabber attempts to kill her and Finney from the dream world and beyond the grave.

Derrickson’s experience with this world and set of characters leads to a particularly confident second outing. There’s little time spent winding things up or establishing characters. He and Cargill assume that you’re already up to speed, which means the film’s first act has very little fat on its bones. Things get creepy from the start, taking a much more supernatural turn than the first film’s comparatively grounded reality. The film is fantastically atmospheric, spending a lot of time establishing the vibes of Gwen’s dreams versus reality and the youth camp. Thick blankets of snow and a massive frozen lake allow for a completely different vibe than the dingy basement and suburban streets of the first film, setting it apart in the best way.

Thames is turning in a reliably good performance here, delving into the trauma of the first film’s events on him and his role as an overprotective big brother. Mora adds to the supporting cast well with a reliable bit of banter, but the side characters of Armando, the camp supervisor played by Demián Bichir (“The Hateful Eight,” “A Better Life”), and his niece Mustang, played by Arianna Rivas (“A Working Man”), are veritable scene stealers once they appear. The gruff warmth they bring to the film is welcomed and works as a character rebuff against Finney’s anger and Gwen’s supernatural fears.

Hawke is expectedly great, having a lot of fun with the menace of the role and playing up the Freddy Krueger-esque dream invasions. It’s more of a vocal role than a physical one this time around, but he’s still exceptionally terrifying and a highlight of the project. However, the biggest boon this time around is McGraw as Gwen. If the first film was Finney’s journey, this one is very much hers. She gets the most interesting character material to delve into, and her performance is exceptional. She’s easy to become attached to and her arc through the film, while it may be basic, is nevertheless effective and exciting.

Derrickson’s control of the scares feels different this time around, delving hard into flashback dream sequences thick with chunky film grain. It’s exceptionally unsettling the first time it happens, and even as the immediate unease wears away, it's a great calling card for when things are about to crank up the spooks. There are a handful of moments that even break conventional structure, with cinematographer Pär M. Ekberg (“Polar,” “Lords of Chaos”) smudging out the grain and purposefully obscuring the time and place. It’s a great little stylistic distinction that attempts to discomfort more than scare, coupled with a startling, squeaky electronic musical score from Atticus Derrickson (“V/H/S/85”).

Where the film does unfortunately falter is in its more serious dramatic moments. For as effective as the scares and atmosphere are, the drama just falls flat. It’s fairly routine familial strife, dealing with anger and fear and letting go. A monologue from McGraw in the third act sounds like every other speech given in other films with similar plots smushed together. Finney and Gwen’s father Terrence, played by Jeremy Davies (“Justified,” “Rescue Dawn”), also reappears here, but its almost as if Derrickson and Cargill forget about him for about half of the film. When the drama and these familial elements are tied into the scares, they really work. When they try to break out and have more “serious” conversations, they border on sleep inducing.

"Black Phone 2” definitely mixes things up from the first film, changing setting and tone to turn into something more brutally supernatural than quiet and grounded. It’s different for sure but still delivers on the scares and tension with Madeline McGraw commanding control of the film alongside Ethan Hawke. The stylized dreams and snow-covered locals lend it a differing visual identity as well, helping to overcome the less interesting dramatical elements. It’ll be a frightfully good time for anyone looking for a little snowfall with their spooks. 4/5 

Frankenstein (2025) - Review: Man Made Monster

 

If there was ever a director perfectly made to take on tales of monsters, it’s Guillermo del Toro (“Pan’s Labyrinth,” “The Shape of Water”). A long and illustrious career spanning horror and drama films to animated adventure flicks has led to this, an adaptation of Mary Shelley’s classic novel and the original science fiction tale. If del Toro’s own words are anything to go by, he’s been trying to get this film made in some fashion since 2007. Now, with a massive budget courtesy of Netflix and a completely game cast, del Toro’s tale of the monster and the man he created has finally arrived.

Set in the early 1800s, the film sees a bloodied and beaten Victor Frankenstein, played by Oscar Isaac (“Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” “Ex Machina”), telling his tale of monstrous creation to a ship captain, played by Lars Mikkelsen (“Star Wars: Rebels,” “Devils”). He recaps his expulsion from the Royal College of Surgeons and meeting of Henrich Harlander, played by Christoph Waltz (“Inglorious Bastards,” “Django Unchained”), a wealthy arms manufacturer and uncle to Elizabeth Harlander, played by Mia Goth (“Pearl,” “Infinity Pool”), the fiancé of Victor’s brother William, played by Felix Kammerer (“All Quiet on the Western Front (2022),” “All the Light We Cannot See”), which leads to the elder Harlander funding Victor’s research and eventual building of his once dead man, known as The Creature, played by Jacob Elordi (“euphoria,” “Saltburn”).

Del Toro has stated multiple times that Netflix was the only studio willing to fund the budget and scale he wanted for this tale, and he’s certainly made fantastic use of that $120 million budget. Towering laboratories and intricate manor houses, draped with all manner of gothic architecture and designs litter the film. It’s an exceptionally gorgeous looking film and cinematographer Dan Laustsen (“Crimson Peak,” “The Shape of Water”) makes fantastic use of this bend on 18th century life. Alexandre Desplat (“The Grand Budapest Hotel,” “The Shape of Water”) brings a musical score that brings everything to life even further, resulting in a wholly excellent technical package that looks as gothically delightful as it feels.

Isaac’s performance really makes the titular mad scientist come alive in a way that feels far more fleshed out and conflicted than we’ve seen before. He’s a constantly maddening, infuriating, and complex individual that is easy to feel for as much as it is to rage against him. The surrounding supporting cast props up his crazed behavior and science well; Goth is a far more subdued twist of her darkly obsessed previous roles, Kammerer turns a possibly thankless brotherly role into a painful sibling relationship, Waltz chews up plenty of scenery without any of the baggage associated with that description, and the minor roles from Mikkelsen and David Bradley (“Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio,” “The Strain”) are delightfully done and a spotlight of pure warmth in the film's sometimes cruel humanity, only bitter in their brevity.

The lone actor not yet mentioned is Jacob Elordi, and that is for good reason. For what could initially seem like a thankless role, draped in prosthetics and heavy costuming for the entirety of the runtime, he turns in what is, without a doubt, the finest performance in the film. The way he’s able to delve into the most monstrous aspects of the character and his physicality, while also delivering on the most humanizing aspects is incredibly impressive. You’d almost be convinced that it was two different actors given the stark contrasts between the deliveries, but it’s Elordi through and through. This is a wholly impressive performance from an actor who, to put it bluntly, hasn’t had the most challenging filmography thus far. But this role and the skill, empathy, and depth on display showcase really bright things for Elordi going forward.

Bolstering the excellent cast and production design is the script, written by del Toro himself, which might just be the most interesting and book-accurate interpretation we’ve seen yet. Beyond that accuracy, del Toro is most interested in the pseudo-parental aspects between Victor and his Creature, as well as the internal questions that evolve from the idea of being human. While on paper they might be trite or played out, the structure of del Toro’s film allows for it to feel fresh and new. The amount of time we spend with the Creature is longer than one might expect, and it allows for some exceptionally emotionally cathartic events to play out.

As previously stated, the film looks exceptional, but the individual makeup and creature effects are positively phenomenal. Led by creature designer Mike Hill (“The Shape of Water,” “Bardo: False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths”), it's not only a different take on the creature’s construction, but a visually stunning interpretation as well. Forget the sewed-on head and neck bolts; this is a far more elegant and crafted version of Victor’s beast. There’s plenty of fantastic bits of beautiful bodies and gore peppered throughout, accompanied by excellent puppetry. It’s a seamless blend of practical and digital effects, and it results in a work of gorgeous gothic beauty.

The film might not officially be titled “Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein” but it might as well be. This is a deeply emotive, empathetic take on Mary Shelley’s novel in a way that only someone like del Toro could deliver. An exceptionally beautiful looking and sounding film, packed with a top-tier cast and a career defining performance from Jacob Elordi, this is a truly unique and excellent film. It’s hand crafted, man-made, and gloriously human. 5/5 

Good Fortune - Review: Touched By An Angel

 

Religion and movies have been going together like peanut butter and holy jelly since basically the very first moving images across a screen. There have been decades upon decades of comedic and serious takes on the concept, successful and otherwise. The last major comedic attempt was Kevin Smith’s “Dogma” in 1999 and this film, the feature film directorial debut for writer/director Aziz Ansari (“Master of None,” “Parks and Recreation”), has quite a bit in common with that. Another irreverent take on angels with some social commentary thrown in as well, “Good Fortune” is here and ready to grant your miracles.

The film stars Ansari as Arj, a down on his luck average joe who sleeps in his car and scrapes by doing odd jobs for other people, like the rich tech bro Jeff, played by Seth Rogen (“Superbad,” “The Studio”), via a Doordash like app. After a particularly rough night, Arj is visited by a low-rent guardian angel Gabriel, played by Keanu Reeves (“The Matrix,” “John Wick”), who wants to show him that money won’t solve all of his problems. He switches Jeff and Arj’s lives to do so, hoping to help Arj better his life. The problem is that Arj now doesn’t want to switch back, seeing that money has indeed solved virtually all of his problems.

Ansari leads the ensemble with a pretty good comedic performance that plays directly to his strengths. He’s built a career out of playing characters that straddle the line between being annoying and endearing, and he delivers a similar kind of work here. There’s a smidgen of more emotional material for him here, but it's nothing particularly groundbreaking. Rogen is also playing into more of his typical shtick, but there’s a bit more meanness and edge to his character, leading to him getting the more interesting material to work with. A large stretch of the film focuses on his character and it's when things are at their more satirically layered and interesting.

Reeves is the absolute standout. His portrayl of Gabriel blends a genuine heart with a layer of himbo naivate that plays excellently to his wide-eyed persona. It's the most interesting and comedically rich performance of the entire film, and his sequences with Rogen have the best chemistry of the film as well. The pair’s scenes are the standout of the entire project by far. Keke Palmer (“Nope,” “One of Them Days”) also appears as Elena, a hopeful employee trying to start a union at her hardware store and a romantic interest for Arj. Their chemistry is fine enough, but somewhat flat, and her material is fairly surface level stuff. Sandra Oh (“Grey’s Anatomy,” “Killing Eve”) pops up as Martha, Gabriel’s angel boss in a borderline cameo that allows her to inject her smooth, calm charms briefly into the project.

A film about struggling economically can be a bit of a tough sell in the modern economy, but Ansari’s script goes to great lengths to show the ins and outs of both halves of the L.A. economy with heart and laughs. Multiple moments that could have easily been just excuses for jokes are played with serious, actual care for the characters. It’s more sincerely portrayed than one might initially expect, and it allows the film to be far more than just a fluffy comedy. Even the ending commits to its grounded terms, working as a more character-driven, emotionally satisfying resolution rather than a fantastical “wish fulfilment” result.

The film’s cooler, darker aesthetic leans heavily into the nighttime dark corners and neon drenched streets of Los Angeles, with naturalistic lighting setting the “down on their luck” vibe for the overall project. It’s an interesting look and it allows the film to establish a specific “larger than life, smaller than life” vibe. For every moment in Jeff/Arj’s mansion, surrounded by excess and bright fake lights, there’s a casual, dirty backside of a restaurant where characters steal a few moments of peace for themselves. It’s a varied and interesting aesthetic, backed up by a great and equally varied musical score from Carter Burwell (“A Goofy Movie,” “The Banshees of Inisherin”).

“Good Fortune” could’ve used a slightly tighter script to turn it into something truly heavenly, but don’t let that downplay the film’s success. It’s a thoroughly entertaining and funny riff on some particularly tricky subject matter. The ensemble is great with some true standouts, and it allows the city of Los Angeles to breathe in a grounded way. “Good Fortune” might not be perfect, but there’s something to be said for a film that seeks to entertain as well as going for some heart without taking the easy way out. 4/5