Toy Story 5 - Review: Rise of the Machines

 

What could possibly be said about “Toy Story,” the franchise that catapulted Pixar Animation Studios into the spotlight and kickstarted a computer animated revolution. Without Woody and Buzz, we don’t have “Monsters Inc.,” “Shrek,” “Kung Fu Panda,” “Into the Spider-Verse,” “Tangled,” “Happy Feet,” “Avatar,” “VeggieTales,” or “The LEGO Movie.” Suffice to say, with numerous accolades and over $3 billion combined at the box office, the original trilogy of “Story” films are some of the most beloved and important ever made. But now, we’re years past that. “Toy Story 3” is almost two decades old, and even the fourth film is 7 years old now. We might all adore these characters, but is there enough juice left in these batteries to justify a tale beyond the epilogue?

“Toy Story 5” follows Jessie, voiced by Joan Cusack (“School of Rock,” “Working Girl”), Buzz Lightyear, voiced by Tim Allen (“The Santa Clause,” “Home Improvement”), Woody, voiced by Tom Hanks (“Forrest Gump,” “Cast Away”), and the rest of the gang as they deal with Lilypad, voiced by Greta Lee (“Past Lives,” “Tron: Ares”), a new tablet device given to their kid Bonnie, voiced by Scarlet Spears. While attempting to prevent tech from invading Bonnie’s life, Jessie finds herself swept away to the home of her old owner Emily, now occupied by a new family and child named Blaze, voiced by Mykal-Michelle Harris (“Mixed-ish,” “Cheaper by the Dozen (2022)”).

There are a handful of things that are to be expected with virtually every Pixar production by now, and this latest story of toys is no exception. The film looks exceptional, and while the warm look and lighting from the fourth are gone, in its place is a clean and pleasing look that emphasizes scale. There’s a seemingly stronger emphasis on low angles this time around that zeroes in on the size and scope of these living toys. It might be the same overall look that Pixar has maintained for years, but it works and is very obviously a “if it ain’t broke” circumstance. A few small moments showcase what could be a bold new direction, with imaginary playtime scenes dressed in a watercolor, painterly aesthetic. The same goes for Randy Newman’s (“Monsters Inc.,” “The Princess and the Frog”) musical score, and while he doesn’t contribute an original song this time around, the musical identity of the series is untouched and still of the highest quality.

Much like the technical side of the film, the vocal performances are just as fantastic as they’ve ever been. Cusack delivers a career best performance, and both she and Jessie get a lot of room to work with the deepest emotional work Pixar has given the cowgirl since her debut. It’s a really fantastic performance. Allen and Hanks are as great as they’ve ever been, perfectly slotting back into their buddy cop duo personas, even if the material for them is weaker than for Cusack. Lee is an excellent villain, dialing into an almost nasally kind of persona that works wonders as the film evolves her character. Spears and Harris are also excellent as the film gives the kids the largest part of the story they’ve ever had. Conan O’Brien (“If I Had Legs, I’d Kick You,” “Conan”) appears as the potty-training tech toy Mr. Smartypants, injecting a healthy amount of abrasiveness and potty humor into Pixar’s usually squeaky-clean facade. He gives an energetic, scene-stealing, comedically golden performance that is a highlight of the film.

If you had a checklist of everything that a film needed to be a “Toy Story” movie, this fifth installment would easily tick every box. Yet, there’s something deep inside that’s missing. There’s a special little spark that seems to be dimming. Maybe it's the fact that this is the fifth adventure in the franchise, that this is the fifth time they’ve tackled the idea of the toys facing obsolescence, or the second time they’ve faced the encroachment of technology (looking at you, underrated and now ironically named television special “The Toy Story That Time Forgot”), but so much of the film feels like going through the motions. They are great motions to go through, as the film still elicits plenty of laughter, adventure, and some tears when required, but it never feels the same as the first three, or even the bittersweet feeling of the fourth.

Most of that comes from the script. Co-writer/director Andrew Stanton (“Finding Nemo,” “Wall-E”) is a steady hand on the ship, keeping things headed in exactly the right direction you’d expect for a “Toy Story” adventure. He and co-writer Kenna Harris (“Ciao Alberto”) wring a lot of funny stuff out of this fifth adventure, but the script is bizarrely toothless. Despite never being pointed films, the previous entries all had something to say in some way. “Toy Story 5” does, but what it says about technology feels like its side-stepping making any actual statement, and everything else feels like a grab bag of ideas. A B-plot running alongside the main story involving a group of shipwrecked Hi-Tech Buzz Lightyear toys is a stroke of genius that feels like new and unique within the “Toy Story” concept, while the rest of the film is exploring ideas the previous entries have already done. With them and characters like Smartypants, they get close to saying something about toys and tech combined but never cross the gap to make it connect. It doesn’t feel like a new grand chapter in the saga, but instead just another day in the life.

That might sound harsh, but it is worth reiterating if you’re looking for more adventures with Woody, Buzz, Jessie, and the rest of the gang, you’ll be more than satisfied here. It looks incredible, is packed with tons of great vocal performances, and keeps the same ethos of the series burning bright. Anyone expecting something that goes beyond that though will likely be a bit disappointed. Each new tale in this saga doesn’t have to do something radically new or break new ground. But the risk of not doing that on the fifth entry is that you soften the specialness of these stories. The quality is still very high, but will this latest toy tale be remembered as fondly as the rest? Well, that’s something only the kids can decide. 4/5 

Disclosure Day - Review: Close Encounters of the Emotional Kind

 

When you’re the person who essentially created the summer movie scene, a new film touching upon those blockbuster ideals is cause for celebration. Steven Speilberg (“Jurassic Park,” “E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial”) has returned to such material with his latest film, reteaming him with writer David Koepp (“Jurassic Park,” “Spider-Man (2002)”) and the genre he essentially helped mold into what it is nowadays: the UFO/alien film. This latest film, “Disclosure Day,” certainly seems to share a lot of ideas and themes with his previous works in the genre. Hopefully it’s more than just a close encounter with the blockbuster kind.

The film follows cybersecurity specialist Daniel Kellner, played by Josh O’Connor (“Challengers,” “Wake Up Dead Man”), on the run with his girlfriend Jane, played by Eve Hewson (“Flora and Son,” “Bad Sister”), from the shadowy tech corporation WARDEX, run by CEO Noah Scanlon, played by Colin Firth (“The King’s Speech,” “Mamma Mia!”). Meanwhile, Kansas City meteorologist Margaret Fairchild, played by Emily Blunt (“Mary Poppins Returns,” “A Quiet Place”), begins to experience strange voices and senses telling her to find Daniel and to help him with his whistleblower mission: to disclose evidence of alien life and contact to the public.

There’s a lot at play here that seems to recap a lot of what Speilberg has explored in previous films, and in a lot of ways it feels like a direct reaction to the evolution of modern-day sensibilities. There’s a subplot about a potential World War 3 going on in the background that eventually ties into the third act in smart and intriguing ways. Speilberg and Koepp know what they're doing in building intrigue, but that intrigue is one of the weaker moments of the overall film. While there is a lot of mystery surrounding characters, most of it feels as though it was added simply to exist. The film ends with plenty of loose threads dangling, or just unconnected from the conclusion, and not in a mysteriously unexplained way. There’s quite a bit of suspension of disbelief required for various moments to work as well, possibly too much depending on the viewer.

This might make it seem like the third act is the weakest in the film. Far from it, as this is when Spielberg’s combination of big heart and blockbuster tension culminates in the most satisfying chunk of the film. For a tale with this much tension and intrigue, Spielberg not only nails the final moments of it, but manages to perfectly execute the film’s central idea. Empathy and understanding are the biggest ideas here, and despite the film's blockbuster exterior, it means the film resonates far strongly alongside Speilberg’s other works like “Close Encounters,” “The Sugarland Express,” “The Color Purple,” or “The Fabelmans,” than that of his blockbuster thrillers. This is where the superficial elements fall away to reveal the gigantic mush heart at the center of this tale. It presents these core ideas as nakedly emotional as Spielberg has been in decades.

O’Connor is good, keeping attention for his portion of the film expertly so, and his chemistry with Hewson is great, setting the pair of them up through some tumultuous emotional thrills. Firth gets to do plenty of scenery chewing and evil glares as well, and he is fantastic in doing so. Colman Domingo (“Sing Sing,” “euphoria”) also appears as Hugo, a former WARDEX employer and partner in disclosure with Daniel, and he does a lot of great work with what are essentially exposition dumps at various points throughout the film. Blunt is the secret weapon though, as she manages to bring conviction and gravitas to what could have easily been the film’s silliest role. Somehow, she manages to completely captivate the entire time and steals the show from everyone else involved. She is truly fantastic.

As expected, even if the film’s story ebbs and flows, the technical merits of a Spielberg film are rock solid. Janusz Kamiński (“Schindler’s List,” “West Side Story (2021)”) returns as cinematographer and the film’s action is well shot, with the quieter interior moments and camerawork leaving a far larger impact. John Williams’ (“Star Wars,” “Raiders of the Lost Ark”) score is more understated than his most popular works, even absent from some scenes. It nevertheless thrills when it does kick in, elevating the scenes and emotional states rather than rising to their level on its own.

For some, this will be Spielberg at his most schmaltzy, unable to suspend their disbelief given the basic concept. In our age of deepfakes, AI generated materials, and fake news, would videos on the news be enough to convince us that aliens are real? Spielberg and Koepp seem to think so, and there is a wonderful core of hope at the center of the film. It wants to believe that one big event is enough to bring not only the country, but the whole world together. The film, therefore, slots nicely into the “hopecore” subgenre popularized recently by films like James Gunn’s “Superman.” Like that film, there will simply be some people far too cynical for Spielberg’s vision to render effectively. But there’s no denying the effort on display to make this vision work.

“Disclosure Day” isn’t a masterpiece like “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” or Spielberg’s other UFO movies. But it also doesn’t feel like it's trying to be like them at all. This is a simpler, sweet, more hopeful movie at its center, led by fantastic production elements, a great cast, and h a terrific Emily Blunt at its center. It is still thrilling, but the third act and emotional themes are where things really shine, despite the dangling plot threads. Your mileage may vary, but this feels like the father of the blockbuster and modern alien movie is asking you not to grip your seat with tension, but to sit down, listen, and feel. 4/5 

Masters of the Universe (2026) - Review: I've Got the Power

The 1980s has seen plenty of beloved properties and toy brands come back from the dead in our modern age for subsequent adventures, films, reboots, and even more toys. While there was only one live-action film attempted in 1987, the world of He-Man and She-Ra has never really left pop culture so long as you knew where to look. There was an animated tv reboot starting in 2002, a sequel series from Kevin Smith starting in 2021, a CGI series starting in 2021, and a “She-Ra” reboot series from Netflix and DreamWorks starting in 2018, and, in the midst of all those shows, numerous comic books, action figures, and video games. But any attempt at another film has languished in development hell... until now!

“Masters of the Universe” stars Nicholas Galitzine (“Red, White, and Royal Blue,” “Bottoms”) as Adam Glenn, the prince of Eternia sent to live on Earth and hide the legendary Sword of Power from the evil Lord Skeletor, played by Jared Leto (“Dallas Buyers Club,” “House of Gucci”). After hiding out for years, he is retrieved by his childhood friend Teela, played by Camila Mendes (“Do Revenge,” “Riverdale”) and brought back to his home of Eternia, now ruled by Skeletor and his right-hand woman, the sorceress Evil-Lyn, played by Allison Brie (“Community,” “The LEGO Movie”). Adam, Teela, and former head of the king’s guard and Teela’s father Duncan, played by Idris Elba (“Beasts of No Nation,” “The Wire”), lead a ragtag group to fight Skeletor and save the kingdom of Eternia from his rule. 

Director Travis Knight (“Kubo and the Two Strings,” “Bumblebee”) certainly has some experience with films full of fantasy and animated characters, and his expertise is used well here. There’s a distinct command of the film’s various CGI inhabitants and green screen backgrounds that work better than in other, similarly set films. There are still moments of weakness in the green screen department, but there’s also a clear effort to reduce those times thanks to the playful lighting. The various moments that merge mediums are also great, with the third act’s myriads of scenery changes and visually distinct moments working wonders.

What’s less wonderful is the script. Given the total of six credited writers, there are definitely peaks and valleys across the entire project. Its overall a very fun, silly time, but writers Chris Butler (“ParaNorman,” “Kubo and the Two Strings”), David Callaham (“Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,” “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”), Aaron Nee (“Band of Robbers,” “The Lost City”), Adam Nee (“Band of Robbers,” “The Lost City”), Alex Litvak (“They Will Kill You,” “Predators (2010”), and Michael Finch (“John Wick Chapter 4,” “Predators (2010)”) get far too jokey with the material as things go on. Look at another recent high-fantasy film adaptation, “Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves,” as an example of a recent nerd property that embraced the sincerity of its geekiness. “Masters” doesn’t do that, undermining the material at every step. Yes, given the source, this would inherently be a very silly movie. But the humor seems ashamed of the source material, and its persistent throughout the entire film, even when it's trying to be serious.

Galitzine does a lot of heavy lifting, pun intended, here and manages to deliver both the muscles of He-Man and the heart. He's a charming lead, and his mixture of empathy and openness in spite of his muscular stature works wonders for his arc throughout the film. Mendes does a fine job with the material, but Teela just simply isn’t the most well written character out of the film. She and Galitzine do have fun chemistry, and it helps to elevate some of those issues. Elba is injecting a weaponized amount of his typical charm into Duncan, and he makes for a good mentor to Adam as the film progresses. The supporting cast, like James Purefoy (“The Following,” “Rome”) as Adam’s father King Randor, Charlotte Riley (“Wuthering Heights (2009),” “Peaky Blinders”) as Adam’s mother Queen Marlena, or Morena Baccarin (“Firefly,” “Deadpool”) as the Sorceress, are all fine enough if fairly unremarkable. The real stars of the show are Brie and Leto. Brie completely understands the kind of light campiness required for this kind of evil grinning wizard type role, and Leto dives completely headfirst into a pool filled with cheese. He steals the film out from under everyone else and delivers what might be his most earnest and best performance thus far. He’s evil and menacing but never loses Skeletor’s inherent silliness.

Like Leto, the film is simply at its best when it's embracing the high fantasy camp inherent to the material. Daniel Pemberton’s (“Project Hail Mary,” “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse") musical score, for example, leans hard into high energy electric guitars and hair metal inspirations, and it becomes one of the film’s defining and best elements. Crucially, embracing itself doesn’t mean making fun of itself. When it is embracing things, it's a wonderful adventure of sci-fi and campiness. The third act is a wonderful example of this; it completely abandons any attempt to poke fun and instead just has fun and therefore becomes the best part of the film. The rest isn’t bad by any means, but there’s only so many times you can make jokes about how silly someone’s name is before it looks desperate. The more the film goes on, the more it also shakes off some initial pacing issues. It just takes a bit to get going, and once we’re in Eternia again things really pick up.

“Masters of the Universe” wasn’t on anyone’s bingo card to become a smash hit in 2026, but Travis Knight and his team have definitely put far more effort in than anyone would have expected. It isn’t perfect, but there’s a delight and fun at its campy core that’ll give anyone looking for a blockbuster a good time. Leto is the best part, but everything that surrounds him is still a ton of fun once it gets out of its own way. 3.5/5 

Scary Movie (2026) - Review: Left For Dead

 

You would think that when you turn in two films within a year’s time that manage to gross almost $400 million against a combined budget of $60, you’d have any studio’s good graces on your side. That is unless you’re Marlon Wayans (“White Chicks,” “Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood”), Shawn Wayans (“White Chicks,” “Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood”), or Kennan Ivory Wayans (“In Living Color,” “I’m Gonna Git You Sucka”), who were promptly fired from the third “Scary Movie” by the Weinstein brothers after doing just that. Now, almost 25 years after their last entry in the series, they’ve succeeded in reobtaining the rights to their beloved parody franchise back for a sixth entry. Can they make good use of their reacquired darling?

Set 26 years after the first film, this new “Scary Movie” follows Cindy Campbell, played by Anna Faris (“The House Bunny,” “Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs”), as she reunites with her longtime friends Brenda Meeks, played by Regina Hall (“The Best Man,” “Support the Girls”), Shorty Meeks, played by Marlon, and Ray Wilkins, played by Shawn, as they attempt to thwart a new Ghostface masked killer who has begun to target their children, as well as other returning characters from the first film such as reporter Gail Hailstorm, played by Cheri Oteri (“Saturday Night Live,” “Sit Down, Shut Up”), and special officer Doofy Gilmore, played by Dave Sheridan (“Ghost World,” “Frank McKlusky, C.I.”). 

There’s certainly reason to celebrate this latest entry in the beloved parody franchise. It’s always nice to see the original team return to a series they were unceremoniously evicted from, and that original team is where much of the fun from the film comes from. Faris and Hall are simply wonderful anytime they’re on screen together. Their real-life friendship bleed through each of their scenes, and it makes each moment with them the best parts of the film. Marlon has certainly slipped right back into Shorty’s “high as a kite” persona, which somehow manages to be even more over the top than even Seth Rogen’s most exaggerated stoner characters. Shawn is more subdued in general, but the only defining characteristic of Ray being his Pepe Le Pew levels of obsession with his male lovers gets old very quickly.

Ray’s character is the perfect place to start, as much of the film can be described in the same way as him: dated and overexaggerated. In the first “Scary Movie,” his affluent nature and coming out was meant to poke fun at the homoerotic undertones of the killers in the first “Scream” film. Now, his reintroduction here is an extended sequence of him proclaiming that he doesn’t like men anymore while mimicking fellatio and exaggerated descriptions of the male figure. It’s a joke and archetype that not only felt played out two decades ago, but they’ve managed to retread it with no additional insight or humor. Marlan, Shawn, Keenan, and additional writers Craig Wayans (“Dance Flick,” “My Wife and Kids”) and Rick Alvarez (“A Haunted House,” “Fifty Shades of Black”) get plenty of mileage out of doing just that: bringing up a concept, overplaying it, and then assuming that’s all the joke needs. 

Take, for example, the film’s moment meant to poke fun at the “Terrifier” franchise. A flashback sees a much younger version of Cindy’s daughter meeting Santa, who happens to be Art the Clown from the “Terrifier” franchise, who gives her a severed arm as a Christmas gift. Beyond the cheapness of the fake body part, there’s no insight or commentary on “Terrifier” using the scene. It’s just there because it's a thing the audience knows and is modern horror iconography, so it must be mentioned in the newest “Scary Movie.” This is how much of the film’s humor goes, pointing at a thing to remind the audience it exists without providing any additional insight.

To those wondering why one might expect such from this franchise, it's because that’s what the first film did. The original “Scary Movie” actually had some insights and provided some observations on the newly pseudo-satirical takes on the teen slasher genre popularized in the 90s. Yes, it also had fart and weed jokes, but it did manage to make some light critiques within the material. While this latest film once again takes aim at a recent “Scream” film, this time the 2022 release, it simply recreates the plot without actually offering any new observations.

That isn’t to say there isn’t anything funny about the film. Rather, when things go fully into the absurd, that’s when the material does shine. A sequence in the middle of the film poking at “Get Out” and, of all things, “KPop Demon Hunters” is certainly one of the most memorable moments, and virtually the entire third act does maintain a high level of absurdity. It also bears repeating that, when you have moments centered around Faris and Hall, they can work to elevate even the dumbest of dumb humor to something chuckle worthy. That third act combines both of those elements into something that is truly more meta and self-effacing than any “Scream” film has even attempted. It’s a shining moment of brashness from the Wayans and you’d wish the rest of the film had even a faction of its chutzpa. At least it lacks the cheapness of director Michael Tiddes’s (“A Haunted House,” “Fifty Shades of Black”) other films, or of “Scary Movie 3,” “4,” and “5.”

There are a good 20 minutes in the middle of this 95-minute movie where things grind to a halt and feature a collection of what are essentially skits without any of the main characters present. This seems to be where the screenplay was left purposefully blank to simply shoot a bunch of additional material a month before the film’s release to be as current as possible. It certainly is recent, but it's still just pointing at known things. The film isn’t even consistent on what things it points at: indie horror darlings like “Terrifier” and “The Substance” get segments, but a fellow cult horror film like “It Follows” is pointed out as being too “obscure” for a moment in the film.

At the risk of giving the film more time than it deserves, the politics at play in the humor are also just fascinatingly bizarre. There are consistent digs at Fox News, an extended bit involves the Epstein files, and Cindy’s first scene with Brenda involves her pointing out how she’s a Republican and therefore must now hate black people. But the film then also has its myriads of gay jokes, one of Brenda’s children is named DEI, one of the main young teen cast is a transgender boy with numerous jokes directed at him, and the central joke in the trailer and third act involves someone being misgendered after a stabbing, leading to them being stabbed even more. It feels remarkably confused and like the writers simply grabbed a collection of jokes out of a hat and threw them into a blender, shooting them all off at the wall with reckless abandon.

While the franchise is likely critic proof, given the $100 million global opening weekend against its $30 million budget, it's worth noting how far this film has fallen from the Wayans' previous works in the franchise. What went from two films poking fun at the horror genre, with specific tropes and examples in its crosshairs, has turned into yet another skit-based, referential, pop culture slog of a comedy. Moments of genius do exist, such as anything featuring Anna Faris or Regina Hall and whenever the film barrels into the truly bizarre and absurd. But you’d be slogging through an awful lot of worse material to get there. The Wayans and co. might be “crossing every line” as the marketing says, but they’re not walking; they’re dragging themselves across half dead. 1.5/5 

Backrooms - Review: Everything Must Go

 

The ripest source of horror comes from misunderstanding. Misunderstanding leading to violence, misunderstanding leading to outrage, and misunderstanding leading to judgements have all been different sources of horror for cinema for decades. That’s why the concept of “creepypastas” (internet urban legend horror stories like haunted video games) have exploded across the internet over the last two decades. One such story came from a picture posted in 2019 of a yellowed, seemingly endless set of rooms referred to as “the Backrooms.” Young amateur filmmaker Kane Parsons took that idea in 2022 and ran with it, creating a series of found footage shorts on his YouTube channel that not only revitalized the interest in the concept, but caught the attention of A24 in the process. The result of that is “Backrooms,” a feature length adaptation of the concept written by Will Soodik (“Ash vs. Evil Dead”) and directed by Parsons himself.

The film follows struggling furniture salesman Clark, played by Chiwetel Ejiofor (“12 Years a Slave,” “Doctor Strange”), dealing with alcoholism and his recent divorce by seeing therapist Dr. Mary Kline, played by Renate Reinsve (“The Worse Person in the World,” “Sentimental Value”). In the basement of his furniture store, Clark discovers a way to step into an alternate dimension made of endless seemingly similar beige rooms, piquing his interest and leading to him attempting to map more of the space each night. But after a worrying message from Clark to Dr. Kline, she steps into the Backrooms herself to try and find him.

Given the exceptionally fluid nature of the base concept, making a film out of the Backrooms seems like a herculean task. At the very least, you need a director with a clear vision and strong hold on what this film is going to be. Parsons has that vision, and what becomes evident very quickly is the confidence on display here. His command of his cast and the script is clear and firm. As the film goes on and things get weirder, he never let's go of the people at the center of the tale, making sure that things are more effective because of the connection we’ve made with them. At no point does the film’s vision falter or feel like it’s doubling back on itself; there are no overly drawn-out explanations. Just an outstretched hand inviting you to trust in Parsons and come along for the ride.

Ejiofor and Reinsve are absolutely fantastic. Their prestige drama experiences help to elevate the script into something truly special. There are plenty of similarities to typical horror performances and protagonists, but the commitment from them on every level is what makes it special. Ejiofor is a broken man, but not one without fascinations and humor that keep him grounded and well rounded. Reinsve is equally as troubled, but in wildly different ways that make her a fascinating character to watch lose her mind in these mysterious halls. The minor supporting cast, consisting of Lukita Maxwell (“Shrinking,” “Generation (2021)”) as Kat, an employee of Clark’s furniture store, Finn Bennett (“Prisoner,” “Warfare”) as Bobby, her boyfriend, and Mark Duplass (“Safety Not Guaranteed,” “The Morning Show”) as Phil, an employee of the Async science labs, are all great as well. Maxwell and Bennett feel underutilized, an inevitability given their roles in the story, and Duplass is excellent despite his limited screentime. But they are great at what they get to work with.

Given the physical nature of the Backrooms, the film’s production design would inarguably be the most essential aspect to communicating the horrors of this world. Luckily, Parsons and his production team have nailed the aesthetic to a phenomenal degree. Each corner feels odd and unsettling, with little touches that craft a world that easily slides under your skin. Beyond the titular world itself though, little touches help the deep feeling of unease permeate through all the film. The sky constantly looks photoshopped, houses appear too perfect, and location establishing shots take on a scale model effect. Every aspect feels off, even when it's completely normal, which further injects the viewer with a deep sense of dread that bubbles over when a character steps through the wall.

The practical makeup effects are fantastic as well. Without spoiling anything, their use might seem unexpected but ends up being wholly horrific in the best possible way, without poisoning the core of the backrooms’ premise. The film’s musical score, composed by Parsons and Edo Van Breemen (“Keeper,” “The Monkey”) might just be the film’s crowning non-visual achievement, as the pair craft a musical identity that feels both beautiful and horrifying in equal measures. It plays great with the film’s sound design as large swaths of empty rooms give way to confusion and borderline hallucinatory whispers of noise.

The phrase “elevated horror” has become something of a dirty word in the film industry over the past decade or so. What started as using the genre to explore headier ideas has devolved into purposeful obfuscation under the guise of intelligence. “Backrooms” does dip its toe into a bit of that, but it is as a whole far more interested in engrossing you in the feeling of being lost and alone. Yes, there is trauma, and it is a central idea the characters grapple with. But it’s an idea used to motivate the characters, rather than a catch all explanation for the film’s central themes. Those looking for explanations in general might find themselves disappointed, but its yet another aspect of the film that further accentuates the main accomplishment: the atmosphere and the vibes.

“Backrooms” would be an incredibly effective horror film for any director, but as a debut film, it makes an exceptional impact. Its two leads are fantastic, elevating an already intriguing script and supporting cast, but the film’s technical elements are what truly put it above the rest. This is a trio of meaty production design, sound design, and musical score all blended together by a confident director who knows exactly where this world begins and ends. 4.5/5

Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu - Review: This Is The Way

 

It’s almost hard to believe there was once a point where there was a deficit of “Star Wars” media, where a new project was a cause for fanfare. When “The Force Awakens” was released in 2016, it was a cause of celebration, became the highest grossing domestic release ever, and ushered in a new era of “Star Wars.” Now, five films, fourteen television shows, and ten years later, a new “Star Wars” project doesn’t elicit the same excitement it once did. “The Mandalorian and Grogu” seeks to reignite the spark of hope in the biggest movie franchise of all time by bringing the hit Disney+ series to the big screen. 

Set between the original trilogy and the sequel trilogy, the film follows the titular Mandalorian, played by Pedro Pascal (“The Fantastic Four: First Steps,” “The Last of Us (2023)”), and his adoptive son Grogu, as they travel the galaxy taking out former Empire operatives in hiding. This particular mission leads them to rescue Rotta the Hutt, played by Jeremy Allen White (“The Bear,” “Shameless”), the son of Jabba the Hutt, in exchange for information about a new target. 

Co-writer/director Jon Favreau (“Iron Man,” “The Lion King (2019)”) and co-writers Dave Filoni (“Star Wars: The Clone Wars,” “The Mandalorian”) and Noah Kloor (“The Book of Boba Fett”) certainly have plenty of experience within the world of “Star Wars,” and that’s evident the entire time. There’s a comfort level on display that can only come from working within a certain space for long enough; Favreau has a clean eye for these kinds of visual effects and practical landscapes, and those sequences are when the film shines brightest. So many moments prove to be dazzling visual showcases, and Favreau’s hand helps steer this assured ship. This is a film that knows exactly what it wants to be and executes those ideas efficiently. 

That assured hand also helps to deliver the film’s best aspect: the practical effects. Even moreso than the sequel trilogy, there’s an abundance of real sets, puppetry, and effects on display that feels like a direct throwback to not only the technology of the original trilogy but the vibe. One early planet even seems to be a throwback to the bustling cityscapes of the prequel trilogy, with rain-soaked streets plucked straight out of “Blade Runner” or any other film noir. Unexpectedly, Ludwig Göransson (“Sinners,” “Black Panther”) also turns in what might just be the most excentric and creative part of the film: its score. At no point does this ever feel like a typical “Star Wars” orchestral score, and while it does include Mando’s theme at times, Göransson seems almost more concerned with never using the same instrument twice. Various sequences have different kinds of synthesizers, guitars, drums, string, and wind instruments. It truly runs the gamut and manages to be a connecting piece of interest even as the film’s plot wanes. 

Grogu himself is still a marvel of practicality, and new additions to Grogu’s gang of little guys. Undoubtedly the best part of the film involves a heavy focus on that puppetry, as a segment of the film’s third act almost takes on a wordless avant guard nature focused entirely on the handmade characters. The fully CGI characters are admittedly well detailed but less convincing and thrilling than their practical counterparts, but it all looks good. For a film this expensive, you can certainly see the money on screen. 

For as well done as the film’s technical side is, the script is where things fall apart. Filoni, Kloor, and Favreau have plenty of experience with this universe, but that almost seems to be to the film’s detriment. It feels like going through the motions, as if their main goal is to simply provide more “Star Wars” without any kind of spin on the material or worlds. The Mandalorian kills and/or captures fugitives, saves people, and keeps Grogu safe, which is exactly what he does in the TV series as well. There’s nothing here that makes the case for a big screen adventure. It lacks any kind of urgency or reason for being. That’s not to say the film is bad; it is entertaining and will certainly fulfill fans of the show and “Star Wars” at large. But it also lacks any sense of purpose or reason to exist rather than more money. What effort is there to flesh out the small cast of characters is clear but feels odd and stilted. You’ll need more than both hands to count how many times Rotta mentions people judging him for being the son of Jabba the Hutt. 

Pascal delivers the same gruff and protective fatherly role that he’s made a career out of over the past decade, and his performance as Mando is one of the film’s highlights. Allen White is an odd choice, but he does bring an unexpected level of pathos to a character equally as odd as his casting. Sigourney Weaver (“Alien,” “Galaxy Quest”) appears in a borderline cameo as Ward, a leader for the New Republic giving Mando his missions. The rest of the cast appear and disappear so quickly they hardly make any impact at all. One of the film’s main antagonists doesn’t even speak, and the two other antagonists aren’t even credited with voice actors on the film’s Wikipedia page. 

Rarely do “Star Wars” films ever open without fanfare, literally and figuratively. “The Mandalorian and Grogu” is one of the ones that has not, literally and figuratively. While there are certainly things to celebrate about the film, mainly its musical score, incredible puppetry and practical effects, and the general technical skill of the production, the rest of the film seems to simply be spinning its wheels. It’s an objectively entertaining and fine film for a Saturday at the cinema. But this is just another day on the job for the Mandalorian, and it's hard to get truly excited over another day on the job. 3/5 

I Love Boosters - Review: Fashionably Filanthropic Filmmaking

 

Boots Riley certainly has a perspective; that cannot be denied. After years making music with the groups The Coup and Street Sweeper Social Club, he rocketed into the film industry with 2018’s “Sorry to Bother You,” a surreal and colorful exploration of class and wage disparity and unionization, mixed in with some of the most bizarre humor this side of Adult Swim. His follow-up, the 2023 TV series “I’m A Virgo” continued his biting perspective on modern capitalist culture, this time taking aim at the modern superhero monoculture. His sophomore film has finally hit theaters, and it's more of exactly what you’d expect from a filmmaker as specifically uncompromising as him.

“I Love Boosters” follows a group of clothes boosters (people who steal from department stores and sell the clothes at discounted prices) consisting of Corvette, played by Keke Palmer (“NOPE,” “One of Them Days”), Sade, played by Naomi Ackie (“Mickey 17,” “ I Wanna Dance With Somebody”), and Mariah, played by Taylour Paige (“Zola,” “IT: Welcome to Derry”). After Corvette discovers that a design of hers was stolen by fashion design legend and her idol Christie Smith, played by Demi Moore (“St. Elmo’s Fire,” “The Substance”), her group teams up with department store employee Violetta, played by Eiza González (“Baby Driver,” “Ambulance (2022)”), and Chinese sweatshop worker Jianhu, played by Poppy Liu (“No Good Deed,” “Hacks”), to clean out every one of her department stores in a targeted attempt to take her down.

Riley’s cast extends further than Corvette, her gang of boosters, and their target, filling out supporting roles with plenty of familiar faces. Don Cheadle (“Ocean’s 11 (2001),” “Iron Man 2”) joins as a charismatic self-help guru Dr. Jack, LaKeith Stanfield (“Sorry to Bother You,” “Judas and the Black Messiah”) shows up as a handsome love interest for Corvette known only as the “pinky ring guy,” and Will Poulter (“We’re the Millers,” “Midsommar”) steals all of his scenes as snooty department store manager Grayson. Each member of the cast gets plenty of comedic moments to shine and embrace the weirdness inherent in Riley’s style, with Palmer and Ackie getting the most of the film’s limited dramatic work.

Both are great individually and anytime they’re together. Palmer feels right at home, with the fast-paced surrealism drenched in every corner of this world fitting right into the personal style she’s curated her whole professional life. Its a real gung-ho kind of performance, as Palmer throws herself into anything and everything Riley wants to accomplish.

And he certainly wants to accomplish a lot. Riley has always been a filmmaker with a lot on his mind, and “Boosters” tackles everything from commercialized fashion and creativity to workers' unions and strikes to commercialized propaganda. There are a lot of plates spinning, and not all of them get equal attention. A handful of threads are forgotten about until the third act, giving everything a scattershot feeling. This is also wrapped into a film that is trying to make you laugh with as much weirdness as possible at every given moment. Not all of it works smoothly though. Everything starts cranked to 11, which means that the film’s baseline is already so audacious that it isn’t until the third act when things really get cranked up. It is consistently riotously funny though, plastering over the peaks and valleys of weirdness with delightful comedic bits.

The color and fashion of the world pop right off the screen to create a world that feels truly bizarrely unique. Not a moment goes by without some kind of oddball background gag or piece of production design. From monochromatic department stores to physical manifestations of debt and rent rolling around, Riley wants to make this a living, breathing world of oddities. What pushes things even further is how varied the visual elements are. Car chases are shot with miniatures, stop motion comes in heavily in the third act, and the effects have a scrappy “shot in my backyard” quality to them. It allows the film’s cartoon sensibilities to shine through far better than they ever would with a $200 million budget or clean pristine CGI. It’s a fantastic film on every visual level, and the musical score from group Tune-Yards (“Sorry to Bother You”) keeps that going. Each beat is either purely electronic or a combination of vocalizations in place of music. Think if the background music of “Seinfeld” was filtered through a 2010 8-bit converter. 

If you’ve seen “Sorry To Bother You,” then you’ve likely already seen Riley’s latest act of gonzo anti-capitalist absurdity. While “I Love Boosters” doesn’t have that film’s tighter focus, it has virtually all of the other elements that make Riley’s films his own. With Palmer zeroed in on his wavelength from frame one, she leads her crew and the audience through a colorful romp of fashion and philanthropy. “Boosters” is a scattershot shotgun blast of timeliness and absurdity, but that shotgun it comes from is pastel pink, covered in fringe, and a joy to behold. 4/5 

Obsession - Review: I Love You So So So So So So So So So So So So So So So So So Much

Be careful what you wish for is one of the oldest adages in the English language, and one of the ripest for being twisted into horrendous circumstances. It's been seen time and time again and continues to prove ample ground for fresh faced filmmakers to take it to their vision of its most logical conclusion. Curry Barker (“Milk & Serial”) is doing just that, breaking into the film industry from a YouTube background with his interpretation of one single wish gone horribly horribly wrong in “Obsession.” 

Baron, played by Michael Johnston (“X-Men 97,” “Slash”), is your average twenty-something guy. He works at a local music store, has a weekly trivia night with his friends Ian, played by Cooper Tomlinson (“Milk & Serial”), and Sarah, played by Megan Lawless (“The Hate U Give,” “Table 19”), and pining after his co-worker and longtime friend Nikki, played by Inde Navarrette (“Superman & Lois,” “13 Reasons Why”). After many failed attempts to ask Nikki out, Baron eventually decides to use a “One Wish Willow,” a novelty gag said to grant the users wish, to wish that she loved him more than anyone else on Earth. And unfortunately, it works. 

Barker’s understanding of the fundamentals of horror is evident from the very start of the film, as he consistently plays with dread and open spaces to allow the audience to fill in the gaps. However, while the film is certainly scary and tense, what’s more impressive is the morality he and his cast play with throughout the film. There are questions of consent, co-dependency, toxic relationships, and controlling behavior throughout the film, and it always makes clear and concise standpoints on what Baron and the wish have done to Nikki. It never feels drawn out or overblown; rather, it's just as unsettling as one would expect a “worst-case scenario” horror film like this to be. Barker mixes his messages with a healthy amount of dark comedy and tension to prevent things from ever getting preachy or stamping out the dread. 

Given the premise, it's essential to have an actress able to take on a role as complicated and all-encompassing as Nikki. If her performance doesn’t work, then the film itself falls apart. Navarrette isn’t just the best part of the film, she delivers a performance truly head and shoulders above anything else that’s come out this year. There’s a distinction between Nikki’s various moments throughout the film that make watching the character’s fate not only uneasy, but also almost a mystery. You watch and try to figure out what is real and what is the wish, and Navarrette facial expressions and physicality build up the unknown of this story. She’s terrifying and heartbreakingly lovable, and without a doubt delivers the sort of performance that creates movie stars. If Focus and Blumhouse are smart, they should start putting together an awards campaign for her performance as we speak. 

The rest of the cast is fantastic as well. Johnston gets to play a sort of unintentional antagonistic force upon Nikki, one that grapples with the moral questions of what he’s done throughout the film. It’s one of those roles that feels so natural that you are constantly being pulled between wanting him to get his comeuppance and wondering if he deserves any of this. Tomlinson gets some really great comedic best friend material that still lets him delve into some dramatic work for the character, and Lawless is instantly charming and a wonderful spot of brightness in the film’s consistent tension. 

For a budget of just $750,000, Barker’s command of the environment and lighting is essential to making the dread work. Cinematographer Taylor Clemons (“Forbidden Fruit (2023),” “One More Game”) keeps things open, allowing more an unsettling amount of room to look around the screen. There’s a lack of quick cuts and jarring camera movements as well which, combined with the openness, allows the audience to search the screen. Is Nikki visible? Is she even there? Is she hiding? It lets the film’s tension rise even higher without doing much at all. The lighting is also fantastically effective, bathing everything in a warm glow that’s both comforting and disconcerting. The entire film’s production takes great efforts to dress up the everyday environments with an aesthetic that can be both comforting and terrifying at the drop of a hat. 

There are many individual elements that make the film particularly exceptional (Navarrette’s performance, the script’s morality challenging elements, the camerawork and lighting), but it constantly impresses with how easily it draws you in. For a film so dreadful and upsetting, it keeps hold of you the entire time, bringing you along to its conclusion. Barker sprinkles little things into the horror that enhance the mystery of the central wish conceit, allowing you to spiral into horrors of wondering and curiosity. Even better is that Barker, who also edits the film, keeps the pacing tight, moving things along without speeding them up for a “blink and its over” kind of horror tale. Even the musical score by Rock Burwell is an overbearing work of dreadfulness. But Barker manages to rope his cast and world into delivering something so engrossing that it becomes impossible to look away, like a car crash in motion.

“Obsession” feels like a very special film. Virtually every element feels executed at the highest level but also feels like a shaggy dog movie with ramshackle charms. Inde Navarrette carries the entire film, but Barker’s perfect script and moral quandaries, as well as the top-notch production merits, would make an already excellent time regardless. Really the entire film invites you in, invites you to care for Baron, to fall for Nikki, and to watch how he completely destroys everything around him. You’ll fall in love; horrible, destructive, dreadful love. 5/5 

Is God Is - Review: Burn It All Down

 

The traditions of storytelling in the American south could quite easily be compared to the epic Greek poems of thousands of years ago. As the sensibilities and mythology of that part of the nation evolved over the decades, the subgenre of Southern Gothic storytelling emerged. Writer/director Aleshea Harris has taken her own off-Broadway play and adapted it for the screen in her film directorial debut, crafting a quintessential version of the kind of tale that subgenre was born out of.

“Is God Is” follows Racine and Anaia, played by Kara Young (“Master,” “I’m a Virgo”) and Mallori Johnson (“Kindred,” “The Other Zoey”) respectively, twin sisters who were disfigured by a horrific accident when they were young. After the long thought dead mother they refer to as God, played by Vivica A. Fox (“Kill Bill,” “Set It Off”), contacts them, she reveals that the accident was actually caused by their father, played by Sterling K. Brown (“This Is Us,” “American Fiction”), and her last dying wish is for the two of them to find him and kill him.

This is a tightly wound type of film, and Harris keeps things right on track the entire time. She has a confident and assured vision for this tale, likely informed by her experiences crafting the pre-existing stage version. It’s quick, it’s energetic, and she never lets it slow down for a moment. At no point does Racine and Anaia’s adventure drag, whirling along with deep tension and life that makes it feel like it is over as soon as it begins. This is again a testament to Harris’s direction, but also to her script. It crackles throughout, with dialogue shooting out like lightning between the various players of this story. There’s certainly darkness, tension, and dower subject matter, but it also feels full of life and humor found in the gutters of a horrific tale such as this.

Young and Johnson are absolutely terrific together. They have a chemistry that can only come from a sibling bond as tight as the one they’re representing, and they barrel through the film’s harshest subject matter hand in hand. Young is fierce and borderline terrifying at times, while Johnson gets the majority of the calmer, sweeter material but not lacking in her own bits of ferociousness. Fox is a commanding presence for her brief appearance, and Brown is weaponizing his tender voice and likability to deliver a menacing and evil kind of performance that haunts the entire film.

A surrounding supporting cast of smaller characters all perform well. Janelle Monáe (“Glass Onion,” “Hidden Figures”) makes a brief, heartbreaking appearance as the New Wife to Racine and Anaia’s father. Erika Alexander (“Living Single,” “American Fiction”) makes a charged, charmed, and brief appearance as another of their father’s former wives, Divine the Healer. Rounding things out, Mykelti Williamson (“Con Air,” “Fences (2016)”) appears as the father’s lawyer Chuck Hall and manages to do a lot with no words and eyes full of fear. They each make a sharp and impactful mark, lining themselves up like dominos on the twin’s journey, leaving you wanting just a few more minutes with each.

Given the film’s smaller budget, much of this story is located in the small-town American south. Harris makes excellent use of single locations and wide-open fields, letting the vastness help to build the scope of the film and further emphasize the division between the twins and their approaches to the task. It’s a gorgeously empty film in its very stark and specific settings and viewpoints, and Joseph Shirley’s (“Jackass Forever,” “The Book of Boba Fett”) musical score scratches along with a similarly vacant sound.

“Is God Is” feels like the kind of Greek epic poems that were written years ago, meant to tell the tales of tragic heroes and their journeys, but for southern gothic genre. Its two leads are fantastic, and it flies by with a whip smart, wryly funny, deeply intense script and effortless pacing. If you can stomach the violence and tragedy, you’ll find a story full of perseverance and life and sisterly love. This is a deeply engrossing and truly unique vision of this kind of story. 4.5/5

Billie Eilish - Hit Me Hard and Soft The Tour (Live in 3D) - Review: She's The Bad Guy (Duh)

 

If there’s one thing you can count on, it's that every part of pop culture has a cycle. In the earl 2010s, we had a boon of concert films, and now after Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour movie, we’ve seen that cycle start anew. Now Billie Eilish is the latest star to receive a big-budget theatrical concert movie, and she’s made it alongside none other than Mr. Blockbuster himself James Cameron (“Avatar,” “Terminator 2: Judgement Day”) and his massive fleet of cutting-edge 3D technology.

Shot in Manchester in 2025, the film showcases one of Eilish’s live concert performances of her seventh headlining tour, the “Hit Me Hard and Soft” tour for the album of the same name. Spliced into the 3D footage of the live performance are interviews with Eilish conducted by Cameron, as well as behind the scenes moments leading up to the start of the film’s specific show.

Your mileage will immediately vary on the film based purely on the music of Eilish herself. The songs are undeniably well done, performed with high energy and tons of showmanship. But if you’re lacking in love for the 24-year-old sensation, then there’s nothing here that will convert you to a die hard. Instead of building a gran set or stage presence like someone like Taylor Swift, Eilish instead pares things down, focusing on a figure-eight shaped stage covered in screens to accentuate her performance. It results in a more intimate feeling show, as Eilish dances around the stage, hyping her fans up with each song.

Now, calling a show a multi-million-dollar tour filmed for a theatrical release as “intimate” might seem like an odd descriptor. But Cameron’s 3D technology really does draw the viewer in far more than might be expected. Cameras are mounted in almost every spot on the stage, from sweeping overhead setups to handheld ones Eilish grabs and runs around with. It allows you to feel as though you’re directly on stage with her as moves around and beneath her set.

Cameron and Eilish seem to have an immediate kinship as well, evident from the behind-the-scenes footage and interviews of Eilish present throughout the film. Cameron’s creative fascination with Eilish and her music comes across in every bit of the filmmaking, and especially in his interviews of her. They never come across as shallow or canned, instead the pair feel like genuine creative counterparts discussing how they view different aspects of their careers. Eilish’s down to earth nature doesn’t stop at the interviews either; she takes every opportunity to highlight her band, her backup singers, her brother Finneas, and her fans. There’s a sweetness to her love of performing and the people around her, on stage or in the stands, that bleeds through every part of the concert and, by extension, the film.

Therefore, the biggest issue with the overall film is just how little of the off-the-stage moments there are. The concert aspects are shot incredibly well and Eilish is a talented performer, but the interviews and behind the scenes elements are where things really shine and they unfortunately take up only ten to fifteen minutes. It’s disappointing given how excellent those elements are that they seem to take a backseat eventually, moving from an alternating structure of song, behind-the-scenes, song, behind-the-scenes, etc. to just constant songs after a while.

If you’re a fan of Eilish’s, you’ve likely already bought your tickets or possibly even seen the concert this film is made from. If you’re a fan of Cameron’s, you probably scratched your head when considering seeing the latest venture from the “King of 3D.” It provides a legitimately fantastic use of the technology and elevates what would otherwise be a well performed concert experience. If there was simply more of the already interesting background on Eilish or her work with Cameron, it could’ve made this a truly engrossing experience for fans and new converts to Billie’s style. Otherwise, it’ll certainly blow the doors off any theatre packed with her pre-existing fans. 3.5/5

Mortal Kombat II - Review: ROUND TWO! FIGHT!

 

Fans of the exceptionally popular fighting game series “Mortal Kombat” have been treated to quite a few film adaptations of the belovedly brutal franchise over the years. From animated fare to live-action works, we now have the second sequel to a live-action “MK” film simply titled “Mortal Kombat II.” With director Simon McQuoid and writer Jeremey Slater (“The Umbrella Academy,” “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire”) returning from the 2021 reboot film, its round two of Warner Bros’ second attempt at making this bloody thing work beyond the realm of gamers.

In this sequel, the brutal emperor of Outworld Shao Kahn, played by Martyn Ford (“Those About to Die,” “Red Sonja (2025)”), kills the ruler of Edenia in Mortal Kombat, succeeding in taking the kingdom under his control. Years later, the now-grown princess of Edenia Kitana, played by Adeline Rudolph (“Chilling Adventures of Sabrina,” “Hellboy: The Crooked Man”), is chosen to fight in his name in the next round of Mortal Kombat, this time for the fate of Earthrealm. However, Kitana secretly allies herself with the heroes of Earthrelm, led by Lord Raidon, played by Tadanobu Asano (“Shōgun,” “Midway (2019)”), including Sonya Blade, played by Jessica McNamee (“Sirens,” “CHiPS”), Jax, played by Mehcad Brooks (“Supergirl (2015),” “And Just Like That...”), Cole Young, played by Lewis Tan (“Wu Assassins,” “Shadow and Bone”), and Liu Kang, played by Ludi Lin (“Power Rangers (2017),” “Kung Fu (2021)”). In addition, Raidon and his fighters seek out a new unwilling champion to fight for Earthrelm, a forgotten 80s action movie star named Johnny Cage, played by Karl Urban (“The Boys,” “Dredd”). 

Without a doubt, this sequel to the 2021 reboot is immediately an improvement due to two major changes: a tighter focus on the actual gladiatorial fights that the franchise takes its name from and the presence of Johnny Cage. While the first film certainly had its fair share of fights, the bombastic nature of the way they’re embraced in this film immediately makes them better. They’re smaller, tighter, and with a bigger emphasis on hand-to-hand practicality. There are still plenty of CGI leaps, bounds, and colorful effects, but it feels more established than before. It’s nothing approaching the delicate ballet of violence seen in works like “John Wick,” but it's far more than a jumble of visual effects mush. Those bits of CGI effects and sets do mean McQuoid can have as much fun as he wants with the locations, and they’re all awash in deep bloody reds, neon pinks, purples, and blues.

Cage is the film’s saving grace, and his presence seems to usher in a welcome sense of fun to the picture. Kitana’s story is compelling on a base level, thanks to Rudolph’s performance, her chemistry with Kitana’s best friend Jade, played by Tati Gabrielle (“Uncharted (2022),” “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina”), and Ford’ menacing presence, but Cage feels like the lifeblood of the film. He cracks wise and injects things with an everyman spirit that’s a sense of sanity in this tale of men with metal arms and fire powers beating each other to a pulp. The rest of the crew are fine enough, establishing some good banter back and forth to keep things chugging along. The sleazy Australian merc Kano, played by Josh Lawson (“Superstore,” “St. Dennis Medical”), returns from the first film, and he follows Cage’s manner of banter almost to a fault. Essentially, anytime things are getting too self-serious the film injects one of its many straight men to look at the camera and roll their eyes to great effect.

That everyman spirit and wise cracking helps given that the overall plot and script is almost completely nonsensical. That seems almost to be by design, as the film appears to be interested in little else other than providing continuing excuses to have these characters fight. There is just enough human drama and pathos to keeps things moving along without becoming a complete slog, and the cast are clearly having fun hammy it up with the material. This is the sort of film that introduces world ending MacGuffins so casually it's almost as if the filmmakers are telling you not to worry about how they work or even their names, just to be afraid of the glowing objects.

You’ll likely already know if “Mortal Kombat II” is a film for you, but it does manage to at least be an improvement over the first film be doubling down on what it does best. While there are pages of lore and drama one could become invested in, things work most smoothly when all of that is treated like exactly what it is: window dressings to allow for elaborately violent fights and witty banter. How does a mortal man with some karate training hold his own against a super-strong mutant man with the mouth of a piranha and bone spurs shooting out of his arms? Well, he just does, and that’s all you need to know. 3/5

The Sheep Detectives - Review: Wool Dunnit

The modern age of the whodunit has been in full swing for quite a while. Whether it’s Rian Johnson’s “Knives Out” series or the plethora of animated tributes on television, the genre popularized by Agatha Christie and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is back in full swing. And you know a genre has truly had a resurgence when talking animals get involved. That’s where “The Sheep Detectives” comes in, a new film from director Kyle Balda (“Minions,” “Despicable Me 3”) and screenwriter Craig Mazin (“The Last of Us (2023),” “Chernobyl”), based on the book “Three Bags Full” by Leonie Swann.

Set in the English countryside, the film follows a flock of sheep, including Lily, voiced by Julia Louis-Dreyfus (“Seinfeld,” “Veep”) and Mopple, voiced by Chris O’Dowd (“The IT Crowd,” “Moone Boy”), under the care of their shepherd George Hardy, played by Hugh Jackman (“Logan,” “The Greatest Showman”). After George is found dead one morning, Lily notices that his death resembles one of the murder mystery stories he read to the flock and becomes determined to solve the case. This means navigating the nearby human town and its occupants, including bumbling police officer Tim Derry, played by Nicholas Braun (“Succession,” “Sky High”), George’s daughter Rebecca, played by Molly Gordon (“Booksmart,” “Shiva Baby”), visiting reporter Elliot, played by Nicholas Galitzine (“Red, White, and Royal Blue,” “Bottoms”), and George’s lawyer Lydia, played by Emma Thompson (“Nanny McPhee,” “Saving Mr. Banks”).

The cast is incredibly impressive, as it expands even beyond those essential few. Other residents of the town include the innkeeper Beth, played by Hong Chau (“The Whale,” “Watchmen (2019)”), a fellow shepherd Caleb, played by Tosin Cole (“Bob Marley: One Love,” “Supacell”), the local butcher Ham, played by Conleth Hill (“Game of Thrones,” “Salmon Fishing in the Yemen”), and the local Reverend Hillcoate, played by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith (“His Dark Materials,” “Wonka”). Each human actor manages to imbue their character with the same vibe as an actor in a Muppet film, embracing the lighthearted and knowingly ridiculous tone to great effect. While most are just background characters, they remain amusing additions throughout. Jackman and Gordon are the closest thing the film has to “normal” people, and they offset the surrounding characters wonderfully. Braun is a delightfully bumbling highlight as well, flexing his inner Don Knotts to make a fantastic co-lead alongside the animated sheep. 

Speaking of those animated sheep, beyond Louis-Drefus and O’Dowd, the rest of the vocal cast is equally impressive. The likes of Regina Hall (“Scary Movie,” “The Best Man”), Patrick Stewart (“X-Men,” “Star Trek: The Next Generation”), Rhys Darby (“Our Flag Means Death,” “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle”), Bella Ramsey (“The Last of Us (2023),” “Catherine Called Birdy”), Brett Goldstein (“Ted Lasso,” “Shrinking”), and Bryan Cranston (“Malcolm in the Middle,” “Breaking Bad”) all bring their voices to the rest of this motley crew, and each manages to amuse in their own respects. Goldstein gets the most to do without becoming a true main character, continuously emphasizing the desire to bash things in his twin Ram roles, but it’s Cranston who truly shines. No stranger to voice work, he elevates his lone sheep performance as Sebastian. Any scene where he, Louis-Drewyfus, and O’Dowd get to banter back and forth is a highlight. Louis-Dreyfus meanwhile is giving a deeply honest performance that easily ranks alongside the best of her career, turning what could have been an over excitable protagonist into a character full of pathos and deeply human emotion. O’Dowd gets much of the same kind of material, as his character, and the emotional arc he goes on, is central to the film’s biggest themes.

This is a quaint little film, with fantastic visual effects for the titular flock that threads that difficult line between realism and cartoon, without touching the uncanny valley. That’s likely thanks to the involvement of Tyson Hesse (“Sonic the Hedgehog (2020),” “Invader Zim: Enter the Florpus”), longtime “Sonic the Hedgehog” comic artist and animation producer, and the man behind the redesign of live-action Sonic in 2020. His touch is clearly on the sheep’s design. The general look of the film is one of coziness and warmth, with emphasis towards noir-inspired techniques, foggy nights, a string focused soundtrack from composer Christophe Beck ("Frozen," "WandaVision"), mysterious shadows, etc., to further the mystery of the film.

If that was where it all stopped, it would already be easy to recommend “The Sheep Detectives” as a family friendly whodunnit; a movie perfect as a gateway into the rest of the genre. But Mazin and Balda do something truly interesting with this tale: it's not about the mystery. Rather, it becomes very apparent very quickly that this film is about memory, how we remember people, and what it means when they’re gone. One moment early on involving the whole flock and their memory serves dual purpose as a very amusing comedic bit, but also an eye-opening look at how the film’s central message will be delivered. Louis-Dreyfus's performance gives way to a surprisingly emotional second half, with the film embracing a kind and calm demeanor. It never talks down to the audience, delivering the perfect kind of family movie experience: one that treats the youngest members of the audience with respect and intelligence.

“The Sheep Detectives” is a quaint and cozy movie that never lets those aspects, or its family friendly nature, hold it back from providing some really insightful perspectives on memory, grief, and the people we love. Packed to the brim with a talented cast physically and vocally, with a wonderfully calm sense of style and excellent animal effects work, this is a surprisingly heartwarming, funny, and mature tale for the whole family. Not baaaaa-d at all for this gaggle of wooly wonders. 4.5/5 

The Devil Wears Prada 2 - Review: A Clean Nostalgic Fit

 

Few things are as “in” as the legacy sequel, so it stands to reason that a film as legendary as “The Devil Wears Prada” would eventually get that treatment as well. Everyone is back, from director David Frankel (“Marley and Me,” “Jerry and Marge Go Large”) to screenwriter Aline Brosh McKenna (“Crazy Ex-Girlfriend,” “Cruella (2021)”) to, most importantly, the quartet of stars that made the original as iconic as it is. But is a two-decades later adventure in the world of high fashion and high excess as easily digestible in the modern age of 2026? 

Andy Sachs, played by Anne Hathaway (“The Princess Diaries,” “Brokeback Mountain”), has just received the offer of a lifetime: after years as an award winning, globetrotting journalist, she’s gotten an offer to be the head features editor position of Runway magazine. The problem is the position will put her butting heads with Miranda Priestly, played by Meryl Streep (“Kramer vs. Kramer,” “Mamma Mia!”), her former boss and the titularly devilish editor in chief of Runway. With the help of Miranda’s loyal right hand man Nigel Kipling, played by Stanley Tucci (“Conclave,” “Spotlight”), and former Runway assistant turned Dior executive Emily Charlton, played by Emily Blunt (“Mary Poppins Returns,” “A Quiet Place”), to help keep Runway alive in the new digital media age. 

If recapturing the essential vibes and cattiness was the first and foremost goal, well then Frankel and McKenna have nailed it. Despite taking place twenty years after the first film, everything feels plucked right out of the pages of the original. It isn’t without any updating though, as there are even more cameos from the modern fashion elite and celebrities. More unexpectedly though, there’s a healthy amount of critique aimed at the era of modern journalism and digital media. It isn’t anything particularly complex, but watching someone as unflappable as Miranda deal with downsizing and digital shrinkage is compelling and resoundingly amusing. Even she isn’t immune to tech bros elbowing into her industry. 

Streep is, expectedly, fantastic in her return to Priestly’s devilish grin and snark. It’s as if she never left, and the film adds some softness to her as the story progresses that allows the character to grow beyond what the first film accomplished. Hathaway is just as charming as ever, playing Andy’s optimistic flair as a welcome respite among Runway’s more cynical tenants. Blunt plays things in a slightly more overblown, cartoonish nature than before, but it still works for the film and her character. Kenneth Branagh (“Murder on the Orient Express (2017),” “Dunkirk”) joins the cast as Miranda’s new husband Stuart and he provides an agreeable and charming persona for Miranda to bounce off in times of need, although nothing groundbreaking. 

The rest of the supporting cast seems to be going for the more overblown kind of performances, unlike Blunt’s Emily. B.J. Novak (“The Office,” “The Founder”) appears as Jay Ravitz, a tech bro-coed billionaire that feels just like every other role he’s played over the last decade. Justin Theroux (“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” “Mullholland Drive”) pops up as Benji Barnes, a newly successful tech mogul who feels like he must've been inspired by someone the filmmakers have a grudge against. The only other new supporting member who comes out unscathed is Lucy Liu (“Charlie's Angels (2000),” “Kill Bill”) as Sasha Barnes, who proves to be a wonderful if underutilized addition to the cast. 

Virtually everything from the film’s technical and production side feels exactly in step with the original film, save a slightly drabber color palette. The film looks the part of a globe-trotting adventure draped in all manner of modern fashion with cameos abound. What other film can have appearances by Caleb Hearon and Donatella Versace? The color palette does look slightly greyer compared to the previous film, but that mostly is due to industry trends rather than a flaw in this particular style. Overall, it's a fine-looking film that gets the job done, with an unexpectedly great score by Theodore Shapiro (“The Secret Life of Walter Mitty,” “Severance”).

Underneath it all, McKenna has legitimately infused this tale with an intriguing amount of substance, getting into just enough drama surrounding journalistic integrity, the digital age, and the death of print media that a film like this would allow. It isn’t to the level of a deeply investigative drama, but there’s still more going on under the surface than one might expect. It at the very least manages to avoid being just another legacy sequel that seeks to do nothing but recycle last season's looks. 

“The Devil Wears Prada 2” would be thoroughly entertaining purely on the basis of its quartet of leads, but there’s some legitimate effort from the production to make this more than a simple retread of what came before. While the supporting cast is hit or miss, and the overall production never rises above a basic look, you’ll have a great time simply existing in a world where Miranda Priestly gets to exist and fight it out with the best of them. 3.5/5