Mortal Kombat II

 

This review may contain spoilers!

Mortal Kombat II is an adaptation of the Mortal Kombat video game franchise and a sequel to Mortal Kombat (2021). In this feature, the champions of Earthrealm must defeat Shao Kahn and his allies in a tournament, lest he claim Earth in conquest.

The character of Johnny Cage is offered up to be the more 'everyday' human for audiences to relate to this time around. He is quite a charismatic, funny figure, and it can be entertaining to see him grow and join the fight to save Earthrealm. This feature also boasts some really impressive fight sequences; it takes what worked well in the first film and really builds upon it. Watching some points in which the film does a reasonable job of tipping its hat to the games with a line, cameo or visual moment is a nice improvement from the original.

This film might not wow anyone from a story perspective, but it is a massive visual step up from the 2021 film. The cinematography here frames with intention, evoking video game style and also moving at a pace with some extremely impressive fight sequences. The visual effects finally look decent; there are some scenes where things can be stretched thin, but for the most part, this is a real feast for the eyes. I loved how visual backgrounds were styled, paired with flying razor hats, CGI throwing daggers and roaring infernos. The score is also a lot more engaging; it kicks the adrenaline into overdrive and makes the action as intense as possible.

Karl Urban, who played Johnny Cage, was a satisfying new addition to the series; Urban has a very natural, comedic charisma that enhances his character. Damon Herriman, who played Quan Chi, was extremely eerie as this unnatural sorcerer; Herriman's ability to play to the fantasy setting and the unusual, conflicting elements around him really set his performance apart. Hiroyuki Sanada, who played Hanzo Hasashi, decided that he was just here to impress this time around; Sanada plays into the tougher side of Scorpion, which works a lot better for him. CJ Bloomfield, who played Baraka, gives an immense creature performance; Bloomfield and Urban also have a great comedic dynamic with one another.

However, the best performance came from Josh Lawson, who played Kano. I cannot even begin to describe it, but Lawson has just found his way to a very natural fit with Kano. This rough-edged scoundrel is not necessarily someone to be trusted. Lawson presents an uncouth figure who cusses out allies and enemies alike. This film struggles to be funny, but Lawson sure doesn't. If there's a moment in which I actually found myself laughing the hardest, it was when Lawson was onscreen. Yes, we needed a little necromancy to get there, but thank goodness Kano is back. Josh Lawson was my favourite part of the first film, and he continues to deliver.

There's one thing that just seems to be true of Mortal Kombat films: there's not a lot of plot going on. A big part of this seems to stem from the fact that this is just adapting a fighting video game; the story is paper-thin in the first place. Yet, despite that, we seem to get ridiculous exposition dumps every other scene, paired with interdimensional travel, lizard people, magic and Elder gods. There's really no way into the story of this film; it's all quite outlandish and really caters to the players of the game. If you're an audience member who hasn't played before, good luck. The punching looks neat at least. This film doesn't always seem very confident in itself either; it really struggles with conveying who leads the feature. The marketing would tell you that it's Johnny Cage, but he seems like a piece in the ensemble at times. There are whole moments where Liu Kang or Kitana could be leading the film, but they aren't brought forward to that role either. So the only thing really leading this feature is that we're waiting for the big, muscular bad guy to get killed by the end. This film often lowers the stakes; characters who died in the first film are being resurrected left, right and centre. We even take a big trek into Netherealm, an Underworld for Mortal Kombat. This makes the threat of death hanging over our heroes' heads all the less significant, one of the few elements that lends an edge to these films. I also wouldn't recommend trying to work out the rules to the tournament; the characters try to explain it, but the rules are also extremely inconsistent. The dialogue, being a mixture of one-liners, quips and throwbacks to the video game, makes this some of the weakest writing I have experienced all year.

Adeline Rudolph, who played Kitana, has a lot of potential but never really manages to grasp it; Rudolph winds up being the exposition spout McNamee was in the original film. Martyn Ford, who played Shao Kahn, is a very generic antagonist role; this hulking threat is all presence but no substance. Tati Gabrielle, who played Jade, just doesn't have the chemistry with Rudolph to play their friendship and betrayal; Gabrielle is often too stoic in her scenes. Jessica McNamee, who played Sonya Blade, is surprisingly more boring than the original film; McNamee is easily the most bland fighter of the feature. Mehcad Brooks, who played Jax Briggs, struggles to make much of an impression this time around; Brooks is pushed to the background a lot more. Ludi Lin, who played Liu Kang, is quite an important character with an actor who can't play to that; Lin just doesn't have the bold presence to make himself known. Tadanobu Asano, who played Lord Raiden, is an extremely expressionless performance; Asano just doesn't feel big enough to be an 'Elder God'. Chin Han, who played Shang Tsung, is one of the more forgettable antagonists; he often seems like the surplus element in his scenes. Joe Taslim, who played Bi-Han, had quite a generic performance this time around; Taslim was reduced to a final fight scene with no real motive or purpose. Max Huang, who played Kung Lao, was a bit of a forced character return; he just doesn't feel like a big enough draw to play up his big fight sequence. Lewis Tan, who played Cole Young, has been demoted from protagonist for a very clear reason; Tan often struggles to play naturally in a scene. Ana Thu Nguyen, who played Queen Sindel, is in such a twisted role that makes little sense; this character is all over the place, and it's not very clear why. Sophia Xu and Desmond Chiam, who played Young Kitana and King Jerrod respectively, give a relatively simplistic intro to the film; this is a father/daughter intro that we've seen a thousand times before.

Sometimes, a really bad film begets a really bad sequel. I would give Mortal Kombat II a 4.5/10.

Hokum

This review may contain spoilers!

Hokum follows Ohm Bauman, a bestselling author who travels to a small Irish town to scatter the ashes of his parents. However, the hotel in which he stays contains untold horrors that Ohm will find himself entangled within.

This film is a completely eerie journey throughout, a horror that likes to keep you on your toes from one of the earliest scenes. This film takes Ohm, our leading author protagonist, and places him in an isolated and unusual setting. This rustic Irish hotel, which is our backdrop for the film, acts as a great setting to place the action. It has a gothic feel to it, but it also has a few layers that need peeling back. The Irish folklore element here of a witch stalking the local population and snatching young children away to Hell drummed up the fear early on, but seeing the telltale signs that such a creature had been trapped within these walls was much worse. The tilt into the second act is brilliant; we discover the murder of a likable character and descend into a locked room horror-mystery. Ohm races to not only free himself from being trapped but also to come to the bottom of the murder that he has stumbled upon. This movie will tease you with what is real and what isn't, but it walks the line between with a great deal of forethought. Seeing supernatural moments as an audience member, only for them to be ripped away with a plausible explanation, is brilliant. The way the protagonist actively makes use of what he has learned and then uses the supernatural horror against the main antagonist is an impressive conclusion, too. Hokum is that sort of horror that draws you in deep before sinking its fangs into you, and I could not look away (as much as I wanted to).

The design of Hokum is nothing short of impressive; it maximises the use of the creepy and claustrophobic hotel space to make a compelling horror setting. The camera work really toys with the urgency in those moments of pure terror. There is an extremely fast-paced sense of pacing that moves at a precise speed, but it is the cutting of those moments of tension that lands the most. I loved the score for Hokum; it was chilling and really set the heart pounding in those moments of peril.

Austin Amelio and Ezra Carlisle, who played the Conquistador and Boy respectively, are a nice glimpse into Ohm's psyche; Amelio really plays to the emotional guilt of the scene well. Adam Scott, who played Ohm Bauman, led this horror extremely well; Scott presents an author who is a bit of a jackass but also incredibly quick-witted. David Wilmot, who played Jerry, is quite surprisingly the heart of the film; Wilmot's eccentric drifter is the guiding centre for justice in this feature. Michael Patric, who played Fergal, is this gruff and impassive protector of the hotel and its occupants; Patric's role is often the most intimidating in any scene he is in. Will O'Connell, who played Alby, is quite a sweet character amongst the hotel staff; his earnest interest in Ohm is a nice contrast to Scott's bitterness. Brendan Conroy, who played Cob, isn't here much, but he sure leaves his mark; Conroy's storytelling around the witch is absolutely chilling horror in and of itself.

However, the best performance came from Peter Coonan, who played Mal. This is one of those antagonists who you can find across horrors and is almost always reviled. When the film first starts, and we meet Coonan, he portrays a lovely hotel manager with a lot of quiet charm. He is a relatively unassuming figure, but he breathes a sense of charisma that the film had been lacking up until that point. The tilt into seeing the brazen horror of his actual character, the crime he is willing to perpetrate, darkens things. From here, Coonan presents a man who is far more desperate; he wants old skeletons to stay buried, but is losing control over the situation. Watching the descent into Mal turning on all the other characters and eventually being claimed by the witch is where everything is amped to the max. Sometimes, the best horror antagonists are the mirror up to the worst of human potential.

Hokum is one of those films that just doesn't have a lot of characters to like within it. I found it difficult to find the person you want to root for in this cast because they all have some glaringly bad traits. Ultimately, you should be on Ohm's side, but he is a very prickly figure by design; regardless of his sympathetic background, his chief character trait is being a bit of a jerk to everyone. The final act plays things out a bit too much, faking the audience out at every turn. The bell scene is a really good example of something going on for just a little too long. I also don't think this film needed to hamfist the final question on whether the supernatural elements were real or not. By this point, enough work had been done for the audience to get their own impression of this. More than that, revisiting the Conquistador character to show Ohm's character growth felt a bit more than was strictly necessary.

The soundtrack often felt a bit simplistic to me; it was just a heavy-handed push to remind the audience that the action of this feature took place in Ireland.

Florence Ordesh, who played Fiona, is a character who often doesn't show much of her own personality; Ordesh's role serves to prop others up and then be a puzzle to be solved for the rest of the film. 

The perfect blend of tension and a good mystery, Hokum is going to be this year's Weapons. I would give Hokum a 7.5/10. 

The Devil Wears Prada 2

 

This review may contain spoilers!

The Devil Wears Prada 2 is the sequel to The Devil Wears Prada (2006) and rejoins our main characters twenty years on. When Runway magazine experiences a disastrous PR nightmare, Andy (a now award-winning journalist) is rehired to restore the company's reputation.

I actually really forgot how much fun Andy Sachs was as a character. I imagine, like most, the draw to watch Miranda Priestly once again was a huge pull to see this sequel. Yet, I could not help but fall into Andy's journey. This is a character who has grown by being an advocate, who chases stories of human struggle. She is still quirky, a little awkward and does not fit squarely into the mould of Runway magazine as Miranda styles it. But Andy is a very sincere fighter for justice, and loves Runway in her own way. Seeing how Andy, Miranda and some of the other characters fight for Runway is a really significant part of this movie. In a broader sense, thematically, this film uses the characters we know to explore the media industry's current struggles. From award-winning journalists being fired at the top of this film, to Runway facing mass layoffs, it is clear that the media as we know it has been distorted and changed. The idea of a physical magazine has all but perished, and the digital narrative is more about views than the content of the narrative. This sense of helplessness is perfectly capped off by one of the tech billionaire antagonists admitting A.I. and the like are much like the fires of Pompeii. Impossible to outrun, better to accept the lava. I really felt this film managed an endearing, comedic tone while also having so much to say about the media landscape of today in a very starkly honest way. Across the whole feature, the thing that sat so well with me and the large audience I was sat with was how nice it was to see these characters again, still themselves, just slightly matured. Watching Nigel and Andy befriend one another all over again, or Emily's own insecurities lash out against Miranda and Andy, felt like I had stepped through a portal back to the mid-2000s. This was a sequel that completely understood where it had come from and then proceeded to work itself for the modern day in a manner that made sense.

If you're going to do a The Devil Wears Prada sequel, it pays to go big or go home. From a visual design perspective, this film really understood how to frame these grandiose settings of luxury, spotlight the incredible costuming work and transport the audience to the world of designer fashion. I found the editing had an incredible, fun sense of pacing within a scene, especially when it could toy with multiple sequences running parallel to each other. It also has a soundtrack boasting some of the more interesting celebrity female musicians today, with Miley Cyrus, Dua Lipa, Laufey, Lady Gaga and Doechii all lending music to this ensemble of brilliant tracks.

Anne Hathaway, who played Andy Sachs, leads this film superbly; her character is so emotive that it's very hard not to connect with her. Emily Blunt, who played Emily, has that same cold edge that worked so well for her the first time; Blunt has this fragility going on beneath the surface, which I felt enhanced the role. Stanley Tucci, who played Nigel, very well stole the show countless times; I think Tucci is just a wonderful, heartfelt performer. Justin Theroux, who played Benji Barnes, is this ridiculous tech bro billionaire who is charmingly goofy at first; Theroux then adds this depraved worldview about AI and the future, which was a chilling moment. Kenneth Branagh, who played Stuart, is in one of his more domesticated roles here; Branagh and Streep are entirely sweet together. B.J. Novak, who played Jay Ravitz, is quite fun as a finance bro; there is a certain satisfaction in how ignorantly callous he can be. Lady Gaga, who played herself, is an absolutely stunning performer, to no one's surprise; watching her spar with Streep was a delight for me. 

However, the best performance came from Meryl Streep, who played Miranda Priestly. This role is the iconic element of The Devil Wears Prada films. Some parts just seem to come so naturally to Streep, bringing Miranda's superior presence to life. The almost comical way Miranda is such an elitist figure at the top of the world, meting out her worldview on others while also adjusting to change herself. Yet, I really found Streep came into her own in the back half of the film, where we really got to see under the surface of Miranda again. Watching her seethe and vie for power as Runway and all its staff are being ripped away is interesting. I also really enjoyed seeing her navigate the moments of betrayal from Emily, seeing that cunning edge of her character come to life. Streep then really gets to play this role as a bit of a mastermind, working alongside Hathaway and Tucci to make a thrilling and emotional final act. That scene of Miranda and Andy in the car together, talking about the book at the end, is why Streep makes this movie; it's why I will always come back to these movies.

The start of this sequel does take a while to get going; the world initially feels quite different. There are a lot of working pieces going on, blended with a lot of new faces; it's not a smooth transition to a fresh feature in that first act. I also felt this film was a little more prepared to play to a simple gag at times. There were some jokes here that felt a bit more on the nose or exaggerated than they would have been in the original feature.

I found this film very stylish with a strong eye behind the framing of the camera, but it wasn't without some points of weakness. I particularly hated how the lighting was captured in this film. There were entire scenes where the shadows dropping over characters concealed good acting or brought the visual quality of a scene down. 

Simone Ashley, who played Amari, barely feels like a character; the new, fashionable assistant just completely bereft of personality. Lucy Liu, who played Sasha Barnes, is quite a figurehead but not much of a role; Liu is here for the plot to reach a goal and not to really flex her acting chops. Tracie Thoms, who played Lily, is a returning friend character for Hathaway that felt poorly revisited; Thoms is a moment of nostalgia in a film that has moved past her. Caleb Hearon, who played Charlie, actually yanked me out of the film a bit; Hearon barely felt like an actor, and it was clear that his social media presence was why he had a role. Patrick Brammall, who played Peter, is quite an odd romantic pairing for Hathaway; I found his particular brand of humour struggled to mesh with the film. Rachel Bloom, who played Tessa, is quite an outlier in this; Bloom's publishing friend is often frenzied and running at a higher pace than she needs to be. Helen J Shen, who played Jin Chao, was the quietly charming side character that felt like a bad sequel move; Shen's role could be a bit too obvious in her comedic delivery. Tibor Feldman, who played Irv Ravitz, was a powerful role that had no gravitas; Feldman just wasn't commanding enough for the part. Larry Mitchell, who played Mack, was one of Andy's friends too many; he added nothing of value to this feature.

The absolute thrill I had watching a top-tier mid-2000s dramedy make this kind of a comeback. I would give The Devil Wears Prada 2 an 8.5/10.

Exit 8

 

This review may contain spoilers!

Exit 8 is an adaptation of the video game The Exit 8 by Kotake Create. It is a liminal space horror about a man who becomes caught in the same repeating underground subway corridor. He must spot anomalies as he walks through the tunnel, or risk becoming trapped forever.

This is a film that thrills by drumming up the fear where it can. What I enjoyed the most about Exit 8 was the introduction of the corridor itself, this liminal space that our leading characters found themselves trapped within. Those early scenes where our protagonist stumbles into the corridor are a sinking feeling, a moment of dread as you realise what is unfolding moments before he does. From here, we come to be thoroughly immersed in this sinister passage and are shown all of the horrors that it can yield. Those moments where our characters fail or guess wrong weigh heavily upon the audience. I think the ability to place you in the experience of those living this 'purgatory' is an impressive narrative feat.

I found I really enjoyed how this film captured a quite limited urban space. This is a very contained film by nature, and yet the camerawork always had you exploring the space with the same level of scrutiny as the main characters. The score for the film really ramped up the tension and the sense of helplessness. I adored the intensive use of 'Bolero, M. 81' to lurch us into the horror's repetitive nature.

Naru Asanuma, who played The Boy, was quite good as this young and stoic protagonist; he conveyed a lot early on without even needing to say anything at all. Kotone Hanase, who played the High School Student, was a deeply unsettling role; the way her role's personality twisted and turned was tough to watch.

However, the best performance came from Kazunari Ninomiya, who played the Lost Man. This was our leading protagonist for this film, and he helps pull us into what he's experiencing. When we first meet this role, he seems a bit muted, neither courageous nor firm in his sense of self. Ninomiya plays a man who is wrestling with the prospect of becoming a father, often terrified of the very idea. The course of the film forces him to confront the responsibility behind the thought, and take courage in the face of supporting his ex-girlfriend. Ninomiya's best quality in this film is how we see his character come to realise that he is trapped. It is a slow realisation, a terrifying one. Watching this Lost Man become tortured by the loop he finds himself trapped within is the significant element that has to work in all of this.

Exit 8 is an interesting premise; the liminal horror is a nice draw. However, it is a film that just keeps doing the same conceit over and over again. You wind up settling in as an audience member, because the same space and where the film is going with its use of this horror setting is very clear. There's not even very much fear that our protagonists won't escape, which is probably the missing piece to making this puzzle better. While I think Ninomiya does an incredible job with what he has, I also found the Lost Man a horrendous character to have to follow across the feature. He's inherently rather pathetic, and bumbles around being tortured by a sense of duty that doesn't seem so agonising. In fact, the way he internalises and really rakes himself over this thought of becoming a father gets to a point where you even lose a bit of sympathy for him. Even the fact that he is upset at himself for not confronting bad behaviour on the train is a hard moment to connect with. I didn't always find this film consistent; the Lost Man's asthma being a significant issue, then never really being one again, bothered me a lot. I don't feel like the Lost Man even changes enough as a person by the end of the film; he merely seems to have found common decency.

The visual effects for Exit 8 just weren't good enough for the space they took up. The rat scene alone was absolutely hilarious.

Yamato Kochi, who played the Walking Man, was really here to be more creepy than he was a character; he played a bit too strongly in the moments he got to break away and do his own stuff. Nana Komatsu, who played the Lost Man's Partner, never felt like a role; she was more of an impending question hanging over the narrative.

Exit 8 is a fairly unsubstantive film video game adaptation. I would give Exit 8 a 4.5/10.

Michael

 

This review may contain spoilers!

Michael is a biopic about the early career of Michael Jackson up to his final performance with the Jackson 5 on their Victory Tour.

Michael is a film that really comes down to portraying Michael's own insecurities. He was beaten significantly as a child, had an imbalanced relationship with his father and sheltered in childish fantasies. His rise to fame here is depicted as an effort to escape and believe in himself; to essentially break away from the Jackson family mould. Michael is oppressed by the control Joseph Jackson has over his family; there's a sense of fear there that permeates across the film. It's an interesting duel watching the pair try to resist and control the other. 

This is an Antoine Fuqua-directed film, so you know there's going to be a bit of style at play. There's a shot in this film of Jackson standing atop a car outside the CBS studio, which I think immortalises the visual nature of this feature. But if that's not enough, you can see just how much fun Fuqua had stitching the 'Thriller' music video scene together. The editing here is quite slick and sets an even pace to a film that could have otherwise felt slow. The strength of the film should be the music, and it often is. The selection of songs here might be obvious, but they are also clear staples of Michael Jackson's musical genius.

Jaafar Jackson, who played Michael, is a capable lead who has clearly worked hard for the role; his physicality as Michael Jackson showed him to be an incredible study. Nia Long, who played Katherine Jackson, is a quieter mother figure; the way Long built up Katherine's strength and resistance to Joseph across the film, I found admirable. Larenz Tate, who played Berry Gordy, shows a great reaction to Michael's rising star; the way Tate is a positive figure to Michael at an early point in the film is a nice note. Miles Teller, who played John Branca, is a real straight-shooter in this; Teller keeps a level playing field and guides Jackson well across their scenes together. Mike Myers, who played Walter Yetnikoff, has a great standout scene in this film; watching Myers play the part of strongarming MTV is a real blast.

However, the best performance came from Juliano Valdi, who played Young Michael. I don't think there will be a more powerful child performance this year. Which is a crazy thing to feel after I watched the NZ premiere of Hamnet earlier in the year (if you know, you know). Valdi's take on Michael Jackson as a child is electric; this is a young boy who feels the music he is performing to his very core. He moves about a set effortlessly; the dancing here will blow you away. But I loved how gentle and earnest he was. Valdi established that Michael is a bit off-kilter but also sincere. I also think he portrayed the struggle between father and son the best out of all the performers working that storyline. Watching Valdi barely hold himself together after a moment of abuse was like walking on crushed glass. This is a young actor who should go a long way; there's talent here in spades.

The issue with Michael is that it often feels safe, but more than that, it feels like it holds a substantial amount back. Biopic films that focus on musicians have been a constant staple of late, and Michael is one of the more basic ones I've watched. This is a simple rags-to-riches story, with minimal roadblocks and some mild interpersonal struggle scattered in. It's not trying to be inventive like Bohemian Rhapsody or Better Man were. The whole story feels quite condensed or even edited down. Chunks of life story have been ripped clean out, and what's left feels like the Michael Jackson story they're okay with telling us. Michael is a surface-level deep film that struggles to find detail in its narrative. It is also clear that Michael is an unusual protagonist. Yet the things that make him strange feel oddly taboo and like they can only be talked about so much. He hides in childish things, but the film seems afraid of examining the why there too closely. Michael really could have been a strong character study, but in truth, it just wants to celebrate the rise of Michael Jackson's celebrity.

Michael Jackson bought a range of animals in his time, and this film lightly covers this. The result of this is some absolutely uncanny CGI animals completely ruining the flow of this narrative from time to time.

Colman Domingo, who played Joseph Jackson, hits a pretty singular note across this; the mean-spirited, selfish father figure gets quite played out. Laura Harrier, who played Suzanne de Passe, is a figure who is there to be the tantalising door to the music industry; but Harrier isn't really playing much of a character here at all. KeiLyn Durrel Jones, who played Bill Bray, is framed as an odd father figure substitute to Joseph throughout the film; this is a performance that awkwardly observes but rarely feels vital to the scene. Kendrick Sampson, who played Quincy Jones, is entirely irrelevant to the plot of this film; Sampson and Jackson don't even pair nicely together in their scenes. 

There are pieces of a good story here amid the formulaic, bizarre musical biopic. I would give Michael a 6/10.

Fuze

This review may contain spoilers!

Fuze is a heist thriller following a military bomb disarmament unit locking down a few city blocks in London to disarm a recently unearthed WWII bomb. At the same time, a band of opportunistic thieves use the lockdown to perform a bank heist.

I found this an incredibly interesting thriller, one that was prepared to change itself to keep the audience hooked. At first, what we have is quite an operational high-stakes glimpse into a major event that forces military, law enforcement and other units of government to come together to protect innocent lives from this bomb threat. The additional element of a band of thieves steadily working throughout this lockdown also contributes to the tightly paced delivery, with their heist proving extremely methodical. At precise moments, you wonder whether this is the time the thieves would be caught, while at others, the risk of the bomb detonating escalates. The film is stacked with tiny micro-conflicts that shift things into tenser or more unpredictable spaces. Once the large pivotal shift of the film transpires, the dangerous elements really unravel, and our focus lies with the heist. Seeing double crosses play out, secrets become revealed and intensive shoot-outs play out, leave you guessing to the very end who our final triumphant characters will be. There is a strange sense of satisfaction in watching who walks away, regardless of how likable the characters themselves are. Fuze is a thriller where you might notice the cards it has up its sleeve, yet it spins its story very well.

This film has a very simplistic, everything precisely in the frame approach. We move and hold with the characters who lead the screen; this is a film that invites you to observe as it all unfolds steadily. The editing for Fuze is absolutely tight; it keeps an incredible pace and moves through scenes in a way that only serves the story that is being told. The score might not be the most impressive of 2026, but it manages to keep a tense feeling of anxiety going in crucial scenes.

Theo James, who played Karalis, is a pretty slippery criminal mastermind here; James' role is riding the stress and high of this caper the most out of anyone. Gugu Mbatha-Raw, who played Chief Superintendent Zuzana, is a very stoic leader; Mbatha-Raw does a good job at showing a reserved and effective figure of authority. Saffron Hocking, who played Military Sergeant Dootsie Keane, is a strong foil to Taylor-Johnson's more aloof lead; Hocking banters with her lines impressively while switching into a more abrasive military manner when called for. 

However, the best performance came from Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who played Will Tranter. This might be a smaller film than some of Taylor-Johnson's recent leading work, but it also reflects how much he has grown as a performer. There is no point in this film where you don't believe Will is a man of action who is seasoned in difficult scenarios such as this. Taylor-Johnson commands the military response scenes, barking orders and holding the unit together with a casual grit. Yet, it's the scenes where his command is challenged that I loved; watching him grow stubborn and upset was a nice switch. Seeing the sort of compassionate soldier he was and the path he chose in that final flashback was a great piece of acting from Taylor-Johnson to close us out.

Fuze is a well-written, precise piece of cinema that isn't too hard to follow. This is the sort of feature that signposts where it's going pretty hard, and I felt the mystery would have been richer with some more subtlety. The way this thriller becomes so heightened near the end, with a scrabble for success, felt a bit messier than the polished first half. The final flashback scene, paired with the humorous credits roll, felt a bit unnecessary. It was an endpoint that had me wishing the film just trusted the audience to be smart enough to read it. The use of comedy before a full cut to credits just seemed tonally jarring when compared to the movie we had been watching.

The soundtrack for this film had some cool tracks, but a really strange mix of genres that made no real sense. The jump from reggae to a folk-rock thing really had me scratching my head.

Sam Worthington, who played X, isn't much more than a big grunt with a few more lines than most; whatever leading man talent Worthington used to wield has abandoned him here. Elham Ehsas, who played Rahim, has his own subplot that doesn't intrigue as much as the others; Ehsas is really held on his own to tell his story, which struggles.

A tense play-by-play that turns into a lively heist thriller. I would give Fuze a 7.5/10.

Outcome

This review may contain spoilers!

Outcome follows Reef Hawk, a famous Hollywood actor who has been performing since he was six. Poised to come off a five-year hiatus after a stint in rehab, Reef is suddenly confronted with the threat of blackmail that could shatter his entire existence.

I enjoy that this film is about image at its very core. Reef is quite a fragile figure; he is held together by the thought that he is admired and thought of as a 'good' celebrity. Across Outcome, we watch Reef feverishly wrestle his cellphone out of his pocket and Google how well-liked he is, often by searching up negative things about himself. When people say damaging things about who he is in this movie, he spirals into a depressive, frenzied or rageful state. Even when face-to-face with the man who was blackmailing him, Reef asks if the guy hates him. It's the only thing Reef can understand; his own reputation and image are the very things his being revolves around.

The soundtrack for the feature serves it rather well; playing that moment of final growth out on 'How Lucky' by Kurt Vile was that light, contemplative feeling this film needed.

Keanu Reeves, who played Reef Hawk, actually really goes for it with this role; Reeves' lead protagonist is a constantly anxious and hopeless mess. Cary Christopher, who played Skylar Williams Wood, is a prodigal young talent; Christopher only has one scene here, but his parody of an overconfident young actor is hilarious. Laverne Cox, Roy Wood Jr., Atsuko Okatsuka, who played Virginia Allen-Green, Reverend Leondrus Carter and Unis Kim respectively, are a hilarious group together; they really play up the absurdity of a Hollywood image crisis team. Welker White, who played Savannah, is a biting moment of realness in all this; White's painful remarks about how hurt Reef left her and how damaging he was salted the earth of this film. Matt Bomer and Cameron Diaz, who played Xander and Kyle respectively, struggled with the material at times but really showed their experience when it counted; the scene where Diaz loses her temper and Bomer confesses why he is Reef's friend, is powerful stuff.

However, the best performance came from Martin Scorsese, who played Richie 'Red' Rodriguez. I've really enjoyed the more recent light forays into acting from Scorsese; if you haven't seen him in The Studio, that is a must-watch. What I enjoyed about Scorsese as Red, this washed-up manager for child actors, is that Scorsese makes Red feel seasoned in the industry. You believe Red isn't a big player; he's just a guy who works out the back of a bowling alley. But he has doggedly hustled at his work for years, in a way that has often felt thankless. When Scorsese admonishes Reeves and tells him that he tried his best for him, it's a real moment of vulnerability. The first this film ever really shows. Watching Scorsese confide that he tried to save his client from the drugs, all while beating himself up for not doing enough, is a genuine moment of feeling in this entire feature. But adding that confession layer from Scorsese that he is so sad that none of his clients ever reached out to him again after they left is a bit tragic. Ending the film on the reconnection between Scorsese and Reeves is the smartest thing this film achieves.

Outcome is the sort of film that you put on and almost immediately question who on Earth it's actually for. This film is the sort of story that feels like it's made in Hollywood for Hollywood. Jonah Hill's take on Hollywood celebrity satire is one of the more niche experiences I have had watching cinema. There is a vapid reflection on actors being afraid of being cancelled in the digital age, jumping at the sight of a cellphone camera or a tabloid rumour. Characters jape about the #MeToo movement and being a victim of sexual harassment in a way that feels like it's playing with a line that doesn't really need to be crossed. Outcome wants to be a comedy more than it wants to be a drama, but the humour feels extremely tailored to the crowd of people who are actually making the film. When it isn't the comedy often degrades itself into sex or drug-related material, with one scene putting Ira on a toilet seat while Reef continues to chat with him. This film has characters making racist jokes while then darting away from that material in the same breath to show how 'opposed to racism' they are. It's a film that feels more than a bit senseless and warped morally. There's an implication that Reef's manager, Ira, also represents Kanye West and Kevin Spacey, as there are monolithic photo frames of them all through his offices. As a character, I never found myself entirely understanding or caring for Reef very much, and the film never manages to change my mind on that. Reef is quite a shallow character with a strange life and people around him who act extremely artificially. Everything about this film is performative, and you wonder if there's even any sincerity in the message. Knowing that Jonah Hill made this, while watching him pantomime a morally bankrupt Hollywood manager, often feels more warped than funny.

The way Outcome is shot is absolutely hideous. You are either all too aware of the artifice, or you're too aware that this film has the worst lighting crew working in the big year 2026. The editing is an inconsistent series of cutting choices that often stilt or lend an awkward effect to the pacing. The score for Outcome is grating and lends no extra emotional weight to the feature.

Jonah Hill, who played Ira Slitz, is the biggest letdown in his own movie; Hill gallivants around scenes like he thinks he is the funniest person in any given room. Ivy Wolk, who played Sammy, is here to be Reeves' onscreen daughter, but the pair have no chemistry; Wolk has this dry, tinny delivery that falls on its face. David Spade and Kaia Gerber, who played Buddy Gomorrah and Oksana respectively, are important additions to the film but serve their purpose poorly; Spade looks completely washed out here. Susan Lucci, who played Dinah Hawk, really doesn't know how to ground her character at all; Lucci feels like she is often playing her character too big and fake for the scene. Drew Barrymore, who played herself, has clearly been out of the acting game too long; she just went over the top as her first instinct.

This incredibly talented cast doesn't hide the fact that this is nothing more than a thin vanity project for Jonah Hill. I would give Outcome a 1.5/10.

The Drama

 

This review may contain spoilers!

The Drama follows a happily engaged couple, Emma and Charlie, who are due to be married. At a wine tasting evening with their friends, they play a game naming the worst thing they have ever done. However, when Emma shares hers, the ramifications on all of their lives could be severe indeed.

This film has one key thing to do that ends the first act and catapults us into the second. The Drama has to tell us exactly what the drama is. If there is anything this movie did incredibly well, it was this pivotal moment. The film has given us the fluffy meet-cute, dates and relatable love story that is a little too sweet. It has also shown us that some of the characters are a bit inane, snobbish and have their own conceits. It's the perfect calamitous cocktail for a moment of confession, in which we get this varied mix of the worst things our main cast of characters has ever done. Emma admitting to planning and nearly executing a school shooting silences the room and immediately erodes that feeling of golden romance. Suddenly, tension is high, and the mystery becomes how it is all going to play out. That then becomes the solid strand moving forward; this palpable feeling of tension as you wonder how the gossip spreads and when the bubble will inevitably burst.

Unsurprisingly for an A24 film, this is a highly aesthetic piece of cinema. It has a very indie romance take on New York romance, but then bubbles into intensive uncomfortable shots as the plot unravels into its more foreboding back half. The soundtrack for The Drama is a light offering, but it has these gentle tracks that also suit the indie style of the film. I found 'Inside Out' by Jesse Rae to be the bright theme for everything right in Emma and Charlie's relationship.

Robert Pattinson, who played Charlie, seems to be in his element with a role like this; Charlie is a very aloof figure who absolutely crumbles across the duration of this film. Mamoudou Athie, who played Mike, is a friend character I quite enjoyed across this feature; Athie really tries to settle tensions and is often on the fringe, feeling pretty perturbed by everyone else. Hailey Gates, who played Misha, is this very impassive figure who plays well against Pattinson's ramping fears; Gates is the perfect ingredient to push Emma and Charlie's relationship over a very precarious edge.

However, the best performance came from Zendaya, who played Emma. This character is a really bright and loveable spark from the moment we meet her at the start of the film. Zendaya plays Emma as being entirely head over heels, it's almost to a point where it feels a bit dorky, as her friends indicate to her. Yet Emma is this character who seems to take action and move forward; she has her own temperaments and isn't initially swayed by others. Zendaya plays the drunken confession of admitting she planned a school shooting brilliantly; it bursts out of her in a fairly innocent and naive way. The fallout from that point is that we see Zendaya really spiral out of control from here; she overthinks every social interaction and despairs that her relationship is over. She plays to the tension of every scene, and wilts at becoming this pariah. But I also think the layer of complexity that Zendaya brings that sets her above is how she plays Emma as this redemptive figure. Even at their lowest point, Emma is the character who brings the hope that this relationship can be saved and endure.

I think the reveal of the drama behind The Drama is where the film peaks. From there, I really struggled with what this film had to say for itself. The idea that Emma committed to planning and nearly executing a school shooting as a young teenager is shocking enough to make a good twist. From here, you might expect the movie to say something, anything, about school shootings and gun violence. However, beyond Charlie noting how many shootings there are in the US in a year, this film just loosely wags its finger and says gun violence is bad. Which is really quite a simple and expected position to take. The Drama is more focused on the interpersonal nature of this confessional, asking whether Emma should be condemned for what she almost did some years ago. It's a strange moment for the plot to utilise quite a serious problem within American society, then put it to the side to make a film that is more in line with asking if people are worth getting a second chance, regardless of their actions? This film has a very stilted pacing that snaps between imaginary scenarios, dream sequences, flashbacks and jump cuts that craft a very strange type of pacing to watch. The film also wields these characters who seem to live quite an elevated life; it's very glamorous while still feeling quite domestic. There's a bit of an academia air to the whole thing that creates this superior sense when discussing morality; the characters hardly feel like arbiters of justice that an audience can relate to. When the characters confess to the worst things they have done, one of Emma's friends nearly killed someone through their actions. Yet this friend is never condemned in the same way that Emma is, a plot moment I really struggled to make heads or tails of. The film snowballs into everyone taking increasingly worse actions to muddy the moral implications of the story, with Charlie even cheating on Emma at one point. By the time the wedding implodes itself in this grotesque way, I don't think anyone felt shock so much as they felt repulsion. The film offers up crumbs of a happy ending, but I struggled to understand if I should even really care about the fate of Emma and Charlie by this point.

The editing for The Drama is a scattered nightmare, with cuts that confuse and divert the audience, constantly destroying the pacing. I also found the score for the feature to be a frenetic, droning sound that might have heaped on the anxiety of certain scenes, but had no business being described as anything 'musical'.

Alana Haim, who played Rachel, is here to be the frosty friend who is also a bit of a bitch; but Haim never really seems to grasp how to do this in a particularly grounded manner. Hannah Gross, who played Alice, is a very reserved figure who feels a bit superfluous at times; Gross' relationship with Zendaya and Haim is really poorly defined and perhaps not needed at all.

A strange, reckless movie that utilises a major systemic American issue for an edgy take on interpersonal relationships. I would give The Drama a 3.5/10.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie

 

This review may contain spoilers!

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is a direct sequel to The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023). In this feature, Bowser Jr. is on a galaxy-wide rampage and wants his father returned to him. It will take our heroes, and some new friends, to stop the Bowser family and their Koopa army.

I really liked that it felt like Princess Peach got to be active in this story. The good thing about a Nintendo property film is that all of these characters are equally exciting and can command their own story. Peach undergoes a real heroic arc, venturing throughout the galaxy to save her sister and uncover the mysteries of her past.

The one thing I have to say positively for Illumination is that they have really turned out their A game for designing these Mario movies. The colour palettes are entirely vibrant, and everything really pops with a varied colour scheme. There is plenty of background detail to look for here, and the animation team has really worked to bring the world of Mario and his friends to life. Tyler Bates' score is a real love letter to the cartoonish video games, with tribute to those original game scores woven through his adventurous musical arrangement.

Anya Taylor-Joy, who voiced Princess Peach, is really fighting a great fight this time around; Taylor-Joy gets to present Peach as a bit of a stubborn and capable warrior. Brie Larson, who voiced Rosalina, is this really gentle and motherly figure to the stars; yet Larson also makes it clear that no one in their right mind messes with someone as tough as Rosalina. Keegan-Michael Key, who voiced Toad, has a very dry wit that works well; Key's Toad is always up for adventure even when he isn't the most equipped for it. Charlie Day, who voiced Luigi, suits the plumber brother more ready to jump at his own shadow; Day's take on Luigi is rather stressed out yet full of admiration for his brother.

However, the best performance came from Benny Safdie, who voiced Bowser Jr. As far as antagonists go, Safdie has really stepped up the game in this sequel. Bowser Jr. can seem like a mean-spirited kid who lashes out in tantrum-like ways. However, Safdie does a good job of following through and actually sculpting him to be an intimidating villain. This is a Bowser who just wants the approval of his father and his father's love. Safdie leans into the playful wickedness of the role, creating an animated villain who actually stands against our heroes well.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is much like the first Mario movie; it barely has any plot to speak of. These films are made by Illumination, which famously treats its animated features like products, and less like art forms. If you don't believe me, perhaps just reflect on the fact that we almost have as many Minions movies as we do Despicable Me movies now. This is a film that starts off with hints of a grander, nefarious plot, but in reality, Bowser Jr. just wants Bowser back. Princess Peach flies all over the place to find her sister. The Mario Bros. eventually stumble after her. Yoshi is just kinda introduced and then becomes a part of the gang. Bowser's character development is weirdly stripped away, and he regresses back to being a villain. Even the final battle sidelines our main antagonists for a monster fight that didn't seem especially well set up. A lot of this movie wants you to see and be interested in the familiar locations, characters and objects of the various Nintendo games. It dangles them out in front of you with a big grin, hoping the memory of the past is enough to have you hooked. This coming out after Pixar had just released one of its most imaginative films in years is such a stark contrast.

The soundtrack for this movie has a few strange moments of hip-hop or modern tracks that just don't really mesh with the sort of story being delivered.

Glen Powell, who voiced Fox McCloud, is a moment where the actor is trying to impress upon you that his character is cool; Fox feels awkwardly stuffed into this movie to mirror what Donkey Kong achieved in the last one. Chris Pratt, who voiced Mario, just doesn't have a voice that makes me think of Mario; the accent inflection Pratt does is quite painful. Jack Black, who voiced Bowser, feels like he's only really capable of playing to this strange comedic take on the villain; Black often sounds more like himself than the character he is attempting to portray. Donald Glover, who voiced Yoshi, feels more like a marketing move than anything else; Glover voicing something as innocuous as Yoshi is a waste of time. Kevin Michael Richardson, who voiced Kamek, is quite an annoying henchman figure; his grating presence in the Bowser scenes really brings those down. Luis Guzmán, who voiced Wart, is a barely notable antagonist role; he does some remarkably unimpressive posturing to ignite a fight scene.

Mamma mia, here we go again. I would give The Super Mario Galaxy Movie a 3.5/10.

Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice

 

This review may contain spoilers!

Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice is a science-fiction buddy-comedy following Mike, a gangster who is about to get himself clean. However, his fellow gangster Nick has just time-travelled back from the future to warn him that he is going to die in a few hours, and the main person who could stand in their way is...Nick.

This is a very unusual gangster story. Almost immediately, we have a big party for the crime boss's son being released from prison, with our main characters on the periphery engaged in extramarital affairs. But the film doesn't want to linger too long on anything that could be considered 'normal' to a crime film. Nick comes to bundle up Mike, ask for his help with a job and sends the hapless gangster to chloroform his present-day self. This type of unpredictable, off-kilter and random comedy fuels this feature. It is absolutely hilarious the strange and dark places this film is prepared to go; whether that be Nick drawing a gun on a cashier over some sugar-free lollies or a mob boss having a heart-to-heart with his son about his kid being a foundling he discovered under a dumpster. Even the action sequences showcase a sense of well-choreographed humour; one character is bashed in the face with an urn full of ashes, while in another fight, a character manages to hook a combatant up in an embarrassing position with gym equipment.

The soundtrack for Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice is absolutely on fire the whole way through. There's a lot of partying and dancing, with perfect tracks paired to these settings. But there are also some big moments in the film where music feeds the story. 'The Boys Are Back In Town' playing while the Nicks and Mike have their shootout is an awesome sequence, Ben Schwartz performing 'Why Should I Worry?' marks a strong introduction, and 'Don't Look Back In Anger' by Oasis accompanying the death of a main character drove that home incredibly.

Vince Vaughn, who played Future and Present Nick, was really interesting as this impassive but predestined gangster; Vaughn has a dry wit which made him completely likable even in moments of decent conflict. Eiza González, who played Alice, felt like one of the more grounded characters in this film; she often presented her frustration at how out of hand the evolving situation was becoming. Ben Schwartz, who played Symon, is a real bright spot in this feature; his introduction to the film is an absolute hook. Emily Hampshire and Dylan Playfair, who played Sam and Stoned Chasier respectively, work with Vaughn to round out a phenomenally funny gas station scene; Hampshire and Vaughn also have some chemistry worth noting in this. 

However, the best performance came from Keith David, who played Sosa. If you want a crazy antagonist who will take a screwy comedy wherever it wants to go, David is more than capable. In his first scene, David seems rather amiable, happy to be celebrating his son. It doesn't take long for him to suddenly flip and start threatening and cussing out the crowd. David presents as authoritative and relatively refined across the feature, a genuine mafioso at the head of his table. But this doesn't mean David is devoid of being funny. He riffs on Tatro constantly, pretending to be confused over Winnie the Pooh or growing frustrated that his son is so upset at having been discovered under a dumpster as a baby. David really leans into the comedy this villain can bring, without compromising the mean streak of the role.

I found this film to be on the back foot almost constantly. Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice is a sci-fi concept film at its core, but the time travel stuff feels extremely shoehorned in. There being two Nicks is interesting, but why there are two Nicks never really gels. Even having a scientist friend of Alice who has been working on a time machine is out there and doesn't integrate well into the story. But even the gang is strange; they're a mob collective of some kind, but we don't know what they actually do beyond general crime. Strangely, most of the gang members seem like frat bros telling one another stories about malfunctioning sexual organs and reminiscing about weddings of old. Occassionally the film realises it doesn't know how to explain anything without an awkwardly imposed black and white flashback. Even the interpersonal elements of the characters don't really work; Nick and Alice barely seem like they have a history, which makes the whole cheating storyline lose wind pretty fast. Mike and Nick are labelled as friends, but this doesn't seem especially likely. Frankly, it's hard to even fathom that Nick was capable of enough guilt to travel back in time to save his friend.

I found the visual style of this film to be utterly bizarre and often ugly. The fact that random shots descended into these out-of-focus, blurred, dropped frame rate sequences was hard to understand as a stylistic choice. The editing set an extremely slow pace and could have been tidier in a few scenes. The score was incredibly scattered, with the style of music weirdly switching up for different scenes at times. I felt confused by the intent of the score, which only really came to the party for a handful of moments.

James Marsden, who played Quick Draw Mike, just did not feel like a criminal at all in this; Marsden seemed baffled by the material he was working with at the best of times. Jimmy Tatro, who played Jimmy Boy, just felt like a bit of an obvious push for comedy; Tatro felt more like a college bro than the son of a crime lord. Arturo Castro, who played Dumbass Tony, had such a weird gag scene around dicks no longer working after a certain age; Castro really didn't belong among the criminal ensemble. Stephen Root, who played Chet, was a bit of a novelty fake-out scene; Root gives a passing strange effort at an eccentric character. Dolph Lundgren, who played The Barron, was really just in this for his height; Lundgren's imposing figure was kinda worse than Root's previous clowning of this role. 

This film never stopped struggling to make its oddball concept work. I would give Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice a 4.5/10.

Hoppers

This review may contain spoilers!

Hoppers follows Mabel Tanaka, a young student advocating for a glade that Beaverton's Mayor, Jerry, wants to build a motorway bypass through. When she stumbles across a science project that allows her to become a robot beaver, Mabel uses this 'hopping' technology to incite a wildlife rebellion against the humans.

Does that little blurb for the film above sound a bit crazy? Well, it is. Hoppers is unabashedly a zany, creative tour de force with a concept that just sets out to be fun. From a young age, we see Mabel as someone who loves animals and the natural world; it's the place that grounds her when she gets mad. It's also the place she connects with her grandmother, who teaches her to be peaceful and find calm in this world. Leaping forward to Mabel as a high-energy university student passionately protesting the city destroying this magical place she had growing up, we see Mabel still feels righteous and headstrong about those who endanger nature. This film has an awesome way of presenting the fight for the environment, even showing the viewer how ecosystems are disregarded and destroyed for industrial expansion. The sci-fi component is initially bizarre, but a fun leap into seeing the animal world. The animals have been pushed into one tumultuous environment with the city creeping further and further into their wood. It's here that Mabel meets King George, who sees things a lot more black and white than Mabel does. He believes all creatures are capable of trust, that we all live in one big pond together, and that trust might leak, but it can be mended. While Mabel incites change so that the animals can return home, she is also learning from George that reason and common ground are good places to fight from, too. Watching Mabel set aside her differences with Jerry to stop the Insect King, a megalomaniacal butterfly in the final act, is an important aspect of this story. It shows that two people standing on opposite sides of the divide can find a place to be better if they talk and learn from one another; watching Mabel and Jerry actually work together to clean up the glade by the end of the film was a real emotional sucker punch for me.

Pixar is really back in action with this one; the animation is so adventurous. I thought those neat, realistic details in nature were impressive. For a lot of years, that metric was how real the water looked, but for Hoppers, you can see it in how the long grass bends and sways, or how each rock has a different pattern of lichen upon it. Yet, the animation isn't just about grounding you in something real; it has a vibrant design brimming with colour that made me think of that joyful spark you see when a young kid falls in love with a picture book. The score for this feature hits all of the right emotional beats, and I loved the soundtrack they paired with this. 'You Make Me Feel Like Dancing' being played as Jerry's favourite song was a comedic high point of the film.

Piper Curda, who voiced Mabel, is this real fiery fighter for nature and what she loves; Curda's voice work brings this young rebel to life. Jon Hamm, who voiced Mayor Jerry Generazzo, is remarkably charismatic despite initially being placed as an antagonist; Hamm lends a ton of comedy and heart in equal measure. Kathy Najimy, who voiced Dr. Sam, is this very high-strung scientific mind; she shows a lot of care for Mabel while being this highly stressed presence for the hopping beaver robot. Meryl Streep, who voiced the Insect Queen, was a real imperial presence; Streep doing a bit of grandstanding aggression as this monarch butterfly was brilliant. Karen Huie, who voiced Grandma Tanaka, is one of those gentle grounding voices in the film; Huie is at the emotional centre of the first act completely. Lila Liu, who voiced Young Mabel, really introduces us to that fiery anger Mabel has; but we also hear her first love for the natural world from Liu. Eman Abdul-Razzak, who voiced the Insect Prince, is a classic evil antagonist; a genuine shiver when he declares he is going to pupate. Vanessa Bayer, who voiced Diane, is such a good voice gag for such an intimidating character; Bayer plays a good contrast to the scenes she is in.

However, the best performance came from Bobby Moynihan, who voiced King George. This character is an absolute sweetheart, probably one of the most likable roles I've seen in animation in a while. George is a genuinely good and kind leader; he puts his people first every step of the way. Moynihan crafts a role with a lot of compassion, who sees the good in others and believes in doing the right thing. He isn't always action-first, but he becomes inspired to take action more across the film without compromising his values. Moynihan's work here is wonderful; it left me feeling pretty inspired by a little beaver wearing a crown.

I mentioned before that Hoppers sounds a bit crazy, which means it is often very daring and creative. But sometimes it is just a bit too bonkers for its own good. The film struggles to introduce the hopping technology; it's a big shift that is quite an extreme tonal shift the film stumbles through initially. I also found the big conflict with the Insect King at the end of the film was a bit much. It made sense that the film went that way, but it went in a direction that was difficult to contain after it had gone that far. This was a big climax that probably needed to be workshopped just a little more to get it there.

Dave Franco, who voiced the Insect King, was a big part of what didn't work in act three; Franco's exaggerated delivery just blew the top off what the story was doing. Eduardo Franco, Tom Law and Melissa Villaseñor, who voiced Loaf, Tom Lizard and Ellen respectively, were a friend ensemble that never left much of an impression; these characters often lumbered right behind the two leads and barely seized the story for themselves. Aparna Nancherla and Sam Richardson, who voiced Nisha and Conner respectively, were just background elements to Najimy; neither performer really had their own way of making an impact. Isiah Whitlock Jr., Steve Purcell, Ego Nwodim and Nichole Sakura, who voiced the Bird King, the Amphibian King, the Fish Queen and the Reptile Queens respectively, were an ensemble that didn't really make much of an impression; a unique group that was never really more interesting than their visual introduction.  

A simple message, but an effective one: human or animal, we are all in this pond together. I would give Hoppers an 8.5/10.

Project Hail Mary

 

This review may contain spoilers!

Project Hail Mary is an adaptation of the Andy Weir novel of the same name. The film follows Ryland Grace, a high school science teacher who cracks the mystery of saving Earth's dying sun. Sent on a one-way mission to save the sun, Grace must work alongside an unlikely ally to save his world.

This is really what sci-fi is all about. When you think of a film that uses science to elevate the viewer and propel us out into the void of space, we often think about Star Wars or Guardians of the Galaxy. But Project Hail Mary gives us Ryland Grace, a man who has woken up alone on a spaceship after an induced coma. He is desperate to reconnect with his identity, and he feels the isolation of being alone on this ship. This film introduces Rocky, an extraterrestrial character who has ventured through the stars to save his homeworld as well. This meeting is where the film gets really refreshing. It's not a moment of tension, nor aggression. This is a film in which the characters learn about one another, and they discover how to communicate and develop a bond through their shared circumstances. What kindles from this is a friendship that defies a difference in species; it is a moment in which two scientifically minded beings show compassion for one another. The chemistry developed between this duo is the beating heart of this film and gives so much when the film really puts this pair on the rocks. I also think the story of seeing how Grace comes to be in space is a good one; he proves himself to be more than his mettle. But when he fails himself on Earth, he makes up for it by choosing to be self-sacrificing for Rocky later in the feature. This is a marked point about bravery, and what the true meaning of it looks like. I adored the humour and fun this film was willing to have with itself, knowing it could slip quite easily into wonder and thrills. There is also a powerful message for your day-to-day human being here about uniting in the face of global threats to our planet's natural environment.

This is a movie with very practised hands on the wheel. Phil Lord and Christopher Miller have a visual feast set before the audience here; the camera work glides you through the spaceship Mary. Yet I even think those helter skelter shots when Grace is chasing down an idea are electric moments of cinematography. The visual effects will blow you away; the astrophage farming scene is a real standout moment for Project Hail Mary. I also have to rave about the practical effects that are on display here; the physical set of Mary is a treat, but nothing compares to the work done to craft the puppet that is Rocky. Daniel Pemberton does the score for this, and it is a broad spectrum lending moments of levity and tension alike. I liked a lot of the more folksy soundtrack too, though Hüller's performance of 'Sign of the Times' is the real winner.

Sandra Hüller, who played Eva Stratt, was a woman with the weight of the world literally upon her shoulders; Hüller is very clever about portraying Eva as amenable, while also making it clear that she understands the burden she carries. James Ortiz, who portrayed Rocky, is a master of puppeteering and voice work; Ortiz and Gosling sculpted a bond that this film lives or dies upon. Lionel Boyce, who played Carl, is an unexpected moment of comedy and camaraderie; Boyce doesn't work in the world of science here, yet he forges a really sincere bond with Gosling in their scenes.

However, the best performance came from Ryan Gosling, who played Ryland Grace. It feels like every time Gosling takes a swing at the moment, he is hitting that ball out of the park. This role is going to sit pretty high on his filmography. Gosling really entertains when we first join him; an amnesiac Grace waking up in a state and trying to get his bearings is quite the opener. I found this character a real joy to follow; he is charismatic and very well-intentioned. Gosling makes a point of having him feel very grounded, a bit dorky and yet uncertain within himself at times. I loved the journey to discovering bravery within Ryland Grace; it's a terrific moment of character growth that drives the feature. Gosling knows this movie is all heart; it's a really compassionate piece. You couldn't have a better lead for it.

The alien is so good, I absolutely love Rocky. Yet I couldn't help but feel there's a first contact story in this that feels a bit glazed over. It never seems that alarming to Grace that he makes first contact. Maybe that's because Grace's initial fear is played for comedy, or perhaps we just aren't allowed to sit in the gravity of it. But I do think seeing that alien ship for the first time could have been given a more grounded moment of response. I also felt learning that Grace had been cowardly as a big twist to come a little late. It no longer felt convincing given what we had seen in the modern day at that point.

Milana Vayntrub and Ken Leung, who played Olesya Ilyukhina and Yao respectively, were characters who really could have been built upon; this pair were vital to the mission but ultimately felt reduced to being little more than the bodies they became. 

What a ray of joy for cinema the Lord, Miller, Goddard and Gosling team have sculpted here. I would give Project Hail Mary a 9/10.

Reminders Of Him

 

This review may contain spoilers!

Reminders Of Him is an adaptation of the bestselling Colleen Hoover novel of the same name. After being released from prison, Kenna attempts to reconnect with the daughter she has never seen. However, she carries the guilt of being the driver behind the wheel the night her daughter's father died. Can Kenna find a second chance amid her own guilt and the resentment of those who knew her?

The moments when this movie remembers to be sweet are often the best. Reminders Of Him has that charm evoked by an American small-town redemption story, where hope is possible, and the underdog gets her shot at happiness again. I felt there were a few moments of emotional sincerity between Kenna and Ledger that solidified the relationship as it went along. The climax of the film being Kenna is reunited with her daughter, is the best part. It's a real heavyweight moment where everything set before us comes down to a simple conversation between a young girl and a woman trying to explain to her that she is her mother.

This film is a mixed bag when it comes to the camera work, yet when that lens gets out in nature, or alongside rolling fields or the open road, it really can take your breath away. The location shooting in this is absolutely gorgeous, and the cinematography capitalises on those moments when it gets to go wide. The acoustic guitar layered across the score for this film really grounds the viewer in that hometown setting and makes the whole feature feel a bit more heartfelt. The soundtrack is also a great mix of emotional pieces with a grounding in country. I loved that we got a few iterations of Coldplay's 'Yellow', which was utilised excellently.

Maika Monroe, who played Kenna Rowan, does a relatively decent job as the protagonist for this film; the emotional scenes where she meets her daughter or makes the impulsive decision to leave are often the ones that hit home the hardest. Lauren Graham, who played Grace Landry, is really subtle in the way she portrays internal conflict; the way we see her accept Kenna while grieving her son is very moving. Rudy Pankow, who played Scotty Landry, is quite a simple, charismatic character; Pankow doesn't let Scotty become larger than life, which makes his death all the more moving. Nicholas Duvernay, who played Roman, fast finds his place as the comedic backbone of the film; Duvernay is effortlessly funny and quite likable. Zoe Kosovic, who played Diem Landry, is the sweetest young performer they could have found; this wee girl just feels like walking sunshine.

However, the best performance came from Tyriq Withers, who played Ledger Ward. This character is the classic hometown hero that everyone seems to love type, and Withers has the charisma to run with that. Ledger is a character who really works as a father figure, and this connection Withers has with Kosovic really makes for a loveable onscreen dynamic. Withers plays to his internal conflict well, protecting the family he has served for five years while grappling with his own feelings for Kenna. Withers manages to show anger and frustration in a restrained and reasonable way, more often finding Ledger's desire for resolution. This is a character who is entirely enamoured by Monroe's Kenna, too, and Withers plays to that head over heels quality well. This is the sort of character who stands firm in supporting others, and it's he who ultimately brings this family back together.

Reminders Of Him spends most of the film being a bit melodramatic and unlikely. It's hard to get away from the fact that everything is dramatised and there aren't many moments that find their grounding. Kenna's letters to Sammy often serve as exposition dumps before they later become emotional confessions, which takes a lot of the passion out of that connection very early on. This is a film that wants to remind you that Kenna's life is a misery; nothing has gone right for her. The love of her life is dead, she can't see her daughter, and she went to prison. But it's also a movie where Kenna seems to have a lot of doors open for her every step of the way. She gets a job and a place to live without much struggle, and her dead boyfriend's best friend is pretty fast in becoming completely smitten with her. From there, her pathway to getting a second job and a chance with her daughter only becomes easier in a lot of ways. The moment Kenna and Ledger kissed didn't feel completely earned at that time; they still had some sharp points between them, and it didn't feel like they had drawn close enough together. This is a movie that really doesn't want to put too much pressure on the viewer, and you always loosely know where it's all going to play out. Even the car crash that motivates all of this isn't well captured; it still leaves a lot of room for culpability and doesn't necessarily make the audience forgive Kenna. Reminders Of Him is often a mixed bag, a predictable romance film with enough ability to tug on the heartstrings in the final act.

When the camera got to fly out on location and capture scenery, it really shone. But most of the time, the camerawork in this was downright lazy, or even ugly. The close ups often pushed in too hard, or a scene was very awkwardly framed. The editing is probably the worst thing about this feature, often making some very janky cuts that hitch the pacing of a scene. Yet, it was those flashback sequences with Sammy, which were often colour graded the ugliest shade of yellow you would ever see, that highlighted the poor style choices for this film.

Bradley Whitford, who played Patrick Landry, felt a little lost in this role; the scene in which Whitford gets violent feels completely over the top. Lainey Wilson, who played Amy, is a role the film often forgets about; Wilson's friendship with Kenna could have been better developed. Monika Myers, who played Lady Diana, is an instance where a disabled person feels hired to be made a joke out of; Myers' character's behaviour is often treated as an oddity, which doesn't represent her very well. Hilary Jardine, who played Mary Anne, is probably a friend too many for Ledger's character; Jardine often feels like the odd person out in her scenes. 

A film that won't blow anyone away, but manages to tug on the heartstrings in its final few minutes quite well. I would give Reminders Of Him a 4.5/10.

The Bride!

 

This review may contain spoilers!

The Bride! is an adaptation of the Bride of Frankenstein character first introduced in Mary Shelley's novel, 'Frankenstein'. In this telling, an informant within the mob, Ida, is possessed by Mary Shelley's ghost and dies shortly thereafter. At the same time, Frankenstein's monster seeks help to bring a female corpse back from the dead as his bride.

This is a rather off-kilter and strange tale, one that never makes a move to try to ground itself. What consistently worked for me was the way The Bride and Frank collided with one another. They are an unconventional couple, with Frank yearning for a partner and The Bride holding no memory and seeking her own sense of identity. As this pair challenge one another and explode against the world around them, their entangled strangeness blossoms into something resembling affection.

There is a lot of wild dancing in The Bride! which can only be uplifted by an incredible feat of film score composition. Hildur Guðnadóttir electrifies this romping range of 1930s melodies, at times whirling the audience about and at others lingering on moments of poignant tragedy.

Christian Bale, who played Frank, does a good job at capturing this meeker version of Frankenstein's monster; Bale's monster is a heart struck by loneliness and yearning to feel the romantic side of life. Penélope Cruz and Peter Sarsgaard, who played Myrna Malloy and Jake Wiles respectively, often stole the show quite a bit in this film; this was a duo with a good-natured partnership that really lifted the quality of this film upwards. Zlatko Buric, who played Lupino, does quite a bit with not much screen time; I found Buric's scene where he's dishing out orders to mark him as an unpredictable and intimidating antagonist.

However, the best performance came from Jessie Buckley, who played The Bride/Mary Shelley. Buckley's proving to get pretty interesting as she takes the main stage a little more in cinema. This is a tilted role from start to finish, with Buckley's predominant character, Ida, becoming possessed by Mary Shelley very early on. It's a twisted and impressive feat to watch Buckley contort and twist herself into two different characters, often moments apart. I will say that the black and white solo sequences of her playing Mary Shelley were examples of poorer performance, but once she's free of this strange artistic choice, she really gives her all. Ida is a character who feels remarkably vulnerable, clinging to scraps of identity and trying to find herself. Buckley's more external efforts to portray Shelley are erratic and fiery, igniting rebellion within this merged form. Buckley crafts a character who isevolving from what she was into something violently resistant to the cloying embrace of male assault and exploitation present in this film.

 This movie almost immediately starts off on the wrong foot. The film opens with a black-and-white close-up on Mary Shelley, manic and in some kind of purgatory. Shelley, the famed writer of the novel that started all of this, has more she wants to say, and so possesses a character who is promptly killed. At the same time, Shelley's fictional creation, Frankenstein's monster (or Frank, as he's known in the film), is actually lumbering around. It's a strange moment trying to reconcile the two entities existing together before becoming entangled. The film then has The Bride and Frank trot around on a killing spree that often comes at random intervals. In truth, most of this film feels quite aimless; The Bride is twitching between personalities and seems to telepathically know all the crimes men in any given room have committed against women. This isn't even the extent of the odd, fantastical powers that make no sense. Sometimes people become hypnotised by the monsters and join them in dance sequences, and at other times the monsters can project themselves into films playing on movie screens. The Bride acts as this trigger point for radical feminist protest, but the setup to this is weak, and it's unclear what the film is trying to say here. Frank is also quite an impotent figure that often has nothing to contribute, spending a lot of his time gazing yearningly at either The Bride or a movie screen. Overall, The Bride! is a film that feels poorly conceived and has nothing of substance to deliver to the viewing audience.

Maggie Gylenhaal apparently had a strong directorial feature debut with The Lost Daughter; I think you would be shocked to hear that if you're like me and The Bride! is the first directorial product you have seen. This is a film set in a very exciting era to capture, yet the way it is filmed is so painfully dull and, admittedly, a bit obvious in places. It's rare to find a scene in here and think this is a creative endeavour, which is wild considering this is a reimagining of the Bride of Frankenstein. I found the editing only ever really contributed to the absolute slog that was the pacing. This movie positively drags some scenes out and could've been harsher with cutting. I also found the small soundtrack to be a pretty uninspired offering, ending this whole thing on the 'Monster Mash' made my eyes roll into the back of my head.

Annette Bening, who played Dr Euphronius, doesn't seem particularly convincing as a scientist character; Bening's odd rambles often left me with my eyes glazing over. Jake Gyllenhaal, who played Ronnie Reed, just did not feel like a famous actor from the era he was portraying; Gyllenhaal trotting through a dance sequence always yanked me out of the film in that moment. 

If there is one monster movie you should avoid in 2026, it's Maggie Gyllenhaal's absolutely ludicrous take on the Frankenstein mythos. I would give The Bride! a 3.5/10.