Search Results

Dive into our expert Oscar predictions and analysis, staying ahead of the curve on the films and performers destined for Hollywood glory. Awards Button Button Final 2025 Oscar Predictions February 28, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen 2025 Oscar Nominations - Winners & Losers January 23, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Hunter Friesen Oscar Nomination Predictions Last Updated: 01/25/2025 Next Update: 02/28/2025 1 Anora 2 Conclave 3 The Brutalist 4 Emilia Pérez 5 A Complete Unknown 6 Wicked 7 I'm Still Here 8 The Substance 9 Nickel Boys 10 Dune: Part Two Best Picture 1 Sean Baker (Anora) 2 Brady Corbet (The Brutalist) 3 Jacques Audiard (Emilia Pérez) 4 Coralie Fargeat (The Substance) 5 James Mangold (A Complete Unknown) Best Director 1 Anora 2 A Real Pain 3 The Substance 4 The Brutalist 5 September 5 Best Original Screenplay 1 Conclave 2 Nickel Boys 3 A Complete Unknown 4 Emilia Pérez 5 Sing Sing Best Adapted Screenplay 1 Adrien Brody (The Brutalist) 2 Timothée Chalamet (A Complete Unknown) 3 Ralph Fiennes (Conclave) 4 Colman Domingo (Sing Sing) 5 Sebastian Stan (The Apprentice) Best Lead Actor 1 Demi Moore (The Substance) 2 Mikey Madison (Anora) 3 Fernanda Torres (I'm Still Here) 4 Cynthia Erivo (Wicked) 5 Karla Sofía Gascón (Emilia Perez) Best Lead Actress 1 Kieran Culkin (A Real Pain) 2 Yura Borisov (Anora) 3 Edward Norton (A Complete Unknown) 4 Guy Pearce (The Brutalist) 5 Jeremy Strong (The Apprentice) Best Supporting Actor 1 Zoe Saldaña (Emilia Perez) 2 Ariana Grande (Wicked) 3 Isabella Rossellini (Conclave) 4 Felicity Jones (The Brutalist) 5 Monica Barbaro (A Complete Unknown) Best Supporting Actress 1 The Brutalist 2 Nosferatu 3 Maria 4 Dune: Part Two 5 Emilia Pérez Best Cinematography 1 Conclave 2 Anora 3 Emilia Pérez 4 The Brutalist 5 Wicked Best Film Editing 1 The Brutalist 2 Conclave 3 Emilia Pérez 4 The Wild Robot 5 Wicked Best Original Score 1 El Mal (Emilia Pérez) 2 The Journey (The Six Triple Eight) 3 Mi Camino (Emilia Pérez) 4 Never Too Late (Elton John: Never Too Late) 5 Like a Bird (Sing Sing) Best Original Song 1 Dune: Part Two 2 Wicked 3 A Complete Unknown 4 Emilia Pérez 5 The Wild Robot Best Sound 1 Wicked 2 The Brutalist 3 Nosferatu 4 Conclave 5 Dune: Part Two Best Production Design 1 Wicked 2 Conclave 3 Nosferatu 4 A Complete Unknown 5 Gladiator II Best Costume Design 1 The Substance 2 Wicked 3 Nosferatu 4 Emilia Pérez 5 A Different Man Best Makeup & Hairstyling 1 Dune: Part Two 2 Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes 3 Wicked 4 Better Man 5 Alien: Romulus Best Visual Effects 1 The Wild Robot 2 Flow 3 Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl 4 Inside Out 2 5 Memoir of a Snail Best Animated Feature 1 Emilia Pérez (France) 2 I'm Still Here (Brazil) 3 Flow (Latvia) 4 The Seed of the Sacred Fig (Germany) 5 The Girl with the Needle (Denmark) Best International Feature 1 No Other Land 2 Porcelain War 3 Sugarcane 4 Black Box Diaries 5 Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat Best Documentary Feature

Magazine Dreams March 17, 2025 By: Button Tyler Banark Jonathan Majors’ career trajectory will be studied for years to come. Think about it: this guy was on top of the world for four years, destined to become one of the next great actors of his generation, and was about to become the next big baddie for the MCU. He had it all, but it all crumbled when he was arrested two years ago. Before that happened, Majors had a film that was the talk of the town at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. Magazine Dreams presents an unflinching character study of a man obsessed with achieving greatness in the world of bodybuilding. Magazine Dreams follows Killian Maddox (Majors), an aspiring bodybuilder consumed by his dream of gracing the covers of fitness magazines. The film paints a grim picture of his life: he is socially isolated, struggling with deep-seated anger issues, and unable to form meaningful relationships. His routine consists of grueling workouts, injections of performance-enhancing drugs, and interactions that often veer toward the unsettling. Killian’s obsessive drive for recognition and success is captivating and tragic, as he spirals into darker psychological territory with each passing scene. The film delves deeply into themes of loneliness, societal neglect, and the destructive nature of unchecked ambition. Killian’s yearning for external validation reflects the modern struggle for fame and recognition, particularly in an era of social media and physical perfection dominating the cultural landscape. There’s also a poignant exploration of masculinity—particularly the toxic extremes it can reach when tied to identity and self-worth. Magazine Dreams forces the audience to sit with uncomfortable truths about alienation and the cost of single-minded determination. Still, it does so in a way that occasionally feels heavy-handed. However people want to view his performance, Majors’ portrayal of Killian Maddox is extraordinary. He fully commits to the role's physicality, transforming his body into a living embodiment of the character’s obsession. More importantly, he conveys Killian’s inner turmoil with a raw, unsettling intensity. His eyes flicker between desperation and fury, and his every movement—lifting weights or struggling through a painful social interaction—feels imbued with a sense of barely contained rage and sorrow. Majors’ performance exposes the fragile humanity beneath Killian’s imposing exterior. He allows the audience to see both the tragedy and the danger in his character, creating a protagonist who is as sympathetic as he is unnerving. This role demands attention, and Majors delivers one of his career's most physically and emotionally immersive performances. Director Elijah Bynum crafts a visually striking film that mirrors Killian’s mental state. The cinematography is frequently stark and intimate, lingering on Majors’ sculpted physique in ways that highlight its power and grotesqueness. The close-up shots of his body emphasize the cost of his obsession—his veins bulging, his skin glistening with sweat, and his muscles strained to their limits. This choice was reminiscent of 2022’s The Whale , where anytime the camera shows someone eating food, it’s uncomfortable. It’s unsettling, reinforcing the idea that his dream may consume him entirely. There’s little room to breathe, and the relentless bleakness can feel exhausting rather than enlightening. Bynum’s direction ensures that the audience feels Killian’s isolation and suffering, but the film’s lack of tonal variation makes it a tough watch. One of Magazine Dreams’ biggest weaknesses is its pacing. The film brings forth a moment in Killian’s bodybuilding career that was built to be its climax, less than an hour into its runtime. From there, the narrative meanders, losing momentum in ways that detract from its emotional impact. Additionally, the script struggles to maintain focus. Some subplots—such as Killian’s interactions with Jessie, a potential romantic interest—feel rushed and left for dead, while others simply fizzle out without resolution. It’s a film that demands patience and a willingness to sit with discomfort, but it doesn’t always reward that patience with a satisfying or cohesive narrative. More Reviews Black Bag March 13, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen The Electric State March 12, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Magazine Dreams March 17, 2025 By: Tyler Banark The Day The Earth Blew Up March 14, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Hunter Friesen

The Cinema Dispatch is your one-stop-shop film review website that also offers lists, awards updates, and essays relating to the world of cinema. Reviews Black Bag March 13, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen The Electric State March 12, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Magazine Dreams March 17, 2025 By: Tyler Banark The Day The Earth Blew Up March 14, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Awards Button Button Final 2025 Oscar Predictions February 28, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen 2025 Oscar Nominations - Winners & Losers January 23, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen 1 Anora 2 Conclave 3 The Brutalist 4 Emilia Pérez 5 A Complete Unknown 6 Wicked 7 I'm Still Here 8 The Substance 9 Nickel Boys 10 Dune: Part Two Oscar Nomination Predictions - Best Picture Hunter Friesen Lists Ranking the Films of Bong Joon-ho March 6, 2025 By: Tyler Banark 25 Most Anticipated Films of 2025 January 27, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Essays Button Button Tyler's Takes: Forty Years of 'The Breakfast Club' February 15, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Tyler's Takes: 2015 and the Popularization of the Legacy Sequel January 25, 2025 By: Tyler Banark

Opus March 14, 2025 By: Button Hunter Friesen Had Opus been released a decade prior, it might have had a chance to be a decent movie. Probably not, as that conversation would have needed the film to have a single redeeming element. But by coming out in 2025 and after the likes of Get Out , Midsommar, Blink Twice , The Menu , and Don’t Worry Darling , the weight of comparison killed Opus right from the start. This is an A24 film in the derogatory sense, tailor-made to have ironic memes generated and tongue-in-cheek merchandise consumed (if it sounds like I’m venting, it’s because I am). It came as no surprise to witness three of the four other audience members at my screening immediately open Letterboxd to log this as soon as the credits started scrolling. Unfortunately for Opus , that kind of crowd has definitely seen the other mentioned movies, leaving not many green stars to be granted here. I guess I was a little harsh when I said that this film didn’t have any redeeming elements to it. That’s not wholly true, as Ayo Edebiri and John Malkovich delivered decent enough performances to keep me in my seat. She plays Ariel Ecton, a young journalist for a major music magazine. We first see her in a pitch meeting, the rest of the room eating up her every word as she pitches a new story on some faded singer. Editor Stan Sullivan (Murray Bartlett) likes the idea but passes Ariel over and hands it off to some other writer. Fate then reaches out and extends its hand in the form of an invite for Stan, and, surprisingly, Ariel, to join the legendary and long-reclusive popstar Alfred Moretti (Malkovich) at his secluded Utah compound for an unveiling of his new studio album. Considering her rookie status, especially when compared to all the other attendees like TV personality Clara Armstrong (Juliette Lewis) and paparazzo Bianca Tyson (Melissa Chambers), Ariel’s presence immediately stands out. It’s that sense of otherness that keeps Ariel on her toes as the weirdness of Moretti and his assembled cult followers gradually becomes too loud to ignore. The comparisons to Midsommar and The Menu also become too loud to ignore right as Ariel and co. arrive at Moretti’s self-proclaimed slice of heaven. Because every cult member smiles all the time and speaks of having their inner selves finally unlocked, you and I both know this is all bullshit and that something sinister is about to go down. First-time writer/director Mark Anthony Green takes his sweet time getting to the destination, littering his script with lectures on celebrity worship and the integrity of entertainment journalism. Besides already being beaten to the punch, Green never feels willing to make a fine point about any of his talking points, leaving everything in a morally muddled mess. I assume he thought the stylization would be enough, a kind of shorthand that forces us to fill in the logic gaps. Worse than the confusion Opus incites is the fact that it never registers as interesting or sensical. What’s the point of asking questions when you never cared what the answer was to begin with? More Reviews Black Bag March 13, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen The Electric State March 12, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Magazine Dreams March 17, 2025 By: Tyler Banark The Day The Earth Blew Up March 14, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Hunter Friesen

Novocaine March 8, 2025 By: Button Hunter Friesen Whether we like it or not (“masochist” is the word of the day), pain serves an essential purpose in our lives. Those unpleasant pangs are a survival mechanism our bodies use to keep us away from all the harmful things the world throws at us. Everyone can remember the first time they placed their hand on the stove as a kid, and those feelings ensured we never did it again. But what if pain didn’t exist? At first, we’d all jump at the chance to feel like Superman, taking all those horrible things that used to hurt us in stride. However, one only has to gaze over at David Cronenberg’s 2022 film Crimes of the Future to know that a world without pain is one without guardrails. In Cronenberg’s dystopian tale, people openly perform surgery on themselves, splice organs for art, and attempt to morph themselves into a new level of evolution. It’s nearly impossible for anyone to know when they’ve gone too far when all the warnings have been shut off. In Novocaine , Nathan Caine (Jack Quaid) has CIPA (Congenital Insensitivity to Pain with Anhidrosis) a rare genetic disorder where he is incapable of feeling pain or temperature. He lives his mild-mannered life as a bank manager with the utmost safety. Tennis balls are on every corner he could bump into, and all of his digestive needs are met through smoothies as solid foods could lead him to bite his tongue off. It’s these early moments where Lars Jacobson’s script illustrates that it has more on its mind than just the silly antics that the trailers solely focused on. Studies have shown that most people with CIPA don’t live past thirty, and their quality of life is quite poor on account of the increased anxiety that they endure. It can lead a person to become a hermit, shielding themselves from everything in an attempt to see another day. Like any twentysomething guy who spends almost all of his free time playing video games, the thing that gets him to come out of his shell is a girl. Sherry (Amber Midthunder) is one of the tellers at the bank Nathan works at, and she takes an interest in his awkward personality and odd case. But just as things are about to get serious between the pair, the bank is robbed and Sherry is taken as a hostage. Fearing that he’s going lose the one good thing that’s ever happened to him in his miserable life, Nathan becomes a vigilante, using his condition for his own benefit. From this point, all those injuries that Nathan’s spent his whole life avoiding become the punch-line to the wall-to-wall set pieces. While Cronenberg made a body horror feature, directing duo Dan Berk and Robert Olsen have made a body comedy feature. At one point during a brawl in a kitchen with one of the robbers, a gun falls into a deep fryer. Sensing that he’s got no other option, Nathan plunges his hand into the oil and grabs the gun. He later gets impaled with a crossbow bolt, which is treated more as a minor annoyance than a serious injury. These gags are all well executed, even if they become entirely repetitive the more we progress through the story. Quaid is a capable lead, recently being promoted from television and supporting roles. His comedic sense makes up for a lot of the dead weight his costars pack on, which includes punchable crooks, Jacob Batalon in his signature role as the best friend to the hero, and cops that are getting too old for this shit. This probably could have been a streaming movie, but then you’d be robbed of all the communal laughing and squirming to all the mishaps, which is worth just enough to cover the admission price. More Reviews Black Bag March 13, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen The Electric State March 12, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Opus March 14, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen The Day The Earth Blew Up March 14, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Hunter Friesen

The Day The Earth Blew Up March 14, 2025 By: Button Tyler Banark 2025 looks to be the year classic animated franchises bring new substance to their material in a fitting fashion. In January, Wallace and Gromit returned with Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl , a well-done legacy sequel to the duo’s most iconic Oscar-winning short The Wrong Trousers . Now, Warner Bros. (and the fine folks at Ketchup Entertainment) brings us The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie . It’s a delightful return to form for Warner Bros.'s iconic animated franchise, delivering a nostalgic yet fresh experience that both long-time fans and new audiences can appreciate. The film's narrative is a loving homage to 1950s sci-fi B-movies, seamlessly intertwined with the chaotic charm of Looney Tunes antics. The story starts with Daffy Duck and Porky Pig securing jobs at a bubblegum factory, a setting ripe for comedic mishaps. Their routine bungling leads them to uncover an alien conspiracy aiming for world domination through mind control. Teaming up with Petunia Pig, the duo embarks on a mission to thwart the extraterrestrial threat while navigating their hilarious dynamics. The plot is both engaging and appropriately zany, capturing the essence of what makes Looney Tunes enduring. It's a buddy-comedy of epic proportions, delivering laugh-out-loud gags and vibrant visuals that have defined the franchise for decades. For decades, casual viewers like me have only seen Bugs Bunny as the leading face of the franchise. Now, Daffy and Porky can share that title with him. One of the film's standout features is its animation style. The hand-drawn animation is both beautiful and smooth, reflecting a dedication to preserving the traditional aesthetic of Looney Tunes while incorporating modern techniques. The vibrant color palette and fluid character movements create a visual feast that honors the franchise's legacy. The Day the Earth Blew Up is also the first Looney Tunes movie containing original material to be fully animated, theatrically released, and the second to not be distributed domestically by Warner Bros. since the 1975 documentary Bugs Bunny Superstar . The 90-minute runtime is a blessing, so the pacing isn’t the issue—instead, it’s the structure of the movie's plot. The entire time, we’re to believe Daffy and Porky are trying to stop an alien from taking over the world, but a plot twist in the last 30 minutes contradicts this, making it all suddenly hollow. A quick fix to this would be to flesh out the alien as a character, but the script calls for him to be a one-dimensional “I will rule the world” type of villain. Separately, the movie lacks humor, which can be a bit repetitive. There’s nothing wrong with the zaniness we come to expect from Looney Tunes, but there aren’t many jokes that appeal to both adults and children. However, a montage and a fourth-wall break make up for this effort. Voice actor Eric Bauza delivers stellar performances as both Daffy Duck and Porky Pig, capturing the unique personalities and comedic timing that have made these characters iconic. His ability to embody the essence of each character adds depth to their interactions and enhances the film's overall humor. While he’s been the overall voice for the two leads for half a decade, he looks to join the ranks of Mel Blanc as a longtime staple to the franchise. In a time when voice actors aren’t as known as they used to be, it’s nice to see someone like Bauza committing to something like the Looney Tunes universe. One thing to be addressed is that Warner Bros. moved forward with releasing this, but scrapped another Looney Tunes property film, Coyote vs. Acme . I’m glad there’s a new (and better) Looney Tunes film seeing the light of day in the 21st Century, but I can’t help but remember that David Zaslav and the people at Warner Bros. pulled the plug on a film that deserved a shot. Who knows if Coyote vs. Acme would’ve worked as a film, but in a day and age where the Looney Tunes aren’t having content cranked out (unlike Mickey at Disney, SpongeBob at Nickelodeon, the Peanuts gang through Apple TV+, etc.) another Looney Tunes-related theatrical movie would’ve helped everyone. Regardless of all that, The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie is a testament to the enduring appeal of classic Looney Tunes antics. Whether you're a lifelong fan or new to the Looney Tunes universe, this film offers a delightful experience that is both familiar and refreshingly new. After all, Looney Tunes knows how to stay true to itself and never fails to make audiences smile when the iconic catchphrase “that’s all, folks” hits. More Reviews Black Bag March 13, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen The Electric State March 12, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Novocaine March 8, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen The Day The Earth Blew Up March 14, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Hunter Friesen

Black Bag March 13, 2025 By: Button Hunter Friesen A meeting on Friday, a dinner party on Sunday, a murder on Monday, and a movie on Tuesday—this is the cycle of events that the characters in Black Bag face with a cold attitude. All of them work in different departments within British intelligence (probably MI6; it’s never made clear). The actions of a traitor initiate this cycle, and the unflappable George Woodhouse (Michael Fassbender) is tasked with snuffing them out. On his list are the names of five suspects. There’s Freddie Smalls (Tom Burke), always confident in his skills despite just being passed over for a promotion by George; Clarissa Dubose (Marisa Abela), the youngest of the bunch who possesses much more skill than she lets on; James Stokes (Regé-Jean Page), the young colonel whose ascendancy at work is only matched by the height of his ego; Dr. Zoe Vaughan (Naomie Harris), the psychoanalysis who probably knows more everyone and everything than she should; and, most importantly of all, Kathryn St. Jean (Cate Blanchett), George’s wife and fellow spy. One of these people stole some sort of device that could destroy a nuclear reactor from the inside, inevitably leading to the radioactive deaths of every man, woman, and child within fifty miles. Honestly, though, the world-ending stakes aren’t that important, especially once a generic Russian terrorist becomes involved later on. What’s important to director Steven Soderbergh and screenwriter David Koepp is what George will do to the traitor once he finds them, and what kind of collateral damage the other four will have to endure before they’re exonerated. Everyone asks Goerge if he’ll be able to pull the trigger if Kathryn turns out to be the culprit, a question that he always leaves unanswered. Making the traditionally important aspects of a story the least interesting thing about them is a common practice for Soderbergh. He took all the basketball out of his NBA movie High Flying Bird , focused on business over dancing in the Magic Mike films, and swapped out horror for familial dysfunction in his haunted house movie Presence . These decisions could, should, and would disappoint those looking to be greeted by the familiar trappings of a genre. But Soderbergh is always one step ahead, using subversion to his and our benefit. Black Bag illustrates that the greatest weapon in a spy’s arsenal is not a gun or some nifty gadget, but the ability to have an open conversation. But when you and everyone you know work in a profession that trades in deceit and lies, the truth becomes ungraspable. The titular phrase is famously used around the agency as an answer to any question that can’t or won’t be divulged. Where were you last night? Black Bag. What did you do today at work? Black bag. How much longer do you think you’ll need to stay at the office tonight? Black bag. George hates liars. His steely presence and precision in deciding whether to speak or remain silent allow every other character’s words to hang in the air just long enough to box themselves into a corner. Between this and The Killer and The Agency , Fassbender has clearly found his knack for playing the highly competent professional who finds himself flung in over his head. He plays the small moments with as much heft as the explosions, the retreatment keeping everything as tight as a piano wire. The supporting cast gets to cut loose a little more, but mostly from the benefit of comparison. Soderbergh always knows how to make the mundane feel smoky cool, something that comes with ease when you have the mega wattage of Cate Blanchett. Just the sight of her walking through an airport in sunglasses is enough to raise the temperature. But except for the opening long take that snakes George through an underground London club, Soderbergh never calls much attention to himself. The camerawork and editing (performed by himself under the famous pseudonyms Peter Andrews and Mary Ann Bernard, respectively) are ripped out of a surveillance system, blocking characters from each other in a playful game of back-and-forth. Koepp and Soderbergh have collaborated twice before on Kimi and Presence . I hope this partnership continues indefinitely, as each product twists our expectations through practical and thematic strategies. Even when you strip away all the fancy artistry and subtextual analysis, you’re still left with something extremely entertaining. More Reviews Black Bag March 13, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen The Electric State March 12, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Novocaine March 8, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen The Day The Earth Blew Up March 14, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Hunter Friesen

Mickey 17 March 7, 2025 By: Button Hunter Friesen It’s been nearly six years since South Korean director Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, which, little to our knowledge at that moment, would be just the first of many victorious spots for the lauded social satire. The culmination of that journey would be at the Academy Awards, where the film made history by being the first foreign language feature to be awarded the prize for Best Motion Picture. Of course, with that much success comes the raising of the bar, and the inevitable questions of what’s next for a filmmaker who’s earned himself a blank check for whatever his heart desires. $120 million was the amount of cash that Warner Bros. plunked down to lure Bong back to the United States for this third English-language film, the first two being Snowpiercer and Okja , respectively. And while no follow-up to Parasite could possibly live up to the incredibly high standards placed upon it, Mickey 17 is an extreme disappointment no matter how you slice it. Between Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk’s continuous efforts to commodify space, the stars we all share are beginning to lose their shimmer. The final frontier is now merely another capitalist hellscape to run away from your problems on Earth, which is exactly what Mickey Barnes (Robert Pattinson) does after he gets in some deep water with a loan shark with an unhealthy obsession with dismembering the people who fall into his debt. With no special skills to differentiate him from the overcrowded employment lines, he signs up to be an “expendable,” where his memories and body schematics will be downloaded so that he can be reprinted/cloned whenever he dies. It’s only fitting that the most advanced technology that the human race has ever wielded is mostly used to more efficiently exploit the working man. The title comes from the fact that the iteration we become accustomed to is the seventeenth version of him, the previous sixteen dying in the name of “science” as the crew of his spaceship tries to colonize the icy planet Niflheim. Mark Ruffalo plays the ship’s commander, Kenneth Marshall, in one the laziest and most exhaustive Trump / corrupt egotistical politician impressions we’ve been inundated with over this past decade. Bong already reared his head around this territory with Tilda Swinton’s awkward corporate head honcho in Okja . These results are much more simplified, even down to the red hats that Marshall’s supporters don and his constant need for approval. Pattinson’s nasally narration is very much in “tell, don’t show” mode, rendering several scenes in need of the mute button. At the very least, it would allow for Jung Jae-il’s score and Darius Khondji’s cinematography to be more appreciated, the former reconfiguring the intense piano rhythms of Parasite into something a little more fluttery. There are so many ethical questions and dilemmas that Bong’s script, and adaptation of the Edward Ashton novel, could have investigated further or with more precision. Instead, everything is painted with the broadest brush possible, arming the satire with the same weight as a cold open from Saturday Night Live . Pattinson’s commitment to the role in all its eccentricities is what keeps the ship from capsizing sooner. That goes double when he gets preemptively reprinted for the eighteenth time, leaving everyone seeing double. Naomi Ackie plays his lover Nasha, although there really isn’t much to say about her. It’s one of the few times that the line “I don’t know what she sees in me,” can be shared by both the character and audience. There is one ingenious moment when they initially meet, and we don’t hear the conversation they share. All we see are their mouths moving, the gleeful expressions on their faces, and the joyous thoughts running through their heads as they realize they each found the person right for them. Bong has long held compassion for his characters, even if his view of humanity is never the rosiest. If only he shared some of that compassion for the audience’s intelligence for this go around. More Reviews Black Bag March 13, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen The Electric State March 12, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Novocaine March 8, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen The Day The Earth Blew Up March 14, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Hunter Friesen

The Amateur April 8, 2025 By: Button Hunter Friesen It may only be February, but Paolo Sorrentino’s Parthenope could very well take the cake as the most beautiful film of 2025. Early on in the famed Italian auteur’s newest film, the streets of Naples circa 1968 are basked in the golden sunlight reflected off the water of the Mediterranean Sea. Men, women, and children populate every corner and avenue, all dressed in the works of Anthony Vaccarello, creative director of the luxury fashion house Yves Saint Laurent. At this moment, you understand exactly what Kate Hudson was singing and dancing about in Rob Marshall’s film adaptation of Nine . In those same waters eighteen years earlier, the titular Parthenope was born. Her godfather, the shipping tycoon boss of her father, gifted her a chariot from Versailles as a crib so that she could travel the world as she slept. He also insisted that the family name her after the mythological name of coastal Naples, bestowing her with thousands of years of blessings and curses. Like the streets in that opening, one of those blessings is her unparalleled beauty. Men start drooling like cartoon characters before going into a catatonic state just at the sight of her, and women understand that she puts them all to shame just by comparison. One of those slobbering dogs is Sandrino (Dario Aita), the son of her family’s maid. He’s fawned over her his entire life, even succumbing to sniffing her drying bathing suit just to get closer to a goddess. ite Parthenope being aware of the power her beauty possesses, she isn’t sure how to best wield it. She keeps those ogling men at bay, all of them treating her as a trophy to acquire. They all ask her what she’s thinking, but they never listen to her response. When she rejects the advances of a rich man who makes inquiries from his helicopter, he lashes by saying “You’re not a big deal.” Film acting initially seems to be the best use of her talent, although the fate of every actress is never pretty. She eventually lands in academia, specifically anthropology, a natural fit considering her voracious reading habits and need to always have a ready answer for those inquisitive men. Academia is where Sorrentino steadies the sights of his screenplay for the rest of the runtime, ruminating on the complexities of love, youth, and beauty. As evidenced by his previous works of Youth and The Great Beauty , these are not newfound themes for Sorrentino. What’s new for the director is centering his epic tale on a woman, specifically in a time and place when women were rarely given the chance to do so. When Parthenope asks her father what would help lift him of his depression, he selfishly looks her up and down and responds that a grandchild might help. While all of its ideas are communicated through the utmost sensuality in both the setting and performances, much of Sorrentino’s dialogue gets lost in its flowery translation. Their prettiness is what also makes them vapid, a contradiction to the ultimate goal of this story. It’s why the more direct conversations between Parthenope and author John Cheever (Gary Oldman), soaking his new novel in alcohol and repressed homosexuality, leave a more lasting impression despite their brevity. There is also the dichotomy between a writer/director insisting that a woman is more than just her beauty, only to indulgently lens her as if she’s beckoning you to buy the newest line of perfume. Newcomer Celeste Dalla Porta is radiantly beautiful and intriguing in the lead role, imbuing Parthenope with much more depth than the script reluctantly presents. Even if this amounts to style over substance, the performances and overwhelming seductiveness are temptingly attractive. For Sorrentino, the style is just as much the substance as the substance itself. More Reviews Black Bag March 13, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen The Electric State March 12, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Novocaine March 8, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Mickey 17 March 7, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Hunter Friesen

The Electric State March 12, 2025 By: Button Hunter Friesen Have you ever wondered why Netflix keeps hiking up the price of its streaming service? Beyond the simple answer that they can do whatever they want now that they’re the top dog in streaming (What are you gonna do? Go over to Peacock?), all that extra cash is needed to fund their quarterly ventures into blockbuster filmmaking. Q1 2025’s splashy title for the next investor meeting is The Electric State , which reportedly comes at a cost of $320 million, putting it within shouting distance of some of the most expensive movies ever made. This comes as no surprise considering directors Anthony and Joe Russo are at the helm. They’ve displayed their expertise in creating entertainment out of the GDPs of small island nations numerous times before with their Captain America and Avengers films. Seeing all those box office dollars flowing like Niagara Falls, Netflix quickly snatched up the brothers, but not before they took forgettable detours to rival streamers Apple TV+ and Amazon with Cherry and Citadel , respectively. The Gray Man didn’t start the franchise that Netflix desperately needed, even with Captain America himself Chris Evans as a headliner. And now with Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon films and Red Notice failing to do the same, the steamer is back to the Russos in another attempt to become one of the big boy studios. But just as one could tell once video games and other tie-ins were announced before the film had even been seen by the public, the desperation for this film to be in the first of a franchise permeates through each unremarkable frame, cloying emotional moment, and generic punchline. The Russos may be great at getting stuff over the finish line, but this is another reminder that they’re pretty inept when it comes to starting from scratch. Loosely adapting from the 2018 illustrated novel by Swedish artist Simon Stålenhag of the same name, the Russos and their ever-dependable screenwriting team of Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely center the story around Michelle (Millie Bobby Brown), a teenage girl all alone after her family was killed in a car crash. While she was in the hospital recovering, humanity waged a war against the worker robots that Walt Disney created back in the 1950s to lighten our load. These bots wanted personal freedom, something we weren’t willing to accommodate. Humans won the war thanks to the obviously evil techno billionaire Ethan Skate (Stanley Tucci), and all robots were deemed illegal and cast off to the Exclusionary Zone in the deserts of the southwest. As it turns out, Michelle’s brother is alive, his unconscious brain being used as the battery that powers the entire neural network that Skate’s corporation uses to control the masses. Yes, this plot is pretty much as dumb on celluloid as on paper. To break him out of his prison, Michelle will have to break the downtrodden veteran robots out of their prison, led by an animatronic Mr. Peanut. It’s obvious that the war chest Netflix threw at this production didn’t go the screenplay, a dime-a-dozen story of a messianic teenager who leads the unlikely forces of good against an evil domineering superpower. Even the relationship between Michelle and her brother is delivered in shorthand flashback scenes where the siblings only speak in big emotions as Alan Silvestri’s score reaches for the heavens. Silvestri is famous for being Robert Zemeckis’ go-to composer, a director who could have brought something interesting to this material if it were published back in his heyday. The effects/animatronics are very impressive, with robots of all shapes and sizes given a unique design and personality, providing several opportunities for famous actors to appear as voiceovers. Ke Huy Quan as a makeshift Windows PC and Jenny Slate as Penny Pal the Mailwoman are notable highlights. Unsurprisingly, Chris Pratt has great chemistry with his CGI robot sidekick Herman, exceptionally and sneakily voiced by Anthony Mackie. There’s also blink-and-you-miss-it roles for Jason Alexander, Holly Hunter, Hank Azaria, and Colman Domingo. Watching all of this never come to fruition was not an enjoyable experience, but it wasn’t a total waste of time, either. This is a prototypical four-quadrant film aimed to attract the maximum amount of eyeballs from around the world. While I don’t think anyone will be offended by what it offers, I also doubt anyone will be wholly pleased. More Reviews Black Bag March 13, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen The Electric State March 12, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Novocaine March 8, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Mickey 17 March 7, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Hunter Friesen

The Unbreakable Boy February 22, 2025 By: Button Tyler Banark Around Thanksgiving, I saw a trailer for The Unbreakable Boy that resonated with me, not because it looked good, but because it was about autism. As someone who has lived with it his whole life, I felt the need to see it. Some movies revolving around the topic of autism set out to inspire, tug at heartstrings, and remind us of the resilience of the human spirit. The Unbreakable Boy , directed by Jon Gunn and based on a true story, attempts to do all those things. Featuring a touching narrative and a heartfelt central performance, the film succeeds in delivering an uplifting message, but its uneven execution and occasional tonal inconsistencies keep it from reaching its full potential. At the heart of The Unbreakable Boy is Austin LeRette (played by Jacob Laval), a young boy with rare brittle bone disease and autism. Despite these challenges, Austin exudes a relentless optimism and joy that profoundly impacts those around him. His father, Scott (Zachary Levi), is a loving yet flawed man, struggling to navigate his own personal demons while ensuring his son gets the best life possible. The film explores their relationship, trials, and how Austin’s indomitable spirit influences those in his orbit. The story is based on Scott LeRette’s memoir, The Unbreakable Boy: A Father’s Fear, a Son’s Courage, and a Story of Unconditional Love . The adaptation, also by Gunn, stays true to the book’s themes, emphasizing faith, perseverance, and the power of love. The Unbreakable Boy was made by Kingdom Story Company, a branch that focuses on Christian films. In today’s cinema landscape, nobody looks twice at faith-based movies for whatever reasons, myself included. However, The Unbreakable Boy seemed different as it wasn’t advertised or set out to be a piece of Christian propaganda like the God’s Not Dead movies or I Can Only Imagine . There was also the appeal of Levi, who is likely the most prominent actor to star in a film made by Kingdom Story. Before The Unbreakable Boy , he was in Kingdom Story’s 2021 American Underdog about NFL quarterback Kurt Warner. Levi, best known for his charismatic roles in Shazam! and TV’s Chuck , looks to bring something different than what we’re used to seeing him do. His performance won’t take his career to new heights, but it was decent enough to remind audiences that he’s not a cringeworthy actor. Additionally, the film does a commendable job of capturing the highs and lows of parenting a child with special needs. There are touching moments of connection, frustration, and personal growth that feel authentic. It’s in these smaller, intimate moments that the film truly shines. While the emotional beats land well, The Unbreakable Boy has inconsistent pacing. The movie starts strong, drawing viewers into Austin’s world with engaging character moments, but it occasionally loses momentum with meandering subplots and unnecessary scenes that dilute its impact. Sometimes, it feels like the film is unsure whether it wants to be a heartfelt family drama, a faith-based movie, or an inspirational biopic, resulting in tonal shifts that can be jarring. The script also leans heavily on sentimentality, which, while effective in small doses, occasionally feels forced. Some of the inspirational dialogue comes across as overly polished and scripted. This can make certain moments feel emotionally manipulative rather than genuinely moving. Additionally, while the film highlights Austin’s unique perspective and joy for life, it sometimes frames him more as an inspirational figure for others rather than giving him his own personal arc. More exploration of Austin’s challenges and growth would have made for a more well-rounded portrayal. For those seeking a heartwarming, faith-driven family drama, The Unbreakable Boy offers enough moments of sincerity and joy to be a satisfying experience. However, the film may feel underwhelming for audiences looking for a more nuanced and tightly crafted narrative. It’s a good—not great—film with its heart in the right place, but it doesn’t quite manage to break through to something exceptional. You can follow Tyler and hear more of his thoughts on Twitter , Instagram , and Letterboxd . More Reviews Black Bag March 13, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen The Electric State March 12, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Novocaine March 8, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Mickey 17 March 7, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Hunter Friesen

Paddington in Peru February 19, 2025 By: Button Tyler Banark The beloved bear from Peru returns for another adventure in Paddington in Peru , the third installment in the charming film series that has captured hearts worldwide. While it doesn't quite reach the emotional and narrative heights of its predecessors, the film delivers plenty of laughs, stunning visuals, and the signature warmth we expect from Paddington's adventures. It’s a delightful, family-friendly journey that offers both familiar comforts and new discoveries — with a few bumps along the way. This time, Paddington sets off on a trip to Peru to visit his Aunt Lucy, who now lives at a home for retired bears. The decision to move the story to Peru allows the filmmakers to explore new settings and cultural landscapes for Paddington and his antics to run amuck. As always, Ben Whishaw continues to shine as the voice of Paddington, bringing his signature blend of innocence, sincerity, and curiosity to the role. Paddington's polite nature, moral compass, and knack for getting in (and out of) sticky situations remain as endearing as ever. His desire to reconnect with Aunt Lucy forms the story's emotional core, grounding the comedic escapades in genuine sentiment. While some may argue that Paddington is still the same bear he was in the first two movies and does not have much arc, he still contains the reverent personality that makes him who he is. The human cast adds slightly to the film's charm. The Browns' unwavering belief in Paddington and their willingness to follow him across continents is heartwarming, reinforcing the series' central message about the importance of family — whether by blood or bond. Newly introduced characters bring a sense of novelty to the mix, though not all of them are as memorable as the familiar faces we’ve come to love. These cookie-cutter newcomers include Antonio Banderas’ gold-hungry boat captain, Hunter Cabot, and Olivia Colman’s conspicuous nun. Carla Tous plays Hunter’s daughter, Gina, a role initially to be played by Rachel Zegler, who dropped out due to the 2023 SAG strikes but left much to the imagination as to what the latter would’ve been like in the role. There’s also Emily Mortimer replacing Sally Hawkins as Mrs. Brown with a performance that felt insincere and reminiscent of how better-fitted Hawkins was. The humor remains delightfully accessible, with Paddington's usual mix of innocent misunderstandings, physical comedy, and clever wordplay providing plenty of laughs for children and adults alike. That said, the film doesn't always match the narrative sophistication of the first two Paddington movies. The second film set an exceptionally high bar, balancing humor, heart, and social commentary with remarkable finesse. Paddington in Peru , by contrast, leans more heavily on spectacle and adventure. The emotional beats — particularly Paddington’s bond with Aunt Lucy — feel somewhat underdeveloped, making the climactic moments less impactful than they might have been with a tighter script. Additionally, the pacing occasionally falters. The final act takes its time getting through what should be the most emotionally resonant moments and straightforward ending, but the script stretches it thinly. As a result, the resolution, while satisfying, doesn’t quite deliver the emotional punch we’ve come to expect from Paddington’s cinematic adventures. Visually, however, the film is stunning. Director Dougal Wilson (replacing Paul King) makes the most of these settings, capturing the majesty of the Andes and the intricate details of Peruvian culture with genuine care. The animation of Paddington himself remains seamless, with his fur, facial expressions, and interactions with the human characters continuing to impress. The film also maintains its commitment to positive, universal messages. Paddington’s unwavering belief in kindness, fairness, and the goodness of others is as relevant as ever. His interactions with locals, his determination to do right by Aunt Lucy, and his ability to bring people together — even in the face of misunderstandings and mishaps — reinforce the importance of empathy and understanding. Paddington's gentle, optimistic worldview is a welcome balm in a world often short on both. Despite its flaws, Paddington in Peru ultimately delivers a fun, heartwarming experience for audiences of all ages. While it doesn't surpass the near-perfect blend of humor, heart, and social commentary achieved by Paddington 2 , it still stands as a worthy entry in the series. Families will enjoy the humor, the visuals, and the lovable bear at the center of it all. At the same time, long-time fans will appreciate the film’s commitment to Paddington’s core values of kindness, curiosity, and resilience. In the end, Paddington in Peru is a charming, visually stunning adventure that offers more warmth and humor, which has made Paddington a cinematic favorite. You can follow Tyler and hear more of his thoughts on Twitter , Instagram , and Letterboxd . More Reviews The Electric State March 12, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Novocaine March 8, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Mickey 17 March 7, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen The Unbreakable Boy February 22, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Hunter Friesen