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Obsession May 13, 2026 By: Button Hunter Friesen It’s an age-old adage that you should always be careful what you wish for, because you never know exactly what you’re going to get. It’s something Minnesotans have to deal with every year with the weather, as the person who simply wishes for warmer or colder temperatures hardly takes into account the extreme ends of that spectrum. Wishing for a white Christmas will often be met with upwards of a foot of snow, the potential hazards now outweighing the beauty. In writer/director Curry Barker’s debut feature, Obsession , now landing in theaters after successfully taking over the town as part of the Midnight Madness lineup at last year’s Toronto International Film Festival, that warning has been taken to its most extreme literalization. As is often the case with desperate thinking, it starts with someone scrolling on social media in the dark. A lonely young man named Bear (Michael Johnston) sits in his room, looking at Nikki's Instagram page, his childhood friend and long-held crush. Mostly due to fear, he’s never told her how he feels, and that door is about to be fully closed as she tells him she’s moving away to pursue other interests. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaaDkbG3I7g After struggling to pick out a gift for her, Bear ironically buys the "One Wish Willow" candy stick, which allegedly promises to grant one wish to whoever breaks it. Bear wishes that Nikki would love him more than anyone in the entire world. Immediately, Nikki takes a much greater interest in Bear, constantly inviting him over and expressing her adoration. It all seems a little too good to be true for Bear, but he definitely doesn’t want this to stop, so it’s best not to question it. Produced for just under $1 million, Barker’s film looks and feels much wealthier. The cinematography by Taylor Clemons is both shrouded in darkness and yet lit well enough that we never struggle to see what we need to. I realize that sounds like faint praise, but the bar has been set so low over these past few years with features that make it nearly impossible to see what’s going on. Some of us have bad eyes, you know! Occupying those increasingly sleepless nights are two excellent performers in Michael Johnston and Inde Navarrette as Bear and Nikki, respectively. The former is a ball of jittery nerves, his eyes darting and voice rising a few octaves as he’s never sure of his current situation. Does Nikki actually love him? If not naturally, is it wrong for them to enjoy themselves under this spell? The latter actor essentially has to play a split personality, with the real Nikki buried underneath a creepy, obsessive demeanor. She screams, pleads, and commits increasingly unhinged acts to stay as close to Bear as possible. There’s always a smile on her face when she gets what she wants, but it’s always laced with pain. Logically, this kind of fable makes no sense. If the One Wish Willow actually does work, then why hasn’t it been reported on? Certainly, other people have wished for stuff a lot grander than Bear. Everyone will know that my wish came true once a professional Minnesota sports team finally wins a championship. Nevertheless, the atmosphere and performances paper over that pretty glaring crack. You’ll be gritting your teeth as you wish for this film to go down a happier path (hint: it doesn’t). This review was originally published from a screening at the 2026 Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival. Focus Features will release Obsession in theaters nationwide on May 15th. More Reviews Obsession May 13, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Mortal Kombat II May 6, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen The Sheep Detectives May 6, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen The Wizard of the Kremlin September 5, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen 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 Obsession May 13, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Mortal Kombat II May 6, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen The Sheep Detectives May 6, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen The Wizard of the Kremlin September 5, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Awards Button Button Final 2026 Academy Award Predictions March 12, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen 2026 Oscar Nominations - Winners & Losers January 22, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen 1 One Battle After Another 2 Sinners 3 Hamnet 4 Sentimental Value 5 Marty Supreme 6 Frankenstein 7 Bugonia 8 The Secret Agent 9 Train Dreams 10 F1: The Movie Oscar Nomination Predictions - Best Picture Hunter Friesen Lists MSPIFF 2026 Preview April 6, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Top 50 Films of the 2020s February 23, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen

The Sheep Detectives May 6, 2026 By: Button Hunter Friesen In director David Fincher's flashy 1930s-set Hollywood period drama Mank , famed Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studio founder and boss Louis B. Mayer proudly declares that, despite all of its stars in its lineup, the studio only had one true star: Leo the Lion. For over a century, the lion has been the studio's mascot, his signature look and roar being the first sight and sound for each film. For Mayer and many cinephiles, Leo was a reassuring stamp of quality upon the brand. Along with the fact that his famed studio is now owned by the corporate overlord that is Amazon, Mr. Mayer might have rolled over in his grave at the sight of the king of the jungle's roar being replaced with a cartoonish sheep's baa for the opening of The Sheep Detectives . His loss is our gain, as that visual and audio dichotomy elicited smiles and chuckles throughout the audience, a mood that was pleasantly maintained for the entire runtime. Despite popular belief perpetuating the stereotype that they are dumb, sheep are actually just as mentally and emotionally intelligent as most farm animals. They can solve simple puzzles, pick up on emotions, and remember a person's face. One thing they haven't been proven to be capable of doing is solving murder cases, which is exactly what George Hardy's (Hugh Jackman) flock must do when their beloved shepherd suspiciously meets his demise. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyZI5oM6hWk Who could have committed the crime? Several citizens of this seemingly quaint English village had the means, motive, and opportunity to do the unspeakable deed. The list includes Ham (Conleth Hill), the local butcher who always lambasted George's strict vegetarian diet and refusal to sell his sheep for meat; Caleb (Tosin Cole), a rival shepherd; innkeeper Beth Pennock (Hong Chau), George's jealous secret admirer; and Reverend Hillcoate (Kobna Holdbrook-Smith), whom George viewed as a bad shepherd to the village's flock of religious congregators. Also mysteriously introduced are Elliot Matthews (Nicholas Galitzine), a junior reporter who happens to stumble upon this story, and Rebecca Hampstead (Molly Gordon), George's estranged daughter, who finally reconnected with him on the day of his death. Unfortunately, the town's sole police officer (Nicholas Braun) is a bumbling fool, which means the responsibility of catching the killer and restoring justice falls upon the hooves of the sheep. It's a task they coincidentally have been trained for their whole lives, as George's nightly ritual was to read his flock a bedtime story from the endless line of murder mystery novels. Unbeknownst to him (and everyone), they understood every word and developed the skills to solve the case. Taking some inspiration from modern whodunnits like the Knives Out films, and the English whimsy of Paddington , screenwriter Craig Mazin (returning to feature comedies after spearheading prestige HBO dramas like Chernobyl and The Last of Us ) spins a yarn that is both simple enough to keep straight, yet complex enough so that it doesn't immediately reveal itself. Rated PG, this is entertainment for the whole family that respects the intelligence of each member. Kids will be entertained by the talking animals and slapstick humor, while parents will be surprised by how invested they are in the plot and emotions. For as much as things are often (and successfully) played for laughs, there are more than a few moments tinged with melancholy and fear. George’s untimely death is met with sadness, and a scene where the sheep discover dark secrets about Caleb’s pasture is particularly scary, with the reality about the purpose of a farm animal’s life starkly observed. The combination of all these emotions makes each one feel earned, rather than just a pile of desserts. Although humans can’t understand them, the sheep all talk to each other, meaning there are plenty of opportunities for celebrity voice roles. Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Chris O’Dowd, and Bryan Cranston voice the main trio quite well, the latter being particularly strong as the black sheep of the flock. There’s also Patrick Stewart, Regina Hall, Rhys Darby, and Brett Goldstein. Their voices are aided by the top-notch special effects that provide a healthy mixture of realism and expression. In the realm of talking animal movies, I’d seriously consider putting The Sheep Detectives at least near the top alongside Babe . It’s not every day that you can find a film that can be funny without being juvenile, heartwarming without being cloying, and intelligent without being overly complicated. It’s a perfect day at the farm, luckily without the usual smells. Amazon MGM Studios will release The Sheep Detectives in theaters nationwide on May 08th. More Reviews Obsession May 13, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen The Sheep Detectives May 6, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Double click the dataset icon to add your own content. 1/1/2035 By: Author Name The Wizard of the Kremlin September 5, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Hunter Friesen

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 2026 Academy Award Predictions March 12, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen 2026 Oscar Nominations - Winners & Losers January 22, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Hunter Friesen Oscar Nomination Predictions Last Updated: 03/12/2026 Next Update: N/A 1 One Battle After Another 2 Sinners 3 Hamnet 4 Sentimental Value 5 Marty Supreme 6 Frankenstein 7 Bugonia 8 The Secret Agent 9 Train Dreams 10 F1: The Movie Best Picture 1 Paul Thomas Anderson (One Battle After Another) 2 Ryan Coogler (Sinners) 3 Joachim Trier (Sentimental Value) 4 Chloé Zhao (Hamnet) 5 Josh Safdie (Marty Supreme) Best Director 1 Sinners 2 Sentimental Value 3 Marty Supreme 4 Blue Moon 5 It Was Just an Accident Best Original Screenplay 1 One Battle After Another 2 Hamnet 3 Train Dreams 4 Bugonia 5 Frankenstein Best Adapted Screenplay 1 Michael B. Jordan (Sinners) 2 Timothée Chalamet (Marty Supreme) 3 Wagner Moura (The Secret Agent) 4 Leonardo DiCaprio (One Battle After Another) 5 Ethan Hawke (Blue Moon) Best Lead Actor 1 Jessie Buckley (Hamnet) 2 Renate Reinsve (Sentimental Value) 3 Rose Byrne (If I Had Legs I'd Kick You) 4 Kate Hudson (Song Sung Blue) 5 Emma Stone (Bugonia) Best Lead Actress 1 Sean Penn (One Battle After Another) 2 Stellan Skarsgård (Sentimental Value) 3 Delroy Lindo (Sinners) 4 Jacob Elordi (Frankenstein) 5 Benicio del Toro (One Battle After Another) Best Supporting Actor 1 Amy Madigan (Weapons) 2 Teyana Taylor (One Battle After Another) 3 Wunmi Mosaku (Sinners) 4 Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas (Sentimental Value) 5 Elle Fanning (Sentimental Value) Best Supporting Actress 1 Sinners 2 One Battle After Another 3 Marty Supreme 4 Hamnet 5 The Secret Agent Best Casting 1 One Battle After Another 2 Train Dreams 3 Sinners 4 Marty Supreme 5 Frankenstein Best Cinematography 1 Sinners 2 One Battle After Another 3 Frankenstein 4 Hamnet 5 Bugonia Best Original Score 1 Golden (KPop Demon Hunters) 2 I Lied to You (Sinners) 3 Train Dreams (Train Dreams) 4 Dear Me (Diane Warren: Relentless) 5 Sweet Dreams of Joy (Viva Verdri!) Best Original Song 1 One Battle After Another 2 F1: The Movie 3 Sinners 4 Marty Supreme 5 Sentimental Value Best Film Editing 1 F1: The Movie 2 Sinners 3 Sirât 4 One Battle After Another 5 Frankenstein Best Sound 1 Frankenstein 2 Sinners 3 Marty Supreme 4 Hamnet 5 One Battle After Another Best Production Design 1 Frankenstein 2 Sinners 3 Hamnet 4 Marty Supreme 5 Avatar: Fire and Ash Best Costume Design 1 Frankenstein 2 Sinners 3 The Smashing Machine 4 Kokuho 5 The Ugly Stepsister Best Makeup & Hairstyling 1 Avatar: Fire and Ash 2 F1: The Movie 3 Sinners 4 The Lost Bus 5 Jurassic World: Rebirth Best Visual Effects 1 KPop Demon Hunters 2 Zootopia 2 3 Arco 4 Little Amélie or the Character of Rain 5 Elio Best Animated Feature 1 Sentimental Value (Norway) 2 The Secret Agent (Brazil) 3 It Was Just an Accident (France) 4 Sirât (Spain) 5 The Voice of Hind Rajab (Tunisia) Best International Feature 1 The Perfect Neighbor 2 Mr. Nobody Against Putin 3 The Alabama Solution 4 Come See Me in the Good Light 5 Cutting Through Rocks Best Documentary Feature

Michael April 21, 2026 By: Button Hunter Friesen To make a movie about Michael Jackson is to make a movie about the second coming of Jesus Christ. Not since the son of God has a man been so beloved throughout the world, his fans endlessly devoted and transcended by his presence. His talent was proclaimed to be God-given, as there was no scientific explanation for how a mortal could possess such skill and grace. And like the messiah, he was taken away from us too quickly, his message still thriving long after his physical body. If that all sounds a little too preachy, then you probably won’t vibe with the new biopic on the King of Pop. Michael makes that messianic connection with its full chest, combining blockbuster entertainment with those highlight reel documentaries that constantly loop in the lobbies at a famous person’s museum. Jesus healed the blind; Michael donated millions to children’s hospitals. Jesus fed thousands with only five loaves of bread and two fish; Michael started the Heal the World Foundation. Jesus resurrected the dead; Michael ended gang warfare through the power of music. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQtI0u1Vx2w Granted, that list of Michael’s kind gestures is true. But even Jesus had his flawed elements, and Tom Hanks’ version of Fred Rogers in A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood subtly investigated the beauty of imperfection. Here, Michael Jackson is the most perfect person ever to exist, with his only potential flaw being his over dedication to his family, specifically his domineering father, Joseph. Colman Domingo’s performance invites you to debate the pitfalls and merits of his browbeating. It’s clear that Michael was born with his talent, but would he and his brothers have ever gotten out of Gary, Indiana, if not for their father’s relentless pressure? A more interesting movie would have better grappled with that question. As written by John Logan (screenwriter for the Howard Hughes biopic, The Aviator ) and paid for by the estate of Michael Jackson, this film would rather take the easy way out at every turn. Genius is nearly impossible to explain, which is why young Michael merely speaks and behaves in plot points. He reads Peter Pan to himself while on tour with the Jackson 5, wishing that he could someday rebuild Neverland. He constantly talks about his love for animals, how they’re family, not pets. The irony only gets thicker as Michael grows up. His boundless creativity and exuberance are stymied by those who want to control him, with his fear of confrontation weaponized against him. Bohemian Rhapsody producer Graham King and director Antoine Fuqua exert a similar amount of control over Michael’s story, keeping things flying at a breakneck pace within the 127-minute runtime. Every song is conveniently used to cue a montage, the years flying by as “Billie Jean,” “Beat it,” “Don’t Stop ’til You Get Enough” boom over the loudspeakers. Except that it takes nearly eighty minutes to get to “Thriller,” which confirmed my suspicion that this biopic was going to need another canvas. King and Fuqua have just as much of a fear of confrontation as Michael, opting to placate audiences at every turn with showstopping numbers and by-the-numbers plotting. With four credited editors, including Bohemian Rhapsody Oscar-winner John Ottman, each set piece is cut with frenticism and flash. While shooting “Thriller,” Michael talks about the importance of wide shots to highlight the dance moves, citing Fred Astaire as an influence. It never seemed like Fuqua was interested in replicating that, leaving Jaafar Jackson’s considerable physical talents to feel limited. The musician’s nephew nails the physical aspects of the role, singing and dancing with an uncanny resemblance. Like all biopics, the recreation aspects are never the most important part, especially when you can easily look up the source material. What’s important is finding the emotional truth, the feelings that can’t be transferred through the written or spoken word. Michael doesn’t have that level of ambition, which, to its credit, could be reserved for the next chapter. But based on the strategy implemented here, I expect another serving of just desserts. Lionsgate will release Michael in theaters nationwide on April 24th. More Reviews Obsession May 13, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen The Sheep Detectives May 6, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Double click the dataset icon to add your own content. 1/1/2035 By: Author Name Double click the dataset icon to add your own content. 1/1/2035 By: Author Name Hunter Friesen

Hokum April 29, 2026 By: Button Hunter Friesen It might just be his lengthy tenure on Parks and Recreation that’s skewing my perception, but I’ve forgotten just how good Adam Scott is at playing assholes. Then again, outside of television, his most important work to me is as Will Ferrell’s arrogant younger brother, Derek, in Step Brothers . His exchange with Ferrell about the Catalina Wine Mixer lives in my head rent-free to this day. Less memorably, he was equally smarmy in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty , The Aviator , Black Mass, and Big Little Lies . When we meet Scott’s character, Ohm Bauman, in Hokum , he’s writing his newest novel. It’s the final entry in his Conquistador Trilogy , a series of adventure books that never seem to end happily. We see him smile as his characters get increasingly lost in the desert, a swig of whiskey taken as they slowly die of thirst. There’s a sense of pleasure he gets from inflicting misery, an energy that initially anthropomorphizes itself into a ghoulish figure that stalks him from across the room in his darkly lit and perpetually rain-soaked house. However much he writes and profits from it, Ohm doesn’t believe in the supernatural; his response to the legends and myths is simply the titular word. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jP2nDyQWBOU A bout of writer’s block over the ending of the novel prompts Ohm to fulfill a task that he’s long put off. He travels to Ireland to scatter his parents' ashes, specifically at the Billberry Woods Hotel, where they honeymooned many years ago. One by one, the generally pleasant Irish hospitality clashes with his entitled, brutish Americanism. Each time one of the staff members finds out his identity, they regale him with stories about the hotel being haunted by a witch who drags people to the underworld. The hotel owner believes that she’s been trapped in the honeymoon suite, which has been locked for decades, so as not to let her out. For as much as it takes for Hokum to establish itself, writer/director Damian McCarthy successfully holds our attention through scintillating imagery and established plot points. While most lean a little too one-dimensionally, each supporting character has clear goals and motivations. Almost as if he’s on a video game quest, Ohm’s one-on-one conversations with them reveal the dark secrets of the hotel and offer hints for how the eventual proceedings will overlap. Eventually, the kindly bartender goes missing. The whole town and surrounding woods have been searched, with no clues to her whereabouts. The only place left to look is the honeymoon suite, which the owner all too adamantly declares has never been unlocked, and that there’s no way she could be up there. Ohm and a local loner who lives in the woods, who specializes in the paranormal, Jerry, have their doubts, so they decide to take matters into their own hands. On the night the hotel has been closed for the season, the pair steal the key and venture into the dark and dusty room. From here, Hokum becomes one of the creepiest films of recent memory. McCarthy yet again slows things way down, gradually upping the ante through impeccable craftsmanship. Our eyes are attracted to the few pools of light, with evil lurking in the space between them and the darkness. Was that a woman that Ohm saw, or just his nerves playing a trick? We ask ourselves the same question, that is, until McCarthy unravels what’s been going on. Unfortunately for Ohm and us, he’s a very slow walker who gets easily startled, which means there are plenty of opportunities for jump scares. I had no expectations that Hokum would reinvent the horror genre, specifically its occult and folk horror subgenres. I was correct in my assumption, yet this film still ranks as one of the best in its class. It’s old school terror delivered through assured filmmaking, anchored by a sturdy lead performance. I arrived home after the movie and dared not look into any dark room, as my imagination had been corrupted. A feeling like that is when you know you’ve seen a truly scary movie. This review was originally published from a screening at the 2026 Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival. Neon will release Hokum in theaters nationwide on May 01st. More Reviews Obsession May 13, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen The Sheep Detectives May 6, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Double click the dataset icon to add your own content. 1/1/2035 By: Author Name Double click the dataset icon to add your own content. 1/1/2035 By: Author Name Hunter Friesen

Mortal Kombat II May 6, 2026 By: Button Hunter Friesen With the opening studio logos presented almost identically to those in the games, Mortal Kombat II immediately announces itself as a film purely for the fans. It's not like they don't deserve it, as this franchise infamously became the poster child of scorn during the multi-decade period where Hollywood failed to adapt video games for the silver screen. With its entirely incoherent story and laughably bad special effects, the only purpose that 1997's Mortal Kombat: Annihilation will ever serve is as inspiration for anyone to make a better movie. That eventually became a reality with the 2021 reboot Mortal Kombat , although the exponential improvement in competence didn't lend itself to any memorable moments. Five years and an explosion of video game adaptations later, Mortal Kombat II continues on that same path, pitching everything so far down the middle that it's nearly impossible to find anything worth discussing, both for better and for worse. One thing that is for the better is that, after next to nothing happened in the previous film, everything happens here. But that's also for the worse, because the complete lack of setup makes this seemingly simple concept seem more complicated than it has any right to be. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdC5mFHPldg In this universe, world domination isn't determined by sheer military strength. Instead, realms are represented by a handful of their strongest warriors. These warriors compete in a one-on-one fighting tournament, each fight being to the death. Once a realm reaches ten consecutive victories over another, they are granted the right to conquer (and I thought the best-of-seven series in most American league playoffs went on too long...). Equipped with an amulet of immortality and dark magic, Shao Khan has already enslaved several realms, and now he's set his sights on Earthrealm. It might be from the fact that we live in an age of increased militarization and the constant threat of everything being blown up in the blink of an eye at the hands of bumbling fools, but there is a strange sense of honor in seeing disputes being settled face-to-face. Then again, having billions of lives hanging in the balance on one fight isn't exactly a wager I'd feel comfortable with. But it's not like director Simon McQuoid or screenwriter Jeremy Slater ever really let our minds dwell on that fact, as this film is glaringly devoid of any sense of scale or scope. Background actors are kept to an absolute minimum, the sets are mostly just bland CGI backdrops, and most characters just stand around in one location between fight scenes. Smartly introduced as a shot of adrenaline after Lewis Tan's protagonist, Cole Young, sucked up all the energy in the previous film, is Johnny Cage (Karl Urban), a Jean-Claude Van Damme-inspired martial arts movie star. We're introduced to him through his most famous role in Citizen Cage , one of those '80s movies where every fight had to occur in an abandoned warehouse, and the hero always has a witty one-liner prepared. Having been passed over by influencers and YouTubers, the narcissistic and arrogant Cage gets a shot at redemption after the gods deem him worthy to defend Earthrealm from Shao Khan's challenge. He's joined by returning good guys Sonya Blade, Liu Kang, Jax, and Lord Raiden. Once past this initial setup, the rest of the film is a relentless combination of fights between characters on each side of good and evil. It's not exactly filmed well, with quick cutting and tame choreography keeping it all passable enough to watch. As every gamer knows, the real showstopper is the finishing fatalities inflicted upon the defeated opponent, their over-the-top gruesomeness being the subject of controversy and the need for a video game rating system. Some of the most iconic ones have been replicated here, such as a razor-brimmed hat being used like a chainsaw, and a character's head being smashed like a watermelon by a giant hammer. It's the kind of sickening violence that makes you feel morally gross, but you can't help but be entertained by it. Of course, you could get all that and much more by playing the games. But that would require more money than a movie ticket, and hours of dedication to learn the exact button combinations, something I have never been able to motivate myself to do beyond crouch kicks and the occasional projectile spam. This is a fully passable extension or mild introduction to the franchise, which almost automatically makes it the best cinematic rendition of it. Warner Bros. Pictures will release Mortal Kombat II in theaters nationwide on May 08th. More Reviews Obsession May 13, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen The Sheep Detectives May 6, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Double click the dataset icon to add your own content. 1/1/2035 By: Author Name Double click the dataset icon to add your own content. 1/1/2035 By: Author Name Hunter Friesen

The Wizard of the Kremlin September 5, 2025 By: Button Hunter Friesen Zigging and zagging between an international remake of Les Vampires in Irma Vep , the exploits of the most wanted man in the world, Carlos the Jackal, in Carlos , and a Cuban espionage ring in Wasp Network , writer/director Olivier Assayas’ fascination with the theme of globalization knows no bounds. After taking some time off from the subject during the COVID-19 pandemic to look inward with Suspended Time , Assayas has saddled himself with his biggest subject yet in The Wizard of the Kremlin , a decades-spanning look at the rise of modern Russia and Vladimir Putin. However, Putin is not the central or most important figure in this tale, which comes with a forewarning about how none of this should be misconstrued as pure fact. Our titular “hero” in this story is Vadim Baranov (Paul Dano), a soft-spoken and unassuming spin doctor who secretly held the world in his grasp. He’s now retired to his wintry chalet, giving him plenty of time to host and recount his career to an American foreign correspondent named Rowland (Jeffrey Wright). Their initial meeting is spurred by a mutual admiration for Bolshevik writer Yevgeny Zamyatin, who laid the groundwork for George Orwell’s 1984 . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7ctYp3zQVA Baranov’s tale starts in the early 1990s when counter-culturalists ran amok, the Soviet Union was dismantled, and Moscow citizens were able to breathe a little easier. But politics and cultural movements hang by a pendulum. Time has allowed some people to look back on Stalin’s tenure through rosier glasses, a time when Russia was at the forefront of geopolitics and thought of as a superpower on par with the United States. Jude Law appears halfway through the 156-minute mini-slog as Putin, the iron fist to Dano’s reserved wit. As exciting as the revitalization of a modern empire might sound (at least to me), Assayas’ film lacks the energy required to keep this engaging and memorable. The central structure of Baranov’s monologue to Rowland lacks any sense of discovery, mostly because Rowland seems to already know all of this. They chat for a while in one room, and then walk to another place on the estate to talk some more. Dano’s narration is long and laborious, taking us through thinly defined episodes that have as much dramatic weight and insight as the chapters in a high school history textbook. The cast sometimes brings up the energy, such as Tom Sturridge as the flashy Dmitri Sidorov, who steals Baranov’s first love, Ksenia (a woefully underused Alicia Vikander), with promises of endless revelry. The weight and presence that Law instills within his portrayal of Putin is just as impressively convincing as the makeup. We may never get to see him bare-chested like the real Russian president, but he does go water skiing and prepares a delectable barbecue dinner. None of the famous faces speaks with a Russian accent, with a vague British tone being used as shorthand. Baranov is persuaded to join Putin’s rising regime when he’s told to “stop making up stories, and start inventing reality.” Assayas clearly sees a link between Putin’s rise to power and Donald Trump’s, with Baranov being his Roy Cohn. Unfortunately, The Wizard of the Kremlin doesn’t have the same level of entertainment and enlightenment as last year’s The Apprentice , leaving its credible points of comparison to land with a thud. This review was originally published from the North American premiere at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival. Vertical will release The Wizard of the Kremlin in theaters nationwide on May 15th. More Reviews Obsession May 13, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen The Sheep Detectives May 6, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Double click the dataset icon to add your own content. 1/1/2035 By: Author Name The Wizard of the Kremlin September 5, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Hunter Friesen

Mother Mary April 22, 2026 By: Button Hunter Friesen “This is not a love story. This is not a ghost story.” That is the tagline to Mother Mary , the newest film from writer/director David Lowery. It’s a project that has long been in the shadows, dripfeeding signs of its existence over the years. First look imagery came in the fall of 2024, followed by nearly a year of radio silence as rumors swirled around regarding what its eventual shape and size would be. The trailer didn’t offer much in terms of concrete answers, maintaining the mystery by literally bathing the screen in shadowy visuals. It built anticipation and intrigue, something that the marketing team at A24 has excelled at in this age of oversaturation and an unwillingness to trust audiences to plunge into the deep end. Now, after wading through the murky waters of the finished product, I’m still just as confused as to what it was supposed to be, both literally and figuratively. Indeed, it isn’t a love story, as its two central characters hardly exchange a compliment throughout the entire runtime. But it’s only not a ghost story in the literal sense that this isn’t A Ghost Story , the 2017 film by Lowery (I’m dying to know if that tagline wording was intentional). The ghosts of the past and the supernatural perpetually haunt this film, keeping it in limbo between our world and the next. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATGaqU6Srcc Somehow, Lowery takes that semi-intriguing, fluid concept and turns it into the most boring and shapeless version of itself. This is not a love story, nor a ghost story. It’s barely a story, with interminably long scenes that immediately dissipate from memory once they’ve concluded. I’d bet good money that more than half the audience would fail a pop quiz about what happened and why it occurred as they walked out of the theater. Honestly, they’d probably be better off failing, as retaining that information likely offers no benefit to their mind, body, or soul. Anne Hathaway plays the titular Mother Mary, a stage persona dripped in religious iconography (halos, robes, bold colors) that seems primarily inspired by Lady Gaga. As the kids would say: She’s giving mother. Her devoted fans flock to stadiums by the tens of thousands to watch her perform vastly sleek, colorful production numbers. But as a blink-and-you-miss-it sequence of visuals hints at just before the opening studio logos, the sun, often surrounding Mother Mary’s head, has been shrouded in darkness. Her sudden appearance at the London doorstep of Sam Anselm (Michaela Coel) is actually not a surprise. Despite nearly a decade apart since their mysterious fallout, Sam and Mary maintain a spiritual connection. Although, as Sam puts it, she felt Mary’s presence on this side of the pond by the way the bile in her body continually rose to the top. She flings her acerbic tongue at every turn, seemingly savoring this moment of Mary’s weakness. The star desperately needs a new dress before her next show in a few days, something that only Sam can accomplish, thanks to her years of designing the outfits that launched both of their careers. But based on Mary’s fragile persona and inability to describe what kind of dress she wants, it’s obvious that this is really about something else. Hathaway is particularly strong at being vulnerable, drenched in rain, and shaking as the years have worn her down to a blunt object. Sam is here to resharpen her, with Chekhov's stipulation being that there will be no use of the color red. The first hour of the film is almost entirely comprised of the pair in Sam’s workshop, reopening old wounds through their separate viewpoints. It’s tediously slow, with dialogue that goes in one ear and out the other. I didn’t think it was possible for a film filled with this much pop music to be so lethargic. A pulse is finally found once Mary performs a Suspiria -esque dance for Sam. From there, Lowery merges reality and memory with highly stylized and haunting visuals. It’s still not all that interesting, but it at least looks fantastic. Daniel Hart provides an eerie original score, while Jack Antonoff, Charli XCX, and FKA twigs supply original songs that are totally serviceable and forgettable. Based on the time it's taken for this project to be conceived, produced, and released, I fear that it stayed too long within Lowery’s head. It feels shaped to the audience of one person, with everyone else scrambling to figure out what it’s trying to say, and why it’s so important for us to hear it. Many films have successfully overcome that obstacle, and this one potentially could upon further rewatches. But I doubt that will ever happen unless I’m suffering from insomnia and need something to put me to sleep. A24 will release Mother Mary in select theaters on April 17th, followed by a nationwide expansion on April 24th. More Reviews Mortal Kombat II May 6, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen The Sheep Detectives May 6, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Michael April 21, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Hokum April 29, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Hunter Friesen

Normal April 14, 2026 By: Button Hunter Friesen In Normal , Bob Odenkirk plays a normal man with the normal name of Ulysses Richardson. He has a normal American job as a police sheriff. His newest posting is in the normal state of Minnesota, specifically in the normal small town literally called Normal. It has all the usual normal trademarks you'd expect from a place that's a bit behind the times: hardware stores, soda and ice cream parlors, and the local bar that everyone frequents. Everyone goes about their normal lives with a smile, always ready to lend a helping hand to their neighbors. This is a place where the leading cause of death is boredom. Except, when looking just a smidge underneath the surface, a lot of stuff within Normal feels a little… abnormal. A few of the shops have CB radios and police scanners, almost as if they're policing the police. The police station armory is way overstocked with military-grade equipment: C4, light machine guns, thousands of rounds of ammunition. That local bar is decorated head-to-toe with firearms, and the owner can't totally remember if they're loaded or not. And the town recently met its fundraising goal of $16.8 million, a sum that, by simple math, implies each member of the ~1500-person population chipped in just over $10,000. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OndK0w1lYY Ulysses was specifically hired for his weary, half-defeated attitude towards life. He's carrying heavy baggage from his previous positions, and is just hoping for a quiet gig to help rehabilitate his confidence. This is not a new role for Odenkirk in his current twilight renaissance, which began with his introduction as Saul Goodman in Breaking Bad and reached new heights when his character became the main star of Better Call Saul . Since the conclusion of those shows, he’s become an unlikely action star with the Nobody films, where he plays the titular man who struggles to balance his suburban home life while trying to put his past of crime behind him. Derek Kolstad was the screenwriter for the two Nobody films, and he’s also the writer here. He created the John Wick series, so he’s got a knack for crafting stories about troubled men who must reluctantly unleash their hidden violence once they’re plugged into impossible situations. Ulysses gets thrown into the fire once he discovers that the $16.8 million in the town bank vault actually belongs to the Yakuza. The town gets a small percentage of the dirty money for hiding it away. They’ve sold their souls for cash, led by Mayor Kibner (Henry Winkler) and the rest of the old guard. Now that Ulysses knows their secret, he can’t be allowed to leave the town alive. Much of the humor in this action-comedy comes from relishing in the Minnesota stereotypes. The previous mayor died from going ice fishing when it was too cold, and his memorial service featured a potluck dinner. The cold opening (pun intended) introduces us to the Yakuza, with two of its lowly members’ punishments being that they’re posted in Normal to guard the money. Their pleas to be spared hurt my feelings as a Minnesota citizen, but I also can’t fully disagree as I look at the weather forecast and see that we could expect snow in mid-April. After a certain amount of time, everything starts to feel a little pedestrian. Ben Wheatley’s direction is competently done, yet never unlocks that next level. A snowstorm barrels over the town once the shootout begins, blanketing each scene in constant flurries. Luckily, it’s the kind of fake snow that isn’t wet, so it’ll be easy to shovel the next day. Many of the citizens also meet their end through comedically gruesome coincidences, but they’re never as funny as the movie thinks they are, just like how the supporting cast isn’t that colorful either. Then again, you’re not going to find much color in a Minnesota winter, so it’s best to be grateful for any amount that comes your way. Magnolia Pictures will release Normal in theaters nationwide on April 17th. More Reviews The Sheep Detectives May 6, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Hokum April 29, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Mother Mary April 22, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Double click the dataset icon to add your own content. 1/1/2035 By: Author Name Hunter Friesen

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie March 31, 2026 By: Button Hunter Friesen As much as I surprisingly enjoyed 2023’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie , there was a feeling that it was the most corporatized version of itself. That’s not much of a surprise, as the corporate rights holder, Nintendo, is notorious for holding onto its intellectual property with an iron grip. It’s a lesson they initially had to learn the hard way, with 1993’s live-action Super Mario Bros. being an unmitigated disaster, a disrespectful piece of adaptation equally hated by the creators and fans. In shame, the company halted any attempts for big-budget theatrical adaptations, finally opening the vault decades later with Pokémon: Detective Pikachu and The Super Mario Bros. Movie . Bowling with the guard rails up isn’t sexy, but it got the job done to the tune of $1.3 billion in box office earnings for the return of Mario to the silver screen, this time in a more appropriate animated form. Now that the job of launching this rocket ship of a cinematic franchise has been completed, it’s finally time for it to set its sights on new galaxies. True to its title, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie does just that, opening itself up to the limitless possibilities that the forty-year game franchise has unlocked. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdL2GorGdKc The opening credits guide us through the cosmos, settling on the faraway Comet Observatory. There resides Princess Rosalina (voiced by Brie Larson), the protector of the Lumas, star-shaped creatures who sound and behave like children. As she reads them a bedtime story, an intruder appears. It’s Bowser Jr. (Benny Safdie, whose work as an actor/writer/director has hopped between Oppenheimer , Happy Gilmore 2 , The Smashing Machine , and this, within the past few years), seeking to make his father proud by kidnapping a princess of his own. He emerges victorious, sending the Lumas into the unknown reaches of space to find a hero who can save Rosalina. Lucky for them, Mario and Luigi (Chris Pratt and Charlie Day, respectively) have upped their game since the first film. They’ve been bestowed with the status of heroes to all who need them, adapting their powers to the right situations. A fun montage occurs as they solve problems around the Mushroom Kingdom, the map taking a strong resemblance to those in the games. Once the Lumas reach the brothers and Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy), they’re off on a galaxy-wide adventure to stop Bowser Jr. and restore order. There’s an assuredness to this film that the first one didn’t have. A little more respect is given to the audience as the franchise lore is broadened. Easter eggs appear in every frame, either a character from one of the many games or a collectible item that only true fans would recognize. I do not possess an encyclopedic knowledge of the games, and I was still overwhelmed by all that was being crammed in. Brian Tyler’s score is allowed more prominence, no longer burdened with having to share space with overdone tracks like “Holding Out for a Hero.” He instills many classic beats, each with a certain grandeur. The visuals are more robust, and the camera quickly follows along with the characters as they leap from one point to another. Also introduced is the trusty sidekick Yoshi, voiced by Donald Glover, who, because the character only communicates by saying his own name, now has the easiest gig in Hollywood since Vin Diesel ended his reign as Groot in the Guardians of the Galaxy films. Other notable additions are made, but the surprise is best left preserved for the theater. This is a children’s film that can equally appeal to adults. It is based on the generation-defining Wii game Super Mario Galaxy , which was released almost twenty years ago (that makes me feel old). Mario has been many things to many different people, and there’s a little bit of everything here. I can sense that grand machinations are in place at Nintendo and Illumination, and I’d kind of like to see it all come together. Universal Pictures will release The Super Mario Galaxy Movie in theaters nationwide on April 01st. More Reviews Michael April 21, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Hokum April 29, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Mother Mary April 22, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Normal April 14, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Hunter Friesen

The Drama April 1, 2026 By: Button Hunter Friesen Contrary to its title, The Drama is quite a funny movie. But it’s not a comedy in the traditional sense, seeking to amuse or offer you a good time. If you were to describe many of its funniest moments to someone, they might react with disgust and ask, “How the hell could you find that funny?” Honestly, that wouldn’t be an overreaction, because I felt a little guilty every time I chuckled, looking around at the rest of the audience to make sure I wasn’t some sort of sicko. This is a film that starts with the question: How would the people closest to you react if they found out about the worst thing you've ever done? From there, it (correctly) assumes that sleeping dogs won’t lie, the harsh truth boiling to the surface, eventually erupting in the most ugly way possible. If modern humanity has proven itself adept at one thing, it’s making things worse than they initially were for seemingly no apparent reason. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zmKcUa4Xxk The film opens with a meet-cute that is not very cute. Charlie (Robert Pattinson) walks by a high-end Boston coffee shop and notices Emma (Zendaya) in the window. Understandably irresistibly drawn to her, he sits down at a table and thinks of an excuse to talk to her. He notices she’s reading a book, so he quickly gorges on the Wikipedia summary. In a sheepish and drawn-out manner, he walks up and lies about how much the book meant to him. It turns out that she’s deaf in the ear facing him, so she didn’t get any of it. Now he’s standing there like a fool, and she’s totally confused as to what his intentions are. In Charlie’s eyes, that’s a story worth sharing with everyone, which is why he’s using it as the leadoff for his wedding speech to Emma. They seemingly became an idyllic couple, despite having a poster for Ingmar Bergman’s The Passion of Anna in their cozy apartment, which is something that just invites trouble. The premonition comes to fruition once best friends Mike (Mamoudou) and Rachel (Alana Haim) dare Charlie and Emma to confess their worst sins. Each of their sins is shameful in its own right. However, Emma’s is exponentially worse than the rest, requiring several moments to confirm that she isn’t telling some sick joke. For the characters and us, there’s no shaking the reveal. You can’t simply refuse to meet it, both because there’s still an hour left on the running time, and because its nature is so intertwined with America’s fractured DNA that you’d be refuting what’s in the mirror. Writer/director Kristoffer Borgli pulled off a similar concept with cancel culture in his previous film, Dream Scenario . That film was a lot more overtly funny than this one, giving a little more allowance to finding the humor in the absurdity. Now the target has been zeroed in, so there’s no escape. Despite now being a forty-year-old pretending to be a younger adult, Pattinson still has that twitchy, youthful energy. He becomes a nervous wreck, conflating the good memories he had with Emma with the newly discovered awful revelations about her past. Borgli lets us into his mind by intermingling those pictures, continually crosscutting as if the disease is taking over. His sanity is squeezed out to make room, with several awfully uncomfortable scenes stemming from the breakdown. By nature of Pattinson being the one reacting to the secret, Zendaya takes on a slightly passive role. However, she’s going all-in here, putting her image as a Disney Channel and MCU actress through the ultimate test. Everyone wants to fully deny or twist her past into something that can be diagnosed, which just digs the hole even deeper. And until they learn their lesson (which they don’t, and won’t), they’re going to find out how much a little drama can bring down the whole house. A24 will release The Drama in theaters nationwide on April 03rd. More Reviews Michael April 21, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Mother Mary April 22, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Normal April 14, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen The Super Mario Galaxy Movie March 31, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Hunter Friesen