Bad Times at the El Royale October 25, 2018 By: Button Hunter Friesen A priest, a singer, a vacuum salesman, and a drifter walk into a hotel. They all have a story and need a room for a specific reason, but only one of them is telling the truth. Each one is untrusting of the other and plans out how to survive the night as a severe storm moves in. Then enters a crazy cult leader who wants to exact revenge on the one who wronged him. With five seedy characters and a suspicious bellhop, a one-night stay at the El Royale may come with a fatal price. Bad Times is directed by Drew Goddard, who previously directed and wrote the comedy/horror The Cabin in the Woods and wrote the screenplay for The Martian. Goddard does well at directing this film. He does make some mistakes from time to time, but they aren’t too severe. The first of his mistakes comes from the pacing and overall length of the film. The 141-minute runtime is weird, as the film felt like it could easily have been cut to two hours or justifiably stretched to three hours. This is due to some areas of the story being dragged on more than needed to be, and some areas not getting as much attention. The first act of the film slowly builds up each separate character with their backstory and motives. Then the second wizzes by, and the third needlessly slows everything back down again. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7wzBVARwaU Goddard does do good work with the camera as he gives the film a dark washed overtone to match the 60s era feel. He also uses a wide array of camera techniques to tell the layered story. Some scenes are played out multiple times from different angles to convey each character's viewpoint. There is also a hefty amount of symbolism and thematic imagery within each frame that pushes the narrative along without the use of words. One scene that really stands out is a seven-minute tracking shot where the camera follows one character as they go room by room and spy on the others. It’s a suspenseful sequence that gives a good amount of insight into each character in a short span of time. Along with directing, Goddard also serves as the sole writer for the original story. He divides the film into chapters based on the room a certain character is staying in. The technique works well to distribute time to develop each character. Not everyone gets equal time, but everyone gets enough to make them important to the overall narrative. The intersection of many different characters’ stories leads to the script being filled with lots of fun twists and surprises that continually come out of nowhere. Some of them are predictable once revealed, but many aren’t and keep you on the edge of your seat. There are some plot holes and untidy loose ends that are quite obvious near the end. However, they really don't harm the quality of the story and are more of an afterthought. Bad Times boasts a sizeable and star-studded cast. Most of the actors fare well, with some doing better than others. Jeff Bridges does pretty well as the elderly priest looking for a little vacation. Bridges is able to make his character believably evil as well as have a sympathetic heart. It’s not his best work, but nowhere near his worst. Cynthia Erivo is the best out of the cast as she plays the singer making her way to a gig in Reno. She provides her own voice to the role and confidently takes charge of each scene. Dakota Johnson and Jon Hamm kind of just skate through and don’t provide any real defining moments. They’re not bad, but it feels like anyone could have filled the roles. Lastly, Chris Hemsworth does good work as the Jesus-like cult leader who likes to preach with his shirt open. Hemsworth brings both his comedic and dramatic skills together and creates an uneasy character that keeps the suspense high throughout. Bad Times at the El Royale is a fun thriller that tells a complex story enjoyably. It doesn’t always work perfectly, but minor mistakes aren’t enough to ruin the overall product. In a fall season full of heavy films trying to send a message, it feels good to have a film that only wants its audience to sit down and have a good time. 20th Century Fox will release Bad Times at the El Royale in theaters nationwide on October 12th. More Reviews Primetime September 22, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Unabomber September 24, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Look Back September 16, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Elsinore September 14, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Hunter Friesen

Snack Shack March 22, 2024 By: Button Tyler Banark My fellow Nebraskans and Midwesterners, we have a big-name movie set and shot entirely in Nebraska for the first time in years. If you’re reading this and don’t understand the significance, Nebraska is a state that NEVER gets the Hollywood spotlight. When it does, it usually showcases only farmland, cornfields, and the nature of the panhandle/western part of the state. The only times Nebraska has been seen in a light where that’s not the case is in Alexander Payne’s filmography ( Citizen Ruth , Election , About Schmidt , Nebraska ). With Snack Shack , director Adam Carter Rehmeier crafts a love letter to his hometown of Nebraska City, a small town with roughly 7200 people. It’s a delightful treat, as Snack Shack doesn’t focus on the cliches Hollywood created for the Cornhusker State. Instead, it’s a simple teen comedy with the small town as the backdrop and a great heart. It’s 1991, and we meet our two leads, AJ (newcomer Conor Sherry) and Moose (Gabriel Labelle, in his follow-up role to The Fabelmans ), who are skipping their school field trip to the Omaha Zoo to bet on dog racing. These ambitious fifteen-year-olds want nothing more than to make a buck without doing any hard work. AJ’s strict parents catch wind of their rendezvous, and he’s forced to find a real job for the summer. While the two seek a job, their much older friend Shane (Nick Robinson) suggests buying the pool’s snack shack from the city. The two do it, and the shack becomes a hit as kids of all ages pay them hand over fist to get whatever they desire. Meanwhile, they both vie over Brooke (Mika Abdalla), a new lifeguard at the pool, who puts their friendship to the test https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdXFIKFPWoQ Rehmeier penned the script and does so flawlessly, taking the tropes of the coming-of-age teen comedy and applying them to his own methods. AJ and Moose are ambitious boys who are similar to the likes of duos we’ve seen in the past from the genre (i.e., Evan and Seth from Superbad , Ferris and Cameron from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off ). They try to scheme something big despite being in their early teens and do everything from making/selling their own beer to painting house numbers on curbs. One, in this case, Moose, can be seen as a bad influence, while the other is playing along despite his parents' disapproval. It helps that Sherry and Labelle’s chemistry is fun and quick-witted, with comedic timings balancing each other out. Sherry brings a welcoming introduction as he fits the role of AJ perfectly. He doesn’t go overboard or play it safe; instead, he interprets the character into his own persona. AJ’s a dorky kid, and whenever he talks to Brooke, he tries to play it cool simply to impress. Luckily, Brooke finds him cute, and they build something together. On the other hand, Labelle continues to prove why The Fabelmans wasn’t a one-and-done situation. I feared he may not have much of a career after the 2022 hit, but I was proven wrong. Moose is the brains of the duo, but he often gets carried away in their plans to the point where he bosses AJ around. He can often be unlikable, and Labelle ensures that audiences feel that way whenever he does wrong by AJ. His train looks to keep going at full speed as he’s got another big project on the horizon in Jason Reitman’s SNL 1975 , which has become my most anticipated movie ever since Barbenheimer. The rest of the ensemble is fun to see on screen with Sherry and Labelle. Nick Robinson’s Shane is the big brother figure to AJ, and he nails the role. There’s a scene where AJ and Shane eat runzas at a lake when Shane gives AJ the best advice on handling Brooke and Moose. David Costabile and Gillian Vigman play AJ’s parents and are surprisingly funny whenever they scold the boys. Mika Abdalla as Brooke is also a great turn as she casually jokes around with AJ before their relationship blossoms into something more. Some viewers may see her character as one-dimensional or kind of a bland love interest. Yet, Brooke comes off as a love interest who initially intends to build a friendship with AJ, and the sparks fly when they spend time together. Rehmeier paints Nebraska summers just like how I remember them as a teenager. The plot of Snack Shack could have taken place anywhere, but he chose Nebraska City, which was a solid choice. At no point does Snack Shack present what moviegoers expect to see in a movie set in Nebraska, and it’s so satisfying that filmmakers understand that there’s more to the state than rural areas. Although Nebraska City is nowhere near as big as Omaha, it’s a neighborly town where you won’t need cornfields and farms if you find the right places. It also helps that cinematographer Jean-Philippe Bernier captures little idiosyncrasies that encapsulate a Nebraska summer, most notably whenever there’s a shot of a street at dusk with the streetlights starting to turn on. Bernier showcases the humid atmosphere of hot summer nights and how one would want just to stand outside and take it in, wherever they are. Whether our characters are at a party, having a cookout, or going for a swim, it’s a refreshing sight to see. Above all, it’s a comforting feeling that only natives would understand, and those unfamiliar need to experience it to understand. Bernier also has some long takes in certain scenes, which looked great, but it made me wish it were done more often. If Snack Shack falters in any other way, it tends to milk a joke too far. When AJ and Moose open the shack, they sell candy, soda, and hot dogs. However, AJ gets the idea to write an obscene word on the hot dogs and charge 75 extra cents. Once the joke is introduced, it recurs numerous times, and by the time the film is over, it’s not as funny. Despite the humor wearing off, Snack Shack is still a fun teen comedy posing as a love letter to the small-town Nebraska that’s never seen on screen. Thanks to Sherry and Labelle's leadership and a solid script, Rehmeier knew precisely what he was going for and accomplished it satisfactorily. There’s no denying Sherry and Labelle’s fun banter and quick reactions with each other and their costars. I can guarantee these two are set for a bright future in Hollywood, especially Labelle, who has nowhere to go but up. As for Rehmeier, he made a statement for himself and the state of Nebraska. In time, I hope to see Hollywood starting to see more of Nebraska than they’ve presumed, and Snack Shack was the first step in the right direction toward getting there. Republic Pictures will release Snack Shack in select theaters on March 15th. More Reviews Primetime September 22, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Unabomber September 24, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Look Back September 16, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Elsinore September 14, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Hunter Friesen

The Most Successful Directors at Cannes June 29, 2023 By: Hunter Friesen The Cannes Film Festival is renowned for its exclusivity to only the best filmmakers in the world. Every director’s dream is to climb the signature red carpet stairs and have their film compete for the Palme d’Or. Several have done it over the years, but only so many have been able to stick with it for so long. In this list, I’ll highlight the most successful directors in the festival’s history. In other words, these figures are the best of the best… of the best. Many of the aspects that come to mind when we think of the festival are relatively new, so almost everyone mentioned here is either still making films or recently retired. The criteria for placement on this list are as follows: The prominence of the director and their films. Do they grab headlines, or do they just kind of come and go? The number of films they've screened within the Official Competition. Films in the sidebars will be excluded. The number of awards they’ve won (Palme d’Or, Jury Prize, Best Director…) The consistency of their output. Do they have many duds within their resume, or are they steady as she goes? Honorable Mentions David Cronenberg Hou Hsiao-Hsien Sofia Coppola Paolo Sorrentino Mike Leigh 10. Quentin Tarantino Films in the Official Competition (4): Pulp Fiction (1994, Palme d’Or), Death Proof (2007), Inglourious Basterds (2009), Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019) Cannes is a Mecca for international cinema and the purity of filmmaking, but it’s also a business that needs to grab headlines with glitzy premieres filled with stars. Tarantino is the perfect marriage of art and commerce, supplying the festival with artistically unique movies filled with Hollywood A-listers. Every one of his movies is the talk of the town, even if they haven’t been the most well-received ( Pulp Fiction got a few boos after winning the Palme d’Or, and Inglourious Basterds received decidedly mixed reviews). With his final film soon to enter production, we can already predict what will be the hottest ticket for Cannes 2025. 9. Nanni Moretti Films in the Official Competition (9): Ecce Bombo (1978), Dear Diary (1994, Best Director), Aprile (1998), The Son’s Room (2001, Palme d’Or), The Caiman (2006), We Have a Pope (2011), My Mother (2015), Three Floors (2021), The Sun of the Future (2023) The director is always the star of the show at Cannes (they are awarded the Palme d’Or instead of the producer), and Italian auteur Nanni Moretti is one of the biggest on account of him writing, directing, and starring in nearly all his films. He’s been referred to as the Italian Woody Allen, with his quirky satires taking aim at Italian society and politics. He’s been a mainstay of the competition for almost thirty years, with 2001’s The Son’s Room winning the top prize. 8. Hirokazu Kore-eda Films in the Official Competition (8): Distance (2001), Nobody Knows (2004), Like Father, Like Son (2013, Jury Prize), Our Little Sister (2015), Shoplifters (2018, Palme d’Or), Broker (2022), Monster (2023) Described as a modern-day Yasujirō Ozu by Roger Ebert, Kore-eda has always been adept at delivering social realism with gentle tenderness. But that loving affection doesn’t come across as overly sentimental, with hints of melancholy aiding the authenticity. His films have often focused on the construction of a family, whether by blood or special bonds. All of his films have been warmly received, with 2018’s Palme d’Or winning Shoplifters being considered his magnum opus. 7. Nuri Bilge Ceylan Films in the Official Competition (7): Distant (2003, Grand Prize of the Jury), Climates (2006), Three Monkeys (2008, Best Director), Once Upon a Time in Anatolia (2011, Grand Prize of the Jury), Winter Sleep (2014, Palme d’Or), The Wild Pear Tree (2018), About Dry Grasses (2023) While his long (usually running over three hours), slow, and morally complicated films may not grab the headlines of his contemporaries, Turkish director Ceylan stands above almost all thanks to his impressive trophy case. He finished in the runner-up position twice (2003’s Distant and 2011’s Once Upon a Time in Anatolia ) before claiming his Palme d’Or in 2014 for Winter Sleep . He’ll be competing again this year with the equally long About Dry Grasses . 6. Lars von Trier Films in the Official Competition (9): The Element of Crime (1984), Europa (1991, Jury Prize), Breaking the Waves (1996, Grand Prize of the Jury), The Idiots (1998), Dancer in the Dark (2000, Palme d’Or), Dogville (2003), Manderlay (2005), Antichrist (2009), Melancholia (2011) Every major festival needs a provocateur to grab the headlines. While Michael Haneke and David Cronenberg may push people’s buttons, Danish bad boy Lars von Trier always takes it to another level, which was illustrated by him being excommunicated and labeled “persona non grata” by the festival after his Nazi comments at the press conference for 2011’s Melancholia . That banishment put a strain on the relationship between the festival and one of its star pupils, who had picked up a second-place prize ( Breaking the Waves ) and Palme d’Or ( Dancer in the Dark ) since he was admitted to the competition in the mid-’80s. Von Trier would return years later for The House That Jack Built , which appropriately caused one of the biggest walkouts in festival history 5. Pedro Almodóvar Films in the Official Competition (6): All About My Mother (1999, Best Director), Volver (2006, Best Screenplay), Broken Embraces (2009), The Skin I Live In (2011), Julieta (2016), Pain and Glory (2019) A relatively late bloomer to the festival, Almodóvar didn’t make his way into the competition until 1999’s All About My Mother . But he made his first shot count, winning the Best Director prize. He’s usually brought global stars like Penélope Cruz and Antonio Banderas along with him for his twisty stories filled with bright colors. Even with all his success on the Croisette, Almodóvar isn’t a hardcore festival loyalist, opting to sometimes debut his films at other festivals, such as Talk to Her at Telluride and Parallel Mothers at Venice. 4. Jean-Pierre & Luc Dardenne Films in the Official Competition (9): Rosetta (1999, Palme d’Or), The Son (2002), The Child (2005, Palme d’Or), Lorna’s Silence (2008, Best Screenplay), The Kid with a Bike (2011, Grand Prize of the Jury), Two Days, One Night (2014), The Unknown Girl (2016), Young Ahmed (2019, Best Director), Tori and Lokita (2022, 75 th Anniversary Prize) You only have to look at the made-up 75th-anniversary prize to know just how much the festival loves the Belgian brothers. Of course, they also have two Palme d’Ors, and awards for Best Director and Best Screenplay, sitting on their shelf to back up that claim. Self-described as one person who can do two things at once, their relatively short (running less than 90 minutes) morality tales about everyday people in Belgium have always struck a chord with whatever jury presides over them. 3. Michael Haneke Films in the Official Competition (7): Funny Games (1997), Code Unknown (2000), The Piano Teacher (2001, Grand Prize of the Jury), Caché (2005, Best Director), The White Ribbon (2009, Palme d’Or), Amour (2012, Palme d’Or), Happy End (2017) The angry Austrian has one of the best batting averages of any filmmaker at the festival, winning a substantial prize for four consecutive films, including back-to-back Palme d’Ors. As the yin to Quentin Taranitno’s yang, Haneke is usually the one to deflate the mood at the party with his no-thrills observations about violence and cruelty. But no one does it better than him, with those joyless lessons about the ugliness of humanity sticking with audiences long after the conclusion of the final reel. 2. Joel & Ethan Coen Films in the Official Competition (8): Barton Fink (1991, Best Director, Palme d’Or), The Hudsucker Proxy (1994), Fargo (1996, Best Director), O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000), The Man Who Wasn’t There (2001, Best Director), The Ladykillers (2004), No Country for Old Men (2007), Inside Llewyn Davis (2013, Grand Prize of the Jury) The Minnesota-born brothers are the reason Cannes has a rule against a film winning more than two prizes, as their festival debut, Barton Fink , earned the awards for Best Actor, Best Director, and a unanimous Palme d’Or. The festival rules didn’t stop the duo from becoming the record holders for most wins for Best Director, repeating for Fargo and The Man Who Wasn’t There (tied with David Lynch for Mulholland Drive ). Shockingly, No Country for Old Men , the film that won them the Oscar for Best Picture, Best Screenplay (Adapted), and Best Picture, was not awarded any prizes when it premiered on the French Riviera. 1. Ken Loach Films in the Official Competition (17): Looks and Smiles (1981), Hidden Agenda (1990, Jury Prize), Raining Stone (1993, Jury Prize), Land and Freedom (1995), My Name is Joe (1998), Bread and Roses (2000), Sweet Sixteen (2002), The Wind that Shakes the Barley (2006, Palme d’Or), Looking for Eric (2009), Route Irish (2010), The Angel’s Share (2012, Jury Prize), Jimmy’s Hall (2014), I, Daniel Blake (2016, Palme d’Or), Sorry We Missed You (2019), The Old Oak (2023) The only certain things in life are death and taxes… and a Ken Loach film will compete for the Palme d’Or. The famed British director has had seventeen of his films in the Official Competition, a record that he continues to expand. He’s also tied for the record of most Jury Prizes (3) and Palme d’Ors (2). His slice-of-life style has made him the director of the people, with him never being attracted by the beckonings of Hollywood. More Reviews Primetime September 22, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Unabomber September 24, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Look Back September 16, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Elsinore September 14, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Hunter Friesen

Killers of the Flower Moon October 18, 2023 By: Button Hunter Friesen The question that has perpetually hung over director Martin Scorsese’s long-awaited Western Killers of the Flower Moon is the justification for the history-making 206-minute runtime. It’s a question of excess that has doggedly followed Scorsese for over five decades now, a curse that besieges anyone who pushes conventions past their preconceived limits. Did the climactic shootout in Taxi Driver have to be so graphic? Did Jesus and Mary Magdalene have to consummate their marriage in The Last Temptation of Christ ? Did Joe Pesci have to pop a rival mobster's eye out of its socket with a vice grip in Casino ? Did the characters have to swear so much in The Wolf of Wall Street ? Time and time again, Scorsese has proved us wrong about what should and shouldn’t be in film. Killers of the Flower Moon is no different, as several scenes would have been trimmed or fully excised in 99.9% of productions. And yet, none of those scenes felt superfluous, and there wasn’t a single one I wasn't fully invested in. It’s the mark of a master, someone who pieces the puzzle together with perfection while still keeping the magic alive by masking how he did it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EP34Yoxs3FQ Similar to Ridley Scott, Scorsese shows no signs of slowing down as he reaches octogenarian status. Just as there was little surprise surrounding the length of the film (the man literally hasn’t released a film under 120 minutes in almost 40 years), nothing is shocking about Scorsese’s ability to fill the frame with operatic grandeur. The camera charges in, Robbie Robertson’s beating score resembles rock music as much as it can within the period, and the streets are bustling with lively characters. There’s a distinctly rowdy energy to everything, something that Scorsese and his longtime editor Thelma Schoonmaker have honed and perfected throughout their decades-long partnership. What is surprising about Killers of the Flower Moon is Scorsese’s ability to bring in the qualities of his lesser-known films, which is the capacity to take a step back and observe a culture. There’s a delicate balance between getting in the thick of the action and letting it wash over from a distance. For every street race and moment of shocking violence, there’s a chance to witness a piece of this land and its people. There are key moments where an Osage wedding or ceremonial tradition is recreated, shedding light on what’s ultimately at stake. Unfortunately for the Osage people, funerals were a more common occurrence than weddings at the turn of the 20th century. There’s nothing more dangerous in America than a man’s greed, and that snake has taken hold of the original people of Oklahoma. White people are the immigrants in Osage County, all of them pouring in to get a piece of the oil deposit pie. Ernest Burkhart (Leonardo DiCaprio) is one of them. He’s a soldier returning home from Europe, settling in to live with his uncle William Hale (Robert De Niro), who prides himself on his great relations with the Osage people. They are an alpha and beta pair, William the scheming mastermind, and Enrest the slack-jawed underling. The prize in everyone’s eyes is the “headrights” that each Osage member has, essentially a legal claim to a portion of the oil money. If a white man marries an Osage woman and she dies later on, those rights are solely transferred to the husband. Mollie (Lily Gladstone) is moderately aware of William’s tactics when he encourages Ernest to take an interest in her. But she can’t deny her feelings for Ernest, who genuinely cares for her throughout all his misdeeds. Their doomed relationship is beautifully portrayed by each actor, Gladstone being the film’s (and Scorsese’s) emotionally richest character, and DiCaprio weaponizing his charm to sinister results. De Niro is the wolf in sheep’s clothing, casting a shadow of death on each of the Osage he touches. There is the introduction of the FBI, a little before the film reaches its third hour, led by Tom White (Jesse Plemons). But the injustice never ends, something Scorsese highlights with his “swinging for the fences” ending that recontextualizes much of what has just been witnessed. Excess is the name of the game within Scorsese’s filmography, and Killers of the Flower Moon has that in spades. But it’s not the flashy kind of excess that we’re used to seeing; it’s an excess that overwhelms your soul just as much as your senses. As the debate over what is and isn’t cinema rages on (and I pray to God it ends soon), let this be a clear illustration of what it can be: something powerful enough to enrapture you in the present and pleasantly linger with you long into the future. Paramount Pictures and Apple Original Films will release Killers of the Flower Moon in theaters nationwide on October 20th. More Reviews Primetime September 22, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Unabomber September 24, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Look Back September 16, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Elsinore September 14, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Hunter Friesen

Twin Cities Film Fest 2023 Preview October 18, 2023 By: Hunter Friesen As autumn paints the Minnesota landscape with fiery hues, it's time once again to immerse ourselves in the world of storytelling through film. The Twin Cities Film Fest 2023 seeks to showcase both established and emerging talent in the world of cinema. Here are six films in this year's lineup that have me the most intrigued. Note: Alexander Payne's The Holdovers and Christos Nikou's Fingernails are also part of the official selection. Because I saw both of these films at TIFF, they will not be included in this list. All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt (10/21) A decades-spanning exploration of a woman's life in Mississippi and an ode to the generations of people, places, and ineffable moments that shape us. The film world premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January and will also screen at the New York Film Festival. A24 will release the film in theaters beginning November 03. All of Us Strangers (10/21) A screenwriter drawn back to his childhood home enters into a fledgling relationship with a mysterious neighbor as he then discovers his parents appear to be living just as they were on the day they died, 30 years before. Written for the screen and directed by Andrew Haigh ( 45 Years ). Starring Andrew Scott, Paul Mescal, Jamie Bell, and Claire Foy. The film had its world premiere at the Telluride Film Festival and will also screen at the New York Film Festival, London Film Festival, and Chicago Film Festival. Searchlight Pictures will release the film in theaters beginning December 22. The Taste of Things (10/22) It tells the story of Eugenie, an esteemed cook, and Dodin, the fine gourmet she has been working for over the last 20 years. Director Trân Anh Hùng won the Best Director prize at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. The film was also recently selected to represent France in the international feature film race at this year’s Oscar ceremony. An IFC release. Foe (10/23) Hen and Junior farm a secluded piece of land that has been in Junior's family for generations, but their quiet life is thrown into turmoil when an uninvited stranger shows up at their door with a startling proposal. Directed by Garth Davis ( Lion ). Starring Saoirse Ronan, Paul Mescal, and Aaron Pierre. Amazon Studios will release the film in theaters beginning October 06. The Teacher's Lounge (10/25) When one of her students is suspected of theft, teacher Carla Nowak decides to get to the bottom of the matter. Caught between her ideals and the school system, the consequences of her actions threaten to break her. The film had its world premiere at this year’s Berlin Film Festival. It later won four awards (Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Lead Actress) at the German Film Awards. It will represent Germany in the international feature film race at this year’s Oscar ceremony. American Fiction (10/28) Author Thelonious "Monk" Ellison is peeved because his latest offering hasn't caught fire with publishers, while a tome called We's Lives in Da Ghetto by Sintara Golden hits the bestseller lists, leaving Monk seething. Cord Jefferson's directorial debut had its world premiere at this year's Toronto International Film Festival, winning the coveted People's Choice Award. Jefferson adapted the story from the novel by Percival Everett. Jeffrey Wright, Sterling K. Brown, Tracee Ellis Ross, and Issa Rae star. Downtown Owl (10/28) Based on the novel by Chuck Klosterman and partially filmed in the Twin Cities area, Downtown Owl is a sparkle-dark Reagan Era comedy set in the fictional town of Owl, North Dakota in the leading days up to the region's blizzard in Minnesota's century. Directed by Hamish Linklater and Lily Rabe. Written for the screen by Hamish Linklater. Starring Lily Rabe, Vanessa Hudgens, Ed Harris, Finn Wittrock, Jack Dylan Grazer, and Henry Golding. More Reviews Primetime September 22, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Unabomber September 24, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Look Back September 16, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Elsinore September 14, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Hunter Friesen

Zombieland: Double Tap October 28, 2019 By: Button Hunter Friesen When the first Zombieland came out in 2009, it was a pleasant surprise. The zombie genre was in its initial rebirth stage, and self-referential humor hadn’t reached its peak just yet. It became the talk of every middle and high school around the country, creating a rabid fanbase that launched the careers of several of its stars and creators. Now ten years later, the gang is back, still making their way through the undead infestation within America. But slaughtering zombies proves to create human relationship problems, ones that the survivors all thought they had left behind. Also, there’s a new breed of zombie on the loose, tougher and smarter than ever before. With the physical and emotional danger ramping up by the day, the bond holding the misfit family together will soon be tested. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlW9yhUKlkQ Directed by Ruben Fleischer, helmer of the first film and Tom Hardy’s Venom , Zombieland: Double Tap is a breezy 99-minute comedy. The atmosphere is light and joyous as the characters always keep their sarcastic attitudes even in the most perilous of times. But that carefree attitude is also a symptom of the lack of depth and purpose to the story. Fleischer frames the narrative as a road movie, but without a meaningful destination or compelling journey to bring it all together. The comedy set-pieces here are more separate entities rather than part of a whole piece. Fortunately, some of those disjointed scenes contain some great action as Fleischer embellishes the gory fun of killing (or re-killing) the undead. Slow-motion and excessive blood and guts soak the screen and make for an amusing watch. And even though guns are the primary weapon of choice, there is one top-notch tracking shot sequence that deserves credit for its creative methods for killing. Written by the original duo of the first movie, plus the addition of Dave Callaham, “Zombieland: Double Tap” still contains the same amount of self-referential humor as the first. This time, though, the meta-jokes aren’t as fresh and are served through overly expository narration. Just like the carefree atmosphere, this fault is part of a larger problem: staleness. Ten years ago, this story and these characters were original. But now with “The Walking Dead” and an umpteen number of video games, the zombie genre has run itself into the ground. The writers don’t try to solve this problem, but merely try to joke about it. That’s not to say that the jokes are bad; some of them are quite good. And the chemistry between the cast is just as good or even better than the original. It’s just a shame that all that talent is buried under a little-to-nothing plot that only serves the purpose of shuffling them between set pieces. It’s fine, and all to watch the same great characters do funny stuff, but there also needs to be a story to tell. The lack of a story here showcases the prime reason this film was nothing more than an unnecessary cash grab. Ten years older and all Academy Award-nominated, the cast all return to do more of the same. Jesse Eisenberg is his usual fidgety and neurotic self as he spatters out his rules of survival. Woody Harrelson takes the top spot among the group and seems to be enjoying himself the most. It’s almost unfair to the others that he gets the best lines, but he makes the most out of them and is the main reason most of the jokes land. Emma Stone, away from serious roles for a little bit, also seems to be reveling in the zombie carnage. It’s nice to see her let loose, especially since she does have a knack for snarky comedy. Lastly, Abigail Breslin gets the short end of the stick as she doesn’t get anything to do or say that’s funny, even if she’s pretty good in her rare moments to shine. Zombieland: Double Tap has some good moments, but they’re not enough to make it a good movie. But its inoffensiveness delivers just enough laughs to serve those who have fond memories of the first one. Just like how Ghostbusters II isn’t remembered to this day, I feel this sequel will come and go without leaving the same lasting mark that the superior original was able to make all those years ago. Sony Pictures Releasing will release Zombieland: Double Tap in theaters nationwide on October 18th. More Reviews Primetime September 22, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Unabomber September 24, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Look Back September 16, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Elsinore September 14, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Hunter Friesen

Road House March 20, 2024 By: Button Hunter Friesen Remaking Road House for modern times doesn't sound like a good idea on paper, with immediate expectations slotting it next to the other misplaced-in-time remakes of Ghost in the Shell and Baywatch . There wasn’t exactly a compelling story to the 1989 original, just Patrick Swayze delivering cans of whoop ass on greasy goons with his black belt in karate. And for a film that made less money than you would think, its cultural footprint has persevered throughout the decades thanks to the funny title, cheesy concept, and, for kids closer to my generation, the frequent Family Guy parodies . Even with the setting being transplanted to the modern day, Elwood Dalton (Jake Gyllenhaal) is still a man stuck in the past. He has no phone, a clunker of a car, and simply drifts from town to town, scraping by through low-end cage fights. For him, it’s harder to fight the rage inside than any opponent. He’s calm and composed, but there’s always a twinge of insanity ready to let loose. “You don’t want to know me,” and “I’m not afraid of him, I’m afraid of what I’ll do,” he says a few times, with brief snapshots of his UFC past (all shot at an actual UFC event) explaining how he fell so far. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0ZsLudtfjI Like the idea of remaking the film itself, the casting of Gyllenhaal to take over from Swayze is an odd choice. He’s an actor not exactly known for being relaxed, as evidenced by his previous work in Okja , Nightcrawler , and Velvet Buzzsaw . It’s perhaps a case of the chicken or the egg, with Gyllenhaal being a great piece of casting for this newer take on the character, or his involvement changing the tone. Either way, it works out, with Gyllenhaal’s grounded approach never taking away from the fun. Plus, he’s already had fighting experience with Southpaw , so the producers probably saved a nice chunk of change on training costs. Dalton is hired by Frankie (Jessica Williams) to be the bouncer/enforcer of her family bar called The Road House, just one of several hit-or-miss attempts at some tongue-in-cheek humor by writers Anthony Bagarozzi and Chuck Mondry. It’s located on a beautiful beach in Florida, with the only problem being the infestation of bikers and road ragers. It’s nothing Dalton can’t handle, with his laissez-faire attitude towards kicking the crap out of someone, almost making it more disrespectful. None of these guys was worth his time, which leads him up the food chain toward the head of the richest crime family in the area, Ben Brandt (Billy Magnussen). He’s got some dastardly plan and needs the bar taken out of commission by any means necessary, including kidnapping, murder, and explosions. The further the plot progresses, the less fun Road House becomes. It’s a bit of a bummer that the first fight, where Dalton dismantles five bikers singlehandedly, is by far the film’s best set piece. Even if they are cartoonishly punchable, there is plenty of guilty pleasure in seeing some hooligans get their comeuppance. However, you can’t exactly fill a two-hour movie with your hero facing no resistance, so former UFC champion Conor McGregor has to be introduced as a bruising wildcard. McGregor won’t find himself with a lucrative acting career like former fighters Dwayne Johnson and Dave Bautista, but he fills his wildcard role enough here to be entertaining. Helming this bare-knuckle brawler is director Doug Liman, who helped revolutionize the action genre in the 2000s with The Bourne Identity and gave Tom Cruise another action vehicle outside of his usual Mission: Impossible films with Edge of Tomorrow . All that prowess quickly goes out the window the longer the fight scenes drag on, with questionable visual effects and camera movements overselling the brutality and undercutting the choreography. Once gasoline explosions and boat jousting get involved, things quickly go all the way overboard. Still, for as many faults as are glaringly apparent, there’s nothing offensive about Road House . I guess that’s what you get when you do a remake of a movie that wasn’t that good to begin with and have it released exclusively on Prime Video. Amazon MGM Studios will release Road House on its streaming service on March 21st. More Reviews Primetime September 22, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Unabomber September 24, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Look Back September 16, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Elsinore September 14, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Hunter Friesen

Borat Subsequent Moviefilm November 5, 2020 By: Button Hunter Friesen Back in 2006, Sacha Baron Cohen shocked the world with his hilarious mockumentary called Borat . Playing the titular fake news reporter from Kazakhstan, Cohen toured America interviewing people from all walks of life. Through the character of Borat, Cohen showed Americans what they truly look like to the outside world: a bunch of overconfident and arrogant snobs that are too dumb to know how dumb they are. The film was an enormous success, critically and commercially, which fueled rumors of a sequel for over a decade. Now in 2020, Cohen is back as Borat Sagdiyev. Borat Subsequent Moviefilm or if you want to go by the official title, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan , picks up where the last one left off. Borat has just been released from the Kazakh gulags and is being sent back to America. Once there, he will deliver a special gift (I shouldn’t tell you what it is) to Michael Pence to regain America’s trust and loyalty towards Kazakhstan. What I just described to you is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the weirdness within this “moviefilm”. Borat’s mission is also just a shameless excuse for the character to return to America to do what he does best. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzFHMhsTdf0 But instead of being joined by his producer, Azamat, like in the first film, Borat is accompanied by his daughter Tutar, who knows next to nothing of the world outside her village and is accustomed to being told that women are not smart enough to read, have a job, or drive a car. This is all played for laughs, but it also mocks the seemingly backward gender norms found in parts of the world. Similar to Borat in the first movie, Tutar’s visit to the home of the brave will be quite the culture shock. Once there, Borat is quickly recognized by everyday citizens. Knowing that being an instantly recognizable star will jeopardize his mission, he must don an assortment of disguises as he makes his way across the states. He makes stops at the Conservative Political Action Conference, an anti-mask rally, and even catches Rudy Giuliani doing some questionable acts, for which he has had to defend in the previous weeks. Borat Subsequent Moviefilm is a lot like the leftovers you take home after a good restaurant meal. It’s still good, but it’s not as good as it was before, and the only thing you can think about while eating it is how much you enjoyed the first meal. Most of the “pranks” that Cohen pulls off as Borat seem to be much more scripted in this go-around. Much of the fun of the first film came from the loose and improvised feel. This sequel is much more calculated in what it is trying to say and how it goes about doing it. This feeling of been-there-done-that isn’t completely Cohen’s fault. Unlike back in 2006, Americans have finally started to come around to the idea that we aren’t so special after all. Maybe it’s because of who we have (or had, depending on when this review is published in relation to the election) in the Oval Office or the idiotic way we are handling the pandemic. In 2020, Americans don’t need another reminder that this country kind of sucks. We see it in our news feeds every day as we try to navigate the broken social ladder. Despite being unneeded on a story level, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm is a needed reminder of just how talented Sacha Baron Cohen is as he does what he was put on this world to do. This is his brand of comedy that no one comes close to competing with. Whether he’s dressed as Borat, a southern trucker, an extremely antisemitic portrayal of a Jew, or Donald Trump himself, Cohen seamlessly slips into character and has you fooled instantaneously. However, the MVP of this movie is not Cohen, but Maria Bakalova, who plays Tutar. Bakalova follows the same trajectory as Cohen did in the first movie as she expertly pulls off the naivety of a sheltered girl in a lawless land. She also carries the emotional arc of the story as her relationship with her father flourishes with each subsequent hijink. Borat Subsequent Moviefilm is a perverse and vulgar film that holds a mirror up to America. While the original was fresh and inventive, this follow-up is just more of the same with less luster. But, far worse movies have gotten far worse sequels, so we should count ourselves lucky that this sequel is redeemed by the comic genius of Sacha Baron Cohen and Maria Bakalova. Amazon MGM Studios will release Borat Subsequent Moviefilm on its streaming service on October 23rd. More Reviews Primetime September 22, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Unabomber September 24, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Look Back September 16, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Elsinore September 14, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Hunter Friesen

Him September 18, 2025 By: Button Hunter Friesen At this point, should Jordan Peele bear some of the blame for the countless bad films he’s inspired in the years since Get Out ? Based on the recurring delay of his next film, it feels like even he’s starting to feel the pressure of comparison. Then again, should Quentin Tarantino have been blamed for all the Pulp Fiction rip-offs of the ‘90s and early 2000s? Should Steven Spielberg be blamed for every movie centered around sharks or dinosaurs? It’s the mark of a true master, someone who makes it look so effortless that it deludes people into thinking that they can just as easily pull it off. 99% of them try and fail, with that one special person perfectly threading the needle between homage and distinctiveness, restarting the cycle all over again. Much as it really wants to be in that 1% club, Him is most certainly an imitator, flaunting sights and sounds as if it were some deep and insightful piece of filmmaking. In actuality, it's just noise, an irritating string of moments that increasingly pushed me to pack up and go home. But instead of doing that, I stayed in my seat, recounting all the productive things I could have done with the ninety-six minutes I just burned. I could have read a few more chapters in that book I should have already finished, cherished these final few summer days by going on a walk, or just stared blankly at a wall. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpEy0iOixb4 Those corny workout videos that football teams post on social media during the offseason have been brought to the silver screen, only this time with more explanatory narration and opportunities for athletes to repeatedly take off their shirts. Cameron Cade (Tyriq Withers) is one of those shirtless hunks, the next great football quarterback. Unfortunately, that path of success is derailed when he’s struck in the head by a random attacker, an event that’s never mentioned again until much later in the film. As an act of redemption, Cameron takes an offer to spend a week training at the compound of Isaiah White (Marlon Wayans), the recipient of eight championship rings and the undisputed status of The GOAT (Greatest Of All Time). You could say he’s the Daniel Day-Lewis of football, reaching his status through uncompromising dedication to his craft and a willingness to sacrifice everything. That even extends to the health and safety of his employees, all of them with a cult-like devotion to put their bodies on the line. There were several moments throughout that reminded me of Opus from earlier this year, which has been rightfully banished to the realm of obscurity. Both films try to expose our obsession with celebrity culture through a mixture of dark comedy and brutal horror. But the lameness of their ideas and ineffective scares make it a tedious snoozefest. The only benefit of the totally predictable jump scares is to jolt you back awake. But that’s only a startle, as it takes actual talent to scare someone. And just like Opus , Him ends with a baffling sequence of reveals that invite dozens of questions about the logic and ultimate goal of this whole operation. Why does every Julia Fox scene end with her having to leave? Why are there a bunch of rabid fans living on the outskirts of the compound as if it’s Area 51? Why does Isaiah drink alcohol and smoke cigars when it’s already been established that he follows an extremely regimented diet? Why does Cameron always preach about the importance of family, only for all those characters to be extremely annoying? The more I ask these questions, the less I actually want the answer. Him isn’t meant for fans of football, horror movies, or life in general. It’s meant to be used as a repellent, pushing people towards better movies. I’d like to consider this review as an act of public service, but I fear that the stench is going to stick with me for a while. Universal Pictures will release Him in theaters nationwide on September 19th. More Reviews Primetime September 22, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Unabomber September 24, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Look Back September 16, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Elsinore September 14, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Hunter Friesen

Top 10 Films of 2019 January 23, 2020 By: Hunter Friesen Well, the year has passed and we can finally let out a sigh of relief. The only thing left to do now is to look ahead to fresh beginnings in the new year and decade. But before we do that, let’s take some time to appreciate all the good that happened to us this last year, specifically within the movie theatre. From the biggest of blockbusters to the smallest of indies, several cinematic offerings were made that deserve attention and praise. So in an effort to give credit where credit is due, here is a list of my favorite films of 2019. Honorable Mentions A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood Ford v Ferrari The Farewell The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part The Lighthouse 10. 1917 In a move of pure boldness, director Sam Mendes decided to stage his World War I film as one continuous shot. Roger Deakins’ masterful cinematography never once faults as it fully immerses us into the action on a level not seen in war films before. Adding Thomas Newman’s score and two excellent lead performances on top of that give this blockbuster an unrivaled sense of grandiosity. 9. Uncut Gems Adam Sandler returns to form with his role as Howard Ratner in Uncut Gems . But it's not just The Sandman himself who takes the spotlight in this anxiety-inducing tale of one man trying to gamble himself a fortune within the New York diamond district. Supporting players Julia Fox, LaKeith Stanfield, and even basketball legend Kevin Garnett show off their talent as directors Josh and Benny Safdie take that screen presence and combine it with an intensely paced story to deliver one hell of a ride. 8. Marriage Story Written and directed by Noah Baumbach, this Netflix divorce drama made for the biggest emotional punch of any film in 2019. Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson commandingly take the lead and deliver a film that has never been so pleasantly depressing and genuinely funny at the same time. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, or you’ll do both at the same time. And by the time the credits start rolling, you’ll have been on a journey with not just these characters, but also with yourself. Full Review 7. Parasite South Korean director Bong Joon-ho returns home for his newest feature. Winner of the prestigious Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, the film follows the escapades of the poverty-stricken Kim family as they infiltrate the household and lives of the wealthy Parks. Genre-defying to the highest degree, Parasite is never what you think it is as it twists back and forth between comedy, horror, and drama within the blink of an eye. Fortunately, the one thing that stays constant throughout is the immense talent of all involved to make this wholly original and unforgettable film. 6. Ad Astra The 2010s have been a renaissance for space movies as several top directors and stars have lent their craft to tell stories beyond our planet. Joining that list are James Gray and Brad Pitt as they take the road less traveled with the unique Ad Astra . Almost a one-man show by Pitt, the film tells his character’s deeply humanistic story within the cosmic scale of its setting. It’s deeply moving and altogether something different than what has come before, which is why it deserves a place on this list. Full Review 5. Climax The most unsettling and stressful movie released this year, Gaspar Noé’s Climax is a hypnotic nightmare. Set in a remote French school, the film follows a group of dancers as they celebrate after a successful show. Unfortunately, someone spiked the punch with LSD and everyone is in for an agonizing trip. As expected the dance numbers are fantastic and the inventive long-take cinematography never lets you go no matter how many times you want to look away. Be sure to take some ibuprofen before embarking on this strange ride. 4. Once Upon a Time in... Hollywood Perfectly led by an all-star cast of Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt (what a year he’s having!), and Margot Robbie, Quentin Tarantino’s ninth feature turned out to be his most comedic and mature work. The esteemed writer/director’s tale of a fictional TV cowboy in the waning days of Hollywood’s golden age acts as both a time capsule for a bygone era and as an allegory for the state of filmmaking in modern times. But don’t let the laughs fool you into thinking Tarantino won’t indulge in his trademarked ultraviolence as he delivers what may be his most challenging and squirm-inducing finale. 3. The Irishman At 209 minutes, Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman is a true-crime epic. Telling the story of mob hitman Frank "The Irishman" Sheeran, the long-gestating project is packed with an all-star cast of Robert De Niro as the titular character as well as Joe Pesci and Al Pacino in career-defining roles. Instead of rehashing his usual gangster formula, Scorsese flips the script and fully exposes the audience to the doom and gloom that a life of crime brings to someone. Released on Netflix, there’s no excuse not to see this historic work. Full Review 2. The King Available on Netflix (are you starting to see a pattern?), The King is a period piece for the modern age. Director David Michôd elegantly crafts a sweeping drama centered on the early reign of King Henry V - brilliantly played by a brooding Timothée Chalamet - as he navigates through murky political waters. Technically immaculate through its cinematography and score, the drama also boasts a well-rounded supporting cast of characters looking to raise their rank through either loyalty or betrayal. All these factors and more (including Robert Pattinson’s bonkers accent) make for an incredibly engaging watch. All hail King Henry indeed. 1. Little Women With a modern twist on a timeless classic, Greta Gerwig’s Little Women is an absolute delight. From its non-linear narrative to its glowingly warm cinematography, everything on the screen does wonders as it forces tears that are then brushed away with a smile. That also includes performances from the ensemble that bring the March sisters to life in a way not seen before. Arriving on Christmas Day as a gift to all, there was no better way to cap off the year (and decade) than with this absolute masterpiece. More Reviews Primetime September 22, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Unabomber September 24, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Look Back September 16, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Elsinore September 14, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Hunter Friesen

Pinocchio September 15, 2022 By: Button Tyler Banark Yes, Disney's live-action remakes may lack the heart and genuineness of their animated counterparts, but as long as they get the views, the execs at the mouse house couldn't care less about anything else. Pinocchio, being the latest victim of the conglomerate's cash-grabbing strategy, gives a keen reminder of where the jingle from the opening studio logo comes from. I have no personal connection to the original 1940 film, but I couldn't pass on it with Robert Zemeckis and Tom Hanks attached. Despite their good intentions, Pinocchio is another run-of-the-mill live-action remake of the Mouse House that still left no room for creativity. Hanks is the movie's main selling point as Geppetto, a lonely old clockmaker who wishes for nothing more than a real son in his life and not the titular wooden puppet he made. After making a wish, the wooden boy comes to life and wishes to pursue the dream of becoming a real human boy. Although similar to the source material, Zemeckis' Pinocchio had some new characters, such as Fabiana, her marionette Sabina, and Sofia the seagull. These new characters are nuanced and don't add much to the story, but they never feel unnecessary. None of the characters felt out of place, mainly because this is a remake, and if you know the story, you know what you're in for. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gV_0pYoCssc Aside from Hanks, the cast as a whole seemed a bit inconsistent, as Joseph Gordon-Levitt's Jiminy Cricket felt odd with him doing a weird voice, which, unrecognizable, creeped me out. Whenever he spoke, I wasn't sure if JGL was trying to do a caricature take on the role or if what he was doing was spot on with what the character was supposed to be. On the other hand, Keegan-Michael Key fit in as Honest John; he brought that energetic charisma from his Key and Peele days, which helped a lot, given that the role consists of him being a mischievous fox. Lastly, Luke Evans has a small role as the Pleasure Island coachman. He does a musical number, and that's it. However, after doing this and playing Gaston in the 2017 remake of Beauty and the Beast , I'm convinced that he enjoys doing these lifeless films. The movie's effects are worth mentioning, as this movie is a massive CGI fest. If I had a dollar for every shot in this film that I could tell was from a green screen, I'd have a fortune. Whether it was kids sliding down a mountain of candy or seeing fake water splash into Hank's face, the effects were distracting as they could easily take viewers out of the movie. The worst part about it was that anytime Pinocchio had a close-up, he looked like a cartoon character in the worst way possible. The good thing about the effects here is that they don't seem reminiscent of the motion capture from two Zemeckis films from the 2000s, resembling the uncanny valley: 2004's The Polar Express and 2009's A Christmas Carol . Finally, it's been occurring to me that Zemeckis seems like a director who's way beyond his prime and needs to call it quits. I think he's only made one movie since Cast Away that I'd consider solid, and that was 2015's The Walk . I know he didn't mean any poor intentions to Pinocchio , but when he's making a film such as this for a studio like Disney, one would think he'd be allowed to take some creative liberties. Unfortunately, this is not the case here, and it shows. The only time I felt this wasn't the case was during the finale, Gepetto gave a mini-monologue, and it hit hard enough to the point where it drove me to tears. To make matters worse, Disney has some unnecessary Easter eggs and callbacks to other films sprinkled throughout that are cringeworthy. Overall, Pinocchio is a remake not worth the time and energy to watch. Unless that is, if you're a fan of the original and want to watch it for nostalgia. It may be released only on Disney+, which is pretty deserving, given how much quality and substance this movie lacks. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures will release Pinocchio on Disney+ on September 08th. More Reviews Primetime September 22, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Unabomber September 24, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Look Back September 16, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Elsinore September 14, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Hunter Friesen

Top 10 Films of 2023 December 31, 2023 By: Hunter Friesen If you could use one word to describe this list, it would be “predictable.” That word comes with both positive and negative connotations. On the bright side, it means that several of the films that had high places in my Most Anticipated of 2023 list from the beginning of the year were able to meet, or even exceed, my expectations. That also means there were fewer surprises, movies that were true hidden gems just waiting for me to discover them. I can’t see every movie in the year it is released, so I’m sure something will come out of nowhere down the road. And please don’t assume that I think 2023 was a bad year for movies, as that couldn’t be further from the truth. Anyone who says that a certain year was a bad year for movies clearly hasn’t seen enough. Some years are better than others, but none are ever bad if you dig deep. I’ll admit as a caveat this was a pretty bad year for the blockbusters that have come to dominate the multiplex this past decade, many of which took up several spots in my Worst of 2023 list. But if you ventured to the back of the multiplex, your local arthouse theater (assuming it’s still standing after the pandemic), or beyond the attention-grabbing titles on streaming, you’d be exposed to some truly great stuff. 2023 turned out to be the best year for movies since I started taking this site seriously, with a record number of 60 positive reviews (>=3.5 stars) being written. But I can’t (and don’t want to) talk about all 60 movies I thought were good, I want to talk about the 10 I thought were the best, plus 5 honorable mentions for good measure. Without further ado, join me as I recount the works of art (not content) that left the biggest impression on me as a cinephile. Honorable Mentions Enys Men Chevalier Past Lives Poor Things The Boys in the Boat 10. Monster Hirokazu Kore-eda makes his third consecutive appearance on this list following The Truth in 2020 and Broker in 2022. The Japanese writer/director has always found the most tender ways to navigate the moral quandaries that often surround us. Deferring his writing credit for the first time in decades, Kore-eda brings Rashomon into the modern age with Monster , a movie that is both more gentle and deadly than its title implies. The script comes from Yûji Sakamoto, with that separation of duty not turning out to be a bug as the pair craft an endearing story about differing perspectives and the misconceptions we surround ourselves with. Legendary composer Ryuichi Sakamoto, who tragically passed away earlier this year, delivers one of his best works through his fluttery piano. 9. The Taste of Things There’s little drama or stakes within The Taste of Things , which is one of its best features. There are plenty of movies ( Burnt ) and television shows ( The Bear ) that showcase the anxiety-inducing highwire act that cooking can be. There is great skill under pressure here, but writer/director Tran Anh Hung is more interested in the slowly drawn method and how it all comes together when you are comfortable in your element. Time seems to stand still, your body and mind totally connected as one. It’s like a conductor guiding a symphony, every note being hit perfectly with reassuring calmness. There continues to be a need for stories that reflect the increasing bleakness of this world. But that means there’s more room for projects that remind us of the beauty in the timeless things we all experience and often take for granted. The Taste of Things is one of those films as it illustrates both the simplicity and complexity of sustaining ourselves through food. Just make sure to plan your meals carefully before and after seeing it. You owe your stomach (and other senses) that much. Full Review 8. The Holdovers Between its retro production titles, popping sound, dissolved editing, and grainy cinematography, Alexander Payne’s The Holdovers is not just a film that is set in 1970, it looks and feels like it was made during that time. The Omaha-born writer/director (only directing in this outing) returns from a six-year hiatus after the disappointing Downsizing , delivering one of his best films through a great story and equally great characters. This is a Christmas classic for adults. It's a melancholic film, with Payne knowing that the holidays are not full of yuletide cheer for everyone. But there are still seasons greetings to be had, just enough to make you want to be a better person and stay close to those that matter most. What more could you ask for in times like these? Full Review 7. Asteroid City Asteroid City is Wes Anderson’s weirdest movie to date, always keeping your eyebrow in a raised position. While on their methodically placed tracks, each character veers off in different directions, exploring the fear of death, finding connections in a barren land, cutting through the messiness of life, and paying homage to those kitschy B-movies you grew up watching late at night on the public access channel. At this point in his filmography, you’ve probably made up your mind about Anderson. I’m somewhat of an apologist, with those instantly recognizable production qualities and whimsical tones being music to my ears (and eyes). Asteroid City is another healthy dose of what I’ve come to love, with the bonus of seeing an auteur continue to find new ways to channel what they do best. Full Review 6. Killers of the Flower Moon What is surprising about Killers of the Flower Moon is Scorsese’s ability to bring in the qualities of his lesser-known films, which is the capacity to take a step back and observe a culture. There’s a delicate balance between getting in the thick of the action and letting it wash over from a distance. For every street race and moment of shocking violence, there’s a chance to witness a piece of this land and its people. There are key moments where an Osage wedding or ceremonial tradition is recreated, shedding light on what’s ultimately at stake. Excess is the name of the game within Scorsese’s filmography, and Killers of the Flower Moon has that in spades. But it’s not the flashy kind of excess that we’re used to seeing, it’s an excess that overwhelms your soul just as much as your senses. As the debate over what is and isn’t cinema rages on (and I pray to God it ends soon), let this be a clear illustration of what it can be: something powerful enough to enrapture you in the present and pleasantly linger with you long into the future. Full Review 5. Napoleon With his vast historical drama background that includes the likes of The Duellists, Gladiator, Kingdom of Heaven , and The Last Duel , director Ridley Scott knows a thing or two about setting the stage for global conflicts. Even at the age of 85, he’s never taken a moment to slow down, crafting projects that seem to only get bigger the older he gets. It’s no surprise that both he and fellow octogenarian director Martin Scorsese ( Killers of the Flower Moon ) have found themselves at Apple with their latest historical dramas, the streaming giant plunking down $200 million for each project. While it may not have been the wisest financial decision, it was a fortuitous one for the art of epic filmmaking. The world still properly bemoans what could have been had Stanley Kubrick been allowed to make his Napoleon biopic. There are surely semblances of it in Scott’s film, which continues his string of blockbusters propelled by smart filmmaking and collaborative artistry. It’s timely and timeless in its craft and examination of history, ready to raise the bar just that much higher for later entries in the genre. Full Review 4. Maestro “A work of art does not answer questions, it provokes them; and its essential meaning is in the tension between the contradictory answers.” This quote by Leonard Bernstein flashes before Maestro commences. It’s a mission statement for writer/director/producer/star Bradley Cooper, who’s made it his life’s work to bring this story to the silver screen. It’s a warning to any Bernstein acolytes who come to this seeking untold answers about the famed conductor’s artistry. And it’s also a blessing to anyone bemoaning another musician biopic, the likes of which have haunted our multiplexes the past few years with their cookie-cutter rise-and-fall stories. For something that has and will continue to be labeled as “Oscar bait,” Maestro is, more than anything, a confidently unique entry in a well-worn genre. It makes A Star Is Born seem like only the appetizer, and this is the main course. It wouldn’t be far-fetched to label Cooper as this generation’s Warren Beatty: a movie star interested in grown-up stories whose oversized ambition is matched by their incredible skill both in front and behind the camera. If there’s anything modern cinema needs more of right now, it’s someone like that. Full Review 3. The Killer The Killer is a descent into bloody madness told by a director in complete control of their craft. Every frame is perfectly lit, every cut perfectly placed and executed, and every piece of sound is perfectly engineered to rattle your bones. It’s a pulpy uncomplicated story about revenge being a dish best served cold. For anyone who enjoys the Hitman video game series and laments the two laughably bad movie adaptations, this is the answer to all your prayers. This is Fincher at his most surface level, playfully cutting loose from ambition and delivering his best film to date (yeah, I said it). Don’t expect to learn any life lessons, or have your perspective changed on an issue. Just sit back and be entertained. There’s nothing more satisfying than seeing a straightforward process being executed with pinpoint precision, and both our protagonist and Fincher accomplish their mission to outstanding results. Full Review 2. The Zone of Interest There isn’t a single moment in The Zone of Interest that takes place within Auschwitz, but its presence is always felt. The family will be sunbathing in the garden when a faint gunshot goes off on the other side of the wall. Both you and the characters know what that sound means, but only you care about the implications of it. For the family, those gunshots are just as much a part of everyday life as the birds chirping in the trees above. They go about their daily lives without a hitch, leaving you stranded in the fear of your imagination. Sickening in the most calculated way possible, The Zone of Interest is Jonathan Glazer's ode to Stanley Kubrick. He answers the question of how evil can exist unchecked, holding all of your senses in a sterilized vice. Be sure to soak it all in during your first watch, because I doubt you'll ever want to view the world this way again. Full Review 1. Oppenheimer Christopher Nolan cited Oliver Stone’s 1991 masterpiece JFK as one of his main inspirations when adapting this material. He drops you into the middle of the action from frame one and keeps you there. Separate timelines begin to form, each folding into each other with increasing frequency. There’s the future besmirching of Oppenheimer’s legacy; the prideful past where we see his rise; and the roaring present where he must develop the atomic bomb before the Nazis. Similar to Dunkirk , Nolan, and cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema define these periods through the imagery. Whether it’s in bright color or stark black-and-white, what you’re seeing is always a work of beauty. Never has IMAX been used to capture the small moments with as much gravitas as the climatic detonation. Oppenheimer is as entertaining as it is enlightening, emboldened by Nolan’s unparalleled vision and craftsmanship. It’s possibly his magnum opus, grabbing hold of history with fiery conviction, never letting you go until you’ve experienced all that cinema has to offer. Full Review More Reviews Primetime September 22, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Unabomber September 24, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Look Back September 16, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Elsinore September 14, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Hunter Friesen