Rebel Ridge September 5, 2024 By: Button Hunter Friesen To say that writer/director Jeremy Saulnier had to traverse quite the bumpy road to bring Rebel Ridge , his first film in five years, over the finish line would be quite the understatement. John Boyega was initially slated to star in the leading role, with things progressing far enough for a material amount of the film to be shot in 2021 before he mysteriously backed out . Fresh off roles in Old , The Underground Railroad , and Brother , Aaron Pierre came in as the substitute (a welcome upgrade, which I’ll talk about later), and filming resumed almost a year later. A series of reshoots and pickups followed, with the budget ballooning from the originally reported $25 million to nearly $40 million. Even with all those bad omens, the less-than-stellar release strategy, and not seeing a single frame of the finished product, I knew there was no way that Saulnier would deliver a worse Netflix film with “rebel” in the title than what Zack Snyder has done with his four (two original cuts and two director’s cuts) Rebel Moon features. I realize that that statement doesn’t indicate much praise, so let me be clear: Rebel Ridge will be one of the better/best films that very few people are going to talk about in 2024. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gF3gZicntIw I also would like to mention that I intend no disrespect to Boyega and what he would have delivered in this role, as his previous performances outside the Star Wars universe ( Breaking , The Woman King , They Cloned Tyrone ) have their merits thanks to the physicality and emotional depth he brings. However, I also don’t think Boyega would have ever been able to match what Pierre is putting on the table here. Saulnier was spoiled for choice, and he landed on the better of two good options. Pierre plays Terry Richmond, an ex-Marine who finds himself in a small Louisiana town posting bail for his cousin. He’s blasting his heavy metal playlist on his ten-speed bike when he’s driven off the road by a pair of local cops looking to get their daily power trip. Through a convenient loophole in the local justice system, any property seized by the cops under suspicion becomes police property, which means the $36,000 in cash in Terry’s backpack now stays within precinct walls. It doesn’t matter if Terry has receipts for how he acquired it, as the process for fighting the accusation will take months of paperwork that he doesn’t have. Everyone within City Hall is either oblivious, complicit, or scared by the corruption. The local sheriff (Don Johnson, continuing his streak of playing conservative scumbags) and his goons keep a tight leash on everything going on within the community, going so far as to threaten and blackmail. But Terry isn’t just any ex-Marine; he’s a martial arts and survival expert who isn’t afraid to chase down a prison bus on a highway with his bike. He doesn’t take a hotel room during his impromptu layover, instead opting to camp in the woods and catch fish with his bare hands. Terry is destined to be the new star of every “alpha bro” account on TikTok, with his ease in kicking ass and taking names being just the sort of thing that attracts the crowd that identifies as lone wolves. But Saulnier doesn’t paint Terry in that light, which has been done so many times before, often poorly. He is one man fighting against a corrupt system, but violence isn’t going to change the entire culture suddenly. Saulnier’s signature visceral violence is still fully on display, only this time with a little more restraint compared to Green Room and Hold the Dark . Bones still snap with furiosity and broken noses gush with blood. But it’s a lot easier to justify murdering Nazis and rogue bounty hunters than boys in blue, no matter how much they’ve turned themselves into a profiteering militia. While Terry does the dirty work, up-and-coming lawyer Summer (AnnaSophia Robb) digs into the litany of paperwork that’s been created to cover up this mess. She and Terry find a connection through what this town has taken from them, and what they must do (and not do) to make things right again. Rebel Ridge is as much a Rambo audition for Pierre and Saulnier as anything that’s come out over the past few years. But both of them have a little more on their mind than just musclebound carnage, leaving us with something both entertaining in its action and engaging with its ideas. Netflix will release Rebel Ridge on its streaming service on September 06th. 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 Trial of the Chicago 7 October 26, 2020 By: Button Hunter Friesen “The whole world is watching!” Those words have just as much relevance today as they did back in 1968 at the Democratic National Convention. It isn’t a coincidence that the problems we dealt with more than sixty years ago are still the same problems that we wrestle with today. It’s also not a coincidence that Aaron Sorkin and Netflix have released their new politically charged film, The Trial of the Chicago 7 , just weeks before one of the most important elections in our nation’s history. Based on a true story, The Trial of the Chicago 7 opens like a rocket with a rapid pace intercutting between all the major parties involved at the 1968 Democratic National Convention. The first of these parties is Tom Hayden and Rennie Davis as part of the Students for a Democratic Society. Next is the hippies of Abbie Hoffman and Jerry Rubin who lead the Youth International Party. There’s also David Dellinger, Lee Weiner, and John Froines. These seven make up the ragtag group of the Chicago 7. Also (unfairly) part of their trial is Black Panther co-founder Bobby Seale. These eight activists are on trial for their roles in the anti-Vietnam War protests in 1968 Chicago that led to a series of brawls between protestors and police. The bigwigs in the White House believe that the protestors were the ones that started the riots and want to make an example of the seven. The demonstrators (correctly) claim that it was the people dressed in blue that instigated the violence. From here the battle begins between two opposing sides with the potential nation-defining verdict hanging in the balance. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVb6EdKDBfU Director Aaron Sorkin follows up his 2017 debut feature Molly’s Game with another director’s showcase. Mainly set within a single courtroom, the film is ripe with technical wizardry from all facets of the production. Cinematographer Phedon Papamichael incorporates a wide array of long takes and many angled shots that tell just as much of the story as the script does. Editor Alan Baumgarten doesn’t allow for a single dull moment as he keeps this train moving at full speed from beginning to end. This isn’t to say Sorkin is a perfect director, far from that actually. Sorkin still misses his mark in a few key areas, most notably in the final moments of the film where the attempt at a stirring finale comes off as cheesy and dated. A writer before taking over the director’s chair, Sorkin has delivered some of the greatest scripts of this millennium with his work on The Social Network (which won him an Oscar), Steve Jobs , and Moneyball . The Trial of the Chicago 7 delivers yet another Oscar-worthy script from Sorkin and the exact one you would want for a courtroom drama. Sorkin instills his trademarked rapid back-and-forth dialogue during the trial proceedings as witnesses testify and lawyers verbally spar. Several lines throughout elicit a strong provocative reaction that connects the film to today's cultural climate. Like all Sorkin scripts, everything does feel a bit too clean and artificial. Every character speaks on a near-genius level as they always say the exact right thing at the exact right moments. This style of perfect dialogue is more in line with characters such as Mark Zuckerberg and Steve Jobs instead of the ones found within this film. But, when the dialogue is this good all the time, that problem doesn’t matter all that much. Sorkin has also assembled an all-star cast to relish in his whip-smart script. There isn’t a single weak link among them as they will crowd Oscar ballots with their powerhouse performances. Veteran stage and screen actor Mark Rylance, here on the opposite side of the law than his performance in Bridge of Spies , leads the pack with his spectacular turn as the defense lawyer for the Chicago 7. Also a stage and screen veteran is the great Frank Langella who plays the dangerously maniacal judge who oversees the case. Langella’s grumpy performance parallels closely to a certain political figure who currently occupies the Oval Office. Jeremy Strong is almost unrecognizable from his uptight role in Succession as he expertly plays the relaxed Jerry Rubin. Sacha Baron Cohen is more in line with his previous roles as the clownish Abbie Hoffman. Yahya Abdul Mateen II is great in his both intentional and unintentional small role as George Seale. His role incites the most sympathy and relates to our current situation of race and policing. Aaron Sorkin’s The Trial of the Chicago 7 is a nostalgic old-school courtroom drama bolstered by strong modern filmmaking and terrific performances from its cast. The timeliness and importance of its message make it a must-see as the whole world will be watching during this tumultuous election season. Netflix will release The Trial of the Chicago 7 in select theaters on September 25th, followed by its streaming premiere on October 16th. 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

Awards Update: Final Pre-Festival Predictions August 26, 2024 By: Hunter Friesen Welcome to an ongoing series where I cover the 2024/2025 awards season. On a regular basis, I will update my Oscar predictions, taking into account the new information that has been received since the last update. Full predictions in every category can be found on the Home and Awards page. The runners have taken their positions on the starting block. All that can happen now is for the gun to be fired to commence the next phase in the awards race. Save for Telluride, which won’t reveal itself until the day before the festival commences (although hints from Venice Artistic Director Alberto Barbera and premiere designations by both TIFF and NYFF have pretty much confirmed every title that will appear in the mountains), every fall festival has unveiled their slate for the year. I did a piece a month ago analyzing these lineups and what they mean for the Oscars. But that was done before TIFF added 20+ new titles a few weeks ago, and NYFF finalized their Main Slate and Spotlight section, which calls for a refreshed look at how everything stands just before the onslaught commences. Between his two features as a director, The Childhood of a Leader and Vox Lux , Brady Corbet has steered far away from the Oscar conversation. Most of the information we have on his new film, The Brutalist , seems to fall in line with that same trajectory. It carries a 215-minute runtime, is said to be nightmarish at times, and has ambitious swings. It also doesn’t have a North American distributor at the moment (Focus Features holds International rights). But the sight of it going to Venice, TIFF, and NYFF does project a lot of confidence, and there’s been more than a few rumors that it’s an absolutely gorgeous masterpiece. I don’t have it any of my predictions at the moment, but I’ll be the first to slot it into more than a few categories if those rumors turn out to be true. Of course, a good start at the festivals is only one step of the journey, and I’m skeptical about its prospects outside of the critical establishment. I’ll be seeing it early in the morning on my second day of TIFF, and it’s by far my most anticipated film of the festival. Other films on the bubble in terms of my predictions are Saturday Night , Hard Truths , and Nightbitch . Also recently announced to be making the trek from Venice to TIFF are The Room Next Door and Queer , with both venturing to NYFF a few weeks later. The trailer for Pedro Almodóvar’s English-language debut looked stunning, hinting at a sumptuous score by frequent collaborator Alberto Iglesias and performances by Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton. I feel confident in at least two of those three being nominated for their work, with Almodóvar possibly making his way into the ever-crowded field of Best Adapted Screenplay. Two films that will be premiering at Telluride are Nickel Boys and The Piano Lesson , both adaptations of lauded source material. Oscar-nominated documentarian RaMell Ross co-writes and directs the former, with a cast that includes Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Hamish Linklater, and Daveed Diggs. Its selection as the Opening Night film at NYFF bodes well for its chances in many above-the-line categories, the same areas that The Piano Lesson will also be vying for with its all-star cast. The Netflix film will be stopping in Toronto after Telluride, a smart play to get the crowds behind a long-overdue Oscar campaign for Samuel L. Jackson. Good reviews, sympathy for Danielle Deadwyler’s snub a few years back, and the backing of Netflix could make this film a worthy contender. Just as we have to entertain the possibility that one or more currently heavily predicted awards players will flounder, we also have to consider that there’s a hidden gem buried somewhere. For a film I hadn’t heard about until a few weeks ago, the Telluride-TIFF-NYFF journey that The Friend will be taking has certainly piqued my interest. TIFF also has two underdog sports dramas in Unstoppable and The Fire Inside , both repped by Amazon MGM and slated for release in the winter. Likely half of my predictions will be proven wrong or right within two weeks, meaning this is pretty much the last time to try and hope-dict stuff into reality. I’ll be on the ground at TIFF for all ten days, seeing almost every film mentioned in this article. Stay tuned for reviews, recaps, and a new slate of predictions immediately afterward. 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

The Phoenician Scheme May 28, 2025 By: Button Hunter Friesen For his review of the 2005 Steven Spielberg film, Munich , film critic for The New York Times , A.O. Scott, began with the title: “An Action Film About the Need to Talk.” It’s a succinct way to describe the main theme of Spielberg’s underseen docudrama masterpiece that recounts Israeli operatives hunting down the people responsible for the Black September capture and massacre of their athletes at the 1972 Olympics. Were the retaliation measures justifiable, or were they just blind vengeance? And even if they could be justified, wouldn’t the cycle of violence just be perpetuated by the other side until they each go blind? Although it substitutes slapstick and levity for the blood and bullets of Spielberg’s film, Wes Anderson’s newest work, The Phoenician Scheme , goes about those ideas in a pretty identical manner. And although the lack of dialogue between the warring factions was part of the problem in Munich , too much talking on the part of this film’s main character, Zsa-zsa Korda (Benicio Del Toro), sets everything in motion here. Middle school history students would describe him as a “robber baron” or a “tycoon” on account of his shrewd business practices. Famines? He’s started them. Slavery? He’s indulged in it. Hand grenades? He has enough lying around that he offers them to all guests like cookies. Fiddling with deals and going back on his word is largely why he’s amassed his fortune, and probably why so many attempts have been made on his life. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEuMnPl2WI4 That’s exactly where we meet Korda in this story: surviving his sixth recorded airplane crash. At some point, the house is going to win, which is why he’s made the precautionary move to have his estranged novitiate daughter, Liesl (Mia Threapleton), returned home so that she can assume possession of his estate should the unthinkable happen. But before he can defy his enemies by retiring, he must tighten the final screws on a massive infrastructure project in the fictional Middle Eastern territory of Phoenicia that will bring him and several future generations enough passive income to stay atop the throne. On this journey, we stop to meet each of the members who comprise this wall-to-wall A-list cast. Many of them have previously featured in Anderson’s films, such as Tom Hanks and Bryan Cranston returning from their live-action debut in Asteroid City to play American train tycoon brothers who prefer to settle disputes over a game of H-O-R-S-E. I will jump the gun here and say that the scene where they challenge Zsa-zsa and the prince of Phoenicia (Riz Ahmed) to said game might be the funniest moment Anderson has ever created. There are also multi-film veterans like Mathieu Amalric (coincidentally, also in Munich) , Jeffrey Wright, Scarlett Johansson, Bill Murray, Willem Dafoe, and Rupert Friend. “The story of a family and a family business” is the plot summary provided. It’s apt, as a full explanation of all the machinations that go on here would require many more paragraphs. I was never quite sure who everyone was, why they were important, and what needed to happen between them for the conflict to be resolved. But I also don’t think Anderson wants us to pay that much attention to the nitty-gritty details. I suppose you could if you really wanted to, as there’s plenty of information doled out through the trademarked sumptuous production. What’s really important here is not the 5 Ws, but the 1 H. Spurred on by a combination of Liesl’s objections to his malpractices and the gradual melting of his cold, Grinch-like heart, Zsa-zsa begins to see the error of his ways. “Let’s communicate,” is a punchline he says in each encounter, all caused by everyone’s instinctual failure to bring their best intentions to the table. In a time when the terms “trade war” and “tariffs” have become shorthand for an outdated and backward way of conducting business, here’s a story that preaches the value of being simultaneously kind and successful. Del Toro is quite excellent, making Zsa-zsa a thornily interesting character. There are a lot of laughs to be had from his line deliveries, and his command of the scenery Anderson places him in. Except for cinematographer Robert D. Yeoman, who’s been discreetly replaced by the equally fantastic Bruno Delbonnel, all the usual craftspeople align the credits. Anderson continues to prove that he has total dominion over a world that only he can create and perfect. So many have tried and failed to replicate, but there can only be one. Anderson is a lot like the Marvel Cinematic Universe. At this point, you’re either in or you’re out. I’m so deep in the bag that it might as well be the one from Mary Poppins . I’ve seen a lot of films, and the majority of them all follow the same pattern. Anderson’s films certainly aren’t an exception, but there is always something magical about their sameness. And like Nicole Kidman always says: We come to this place [the cinema] for magic . Focus Features will release The Phoenician Scheme in limited theaters on May 30th, followed by a nationwide expansion on June 6th. 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

Hostiles February 21, 2018 By: Button Hunter Friesen Christian Bale is one of the best actors working today. He can do so much with so little, raising the bar each time he takes on a new character. But Bale is only a mortal man. He alone cannot carry a film, which is exactly the task that is set upon him in Hostiles . Bale does an excellent job, but he doesn’t get much support, and his performance becomes almost wasted in a film that is middle-of-the-road at best. The story takes place in 1892, a time when Native and American tensions were at their highest. Revered army captain Joseph Blocker (Christian Bale) is close to retiring with a kill count well over one hundred. For his last mission, to his dismay, he must escort a dying native chief (Wes Studi) and his family so he may be buried in his homeland. Blocker and his section must saddle up to make the treacherous journey, which takes them from New Mexico to Montana. They quickly meet up with Rosalie (Rosamund Pike), a country woman who recently lost her family to a native raid, leaving her in an elongated state of mental shock. Along with battling elements and the discontent within themselves, the troops must also fend off warring tribes that are out for blood. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1M5cj4UmscE The film is a conventional western through and through, boasting gorgeous shots of the landscape and plenty of shootouts. It tries to call back to the times of John Wayne. While this film tries to harken back to the golden era of Westerns, it fails to incorporate one vital component: simplicity. Old Westerns were straightforward and to the point; this one isn’t. The film is slow and meandering, often taking breaks from the main plot in an effort to build up the epic scale. So much has happened by the end that it becomes impossible to connect at all to the characters or story. Also to the detriment of connectivity is the high body count. Tons of characters are either introduced or half-developed, and then killed off to try to force you into caring about them. What director Scott Cooper doesn’t understand is that if you don’t care about a character when they are living, then you are not going to care about them when they’re dead. Now with a couple of successful films under his belt, Cooper tries here to illustrate the brutality of Western life. He emphasizes the blood, sweat, and tears of each character and how they deal with their seemingly miserable lives. Unfortunately, Cooper overplays his hand as he constantly watches 134 minutes of emotional suffering, which quickly begins to bore. Characters incomprehensibly mutter nonstop about how sad they are and how they wish they could just end it all. The cinematography is beautifully done by Masanobu Takayanagi, marking his third collaboration with Cooper. Takayanagi keeps the camera motionless most of the time and allows the characters to move within the frame. This technique gives the Western world a sense of stillness, almost like the people are the only thing inhabiting the cruel setting. But people are not the only physical inhabitants. Takayanagi has an eye for the surrounding scenery that makes the characters almost feel insignificant compared to the vastness of the land and wildlife. The film touts some great actors in both leading and supporting roles. Some meet and exceed the lofty demands, while others struggle to make a difference. Christian Bale is definitely the best part of the film as he carries most of the emotional weight. He has so much in his acting arsenal and is able to switch from gruff killer to stoic hero in the blink of an eye. Rosamund Pike does well with her conflicted character, who is forced into a new, harder life after the butchering of her family. Finally, Wes Studi and Jesse Plemons do respectable jobs with the limited time they get. For the most part, the actors who struggle to make an impact are the ones whose characters are underdeveloped. Ben Foster cameos as a soldier accused of murder, which is part of a side plot that serves no real purpose. Foster doesn’t do anything new as he plays the character who gives the same old “we’re not so different” speech a couple of times. Timothée Chalamet surprisingly turns up here, trying to add to his already fabulous 2017. His silly French accent and his four total lines of dialogue make him laughably bad. Fortunately for him, most people won’t bring this film up when talking to him. While it is ambitious, Hostiles can be slow and rambling as it hopelessly tries to keep your full engagement. No fingers or blame can be pointed, only wishes that there could have been something more. It’s not good, it’s not bad, it’s just alright. Entertainment Studios Motion Pictures will release Hostiles in select theaters on December 22nd, followed by a nationwide expansion on January 26th. 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

Wonka December 13, 2023 By: Button Hunter Friesen Have you ever wanted to know the origin story of Willy Wonka? No? Well, too bad! The good chaps on the Warner Bros. executive board needed a four-quadrant product to help boost the Q4 2023 earnings report, and good ol’ Willy was the character on the board that the dart landed on. It was either him or Will Ferrell’s Buddy the Elf. But don’t worry too much, as you might actually enjoy this piece of commerce, as writer/director Paul King of the Paddington films brings enough whimsical charm to make it all go down as smoothly as the titular character’s chocolate. Debts, ledgers, profits, margins, fine print, cartels, bribes, and monopolies. These are the words you would be familiar with finding in a film about The Great Recession or about drug trafficking, not a film about Willy Wonka. But the candy on the island where Willy (Timothée Chalamet) sets his sights on making his fortune might as well be drugs, as it rules over the economy and everyday life of its citizens. The decadent Galeries Gourmet is where you go to sell your chocolate. But you need a shop to legally sell it, and the three main chocolatiers/tycoons - Slugworth, Prodnose, and Fickelgruber - have an iron-clad grip on the trade through police influence and price fixing. “The greedy beat the needy” is the motto of the town’s poor, whom Willy joins when he’s swindled into indentured servitude by the mean laundry woman Mrs. Scrubbit (Olivia Colman). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otNh9bTjXWg This all sounds a bit depressing, doesn’t it? There’s a clear Dickensian feel to everything, with King and co-writer Simon Farnaby never shying away from the darkness that often appears in Roald Dahl’s stories. Willy is an orphan just like Noodle (Calah Lane), a young girl Mrs. Scrubbit took in as a baby and forced to be her eternal personal servant. The one thing Willy has that sets him apart is his optimism, which he often lets out through some jovial songs. The marketing department at WB may not have wanted you to know that this was a musical, but King and Chalamet are more than ready to knock your socks off through the power of showmanship. The songs are not all hits as Chalamet acts like a kid on a high school stage, speaking out to the crowd with glee. His version of Willy veers a little closer to Johnny Depp than Gene Wilder, packing enough mystery into his abilities that you sometimes wonder if he’s even human. Paddington alums Sally Hawkins and Hugh Grant followed King over here, with the former playing Wonka’s deceased mother and the latter an Oompa Loompa. It’s hard to look away from Grant as the four-foot-tall green-haired creature on account of his inherent charm and the awkwardness of his face being superimposed on a CG creation. It’s only about two steps better than what Corey Stoll got as MODOK in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania back in February. There’s also a bevy of likable supporting players like Keegan-Michael Key, Jim Carter, and Rowan Atkinson as Father Julius, the leader of a group of corrupt monks who guard the stolen chocolate for the cartel. Paul King’s Wonka is possibly the best version of such a depressingly deep-rooted concept. It’s harmless, regularly fun, and offers a little something for both kids and adults. It doesn’t have the rewatchability of the 1971 original, but it’s got a lot more than Tim Burton’s crazed (and sometimes underappreciated) 2005 remake. Warner Bros. Pictures will release Wonka in theaters nationwide on December 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

Lisa Frankenstein February 7, 2024 By: Button Hunter Friesen Lisa Swallows (Kathryn Newton) isn’t your typical 1980s teenager. Instead of being fascinated with “football or basketball bodies,” she’s fallen head over heels for a guy whose body is six feet under. The subject of her admiration was a Victorian-era musician who, unfortunately, met his demise when lightning struck a tree branch above him. Lisa tends to his tomb nearly every day, sharing her deepest secrets and longings to no longer be a part of the living world. It wouldn't be far-fetched to envision her as a distant cousin to Wednesday Addams. But what lightning takes away, it also gives back. A major storm occurs one night right above the old cemetery, with a peculiar amount of ball lightning sending bolts down into the grave of Lisa’s undead lover. Just as the title implies, she is now Dr. Frankenstein, and he is her monster. And together, they will rebuild his body by whatever means necessary. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POOeA3zCuUY Writer Diablo Cody has long had a fascination with the lives of teenagers ( Juno, Jennifer’s Body ), and the lives of people who can’t let go of their teenage selves ( Young Adult ). She likes to exploit her genres as metaphors for adolescent angst and female sexuality. But unlike Juno - which netted her an Oscar - and Jennifer’s Body - later reappraised as a cult classic after initially being met with harsh criticism - Lisa Frankenstein whiffs considerably on whatever message it was going for, so much so that it feels impossible for anyone to discover some secret genius that was too ahead of its time. When I said “by whatever means necessary” earlier, I meant killing people for their body parts, which can then be sewn on the creature and fused by Lisa’s defective tanning bed. Lisa half-heartedly justifies the victims as people who deserved their punishment, mostly by wronging her in some sort of teenage way. But it’s all laid out too logically, as if killing people for their hands and ears was a no-brainer next step for a moody teenager. There’s no sense of ethical edginess, no sense of danger in Lisa getting caught, and no sense of thrills in seeing cosmic revenge. That lack of energy falls just as much on the feet of first-time director Zelda Williams. There is a prevalent feeling of passion for this project during its creation, but none of it permeates off the screen. Giddy uses of Tim Burton-esque animation and classic horror movie references land flat, with any needle drop of an 1980s crowd-pleaser feeling too obvious. Newton is a capable leading actress for this sort of thing, with her performance here being one of the few bright spots. Sprouse doesn’t get much of anything to do besides let out some grunts and some comedic mugging. He’s not an altogether talented physical comedian, but it’s hard to blame him when there just isn’t anything interesting beyond the basic premise of his character. By trying to be a lot of things, Lisa Frankenstein can never manage to be good at anything. There are moments of competence splashed throughout, but the overall sum of these tiny moments is far less than what the promising trailer sold. Focus Features will release Lisa Frankenstein in theaters nationwide on February 09th. 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

Ranking the Films of Michael Haneke March 23, 2024 By: Hunter Friesen In contemporary cinema, few directors wield the same level of unyielding intellect and unapologetic exploration of the human condition as Michael Haneke. With a career spanning over four decades, Haneke has carved out a niche for himself as a master of discomfort, challenging audiences to confront the unsettling truths that lurk beneath the surface of seemingly ordinary lives. His stories are parables; critiquing topics such as violence, sex, authority, guilt, and death. Since making his debut in 1989, the Austrian filmmaker has become one of the most decorated filmmakers in modern cinema. He’s premiered nearly all his feature films at the Cannes Film Festival; raking in two Palme d’Ors, the Grand Prix, and the award for Best Director. His penultimate film, Amour , went on to win the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Feature, with Haneke himself being nominated for his direction and screenplay. While this is a ranking of his filmography, it would be dishonest to consider it a review of his “worst to best” films, as he has no bad films (well, except for one). For transparency, I have not seen his Glaciation trilogy consisting of The Seventh Continent (1989), Benny's Video (1992), and 71 Fragments of a Chronology of Chance (1994). Once I see those, then his filmography will be completed. But let’s not focus on what’s absent, instead let’s dive into this ranking of cinema’s most enigmatic auteur. 8. Time of the Wolf (2003) I can't believe someone this talented wrote and directed this piece of trash. Despite being near the height of his powers, Haneke veered his sights on the lowest hanging fruit there is for a lesson on human cruelty: the apocalypse. In all of his other films, Haneke spins his message into an intricate web that obscures truth, leaving the viewer to look at themselves to fill in the rest. Here, he angrily draws the picture for you while repeatedly shouting "Do you get it now!?" 7. Happy End (2017) Happy End is an amalgamation of Haneke's classic tropes: unrelenting bleakness, slow-paced long takes, unresolved narratives, and, of course, suicide. But the one usually dependable ingredient Haneke forgot to add was a reason why we should take an interest in these people. Apart from Jean-Louis Trintignant's character, every personal narrative fails to rise above the surface. They're all (partially) connected, but need help to play off each other well, and by themselves. 6. The Piano Teacher (2001) While many may argue that its material is purely for shock value, Haneke lets his sadism tell a compelling of desire and repression. Complicated characters such as these, both wonderfully played by Isabelle Huppert and Benoît Magimel, don’t have to be fully explained. Haneke refuses to sensationalize anything, challenging viewers to confront their notions of intimacy and power dynamics. 5. Amour (2012) As a great companion piece to The Father , Haneke’s second Palme d’Or-winning film is poignant in its exploration of love at the end of life’s road. Autonomy and dignity are stripped away from Anne as her body deteriorates, with the only role her husband able to play is a witness. But even if the ending isn’t pretty, Haneke and the actors perpetually allude to a life worth living with the person you love. 4. Caché (2005) A pleasant (or should I say unpleasant because this movie is - as always with Haneke - very depressing) rebound for Haneke following the abomination that is Time of the Wolf , Caché (Hidden) is a thriller stripped of the usual cinematic tricks. It becomes the ultimate "What would you do?" scenario. Would you go down the rabbit hole, or leave it alone and hope nothing else happens? Haneke assures us that no choice will leave us with a happy ending. 3. The White Ribbon (2009) Leave it to Haneke to create a mystery film that gives absolutely no answers to any of your burning questions. It's deeply troubling to only be on the reactionary side of events, without explaining why any of this is happening. He observes the simple roots of authoritarianism, which eventually led to the rise of the Nazi party. As people's sense of safety begins to crumble, so does their guard against tyranny. Opportunities are seized by those in power, and we are worse off because of it. And in a cruelly hilarious way, it's probably his most uplifting message to date. 2. Funny Games (1997) “Anyone who leaves the cinema doesn't need the film, and anybody who stays does." To give a movie a glowing rating would indicate that I really liked it. In the case of Funny Games , the opposite is true. I hated this movie. I hated every interaction. I hated every character. I hated every line of dialogue. I hated every little thing that happened. And in all that hatred, I surrendered myself to Haneke's sadistic lesson. He's the anti-Quentin Tarantino, delivering violence in the most unsatisfying and grisly way possible. It's unbearable to watch as Haneke twists the knife even more with his cinematic tricks. 1. Code Unknown (2000) An interconnected mystery film that offers no answers (are you sensing a pattern?), Code Unknown frustratingly fits into Michael Haneke's twisted filmography. Told in a series of vignettes that both are and aren't connected (but all of which are told in unbroken long takes), Haneke presents a puzzle with only half the pieces available. While the chronology is tossed off without remorse, Haneke's contempt for humanity is pinpointed. Racism, domestic abuse, and abandonment are touched on through third parties, with Haneke casting doubt upon his bystanders. 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 Invisible Man March 5, 2020 By: Button Hunter Friesen The Invisible Man opens in a secluded waterfront mansion. Inside it, Cecilia Kass is executing her plan to run away from her abusive boyfriend, Adrian. She successfully escapes, but not without Adrian running after her in a violent fury. A few weeks after her departure, Cecilia is notified that Adrian has committed suicide. Her relief at his demise doesn’t last long as a series of coincidences begins to take shape. Cecilia starts to hear noises and has the constant feeling she is being watched. After some time, she discovers that Adrian isn’t dead, but invisible. He’s gaslighting her into submission, playing vicious tricks around the house, and tormenting others connected to her. With no one believing her situation, Cecilia must work to defend herself and the people she loves from unseen harm. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSBsNeYqh-k As the writer/director behind several horror franchises such as Saw and Insidious , Leigh Whannell once again proves his chops here. He commands the material with his expert use of the camera and lighting. A multitude of slow pans and still shots imbue each scene with a lingering sense of terror that never ceases to grab hold of you. The dark, shadowy lighting puts a magnifying glass on Cecilia’s isolation as she battles her internal and external demons. And because the assailant cannot be seen, Whannell also relies on some expert sound design that is similar to the style used in A Quiet Place . Silence is the most abundant and effective sound device as it fills the gaps between the creaks and rumbles. It becomes clear throughout that hearing nothing is much scarier than hearing something. But what Whannell can be respected for most is his refusal to stoop to jump scares, especially considering the story allows for that. Sure, a jump scare here or there would have jolted some energy into the often overly slow pacing, but Whannell’s insistence on taking the high road makes for a more complete horror experience. Of course, the concept of someone turning themself invisible is a little silly. The movie doesn’t totally defend against that criticism either, only mustering a quick line about how Adrian was “a leader in the field of optics”. However, once you get past that barrier of disbelief, you’ll open yourself up to what this movie has to offer under the hood. The script for The Invisible Man , penned by Whannell himself, has more on its mind than just scares. The movie does a great job of conveying the torment and aftermath that an abusive relationship can have on someone. Cecilia, as a character, is given a full arc as we follow her journey of slow recovery from beginning to end. This added layer brings a deeper meaning that is both used to educate about a serious topic and to make the horror material pack a bigger punch. Portraying our heroine is the commanding Elisabeth Moss. It’s another unhinged performance similar to her previous roles in Her Smell and The Handmaid’s Tale . Moss’s all-in attitude helps suspend our disbelief of the material and grounds her character in the real world. She’s utterly believable in even the most bewildering of situations and carries the emotional weight of the film. Commendable supporting performances come from both Aldis Hodge as a sympathetic detective and Michael Dorman as Adrian’s brother, Tom. Through inventive storytelling and craftsmanship, Leigh Whannell and Elisabeth Moss have quite possibly created the definitive version of this ludicrous premise. Released at a time of year infamous for forgettable horror movies, it’s a breath of fresh air to see quality original content have its time to shine. Universal Pictures will release The Invisible Man in theaters nationwide on February 28th. 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 Super Mario Bros. Movie April 4, 2023 By: Button Hunter Friesen While every genre has its share of highlights and lowlights, video game movies have always seemed to have a lot more low-quality content compared to everyone else. It doesn’t take a genius to see that year after year of films from the Mortal Kombat, Resident Evil, Hitman , and Street Fighter series really poisoned everyone’s appetite for stories that spawned a controller. Japanese gaming company Nintendo (probably the only gaming company every mother knows) at least had the smarts to quit when they were behind, shutting almost all film adaptations of their properties after the disaster that was 1993’s Super Mario Bros . Now exactly thirty years later, and with the help of Universal and Illumination, the studios behind the Despicable Me and Secret Life of Pets films, Nintendo is bringing Mario back to the silver screen in animated form for The Super Mario Bros. Movie . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnGl01FkMMo The Mushroom Kingdom is under attack by the evil Bowser, with Princess Peach and Mario being the only heroes capable of stopping him. Both Peach and Mario have dedicated their lives to helping others, whether it’s the entire population of Toads within the Mushroom Kingdom, or Mario’s more timid brother Luigi, who’s been captured by Bower. Their journey takes them to other worlds, which will delight longtime players of the Mario franchise. Whether it’s in the form of karts, platforms, or brawling arenas, there are plenty of callbacks, almost as if you’re wielding a controller and guiding Mario on his heroic journey. And while that exact statement has ruined so many video game movies in the past (who wants to watch a game rather than play it?), the filmmaking on display here turns that liability into an asset. The camera moves with Mario, with lots of tracking shots as our characters traverse through the levels in both 2D and 3D sequences, with the sound effects all ripped straight from the games. Brian Tyler’s fun score features many of the iconic motifs, with the added bonus of quite a few needle drops, none of which are all that imaginative or above ultra-literal, but they get the job more than done in the moment. The voice cast is above the punching bag they were made out to be when they were initially announced. Chris Pratt is still as likable as ever, and at least doesn’t commit too hard to the Italian accent for it to be embarrassing. Anya Taylor-Joy and Charlie Day are commendable as Peach and Luigi, respectively. Jack Black is probably the most inspired choice with Bowser, being both menacing as a villain and entertaining as a character with some laughs (and songs) along the way. It may not exactly be as super as its title states, but The Super Mario Bros. Movie is a vastly superior version compared to the last time the plumber brothers were in theaters. It doesn’t matter if you lean towards either the classic or the modern games, there’s something for all fans, with the added bonus of future occasions to level up. Universal Pictures will release The Super Mario Bros. Movie in theaters nationwide on April 05th. 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

Extraction 2 June 9, 2023 By: Button Hunter Friesen Between Tom Cruise, the John Wick franchise, and the newly minted Extraction franchise, a constant battle of one-upmanship is going on within the stunt industry (at least in the Western hemisphere, as Asia has already established itself as a master of the art form). The jumps are getting higher, the setpieces are getting longer and more complicated, and the violence is being doled out through more creative avenues. It’s a buyer’s market, with all of us being happy customers. The continuous rejection by AMPAS to include a stunt category within the Oscars may be a blessing in disguise, as someone (we all know it’s Cruise) may go a bit overboard in pursuit of that gold trophy. “Going overboard” is the name of the game when it comes to Extraction 2 , at least within the elaborate set pieces. Tyler Rake (Chris Hemsworth) proves that good viewership (and having a distributor hellbent on burning as much cash as humanely possible) is the best medicine. He’s miraculously survived the mortal wounds he suffered at the end of the first entry, with his handler, Nik (Golshifteh Farahani), putting him into forced retirement. Of course, no action hero can stay out of the game for long. A mysterious messenger arrives at Tyler’s doorstep with a mission: extract his ex-wife’s sister and her two children from an infamous Georgian prison. After a few minutes of soul-searching and one Rocky training montage, Tyler is back in fighting shape, ready to bulldoze an unquantifiable amount of bad guys in his path. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y274jZs5s7s Extraction established itself in the summer of 2020 with its focus on the brutality of close-quarters combat through methodical long takes and gruesome violence. Stuntman-turned-director Sam Hargrave mixed the smoothness of John Wick with the gruffness of Jason Bourne , delivering semi-mindless carnage at a time we all needed a bit of escapism. This sequel doesn't lose sight of that identity, with the opening set piece unfolding across an eye-watering 21-minute-long take, beginning from a jail cell and ending with a train derailment. Of course, just like Sam Mendes’ 1917 , the single take here is digitally stitched together from various smaller takes spread across various locations. Nonetheless, it’s a sight to behold as it lunges from a stealth mission to a prison yard brawl to a car chase to a train heist without ever losing an ounce of energy. The athleticism of the actors is tested, with Hemsworth reaching peak physical performance just as about anyone else would on the ground, gasping for air. Hargrave may have broken Hemsworth free of the shackles of Marvel fight choreography and editing, but the script by frequent MCU director Joe Russo goes through a speed run of every action movie cliché in the book. We’ve got a badass hero with a tragic past that he revisits by watching old footage from a family vacation at a beach; a stereotypical Eastern European villain that waxes poetically about the value of family; “one last job” that gets the hero out of retirement; and the sacrifice of a comrade (no spoilers, of course). You’ve seen this all before, both in better and worse movies. But neither you nor I is watching Extraction 2 for the plot, so it’s best not to dwell on its shortcomings. The action is here in all its bombastic glory, and you don’t even need to leave the couch to enjoy it. What more could you want on a Friday night? Netflix will release Extraction 2 on its streaming service on June 16th. 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

In a Violent Nature May 28, 2024 By: Button Tyler Banark For the second time this year, Shudder has unleashed a horror film that is making waves and igniting discussions among moviegoers. Two months ago, it was Late Night with the Devil , a film that injected a fresh twist into the found footage subgenre. Now they’re bringing In a Violent Nature , a horror film not for the faint-hearted. It's a thrilling ride, uniquely told from the killer's perspective. Meditative is a word I would not normally use to describe a horror movie, but In a Violent Nature has a meditative quality. Director Chris Nash penned a script that reflects this method, instilling a tragic backstory to a killer who knows nothing but death. Supposedly named Johnny, he fell victim to a terrible accident, leaving him stranded beneath the ground with only a makeshift breathing tube to sustain him. When a locket is stolen from the tower he’s buried under, Johnny emerges from the ground and goes on a rampage to get it back. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyXuRmXbS7U As the plot unfolds, the movie gets to the gritty kills as Nash and DP Pierce Derks heavily use long tracking shots to set up the scene. They usually consist of Johnny slowly creeping up to his next victim(s) as they talk about his urban legend in some form or another. It’s a decent way to build suspense and have audiences guessing where’s Johnny (no pun intended). Many of the faces of the victims remain obscured, an initially odd choice that over time illustrates itself as a way to communicate Johnny’s dehumanization of these people. The kills make this into one of the bloodiest splatter fests I have seen in a while, almost to the point where some viewers may regret having an appetite during or after watching. Outside of the cinematography, In a Violent Nature ’s methodical aura is also felt in its pacing, which is no surprise. Although the movie clocks in at 94 minutes, it’s in no rush to have the plot go from point A to point B. In one instance, we see a group of campers sharing stories around a campfire. As one of them shares a story correlating to Johnny, it’s all told in an uninterrupted take with a circling shot of the group sitting around the fire. While it’s an auteurist approach (Nash says Terrence Malick is an influence), the film does get carried away in the act and intermittently tests patience. In a Violent Nature is brutal in its scares and pacing, both of which prove to be its best and worst elements. Time will tell if this is able to break out into the culture or remain an underground feature for the horror-centric service. Hopefully, there will be further conversation and attempts at brutal stories told from the perspective of evil. How will that all pan out, you may ask? Who knows, but heads may roll nevertheless. IFC Films will release In a Violent Nature in theaters nationwide on May 31st. 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