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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). 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. More Reviews Wicked: For Good November 19, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Rental Family September 7, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Jay Kelly November 20, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Train Dreams November 21, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Hunter Friesen

Another Simple Favor May 1, 2025 By: Button Hunter Friesen On the set of the 2004 film adaptation of The Phantom of the Opera , a fellow actress loudly complained that Minnie Driver was playing her character up way too much. Sitting within earshot, director Joel Schumacher glanced up from his newspaper and said, “Oh, honey, no one ever paid to see under the top.” Although they have never worked together professionally and there’s no online record of them personally knowing each other, I would bet dollars to donuts that fellow director Paul Feig has that quote plastered above his office doorframe and repeated it several times throughout the production of Another Simple Favor . None of us is here to witness realism, or a masterclass examination of the human condition. No, we’re all here for the ludicrousness of the murder mystery plot, the luxuriousness of the Italian setting (complete with Italian stallion hunks and mafiosos), and the gaudy costumes worn by lead actress Blake Lively. It’s too bad for Feig that Paolo Sorrentino already beat him to the punch earlier this year with the Naples-set Parthenope , which will most likely be crowned as the year's most beautiful film. But Feig still makes good on his promises, planting his flag on the island of Capri and bringing two vibrant actresses along with him. The story picks up five years after the events of A Simple Favor . Stephanie Smothers (Anna Kendrick) has turned all those chaotic twists and turns into a true-crime novel. But interest amongst buyers has been low, and her son has a full-blown case of teenage angst. She needs a spark, something to get her out of the doldrums. That arrives in the form of Emily (Lively), fresh out of prison on appeal and insistent on Stephanie serving as her Maid of Honor at the destination wedding she’s hastily thrown herself into. The celebration includes ex-husband Sean (Henry Golding), Emily’s fiancé Dante (Michele Morrone, a camp legend for his work in the 365 Days trilogy), and a heated rivalry between the island’s mafia families. It’s all the ingredients necessary for a killer cocktail. Feig and screenwriters Jessica Sharzer and Laeta Kalogridis understand that the only thing worse than finding yourself ensnared in a revenge plot is to be unsure if the plot even exists. Apart from some offhanded threats about legal action from Emily, there’s not a good reason for Stephanie to jetset off with the woman who previously tried to kill her. But having the characters use their head wouldn’t make for a fun movie, and there is a flirtatious bond between Emily and Stephanie that prevents them from being apart. Kendrick and Lively charge up that magnetism even more in their second go-around, serving a c-word I’m not allowed to say that does get tossed around quite a bit here. I almost wish the whole movie had just been the two of them sitting on opposite sides of prison glass, exchanging catty remarks. In addition to the elements I described earlier, there’s a subplot about an FBI investigation into Emily’s criminal aunt (Allison Janney). Its entirety is what I mostly blame for this runtime being a smidge north of two hours, a nearly unforgivable sin that made me internally recreate Elaine’s reaction to The English Patient . I was never going to be the target audience for this type of film. However, those in that zone seemed to have a wonderful time with it. Unfortunately, once this film debuts on Amazon Prime, their shared theatrical experience will not be shared by everyone else. Like the characters in the film, I recommend cuddling up with a bottle of wine and the minimum amount of brain cells to comprehend the sights and sounds flashing in front of you. More Reviews Wicked: For Good November 19, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Rental Family September 7, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Jay Kelly November 20, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Train Dreams November 21, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Hunter Friesen

Awards Update: Fall Festival Winners & Losers September 28, 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. “Frenzied” and “chaotic” would be the words most apt to describe the two weeks where the Venice Film Festival, Telluride Film Festival, and Toronto International Film Festival crash into each other. Reactions pour in, standing ovations are timed, and prizes are bestowed upon a select few. It’s one of the most fun stretches of the year as a cinephile and an awards junkie, a time when you can eat your fill of quality cinema and confirm/deny your early Oscar predictions. Because there’s so much to talk about and so little margin space to fit it all in, let’s split everyone off into two groups: Winners and Losers. Of course, all of this is relative, and anything could happen in the six months we have left in the season. Starting with the winners, more specifically the actual winners, we’ve got Pedro Almodóvar’s The Room Next Door nabbing the Golden Lion in Venice, a victory I learned about as I exited from the press screening of the film at TIFF underwhelmed. But the Isballe Huppert-led jury saw something different, which I don’t think many other people will agree with so enthusiastically. This is not a top-tier work by the famed Spanish filmmaker, with the lead performances by Tilda Swinton and Julianne Moore being the only viable awards chances. They’re both being submitted as lead actresses by distributor Sony Picture Classics, which is the morally correct move. But that category has found itself quite stacked in the past few weeks, and SPC already has Saoirse Ronan in The Outrun to campaign. We can scratch The Life of Chuck , this year’s TIFF People’s Choice winner, off the prediction charts. It’s just been picked up by Neon with a planned Summer 2025 release. That also means we’ll have to wait and see if the film can repeat what the last twelve winners of that award did and be nominated for Best Picture. Could we get two People’s Choice winners nominated at the 2026 ceremony? The two runners-up at TIFF, Emilia Pérez and Anora , both solidified themselves as top-tier contenders. They both received swaths of attention at Telluride and TIFF, showing that they can perform just as well at public festivals as they did at a high-brow competition like Cannes. I expect them to dominate the above-the-line categories, with Emilia Pérez nabbing a handful of craft nominations for its outstanding musical numbers. However, there was no bigger winner these past few weeks than Brady Corbet’s The Brutalist , which nabbed its director the Silver Lion for Best Director. It was by far the best thing I saw at TIFF, a sentiment that many critics agreed with. It’s amazing that something made so cheaply (under $10 million) feels so similar to the epic Hollywood productions of the past. How A24 will be able to maintain that desire and enthusiasm until the release date announced on December 20th will be a question, but they certainly have something special on their hands that people are hungry for. I mentioned in my last update that I would put it in several categories if the reviews were kind, and now that promise comes true. Other small winners would be Babygirl and Hard Truths , both of which gained great reviews for their lead actresses Nicole Kidman and Marianne Jean-Baptiste, respectively. Conclave and The Piano Lesson would also fall into this category, although some of the early predictions for Stanley Tucci and Samuel L. Jackson turned out to be wishful thinking. Regardless, both of those adaptations received strong enough reviews and public sentiment that they should find themselves in more than one category. There’s also September 5 , which was picked up by Paramount and received strong reviews despite its under-the-radar status. Sitting in the loser territory (only slightly) is Luca Guadagnino’s Queer . Reviews were fine, but the passion is definitely lacking, which is something this very challenging (no pun intended) movie needs. It’ll likely only have an awards presence through Daniel Craig’s performance. Also a small loser is Pablo Larraín’s Maria . Angelina Jolie will almost certainly be nominated, but I’m thinking Larraín and Netflix are striving for a bit more considering this is supposed to be his final entry in his biopic trilogy. And then there’s Nightbitch , a movie that is much more subdued and normal than its title and trailer led us to believe. Of course, we can’t end this article without mentioning the dud that was Joker: Folie à Deux . This sequel could have never repeated the overwhelming success of the first film, but the mediocre reviews, bad press, and low box office projections suggest that it will be a mighty challenge to muster any awards attention. It’ll probably still get some craft nominations, just nothing substantial. Now it’s on to the regional festivals (NYFF, AFI, Middleburg, Chicago, etc.), where most of these winners (and some of the losers) parade themselves around to gain national support. It’s a lot like the election primaries, so we’ll need to have our ears to the ground and listen for which ones are gaining traction when even more eyes are placed upon them. More Reviews Wicked: For Good November 19, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Rental Family September 7, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Jay Kelly November 20, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Train Dreams November 21, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen

Chappaquiddick April 26, 2018 By: Button Hunter Friesen The date is July 18, 1969. Senator Edward “Ted” Kennedy is speeding down the moonlit road on Chappaquiddick Island. In the passenger seat is 28-year-old Mary Jo Kopechne, who was a presidential campaign secretary for Robert Kennedy. After a few missed turns, the car eventually meets the infamous narrow bridge that connects the chain of islands. Ted doesn't react in time, and the car skids over the bridge and flips over into the water. A few minutes go by and Ted is back on land, but Mary Jo is still trapped underwater. She would eventually drown screaming Ted’s name for help, all while he stood from afar, muttering the line “I’m not going to be president.” This is the real-life incident that is explored in the new film Chappaquiddick . In addition to showing the incident, the story tells of the immediate actions taken by Ted and his aides to cover up and save his political career. The film is directed by John Curran, whose most notable previous work is The Painted Veil way back in 2006. Curran doesn’t dance around with the material and instead decides to give the facts in a straightforward manner. We frantically go from one event to another, watching and listening to every piece of information as it is given to us in a workmanlike routine. Curran does well at positioning the camera to create a film that is more focused on characters than events. He uses a mixture of close up and tracking shots to keep us focused on the leading players. A specific highlight comes when he expertly cuts between close-up shots of Mary Jo drowning and Ted lying in bed later that night. It’s a haunting sequence to watch as the different outcomes of the two characters are compared simultaneously. Unfortunately, Curran’s matter-of-fact storytelling style also weighs the film down and limits its potential. Having the narrative move quickly never really gives the characters enough time to open up and develop. It also never gives the audience enough time to reflect on what has just happened. Just like the directing, the script also helps and hurts the film's overall quality. Coming from first-time writers Taylor Allen and Andrew Logan, the screenplay is very focused on delivering the facts in the most efficient and simplified way possible. This helps the audience connect every dot as we always know what is going on and who is involved. The writing also shows every character as their true self, and not as glorified pieces of history. For instance, Instead of portraying Ted as a tragic figure, the writing shows him as the man everyone knew him as someone that will do anything to protect his name and career. The part where the script fails to deliver is the pacing and overall emotional weight. Allen and Logan’s need to deliver every possible fact quickly proves tiring and overloads the already cramped 106-minute runtime. There is also never an engaging hook or overall emotional theme, just a fact-based story being told in a flat tone. By the end, the film feels very average as everything is wrapped up in an unoriginal fashion. The performances in this film are the main attraction, which seems fitting considering both the directing and script put a large amount of emphasis on the characters. Jason Clarke does a great job as Ted Kennedy. Clarke perfects both the Kennedy voice and physical mannerisms. He also brings a large amount of insecurity as his character hopelessly tries to live up to the legends of his three deceased older brothers. Ed Helms, in a role completely different from type, was pleasantly surprising as Ted’s assistant and cousin Joe Gargan, who was also involved in the incident. Helms acts as a vessel for the audience as he reacts to Ted’s actions with bewilderment. Bruce Dern is probably the most memorable part of the film, even though he speaks less than ten words. He plays John Kennedy Sr., who is confined to a wheelchair and unable to speak because of a stroke. Dern’s veteran skill allows him to overcome his character's physical limitations and deliver a performance that is chilling to watch as he bullies Ted into following his every order. Finally, Kate Mara does well as Mary Jo Kopechne. While she doesn’t get enough time to stand out, Mara brings a strong amount of emotional depth to her doomed character. While the actors all give admirable performances, the so-so-directing and middling script restricts this film from reaching its true potential. Overall, this is a very conventional drama that is serviceable enough for those who are interested in what happened that fatal day in 1969. More Reviews Wicked: For Good November 19, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Rental Family September 7, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Jay Kelly November 20, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Train Dreams November 21, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Hunter Friesen

Saturday Night September 12, 2024 By: Button Tyler Banark Saturday Night had its Canadian Premiere at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival. Sony Pictures will release it in theaters on September 27. There’s life before Saturday Night, and there’s life after Saturday Night ! No, I’m not just talking about the first-ever episode of one of the most iconic comedy series ever. Although no one could have been prepared for how big of a cultural phenomenon the show would go on to be, one thing has rang true about SNL: staying true to being the escape from our mundane lives. As for Saturday Night , Jason Reitman’s latest film is a tumultuous dark comedy thriller about the 90 minutes leading up to the first episode of SNL going to air. What he does with the movie is a match made in heaven as it captures the behind-the-scenes mayhem that occurred on October 11th, 1975. The film works as a comedy, but it works better as a thriller and a race against the clock to ensure everything and everyone is ready to go. The big selling point of Saturday Night is that it’s being dubbed as a comedy thriller. These two genres rarely, if not never, mesh, so seeing Reitman and Sony Pictures talk about the movie in this light created vast intrigue. The film starts at 10:00 pm on the dot. Every few minutes, the audience is updated about where the cast and crew are before showtime, as they have until the 11:30 airtime to be ready. We see the famous cast and crew racing against time to ensure everything is correct. DP Eric Steelberg capitalizes on this by having the camera move with the cast through long takes and back-and-forth pans. He makes the audience feel as though they are in the room witnessing the craziness. It also helps Reitman and Gil Kenan’s script translate well to screen. The duo taps into a similar vein as the Safdie brothers, adding another entry to the recent trend of anxiety-inducing cinema. The showrunner, Lorne Michaels (Gabriel LaBelle), has to run around like crazy to ensure everyone and everything is all set…but it’s not. Everything one could imagine going wrong for a live TV show goes wrong: the lighting and sound systems are wrecked, the cast is fighting amongst each other, and worst of all, Michaels has numerous sketches to use but can’t fit them within the airtime given. On top of this, he has a couple of NBC execs (Willem Dafoe and Cooper Hoffman) on his back, with the anxiety always just on his shoulder whispering the five words no one in the TV or filmmaking process wants to hear: we are cutting the show. The biggest highlight of this movie is the ensemble, which further elevates the madness on display. No specific person stood out more than the rest, as this is very much an ensemble movie. However, some exceptions are worth mentioning. LaBelle gets the most screen time as Lorne Michaels and doesn’t waste any of it. He commands every moment on screen, proving why he’s one of the best young actors working today, a streak that started at TIFF two years ago with The Fabelmans . Cory Michael Smith and Matt Wood play Chevy Chase and John Belushi, respectively, and do the comedians justice. Smith not only has a spot-on impression of Chase, but he also nails the look of the controversial comedian. Meanwhile, Wood captures the mindset of the thunderstorm-fueled Belushi. At no point in any scene is there always a sense of dread where he could break at any second, and Wood does a fantastic job making audiences question whether it will happen. All of these aspects of Saturday Night make it one of the year’s best movies, but there’s also the subtle homage to the process of shooting an episode of SNL. The process likely became more accessible after the first episode, and they figured out the system, but it can only make viewers imagine what each cast and crew member goes through weekly. Getting an idea of their lines, making costumes fit, and ensuring the sound and lights are effective. The SNL cast and crew endure a lot, but somehow, they always manage to get it down by the time the clock strikes 11:30pm and the show goes live. No matter what may be happening behind the scenes, they put any tension aside and give audiences a laugh they’ve been waiting all week for. Because when whoever’s on-screen shouts, “Live from New York, it’s Saturday Night,” the crowd goes wild, and all worries vanish. You can follow Tyler and hear more of his thoughts on Twitter , Instagram , and Letterboxd . More Reviews Wicked: For Good November 19, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Rental Family September 7, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Jay Kelly November 20, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Train Dreams November 21, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Hunter Friesen

Air April 3, 2023 By: Button Hunter Friesen Just a few weeks ago I introduced my review for Tetris by stating how 2023 is the year for corporate origin stories. There’s a cynical feeling I get about seeing multi-billion dollar conglomerates getting the underdog inspirational treatment, especially after several decades of them seeping into the art of filmmaking through merchandising, promotions, and anything else that makes money. In full transparency, I am also part of this problem as I buy something from Criterion every time there’s a sale and am typing this specific review in a room with walls covered in movie posters. But I digress. Air is the reason I had that exact cynical feeling, as it’s essentially the most expensive commercial for Nike and Michael Jordan. I wouldn’t be shocked if it's already playing on a loop in one of their corporate waiting rooms, or used by their endorsement teams when recruiting new athletes. This is also a movie where the already known outcome is that these people make billions of dollars, all while slightly admitting that the shoes that rake in the dough come from Asian sweatshops. And yet, in one of the truest examples of how filmmaking is never a rigid formula, the movie really works as both a historical retelling and as entertainment. Lest we forget, Ben Affleck is a damn good director, much better than the anonymous bomb that his most recent movie Live By Night would make him out to be. Air is just another reminder of how it was downright criminal for him not to be nominated for Best Director for Argo (he won the Golden Globe, Critics Choice, BAFTA, and DGA awards for Christ's sake!), even though it most likely paved the way for inspired nominations like Benh Zeitlin ( Beasts of the Southern Wild ) and Michael Haneke ( Amour ). This is the first Affleck film to not be a crime thriller, but that doesn’t stop him from trying to imbue those sensibilities here. Characters race against the clock, with the camera often following right behind them, revolving in circles as they make a brief stop, only for things to continue in motion. The script comes from first-time writer Alex Convery, which makes sense as much of it has that same amount of unrefined energy you would find in an NBA rookie like Jordan. Names are dropped left and right (John Stockton! Charles Barkley! Clyde Drexler!), and all-too-brief snippets of pop hits play between scenes as if doing those two things is enough to settle us into this 1980s setting. A lot of moments are overemphasized or a bit corny, as if each one of them was made to be packaged into the trailer. But the incredible cast is more than ready to make gold out of what’s given to them. With this following Ford v Ferrari and The Last Duel , Matt Damon finds himself on a hot streak. He absolutely nails a monologue near the end about the rise and fall of deified athletes. Viola Davis is Oscar-worthy as Jordan’s mother Deloris, whom the athlete credits for making him into the champion he is today. She commands respect in every scene, with her belief in her son being almost more potent than actually seeing him play. The fun doesn’t stop there! You’ve also got Chris Tucker (Howard White, Player Relations), Jason Bateman (Rob Strasser, Marketing), (Affleck (Phil Knight, CEO), and Chris Messina (David Falk, Jordan’s agent) bringing their A-game. Air is the cinematic equivalent of the final moments of an NBA game. Not every play goes as perfectly as it was drawn up, and there are a lot of mistakes that could have been ironed out in practice. But the sheer athleticism of the players/actors is something to marvel at. And when they take their shots, they make them count. Because both they and we know that when the ball goes through the hoop, and those feelings of victory come striding to the surface, everything that came before that ceases to matter. More Reviews Wicked: For Good November 19, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Rental Family September 7, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Jay Kelly November 20, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Train Dreams November 21, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Hunter Friesen

The Amateur April 8, 2025 By: Button Hunter Friesen The Amateur opens with Charles Heller (Rami Malek) laying out a tarp in his garage, littering with what we would perceive as a box of scraps. But to him, these trinkets are all pieces to a puzzle, a broken plane just begging to be repaired. It was bought by his wife Sarah (Rachel Brosnahan) as a birthday present, the couple living in a cozy farmhouse just outside of Washington DC. Charlie’s high IQ and knack for challenges make him the perfect decrypter for the CIA, buried five floors deep and into the muck of US foreign policy. He’s also the nerdy sort, the kind that sits at the lunch table with the rest of the brainiacs solving brain teasers while gawking over at the field agents who go out and get their hands dirty. Those seeking adventure often find themselves in it, but never in the way they’d expect. For Charlie, that curl of the monkey’s paw comes when Sarah is killed in the midst of a botched terrorist hostage situation during her conference in London. The bosses at the CIA put the “greater good” over vengeance for Sarah, opting to let the terrorists walk for now in hopes that they’ll stir up the rest of the criminal nest. But Charlie can’t take the high road on this one, taking matters into his own hands through some convenient blackmail that unlocks an arsenal that would make Batman shiver. Having already been unmemorably adapted for the screen back in 1981, Robert Littell’s novel is probably a great read on an airplane. Director James Hawes, riding pretty high after directing the entire first season of Slow Horses and the underrated Anthony Hopkins-starring drama One Life , maintains an engaging level of intrigue throughout his production. There’s a crispness to the proceedings as Charles hunts down the four responsible men one by one, taking him across various metropolitan areas within Europe. While the story of a man calculatingly seeking revenge on the men who harmed his significant other closely mirrors that of 2023’s The Killer , Hawes is nowhere near the level of David Fincher. The satisfaction of a completed cycle never reaches the point it needs to, largely due to the silliness of the mini-climaxes. This is a ludicrous premise, but an interrogation through the threat of pollen and the pressurized destruction of a glass swimming pool takes things down a distractingly skeptical road. Even more ludicrous, albeit amusingly, is the concept of the CIA publicly admitting to wrongdoings on foreign soil. Based on all the headlines over the past few weeks (or months… or years), I chuckled as Julianne Nicholson stood up at the podium as the CIA director and preached American values such as accountability and honor. Hawes and his screenwriting duo, Ken Nolan and Gary Spinelli, never waver on the emotional core of this story. After Sarah’s death, the return of her suitcase and the routineness of Charlie’s last conversation with her take on a whole new meaning. I mentioned that it was ludicrous for all this to happen, but there’s never a moment where I doubt why Charlie would convince himself that he needs to do it. It might be because this is just a lateral movement from Mr. Robot , but Malek’s casting is top-notch. He doesn’t have the presence to be a traditional leading man, but a movie like this that relies less on bullets and machismo works in his favor. James Bond and Jason Bourne are both in a corporate-induced hibernation for the moment, so a lower-staked espionage action thriller such as this flies pretty high at the moment. Along with Steven Soderbergh’s Black Bag , it’s a nice appetizer before Ethan Hunt makes everything go boom in a few weeks. More Reviews Wicked: For Good November 19, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Rental Family September 7, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Jay Kelly November 20, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Train Dreams November 21, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Hunter Friesen

John Wick: Chapter 4 March 15, 2023 By: Button Hunter Friesen In a move that will surely make it Michael Haneke’s least favorite movie of all time, John Wick: Chapter 4 is a glorious showcase of violence. Not since the days of gladiators (and I’m not talking about Russell Crowe) has mankind’s bloodlust been so voraciously quenched. Does the collective laughter and applause from my audience at the sight of bad guys having their testicles ripped apart, limbs severed, or cranium detached by a bullet make them bad people? Maybe. But this isn’t the movie (or franchise) for that sort of question. It’s best to follow the advice Winston gives to John Wick before he resumes his rampage: “Just have fun out there.” John Wick is back for his fourth chapter, whom at this point has become a far cry from his humble beginnings in 2014 when he was just a man getting revenge for his dead dog. A novelization’s worth of lore has been built up since then, with people carrying lofty titles like The Bowery King, The Director, and The Adjudicator, and societies like The High Table becoming a part of this world on top of our world. You may ask yourself how John Wick can rack up more bodies in one day than the US military does in a year, all without ever running into the police or government agencies. But then again, that angle has been done way too many times in other lame action movies, so it’s nice to be invited into something unfamiliar, even if the seriousness it handles itself with often comes across as self-parody. That tongue-in-cheek playfulness, whether intentional or not, most clearly comes across in Keanu Reeves’ performance. His stilted dialogue and inability to say more than two lines at a time do break the grand illusion instilled by cinematographer Dan Lausten’s exquisite framing and lighting, but that’s also par for the course for Reeves at this point in his career, which has risen to meteoric levels within this digital age for just that reason. That ironic sense of charisma works well with the theatricality supplied by the supporting cast, featuring the great Donnie Yen and Hiroyuki Sanada, and the operatic scale of the narrative. Just as James Cameron continually revolutionizes visual effects and puts most of his contemporaries to shame, Chad Stahelski does the same for action set pieces, at least within the confines of the Hollywood studio system (Hong Kong and other Asian countries deserve some respect). With a nearly three-hour runtime, your dollars spent on tickets will be stretched to their max potential, with sequences going for multiple film reels, pushing the envelope on the physical toll an actor/character can take. The neon lights engulf everything in bright colors, and the camera stays back and moves with fluidity. There’s a specific set piece reminiscent of Minority Report , with Stahelski holding onto a single take for minutes on end. It’s pure, unadulterated adrenaline, delivered in hefty doses. The cinematic nods don’t stop there, with an ode to Lawrence of Arabia serving as the show-stopping introduction. The luxuriousness of that initial setting is extended throughout, with the hottest tourist spots of Paris, including the Louvre, Eiffel Tower, and Arc de Triomphe acting as backdrops. Although I said the character of John Wick has drastically changed over time, the John Wick series has maintained that underdog energy since its initial entry, even though the budgets have increased nearly sixfold. Each sequel tries its hardest to outdo the previous one, offering an improvement on what’s already been done and creating something entirely new. Although I know it will be done, I don't know how they’re going to top this in John Wick: Chapter 5 . More Reviews Wicked: For Good November 19, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Rental Family September 7, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Jay Kelly November 20, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Train Dreams November 21, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Hunter Friesen

Top 10 Films of 2024 (So Far) July 1, 2024 By: Hunter Friesen I don’t know if it should be cause for celebration or concern, but we’ve reached the halfway mark of 2024, seemingly faster than any year before. This moment places us at a crossroads, able to equally look back at what’s already happened, and continue to look forward to what’s to come. Before we dive even deeper into the months ahead, I’d like to take a moment and be thankful for the best that cinema has had to offer us in this initial half. According to my Letterboxd list, I’ve seen a whopping 78 new releases, a number that is slightly inflated as many titles were seen at 2023 festivals, while others were seen at festivals this year and have yet to be released. To promote equality among the contenders, I’ll only be ranking the films that have been made available to the public before June 30, which disqualifies great works like The Apprentice and Emilia Perez , both of which have a strong chance of showing up on this list at the end of the year. 10. The Beekeeper It only took until the second week of January for 2024 to get its best bad movie of the year. This Jason Statham-starring revenge flick is what mindless action movies should strive for, although I’m not sure writer Kurt Wimmer and director David Ayer would be able to share how they’ve crafted a movie that is both self-aware and totally oblivious to being so bad it’s good. Full Review 9. Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell Vietnamese writer/director Phan Thien An has created a film of extraordinary uniqueness, aligning closely with the extreme slow cinema works of Apichatpong Weerasethakul and Béla Tarr. Every scene is comprised of a single take, all of them extraordinary feats of production on account of their length and complexity. Time is often at a standstill, with no one ever seeming to be in a rush or wanting to have a direct conversation. Your attitude towards this style will be determined quickly, most likely in your ability to stay awake. But even those who drift off from time to time will have their dreams permeated by images from the film. It’s part of the experience, a little piece of the film that sticks with you, something the large majority of other works fail to do. 8. I Saw the TV Glow I couldn't tell what feelings I was experiencing while watching I Saw the TV Glow , but I can definitely tell you I was feeling something. There was terror, bewilderment, wonder, curiosity, nostalgia, and some sort of feeling of childhood innocence. And yet there was none of those things, at least in the forms I’d expected or had experienced before. I stared at the screen with the same hypnotized energy as the main characters watching their favorite show, The Pink Opaque . Was I enjoying what I was watching, and did it even make sense? I didn’t know then, and I still don’t know now. But I can’t get it out of my head, and that’s what’s most important. Full Review 7. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga Furiosa may not surpass Fury Road , but I don’t think that was ever the intention, at least not directly. At the very least, it’ll be regarded as the best pure action film of the year, and be another be another notch for Miller’s claim to be the best to ever do it. It’s too bad the box office wasn’t able to meet the challenge, as Miller deserves to be given carte blanche to venture out into the desert and cook up something just as epically fun as this. Full Review 6. Challengers If there’s one thing that Luca Guadagnino understands about sports, it’s the sex appeal. Muscles are perpetually firm and clenched, sweat hangs on the brow and slips off perfectly chiseled jaws, and outbursts of enthusiasm share the same primal feelings from the bedroom. With his adaptation of William S. Burroughs Queer barreling down the pipeline, 2024 will surely be Guadagnino’s year, and we’re all going to have a fun time basking in it. Full Review 5. Hit Man If you still weren’t convinced about Glen Powell’s movie star charisma after Top Gun: Maverick and Anyone But You , then Hit Man will certainly be the successful pitch. Richard Linklater's film is a sexy romantic comedy pairing Powell with Adria Arjona to electric results. It’s devilishly fun, packing a smart script (by Linklater & Powell) that matches well with its antics. 4. Kinds of Kindness If The Favourite and Poor Things were one for them, then Kinds of Kindness is one for me. It’s a film that Greek Weird Wave writer/director Yorgos Lanthimos has been working on for a few years now with his usual partner Efthimis Filippou, almost as if he knew he wouldn’t be allowed to unleash it unless he built up enough street cred through those two Oscar-winning period pieces. The result is another work of the macabre, a blending of his nastier Greek projects with the prestige of his star-studded English-language cohorts. Full Review 3. Evil Does Not Exist Drive My Car writer/director and all-around arthouse superstar Ryûsuke Hamaguchi makes his most outspoken work with Evil Does Not Exist. The tranquility of a Japanese village is being threatened by the introduction of a “glamping” (glamorous + camping) site proposed by a talent agency. The site would negatively impact much of the environment around it, with many of the village resident’s livelihoods being forever altered. Despite being clear in his message, Hamaguchi never eviscerates the villains of this story. The extreme slow cinema approach will test the patience of many expecting a return to the relative leanness of Drive My Car . Those who embrace the molasses will find themselves powerfully transported to one of the few places left that hasn’t been bulldozed by capitalism. 2. Dune: Part Two Just as he did with Blade Runner 2049 , Denis Villeneuve has accomplished what has long been thought to be impossible with Dune: Part Two . There’s no doubt that fans of the 2021 film will be overjoyed with what’s served here, and that previous detractors such as myself will be won over by the improved scale and direction of the saga. Fear is the mind-killer to all those on Arrakis. But there is no fear for those of us on Earth, as one of the best films of 2024 and of the science-fiction genre has been bestowed upon us. Full Review 1. The Beast Bertrand Bonello’s The Beast is the pretentious European version of Cloud Atlas, which is a statement that tells you everything you need to know about whether you’ll like it or not. Bonello jumps between 1904, 2014, and 2044, intersplicing the three time periods to tell a story about love conquering time. Léa Seydoux and George MacKay play characters in each period, navigating the unknowable connection they feel for each other. It’s overindulgent and excessive, with Bonello displaying a mastery of tone and vision across the 146 minutes. There’s passion, fear, humor, drama, and everything in between. I’ve seen it twice now, and am already itching for another go around. More Reviews Wicked: For Good November 19, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Rental Family September 7, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Jay Kelly November 20, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Train Dreams November 21, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Hunter Friesen

MSPIFF 2023 Preview April 10, 2023 By: Hunter Friesen I'm excited to announce that I'll be covering the Minneapolis St. Paul Film Festival for the first time this year! As a cinephile, I'm always on the lookout for new and exciting films. Whether it takes me around the world, or right to my own backyard, I look forward to discovering some hidden gems, meeting other film lovers, and celebrating the art of cinema. Follow me for updates on my festival experience, and let me know if you'll be there too! In this article I've previewed most of the film I'll be seeing, with a few more listed here: The Beasts, L'immensità, Somewhere In Queens, Revoir Paris, Walk Up. *All film descriptions and pictures have been supplied by the festival program* BlackBerry An irreverent look at the incredible rise and stunning fall of the world’s first smartphone. Writer/director Matt Johnson is joined on screen by Jay Baruchel ( This Is the End ) and Glenn Howerton ( It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia ) in outstanding seriocomic turns that have us rooting for the doomed misfits behind this incredible true story. Cairo Conspiracy From Tarik Saleh, the director of the award-winning The Nile Hilton Incident , comes a bold, nuanced thriller set in a complex world Westerners rarely see. It centers on a gifted student from a small village who is offered a scholarship to Cairo’s Al-Azhar University, the power epicenter of Sunni Islam. Dreamin' Wild What if a childhood dream came true–-but thirty years later? Singer Donnie Emerson’s dream of success suddenly came true as he approached 50 years old. While it brought hopes of second chances, it also brought ghosts of the past and long-buried emotions to the whole family. Flamin' Hot Flamin’ Hot is the inspiring true story of Richard Montañez, the Frito Lay janitor who channeled his Mexican American heritage and upbringing to turn the iconic Flamin’ Hot Cheetos into a snack that disrupted the food industry and became a global pop culture phenomenon. Other People's Children When dedicated high school teacher Rachel (Virginie Efira) falls in love with Ali (Roschdy Zem), it’s not long before she also falls for his 4-year-old daughter Leila. Rachel must decide whether to embrace the inherent entanglements of her current situation, including the looming presence of Ali’s ex-wife Alice (Chiara Mastroanni) or strike out again on her own. Polite Society A merry mash-up of sisterly affection, parental disappointment and bold action, Polite Society follows martial artist-in-training Ria Khan who believes she must save her older sister Lena from her impending marriage. After enlisting the help of her friends, Ria attempts to pull off the most ambitious of all wedding heists in the name of independence and sisterhood. R.M.N. From writer/director Cristian Mungiu ( 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days ), this gripping drama set in rural Transylvania looks at the ethnic conflicts, economic resentments and personal turmoil roiling a Romania still in thrall to some dangerous traditions and beliefs. The arrival of Sri Lankan migrants adds fuel to the fire. Showing Up A sculptor preparing to open a new show must balance her creative life with the daily dramas of family and friends, in Kelly Reichardt's vibrant and captivatingly funny portrait of art and craft. Tori and Lokita Eleven-year-old Tori and 16-year-old Lokita are vulnerable African migrants, trying to make their way In contemporary Belgium, but their already precarious circumstances grow more complicated when the government refuses to give Lokita residence papers. More Reviews Wicked: For Good November 19, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Rental Family September 7, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Jay Kelly November 20, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Train Dreams November 21, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Hunter Friesen

Captain Marvel March 14, 2019 By: Button Hunter Friesen Marking the twenty-first chapter in the ever-expanding Marvel Cinematic Universe, Captain Marvel has finally bowed out in theatres after a mountain of hype had built up for close to a year. Much like Black Panther was the first MCU film to feature a predominantly black cast, Captain Marvel is the first film to feature a female as the lead character. But unlike the huge critical success and cultural movement that the former was, Captain Marvel disappoints on both the levels of filmmaking and fan service. What should be an enjoyable and inspirational tale ends up being a tepid blockbuster that sorely lacks in the areas that have made the Marvel brand so entertainingly great. Captain Marvel is directed by partners Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, who have previously worked on smaller indie films, most notably Half Nelson . Now with a budget of $152 million, the lack of experience that the pair have with tentpole films glaringly shows. Many of the action scenes are by the numbers as they devolve into a series of quick camera cuts and choppy editing. Not helping the action is the computer and practical effects. Apart from the de-aging of Samuel L. Jackson, which looks incredible, the visuals look a bit outdated, almost like the film was made ten years ago. To recreate the feel of the 1990s setting, Boden and Fleck rely heavily on nostalgic product placements and callbacks. Blockbuster Video, internet cafes, pagers, and an endless line of fashionable toys are paraded throughout the film to try and get a response from the audience. It reminded me of the same shallow technique that was used to death in Ready Player One where inessential references are repeatedly made instead of constructive jokes. Probably the biggest problem with Captain Marvel is the incoherent and bland story that offers the audience little to care about. Right away the film introduces the conflict between the Kree and the Skrull, two factions who have been at war for eternity. Basic facts are given such as a roster of important characters, but other relevant information such as the war’s importance and purpose is left out. Even as the conflict gradually becomes the main part of the narrative, these necessary explanations are never touched on. This lack of information strips the film of any real stakes within the MCU. Not that low stakes is an outright bad thing. Ant-Man has next to no overall effect on the other films within the universe. But the franchise still works anyway as it makes you care about its great characters. That central quality is also missing from Captain Marvel , which is surprising considering both Boden and Fleck have built their careers off of their prowess for layered human drama. Despite being her origin story, the character of Captain Marvel turns out to be the least interesting person in the film. Her storyline is quite straightforward and consists of a lot of on-the-nose messaging that feels shoehorned in. Tonally this film falls in line with the rest of the MCU. Comedy is mixed in with drama, but not as seamless as you would expect. Many of the jokes don’t land or feel too forced into awkward positions. A disappointing feeling repeatedly panged me every time a pivotal scene was undercut by a joke that really didn’t work. Brie Larson does a thoroughly average job as the titular hero. Her performance contains seldom amounts of energy, which can partly be blamed on the lackluster script she had to work with. Fortunately, Larson does show a ton of confidence and a knack for comedic timing in her limited number of quality scenes Samuel L. Jackson is great as Nick Fury, who at the moment is only an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. He brings his usual boisterous flair to the role and is able to make up for the downbeat energy exuded by the rest of the cast. Jude Law, Ben Mendelsohn, and Annette Bening fill out the rest of the supporting cast. Each one of them does a fine job, but these roles are hardly anything compared to the other work they have done. Is Captain Marvel a good movie? No. Is it a bad movie? Also no. This is an average film that comes and goes while doing everything you expect and nothing more. In the grand scheme of things, this film is just a quick jolt of superhero energy to keep audiences satisfied until Avengers: Endgame. More Reviews Wicked: For Good November 19, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Rental Family September 7, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Jay Kelly November 20, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Train Dreams November 21, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Hunter Friesen

The Best Cinematographers Working Today And Where To Find Them Next April 30, 2021 By: Hunter Friesen Cinematography is often the first thing we notice when watching a film, but the person behind the camera creating the magic often goes unrecognized except for the few seconds their name appears in the credits. A Director of Photography (DP) can carry a distinct visual style throughout their body of work, often pairing that style with a like-minded director. There are dozens of cinematographers working today that have produced some truly stunning work. This list highlights fifteen of them in no particular order and gives a brief glimpse into what they are working on next. No list can ever be perfect, and I'll be the first to say that many worthy names have been left off here. But before you get angry about an omission, you have to remember that to qualify for this list; a cinematographer must be officially attached to a film that is expected to be released by the end of 2022. So, quality names such as Rachel Morrison and Bradford Young do not appear because they don't have anything lined up at the moment. Roger Deakins This British-born DP isn't just considered one of the best working today; he's considered one of the best of all time. Deakins has cemented that status with his long-lasting director partnerships with both the Coen brothers and Sam Mendes. He is adaptable to all genres and can work on light comedies such as The Big Lebowski or tentpole epics like Skyfall . And despite being a perennial Oscar loser for nearly twenty years, he has claimed two consecutive wins for his work on Blade Runner 2049 and 1917 , respectively. His next project will reteam him with Sam Mendes for the 2022 release, Empire of Light . Bruno Delbonnel When Roger Deakins isn't available, the Coen brothers have relied on the French-born Delbonnel. He broke out early in France with Amelie and A Very Long Engagement , which showed off his distinct color palette. He's now worked with the Coens and Joe Wright on multiple films, most notably Inside Llewyn Davis and Darkest Hour . It's fitting that each of his following two projects will be with those directors as he has Wright's The Woman in the Window on Netflix in May and Joel Coen's The Tragedy of Macbeth later this year. Robert Richardson Regularly working with the likes of Oliver Stone, Quentin Tarantino, and Martin Scorsese, Robert Richardson has built his resume through a who's who of directing talent. He often matches his sharp visual style with a specific project, whether it be the period-accurate hard-lighting in The Aviator , harnessing the power of 3D in Hugo , or shooting on 70mm for The Hateful Eight . Richardson's upcoming project is a reteaming with director Andy Serkis for Venom: Let There Be Carnage , the sequel to the 2018 smash hit. Emmanuel Lubezki Like Richardson, Emmanuel Lubezki has attached himself to some of the top directors of the modern era. He’s had a fruitful relationship with fellow Mexicans Alfonso Cuarón and Alejandro González Iñárritu, and also with the enigmatic Terrence Malick. His movies often push the limit of the long take and rely heavily on natural lighting. His work has netted him a career of eight Oscar nominations, and he won three years in a row from 2013-2015. After taking a short break, he'll be back in the hunt later this year with David O. Russell's Amsterdam . Matthew Libatique Lover of handheld camerawork and color specificity, Matthew Libatique has traveled around the industry and worked on projects at every level. He's had a lasting partnership with Darren Aronofsky, creating visual horror with the films Black Swan and Mother! . He's shown off his incredible range with Birds of Prey last year, along with A Star Is Born and The Prom . He has two upcoming projects, one of which is a reunion with Aronofsky on an untitled A24 drama. The other is Olivia Wilde's follow-up to Booksmart , which is the 1950s set horror-thriller, Don't Worry Darling . Janusz Kaminski Almost exclusively working with Steven Spielberg since their partnership began in 1993 for Schindler's List , Polish DP Janusz Kaminski has been responsible for some of the most incredible imagery of the past quarter-century. He is known for his heavy lighting of windows and shooting on grainy film stock. He has proven that he isn't dependent on Spielberg, as he did wonders with Julian Schnabel in The Diving Bell and the Butterfly and in 2014 with The Judge . Kaminski will be in full musical mode this winter with Spielberg's West Side Story remake set to be released at Christmas. Darius Wolski Also, from Poland, Wolski netted his first Oscar nomination last year for News of the World . Since coming to Hollywood in the mid-1990s, Wolski has worked on several blockbuster productions such as the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy and nearly a dozen films with Ridley Scott. Both he and Scott have three movies in the pipeline, with two of them, The Last Duel and House of Gucci , releasing later this year. The third is a Napoleon Bonaparte biopic with Joaquin Phoenix, which is expected to begin production soon. Greig Fraser Australian Greig Fraser started his career with fellow countrymen such as Scott Hicks, Andrew Dominik, and Jane Campion. His films often have crisp darkness surrounding them, heightening the slow-burn tension his directors like to instill. He began to branch out in the early 2010s, working with Kathryn Bigelow in Zero Dark Thirty and with Gareth Edwards in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story . He netted his first Oscar nomination working with Garth Davis in Lion and recently won his first Emmy for his work in The Mandalorian . He's kept busy recently with two gigantic productions, which are Denis Villeneuve's Dune and Matt Reeves's The Batman . Darius Kohndji Like a fine wine, this Iranian-born DP seems to be getting better with age. His Hollywood hit came in 1995 on David Fincher's Se7en . He then attached himself to Woody Allen from Midnight to Paris to Irrational Man and showed off his prowess with soft lighting with James Gray in the films The Immigrant and The Lost City of Z . But he's also adept at sharp contrasts, which he used to perfection in Nicolas Winding Refn's Amazon series Too Old to Die Young . He's working with Alejandro González Iñárritu on his newest film, Limbo , which is filming now and slated for release later this year. Rodrigo Prieto Replacing Robert Richardson as Martin Scorsese's go-to cinematographer, Rodrigo Prieto burst onto the scene with Alejandro González Iñárritu's internationally acclaimed hit, Amores Perros . He kept up his relationship with Iñárritu while also dabbling in multiple projects with Julie Taymor and Oliver Stone. His visual style has lent itself to sprawling stories, such as the globe-trotting Babel or the decades-spanning The Irishman . Prieto and Scorsese are back together again for a western titled Killers of the Flower Moon , which recently started filming. Maryse Alberti Maryse Alberti has worked with filmmakers such as Darron Aronofsky ( The Wrestler ), Ryan Coogler ( Creed ), and most recently Ron Howard ( Hillbilly Elegy ), carving out a spot for herself as one of the best cinematographers working today. Blending handheld camerawork with striking compositions, her work has a naturalistic quality that helps the stories she's working on to feel grounded yet richly cinematic. She'll next be seen working with actor/director Denzel Washington on A Journal For Jordan (based on the memoir by Dana Canedy), which will reunite her with Creed star Michael B. Jordan and also stars Chanté Adams and Robert Wisdom. Jeff Cronenweth The son of Blade Runner cinematographer Jordan Cronenweth, Jeff cut his teeth on music videos and gradually worked his way into feature films. He's embraced digital photography, crafting some of the sharpest and cold imagery of the past decade in The Social Network, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo , and Gone Girl . He's recently been recruited by Aaron Sorkin to shoot his upcoming Lucille Ball biopic, Being the Ricardos . Linus Sandgren Favoring rich colors and eye-popping visuals, Sandgren started his Hollywood career with a bang in 2013 with David O. Russell's American Hustle . He stayed with Russell to make Joy just two years later and then partnered with wunderkind Damien Chazelle to make visual magic in both La La Land and First Man . He has a big lineup in the near future, with No Time to Die and Adam McKay's Don't Look Up being released later this year. He's also reteaming with Chazelle for the Hollywood epic Babylon , slated for release on Christmas 2022. Chung Chung-hoon When it comes to shot framing, this South Korean DP is the master. He partnered with fellow South Korean director Park Chan-wook in the films Oldboy , Thirst , and Lady Vengeance . The crowning achievement for the pair has to be 2016's The Handmaiden , a lush tale of deception and intrigue. He's dabbled in the English language a few times, and he can next be found working with Edgar Wright for Last Night in Soho and Ruben Fleischer for the Uncharted video game adaptation. Claudio Miranda Claudio Miranda is second to none when it comes to CG photography. He has embraced the popularization of digital filmmaking, showing off the wonders of technology in TRON: Legacy and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button . He won an Oscar in 2012 for his groundbreaking work with Ang Lee in Life of Pi . He's working with director Joseph Kosinski on two upcoming releases: the highly anticipated Top Gun: Maverick and Netflix's Escape from Spiderhead . Mihai Malaimare Jr. While not the biggest name on this list, this Romanian DP has worked with quite a few high-profile directors. He started with Francis Ford Coppola in his avant-garde trilogy of Youth Without Youth, Tetro , and Twixt . Then in 2012, he and Paul Thomas Andreson collaborated to make The Master , one of the most daring and gorgeous uses of 65mm. He kept a low profile for a while after that but returned in 2019 with Taika Waititi to make the sumptuous Jojo Rabbit . He'll next be seen partnering with newcomer Jeymes Samuel for the black-led Netflix western, The Harder They Fall . More Reviews Wicked: For Good November 19, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Rental Family September 7, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Jay Kelly November 20, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Train Dreams November 21, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Hunter Friesen