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The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare April 18, 2024 By: Button Hunter Friesen With each subsequent entry in his ever-growing filmography, Guy Ritchie seems to make it a mission to make the most Guy Ritchie-esque film yet. The rough edges of Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch have been streamlined over the decades, which may be the primary reason why the British writer/director has been one of the most prolific filmmakers since the pandemic, pumping out five feature films since the beginning of 2020. Hell, he already has one in the can titled In the Grey that’s dated for January of next year (reuniting Ritchie with Jake Gyllenhaal, Henry Cavill, and Eiza González), and is in the process of shooting another Apple adventure movie with Natalie Portman and John Krasinski. Some may cry foul at Ritchie essentially becoming an institution rather than a distinct filmmaker, but his brand of mid-budget action comedies is something that our current movie market sorely lacks. It’s also commendable how mindless they are, like a Michael Bay movie without the migraines. I couldn’t tell you much about the plots of the Sherlock Holmes films, The Gentlemen , or Wrath of Man , but I can recall how entertained I was watching them. The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is no different as it partakes in a giddy showcase of violence. Luckily for you and me, there is no guilt to be felt at the sight of knives slashing throats, bullets shredding torsos, and axes severing limbs; as all these victims are the stormtroopers of the Nazi regime (producers love this cheat code!). We first find our heroes, Gus March-Phillips (Henry Cavill) and Anders Lassen (Alan Ritchson), posing as Swedish fishermen as they’re being raided by the most punchable Nazi officer the movie has to offer. But the sight of over a dozen Nazi foot soldiers pointing guns at them doesn’t inspire fear in our burly warriors, rather, it whets their appetite for German blood. Also along for the ride is their demolition expert (Henry Golding), pilot (Hero Fiennes Tiffin), and strategist (Alex Pettyfer). Their mission, apart from general Nazi ass-kicking, is to locate and destroy the ships that supply Germany’s U-boats that sink anything that dares to cross the Atlantic Ocean. The ships are located off the coast of West Africa at Fernando Po, where two undercover agents (Eiza González and Babs Olusanmokun) have already been stationed to set the trap in motion. Between the yellow-colored subtitles, the Ennio Morricone-esque score by Christopher Benstead, the casting of Til Schweiger as a Nazi, and general vibes, there’s no sense in arguing the heavy influence of Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds . This imitation even has its own Mike Meyers in the form of Cary Elwes as Brigadier Gubbins 'M', who has Ian Fleming (yes, that Ian Fleming) as his right-hand man. While Tarantino’s suicide mission perpetually hanged in the balance, Ritchie’s feels like watching the ‘95 Chicago Bulls going up against your local junior college. Our heroes’ indestructibility and inability to be deterred is sometimes a feature, allowing for maximum carnage and the clichés that come with missions going wrong. But there’s also a lack of tension, leaving little to the imagination. Not every joke lands (or was even that good in the first place), and almost all of the characters are pretty one-note. Cavill and Ritchson let their frames do most of the talking, and it’s certainly a sight to behold. Fans of Cavill’s M:I - Fallout arm reload and Prime Video’s Reacher are certainly getting more than what they asked for here. I won’t complain if we just keep getting more of these good-but-not-great actioners from Ritchie for the next half-decade or so. More Reviews One Battle After Another September 24, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen A Christmas Party September 23, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Him September 18, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Swiped September 19, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Hunter Friesen

80 For Brady January 20, 2023 By: Button Hunter Friesen Lighter than a feather and filled with enough New England Patriots propaganda to get itself banned in Atlanta, Buffalo, New York, and Miami, 80 for Brady would probably have cleaned up at this year’s AARP Movies for Grownups Awards if it had been given a timely qualifying release. Of course, there’s always next year, where there’s potential for Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon to be upstaged in the categories of “Best Buddy Picture” and “Best Intergenerational Film.” At the time of the film’s announcement, famed Patriots/Buccaneers Quarterback Tom Brady had just announced his retirement from football after 22 seasons, which included 7 Super Bowl titles, 3 NFL MVP honors, 15 Pro Bowl selections, as well as an extended list of other career achievements. It does take a certain amount of hubris on Brady’s part for his first post-football move to be the commissioning of a movie about four fans who worship him as a god. Granted, this is inspired by a true story, even if the script by Emily Halpern and Sarah Haskins, part of the writing team behind 2019’s Booksmart , takes some very creative liberties with the truth. The 80 in 80 for Brady denotes the ages of four friends who have centered their strong friendship over their love of Tom Brady and his New England Patriots. It all started on September 23, 2001 (a date celebrated every year by Patriots fans) when Lou (Lily Tomlin) was stuck at home recovering from her last round of chemotherapy. Her close friends Trish (Jane Fonda), Maura (Rita Moreno), and Betty (Sally Field) tried to entertain her by getting the TV to work, but it was stuck on one channel. At that exact moment, young Tom Brady steps into the pocket after regular starter Drew Bledsoe was taken out of the game due to a nasty sack. From there, the rest is history, for both Brady and his cohort of dedicated octogenarian fans. Fast forward to 2017 and the Patriots are going to another Super Bowl. Instead of staying home like they always do, the group decides to make the trip down to Houston for the big game. “The Super Bowl is no place for four old women,” says Maura, who happens to be right. But that statement being true is what makes for the most of the fun within 80 for Brady , as four Hollywood legends with effortless charm and chemistry blaze through the biggest event of the year. Much of the material is light and fun, made to purely entertain you for the ninety-eight-minute runtime and nothing more. And compared to most of the entries in this specific genre, which include Book Club (plus its upcoming sequel) and Poms , this one works fairly well. Moreno, who technically doesn’t qualify for the club considering she’s 91, clearly has the most fun within the ensemble. It’s unfortunate that the only dance routine within the film is poorly choreographed and doesn’t allow the original cinematic Anita to show off her long-lived talent. There are some attempts at drama, but it’s all so clean and shallow that it barely even registers. The stakes are pretty much nonexistent, and the jokes can be seen from a mile away. Director Kyle Marvin keeps everything breezy, and cinematographer John Toll (recipient of two Academy Awards) makes the Super Bowl festivities look as appealing as possible. Football fans may not be totally won over by 80 for Brady , but its intended audience of retirees will undoubtedly eat it up. And in a time when one of the largest sustainers of adult theatrical programming is not returning to the cinema, we’ll take all the help we can get. So, take your parents and/or grandparents out for a nice time, and maybe try to convince them to get back into their old cinemagoing habits. More Reviews One Battle After Another September 24, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen A Christmas Party September 23, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Him September 18, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Swiped September 19, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Hunter Friesen

Top 10 Films of 2019 January 23, 2020 By: Hunter Friesen Well, the year has passed and we can finally let out a sigh of relief. The only thing left to do now is to look ahead to fresh beginnings in the new year and decade. But before we do that, let’s take some time to appreciate all the good that happened to us this last year, specifically within the movie theatre. From the biggest of blockbusters to the smallest of indies, several cinematic offerings were made that deserve attention and praise. So in an effort to give credit where credit is due, here is a list of my favorite films of 2019. Honorable Mentions A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood Ford v Ferrari The Farewell The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part The Lighthouse 10. 1917 In a move of pure boldness, director Sam Mendes decided to stage his World War I film as one continuous shot. Roger Deakins’ masterful cinematography never once faults as it fully immerses us into the action on a level not seen in war films before. Adding Thomas Newman’s score and two excellent lead performances on top of that give this blockbuster an unrivaled sense of grandiosity. 9. Uncut Gems Adam Sandler returns to form with his role as Howard Ratner in Uncut Gems . But it's not just The Sandman himself who takes the spotlight in this anxiety-inducing tale of one man trying to gamble himself a fortune within the New York diamond district. Supporting players Julia Fox, LaKeith Stanfield, and even basketball legend Kevin Garnett show off their talent as directors Josh and Benny Safdie take that screen presence and combine it with an intensely paced story to deliver one hell of a ride. 8. Marriage Story Written and directed by Noah Baumbach, this Netflix divorce drama made for the biggest emotional punch of any film in 2019. Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson commandingly take the lead and deliver a film that has never been so pleasantly depressing and genuinely funny at the same time. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, or you’ll do both at the same time. And by the time the credits start rolling, you’ll have been on a journey with not just these characters, but also with yourself. Full Review 7. Parasite South Korean director Bong Joon-ho returns home for his newest feature. Winner of the prestigious Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, the film follows the escapades of the poverty-stricken Kim family as they infiltrate the household and lives of the wealthy Parks. Genre-defying to the highest degree, Parasite is never what you think it is as it twists back and forth between comedy, horror, and drama within the blink of an eye. Fortunately, the one thing that stays constant throughout is the immense talent of all involved to make this wholly original and unforgettable film. 6. Ad Astra The 2010s have been a renaissance for space movies as several top directors and stars have lent their craft to tell stories beyond our planet. Joining that list are James Gray and Brad Pitt as they take the road less traveled with the unique Ad Astra . Almost a one-man show by Pitt, the film tells his character’s deeply humanistic story within the cosmic scale of its setting. It’s deeply moving and altogether something different than what has come before, which is why it deserves a place on this list. Full Review 5. Climax The most unsettling and stressful movie released this year, Gaspar Noé’s Climax is a hypnotic nightmare. Set in a remote French school, the film follows a group of dancers as they celebrate after a successful show. Unfortunately, someone spiked the punch with LSD and everyone is in for an agonizing trip. As expected the dance numbers are fantastic and the inventive long-take cinematography never lets you go no matter how many times you want to look away. Be sure to take some ibuprofen before embarking on this strange ride. 4. Once Upon a Time in... Hollywood Perfectly led by an all-star cast of Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt (what a year he’s having!), and Margot Robbie, Quentin Tarantino’s ninth feature turned out to be his most comedic and mature work. The esteemed writer/director’s tale of a fictional TV cowboy in the waning days of Hollywood’s golden age acts as both a time capsule for a bygone era and as an allegory for the state of filmmaking in modern times. But don’t let the laughs fool you into thinking Tarantino won’t indulge in his trademarked ultraviolence as he delivers what may be his most challenging and squirm-inducing finale. 3. The Irishman At 209 minutes, Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman is a true-crime epic. Telling the story of mob hitman Frank "The Irishman" Sheeran, the long-gestating project is packed with an all-star cast of Robert De Niro as the titular character as well as Joe Pesci and Al Pacino in career-defining roles. Instead of rehashing his usual gangster formula, Scorsese flips the script and fully exposes the audience to the doom and gloom that a life of crime brings to someone. Released on Netflix, there’s no excuse not to see this historic work. Full Review 2. The King Available on Netflix (are you starting to see a pattern?), The King is a period piece for the modern age. Director David Michôd elegantly crafts a sweeping drama centered on the early reign of King Henry V - brilliantly played by a brooding Timothée Chalamet - as he navigates through murky political waters. Technically immaculate through its cinematography and score, the drama also boasts a well-rounded supporting cast of characters looking to raise their rank through either loyalty or betrayal. All these factors and more (including Robert Pattinson’s bonkers accent) make for an incredibly engaging watch. All hail King Henry indeed. 1. Little Women With a modern twist on a timeless classic, Greta Gerwig’s Little Women is an absolute delight. From its non-linear narrative to its glowingly warm cinematography, everything on the screen does wonders as it forces tears that are then brushed away with a smile. That also includes performances from the ensemble that bring the March sisters to life in a way not seen before. Arriving on Christmas Day as a gift to all, there was no better way to cap off the year (and decade) than with this absolute masterpiece. More Reviews One Battle After Another September 24, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen A Christmas Party September 23, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Him September 18, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Swiped September 19, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Hunter Friesen

TIFF24 Dispatch #4 September 17, 2024 By: Button Tyler Banark All of the films were screened at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). Click here for additional full reviews and dispatches. Select films below will receive separate full-length reviews at a later date, most likely in connection to their public releases. Anora Sean Baker’s Palme d'Or-winning film is just as colorful as Gerry Marshall’s Pretty Woman but contains the chaotic nature of a Safdie brothers movie. Anora never falters with these features, but a prolonged finale diminishes it. Mikey Madison gives a solidifying performance as the titular character. She’s been on a slow rise to stardom since 2019, but thanks to Anora , she’s finally reached the top of the mountain. The supporting cast consists mainly of Russian actors, but they complement her well, especially Mark Eidelstein as Anora’s love interest, Vanya. What makes Anora work well is how dreamy the tone is in the first act, eventually taking a more mature turn when Vanya’s family gets involved in their marriage. This turn is also where Baker owns up to the Safdie’s style, and the dialogue becomes rapid-fire with lots of overlapping and shouting. Some viewers may find it off-putting, but it works here. If anything, Anora will continue to be in the mouths of moviegoers this awards season, as it rightfully should. (4/5) Megalopolis One of the most talked-about movies of the summer, Megalopolis sees Francis Ford Coppola in the director’s chair for the first time in over 10 years. The drama circling around the film’s distribution doesn’t do justice as to how insane this movie is. Megalopolis is an ambitious movie that sees Coppola going all in and all out. The special effects either looked amazing or awful and the writing is unhinged and incoherent. Yet somehow, the cast plays along with it and doesn’t seem to question Coppola’s methods and intentions. Everyone in the cast seems to go through the motions with their roles with the exception of Shia LaBeouf and Aubrey Plaza who are in a different stratosphere than the rest of the movie. Their turns fit the crazy nature of the film, but LaBeouf in particular felt annoying for the sake of being annoying. If Megalopolis is looking to make any statement, it’s that Coppola knows his craft but is nearing the end of his legendary career. (2.5/5) Oh, Canada Paul Schrader’s latest film starring Richard Gere and Jacob Elordi sees him at a crossroads. His most notable works have been as a collaborator with Martin Scorsese, but in the last six years, he’s had a resurgence as a director. Unfortunately, Oh, Canada doesn’t bring anything promising or unique to the forefront. Gere and Elordi play Canadian-American writer Leonard as he becomes the subject of a documentary about how he fled the US in the midst of the Vietnam War draft. Simply put, Oh, Canada was a bland movie that saw Schrader and his leading men failing to do something special. The movie is intriguing on paper, but the execution of it makes it look like a monstrosity. There’s also a subplot where Leonard has declining memory making him an unreliable narrator. These factors unfortunately make Oh, Canada a disappointing movie overall and effort from Schrader. (2/5) The Substance The body horror satire that took Cannes by storm this past May, Coralie Fargeat’s The Substance is an experience unlike any other. The body horror subgenre has seen very little time in the spotlight in recent years, but Fargeat’s looking to bring it back as it features an impressive display of makeup that no one has seen from a horror film in who knows how long. The leading trio of Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley, and Dennis Quaid are all fantastic and own up to the satirical aspects of the movie. The only thing weighing down The Substance was the ending as it took its sweet time getting to the finish line and overstaying its 140-minute runtime. Nevertheless, The Substance was still a good time and a nice surprise for me! (4/5) You can follow Tyler and hear more of his thoughts on Twitter , Instagram , and Letterboxd . More Reviews One Battle After Another September 24, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen A Christmas Party September 23, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Him September 18, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Swiped September 19, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Hunter Friesen

Top 10 Pixar Films June 11, 2024 By: Tyler Banark When Pixar released its first feature-length film, Toy Story , in 1995, it immediately stated that it would be just as big (maybe bigger) than its parent company, Disney. They turned out to be more right than they thought, as this was just the beginning of a journey that would see Pixar evolve and grow in terms of its storytelling and animation techniques. Over the years they developed an unparalleled knack for crafting films for all ages with heavy themes, essential messages, and stunning animation, with the majority of their catalog ready to stand the test of time. With Inside Out 2 taking audiences back to the world of the little voices in our heads on June 14th, here’s a look at ten of the most exemplary movies Pixar has made in its three decades of existence. 10. Finding Nemo (2003) While I used to consider Finding Nemo the most overrated Pixar film, that all changed with Toy Story 4 and Soul (I guess good things do come from middling movies). Nemo is gorgeously animated and has resonant themes about parenthood, ableism, and the lengths we go to for the ones we love, all while balancing that great heart with some lighthearted humor. It’s also a two-way street for kids and adults, with parents learning just as much from their kids. Albert Brooks and Ellen DeGeneres give iconic voice performances, with the latter bringing life to one of Pixar’s greatest side characters and further capitalizing on it in the 2016 sequel. Above all, Nemo reminds us that no matter how hard life gets us…just keep swimming. 9. Toy Story (1995) As the film that launched a revolution, Toy Story often leaves me in awe of the boundary-pushing animation it was able to accomplish in 1995, a feeling that only recently relived with the Spider-Verse movies. From a narrative perspective, it’s a poignant reminder that we should strive to understand those different from us rather than alienating them, and how we can make the best out of any situation life places us in. As seen in Woody and Buzz, the former has to cope with how he’s no longer the top toy in Andy’s eyes and learns to appreciate Buzz, who must accept that he’s not who he thought he was (that staircase scene hits harder as an adult) and is taught by Woody that being a toy is more than infinity and beyond. Thanks to their excellent chemistry, Tom Hanks and Tim Allen made these arcs impeccable and made the movie more than what was generated by the computers. 8. Coco (2017) Delving into the world of the Land of the Dead and tiptoeing around being a full-on musical, Coco narratively flourishes thanks to the wonderful music by Michael Giacchino and Robert & Kristen Anderson-Lopez and an exemplary script about family, following your dreams, and meeting your heroes. The Oscar-winning anthem “Remember Me” has multiple moments to shine, most importantly during the tearjerking scene when Miguel serenades Grandma Coco. By the end, the film has shot for the moon and hit all the right notes along the way. 7. Toy Story 2 (1999) A movie that not only one-ups the original but also sets the stage phenomenally for a third outing, Toy Story 2 is easily the best sequel of any Pixar film. It continues the world-building and character dynamics of Woody and Buzz, all while bringing a new character into the fold in Jessie. Her initial annoying energy is immediately replaced with a wave of sympathy once her pivotal backstory is illustrated and serenaded by Sarah McLachlan’s “When She Loved Me.” Numerous movies have tried to make a heel turn like this, but none have been as effective, which is why Toy Story 2 stands alone. 6. Monsters, Inc. (2001) Monsters, Inc. is an effortless blend of humor, heart, and creativity masterfully done by Pixar’s greatest maestro, Pete Docter. With its imaginative world-building, clever plot twists, and unforgettable characters, it’s the earliest Pixar work I’d go as far as to describe as feel-good. The vibrant and detailed animation spectacularly brings the colorful world of monsters to life, with the voice performances from John Goodman and Billy Crystal being pitch-perfect. But what truly separates this from the pack (and its eventual sequel) is its heart, as Sully and Boo’s relationship touches your heartstrings at every turn. Their reunion in the final minute is a bittersweet cliffhanger, acting as the cherry on top of this irresistibly charming comedy. 5. Toy Story 3 (2010) Toy Story 3 is a triumphant return to the beloved world of Woody, Buzz, and the gang, delivering an emotional and thrilling adventure that surpassed expectations. The toys now face an uncertain future after they’ve been mistakenly donated to daycare, all of them now having to grapple with franchise-favorite themes of identity and purpose. The film balances that emotional weight with some good lighthearted humor and exhilarating action sequences, with the incinerator scene tying it all together. It was a poignant and satisfying conclusion to Pixar's most beloved trilogy… that just had to be ruined in 2019. 4. WALL-E (2008) WALL-E saw Pixar interweaving many risk-taking ideas - a robot falling in love and finding meaning, minimal dialogue, and political commentary on environmentalism - all of which paid off phenomenally. As one of the best at the company, director Andrew Stanton took a “show, don’t tell” attitude toward the material, with Thomas Newman’s score and the wonderful animation, which contrasts the vastness of space and the deserted wasteland that was Earth, doing all the heavy lifting. It is, without a doubt, one of Pixar’s boldest works and anything but robotic. 3. Inside Out (2015) Over the years, Pete Docter has developed a reputation for delivering some of the most philosophical blockbuster animated movies ever ( Monsters, Inc . Up , Soul ), often posing fascinating messages to deep questions. Inside Out is a creative approach to exploring the human psyche, delving into the notion that each individual emotion we experience contributes to our overall growth. The voice cast, particularly Amy Poehler as Joy and Phyllis Smith as Sadness, and Michael Giacchino’s score add emotion to a film about emotions. They all reach a crescendo during several pivotal moments, such as Bing Bong’s death and Sadness being allowed to take over headquarters. 2. Ratatouille (2007) Not only is Ratatouille up there as one of the studio’s best, but it’s also one of Pixar’s most definitive feel-good movies alongside Monsters, Inc. Backed by an incredible voice cast, Ratatouille conveys an essential message to any lost soul to utilize their gifts and that the greatest minds can come from the unlikeliest of places. Not only is Remy an example of this, but so is Anton Ego with his pinnacle review towards the end of the film. It’s a wholesome meal of cinema and would definitely be at the top of my Pixar ranking if it wasn’t for another Brad Bird-directed flick… 1. The Incredibles (2004) The Incredibles is the best Pixar movie not just because of its stellar animation, impeccable voice acting, timely score, and shocking screenplay. The real magic lies in the fact that it was (and still is) Pixar’s riskiest film to date, with writer/director Brad Bird possessing a lot of guts to trust his audience with a film that flirts with subgenres not seen in blockbuster animated films before. Intense fight sequences and deaths, insurance company flaws, and a marriage hanging by a thread often push the PG rating to its maximum allowance. There’s also the presence of a rare item in a villain with justifiable motives. Syndrome’s back story is self-explanatory, which makes him more compelling as an antagonist. All of this entails why The Incredibles did so much for Pixar and animation as a whole, while also proving that superhero movies are more than what’s on the surface. You can follow Tyler and hear more of his thoughts on Twitter , Instagram , and Letterboxd . More Reviews One Battle After Another September 24, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen A Christmas Party September 23, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Him September 18, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Swiped September 19, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Hunter Friesen

The Worst Cannes Premieres Ever June 30, 2023 By: Hunter Friesen What do Michelangelo Antonioni, Federico Fellini, Martin Scorsese, and Terrence Malick all have in common? Well, along with all being considered some of the greatest filmmakers of all time, they’ve each had one of their movies on the receiving end of some nasty booing at the Cannes Film Festival. The audiences (and critics) on the French Riviera are famous for being extremely vocal about their adoration or hatred of a movie, with some being showered with physically taxing standing ovations ( Pan’s Labyrinth holds the record at 22 minutes), or a deafening amount of boos and whistling. But not every movie that gets booed is created equal. In the case of Martin Scorsese, his 1976 masterpiece Taxi Driver was the victim of a large contingent of vocal detractors. That didn’t stop the jury from awarding the film the Palme d’Or, nor Scorsese from returning to the festival years later (he’ll be back again this year with Killers of the Flower Moon ). This article isn’t going to be an inspiring story about the movies that overcame the negativity. No, the nine movies listed here all received their death sentence within the Grand Théâtre Lumière, either because of the weight of expectations or being of poor quality, or both. The Brown Bunny (2003) Credited as the writer/director/producer/star/cinematographer/editor (as well as about every other craft position), Vincent Gallo solely faced all the backlash in 2003 when he unveiled his much-anticipated follow-up to the indie sensation Buffalo ‘66 . The highly-experimental film caught flack for its glacial pacing and pretentiousness, with particular ire aimed at the unsimulated blowjob scene between Gallo and Chloë Sevigny. Audiences booed and ironically cheered each time Gallo’s name appeared on screen, with Roger Ebert calling it “the worst movie in the history of the Cannes Film Festival.” Gallo didn’t take kindly to Ebert’s words, calling the critic a “fat pig with the physique of a slave trader.” Ebert responded by saying “It is true that I am fat, but one day I will be thin, and he will still be the director of The Brown Bunny .” Surprisingly, the two sides would reconcile, with an edited-down version of the film screening at that year’s Toronto International Film Festival, which Ebert reviewed positively. Southland Tales (2006) Donnie Darko writer/director Richard Kelly thought he was entering the lottery when he submitted a rough cut of his sophomore feature, Southland Tales , for the 2006 festival. To his (and pretty much everyone else's) surprise, the selection committee liked it and invited him into the Official Competition. Kelly leaped at the opportunity, even if it meant he had to rush through the post-production process. That decision backfired badly, as critics lambasted the 160-minute film for being too broad and unfinished. The boos and whistles rattled throughout the Lumière Theater, with Roger Ebert calling the screening “The most disastrous since, yes, The Brown Bunny ." Kelly shared the same sentiments: "It was painful. I just thought, 'Please let it be over.” He went back to the editing room, getting more money from Sony to fix the visual effects in exchange for a reduced runtime. The film wasn’t seen again for another sixteen months, when it got an extremely limited theatrical release, grossing a little over $275,000 (the film was budgeted nearly $25 million). Burnt by the Sun 2 (2010) As the most expensive film in Russian history with a budget of $55 million, Nikita Mikhalkov's long-delayed sequel to his Oscar-winning film had enormous expectations. Cannes even circumvented their “world premieres only” rule by allowing the film into the Official Competition after it was first screened at the Kremlin. But by the time it reached the Lumière Theatre, the World War II film had already been panned by critics from both Russia, who claimed it was inaccurate and revisionist, and the West, who saw it as poorly-made Soviet propaganda. Mikhalkov's supportive stance of Vladimir Putin didn’t make things any better, with the film becoming one of the biggest bombs in the country’s history. Only God Forgives (2013) Between his films and overall demeanor, everything about Nicolas Winding Refn is divisive. So it’s not surprising that 2011’s Drive received one of the lengthiest standing ovations in festival history at 15 minutes, while also receiving a small handful of booing. That same dichotomy happened when Refn returned two years later with Only God Forgives , only this time the roles were reversed, with the boos overwhelming any positivity. Many critics described it as a beautiful painting without any substance, with Refn reaching even further into his pretentiousness. Rumors began to spread that the film was originally supposed to be screened as part of the Midnight Madness sidebar, where it would have potentially benefited from the lessened expectations. But the producers wanted to repeat the success of Drive and demanded a slot in the Official Competition. The negative outcome from that decision crushed any audience anticipation for the film, as it grossed a paltry sum when released a few months later. The Captive (2014) Several eyebrows were raised when it was announced that Ryan Reynolds would be starring in Atom Egoyan’s newest film. But Egoyan’s films ( Exotica, The Sweet Hereafter ) had always been praised for their offbeat nature, so there was still some optimism. But the pairing of one of Canada’s biggest stars and filmmakers went south quickly, as critics panned their film for its confusing nonlinear narrative and exploitative subject matter. American distributor A24, still in their early stages before they would become the festival darlings they are today, released the film on DirecTV’s VOD platform that winter to no fanfare. Even in Canada, where the film was given a theatrical release, the film was quickly buried and forgotten. The Search (2014) While Michel Hazanavicius didn’t become a household name after winning Best Director and Best Picture with The Artist in 2011, you’d still be surprised to know that his follow-up to that movie has still never been released within the United States. Much of the reasoning behind the film’s disappearance comes from its abysmal premiere at Cannes, which had launched The Artist after it was promoted to the competition at the last minute. But now that the lights were brighter, Hazanavicius crumbled, with his preachy and ultra-dreary retelling of the 1999 Chechnya civil war being perceived as exploitative. Hazanavicius has been back to the festival since, but he’s been demoted to just a regular player instead of the star that he seemed destined to become. Grace of Monaco (2014) Cannes has never had much luck when it comes to selecting its opening night film, with 2014’s Grace of Monaco being the biggest of all the offenders. Even by January 2013, Grace Kelly’s family disowned the film and claimed it was inaccurate. Harvey Weinstein, known for his frequent battles with directors among various other unspeakable things, had issues with director Olivier Dahan’s cut of the movie. The movie was pushed from the Fall of 2013 to the next spring so Weinstein could recut it. It was delayed again for a premiere at Cannes in May, where critics claimed it was of lower quality than a Lifetime Original Movie. Both Weinstein and the film’s writer Arash Amel were absent at the press conference after the disastrous screening. Coincidentally, the film bypassed a theatrical release in favor of a television debut on Lifetime a year later. Despite all the overwhelmingly negative reactions, star Nicole Kidman controversially received a SAG nomination, and the film received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Television Movie. The Last Face (2016) Audiences tend to wait until a movie is over before they give out their signature applause and/or boos. But the critics seeing Sean Penn’s refugee drama needed only one minute before letting out the hoots and hollers. The “call to action” love story starring Charlize Theron and Javier Bardem was savaged pretty much the whole way through, with the awful dialogue and white savior narrative being perceived as an insult to those that watched it. Many critics dubbed it as the worst film they’d ever seen at the festival. To make matters worse, the press screening took place in the morning, with the public premiere that night, meaning all those scathing reviews and tweets were out into the world before the cast had even walked the red carpet. The embarrassment from that situation caused the festival to implement embargoes in future years, holding all press reactions until after the evening gala screenings had finished. Mektoub, My Love: Intermezzo Fresh after winning the Palme d’Or for Blue is the Warmest Color , writer/director Abdellatif Kechiche premiered Canto Uno , the supposed first part in his new Mektoub, My Love trilogy, at the Venice Film Festival in 2017. The film received mixed reviews, with most critics complaining about the egregious 180-minute runtime and over-sexualization of the lead actors. Instead of listening to the detractors, Kechiche went in the opposite direction with the sequel, extending the runtime by almost an hour and featuring lengthy unsimulated sex scenes. The large majority of the audience walked out before the film finished, with one person claiming that “if the shots of butts were taken out, I think the film lasts 20 minutes.” Many of the actors claimed that Kechiche got them intoxicated so they would be less resistant to filming the sexually explicit scenes and that he wouldn’t screen the film for them before the premiere. The film has never been seen since that night, with Kechiche having to sell his Palme d’Or to raise funds for post-production after the financiers backed out. As further insult to injury, the final movie in the trilogy, Canto Due , was filmed before Intermezzo premiered, but no editing work has been done due to a lack of funds. Considering the allegations against Kechiche and the vitriolic response to the second part, it’s unlikely either of the final two parts will see the light of day. More Reviews One Battle After Another September 24, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen A Christmas Party September 23, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Him September 18, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Swiped September 19, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Hunter Friesen

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves March 26, 2023 By: Button Hunter Friesen Bringing games (both video games and board games) to the silver screen has been one of the most challenging things to do within Hollywood. It takes real creativity to adapt the sprawling interactiveness of a gaming story and mold it into something that is to be solely watched. And you also have to show reverence for the material and its fans, while also making it palatable for anyone that is totally unfamiliar with it. There have been too many bad adaptations to count, with HBO’s The Last of Us potentially signaling that long-form television is the way to go. And if those challenges weren’t already hard enough, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves must do all of that without the structural support of an identifiable narrative, as the biggest reason for the game’s massive popularity and long-lasting appeal is the total freedom for players to shape their own stories. And yet, directors John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, as well as their writing partner Michael Gilio, have crafted a highly entertaining movie with several in-jokes towards hardcore fans, while also not bewildering those only familiar with the property by name (such as myself). We open with Edgin (Chris Pine), the brains, and Holga (Michelle Rodriguez), the muscle, imprisoned on an icy tundra. As the title suggests, they are thieves that have plundered along with their merry band of misfits. But, again, as the title suggests, they do have honor, as they take the Robin Hood approach of only stealing from the rich and never intentionally causing physical harm. Their capture comes after being betrayed by the evil Red Wizard Sofina, who has a grand plan that means doom for all of Neverwinter. Edgin and Holga recruit some new compatriots - Simon the sorcerer (Justice Smith), Doric the druid (Sophia Lillis), and Xenk the paladin (Regé-Jean Page) - as they hatch a plan to retrieve a valuable artifact that was stolen from them and put a stop to this evil threat. Don’t fret if you have no idea what the terms “druid” and “paladin” mean, as the well-filmed introductions to these characters do much of the heavy lifting. Just as they did with Game Night , Daley and Goldstein choreograph everything above and beyond the simple job description, with another signature long take adding a healthy dose of fuel to this fire of fun. There are still a few too many hearty helpings of flashbacks and exposition dumps, but it’s not anything out of the ordinary since there’s a lot for newcomers to catch up on. But there’s more than just technical wizardry that makes this tale of witches and wizards as entertaining as it is. The leads aren’t acting as if they’re too cool to play dress up, or that this is all for a quick buck. They all forge a comradery, emulating that same aura of kinetic fun in Steven Soderbergh’s Ocean’s trilogy. Page is the scene-stealer as a mix between Ted Lasso and Drax from Guardians of the Galaxy , an altruistic and powerful warrior that doesn’t understand ironic humor. Comparing this film to Peter Jacksons’s The Lord of the Rings films would be an easy knock against it, as the shared DNA is quite evident (a few helicopter landscape shots seem almost copied and pasted). But no one has been able to live up to that trilogy ever since, not even Jackson himself when with his misbegotten Hobbit films. Dungeons & Dragons may be similar, but it’s not a carbon copy. It’s a fastball down the middle, offending neither party through its fun antics and breezy atmosphere. More Reviews One Battle After Another September 24, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen A Christmas Party September 23, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Him September 18, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Swiped September 19, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Hunter Friesen

Conclave September 9, 2024 By: Button Hunter Friesen Conclave had its International Premiere at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival. Focus Features will release it in theaters on October 25. Saints and sinners live among us, even in the holiest of places. As the old saying goes, it can be impossible to discern between a sheep and a wolf. And as a cardinal puts it within Conclave , no sane man would desire the papacy, and no man that seeks it should deserve it. Now that the pope is unexpectedly dead, several candidates are vying for the most powerful position in the world, one that will wield the lives of billions and thousands of years of precedent. Cardinal Bellini asks if he can keep the pope’s chessboard as a memento, a bold signifier of the game that’s about to be played. The term that the film gets its title from is what the process of electing a new pope is referred to. Over one hundred cardinals from all over the world converge in the holy home of the Catholic church, each with their own agenda of how the church should be steered. For Cardinal Tedesco (Sergio Castellitto), the church needs to bring back the conservative views of the past. Cardinal Bellini (Stanley Tucci), while reluctant to even be considered for the position, sees an opportunity for a more progressive church that fits with the time. Somewhere along that ideological spectrum sits Cardinal Tremblay (John Lithgow) and Cardinal Adeyemi (Lucian Msamati), both of whom have gathered enough support to be viable candidates. Appointed to oversee this transitional period is Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes), who must balance egos, ambitions, and media scrutiny just as much as his faith that the man most fit to serve God will prevail. He’s practically the producer for an awards show, scurrying around marble corridors as his assistants feed him every bit of news and each cardinal tries to get a peek behind the curtain. Much of the cast and crew behind this production will likely find themselves attending awards shows through the winter. Director Edward Berger, wildly hot off the success of his adaptation of All Quiet on the Western Front , once again shows a great command of the literary material he inherited. He and editor Nick Emerson keep a slow-burning, yet propulsive energy to the proceedings. Sequences of backdoor politics and revelations of long-buried secrets cumulate into the multiple rounds of official voting. The tension is wound tight enough to cut through steel, with the score from Volker Bertelmann, aka Hauschka, providing the booming layer of intrigue. Peter Straughan, previously Oscar-nominated for Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (its director, Tomas Alfredson, serves as a producer on this project), keeps the balance between thrills and social critique just as pristine as it was in Robert Harris’ novel. It doesn’t take a politically inundated American such as myself to see the real-world parallels between parties filled with brash conservatives and reluctant progressives. There are also hints of humor within this deadly serious debate, such as a Cardinal being accused of misconduct denying all wrongdoing while struggling to operate a Keurig machine. Longstanding acting royalty fill the cast, with the highest laurels going to Fiennes. He maintains a quiet dignity as a web of lies and deceit begins to unspool right in front of him. His faith in the church as an organization is also shaken, largely because of what the eyes and ears of Sister Agnes (Isabella Rossellini) pick up as she remains hidden in plain sight. A little more time devoted to her and Tucci would have been much appreciated, mostly because they make such a meal out of the small portions doled upon them. For someone who seemed to appear out of nowhere with All Quiet on the Western Front , Berger has quickly strung together two of the finer films of the past few years. Conclave is a soap opera with as much page-turning substance as it has a prestige-like style, perfect for both the faithful and skeptics alike. More Reviews One Battle After Another September 24, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen A Christmas Party September 23, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Him September 18, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Swiped September 19, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Hunter Friesen

The Instigators August 1, 2024 By: Button Hunter Friesen Through the power of content quotas and streaming service overload, the phrase “it’s a streaming movie” has replaced “it’s a VOD movie” as the description of choice for all the disposable movies that choose to circumvent the physicality of the multiplex. That doesn’t apply to every streaming movie, as the lucky few (aka “the good ones”) get special treatment from their creators, usually in the form of modest theatrical footprints similar to The Irishman , Killers of the Flower Moon , and Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery . No, when we’re using “streaming” as a pejorative, we’re talking about the films on Netflix’s Most Popular Films list: Red Notice , The Adam Project , Bird Box , The Mother , and The Gray Man . Sure, the quality is much better than we used to get during the VOD heydays, but to what end? If everyone watches your film - but no one remembers it - does it really count as a hit? Doug Liman’s The Instigators , his second streaming movie of the year after Amazon’s middle-of-the-road Road House remake earlier this spring, fits that “competent, yet forgettable” mold to perfection. I’d totally believe if Apple boasts about it being one of their highest-performing titles come the end of this year, all while no viewer could pass a memory test about the plot. Luckily, writers Chuck MacLean (creator of the very pro-Boston series City on a Hill ) and Casey Affleck ( Dunkin’ Donuts second-biggest fan behind his brother) aren’t concerned with wasting our time with such trivial things as building events, or character groundwork. The ticking time bomb encompassing the studio logos is replaced by the ticking of the clock on the wall within Dr. Rivera’s (Hong Chau) shabby office, where Rory (Matt Damon) is declaring that he needs to do something big or else he’s going “cash in all his chips.” That explosive action comes from a job offer from two local crime bosses (Michael Stuhlbarg and Alfred Molina). It’s simple: sneak in through the hotel kitchen hosting Mayor Miccelli’s (Ron Perlman) reelection party and steal the campaign donations in the safe in the back office. Of course, no heist plan ever goes according to plan (wouldn’t that be nice for a change?), which leaves Rory and his equally down-on-his-luck middle-aged partner Cobby (Affleck) on the run from every cop within the New England region. The derogative aspects of this “streaming film” come from the visuals, with the digital flatness and shoddy visual effects benefiting from the smallest screen possible. Liman has always prided himself on his scrappy indie filmmaking roots of Swingers and The Bourne Identity . That pedigree has certainly faded over the years, especially with Steven Soderbergh showcasing the benefits of digital filmmaking with his bevy of streaming films. A lot of comparisons between this and Soderbergh’s No Sudden Move could be made, none of them positive for the former. Damon and Affleck make a great pair, their decades-long friendship creating some instant sparks between their mismatched pair. Cobby is the more seasoned of the two, something he never lets each of them forget as he constantly runs his mouth about the absurdity of their situation. Their characters may not be all that interesting, with the running joke of Rory exploring his feelings while committing a crime being spread too thin, but the actors make it all entertaining enough. There’s also Jack Harlow, Ving Rhames, Paul Walter Hauser, and Toby Jones in smaller supporting roles that make this cast much more stacked than it has any right to be. One side of my brain is saying that a film with this much talent in front and behind the camera should be a lot better, while the other half knows that they almost always aren’t when they’re assembled for a product largely meant to bolster a digital catalog. Call it disappointment, call it an acceptance of the market. Either way, no one involved will look bad and no one who watches it will feel their time totally wasted, so everyone will just go about their business like nothing happened. More Reviews One Battle After Another September 24, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen A Christmas Party September 23, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Him September 18, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Swiped September 19, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Hunter Friesen

MSPIFF 2025 Preview April 1, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Now in its forty-fourth year (which ranks it among some of the oldest in North America), the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival once again features a lineup featuring over 200 films from around the world. Abbredivated as MSPIFF and pronounced "EM-spiff," the festival will host the majority of its screenings at its home base of The Main Cinema, along with a smattering of events across the Capri Theater, Landmark Center, and Edina Mann Theatre. Many of the marquee titles making their Minnesota premieres have already traveled the world as part of the other festival lineups. The Opening Night Presentation will be the documentary Free Leonard Peltier , which recently premiered at Sundance. Director Jesse Short Bull and Producer Jhane Meyers will be in attendance for the screening. Another Sundance title that will be making an appearance is The Wedding Banquet , a queer remake of the 1993 Ang Lee film. Fire Island director Andrew Ahn directed and co-wrote the feature, which boasts a cast of Bowen Yang, Lily Gladstone, Kelly Marie Tran, Han Gi-Chan, Joan Chen, and Youn Yuh-jung. A24 will be bringing their Sundance hit The Legend of Ochi , as well as the Tim Robinson-Paul Rudd two-hander cringe comedy, Friendship . Just in time for the announcement of this year's Cannes Film Festival is a group of films from last year's lineup. Portuguese filmmaker Miguel Gomes took home the Best Director prize for Grand Tour , a Southeast Asian adventure I moderately enjoyed. I missed Jia Zhangke's Caught by the Tides at Cannes and TIFF last year, so I'm happy to see it as part of the MSPIFF lineup. I've only seen Ash Is Purest White from Zhangke, and I've been interested in diving deeper. I'll also be checking out Misericordia , which received rapturous reviews out of the Cannes Premiere section and got a decent amount of nominations at the most recent César Awards. Other titles that interest me include When Fall is Coming by François Ozon, By the Stream by Hong Sang-soo (a festival favorite), and Who by Fire by Philippe Lesage. Speaking of Ang Lee, the famed director will be here to receive the festival's Milgrom Award. As part of his tribute, Lee will give an in-person conversation about his career, which includes accolades such as two Academy Awards for Best Direction and the DGA Lifetime Achievement Award. He'll also introduce a special screening for his film Brokeback Mountain , which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. Also screening on that day will be one of Lee's most celebrated films: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon . I’ll be publishing full reviews for select titles, with others being condensed for my festival wrap-up article. You can take a look at the full slate of festival titles at the MSP Film Society website . More Reviews One Battle After Another September 24, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen A Christmas Party September 23, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Him September 18, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Swiped September 19, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Hunter Friesen

TIFF23 Preview September 5, 2023 By: Hunter Friesen With its rich history of showcasing groundbreaking films and celebrating the art of storytelling, the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF)is a cinematic extravaganza like no other. This year promises to be a spectacular journey into the world of cinema, offering a diverse range of films that will captivate, inspire, and provoke thought. As we eagerly await the curtain to rise on TIFF 2023, I'm thrilled to provide you with a preview of the movies I'll be seeing during my time there. As an accredited member of the press, I'll be bouncing around between Press and Industry screenings in the morning, followed by public screenings, including a slew of world premieres, in the afternoon and night. Make sure to pay attention to this site throughout the entire duration of the festival for immediate reviews and reactions to the biggest titles! * = World Premiere screening. All times in ET. Thursday (09/07) [9:00-10:30] The Royal Hotel (dir. Kitty Green) [11:30-2:00] Reptile (dir. Grant Singer) [6:00-8:00] The Boy and the Heron (dir. Hayao Miyazaki) [9:30-11:00] North Star (dir. Kristin Scott Thomas)* Friday (09/08) [9:00-11:00] Kidnapped (dir. Marco Bellocchio) [5:30-7:30] Les Indésirables (dir. Ladj Ly)* [9:30-12:00] Finestkind (dir. Brian Helgeland)* Saturday (09/09) [8:00-10:00] Dumb Money (dir. Craig Gillespie) [12:00-2:00] His Three Daughters (dir. Azazel Jacobs)* [3:00-5:00] One Life (dir. James Hawes)* [6:00-8:00] Lee (dir. Ellen Kuras)* [9:30-11:00] Quiz Lady (dir. Jessica Yu)* Sunday (09/10) [8:30-10:30] Dream Scenario (dir. Kristoffer Borgli) [11:30-2:00] The Holdovers (dir. Alexander Payne) [3:30-5:30] Seven Veils (dir. Atom Egoyan)* [6:30-8:30] Next Goal Wins (dir. Taika Waititi)* [10:00-12:00] Knox Goes Away (dir. Michael Keaton)* Monday (09/11) [9:00-11:00] Rustin (dir. George C. Wolfe) [12:00-1:30] The Critic (dir. Anand Tucker)* [5:30-7:30] Hit Man (dir. Richard Linklater) [10:00-12:00] Pain Hustlers (dir. David Yates)* Tuesday (09/12) [8:30-10:30] Poolman (dir. Chris Pine) [11:30-2:00] The Beast (dir. Bertrand Bonello) [3:30-5:30] Evil Does Not Exist (dir. Ryûsuke Hamaguchi) [5:30-7:30] Memory (dir. Michel Franco) [9:30-11:30] Fingernails (dir. Christos Nikou) Wednesday (09/13) [8:30-10:30] Wildcat (dir. Ethan Hawke) [11:30-1:30] Nyad (dir. Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi & Jimmy Chin) [2:30-5:00] Origin (dir. Ava DuVernay) More Reviews One Battle After Another September 24, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen A Christmas Party September 23, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Him September 18, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Swiped September 19, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Hunter Friesen

Highest 2 Lowest August 15, 2025 By: Button Hunter Friesen Matter cannot be created or destroyed. To receive something, you must be willing to give something up. For record mogul David King (Denzel Washington), a man dubbed to have “the best ears in the business” and a trophy cabinet filled with dozens of Grammys, receiving his golden nest egg after decades of work building an empire may come at the cost of his legacy. The offer from a private equity firm will ensure long-term financial resources for the label, but will also squeeze out every last drop of respectability. That push-and-pull is the most interesting aspect of director Spike Lee’s Highest 2 Lowest , which also happens to involve a central plot about David’s son being kidnapped and held for ransom. Going the same route that Steven Spielberg ventured with his 2021 version of West Side Story , Lee and screenwriter Alan Fox side-step Akira Kurosawa’s legendary 1963 film High and Low to instead readapt the source material that was Ed McBain’s 1959 novel King’s Ransom . It’s a wise move considering that Lee’s previous interaction with a celebrated piece of Asian cinema was his 2013 direct remake of Park Chan-wook’s 2003 South Korean film Oldboy , which ended up being a spectacular failure. The setting has returned home to New York City, a place that only Martin Scorsese could potentially rival Lee as its most loyal cinematic artist. “Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’” booms as the camera glides across the aerial skyline of the concrete jungle that is our nation’s biggest and most culturally influential city. The opening credits are tinted with the orange and blue color scheme of the New York Knicks. Yankees fans openly yell expletives defaming Boston, and the city’s Puerto Rican population comes alive for a performance by the Eddie Palmieri Salsa Orchestra. King stands upon his Olympic penthouse balcony overlooking the Brooklyn Bridge when he gets an anonymous call from someone claiming to have kidnapped his son, Trey (Aubrey Joseph). The $17.5 million ransom would eat up all the liquidity King needs to execute a secret plan to buy enough shares to stave off the sale of his company. “There’s more to life than making money,” is something that King says early in the film when his business partner begs him to accept the sale offer. He bemoans that the latter word in the term “show business” has grown exponentially more powerful. One can feel Lee and Washington, marking their fifth collaboration in a partnership spanning over thirty years, personally decrying where the film industry is headed. Tweets about box office results, online debates about profitability, and articles about who’s making the most money illustrate that people are following dollar signs more than the art. And yet, the money always seems to be the most important thing to King in this situation of life and death. In the same sentence where he asks the police how they’ll bring Trey home, he also asks how he’ll get his money back. All money ain’t good money, and this specific bag of money sets off a chain reaction of mayhem. Lee steers a lean and mean machine during the film’s later stretches as King is on the hunt for the perpetrator. The hour it takes to get to that point is much creakier. Lee’s penchant for a big score backfires as Howard Drossin’s intrusive instruments pull away our ears. Fox’s script is littered with rote dialogue, leaving performers like Ilfenesh Hadera as King’s wife to be nothing more than a mouthpiece for the plot. And Matthew Libatique’s digital cinematography (likely done as a business decision due to Apple TV+ housing the film after a brief theatrical run) doesn’t contain any of Lee’s trademark vibrant textures. Washington is still our greatest living actor, endlessly entertaining with a performance that contains the might of King Lear and the lyricism of NLE Choppa. He’s a master of controlling the chaos, something that King reckons with as his usual tight grip is rapidly loosened by external forces. Washington goes toe-to-toe with A$AP Rocky in a battle of bars, the pair each showing a new side to themselves. There’s also Jeffrey Wright nicely balancing weariness and wit as King’s right-hand man, Paul, who’s grateful that he’s been given a second chance after his imprisonment. To have followers, you have to be a leader. Lee is a leader, still doing what he loves through methods only he could pull off, which is what art is all about. He’s still got plenty left in the tank, even as he comes to a point where time comes at a premium price. I’ll follow him up to the highest mountain, and down to the lowest valley. More Reviews One Battle After Another September 24, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen A Christmas Party September 23, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Him September 18, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Swiped September 19, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Hunter Friesen