'Night of the Living Dead': The First Liberal Horror Film March 22, 2023 By: Hunter Friesen The 1960s and 1970s marked an era of transformation within cinema. No longer did the studio system out in Hollywood dominate the industry as it had in the previous decades. A new era of auteur-driven cinema was burgeoning around the world, starting in Europe with François Truffaut and Jean-Luc Godard in The French New Wave. America finally showed up to the party in the 1960s, as directors John Cassavetes, Mike Nichols, and Arthur Penn made films for a different generation of moviegoers, a generation that was at the forefront of social change. Also adding him to this exclusive list is George Romero. At first glance, you would think Romero’s Night of the Living Dead was nothing more than a cheap horror movie looking to make a quick buck and fade from existence. But through ingenious directing and writing, Romero and co-screenwriter John Russo were able to elevate the horror genre and tell a compelling story that incorporates elements from today’s society. First and foremost, Night of the Living Dead is a B-picture that was part of thedime-a-dozen crowd back in the drive-in era. It has an ultra-low budget and is almost filled with no-name amateur actors. For 99% of films, those characteristics would be the death knells, but Night of the Living Dead is part of that 1% where its “faults” are part of its charm. I’m also not trying to say having a low budget and no movie stars is a bad thing. Even with the low budget, Romero shows off technical prowess with his grainy camera. He incites genuine fear with tilted close-ups and manipulation of the sound effects. The musical score (if you can even call it a “score”) fades in and out of the movie as it intercuts with the horrifying diegetic sound effects. This technique peaks with the infamous trowel scene where the camera shakes and careens as we follow a zombie child as she murders her mother, whose screams are amplified as she is repeatedly impaled by a blunt object. It’s a terrifying scene to watch because of the technical and shock-value aspects. It’s inspirational to see someone make an effective movie for little money. At a timewhen Hollywood was spending tens of millions of dollars on giant productions, someone was able to make something just as good (if not better), for a fraction of the cost. Even though the word “zombie” is never used within the film, Romero also laid out the groundwork for the ever-popular zombie subgenre. The idea of going for the head, burning them with fire, and zombies eating brains are a few of the ideas that he either originated or popularized. But what makes this film stand out from the rest after all these years is the socialmessaging that works in conjunction with the horror elements. Throughout his career, Romero often cast African-Americans as the heroes in his movies, going against the stereotype at the time where the black character dies first. For our hero, Ben, the horror comes from two different fronts. The first is obvious as the world is being attacked by zombies. The second is a problem one wouldn’t think he'd have to face in a world-gone-mad scenario, which is that he is a black man being discriminated against by other white survivors. Despite being the calmest and skilled survivor of the group, Ben is still regarded assecond-class by the whites who are also trapped in the house. Ben must battle for his life against the zombies and his humanity against the prejudiced survivors. Romero shows the deep prejudice that America shows for African-Americans as Ben is never fully given the respect he deserves by his group members. Romero caps this point off with the shocking ending. An earlier line from the filmdescribes the zombies as “...looking like people, but acting like animals . " As the sole survivor after a night of endless death, Ben is about to leave the house and regroup with the local police. As he climbs out the window, the police shoot and kill him, thinking him a zombie. That description of the zombies earlier can be seen both literally and metaphorically as a way that white people have put down black people for centuries. The police treat Ben’s death like putting down an animal, laughing and walking away as nothing happened. It’s an infuriating way for ourhero to meet his demise. As entertaining and as it is timeless, George Romero’s Night of the Living Dead shows that society can be even scarier than zombies. More Reviews Primetime September 22, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Unabomber September 24, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Look Back September 16, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Elsinore September 14, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Hunter Friesen

How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World March 4, 2019 By: Button Hunter Friesen Without many people noticing, the How to Train Your Dragon series has become one of the most highly regarded modern trilogies. The first two films struck a chord with audiences and critics by telling the beautiful story of a friendship between a boy and his dragon. The third and final film in the franchise, How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, meets the bar set by its predecessors and caps off a series of a decade in the making. Now, the leader of Berk, Hiccup, has transformed the island into a dragon sanctuary. Due to their vulnerability and approaching enemies, Hiccup decides to search for an underground dragon paradise known as the Hidden World. At the same time, a new Night Fury mysteriously appears, catching the eye of Toothless. With both their physical and emotional fortitude being tested by new outside forces, both Hiccup and Toothless will have to re-examine their bond and decide what truly matters to them. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkcucKDrbOI First and foremost, this is an absolutely gorgeous movie with several stunning shots. In association with the great Roger Deakins, cinematographer Gal Zimmerman has crafted a beautiful, breathing world filled with vivid colors. Director Dean DeBlois uses outstanding cinematography to its fullest potential, as a large part of the film takes place in the foreground of majestic vistas. He also uses stages in many of his scenes with single camera movements that make for more believable action. DeBlois proves to work best without dialogue as he creates great emotional depth through movement and expression. The dragons benefit the most from this as they are developed into full characters, with most being more fleshed out than the humans. And as always, composer John Powell delivers another amazing score. The mix of epic and tenderness makes Powell’s score quite possibly the best part of the film, as it combines with the sweeping imagery. Serving as the sole writer, DeBlois isn’t as good on paper as he is behind the camera. The script for this entry follows beat for beat with the previous two installments. The main theme of dragons and humans learning how to coexist is heavily touched on, but this time to the point of boredom. I realize it's the essential crutch of the trilogy, but it's just tiring to tread the same points for the third film in a row. There’s only so much that can be said until it becomes monotonous. The film also feels quite overstuffed as too many supporting characters fight for a small number of good jokes. Most of them turn out to be quite irritating as they only get one trait that wears thin incredibly quickly. The thread of single-trait characters can also be extended to the main villain, Grimmel, whose one defining characteristic is that he’s evil. Instead of developing him and creating justifications for his actions, DeBlois backs up everything Grimmel does with the explanation that he’s a bad guy who does bad things. Even with all his faults, DeBlois does do a great job with the final act. He effortlessly ends the series on a high note through sequences of heartfelt character interaction that will bring tears to audiences of all ages. Compared to most other animated films, the voice acting is not of as high a quality as one would expect. Jay Baruchel as Hiccup is still pretty good. His voice perfectly captures the character both physically and emotionally. America Ferrera does equally decent work as Astrid. Her best scenes are the more intimate ones she shares with Baruchel. F. Murray Abraham does a respectable job as Grimmel. Unfortunately, his perfectly menacing voice kind of goes to waste on a paper-thin character. Weighing the rest of the cast down is the comedy sidekick trio of Jonah Hill, Kristen Wiig, and Justin Rupple. They each sound like they're on autopilot mode and end up becoming progressively more annoying throughout the length of the film. For lovers of the first two films, How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World is another instant classic. While it isn’t perfect, this finale to a solid trilogy will leave you dazzled by its imagery and touched by its story. Universal Pictures will release How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World in theaters nationwide on February 22nd. More Reviews Primetime September 22, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Unabomber September 24, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Look Back September 16, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Elsinore September 14, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Hunter Friesen

Amsterdam October 2, 2022 By: Button Hunter Friesen Amsterdam has a lot going for it… on paper. Christian Bale, Margot Robbie, John David Washington, and Robert De Niro headline a lineup so deep that even the 2015/2016 Golden State Warriors would be intimidated. Emmanuel Lubezski, often battling Roger Deakins for the status of the greatest living cinematographer, has returned from his five-year absence from the game. And let’s not forget editor Jay Cassidy and composer Daniel Pemberton providing support. So why isn’t this one of the best movies of the year? It certainly should be once you consider the talent involved, both in front and behind the camera. Well, unlike the answers within the story of Amsterdam , this one comes quite easily: David O. Russell. As one of the most problematic figures in Hollywood, it seems excruciatingly odd and false for Russell to be positioning his newest film in seven years as a plea to “protect kindness.” And even with that misbegotten intention, Amsterdam is so chaotic and clunky that the message never comes to fruition. Of course, Russell delivering a chaotic mess is as much a surprise as Wes Anderson making a symmetrically shot, quaint dark comedy, or Zack Snyder delivering a half-baked, slow-motion infused action film. Russell lives to stir up chaos and make messy movies. But they’re often gloriously controlled chaos that allows his characters to come alive and deliver a top-rate slice of entertainment. The Fighter, Silver Linings Playbook , and American Hustle all proved to be hugely successful, so it’s no surprise every actor in Hollywood lined up to be in his new movie, even if they’re agreeing to partake in a production led by an egomaniacal asshole. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLs2xxM0e78 But what distances Amsterdam from his trio of Oscar successes is that it’s more fixated on plot than character, which is a surprise for Russell, considering he’s been quoted as saying, “I hate plots. I am all about characters, that's it." And boy, there is A LOT of plot to go through here. The title card reads “A lot of this really happened” as our story begins in 1933 New York. WWI veteran/doctor Burt Berendsen (Bale, also serving as our narrator) answers a call for help from his army buddy Harold (Washington). A high-ranking general has been killed, and his daughter (Taylor Swift, who really needs to rethink her Oscar vehicles after this and Cats ) believes foul play was involved. Her suspicion quickly gets confirmed once Bert and Harold are framed for another murder, leading them on a madcap journey to clear their names. But before they can do that, we have to travel back to 1918 Amsterdam to learn how Bert, Harold, and the lovingly psychotic Valerie (Robbie) became the best of friends. Simply put, the city offered a new life for each of them. Bert got to take the monkey off his back, that was his loveless wife; Harold didn’t have to constantly worry about being a black man in a white-dominated world, and Valerie got to live the exciting life she was never allowed to in high society. The good times don't last forever, however, and everyone goes their separate ways back to reality. Snapping back to 1933, the trio is reunited to solve the case, which increasingly gets more intricate as more and more characters get involved. There’s Valerie’s brother and sister-in-law (Rami Malek and Anya Taylor-Joy), a pair of bumbling spies (Michael Shannon and Mike Meyers), and another retired general (Robert De Niro) who is somehow connected to all of this. It’s all rather tiring as Russell treats his 134-minute marathon as a sprint, dumping mountains of dialogue in one brief scene after another. It wouldn’t be that surprising if it is later revealed that the first cut of the film ran north of four hours, which still wouldn’t be enough time to satisfactorily sort out this mess. And it’s even more depressing that this was the film Lubezki returned to the fold for, because, apart from a few decent shots, there’s no illustration of his immense talent. The actors do their best to be our guides through this maze, or, when that doesn’t work, act as our equally confused surrogates. Robbie provides most of the laughs with her Harley Quinn-inspired banter, and Meyers gets to reprise his Inglorious Basterds role. Bale extends his acting range with some impressive physical comedy chops, allowed by his character’s many physical deformities, such as a bad back and a missing eyeball. Russell really has outdone himself by assembling this troupe of actors. It’s just a shame that he can’t serve them well. For all its promise on the page, Amsterdam can’t pull it off on the screen. It’s American Hustle meets I Heart Huckabees , with too much Huckabees and not enough Hustle . 20th Century Studios will release Amsterdam in theaters nationwide on October 07th. More Reviews Primetime September 22, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Unabomber September 24, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Look Back September 16, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Elsinore September 14, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Hunter Friesen

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. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Euy4Yu6B3nU 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. 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. Amazon MGM Studios will release Air in theaters nationwide on April 5th. More Reviews Primetime September 22, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Unabomber September 24, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Look Back September 16, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Elsinore September 14, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Hunter Friesen

No Time to Die October 11, 2021 By: Button Hunter Friesen Since his first cinematic appearance in 1962, James Bond has done a lot of things. He’s been reincarnated five times, traveled around the globe (including space), and saved the world more times than it deserves. But the one thing that James Bond has never done is venture inward. For one of the first times in the franchise, the emotional beats are what pump the blood within the film’s heart. The theme of finality rings loudly, as No Time to Die marks the twenty-fifth entry in the long-running series, as well as the fifth and final part of the Daniel Craig era. In a move that has become routine by now, Bond has left active service. This time it wasn’t because of being presumed dead (even though that is true here), but because of his love for Madeleine Swann, the daughter of SPECTRE. Their attempt at a normal life goes about as expected, with bad guys ruining their Italian honeymoon. This, along with a deadly theft of a weaponized virus in the heart of London, brings James back into the fold for one last mission. Not one for nostalgia, MI6 moved on from Bond and promoted a new 007 named Nomi, who embodies the new school of espionage. Along with M, Q, Moneypenny, and Tanner, it’s time once again for the forces of good to vanquish evil. The Craig era marked the MCU-ification (a term that shouldn’t be taken as derogatory) of the Bond franchise, as it turned against the standalone nature of the previous entries and started to treat subsequent films as true sequels. The events of Casino Royale fed directly into Quantum of Solace . And when that movie failed, Skyfall acted as a soft reboot, later filtering into Spectre . No Time to Die pulls double duty by playing as a direct sequel to Spectre , but also the final bow on the whole modern Bond era. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIhNsAtPbPI Despite the interconnectedness, long-time writers Neil Purvis and Robert Wade don’t want to be restricted by franchise ties. There has never been a need to see a previous movie to comprehend the next one, with only tried and true franchise elements such as Ernst Stavro Blofeld and SPECTRE providing an integral throughline. The duo always seems to be stuck in the past with their scripts, mining the same bits, such as shaken not stirred martinis, Aston Martin cars, and megalomaniac villains hellbent on world domination. The blame for the forgettable plot – borderline incoherent at times – should rest on their shoulders. Lacking the personal connection of Christoph Walz’s Blofeld and Javier Bardem’s Raoul Silva, Rami Malek’s Lyutsifer Safin is a second-rate Bond villain. The casting choice itself is a no-brainer, as Malek has a heavy natural supply of VE (Villain Energy). Safin seems to be a character lifted from a Shakespearean play, as he often poetically monologues into the middle distance. There’s unintentional ironic humor to Safin’s plan of decimating the world’s population through a virus, as it requires much more effort than what COVID-19 has been able to do. It’s co-writer/director Cary Joji Fukunaga (first American Bond director) and Fleabag scribe Phoebe Waller-Bridge who want to take the franchise in a newer direction. There’s an element of fun introduced that has been missing from the Craig films. Doing well to supply that is Ana de Armas, who does too well with too little screen time in a Knives Out reunion. There’s also the pairing of Bond with Nomi, played terrifically by Lashana Lynch, who is much more than the alleged SJW-takeover that some want you to believe. With their record-breaking budgets, the Bond films have always had nice toys to play with. They just needed the right person to harness their potential. Fukunaga breaks the stoic shackles set by Skyfall and Spectre director Sam Mendes, returning Craig to the kinetic destruction wonderfully employed in Casino Royale . There’s a particular long-take stairwell scene, similar to the one Fukunaga used in True Detective , that perfectly illustrates Bond’s otherworldly combat skills. And there’s the shoutout in Cuba, which plays more like a dance as Bond and Nomi attempt to retrieve a precious item. It’s a testament to Craig that he’s been able to keep up with the physical requirements of the role, especially with the battle scars he’s accumulated over the years. But he also reaches new heights emotionally, with his Bond being the most vulnerable, both literally and metaphorically. He shares more than an animalistic sexual relationship with his Bond girls. There’s something palpable under the surface, keeping you invested beyond just the setpieces. With a lot of time (163 minutes in fact) to end, No Time to Die says goodbye to the actor who ushered in a new era for James Bond. Thankfully, it does it with a wink and a nod to what could be in store for this long-weathered franchise. United Artists Releasing will release No Time to Die in theaters nationwide on October 08th. More Reviews Primetime September 22, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Unabomber September 24, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Look Back September 16, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Elsinore September 14, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Hunter Friesen

All of Us Strangers October 23, 2023 By: Button Hunter Friesen Being alone isn’t solely confined to the physical world within writer/director Andrew Haigh’s All of Us Strangers , an adaptation of the 1987 novel Strangers by Taichi Yamada. The recluse at the center of this story is Adam (Andrew Scott), a middle-class screenwriter who relentlessly keeps himself holed up in his semi-decent London flat. But things aren’t all bad as Harry (Paul Mescal) shows up unannounced at Adam’s door. They seem to be the only two residents alive within this ghost town of an apartment complex, making their interaction feel almost like destiny, especially considering that both of them are queer. Despite Harry’s casualness, Adam isn’t someone who’s able to open himself up to other people. He’s been alone almost his entire life, as both his parents died in a car crash when he was twelve. He’s working on a script based on his closeted childhood, but the words just can’t seem to form on the page. Somehow, he’s able to do research by going back to his old childhood home outside of London, where both of his parents (Jamie Bell and Claire Foy) still reside as if they never died or aged a day since their demise. Both they and Adam are aware of this fantasy, yet they do not speak of it, almost as if keeping it unspoken retains its power. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O97iSjvqBlY Aligning with Yamada’s novel, Haigh never commits to fully explaining this illusion. Is Adam crazy? Is he time-traveling? Is he just dreaming? Is this a manifestation of his script? All of those explanations are equally valid in the moment, yet none of them is important enough to warrant in-depth examination. To borrow a line from Christopher Nolan’s Tenet : “Don’t try to understand it. Feel it.” The only thing that matters here is the ethereal pull of Adam’s experience and how it offers an examination of life then and now. For all the warmth that comes with nostalgic memories of your past, there is also the cold, sobering rush of reality. Even in Adam’s fantasy, coming out to his parents doesn’t go over smoothly. Both of them have their mindsets trapped in the 1980s AIDS epidemic. Adam explains that there are no problems with being queer in modern society, and yet his and Harry’s story would indicate otherwise. Haigh elevates his craft with visual flourishes that aid the dreamlike nature of the film. Mirrors and reflections, both in their literal and metaphorical form, play an integral role in Adam’s journey between the worlds. There’s a gentle flow between the scenes, with frames dissolving and fading into each other. Cinematographer Jamie Ramsay recreates magic hour photography everywhere he aims his passive 35mm camera. That absorbing visual palette aids the performances of the core quartet. Scott reaches for a healthy dose of tears and pent-up regret, which balances nicely with the strategically outward pain from Mescal. Bell and Foy are affectionate as the enigmatic parental figures, always feeling like real characterizations of people who once lived and loved. All of Us Strangers is a ghost story that invites the viewer to project themselves onto the story just as much as it tells its own. There’s nothing easy about letting go of the past, and there’s nothing easy about what comes after. It’s not an uplifting message, but it’s an endearing one that we’ve all come to find truth in. This review was originally published from a screening at the 2023 Twin Cities Film Fest. Searchlight Pictures will release All of Us Strangers in select theaters on December 22nd. More Reviews Primetime September 22, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Unabomber September 24, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Look Back September 16, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Elsinore September 14, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Hunter Friesen

Close June 3, 2022 By: Button Hunter Friesen Growing up on neighboring homesteads in the Belgian countryside, Leo and Remi have been inseparable all their life. The two thirteen-year-old boys can often be found acting out pretend battles, riding their bikes as fast as they can, and telling stories to each other during sleepovers. To them, their intimate relationship feels normal. They’ve created their perfect world where they are the only two inhabitants, the only ones that can truly understand each other. But to outsiders, specifically the inquisitive and suspecting kids in their class, there seems to be more under the surface. Some teasing and questioning about the closeness of their relationship seems to stick with Leo more than with Remi. Both boys genuinely deny that they are anything more than best friends, but that answer brings no satisfaction to either party. The pressures of conforming lead Leo to create some distance between himself and Remi. He wants to hang out with the “cool kids” and be perceived as normal, which includes taking up ice hockey and other conventionally masculine activities. To Remi, this is a betrayal of their lifelong friendship and how he sees himself, which initiates a chain reaction culminating in tragedy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EJGnU2AmV4 The second film from Belgian wunderkind Lukas Dhont, Close, marks his return to Cannes after claiming the Queer Palm and Golden Camera for his 2018 debut, Girl , which similarly dealt with gender dynamics and how an outsider can disrupt non-conventional relationships. Filmed in ultra-high definition with immense precision, Close further establishes Dhont, as well as his regular cinematographer Frank van den Eeden, as one of the purist up-and-coming craftsmen. There’s a feeling of epic openness with the lush Belgian flower fields beckoning you to run through them just as the boys do in one entrancing tracking shot . But there’s also intimacy in the climactic scene where the camera holds on to a close-up of a mother for what seems like an eternity as she ponders how to answer her son’s question. The audience and the characters are trapped in that unbearable moment as the weight of the world is about to topple over. Similar to Trey Edward Shults’ Waves , Dhont’s film is distinctly split down the middle, with the tragic moment acting as the dividing line. The light questioning of the first half is immediately replaced with darkness, which Dhont isn’t able to handle with the same amount of depth. He traps his characters, as well as the audience, in a revolving door of suffering, making them go round and round a few too many times before they can move on. While not as extreme, it does often feel burdened by the influence of the provocative work of Lars von Trier. Just as the Danish bad boy can often be quite controversial, the reception to Dhont’s latter material may be as well. But even in its excessiveness, there’s still great beauty within all aspects of the production. While Dhont can’t fully handle both sides of the dramatic coin, Valentin Hadjadj’s wondrous score is fully up to the task. With fluttery strings and stinging violins, Hadjadj impeccably accentuates every moment. And Eden Dambrine, playing Leo, is a revelation. Bringing tenderness to his emotionally and physically wounded character, Dambrine always finds his way to push through the material. The same can be said for Gustav De Waele, who handles his character’s questioning with the necessary delicacy. As a filmmaker, Lukas Dhont is both mature and immature. At the young age of thirty-one, he can carefully find the emotional core that unlocks his sweeping coming-of-age stories of love and acceptance. But like many young directors, Dhont takes the emotion hostage as he churns it out with unnecessary curiosity. With a better sense of balance, we may soon have one of the premier filmmakers on the international scene. This review was originally published from the world premiere at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival. A24 will release Close in select theaters on January 27th. More Reviews Primetime September 22, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Unabomber September 24, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Look Back September 16, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Elsinore September 14, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Hunter Friesen

Argylle January 31, 2024 By: Button Hunter Friesen Step right up, ladies and gentlemen, and behold one of the unexplained mysteries of the universe! What I present to you on the screen is a cat. But it’s also not a cat. It walks like a cat, talks like a cat, and has the overall presence of a cat. And yet, any time you look into its eyes, you are unable to detect any semblance of a soul. How can this be, you ask? The foremost scientists of our time have been unable to determine that answer, nor have they been able to ascertain an answer for why it exists. Did the producers of Argylle not think that cats already exist, and can be trained? Did they recently watch Tom Hooper’s Cats and think that they could go even further down the uncanny valley? Or are they modern Robin Hoods and decided to waste millions of dollars of Apple’s money on something so monumentally stupid? I leave all these questions up to you, ladies and gentlemen. But be warned, the journey to acquire the knowledge that you seek will not be as fun as the marketing would have you believe. A fully CGI cat is only one of several frustrating peculiarities within the freak show brought to us by the “twisted mind” of Matthew Vaughn. At this point, I’d suggest replacing “twisted” with “childish” or “immature.” “Edgy” would also be a good substitute, but only in the context of a twelve-year-old who thinks of themselves as edgy when they tell their first joke that involves swearing or sex. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mgu9mNZ8Hk “Original,” however, is a word I would not use for Vaughn or Argylle , no matter how much they try (and let me tell you, they try A LOT ) to make you think they’re one step ahead. In an opening almost ripped straight from Austin Powers in Goldmember (we’re really stealing from the cream of the crop here); we see Henry Cavill sporting one of the most hideous hairstyles in modern cinema, right up there with Taylor Lautner’s flowing locks from Twilight and Nicolas Cage’s from Con Air . He’s on the trail of Lagrange (Dua Lipa), but his role gets flipped to prey once she catches him in a trap. With the help of his two sidekicks (John Cena, Ariana DeBose), Argylle escapes and gets one step closer to solving the ultimate conspiracy. But scratch all that, as Agent Argylle is only a story within a story. The topmost layer has Elly Conway (Bryce Dallas Howard), the author of Argylle’s adventures, a series in a long line of successful spy novels. For some reason, almost everything that Elly writes comes true, leading to her life being in danger once a rogue spy syndicate decides to silence her. The only source of help to keep Elly safe and find out the full truth is a good spy named Aidan (Sam Rockwell), who claims to know more than he lets on. It’s not that the plot of Argylle is confusing; it’s more that it never registers as interesting or sensical. There are a lot of moving pieces, but the thread that connects them all is embarrassingly thin. Before you have time to raise your hand and question why anything is happening, writer Jason Fuchs takes a hard pivot for another “out of this world” twist. The unpredictability of everything becomes tiringly predictable, and even more annoying. What’s also predictable is Vaughn’s staging of the action, which contains no fewer than five set pieces queued to clichéd 60s tunes. To give him credit, one of those scenes contains some nice visual flourishes and choreography. But the rest are bogged down by either horrendous CGI or excessive editing. I’m sure with $100+ million at his disposal, there wasn’t much from Vaughn’s imagination that couldn’t be filmed. But the real question was if he should, not if he could. And the vast majority of this shouldn't have left the brainstorming session. Apple Original Films and Universal Pictures will release Argylle in theaters nationwide on February 02nd. More Reviews Primetime September 22, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Unabomber September 24, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Look Back September 16, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Elsinore September 14, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Hunter Friesen

The Electric State March 12, 2025 By: Button Hunter Friesen Have you ever wondered why Netflix keeps hiking up the price of its streaming service? Beyond the simple answer that they can do whatever they want now that they’re the top dog in streaming (What are you gonna do? Go over to Peacock?), all that extra cash is needed to fund their quarterly ventures into blockbuster filmmaking. Q1 2025’s splashy title for the next investor meeting is The Electric State , which reportedly comes for $320 million, putting it within shouting distance of some of the most expensive movies ever made. This comes as no surprise, considering directors Anthony and Joe Russo are at the helm. They’ve displayed their expertise in creating entertainment out of the GDPs of small island nations numerous times before with their Captain America and Avengers films. Seeing all those box office dollars flowing like Niagara Falls, Netflix quickly snatched up the brothers, but not before they took forgettable detours to rival streamers Apple TV+ and Amazon with Cherry and Citadel , respectively. The Gray Man didn’t start the franchise that Netflix desperately needed, even with Captain America himself, Chris Evans, as a headliner. And now with Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon films and Red Notice failing to do the same, the steamer is back to the Russos in another attempt to become one of the big boy studios. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpN98z8Kf5E But just as one could tell once video games and other tie-ins were announced before the film had even been seen by the public, the desperation for this film to be in the first of a franchise permeates through each unremarkable frame, cloying emotional moment, and generic punchline. The Russos may be great at getting stuff over the finish line, but this is another reminder that they’re pretty inept when it comes to starting from scratch. Loosely adapting from the 2018 illustrated novel by Swedish artist Simon Stålenhag of the same name, the Russos and their ever-dependable screenwriting team of Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely center the story around Michelle (Millie Bobby Brown), a teenage girl all alone after her family was killed in a car crash. While she was in the hospital recovering, humanity waged a war against the worker robots that Walt Disney created back in the 1950s to lighten our load. These bots wanted personal freedom, something we weren’t willing to accommodate. Humans won the war thanks to the obviously evil techno billionaire Ethan Skate (Stanley Tucci), and all robots were deemed illegal and cast off to the Exclusionary Zone in the deserts of the southwest. As it turns out, Michelle’s brother is alive, his unconscious brain being used as the battery that powers the entire neural network that Skate’s corporation uses to control the masses. Yes, this plot is pretty much as dumb on celluloid as on paper. To break him out of his prison, Michelle will have to break the downtrodden veteran robots out of their prison, led by an animatronic Mr. Peanut. It’s obvious that the war chest Netflix threw at this production didn’t go into the screenplay, a dime-a-dozen story of a messianic teenager who leads the unlikely forces of good against an evil, domineering superpower. Even the relationship between Michelle and her brother is delivered in shorthand flashback scenes where the siblings only speak in big emotions as Alan Silvestri’s score reaches for the heavens. Silvestri is famous for being Robert Zemeckis’ go-to composer, a director who could have brought something interesting to this material if it were published back in his heyday. The effects/animatronics are very impressive, with robots of all shapes and sizes given a unique design and personality, providing several opportunities for famous actors to appear as voiceovers. Ke Huy Quan as a makeshift Windows PC and Jenny Slate as Penny Pal, the mailwoman, are notable highlights. Unsurprisingly, Chris Pratt has great chemistry with his CGI robot sidekick Herman, exceptionally and sneakily voiced by Anthony Mackie. There are also blink-and-you-miss-it roles for Jason Alexander, Holly Hunter, Hank Azaria, and Colman Domingo. Watching all of this never come to fruition was not an enjoyable experience, but it wasn’t a total waste of time, either. This is a prototypical four-quadrant film aimed to attract the maximum amount of eyeballs from around the world. While I don’t think anyone will be offended by what it offers, I also doubt anyone will be wholly pleased. Netflix will release The Electric State on its streaming service on March 14th. More Reviews Primetime September 22, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Unabomber September 24, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Look Back September 16, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Elsinore September 14, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Hunter Friesen

Top 10 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 Primetime September 22, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Unabomber September 24, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Look Back September 16, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Elsinore September 14, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Hunter Friesen

The Banshees of Inisherin September 12, 2022 By: Button Hunter Friesen Fear not, all you haters of Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (of which there are a lot more of you than I originally thought), writer/director Martin McDonagh has left the United States and is going back to Ireland for his newest film, The Banshees of Inisherin . And that’s not even the best part, which is that he’s reteaming with his In Bruges duo of Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson. Actually, that’s not the best part either. The best part is that this new dark comedy is hands-down the funniest film of the year and the finest work by McDonagh as both a writer and a director. Every afternoon when the hour hand hits two o’clock on the dot, the good-souled, yet a little dim, Pádraic (Farrell) leaves his cozy dairy farm to meet up with his best friend Colm (Gleeson), the more reserved and intellectually inclined one of the pair, down at the local pub. Colm has been tirelessly working on a new piece of music for his fiddle, one that he hopes will have him remembered long after he’s left this world. But on one fateful day, those formalities are interrupted by Colm’s sudden need to end their relationship. “I just don’t like you anymore” is what he gives as a reason, something Pádraic can’t comprehend. And to prove that he’s absolutely serious, Colm promises to cut off one of his fingers each time Pádraic attempts to speak to him. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRu3zLOJN2c Will Colm actually go through with his threat? How can this friendship go on for decades ad then suddenly be declared over? And how will Pádraic respond after being dumped so brutally? McDonagh answers these questions with devilish honesty by giving you the results you expect, but not in the way you expect them to happen. He infuses a dark undercurrent into nearly every scene, with side-splitting banter leading to some brutal anecdotes on human relationships. As was alluded to in the plot description, Colm’s threat about his fingers leads to some squirm-inducing laughter down the road. That mixture of dark and light on the page is also evident in the direction. There’s some sumptuous cinematography (provided by go-to MCU DP Ben Davis, finally breaking free from CG-infested photography) of the titular island, with the green rolling hills cascading into the roaring sea. But not far on the other side of the water is the raging Irish Civil War, where friends turned on each other in a bloody conflict that didn’t accomplish much of anything. Sound familiar? Trying to keep the peace between the two warring (or “rowing” as it's said in the film) friends is Pádraic’s sister Siobhán (Kerry Condon, often stealing the show with her warmth), who seems to be the only sensible one who longs to be free from the doldrums of this community. Her task is made even more difficult with the presence of the town chaos agent, Dominic (Barry Keoghan, continuing his streak of playing freaky weirdos), who makes Pádraic look like Plato. With equally stunning turns in The Batman , After Yang , and Thirteen Lives , 2022 seems to be the year of Colin Farrell. For years, his good looks have come with a monkey paw curse, as he was forced to star as boring leading men in cookie-cutter blockbusters (see The Recruit and S.W.A.T. ) Fortunately, a few directors, such as Yorgos Lanthimos and McDonagh, have been able to work his charm into something a little more unique. Farrell’s innocence as Pádraic is often heartbreaking as he deals with emotional torture. And even after fourteen years apart, his chemistry with Gleeson has never been better. Equally hilarious as it is disturbing, The Banshees of Inisherin finds Martin McDonagh, as well as his troupe of actors, in top form. There’s nothing quite like it, and it serves as another reminder that we should all be a little kinder to one another. This review was originally published from the North American premiere at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival. Searchlight Pictures will release The Banshees of Inisherin in select theaters on October 21st. More Reviews Primetime September 22, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Unabomber September 24, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Look Back September 16, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Elsinore September 14, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Hunter Friesen

The Irishman December 9, 2019 By: Button Hunter Friesen Spanning fifty years and dozens of features, director Martin Scorsese has crafted one of the finest filmographies in cinematic history. Over the decades, there appear to be two sides to the revered auteur’s style of filmmaking. One side is filled with fast-paced and violent storytelling in films such as Goodfellas, Casino , and The Wolf of Wall Street . On the other side is a slower and quieter study of the human condition that can be found in The Last Temptation of Christ , Kundun , and Silence . Now, after years of being disjointed, these distinct styles have finally melded together in the director’s newest Netflix film, The Irishman . Telling the true-ish story (it’s still hotly debated whether any of it is true) of mob hitman Frank “The Irishman” Sheeran, the film places its main character at the forefront of American history in the mid-twentieth century. Over the years, Sheeran became increasingly attached to mob life, eventually leading him to the infamous teamster Jimmy Hoffa, whose fate is still unknown to this day. But as Frank rises the ranks within the mob, we watch as he slowly descends into a life of violence where the riches are short-lived and the damaging effects are everlasting. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHXxVmeGQUc The first thing you’ll probably notice when looking up the film is its massive 209-minute runtime, which makes it the longest mainstream movie released in over a quarter-century. That amount of length may be daunting on paper, but Scorsese makes every minute of it glide by with ease. His usual style of kinetic editing and pacing is masterfully employed and keep the film entirely thrilling throughout. By the time the film has finished, you feel as though you have lived a life with these characters rather than just watched it. Another production facet that the film carries is a revolutionary new technology that digitally de-ages its main cast so they’re able to play their characters over multiple decades. Admittedly, the gimmick doesn’t work perfectly as the 76-year-old Robert De Niro never convincingly looks like his thirty-year-old self. But even with its missteps, the technology is never a bother and seamlessly works its magic in the scenes where the characters are closer to the actor's age. Adapted by Steven Zaillian from the book “I Heard You Paint Houses”, The Irishman is a dense (maybe too dense) and depressing crime epic. Scorsese’s trademarked main character narration is here in its entirety as Sheeran tells his life story while in a nursing home near the end of his life. Even though Scorsese implements his usual gangster style within the script, its use here is for an altogether different purpose than in previous films. Instead of showing the often joyous life of criminals with smugness, the script fully exposes us to the doom and gloom that a life of crime brings to someone. Frank is the main character in our story, but within his story, he’s always off to the side as he gets caught up in the everlasting destruction around him. By the time the third act reaches, and the characters are reflecting on their past, their sad nature is fully exposed. All the acts these characters committed were paid for in death and despair, with the reward being even more of the same. Teaming up with Scorsese for their ninth collaboration, Robert De Niro does his best work in decades in the titular role. His performance as Frank is closed off and internal, further highlighting that Sheeran had little control over his life. The further the story progresses, the more haunting De Niro becomes as he can more clearly see where the road will take him. On the complete opposite side of the spectrum, Al Pacino plays the infamous union boss Jimmy Hoffa. We’ve always known that Pacino has fervor in his acting repertoire. His only problem over the years was how to effectively channel it to the right performance. Fortunately, there seems to be a method to Pacino’s madness here as his boisterous fire perfectly counters De Niro’s coldness. Playing against type is another frequent Scorsese collaborator in Joe Pesci as mob boss Russell Bufalino. Even if it may be his quietest role to date, Pesci instills fear through his menacing delivery and stares. Rounding the ensemble cast are Harvey Keitel, Bobby Cannavale, Ray Romano, Jesse Plemons, and Anna Paquin, all of whom do great work in their supporting roles. Proving that the two sides of Martin Scorsese work better together than separately, The Irishman is a crime classic on par with the greats before it. Its extensive tale of remorse and sorrow is worth every minute you put into it. If you only see a handful of movies a year, make sure this Netflix epic is one of them. Netflix will release The Irishman in select theaters on November 01st, followed by its streaming premiere on November 27th. More Reviews Primetime September 22, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Unabomber September 24, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Look Back September 16, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Elsinore September 14, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Hunter Friesen