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Gemini Man October 17, 2019 By: Button Hunter Friesen Henry Brogan (Will Smith) is the most elite assassin the U.S. government has ever had. He has 72 confirmed kills and is even able to hit a target on a moving train from over two kilometers away. Disillusioned and fatigued from years of killing, Henry decides to put it all away for a quiet retirement. Unfortunately for him, the life he’s lived the past few decades doesn’t just go away. After figuring out some dark secrets about his last job, Henry is betrayed by his government and made an enemy of the state. Knowing that Brogan is the best there ever was, the government decides to send their most valuable asset, Gemini; a direct clone of Brogan that “possesses all his strengths without his pain.”Pitted against a seemingly perfect version of himself, Henry must go on the run and fight to clear his name. Directed by two-time Academy Award winner Ang Lee, Gemini Man is both a marvel and a tragedy on a technical level. Repeating the technique he used in his previous feature Billy Lyn’s Long Halftime Walk , Lee uses a frame rate of 120 frames per second, five times more than the traditional 24. This results in a give-and-take situation where the technology grants unparalleled picture quality at the expense of your eyeballs. The glorious images become physically hard to watch and induce headaches, especially when paired with 3D. Another technical innovation that Lee incorporates is the use of de-aging on 51-year-old Will Smith to allow him to play the 23-year-old clone. Just like the frame rate, this technique has its ups and downs. During the early and darker-lit scenes, the effects look great and don’t cause any distraction. Near the end of the film is when things start to slide downhill. Scenes taking place in the daylight show off the imperfections in facial movements. The final scene is the most guilty as the effects are laughably atrocious and make the clone look more like a character from “The Polar Express” than an actual living human. And even with these technical innovations, Lee still isn’t able to make full use of them in the action set pieces. The larger shootouts are handled pretty well as they flow together with steady camerawork and tight blocking. The hand-to-hand combat sequences are when Lee loses focus, leaning heavily on the Jason Bourne style of choppy editing and shaky cam. It becomes hard to tell what’s going on and who’s winning a fight, especially since the two Will Smith characters look and dress exactly alike. With three credited screenwriters and countless that have come and gone over the years, the script for Gemini Man is a mess that feels like it was ripped straight from the 1990s. That feeling is fitting since the screenplay was first written in 1997 and seems to have never been updated. It is heavily laden with cliches and hammy dialogue that are impossible to recover from despite the cast’s best efforts. The plot is pretty simple on paper, but on film, it's a confusing mess. It’s a strain to keep all the facts straight and follow the reasoning for anything to happen. There’s also a lack of humanity and character development. Will Smith does his best in his dual roles, but the writing gives him nothing to work with. By the end, most characters are just shells of a person. As noted before, Will Smith turns in one of his better performances and does a great job in his dueling roles. As Henry, Smith is closed off and mature. When playing the clone, he’s more vulnerable. Even with writing’s severe limitations on what he can do, Smith can sell you on the idea that these are two separate characters. Mary Elizabeth Winstead stars as Dani, Henry’s sidekick who’s forced to join him on the run. Winstead does a nice job as a companion to Smith. Unfortunately, she also falls prey to the writing and gets saddled with a cliched backstory and overly expository dialogue. Lastly, Clive Owen plays Verris, the leader of the Gemini Project and the supposed villain of the film. I say supposed because the film never really figured out if he is a bad guy or not. Owen does fine, but mostly because it's a role he’s been playing the last decade in subsequently worse films. Gemini Man is neither a good nor a bad film. Mainly it’s a tech demo that may lead to better films using these innovations in the future. It also teaches a valuable filmmaking lesson: all the bells and whistles money can afford are no match for a good story, which is something this film sorely lacks. More Reviews 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple January 13, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen The Rip January 16, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Dead Man's Wire January 14, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen The Chronology of Water January 9, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Hunter Friesen

Superman July 8, 2025 By: Button Hunter Friesen Art never exists within a vacuum. Whether intentional or not, art is always in conversation with what has come before and what may come after. “Art imitates life” is the old adage, with the reverse being equally true. Within the world of comic-book films, specifically those based on DC Comics publications, there has been a perpetual push-pull in terms of the tone for their classic characters. The overcommercialization of Batman & Robin led to the more adult-oriented Batman Begins . Doubling down on that approach with The Dark Knight , in conjunction with the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s strategy of being more family-friendly, gave DC the confidence to hand the keys to their cinematic kingdom to Zack Snyder, who likened the characters to tormented deities rather than everyday heroes. Grimmer than the fairy tales from the famous German brothers, these stories were the opposite of “summer fun,” and required real-time course corrections (the theatrical cut of Justice League vs. Zack Snyder’s Justice League ) , muddying the overall picture. Bursting onto the scene as the ultimate course correction is James Gunn’s boldly titled Superman . It’s not a coincidence that the opening studio logos feature a bright background, a cheerful animated version of Superman, and a tinge of John Williams’ iconic score. As his Kryptonian parents state in their farewell video message, he’s been put on Earth because it’s the place where he can do the most good. And boy, were they right. This Earth also has its own Eastern European crisis, with Superman (David Corenswet) intervening when one side invades the other. He did so in the name of saving lives, and potentially stopped an impending war. By doing so, he violated several international laws and established himself as judge, jury, and executioner to those who can spin the truth. Similar to Captain America: Civil War and Zack Snyder’s approach in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice , Gunn investigates the naivety of simply doing good in a modern world that perpetually proves that it can play devil’s advocate. Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) is their Devil, pulling the strings on a multi-pronged hit on Superman’s public image. What good is a beacon of hope when people stop believing in it? This central idea on the symbolism of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster’s classic character is the film’s greatest asset, especially with Gunn opting to go straight for the heart of the matter by placing this story slightly later in the origin story timeline. Superman is the people's champion, with street vendors rushing to pick him up when he crashes into the ground, and kids waving his symbol as a means to ward off evil. But he's now stuck between a rock and a hard place, with every decision taking two steps forward, three steps back. What’s disappointing is watching that kernel get drowned by an onslaught of extra characters, side plots, and bloated set pieces. It’s all in the name of fun, but too much fun can be a bad thing. Just outside the main troupe of characters is the Justice Gang (sounds like an opportunity for a future name change) trio of Guy Gardener, Hawkgirl, and Mr. Terrific (with his terrific tennis balls), Metamorpho, the Luthor henchman of Ultraman and The Engineer, and all the staff at The Daily Planet. Their jobs are to deliver the copious amounts of exposition required to keep this flying locomotive on the tracks, explaining what just happened and what will happen. There's also Krypto the Superdog lending comedic relief at every turn. Your mileage on his antics will be in direct correlation to how much you like dogs (hint: I'm more of a cat person). All of this culminates in a final stretch that attempts to serve everything and everyone mentioned, along with nuggets for what's to come next in this new era of the DC Universe. Gunn mostly succeeds in juggling all these haphazardly thrown balls, but he doesn't excel enough to make me crave more. If it could have focused on one ball, then it would have been a slam dunk. You miss every shot you don't take, but there comes a point where you're just chucking at the wall. Corenswet is quite the discovery as our titular hero, exuding a boyish charm and optimism that skipped over Henry Cavill. He wears the big red logo proudly, which Gunn prominently shows off every time he leaps through the sky. The visual effects that encapsulate him during those high-flying effects are well done, carrying a goofy off-beat energy from the Guardians of the Galaxy films. Luthor's brain is often stronger than Superman's brawn, with Hoult capturing the megalomania required to take on such a formidable adversary. He's punchable as he throws tantrums, consumes himself with envy, and belittles everyone around him. Rachel Brosnahan's Lois Lane is underserved by the sped-through nature of her relationship with Clark Kent/Superman, but she still manages to make a good impression. So, here we are, back to square one. A decade's worth of previous DC films have been thrown in the trash (good riddance, I mostly say). In his overeagerness to be liked and do everything, everywhere, all at once, Gunn may have placed the cart before the horse, but he also swings the door wide open to a universe with endless possibilities. Now we just have to wait and see if the juice will be worth the squeeze. More Reviews 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple January 13, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen The Rip January 16, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Dead Man's Wire January 14, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen The Chronology of Water January 9, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Hunter Friesen

Song Sung Blue December 14, 2025 By: Button Hunter Friesen As a born and raised fan of the Iowa State Cyclones, I have a special connection to “Sweet Caroline.” Dating back to the mid-2000s, the classic Neil Diamond song has been used as a victory chant for all home athletic games. It’s catchy, with a nice pace and easy-to-learn lyrics, capping off a win with a celebratory walkout song. It even plays before the official school anthem, further proving its ranking amongst fans. Granted, the Cyclones don’t have a monopoly on the song, as it originated from the Boston Red Sox and is also regularly played during games hosted by other colleges such as Wisconsin, South Carolina, and Boston College. Despite hailing from the Badger State, Mike Sardina (Hugh Jackman) has a complicated relationship with that song. He worships at the altar of Neil Diamond, proclaiming him to be one of the greatest singer-songwriters that America has ever had. He despises the fact that a poppy chart topper like “Sweet Caroline” has become the only thing Diamond is known for, all while he’s produced hundreds of other acclaimed songs, including the one this film gets its title from. It’s why he doesn’t ever include Neil in his tribute acts, as he knows people won’t appreciate the artistry of the catalogue and just clamour for him to play the one song everybody knows. When we first meet Mike, he’s singing the titular song at his local AA meeting, celebrating his twentieth “sober birthday.” He gives the group a whole presentation, aiming for their hearts and souls, all while offering some humor and good old-fashioned showmanship. It’s what he hopes to bring to the bars and casinos around Milwaukee, although none of the other tribute artists want him to branch away from what sells. A middle-aged Michael Imperioli plays a Buddy Holly impersonator, which is quite the joke considering that Holly died at twenty-two. Claire (Kate Hudson) is the only one who sees the true passion that Mike is bringing to the shows. Like him, she’s another working-class person who just wants to sing their troubles away. That passion, along with the fact that they’re the only two people who look like movie stars in this frozen tundra, is what ignites their romance. They decide to partner up to put on a Neil Diamond experience, with him taking on the moniker of “Lightning,” and she as “Thunder.” The story of a real-life underdog defying obstacles to express their artistic passion is not new territory for writer/director Craig Brewer. Terrence Howard received an Oscar nomination for playing a pimp turned rapper in 2005’s Hustle & Flow , and Eddie Murphy got his comeback role as blaxploitation legend Rudy Ray Moore in Dolemite Is My Name . These films, along with Song Sung Blue , carry a big heart, rallying the crowd to its feet with down-to-earth stories of perseverance. Channeling those themes through the music of Neil Diamond is what makes this film quite entertaining throughout the first hour, with the central duo being bigger than life. For both Mike and Claire, and the film itself, it all falls apart once the darkness starts to block out the light. This is based on a “true love story” and has already been covered by a documentary of the same name, so I don’t feel too bad about revealing that a freak car accident leaves Claire unable to perform. But that’s only the first of a series of tragedies that befall the Sardinas, making them join the Von Erichs as one of the most cursed families in America. Unlike Sean Durkin, who was able to make the unbelievable feel so real in The Iron Claw , Brewer keeps everything so heightened that it unintentionally circles back from high drama to parody. Pills are popped, speeches are made, and things happen at the exact right or wrong moment. There’s a subplot about Claire’s teenage daughter having an unwanted pregnancy, with the resolution being an adoption that is shot and acted with the same energy as someone finally selling a piece of furniture on Facebook Marketplace. The performances are fine and charming, although they also get too big for their own good. Jackman seems to be thinking he’s playing for the back row of a Broadway audience in the film’s later stretches. Mike may not have wanted to become a Neil Diamond cliché, but that’s exactly the kind of movie he’s appearing in. I’ll still be singing “Sweet Caroline” after every Cyclone victory. More Reviews 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple January 13, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen The Rip January 16, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Dead Man's Wire January 14, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen The Chronology of Water January 9, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Hunter Friesen

Kraven the Hunter December 11, 2024 By: Button Hunter Friesen After three Venom movies that made us ask “Are they supposed to be bad?” and the likes of Morbius and Madame Web that had us saying “Wow, this is embarrassing,” Kraven the Hunter is here to shut us all up. True to what it set out to do, nary a word was spoken during the 127 minutes that Sony’s latest adventure to circumvent their contractual restrictions with Marvel glistened upon the silver screen, all of that precious light dissipating as it bounced back to our collective eyeballs. Even if it was for all the wrong reasons, I remember so much about Morbius and Madame Web . That’s because all publicity is good publicity, and Kraven the Hunter has nothing to offer. The one thing Kraven wore so proudly during its years-long marketing campaign was its R-rating for bloody and gruesome violence, something that all the other Marvel superhero films have shied away from. But all that air was let out of the balloon once the film was repeatedly kicked all the way down from its original January 2023 release, eventually being beaten to the punch by Deadpool & Wolverine . But even if the stars aligned for Kraven to keep its original release date, the overediting and bland stuntwork so closely fit the PG-13 mold that it wouldn’t have made a difference. The hacking of celluloid never ceases throughout the entirety of the runtime, with several scenes featuring throwaway lines of dialogue referring to events that never happened. The magic of ADR comes to the rescue on a few occasions, with poor Christopher Abbott having several scenes where we never see his lips move throughout a full conversation. He plays The Foreigner, a character whose importance and motivation are still a mystery to me, as are his weird powers where he counts down from three and places people in a hypnotic trance. Kraven’s powers are a little more straightforward, his animalistic super strength and agility originating from the blood of a lion mixing with his own (PSA: You will not gain feline or canine superpowers if you attempt this at home). The blending of those two fluids came after Kraven’s father (Russell Crowe) took him and his brother Dmitri on an African hunting expedition to mold them into tough men. Kraven at least got the long end of the stick with his washboard abs, the flowing hair of Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and feet with the same durability and traction as the tires on a Formula One car. Dmitri had to settle with becoming scrawny Fred Hechinger, perpetually caught in a cycle of self-doubt and violence. With his powers, Kraven hunts the hunters, specifically those who poach in his nondescript sanctuary in Siberia. While INTERPOL seems to have no problem with the bodies piling up and the press in a frenzy over who this mysterious hunter is, someone like Aleksei Sytsevich aka 'The Rhino' (Alessandro Nivola, nearly reprising his character from Face/Off ) doesn’t like seeing another apex predator. Between Kraven’s constant flexing and Rhino’s severe case of Greyscale, every muscle is intensely clenched. Director J.C. Chandor is a good filmmaker, proving himself as both a writer/director on personal projects ( Margin Call , A Most Violent Year ) and as a hired hand on studio features ( Triple Frontier ). The years he’s spent on this project will be seen as a waste of talent and opportunities, a sentiment that can be extended to the entire concept of Sony's Spider-Man Universe. A solar system without a sun just results in every planet suffering a cold, painful death. More Reviews 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple January 13, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen The Rip January 16, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Dead Man's Wire January 14, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen The Chronology of Water January 9, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Hunter Friesen

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings September 9, 2021 By: Button Hunter Friesen For nearly ten years after its inception, the Marvel Cinematic Universe was dominated by the adventures of white men. Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow had to fight to get her own film this year, while her male co-stars got entire trilogies. Black Panther reinvigorated the franchise with its celebration of African culture in 2018, proving that the Marvel brand didn’t have to be so beige. Captain Marvel became the first MCU film to be fronted by a woman. Now, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings marks the first Asian-led film. Not only does the film feature the first Asian protagonist, it also features a predominantly Asian cast and crew, which, thankfully, gives this franchise a much-needed change in perspective. The Ten Rings have been around for nearly a thousand years, gifting their wearer, Wenwu, immortality so that he may rule with unmatched strength. After centuries of building an empire out of blood, Wenwu was turned away from a life of violence by Ying Li, a guardian of the mystical land of Ta Lo. When heartbreak struck shortly after, Wenwu picked up the rings once again, causing him to go down a dark path, and his son, Shang-Chi, to run away to the United States. Now after ten years, the son must come home to confront his father and become who he was truly meant to be. Similar to what Ryan Coogler was able to do with Black Panther , co-writer/director Destin Daniel Cretton brings out the best of this new world as he is able to handle the mountains of establishing exposition. His use of flashbacks may be a bit liberal, especially as the film reaches its climax, but they’re used meaningfully to build upon a story focused on character and culture. Without a leading acting credit to his name, Simu Liu takes the titular role by storm as he navigates this typical hero’s journey with charm and composure. Mixing a bit of T’Challa with Tony Stark, Shang-Chi is a hero battling with his past and future. Liu and Cretton strike a great balance as Liu hands himself over to Cretton's material in the somber moments, and Cretton lets Liu’s comedic instincts light up the room. Veteran Tony Leung brings the same melancholic energy to Wenwu as he did in his roles with Wong Kar-wai, particularly his work in In the Mood for Love . Leung layers this villain and distances him from the average world dominator. He carries a stillness about him that inspires fear and compassion, two things that have made some of the greatest villains. The overall narrative within a Marvel film is evenly composed of the plot and the action. Thankfully, Cretton blends both those halves together as he imbues the setpieces with the qualities of the wuxia genre, taking after such films as Ang Lee’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (also starring Michelle Yeoh) and Zhang Yimou’s House of Flying Daggers . The action often tells as much of the story as the dialogue, particularly in the gracefully dazzling opening sequence. But there’s also room for brutality as the first act ends with a tower-scaffolding brawl where Shang-Chi’s emotions turn him into a raw killer. Not since Captain America: The Winter Soldier has the action been so impactful on a technical and emotional level. When allowed to be its own film, Shang-Chi is quite the spectacle. But when it gets forcefully molded into a Marvel film, the results are less than stellar. Even after all his work with the story and action, Cretton can’t break free from the third-act visual effects extravaganza that holds this franchise like an iron vice. It’s a shame as the smaller familial moments do more for the mind and soul than the forgettable litany of explosions that encompass the final thirty minutes. Being that this is the 25 th film in the franchise, I’ve come to expect that level of disappointment. Thanks to its multi-talented cast and crew, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is one of the better origin stories within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The action may (rightfully) be the selling point, but the heart of the film lies within its characters, telling a familiar story on an impressive scale. More Reviews 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple January 13, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen The Rip January 16, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Dead Man's Wire January 14, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen The Chronology of Water January 9, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Hunter Friesen

Chaos Walking March 11, 2021 By: Button Hunter Friesen Like The Hunger Games, Harry Potter , and Percy Jackson , Chaos Walking is the newest attempt to establish a lucrative franchise based on a series of popular teenage-audience books. But unlike those successful series, this Lionsgate release is more likely to fall in line with the other failures such as The Golden Compass and The Mortal Instruments . Haven’t heard of this movie? Well, I wouldn’t blame you since Lionsgate has attempted to bury this money pit in the middle of the pandemic to save themselves from further embarrassment. Filmed in 2017 and originally to be released in early 2019, the film underwent extensive (and expensive) reshoots after the first cut was deemed unwatchable. It was shelved for nearly two years until crawling its way back from the grave into newly reopened theatres. So, is this movie as terrible as its reputation precedes it? No, but that’s not to say it isn’t bad. Similar to all YA novels, Chaos Walking takes place in a dystopian space colony in 2257. This planet is like Earth, except that there is something in the atmosphere called The Noise. An introvert's worst nightmare, The Noise makes it where the thoughts of men are heard aloud, and is something our hero, orphaned Todd (Tom Holland), still has yet to control. Everything he thinks is broadcast to anyone within earshot, restricting any sense of privacy. No one knows why this is happening, and why women are not affected. The colony Todd lives in also has no women there, as he is told the Spackle - the native inhabitants of the planet - killed off. Obviously, what you’re told isn’t always what actually happened. Everything changes when a scout, Viola (Daisy Ridley), crashes on the planet. The leader of the colony decides to use her as bait to attract her command ship so he can ambush it and leave this godforsaken land. Naturally, Todd develops a crush on Viola, agreeing to help her escape to a deserted colony fitted with a communicator that she can use to warn her rescuers. If you wanted to know what Tom Holland was thinking all the time, this will be a supreme disappointment to you. The character is very bland, and so are his thoughts, which consist solely of him saying his name to calm himself down and suppressing his budding feelings for his newfound partner. Holland tries to use his Peter Parker charm to make the character at least bearable, but the script makes his efforts a waste. The word bland is the best way to describe everything about this movie. It might be a weird movie, but that doesn’t mean it’s interesting. There’s a lot of semi-world building here as we are introduced to all sorts of details about the planet and its backstory. I say semi because the movie never gives away too much information, as they want you to pay more for that in the sequels, which are never going to happen. It’s also done at a rapid pace, moving from one location to another like we’re just skimming through the pages. Adapting his book, writer Patrick Ness seems more interested in setting up sequels than establishing an interesting base. Take for instance the Spackle, who look like all-black Martians and rightfully fought back against the colonizing humans. In this movie, we see them for one three-minute action scene. After that, they disappear completely and are never mentioned again. I was told by a friend that the Spackle are reintroduced in the third book, a fact that I audibly groaned at. I want to learn about these natives now, not these boring humans! Even for a $100 million (+ reshoots) blockbuster, Chaos Walking is sparsely light on meaningful action. Director Doug Liman had the potential to mash the sci-fi and western genre into something off the beaten path, but he instead stays in the same lane as his contemporaries. Like Star Wars , the guns shoot plasma so the wounds are bloodless and any serious violence is cut away from. The one unique feature is the movie’s questionable hatred towards animals, as a horse is violently put down and a dog is drowned in the frame. I’m glad no one in the cinema could hear my thoughts while watching this movie because my head was full of a lot of questions and negative comments. By next month, Chaos Walking will feel like a distant memory, a fact that we should all rejoice in. It was nice to be back in the cinema after a long while, I just wish it wasn’t for this. More Reviews 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple January 13, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen The Rip January 16, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Dead Man's Wire January 14, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen The Chronology of Water January 9, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Hunter Friesen

Madame Web February 14, 2024 By: Button Hunter Friesen Sony has really outdone themselves this time. Venom was one of the worst movies of 2018, Venom: Let There Be Carnage was one of the worst movies of 2021, and Morbius was by far the worst movie of 2022. If Madame Web isn’t the worst thing I see in 2024, then God help us all. On one hand, I have to commend their consistency. But on the other hand, I have to ask if all these movies have just been some sort of sick joke, almost like an attempt at reverse psychology for us to hate Spider-Man. There’s no other explanation beyond that, because who in their right mind would give the green light to such low-tier characters (in the case of Morbius and Madame Web) and mess it all up on four consecutive occasions? Let’s just get this over with, shall we? Things begin in the Amazon as Cassie Web’s mother researches spiders just before she dies (sorry everyone, that memeified line isn’t in the final cut of the film). Ezekiel Sims (Tahar Rahim) has been hired to protect the very pregnant mother on her journey but backstabs her once she finds the elusive arachnid that grants powers to whoever it bites. It’s now thirty years later and Sims has been continually having visions about three teenage girls (Syndey Sweeney, Isabela Merced, and Celeste O’Connor) killing him with their own superpowers. What would any sane person do in that scenario? Brush off these nightmares and carry on with their life? Move as far away as possible from the location of this predicted occurrence? Wrong! The correct answer is to track down these girls with stolen Patriot Act surveillance equipment and murder them first. It’s so simple! This is how Cassie (Dakota Johnson) gets tangled into this web, as her path has seemed fated to cross with those of the girls. Like Ezekiel, she too can see into the future (or travel back in time if you’re going off the incredibly incoherent editing), only she uses it to save lives. She’s not like other women; or people for that matter, as evidenced by one of the most awkward baby shower scenes to ever grace the screen. But that estrangement isn’t from her mysteriously uncontrollable power or the fact that she’s an orphan, it’s from the “so bad it’s almost hilarious” script by the four credited writers of Matt Sazama, Burk Sharpless, Claire Parker, and director S.J. Clarkson. Never has expository dialogue been so in demand, and a plot been so needlessly convoluted. None of this makes any sense once you step back and think about the chronology of events. Ezekiel wants to kill the girls because they will eventually gain superpowers, but the girls only get the powers as a byproduct of Ezekiel trying to kill them. So wouldn’t him trying to kill them first only be speeding up what’s going to happen? That paradox aside, the shoddy camerawork and special effects make it nearly impossible to comprehend what’s going on in the present. That might have been a public service in disguise, as the less you see and think about this film, the better. Johnson is an actress who can be great in the right roles, but also awful in the wrong ones. Her two films with Luca Guadagnino - A Bigger Splash and Suspiria - are part of the former, with this being as far down the latter as you can go. Never has a comic book casting been this misjudged, with her line deliveries and overall demeanor signaling her apathy about being part of this project. Sweeney’s characterization and wardrobe almost sexualize her more than Euphoria , with Merced and O’Connor doing little else to impress. The biggest injustice of the film might be its extraordinary ability to make Tahar Rahim look like a terrible actor, with the revered French arthouse performer rendered to ADR’d lines and boilerplate villainous speechifying. Madame Web might do more harm to spiders than birds themselves. Sony has reached the point of insanity by releasing the same bland product over and over again and expecting different results, and I’m right there with them for watching each one. We’ve still got Kraven the Hunter and Venom 3 this year, so this crazy train isn’t going to stop anytime soon. More Reviews 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple January 13, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen The Rip January 16, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Dead Man's Wire January 14, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen The Chronology of Water January 9, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Hunter Friesen

Triangle of Sadness May 28, 2022 By: Button Hunter Friesen Triangle of Sadness had its World Premiere at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival. Neon will release it in theaters on October 7. An influencer couple, a Russian capitalist, two British arms dealers, and an American Marxist sea captain all board a $250 million luxury yacht bound for the high seas. What could go wrong? You’ve seen movies better at dissecting economic classism than Triangle of Sadness . You’ve also seen much tighter and more succinct ones. And you’ve definitely seen ones that leave you with a better understanding of an issue than when you walked in. But, I don’t think you’ve ever seen a film that doesn't do all of that and still be as wickedly hilarious as Triangle of Sadness . Ruben Östlund has never found an issue he can’t tackle. Whether it be mundane social norms in Involuntary , male ego in Force Majeure (for which he was given the dubious honor of having remade in the English language with the woefully dull Downhill ), or the upside-down art world in The Square , the Swedish filmmaker has always found a playful way to show just how absurd life is. And, along with those themes of social skewering, the thing that has stayed most consistent is the praise he’s received. Force Majeure snagged the Un Certain Regard Jury Prize at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival, which allowed him to be “promoted” to the official competition with 2017’s The Square . The brighter lights did nothing to hinder his upward trajectory as he added the prestigious Palme d’Or to his trophy shelf. Now in 2022, Östlund’s stock continues to rise with his second consecutive Palme win, joining Michael Haneke and fellow countrymen Billie August as the only filmmakers to win the award for back-to-back films. So, with all the awards surrounding Triangle of Sadness as it sets its American theatrical release, the question remains: Does it live up to the hype? Well, yes and no. Taking a page out of the Zoolander school of satire, Östlund’s film opens with a modeling audition. At the age of 25, Carl (both smartly and aloofly played by the rising Harris Dickinson) is getting a little too close to being phased out of his career as the roles in the “grumpy” and “smiley” brands aren’t coming as easily as they used to. He’s left to languish in a slow and painful societal death, which includes losing social media followers and invites to his girlfriend Yaya’s (Charlbi Dean, who tragically passed away just after the film’s premiere) runway shows. This A Star Is Born dynamic threatens the pair’s relationship, which Östlund punctuates with a side-splitting cringe-fueled debate over who should pick up the check at a restaurant. Fortunately, the couple is bound for a superyacht vacation that will act as the final opportunity to mend their connection. On the boat, they become the middle class, stuck between the uber-rich guests and the lowly workers that service every passenger’s whim, which includes going for a swim to assuage their master’s guilt and promising to clean the sails, even though this a motorized vessel. In this second act of the film’s clear three-act structure, Östlund unleashes a tirade of written and visual allegories upon his micro-society, with two standouts being Woody Harrelson’s alcoholic ship captain and the closing scene where the ship fills with literal shit and vomit. Any viewers with a weak stomach have been properly warned. None of what Östlund is saying is revolutionary, but it is oh so funny. But that high level of hilarity can’t sustain itself across the film’s extremely bloated 150-minute runtime, which becomes quite clear during the final, and weakest, act. Through unforeseen circumstances, the passengers have been marooned on a desolate island. Things get even more in-your-face by Östlund as the social hierarchy completely flips, with the white-collar passengers proving to be inept and the “peasants” becoming royalty because of their basic survival skills. From here to the end, most everything only elicits a mild chuckle instead of the belly-aching that the first two hours had accustomed us to. Triangle of Sadness demands to be seen with the largest crowd possible, as its mixture of low and high-brow humor travels like wildfire in the moment. Unfortunately for the majority of the viewers, the post-pandemic theatrical landscape doesn’t create too many opportunities for that level of a collective experience for any non-MCU branded film. It’s a true pity, as my Cannes screening of Östlund’s farce in May has lasted longer in my memory than most blockbusters do the day after. More Reviews 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple January 13, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen The Rip January 16, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Dead Man's Wire January 14, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen The Chronology of Water January 9, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Hunter Friesen

Top 10 Films of 2023 December 31, 2023 By: Hunter Friesen If you could use one word to describe this list, it would be “predictable.” That word comes with both positive and negative connotations. On the bright side, it means that several of the films that had high places in my Most Anticipated of 2023 list from the beginning of the year were able to meet, or even exceed, my expectations. That also means there were fewer surprises, movies that were true hidden gems just waiting for me to discover them. I can’t see every movie in the year it is released, so I’m sure something will come out of nowhere down the road. And please don’t assume that I think 2023 was a bad year for movies, as that couldn’t be further from the truth. Anyone who says that a certain year was a bad year for movies clearly hasn’t seen enough. Some years are better than others, but none are ever bad if you dig deep. I’ll admit as a caveat this was a pretty bad year for the blockbusters that have come to dominate the multiplex this past decade, many of which took up several spots in my Worst of 2023 list. But if you ventured to the back of the multiplex, your local arthouse theater (assuming it’s still standing after the pandemic), or beyond the attention-grabbing titles on streaming, you’d be exposed to some truly great stuff. 2023 turned out to be the best year for movies since I started taking this site seriously, with a record number of 60 positive reviews (>=3.5 stars) being written. But I can’t (and don’t want to) talk about all 60 movies I thought were good, I want to talk about the 10 I thought were the best, plus 5 honorable mentions for good measure. Without further ado, join me as I recount the works of art (not content) that left the biggest impression on me as a cinephile. Honorable Mentions Enys Men Chevalier Past Lives Poor Things The Boys in the Boat 10. Monster Hirokazu Kore-eda makes his third consecutive appearance on this list following The Truth in 2020 and Broker in 2022. The Japanese writer/director has always found the most tender ways to navigate the moral quandaries that often surround us. Deferring his writing credit for the first time in decades, Kore-eda brings Rashomon into the modern age with Monster , a movie that is both more gentle and deadly than its title implies. The script comes from Yûji Sakamoto, with that separation of duty not turning out to be a bug as the pair craft an endearing story about differing perspectives and the misconceptions we surround ourselves with. Legendary composer Ryuichi Sakamoto, who tragically passed away earlier this year, delivers one of his best works through his fluttery piano. 9. The Taste of Things There’s little drama or stakes within The Taste of Things , which is one of its best features. There are plenty of movies ( Burnt ) and television shows ( The Bear ) that showcase the anxiety-inducing highwire act that cooking can be. There is great skill under pressure here, but writer/director Tran Anh Hung is more interested in the slowly drawn method and how it all comes together when you are comfortable in your element. Time seems to stand still, your body and mind totally connected as one. It’s like a conductor guiding a symphony, every note being hit perfectly with reassuring calmness. There continues to be a need for stories that reflect the increasing bleakness of this world. But that means there’s more room for projects that remind us of the beauty in the timeless things we all experience and often take for granted. The Taste of Things is one of those films as it illustrates both the simplicity and complexity of sustaining ourselves through food. Just make sure to plan your meals carefully before and after seeing it. You owe your stomach (and other senses) that much. Full Review 8. The Holdovers Between its retro production titles, popping sound, dissolved editing, and grainy cinematography, Alexander Payne’s The Holdovers is not just a film that is set in 1970, it looks and feels like it was made during that time. The Omaha-born writer/director (only directing in this outing) returns from a six-year hiatus after the disappointing Downsizing , delivering one of his best films through a great story and equally great characters. This is a Christmas classic for adults. It's a melancholic film, with Payne knowing that the holidays are not full of yuletide cheer for everyone. But there are still seasons greetings to be had, just enough to make you want to be a better person and stay close to those that matter most. What more could you ask for in times like these? Full Review 7. Asteroid City Asteroid City is Wes Anderson’s weirdest movie to date, always keeping your eyebrow in a raised position. While on their methodically placed tracks, each character veers off in different directions, exploring the fear of death, finding connections in a barren land, cutting through the messiness of life, and paying homage to those kitschy B-movies you grew up watching late at night on the public access channel. At this point in his filmography, you’ve probably made up your mind about Anderson. I’m somewhat of an apologist, with those instantly recognizable production qualities and whimsical tones being music to my ears (and eyes). Asteroid City is another healthy dose of what I’ve come to love, with the bonus of seeing an auteur continue to find new ways to channel what they do best. Full Review 6. Killers of the Flower Moon What is surprising about Killers of the Flower Moon is Scorsese’s ability to bring in the qualities of his lesser-known films, which is the capacity to take a step back and observe a culture. There’s a delicate balance between getting in the thick of the action and letting it wash over from a distance. For every street race and moment of shocking violence, there’s a chance to witness a piece of this land and its people. There are key moments where an Osage wedding or ceremonial tradition is recreated, shedding light on what’s ultimately at stake. Excess is the name of the game within Scorsese’s filmography, and Killers of the Flower Moon has that in spades. But it’s not the flashy kind of excess that we’re used to seeing, it’s an excess that overwhelms your soul just as much as your senses. As the debate over what is and isn’t cinema rages on (and I pray to God it ends soon), let this be a clear illustration of what it can be: something powerful enough to enrapture you in the present and pleasantly linger with you long into the future. Full Review 5. Napoleon With his vast historical drama background that includes the likes of The Duellists, Gladiator, Kingdom of Heaven , and The Last Duel , director Ridley Scott knows a thing or two about setting the stage for global conflicts. Even at the age of 85, he’s never taken a moment to slow down, crafting projects that seem to only get bigger the older he gets. It’s no surprise that both he and fellow octogenarian director Martin Scorsese ( Killers of the Flower Moon ) have found themselves at Apple with their latest historical dramas, the streaming giant plunking down $200 million for each project. While it may not have been the wisest financial decision, it was a fortuitous one for the art of epic filmmaking. The world still properly bemoans what could have been had Stanley Kubrick been allowed to make his Napoleon biopic. There are surely semblances of it in Scott’s film, which continues his string of blockbusters propelled by smart filmmaking and collaborative artistry. It’s timely and timeless in its craft and examination of history, ready to raise the bar just that much higher for later entries in the genre. Full Review 4. Maestro “A work of art does not answer questions, it provokes them; and its essential meaning is in the tension between the contradictory answers.” This quote by Leonard Bernstein flashes before Maestro commences. It’s a mission statement for writer/director/producer/star Bradley Cooper, who’s made it his life’s work to bring this story to the silver screen. It’s a warning to any Bernstein acolytes who come to this seeking untold answers about the famed conductor’s artistry. And it’s also a blessing to anyone bemoaning another musician biopic, the likes of which have haunted our multiplexes the past few years with their cookie-cutter rise-and-fall stories. For something that has and will continue to be labeled as “Oscar bait,” Maestro is, more than anything, a confidently unique entry in a well-worn genre. It makes A Star Is Born seem like only the appetizer, and this is the main course. It wouldn’t be far-fetched to label Cooper as this generation’s Warren Beatty: a movie star interested in grown-up stories whose oversized ambition is matched by their incredible skill both in front and behind the camera. If there’s anything modern cinema needs more of right now, it’s someone like that. Full Review 3. The Killer The Killer is a descent into bloody madness told by a director in complete control of their craft. Every frame is perfectly lit, every cut perfectly placed and executed, and every piece of sound is perfectly engineered to rattle your bones. It’s a pulpy uncomplicated story about revenge being a dish best served cold. For anyone who enjoys the Hitman video game series and laments the two laughably bad movie adaptations, this is the answer to all your prayers. This is Fincher at his most surface level, playfully cutting loose from ambition and delivering his best film to date (yeah, I said it). Don’t expect to learn any life lessons, or have your perspective changed on an issue. Just sit back and be entertained. There’s nothing more satisfying than seeing a straightforward process being executed with pinpoint precision, and both our protagonist and Fincher accomplish their mission to outstanding results. Full Review 2. The Zone of Interest There isn’t a single moment in The Zone of Interest that takes place within Auschwitz, but its presence is always felt. The family will be sunbathing in the garden when a faint gunshot goes off on the other side of the wall. Both you and the characters know what that sound means, but only you care about the implications of it. For the family, those gunshots are just as much a part of everyday life as the birds chirping in the trees above. They go about their daily lives without a hitch, leaving you stranded in the fear of your imagination. Sickening in the most calculated way possible, The Zone of Interest is Jonathan Glazer's ode to Stanley Kubrick. He answers the question of how evil can exist unchecked, holding all of your senses in a sterilized vice. Be sure to soak it all in during your first watch, because I doubt you'll ever want to view the world this way again. Full Review 1. Oppenheimer Christopher Nolan cited Oliver Stone’s 1991 masterpiece JFK as one of his main inspirations when adapting this material. He drops you into the middle of the action from frame one and keeps you there. Separate timelines begin to form, each folding into each other with increasing frequency. There’s the future besmirching of Oppenheimer’s legacy; the prideful past where we see his rise; and the roaring present where he must develop the atomic bomb before the Nazis. Similar to Dunkirk , Nolan, and cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema define these periods through the imagery. Whether it’s in bright color or stark black-and-white, what you’re seeing is always a work of beauty. Never has IMAX been used to capture the small moments with as much gravitas as the climatic detonation. Oppenheimer is as entertaining as it is enlightening, emboldened by Nolan’s unparalleled vision and craftsmanship. It’s possibly his magnum opus, grabbing hold of history with fiery conviction, never letting you go until you’ve experienced all that cinema has to offer. Full Review More Reviews 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple January 13, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen The Rip January 16, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Dead Man's Wire January 14, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen The Chronology of Water January 9, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Hunter Friesen

Sundance 2023 Preview January 19, 2023 By: Hunter Friesen After months of Oscar movies from leading auteurs, the Sundance Film Festival offers a nice break to discover some of the brightest talent of the future. The festival has also been one of the most accessible since the start of the pandemic, with the entire 2021 and 2022 lineups being available online throughout the world. Unfortunately, that amount of openness is being slightly pulled back for the 2023 edition, with some of the "bigger" films being in-person only. No matter, there are still plenty of exciting films that I plan to catch as part of the online platform from January 24-29. You can read about each one below, and pay attention to this site for reviews and other coverage. *Descriptions and images for all films supplied by the Sundance Film Festival program* Bad Behaviour Lucy (Jennifer Connelly) seeks enlightenment. The former child actress makes a pilgrimage to join her guru, Elon Bello (Ben Whishaw), for a silent retreat at a beautiful mountain resort with a Tesla-crammed parking lot. Before she shuts off her phone to the world, Lucy reaches out to her daughter, Dylan — a stunt person training for a dangerous fight scene — to interrupt her concentration and announce that she will be unavailable and out of range, and that she is very worried about her, and that she might extend her stay. It is codependent, bad behavior. When a young model/DJ/influencer at the retreat is paired up with Lucy to do a mother/daughter role-playing exercise, hellfire stokes Lucy’s bad behavior to an astonishing low. Run Rabbit Run Fertility doctor Sarah begins her beloved daughter Mia’s seventh birthday expecting nothing amiss. But as an ominous wind swirls in, Sarah’s carefully controlled world begins to alter. Mia begins behaving oddly and a rabbit appears outside their front door — a mysterious birthday gift that delights Mia but seems to deeply disconcert Sarah. As days pass, Mia becomes increasingly not herself, demanding to see Sarah’s long-estranged, hospitalized mother (the grandmother she’s never met before) and fraying Sarah’s nerves as the child’s bizarre tantrums begin to point her toward Sarah’s own dark history. As a ghost from her past re-enters Sarah’s life, she struggles to cling to her distant young daughter. Magazine Dreams Killian Maddox (Jonathan majors) lives with his ailing veteran grandfather, obsessively working out between court-mandated therapy appointments and part-time shifts at a grocery store where he harbors a crush on a friendly cashier. Though Killian’s struggles to read social cues and maintain control of his volatile temper amplify his sense of disconnection amid a hostile world, nothing deters him from his fiercely protected dream of bodybuilding superstardom, not even the doctors who warn that he’s causing permanent damage to his body with his quest. The Starling Girl Seventeen-year-old Jem Starling (Eliza Scanlen) struggles to define her place within her fundamentalist Christian community in rural Kentucky. Even her greatest joy — the church dance group — is tempered by worry that her love of dance is actually sinful, and she’s caught between a burgeoning awareness of her own sexuality and an instinctive resistance to her mom’s insistence that the time has come to begin courting. She finds respite from her confusion in the encouragement of her youth pastor Owen, who is likewise drawn to the blossoming Jem’s attention. Theater Camp As summer rolls around again, kids are gathering from all over to attend AdirondACTS, a scrappy theater camp in upstate New York that’s a haven for budding performers. After its indomitable founder Joan (Amy Sedaris) falls into a coma, her clueless “crypto-bro” son Troy (Jimmy Tatro) is tasked with keeping the thespian paradise running. With financial ruin looming, Troy must join forces with Amos (Ben Platt), Rebecca-Diane (Molly Gordon), and their band of eccentric teachers to come up with a solution before the curtain rises on opening night. Fair Play Hot off the heels of their new engagement, thriving New York couple Emily (Phoebe Dynevor) and Luke (Alden Ehrenreich) can’t get enough of each other. When a coveted promotion at a cutthroat financial firm arises, supportive exchanges between the lovers begin to sour into something more sinister. As the power dynamics irrevocably shift in their relationship, Luke and Emily must face the true price of success and the unnerving limits of ambition. Sometimes I Think About Dying Lost on the dreary Oregon coast, Fran (Daisy Ridley) wastes her daylight hours in the solitude of a cubicle, listening to the constant hum of officemates, occasionally daydreaming to pass the time. She is ghosting through life unable to pop her bubble of isolation. And then Robert starts up at the company. He is new to town and the dynamics of the office. He is a naturally friendly person who keeps trying to chat with Fran. Though it goes against every fiber of her being, she may have to give this guy a chance. Cat Person Margot (Emilia Jones), a college student working concessions at an art house theater, meets frequent filmgoer — and rather older local — Robert (Nicholas Braun), on the job. Flirtation across the counter evolves into continuous texting. As the two inch toward romance, shifts between them, awkward moments, red flags, and discomforts pile up. Margot feels both attached and reticent, as her gnawing hesitations blossom into vivid daydreams where Robert realizes his most threatening potential. As her distrust and uncertainty mount, an evening, their relationship, and possibly their lives unravel. More Reviews 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple January 13, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen The Rip January 16, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Dead Man's Wire January 14, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen The Chronology of Water January 9, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Hunter Friesen

Awards Update: Shortlists, Longlists, and Medium Odds December 18, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Welcome to an ongoing series where I cover the 2025/2026 awards season. On a regular basis, I will update my Oscar predictions, taking into account the new information that has been received since the last update. Full predictions in every category can be found on the Home and Awards page. The “sink or swim” mentality has been exemplified over these past few weeks with the onslaught of criticism and industry groups casting their influence on the Oscar race. Emotions between fandoms run high as prospects see-saw from day to day. Which snubs or surprises truly matter is always a tough question to answer, a symptom of the cramming of all these awards within such a narrow gap of time. But it is a rush like no other, and it’s all (mostly) in service of the best films of the year. Crashing down from its protracted high from last awards season is Wicked: For Good . In a stunning turn of events, the musical was unable to secure a nomination for Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy at the Golden Globes. Looking back at least fifty years (anything before then isn’t worth comparing), no musical that has been nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars has been snubbed by the Globes. It reminds me a lot of The Color Purple from a few years back. Like For Good , it had a lot of pedigree on paper, and even made a decent amount of appearances at other similarly timed precursor groups. But the reviews just weren’t up to standard, and everyone sensed that the dam was about to give. The saving grace for For Good is that since the expansion of Best Picture to a locked ten system, no film has received more than five nominations and not also gotten into Best Picture. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is the separating factor for that stat, as it received five nominations. I’m predicting an almost identical haul for For Good , so I think history will repeat itself and this sequel gets pushed out. Another blockbuster sequel that I’m kicking to the curb (at least for Best Picture) is Avatar: Fire and Ash . It’s always had the potential to suffer from “been there, done that” syndrome, especially now that the advantage of time is no longer on its side. All that could be countered if the film were good enough, which it isn’t. So, I’m making it a Visual Effects and Sound nominee, with it obviously winning the former category. After starting strong, Jay Kelly has dipped quite a bit. It couldn’t get in for Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy at the Golden Globes, nor did it make a few of the Oscar shortlists it was expected to hit. Starting peculiarly strong and maintaining that energy has been Bugonia , which I’m subbing into Best Picture for Jay Kelly . I expect Lanthimos’ film to play better at the BAFTAs. These films are interchangeable throughout the rest of the season, with PGA being the moment of sudden death. That leaves two open spots in Best Picture, which I’m currently filling with Train Dreams and The Secret Agent . It feels foolish to pick Neon to secure three films in Best Picture, having already theoretically secured a spot with It Was Just an Accident and Sentimental Value . However, The Secret Agent has had an impressive showing so far, and has much more passion behind it than many other films. Granted, its status as a critical darling gives it an advantage during this part of the season, which may not last once we start getting into the more mainstream televised awards. The path is brighter at this time, and I’d like to hop on that train before it’s too late. With the Globes and shortlists consolidating power near the top, I’m leaning on the top Best Picture contenders to nab any final slots in categories they’re not already heavyweights in. That means One Battle After Another is getting the final spot in Best Costume Design and Best Makeup & Hairstyling, and Sinners gets into Best Production Design. On Oscar nomination morning, I expect at least three to four films to walk away with double-digit nominations, with the potential for One Battle After Another to either tie or break the all-time nomination record. More Reviews 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple January 13, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen The Rip January 16, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Dead Man's Wire January 14, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen The Chronology of Water January 9, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen

American Fiction November 1, 2023 By: Button Hunter Friesen American Fiction screened at the 2023 Twin Cities Film Fest. MGM will release it in limited theaters on December 15, followed by a nationwide expansion on December 22. American Fiction is this year’s Triangle of Sadness : a social satire that somewhat succeeds because it’s undeniably hilarious and that it’s practically shooting fish in a barrel. Both films also claimed ironic victory when making their world premieres at their respective festivals. Triangle of Sadness , a brutal takedown of the uber-rich, nabbed the Palme d’Or at the exclusive black-tie Cannes Film Festival, while American Fiction , an examination of the reduction of the Black experience by white people, won the People’s Choice Award at the mostly-white Toronto International Film Festival. We’s Lives in Da Ghetto is a bestselling book in the world that Thelonious “Monk” Ellison (Jeffrey Wright) inhabits. Its author, Sintara Golden (Issa Rae), was born to lawyer parents and received an Ivy-league education, making her claims about the novel’s poverty-stricken protagonists being modeled after “her people” dubious at best. This is all happening while Monk can’t find anyone to publish his newest book, another in a long line of rigorously intellectual academia on Black life in America. There’s also Monk’s mother (Leslie Uggams), who’s beginning to show signs of rapidly progressive dementia. Being a literature professor at West Coast University doesn’t pay enough to cover her medical costs, and neither does having an unsold manuscript, so, in a drunken stupor, Monk decides to write the most panderingly simplistic “Black novel” that he can. Predictably, the trashy piece of work is a sensation to all the white liberal publicists. Six-digit offers come flying through the door, along with movie deals. Becoming part of the problem is now making Monk extremely wealthy. Does he continue the charade, or do his morals persuade him to pull the plug? Spike Lee’s Bamboozled would be a more literal comparison to what writer/director Cord Jefferson is aiming for in his debut feature film. There are also several connected elements between this and Charlie Day’s Fool’s Paradise from earlier this year, which aimed at Hollywood. Much of the satire there and here revolves around the protagonists doing/saying something ludicrously stupid and, to their bewilderment, being met with immense applause from the gullible idiots. The world happens around them, and they react with disdain. We’re in on the joke with them, pointing and laughing at the idiots while thinking there’s no way we’re like them. Unfortunately, like Day, Jefferson doesn’t seem to have much to say outside of the obvious as Monk digs himself deeper into a hole of lies. It’s correct in everything it’s saying, but everything it’s correct about has already been agreed upon by the audience that will watch it. It’s nearly impossible to start a conversation when most everyone is already on the same page and your material is too neatly packaged to confront the ideals of anyone on the other side. What’s missing is Spike Lee’s ability to provoke and make you uncomfortable, as that’s when you’re at your most critically minded. There’s also the presence of several other subplots along with the ailing mother. Monk strikes up a charming, yet frustratingly thin, romance with his mother’s neighbor Coraline (Erika Alexander). Monk’s erratic younger brother Cliff (Sterling K. Brown), who just came out of the closet, is also in town. He isn’t much help with their mother’s medical needs, but he does know how to show Monk the error of his ways. None of these plotlines coalesce neatly, and very few of them reach a satisfying conclusion. Ironically, Jefferson launched his career as a magazine editor, a role sorely needed here. Still, Jefferson has made a very funny movie littered with many witty one-liners. And he’s given a substantial leading role to the great Jeffrey Wright, who hasn’t received top billing in nearly three decades. Just as he’s proved in the two Wes Anderson films he’s been in, Wright shows an incredible talent for wordplay and physical comedy. Brown and John Ortiz, playing Monk’s agent, often threaten to steal the show with their exuberance. American Fiction may be a victim of expectations as winning the People’s Choice Award at TIFF certainly raised the bar. Whether that’s fair or not is a different story. All I know is that I can only write about what I felt, which was slight disappointment mixed with great optimism about what Jefferson will do next. More Reviews 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple January 13, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen The Rip January 16, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Dead Man's Wire January 14, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen The Chronology of Water January 9, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Hunter Friesen