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Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire December 20, 2023 By: Button Hunter Friesen If you loved the “This is Katana” speech from 2016’s Suicide Squad , then you will have a field day with Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire . Snyder and his two credited co-writers, Shay Hatten and Kurt Johnstad, steal from every source they can, so much so from Star Wars and Seven Samurai that George Lucas and the estate of Akira Kurosawa would be in their legal right to sue for credit, although they shouldn’t because that would tangentially connect them to this abominable script for the rest of time. But the con doesn’t stop on the page, as nearly every image is so steeped in the iconography of what’s come before that it’s impossible to see it for anything more than a cheap knockoff. Stop me if you’ve heard this one before. An opening crawl’s worth of lore is narrated by Anthony Hopkins as an evil dreadnought appears out of space and moves past the camera, which then pans down to a desert planet to reveal a young orphan farmer. No, the projectionist (or the Netflix server) didn’t accidentally play A New Hope , it just started the biggest edge lord wannabe since Todd Phillips’ Joker (that one at least boasted a high level of competence). Our young hero is Kora (Sofia Boutella), who harbors a traumatic past with the fascist Motherworld, led by Ed Skrien’s Admiral Atticus Noble, donning every piece of Nazi regalia except for the swastika. Kora knows that the arrival of Noble means death for her quant farming village, but none of the other villagers take the danger seriously enough. The consequence of their underestimation is tragedy, prompting Kora to travel the galaxy assembling a team of warriors to fight back against the evil that encroaches on the people she cares about. That synopsis might seem simple enough (as it should because you’ve literally seen it before), but nothing is simple about the way Snyder tiringly doles it out. The who, what, where, when, and why are in a constant state of vagueness, masked by unclear exposition and uninteresting politics. At some point, you just have to throw your hands in the air and simplify it down to Kora being Luke Skywalker, Noble being Darth Vader, the Motherworld being The Empire, and Charlie Hunnam playing the Han Solo-type. What does that mean for the other half-dozen characters that don’t fit into that mold? It actually doesn’t matter because they hardly matter either, almost all of them serving more as action figures than believable mortals. But action figures deserve good action set pieces. And except for a genuinely cool fight between Doona Bae’s samurai witch and an Arachne, there isn’t a moment that inspires the eyegasm Synder so desperately wants you to have. He employs the typical slow-fast-slow speed-toggling at such a predictable clip that you’d wish it was eligible to be gambled on. The gore is also toned down considerably through choppy editing. That aspect has been lumped in with the individual character backstories as the main selling points for the future Snyder Cut, which promises to fix all the problems they’ve readily admitted feature in this cut. Those extra hours will include more opportunities for Snyder - serving as his own DP again after Army of the Dead (who the hell let that happen!?) - to indulge in his ultra-shallow focus cinematography. It’s not as ugly as before, but it still backfires to expose the artificiality of the sets and incessant visual effects used to cover it up. Returning to George Lucas, there were a few moments here that made the digital backdrops from the prequel films seem photorealistic. I don’t know where the story goes next in the soon-to-come sequel The Scargiver ; not because Snyder ended it on an interesting note, but because I’m still baffled about everything that happened and what it all means going forward. Honestly, it takes true talent to cheat this intensely and still fail so hard. More Reviews One Battle After Another September 24, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen A Christmas Party September 23, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Him September 18, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Swiped September 19, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Hunter Friesen

Raymond & Ray September 13, 2022 By: Button Hunter Friesen Raymond & Ray had its World Premiere at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival. Apple TV+ will release it on its streaming platform on October 21. You’d have to be a real son of a bitch to give your kids the same name. Such is the case for half-brothers Raymond (Ewan McGregor) and Ray (Ethan Hawke), who have had to endure their father’s physical and emotional cruelty long after they grew up and left him to rot away in the personal hell they think he belongs in. And now that he’s finally dead, they don’t know what to feel. Should they be sad, just like any normal son would for their father? But how can they after all they’ve been through? It’s a troubling question that the pair must navigate as they venture back to their home to bury the patriarch, which leads to some revelations about the past and the impending future. Based on outward appearances, Raymond is the more responsible and well-adjusted one. He dresses appropriately and is clean-shaven, resembling someone who’s always trying to give off the impression that he’s made it. Ray, on the other hand, is more of the “go with the flow” type, always flirting around and keeping his shirts unbuttoned. He’s also rejected his jazz musician past and is a recovering addict, two things he doesn’t like to talk about. Raymond also has his personal demons, including two divorces (and a third impending one), and a rocky relationship with his son who’s off in the army. While neither of them is as bad as their forbearer, it seems the apples haven’t fallen too far from the tree. As you could imagine, these two flawed characters will often be seen having conversations about their past and how it isn’t their fault they ended up this way. It’s all very tiring and drawn-out material, something that writer/director Rodrigo García is becoming accustomed to with the equally clichéd Four Good Days just this past year (whose only claim to fame was a tiringly predictable Best Original Song nomination for Diane Warren). Not much about it rings true, with most of the story beats being visible from a mile away. And if they are mildly surprising, the dramatic blocks haven’t been built up enough to make the toppling over that exciting. That constant sense of “been there, done this” also extended towards the actors, who, try as they must, can’t find a way to make this bird sing. Ewan McGregor, reteaming with García for similar material after portraying a fatherly tortured version of Jesus Christ in 2015’s Last Days in the Desert , is the weaker of the central pair. There’s a sort of artifice to his performance, almost as if he hasn’t fully shed the chutzpah he needed to bring to the table for his recent work in Birds of Prey or in Ryan Murphy’s Halston series (which did earn him an Emmy award, so you can’t entirely blame him). Hawke, on the other hand, seems to be stuck in neutral, playing a similar archetype that he can do in his sleep at this point. Fortunately, there is the presence of Maribel Verdú and Sophie Okonedo to lighten things up and make it somewhat interesting from time to time. Each gets to share some time with one of the brothers, with Okonedo and Hawke being the better pair as they offer some introspective scenes about grief and reckoning with the past. Raymond & Ray is the type of movie that seems to evaporate from your brain the moment you step out of the theater. And while that’s a fine thing for mindless blockbusters, it’s not for movies like this that try to aim for something much weightier. And it’s doubly concerning when it wastes the talents of those involved, who easily could have been doing something more substantial. More Reviews One Battle After Another September 24, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen A Christmas Party September 23, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Him September 18, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Swiped September 19, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Hunter Friesen

Chappaquiddick April 26, 2018 By: Button Hunter Friesen The date is July 18, 1969. Senator Edward “Ted” Kennedy is speeding down the moonlit road on Chappaquiddick Island. In the passenger seat is 28-year-old Mary Jo Kopechne, who was a presidential campaign secretary for Robert Kennedy. After a few missed turns, the car eventually meets the infamous narrow bridge that connects the chain of islands. Ted doesn't react in time, and the car skids over the bridge and flips over into the water. A few minutes go by and Ted is back on land, but Mary Jo is still trapped underwater. She would eventually drown screaming Ted’s name for help, all while he stood from afar, muttering the line “I’m not going to be president.” This is the real-life incident that is explored in the new film Chappaquiddick . In addition to showing the incident, the story tells of the immediate actions taken by Ted and his aides to cover up and save his political career. The film is directed by John Curran, whose most notable previous work is The Painted Veil way back in 2006. Curran doesn’t dance around with the material and instead decides to give the facts in a straightforward manner. We frantically go from one event to another, watching and listening to every piece of information as it is given to us in a workmanlike routine. Curran does well at positioning the camera to create a film that is more focused on characters than events. He uses a mixture of close up and tracking shots to keep us focused on the leading players. A specific highlight comes when he expertly cuts between close-up shots of Mary Jo drowning and Ted lying in bed later that night. It’s a haunting sequence to watch as the different outcomes of the two characters are compared simultaneously. Unfortunately, Curran’s matter-of-fact storytelling style also weighs the film down and limits its potential. Having the narrative move quickly never really gives the characters enough time to open up and develop. It also never gives the audience enough time to reflect on what has just happened. Just like the directing, the script also helps and hurts the film's overall quality. Coming from first-time writers Taylor Allen and Andrew Logan, the screenplay is very focused on delivering the facts in the most efficient and simplified way possible. This helps the audience connect every dot as we always know what is going on and who is involved. The writing also shows every character as their true self, and not as glorified pieces of history. For instance, Instead of portraying Ted as a tragic figure, the writing shows him as the man everyone knew him as someone that will do anything to protect his name and career. The part where the script fails to deliver is the pacing and overall emotional weight. Allen and Logan’s need to deliver every possible fact quickly proves tiring and overloads the already cramped 106-minute runtime. There is also never an engaging hook or overall emotional theme, just a fact-based story being told in a flat tone. By the end, the film feels very average as everything is wrapped up in an unoriginal fashion. The performances in this film are the main attraction, which seems fitting considering both the directing and script put a large amount of emphasis on the characters. Jason Clarke does a great job as Ted Kennedy. Clarke perfects both the Kennedy voice and physical mannerisms. He also brings a large amount of insecurity as his character hopelessly tries to live up to the legends of his three deceased older brothers. Ed Helms, in a role completely different from type, was pleasantly surprising as Ted’s assistant and cousin Joe Gargan, who was also involved in the incident. Helms acts as a vessel for the audience as he reacts to Ted’s actions with bewilderment. Bruce Dern is probably the most memorable part of the film, even though he speaks less than ten words. He plays John Kennedy Sr., who is confined to a wheelchair and unable to speak because of a stroke. Dern’s veteran skill allows him to overcome his character's physical limitations and deliver a performance that is chilling to watch as he bullies Ted into following his every order. Finally, Kate Mara does well as Mary Jo Kopechne. While she doesn’t get enough time to stand out, Mara brings a strong amount of emotional depth to her doomed character. While the actors all give admirable performances, the so-so-directing and middling script restricts this film from reaching its true potential. Overall, this is a very conventional drama that is serviceable enough for those who are interested in what happened that fatal day in 1969. More Reviews One Battle After Another September 24, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen A Christmas Party September 23, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Him September 18, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Swiped September 19, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Hunter Friesen

Joker: Folie à Deux October 1, 2024 By: Button Hunter Friesen Imagine you’re Todd Phillips. At the beginning of the summer of 2019, Avengers: Endgame has become the highest-grossing movie of all time, putting the comic book genre at the peak of its power and cultural relevancy. You have your own comic book movie releasing later in the fall, one that will be a soft “fuck you” to all the genre contemporaries that built themselves upon a pile of special effects, and not the ideas and controversy that you’re bringing to the table. The premiere of the film at the Venice Film Festival, one of the most prestigious in the world, is all set, and everyone is going to lose their minds at the edginess you’re about to unleash. Instead, your worst fears become realized: people love the movie. The jury at Venice gives it the top prize, the Golden Lion, a historic occasion for this type of film. Apart from more than a few naysayers, critics are hailing it as a revolutionary film for the time. More than a billion dollars flood in from the box office, and awards rain down from the sky. Everywhere you turn, people are clamoring for more. It’s all wrong. People shouldn’t be enjoying the movie, at least not like this. You had to deal with this in the Hangover franchise, and now it’s time to take the same steps here to correct the course. That’s right, Joker: Folie à Deux is the new The Hangover Part III , a movie filled with so much contempt for its fans that you wonder why it even bothered to please them in the first place. Of course, I could be talking out of my ass about this whole situation. But based on Phillips' desire to always be a subversive rebel and subconscious disdain for success, there’s no other way to explain how much this sequel tries to talk down to those who worshipped at the altar of its predecessor. Mathematically, that would mean that all the previous detractors would be won over. But the work within Folie à Deux simply isn’t good enough for them. Sure, it still looks pretty, with Lawrence Sher returning as the cinematographer to deliver some immaculately grimy shots. Instead, it’s just the same joke being told again. And no matter how much you try, it’ll never be as funny the second time around. To give Phillips some credit, this isn’t exactly the same old joke again. Yes, Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) is still a disillusioned and misunderstood figure within Gotham City, now locked up in Arkham Asylum for the past five years after he murdered all those people. The trial of the century is coming up, and his court-appointed lawyer is mounting the defense that Arthur and Joker are two totally different people. It’s also the defense that Phillips finds himself the most tied to, siding against the people who worshipped Joker and belittled Arthur. Joker isn’t cool, he’s a murderer who stands for nothing but chaos, all while Arthur sits alone waiting for the tiniest amount of compassion. And we pass him over every day, opting to tune in to revel in the juicy details about the violence and misery enacted by someone who doesn’t deserve an ounce of our attention. Furthering the case of Arthur’s split personality is his increasingly frequent outbursts into song and dance. Each of them serves as the creative outlet to which words can’t do justice, although the prospect of a $200 million dark comic-book musical is much more realized on paper than here. “Dour” would be the word of choice to describe each set piece, with Phoenix and Lady Gaga, appearing here as Joker’s #1 fan Harley Quinn, providing the only semblance of passion. After a while, they all start to blend together into one meh soup, a symptom of the on-the-nose messaging and Phillips’ inability to craft a catchy setpiece. It’s much easier to appreciate them within the franticness of a trailer rather than the methodicism of the final product. There is something to be said about this movie’s dedication to adhering to its DNA despite all the scope and scale placed upon it. It desperately wants to do something different, although it’s not quite sure what that is. It’s played both sides, but instead of doubling its profits, it exponentially multiplied its losses. More Reviews One Battle After Another September 24, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen A Christmas Party September 23, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Him September 18, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Swiped September 19, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Hunter Friesen

Hustlers September 16, 2019 By: Button Hunter Friesen We all know how the Great Recession of 2008 affected the American economy. There are countless stories of large financial and automotive firms going under, taking thousands of employees with them. But one industry you may not have heard of that had one of the biggest direct impacts on workers: strip clubs. Based on a true story, Hustlers tells the story of four New York female strippers as they scam and crawl their way out of the financial crisis that left their usual Wall Street clients with no money to flaunt. Probably one of the most fun movies of the year, Hustlers flows with great kinetic energy that makes it endlessly entertaining. Director Lorene Scafaria takes a lot of influence from the works of Martin Scorsese and Adam McKay (also a producer on the film) as she effortlessly keeps the movie going at top speed. Watching this, you’re reminded of great films like The Wolf of Wall Street and Goodfellas . Scafaria also shows off her great productional talent as she makes use of several slow-motion montages mixed with a perfect soundtrack of mid-2000s R&B hits. Numerous moments of fluid camerawork that mix both quick cuts and long takes give the film a fresh and brisk pace. There’s one moment where all these great facets come together in a surprise meta-cameo from a well-known singer/dancer. The perfect music choice, the choreography of the dancers, and the blocking of the movement make it the most exciting and memorable scene in the film. In addition to directing, Scafaria also pens the script, imbuing the narrative with the themes of family and sisterhood. We see the four women come together and follow the journey of bonding through redemption. Sometimes it does get close to Fast & Furious levels of overdoing it, but the strong performances from the leads make it believable to watch. Scafaria also uses a flashback framework structure as the story cuts between the past and present with the quartet plunging deeper into the moral grey areas of their actions. There’s a constant feeling of having already seen this technique done before several times. However, it’s very interesting to see this kind of story told not from the demeaning point of view that plagues similar films, but from an unmalicious female perspective. Scafaria does slip up when it comes to the moral reasoning of the actions and character development as they are both put to the sideline in favor of more dancing scenes. In her defense, the dancing scenes are the best part of the film and a treat to watch. But they each start to become empty near the end as the lack of depth and ethical stakes become too obvious to ignore. Holding the story together are two excellent performances from the leading ladies of Constance Wu and Jennifer Lopez. After her breakout hit in last year's Crazy Rich Asians , Wu here turns in another star-making performance as Destiny. With the good material Scafaria gives her, she sinks deep into her character and shows off her more dramatic chops Jennifer Lopez, surprisingly fifty years old, plays Ramona and is the best she’s been in a long time. She struts that movie star glow that keeps your eyes always glued to her, especially during her more physical scenes that give off a sense of both grace and power. The rest of the supporting cast is stunt cast with the likes of Cardi B and Lizzo, who play themselves. They each don’t mean anything to the story apart from their name value on the poster. Hustlers is one of the sleekest and entertaining movies to come out this year. While its politics may be a bit skimp and misguided from time to time, the brilliant directing by Scafaria and powerhouse performances by Wu and Lopez make this a great time well worth your investment. More Reviews One Battle After Another September 24, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen A Christmas Party September 23, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Him September 18, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Swiped September 19, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Hunter Friesen

The Batman March 7, 2022 By: Button Hunter Friesen It can be quite difficult these days to parse through the DC Cinematic Universe. While Marvel has been steady as she goes for nearly a decade and a half, DC has puttered along, shooting misfire after misfire. Man of Steel was certainly not the way things should have started, and neither was Justice League the way things should have come together. And then there’s the whole debacle around Zack Snyder’s Justice League (is it canon, or just a director’s cut?) and The Suicide Squad , which is somehow both a reboot and a sequel. Somewhere during their productions, Warner Brothers decided they should differentiate their slate from Marvel by producing smaller-scale, filmmaker-focused films (no disrespect to Marvel, but there isn’t a single film in their universe with a clear authorial voice). First came Todd Phillips' Joker , which, for better and for worse, made quite the statement. The next is Matt Reeves’ The Batman , which steps outside of the current cinematic universe hellscape and exists on its terms as an ultra-dark and ultra-noir-inspired thriller. Batman has been fighting crime for close to two years now, with not much to show for it. The streets are still filled with garbage, both in the form of flesh and debris. The criminals may fear Batman, but not enough to stop committing crimes altogether. So, the endless cycle of carnage continues. That is until a new face appears on the block in the form of The Riddler, who’s brutally murdering Gotham’s top officials, and also murders their reputations by exposing their scandals to the public. As his name would suggest, the culprit leaves behind riddles addressed “To the Batman,” made to mock The Caped Crusader as he pieces together this intricately pieced puzzle. Just like Phillips took (a little too much) inspiration from Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver and The King of Comedy when crafting his character study of the mentally insane for Joker , writer/director Matt Reeves borrows heavily from the work of David Fincher, particularly Se7en and Zodiac . The Riddler may as well be the Zodiac killer, as Paul Dano’s performance channels the character’s brilliance and insanity. The tension he builds is unparalleled and makes you feel that you're witnessing someone who’s truly gone off the deep end. And with a runtime just five minutes shy of three hours, The Batman has plenty of time to unravel its grand mystery. It’s a thickly layered plot tracing corruption back to the days of Thomas Wayne. The best compliment that I can give any comic book movie is that even if you replace the superheroes with regular people, you still have an interesting story to tell. It’s something that Christopher Nolan was able to accomplish with his Dark Knight trilogy, as well as Sam Raimi with his Spider-Man films. Things may get lost in the shuffle from time to time here, and the ending may leave a bad taste in your mouth, but there’s a lot to love on the page. But with Robert Pattinson as Batman, it’s hard to imagine him not in this movie, as he delivers yet another undeniable performance. Nearly every actor cast as Batman has had their fair share of naysayers, from Michael Keaton to Ben Affleck. With this role, Pattinson is finally able to show the general public his true talent, with most casual moviegoers remembering him only as the sparkly vampire from the T wilight series. Pattinson has always excelled at playing uncomfortable characters, with his work on Good Time and The Lighthouse being prime examples. There’s a restless edge to his version of Batman, something that's been eating away the character’s soul after years of sleepless nights. And in those nights, DP Greig Fraser, hot off his Oscar nomination for his work on Dune , crafts some immaculate imagery. Silhouettes and shadows haunt the dark city streets, with the neon lights drenched in rain providing stark contrast. This is not just one of the best-looking comic-book movies, it’s one of the best-looking movies ever. Fraser does get help from Production Designer James Chinlund, who seamlessly merges New York and Chicago architecture to make Gotham the cesspool that it is. At its core, The Batman is not much of a Batman movie, and that’s what makes it so great. Reeves has taken all the familiar trappings and given them a fresh new look. It may only be March, but the bar for the rest of the films this year just got raised a bit higher. And unlike every other DC film to come out in the past couple of years, I’m excited to see where this story goes next. More Reviews One Battle After Another September 24, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen A Christmas Party September 23, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Him September 18, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Swiped September 19, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Hunter Friesen

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 December 22, 2024 By: Button Tyler Banark As someone whose only connection to Sonic the Hedgehog growing up was Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games , the Sonic the Hedgehog movie franchise has surprised me. Since the first film’s release right before the pandemic, the series has proven to be a shining example of adapting a beloved video game series into a successful movie saga, a task Hollywood couldn’t overcome for decades. And to think the starting point for these movies was a poorly reviewed trailer featuring the infamously ugly character design. Unlike Marvel, DC, and Star Wars fanbases, Sonic fans get what they want and shut up about it (and they don’t ask for much). With Sonic the Hedgehog 3 , the series doesn’t just maintain its momentum—it rockets forward, delivering a cinematic experience that balances thrilling action, heartfelt storytelling, and fan service. It’s a film that manages to entertain longtime fans of the Blue Blur and newcomers alike. The plot picks up shortly after the events of the second film, with Sonic (Ben Schwartz) continuing to grow into his role as a protector of Earth. However, peace is short-lived as the film introduces Shadow the Hedgehog, a fan-favorite character from the games whose enigmatic presence brings a darker and more mature tone to the narrative. Shadow’s complex motivations and his morally ambiguous stance provide an intriguing contrast to Sonic’s upbeat and heroic personality. Their interactions are packed with tension and occasional glimpses of camaraderie, making for some of the film’s most compelling moments. Thanks to the pitch-perfect casting of Keanu Reeves, Shadow is easily the best character on screen as he brings his charisma to a character that could’ve been one-dimensional. As expected, Jim Carrey’s portrayal of Dr. Robotnik is again a highlight. His eccentric energy and comedic timing give the character a larger-than-life quality. However, this time around, his antics are more different than in previous films, as he also plays Robotnik’s long-lost grandpa through heavy prosthetics. Seeing Carrey come out of retirement to do this double-duty act is a sight to behold, as it brings back that charm and energy audiences couldn’t get enough of during his prime in the ‘90s. The returning characters also shine in their respective roles. Tails (Colleen O'Shaughnessey) remains the group's heart, offering unwavering support to Sonic. At the same time, Knuckles (Idris Elba) continues bringing comic relief and brute strength to the team, with his literal interpretations and warrior ethos providing some of the film’s funniest moments. Together, the trio forms a tight-knit group whose chemistry drives the story's emotional core. One of the most impressive aspects of Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is its ability to blend nostalgia with innovation. Fans of the games will appreciate the numerous Easter eggs and callbacks, from the inclusion of iconic locations to subtle nods to Sonic’s long history. At the same time, the film doesn’t rely solely on nostalgia. It pushes the story forward with high stakes, a more complex villain, and themes of identity, loyalty, and redemption that resonate beyond the confines of a family-friendly adventure. Visually, the film is nothing short of spectacular. The CGI has reached new heights, with Sonic, Shadow, and the rest of the cast looking more vibrant than ever. The action sequences are a standout, with high-speed chases and battles choreographed to perfection. The climactic showdown, involving the chaos emeralds, is a jaw-dropping spectacle that feels like it was lifted straight from the games and brought to life on the big screen. Despite its many strengths, the film isn’t without its flaws. While the humor is a key part of the series’ charm, a few jokes feel overly simplistic or aimed solely at younger audiences. However, the times when the jokes aren’t childish and out of leftfield, they’ll have the grown-ups laughing for minutes. Furthermore, some side characters, such as Tom (James Marsden) and Maddie (Tika Sumpter), Sonic’s human family, feel underutilized, which may disappoint fans who enjoyed their more significant roles in previous films. Nevertheless, these issues do little to detract from the film's overall enjoyment. Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is a more than worthy addition to the franchise and a must-see for fans of the series. It balances humor, action, and emotion with a narrative that feels both epic and personal. Whether you’re a longtime fan of the Blue Hedgehog or just looking for a fun, family-friendly movie, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 will leave you with a smile and a sense of anticipation for what’s next (the mid-credits scene will get fans going big-time, believe me). Every aspect is one-upped profoundly, making audiences want to go fast by the time the credits roll. You can follow Tyler and hear more of his thoughts on Twitter , Instagram , and Letterboxd . More Reviews One Battle After Another September 24, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen A Christmas Party September 23, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Him September 18, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Swiped September 19, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Hunter Friesen

Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio December 4, 2022 By: Button Hunter Friesen Like humanity’s search for the missing link or the cure for cancer, filmmakers have endlessly pursued to adapt Italian author Carlo Collodi’s 1883 novel The Adventures of Pinocchio . Of course, Disney practically cornered the market with their 1940 animated musical version, which still haunts children to this day thanks to the Pleasure Island sequence. Decades would pass, with Robert Benigni - hot off the immense international success of Life is Beautiful - writing, directing, and starring in a 2002 live-action adaptation. The film would be a colossal critical and financial failure, practically locking Benigni in filmmaker jail for the rest of his career. But it didn’t stop him from appearing in another version later in 2019, this time solely in the role of Geppetto for writer/director Matteo Garrone’s version (which received two surprise Oscar nominations for its costumes and makeup). We also can’t forget the adjacent stories such as Stanley Kubrick/Steven Spielberg’s A.I. Artificial Intelligence , or the projects that never got off the ground such as ones from Sam Mendes and Paul Thomas Anderson/Robert Downey Jr. Now in 2022, we have two more adaptations, with Robert Zemeckis’ live-action Disney+ version following the same disastrous fate as Begnini’s, and Guillermo del Toro’s stop-motion animated Netflix sticking closer to the original text. All this is to say: After so many Pinocchio adaptations, how much can del Toro’s version reinvent the wheel and stick out from the crowd? Well, for starters, this version of Pinocchio might look appealing to children on the outside, but inside it harbors themes of loss, regret, fascism (a del Toro specialty), and mortality. Of course, it still carries a PG rating, so things never cross the line where you have to shield the eyes of the younger ones. But everybody has at least one or two memories of an animated film scaring the hell out of them, so why not let this be one of those times for today’s children? We are first introduced to Geppetto at the foot of his son Carlo’s grave. Through some flashbacks, we understand why he loved his son so much, and how he feels betrayed by God for taking him away. In a drunken stupor, he makes a wooden puppet, which is then granted life by the Wood Sprite, a terrifying version of the Blue Fairy. Pinocchio has a never-ending thirst for knowledge, which leads him to often disobey his papa’s commands. He soon gets conned into joining the circus by an evil carny and his pet monkey (with Cate Blanchett providing the primate noises), and also is recruited into the Italian army by a Nazi leader after it's discovered he’s incapable of dying. Already experienced at guiding live-action directors into the world of animation after doing so with Wes Anderson on Fantastic Mr. Fox , co-director Mark Gustafson aids del Toro in blending the macabre with the cheerful. The attention to detail is immaculate, with the painstakingly crafted sets and character movements given their time to shine. Also crammed into this slightly overstretched 120-minute version is a handful of songs, which often beg the question of whether or not this is a musical. None of the musical moments deserve to be remembered, even though they are delivered capably by the talented voice cast. Del Toro’s love for the material is always present, and so are the influences he has taken throughout his filmography, particularly Pan's Labyrinth and The Shape of Water . That adoration can sometimes be infectious, even if this is well-worn material that probably didn’t need another retelling. More Reviews One Battle After Another September 24, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen A Christmas Party September 23, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Him September 18, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Swiped September 19, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Hunter Friesen

Inside March 14, 2023 By: Button Hunter Friesen Between the fishes in the aquarium and the pigeon with a broken wing on the patio, there’s plenty of on-the-nose symbolism surrounding Willem Dafoe’s character’s situation within Inside , a film that never lacks for imagery, but seldom brings it above the surface. “Cats die, music fades, but art is for keeps,” Dafoe narrates as he prepares to perform a high-stakes burglary within a luxurious Manhattan penthouse. The owner appears to be an uber-rich art collector, with several of his prized pieces fetching a high asking price on the black market. The initial snatch-and-grab goes off without a hitch, that is until Dafoe’s hacker accomplice mistakenly trips the alarm at the last minute. The apartment shuts down into defense mode, trapping Dafoe into a gilded cage filled with bountiful treasures, but no way to get them out. The resourceful thief must rely on his wits and resourcefulness to endure the isolation, as there’s no way to tell when he might be able to get out. In a cruel twist of fate, the apartment is filled with more paintings than food and running water, turning this once lavish paradise into a barren wasteland. With next to no other in-person cast members and taking place on entirely one set, Inside may as well be confused as a member of the pandemic-era club of tiny movies that were able to be filmed while abiding by the strict safety protocols. Such members include Sam Levinson’s misbegotten Malcolm & Marie , the James McAvoy & Sharon Horgan-starring Together , and Judd Apatow’s “I shed two tears every time I mention it,” The Bubble . Luckily, Inside is no nowhere near as infuriating or as limited as those films, but it may not be all that more memorable. Director/co-writer Vasilis Katsoupis, marking his narrative feature debut, displays a knack for crispy imagery. The sharp edges of the high-end furniture and décor give off the vibe of a cold prison, with the thief’s hierarchy of needs being changed by the day. The television has a CCTV feed, with one of the cameras being pointed at a cleaning lady eating her sandwich during her lunch break. The thief looks with lust toward the sandwich, with all the high-priced surrounding him worth nothing in comparison. Eventually, Inside becomes a game of Chekhov’s Symbol, as every perfectly framed image and use of color is required to profoundly mean something. It would have made for an interesting puzzle if the pieces weren’t so easy to put together and the ending picture was anywhere close to being worth more than the sum of its parts. Dafoe never lets the act of putting those pieces together seem dull, with his quiet intensity and surprisingly physical athleticism making for an interesting outwardly character study. Along with Cate Blanchett and Tilda Swinton, he has amassed one of the most interesting careers of the past few decades, seamlessly moving between large-scale Hollywood productions and offbeat indies. If anything, Inside serves as a nice appetizer of Dafoe before the main course is served by Wes Anderson and Yorgos Lanthimos later this year with Asteroid City and Poor Things / AND , respectively. The bluntness of Inside doesn’t make an immediately rewatchable experience, nor does the ho-hum narrative make for an immediate reason to see it in the first place. Katsoupis tries his best to make his film a work of art. But just like all the pieces hanging on the walls within the apartment, his work will quickly get tossed away in favor of anything that offers more sustenance. More Reviews One Battle After Another September 24, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen A Christmas Party September 23, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Him September 18, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Swiped September 19, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Hunter Friesen

The Predator September 20, 2018 By: Button Hunter Friesen The original Predator from 1987 was a film full of mindless action done in a smart way. Every other sequel, spin-off, and reboot following has just been mindless action done really dumb. The Predator , the new quasi-reboot/sequel, is no exception to that trend. The Predator tries to be a lot of things at once: an ultra-gory action thriller, a witty character comedy, and a relationship drama between family and friends. Instead, it’s none of these things as each piece is weighed down by the other until the whole thing falls apart into one lazy mess. The Predator comes as the first failure by director Shane Black, who previously did well with Iron Man 3 and The Nice Guys . Black’s trademark use of witty banter doesn’t go over well here as it has in his previous films. Most of the jokes are shoehorned in for the sake of having them and are delivered with little effort. They also seem really out of place. Dramatic scenes have jokes in them for no reason and scenes that are supposed to be comedic end up being dry. Also, the whole tone of the film just feels off. It never settles and constantly keeps seesawing between hard action and silly over-the-top fun, which jarringly contrast each other. When the film is hard action, it’s ordinary gory action that’s been done better by others. Specifically, the whole third act of the film feels like a generic shoot ‘em up. It’s a huge disappointment considering that the film had been building up to this moment throughout the first two acts. Along with Fred Dekker, Shane Black also serves as a writer. Similar to his directing, Black’s writing is lackluster and a letdown when compared to his previous work. The overall plot comes off as lazy. There really isn’t a big picture for the film and how it connects to the rest of the franchise. We do get some connectors and facts, but mainly they’re just cast aside in favor of more action set pieces. Another misstep is the introduction of the main character’s son, Rory, who acts as a link between the aliens and humans. Just like every other kid in an action movie, Rory’s only purpose is to artificially raise the stakes and force us to care for him just because he’s a kid. The biggest gripe against the writers is how they take the Suicide Squad approach towards the characters. We go around introducing each character and learn one trait about them. Then the characters only act on that one trait the whole movie, which quickly gets tiresome. Half of them don’t even serve a point until they die at the end in a desperate attempt to make us care for them. Stemming from the bad writing is some equally bad acting from the main cast. Boyd Holbrook plays our lead character, Quinn McKenna, an elite stealth sniper. Holbrook is very boring in the role and plays the same “conflicted army character with a heart of gold” that we’ve seen over and over. Just like Holbrook, Olivia Munn plays her character, Dr. Casey Bracket, like every other action movie scientist. She gives some science mumbo jumbo every few minutes and doesn’t do much else. Sterling K. Brown lacks his usual confidence here. He always looks unsure of himself as he doesn't know how to play his character. He wants to be a multi-layered villain but ends up being a cartoon. One slight nod can be given to Keegan-Michael Key. His manic energy allows for some of the jokes to not totally fail. Everybody’s heard the saying, “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars.” Most films embody this statement, shooting too high and coming out average. The Predator , on the other hand, does the exact opposite of this statement. It seems like the filmmakers didn't care enough to shoot for the moon. They shot for average at best and missed badly, leaving us with a film that feels like an empty shell of what it could have been. More Reviews One Battle After Another September 24, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen A Christmas Party September 23, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Him September 18, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Swiped September 19, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Hunter Friesen

I, Tonya March 7, 2018 By: Button Hunter Friesen Margot Robbie has had a pretty big climb to fame in the past few years. She kicked off her Hollywood career in 2013 with The Wolf of Wall Street , then made a splashy cameo in Adam McKay’s 2015 hit The Big Short . She then achieved A-list status in 2016 with Suicide Squad and The Legend of Tarzan . Now in 2017, she’s hitting the awards circuit with I, Tonya , in which she plays the infamous figure skater Tonya Harding. Her performance is the highlight of the film, which is a semi-autobiographical story about one of America’s most beloved and most hated athletes. The film opens with interviews from Tonya Harding (Margot Robbie), her ex-husband Jeff Gillooly (Sebastian Stan), and her mother LaVona Golden (Allison Janney). The interviews are taking place about a decade after the “incident” and are intended as a way for each of the characters to tell their version of what happened. In between the interviews we are treated to the story of how Tonya grew up as a redneck figure skater in Oregon. We witness her rough upbringing at the hands of her mother and how it affected her skating. After that, we see her meteoric rise to superstardom, all of which is constantly in jeopardy because of her rocky relationship with her simpleton of a husband, Jeff. And finally, the moment you’ve all been waiting for, the Nancy Kerrigan incident. We watch it go down, the due process immediately after, and how Tonya got caught up in a mess of stupidity. What I can say is that this film doesn’t do anything wrong, it just does everything adequately or well. The handling of the story through interviews and flashbacks does well at establishing the chaos and insanity since each character gives conflicting reports as to what actually happened. The film also uses the fourth wall to have Tonya interact with the audience and extend the autobiographical nature of the story. However, the interviews lose steam about halfway through and are left dormant until the very end. It felt weird since they were heavily used in the beginning and are made to seem like the central medium for telling the story. Director Craig Gillespie uses stylish editing and camera tricks to keep the story flowing at a quick and breezy pace. Some scenes are oversaturated with them, but overall the tricks serve their purpose well. The behind-the-scenes work does a nice job of establishing a feel for the 80s and 90s. The hairstyles and fashion are timely and will make anyone who lived in that period feel nostalgic. Last and most importantly, the performances carry this film all the way to the very end. Margot Robbie is astonishing as Tonya. She has the perfect mix of looks, personality, and skill to pull off the role. She plays Harding perfectly at every point in her career, especially at the lowest. Allison Janney is also great as Tonya’s cold and unloving mother, LaVona. Janney goes full-out in makeup and chain-smoking, giving an authentic portrayal of a mother that will never be satisfied with her children. Sebastian Stan gives a good, but not great performance as Jeff. He does his best to make Jeff his own, but unfortunately gets overshadowed by Robbie and Janney. On a positive note, Stan shows off a wide range of emotions as Jeff slowly turns from a dumb nice guy to a violent madman. I, Tonya delivers an entertaining and original way to tell a story that is well-known by almost everybody alive. While it’s a good film caught in a time of great films, Robbie and Janney give career-defining performances that make this film deserving of your time. More Reviews One Battle After Another September 24, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen A Christmas Party September 23, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Him September 18, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Swiped September 19, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Hunter Friesen

The Upside January 31, 2019 By: Button Hunter Friesen In the film industry, January is usually the month that big studios dump films that they have lost confidence in. A large majority of these films come and go without anyone noticing they even exist. One of the biggest films of this January is The Upside , which tells the unlikely true story of a wealthy quadriplegic hiring an ex-con to be his caregiver. Starring Bryan Cranston and Kevin Hart, this film isn’t as bad as its release date would suggest, but it also isn’t anything special enough to justify your attention or hard-earned money. Directed by Hollywood workman Neil Burger, The Upside is both structured and shot in the typical fashion that one would come to expect from studio comedies. Everything feels like it was assembled from a template and has been done dozens of times before by more competent directors. Burger middlingly works with the more emotional aspects of the film as any moment of dramatic tension can be seen coming from miles away and follows the usual cues of the genre. Even the tonal shifts become quite predictable and create an endless cycle of half-hearted storytelling. While it may have been unintentional, the one thing that Burger does well at is letting the actors do what they do best. Hart and Cranston take over every scene they appear together in and use their chemistry to distract from many of the film’s faults. Being as this is a remake of the 2011 French film The Intouchables , the story very much follows closely with the source material. The biggest thing that the script lacks compared to the original is a sense of emotional weight between the main characters. This problem mainly stems from a thin plot with lofty intentions that only offers tepid results. The writers try to tackle the racial and economic divide between the main characters but end up putting in so little effort that it feels disjointed and a waste of time. Insightful commentary is tossed aside for one-liners and sly remarks that end up feeling overly safe and tedious. Despite being over two hours long, the film continually runs into the problem of having too little to work with, especially from the two weak subplots; one being Hart trying to reconnect with his son and the other with Cranston battling his limitations to find love. Both the side stories felt quite empty and gave each actor little to work with. This resulted in a muddied overall narrative that fought and tore itself down rather than building to something meaningful. Probably the biggest saving grace for the film (and the only reason anyone would watch it) is the performances of the two leading actors. Kevin Hart does what he does best as Dell and shows that he is still a master of comedy, whether it be physical or through his fast-paced banter. Even though the script is mostly to blame, Hart does struggle with the dramatic parts that require him to slow down and break away from his usual tricks. Acting as the dry humor to Hart’s energy is Bryan Cranston as the extremely wealthy and depressed quadriplegic, Phillip. While he does serve up some funny remarks from time to time, Cranston more or less just goes through the motions and knows that he is above a project of this quality. Lastly, Nicole Kidman intermittently shows up as Phillip’s executive assistant, Yvonne. Kidman really feels out of place as her skills go unused on a character whose only purpose is to be a disapproving foil to Hart’s shenanigans. Except for Kevin Hart or Bryan Cranston, there really isn’t much in this film to make things interesting. There are some comedic elements that incite some chuckles, but more times than not a feeling of emptiness will lay dormant in your head. Best described as a filler movie to waste some time, The Upside is something you’ll watch and most likely forget about twenty-four hours later. More Reviews One Battle After Another September 24, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen A Christmas Party September 23, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Him September 18, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Swiped September 19, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Hunter Friesen