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Boy Kills World April 25, 2024 By: Button Tyler Banark Something is going on in Hollywood right now that should be discussed more, which is the rise of stuntpeople being promoted to the role of director. It’s been stunning in the John Wick films, Netflix’s Extraction series, and the films of David Leitch ( Bullet Train and the fittingly titled upcoming The Fall Guy ). There’s a gritty essence to each of these films, with action choreography that always goes above and beyond what’s been done before. While Boy Kills World director Moritz Mohr didn’t have the same upbringing as Leitch or Chad Stahelski, he lets his previous dabbling in special effects and editing allow him to pose in an adjacent camp. Having witnessed the murder of his family and stripped of his ability to talk at a young age, Boy (physically played by Bill Skarsgård, voiced by H. Jon Benjamin) is found and raised by a mysterious shaman who trains him to be a lethal killing machine. Boy only has one goal in mind: kill the powerful Van Der Koy family, who prey on the weak and are responsible for his family’s death. Once a year, the family puts on a Hunger Games-esque show called The Culling, where they hunt down twelve unlucky contestants. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6NibtjmjOk “Graphic” would be an understated word to use to describe the nature of Boy Kills World . Mohr brings a chaotic absurdity akin to the Terrifier series, with blood and guts spraying out in a silly, sadistic manner. Call it stolen, call it made better, but there’s no denying that the action here delivers on its promise without tipping into overkill. The vicious fight choreography is a sight to behold, with its influences from the John Wick films and various forms of martial arts unlocking an arsenal for Boy to play with. Whether it’s a necklace or a cheese grater, the impromptu use of such regular everyday items as weapons in hand-to-hand combat effectively adds to the film’s overall intensity. There is a sense of having been there, done that, such as the use of the cheese grater in last year’s Evil Dead Rise . But if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Skarsgård is the centerpiece as Boy, cementing himself as an action star without uttering a single word. He does the (literal) heavy lifting, while Benjamin expresses his inner monologue in a mostly humorous fashion. We’ll have a full sample of Skarsgård’s action chops once this year’s reboot of The Crow comes out. The rest of the cast is fairly underutilized, something not wholly unexpected considering the marquee positioning of Boy as our protagonist. But much of the satisfaction in the revenge against the Van Der Koys has to come from the characters, who just don’t meet the grade. Brett Gelman is in his usual showmanship mood as the weird member of the family, Michelle Dockery’s girl boss of a sister is a knockoff of Shiv Roy, and Famke Janssen kind of phones it in as the tyrannical matriarch, Hilda. There’s also June 27 (yes, that’s the character’s actual name), played by Jessica Rothe, who acts as both the family enforcer and voice of reason. There are attempts to have her bridge the gap between Boy and the family, but the script, co-written by Tyler Burton Smith and Arend Remmers (with a story credit to Mohr), can’t make the connection. The tasteless (in a good way) action set pieces are at the forefront of Boy Kills World , but that lack of a coherent substantive drive doesn’t make it the cult classic it so desperately wants to be (as evidenced by the film’s world premiere as part of the Midnight Madness section at last year’s Toronto International Film Festival). But even if this doesn’t get etched into history, there’s still a lot of fun to be had in the present with it. Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions will release Boy Kills World in theaters nationwide on April 26th. More Reviews The Super Mario Galaxy Movie March 31, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen The Drama April 1, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Project Hail Mary March 10, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice March 25, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Hunter Friesen

The Life of Chuck September 8, 2024 By: Button Hunter Friesen If you were challenged to envision a movie directed by Mike Flanagan adapted from a story by Stephen King, you’d most likely picture something bathed in darkness and horror. Of course, that’s not a hard guess to make based on the pair’s previous collaboration with Doctor Sleep in 2019. But The Life of Chuck is something totally different, with Flanagan describing it as a work of “making joy, instead of just taking it in” during his introductory speech at the world premiere screening within the famed Princess of Wales Theatre. There are still horror elements, but they revolve around the real-life horrors we face every day, such as regret, finding our purpose, and reconciling with those we love. We open on Act… Three? Yes, this story starts where it ends, which is at the end of the world and one person’s life. The decades of climate crisis warnings have been ignored, which means they are now a reality. Wildfires, droughts, and hurricanes are a daily occurrence. The news gets worse every day, progressively emboldening the argument over what’s the point of living on this planet anymore. The only people who seem to be having happy thoughts are the ones celebrating Charles Krantz. “39 great years! Thanks, Chuck!” is plastered on every billboard, commercial break, and bus station in town. So, who is this seemingly normal person getting so much special treatment at the prelude to the apocalypse? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAu4OB_UjA0 To answer that question, we have to keep going back. As narrator Nick Offerman tells us, Charles Krantz is a normal person who grew up to be an accountant. But that doesn’t mean he’s without the special qualities that make him an exceptional human being. A certain verse from Walt Whitman’s famous poem “Song of Myself” - “I am large, I contain multitudes” - is literally and metaphorically referenced multiple times. We are never just ourselves, containing bits and pieces of everyone and everything we’ve ever interacted with along our journey. It’s a heartwarming message from Flanagan and King, one that offers as much introspection within ourselves as it does for Charles. It’s a little simple for its own good, often being repeated by every character in their unique way. For Charles’ grandmother, that means dancing whenever the music sounds right. For his grandfather, it’s about using math to make the world a better place. A certain speech given by his grandfather will likely be used as an advertisement for every accounting department at college major orientations. The Life of Chuck reaches its peak relatively early in the second act. Chuck’s love of dance breaks out after years of repression, resulting in an infectiously high-energy display of exuberant movement. Flanagan further progresses his chops as a director, displaying that his knack for horror-related timing can be transferred to something much more subdued. The performances are all committed to the change of pace, even if a few of them don’t deliver on expectations. The ambition and drive to tell a story like this from people so famous for going in the opposite direction is more than enough to warrant taking the chance on it. There are more than a few individual moments where it seemingly comes together, but the cumulative whole always feels less than the sum of its parts. This review was originally published from the world premiere at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival. Neon will release The Life of Chuck in select theaters on June 06th, followed by a nationwide expansion on June 13th. More Reviews The Super Mario Galaxy Movie March 31, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen The Drama April 1, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Project Hail Mary March 10, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice March 25, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Hunter Friesen

Gran Turismo August 25, 2023 By: Button Hunter Friesen Screenwriters Jason Hall and Zach Baylin make it their main objective to never let you forget that Jann Mardenborough (Archie Madekwe) is an underdog that no one believes in. “This isn’t a game; this is real life. You’re just a gamer, what do you know about driving cars?” “This time there isn’t a reset button” is just a handful of lines that you'll become increasingly tired of hearing. It seems Hall and Baylin never took the lesson on diminishing returns, as all the suspense surrounding Jann’s outcome is completely evaporated by the fifth scene, where someone tells him he can’t accomplish his dream. To cut them some slack, this is based on a true story, a fact that the producers REALLY want you to know, going so far as to rename the movie Gran Turismo: Based on a True Story in some markets. Mardenborough is a real person who became obsessed with racing at a young age. But he didn’t have a similar upbringing to the other drivers on the professional circuit, filled with fame and easy access to the best cars money can buy. Jann’s window into the racing world was through the PlayStation game “Gran Turismo” (don’t call it a game in front of Jann because it’s a “racing simulation”). The opening scene (or commercial if you want to be more accurate) introduces us to the immense detail and precision that went into making the game as realistic as possible. Unlike other gaming series like “FIFA” and “Madden,” “Gran Turismo” is generally accepted as the most authentic portrayal of the sport it represents. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVPzGBvPrzw No one seems to believe that Jann’s world-class gaming abilities can translate into real racing, least of all his former soccer pro dad (Djimon Hounsou). Nissan marketing executive Danny Moore (Orlando Bloom) sees potential in the kid. If Jann can be made into a serious racer, it will make Nissan one of the most popular car companies among the untapped gaming demographic. Put in charge of the training process is Jack Salter (David Harbour), who’s also a non-believer in “sim racers.” Over time, his cold heart begins to thaw, with Jann proving himself to be just as good as he says he is. Upon the announcement, one would think that former wunderkind Neill Blomkamp is serving his time in director jail with this assignment. There are no signs of that here, fortunately, with the District 9 and Elysium director crafting some stunning racing sequences, even if there are so many that they end up blurring together. The roaring of the engines fills the theater corner to corner, and cinematographer Jacques Jouffret captures some decent shots. It’s old-fashioned studio craftsmanship applied to a sport that values tradition. Even with all the underdog cliches I mentioned earlier, there’s still a strong emotional connection to Jann and Jack’s partnership. Madekwe and Harbour have great chemistry as they play to the tune of “young upstart and grizzled veteran” we’ve heard many times before. But it’s been done so many times because it works, and it works here. The lows are bitter, and the highs are sweet. Gran Turismo is a product of brand synergy, meant to push the overall awareness of a product just as much as it's supposed to tell a cinematic story. It’s part of a worrying trend of corporations taking on the role of their own biggest fan (see Tetris and Flamin’ Hot ). But there’s also stuff like Air and Barbie that can make the most out of propaganda and entertainment. Blomkamp’s film doesn’t reach those heights, but it still does just enough to cross the finish line respectably. Sony Pictures Releasing will release Gran Turismo in theaters nationwide on August 25th. More Reviews The Super Mario Galaxy Movie March 31, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen The Drama April 1, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Project Hail Mary March 10, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice March 25, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Hunter Friesen

It Chapter Two September 12, 2019 By: Button Hunter Friesen In 1913, Henry Ford introduced the assembly line to the Ford Motor Company. He made a ton of money and was hailed as a leading innovator. Now, just a hundred years later, director Andy Muschietti brings that same assembly line principle to IT Chapter Two as he serves up his scary products in the exact fashion as the one before. This sequel to the highest-grossing horror movie of all time (unadjusted) takes place 27 years later in the same town of Derry, Maine. The rambunctious kids are all adults now and have gone on their separate paths to some form of success. Unfortunately, the good fortune for each is put to an end by the return of Pennywise, who seeks more victims for his twisted games. Being the only ones that have stopped the evil force, the adults must come together again to put an end to this bloody mess. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqUopiAYdRg Director Andy Muschietti returns behind the camera after the record-breaking success he earned from 2017’s It. For the second time around, Muschietti goes even bigger and bolder than before, both in terms of the horror set pieces and the length. When it comes to giving audiences what they came to see, Muschietti delivers by adding even more blood, gore, and creepiness. Pennywise’s indescribable powers get even more creative as his prey are stalked and slaughtered with unnerving brutality. The biggest fault that plagued the previous film was its recycling of cheap jump scares that were meant to artificially hold your attention. That same problem is even more glaring in the sequel as any scary moments are just startling moments where something pops out at the screen. The more they happen, the more predictable and boring they are to watch. A runtime is never indicative of quality by itself; every movie should earn its length through skill and craftsmanship. And at 170 minutes, IT Chapter Two falls way short of earning its record-breaking runtime. Instead of the horror being a slow burn, it's more of a slow churn as the recycled jump scares quickly lose their minuscule luster and make this already long film feel even longer. Screenwriter Gary Dauberman takes up the impossible task of adapting Stephen King, a challenge that has killed the careers of countless adapters before him. He tries his best to break away from the ridiculousness within King’s novel, but his efforts end up backfiring on him and make the film even more awkward, as some elements are left in and some left out. The story wants you to take it pretty seriously, but keeping in the weird elements makes that almost an impossible task. Muschietti didn’t do much to justify the excessive length, but Dauberman should shoulder more of the blame for his uneven pacing. The film starts great with the two playing off each other with a fun and brisk pace. Then, against all logic, Dauberman has them split up for ninety minutes, severely slowing things to a crawl and forcing the jump scares to keep you awake. The highest regard should go to casting director Rich Delia as he has brilliantly put together a group of adult actors that uncannily look like their younger counterparts. Unfortunately, good looks are the only quality some actors possess here. James McAvoy does fine as Bill. The most evident acting trait he shows off is his struggle to hide his Scottish accent with a less -than- convincing New England one. Having a rocky 2019, to say the least, Jessica Chastain follows up the bomb that was Dark Phoenix with another subpar performance. She doesn’t shine as brightly as Sophia Lillis’ younger Beverly despite being the more acclaimed actress with a lot more screen time. The standout performances come from the two Bills in the cast, Hader and Skarsgård. Hader plays adult Richie and fares the best in the cast at toeing the line between drama and comedy. Skarsgård as Pennywise is a sight to see, but unfortunately doesn’t get seen for long stretches. Between him and Heath Ledger’s Joker, future performances for clowns now have an insanely high bar to reach. With over five hours of material between the two films, the It series has come to a less-than-satisfying close with IT Chapter Two . There are some things to admire Muschietti and co. for doing or trying to do. But for every great Bill Skarsgård moment (which is all of them), there were just as many moments of wasted potential due to unoriginal filmmaking. Overall, between its highs and lows, IT Chapter Two makes for a semi-enjoyable time. Just make sure to bring a seat cushion. Warner Bros. Pictures will release It Chapter Two in theaters nationwide on September 06th. More Reviews The Super Mario Galaxy Movie March 31, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen The Drama April 1, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Project Hail Mary March 10, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice March 25, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Hunter Friesen

Knock at the Cabin February 1, 2023 By: Button Hunter Friesen Knock at the Cabin is so good that it makes M. Night Shyamalan’s previous film, Old , just that more fascinating in retrospect. The lack of terrible line readings and quality acting within Cabin seems to validate the conspiracy theory (which a few critics and audience members embraced from the start) that the alien-like awkwardness within Old was intentional, almost like Shyamalan was playing a joke on all of us. But that theory would also have to extend to the terribleness within Lady in the Water, The Happening , and The Last Airbender , which becomes too far-fetched to be fully believed. Cabin finds the believers pitted against the non-believers. But this isn’t a debate over the typical beliefs surrounding religion, politics, or sexual orientation. No, this is about whether you believe that the world is about to be consumed by an apocalypse of biblical proportions and that the only way to stop it is to sacrifice a family member. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wiBHEACNHs Leading the group of believers is Dave Bautista’s Leonard, a gentle giant who fully understands the impossible situation that he is thrusting upon the family of parents Andrew (Ben Aldridge) and Eric (Jonathan Groff), and daughter Wen (Kristen Cui). Along with Leonard are three other believers, all of whom have shared the same catastrophic visions, including tsunami waves as tall as skyscrapers and the sky being shrouded in permanent darkness. Of course, Andrew and Eric don’t take the situation too lightly and think that these people are part of a crazed cult, prompting the believers to stage an impromptu home invasion to get the necessary sacrificial lamb. Shyamalan’s film follows a long line of entries within the specific “what would you do?” horror-thriller subgenre. How much evidence would you need to contemplate killing one of your family members to save the world? It’s a question the director constantly keeps at the forefront of his screenplay, co-written with the duo of Steve Desmond and Michael Sherman from the book by Paul Tremblay. The tension is palpable as the “intruders” say all the right things and act with sympathetic politeness, making it impossible to fully write them off as the lunatics they’re initially perceived as. It is a shame that - for a story with the central theme about beliefs - Shyamalan can’t fully trust his audience to believe everything that they’re seeing. An overuse of flashbacks in an attempt to rationalize character actions in the present comes off as a bit shallow and reductive. It’s a clear example of the faulty “rubber ducky” reasoning invented by Paddy Chayefsky and Sidney Lumet, where a character will behave a certain way based solely on some past event, shredding any amount of nuance in favor of formulaic storytelling. Thankfully, Shyamalan has recruited some fine actors to sell the unbelievable nature of the premise and characters. Bautista has made a lot of headlines about being taken seriously as an actor, and this performance decently proves that he’s putting his money where his mouth is. His hulking physicality instinctually inspires fear, but his soft-spoken demeanor contrasts that with interesting results. Groff and Aldridge have a good give-and-take connection, pretty much making the flashbacks even more redundant as a way to explain their relationship. Special praise should also be placed upon Herdís Stefánsdóttir’s jittery score, which takes until near the third act to fully come into its own and do much of the heavy lifting for selling suspense. And while it pales in comparison to his work with Robert Eggers, Jarin Blaschke’s (working with Lowell A. Meyer) claustrophobic camerawork works well with Shyamalan’s trademarked twisty movements. Although Shyamalan will likely never return to the heights of his early days, works like Knock at the Cabin are proof that he still deserves a place within the theatrical landscape, especially as the horror/thriller genres continue to increase their importance in putting butts in seats. He even gets to deliver his signature twist, which is simply that he has made a good film that works well because of his traits as a filmmaker. Universal Pictures will release Knock at the Cabin in theaters nationwide on February 03rd. More Reviews The Super Mario Galaxy Movie March 31, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen The Drama April 1, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Project Hail Mary March 10, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice March 25, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Hunter Friesen

The Upside January 31, 2019 By: Button Hunter Friesen In the film industry, January is usually the month when 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. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWw7rCHcduQ 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. Some comedic elements incite some chuckles, but more often than not, a feeling of emptiness will lie 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. STXfilms will release The Upside in theaters nationwide on January 11th. More Reviews The Super Mario Galaxy Movie March 31, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen The Drama April 1, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Project Hail Mary March 10, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice March 25, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Hunter Friesen

Tár October 8, 2022 By: Button Hunter Friesen “Lydia Tár is many things,” exclaims New Yorker writer Adam Gopnik (playing himself in one of many ways writer/director Todd Field grounds this purely fictional story within our reality) as he introduces the titular composer for an interview as part of a cultural festival. Listing off her various achievements, which include being the first person to lead each of the Big Five symphony orchestras and one of the few to reach EGOT status, Gopnik labels Tár as a revolutionary within the classical composing world, a sentiment the audience - likely filled with rich patrons of the arts - reflects as they hang on to her every word. In the hands of lesser filmmakers and leading stars, this opening 10-15 minute scene, which merely consists of a Q&A about Lydia’s position on some issues within the industry, would seem pedantic and expository as we’re meant to quickly understand why people would fall head over heels for the genius of this fictional character. But when you cast Cate Blanchett, who’s incapable of delivering a bad scene, let alone a bad performance, that task becomes as easy as breathing. And when you combine her with Todd Field, returning to the silver screen for the first time in sixteen years, that breath is one of the freshest ones you’ll take this year. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Na6gA1RehsU From that scene, which brilliantly gives us the nudge needed to descend further into the rabbit hole that is this character’s psyche, Field takes us on a fascinating journey through the unraveling life of Lydia Tár. She has a personal assistant named Francesca (Noémie Merlant, one half of Portrait of a Lady on Fire ) who is by her at every stop, most notably a seminar at Juilliard where Lydia gets into an argument (all done in one long continuous take, one of many scenes that flow uneasily in real-time) with a student about how today’s generation has to separate the art from the artist and that “if you want to dance the mask, you must service the composer.” The controversy that emerges from that is only the tip of the iceberg for Tár. Along with unceremoniously pushing out her assistant composer and a burgeoning predator/prey dynamic with her lead cellist, there are also legal threats after Lydia’s former protégé committed suicide, with possible motives linked back to her. For all you completionists who demand films answer the questions they raise, both literally and metaphorically, TÁR will seem like an exercise in futility. Because if there’s one thing Field learned as the protégé of Stanley Kubrick (for which Field played the piano playing character Nick Nightingale in the master’s final film, Eyes Wide Shut ) aside from impeccably precise visuals and dread-filled drip editing (supplied here by Florian Hoffmeister and Monika Willi, respectively), it’s the ability to make the unsatisfying loose ends of a story seem so naturally satisfying. There are no easy answers within Field’s film as he meticulously studies his central character, for whom he shares no predisposed love or hatred. It’s for the audience to decide if Lydia’s fate, which is sealed with a visual setup and punchline so hilarious that it might as well have been ghost-directed by Mel Brooks, matches her “crimes.” Any post-screening conversation surrounding it will no doubt be as intellectually stimulating as the film itself. As our guide during that examination, Blanchett reaches another echelon in a career that has only marked. One could not be ridiculed for mistaking Lydia Tár as a real person, as the details and nuances Blanchett infuses the character with are ones usually found within Oscar-bait biopics, which she’s already conquered with The Aviator, Elizabeth (the less said about its sequel the better), and I’m Not There . Surrounding her is an impressive European supporting cast of Nina Hoss, Mark Strong, and Sophie Kauer. If TÁR is meant to mark the second coming of Todd Field’s career, then we should all be in for a lengthy treat for the mind, body, and soul. But if this was only a brief blip and we’re subjected to another sixteen-year absence, then I at least know what my most anticipated film of 2038 will be. Focus Features will release Tár in select theaters on October 07th, followed by a nationwide expansion on October 28th. More Reviews The Super Mario Galaxy Movie March 31, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen The Drama April 1, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Project Hail Mary March 10, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice March 25, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Hunter Friesen

The Exorcist: Believer October 4, 2023 By: Button Hunter Friesen Urination, the c-word, “help me” etched on skin, spitting blood, demonic voices. These are the trademarks of William Peter Blatty’s 1971 novel The Exorcist , adapted to the screen by The French Connection director William Friedkin just two years later. The reader’s worst fears from the pages of the novel were turned into ungodly imagery; many of these moments are even more terrifying now than they were fifty years ago. David Gordon Green’s The Exorcist: Believer has all those same beats, many of them shot-for-shot. But just like how a joke is never as funny the second time, those images seem tamely pedestrian this go around. It’s the curse of the legacy sequel, or “requel,” where the iconic moments of the original material are treated like scripture. They have to be “honored” by being trotted out the same way you’ve seen them before, as if doing anything different would cause hell on Earth. But things become less iconic the more you see them, especially when they’re cheaply remade without heart and soul, lessening what made the whole thing special, to begin with. It’s a creatively bankrupt process, but very few franchises that have done so are literally bankrupt. The Jurassic World trilogy may have never come within a mile of the playful virtuosity of Spielberg’s original, but they made just as much money. There’s also the Halloween (also revived by David Gordon Green) and Scream franchises, both churning out more dough than they know what to do with. There’s no doubt The Exorcist: Believer will follow suit money-wise, but I seriously question whether anyone will have any connection to this movie, even a day after they’ve seen it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIxpPMyGcpU Unsurprisingly, the story opens in a foreign land outside of America, this time being Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Victor Fielding (Leslie Odom Jr.) and his extremely pregnant wife quickly find themselves caught in the middle of the infamous 2010 earthquake. A fatal injury to the mother means only the unborn baby can survive. Thirteen years later, Victor is an overprotective single dad to his daughter, Angela. One day, he lets his guard down and allows Angela to hang out after school with her friend Katherine. Instead of doing homework like they told their parents, the pair goes into the deep dark woods and performs a seance. It’s all done with childlike curiosity, but the results are sinister as the girls stay missing for three days, mysteriously reappearing with no memory and different personalities. The central mystery of the middle act is all about finding out what happened to the girls and what needs to be done about it. Except it’s not a mystery, as we all knew how this story would go before we even sat down, making those middle 40 minutes a tedious bore. Things only get moderately interesting once the series original Ellen Burstyn comes back into the picture as Chris MacNeil. She delivers an “I’m just here for the money” performance, which can’t be blamed considering Green and co-writers Peter Sattler, Danny McBride, and Scott Teems can’t find much of any reason for her to be here besides replicating exactly (it’s literally the same demon) what she did a half-century ago. The child performances from Lidya Jewett and Olivia O'Neill are quite incredible. They have a handle on the range needed, delivering both innocence and perversity. Odom Jr. is a capable lead, and Ann Dowd might as well be playing her character from Ari Aster’s Hereditary . The rest of the supporting characters are blandly drawn and forgettable. For all the scares he tries to conjure up on the screen, the most frightening thing Green does here is take another beloved horror franchise and turn it into a lesser version of itself. I’m not sure where they’re going to go with the two planned sequels. That would be cause for excitement most of the time, but I’ve lost all faith considering the lazy path they took here when total freedom was available. Universal Pictures will release The Exorcist: Believer in theaters nationwide on October 06th. More Reviews The Super Mario Galaxy Movie March 31, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen The Drama April 1, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Project Hail Mary March 10, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice March 25, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Hunter Friesen

The Gentlemen January 30, 2020 By: Button Hunter Friesen Like Wes Anderson, Tim Burton, and Michael Bay, you can tell when a film is made by Guy Ritchie just by watching a few minutes of it. The British director has carried a sense of hyper-stylization through each of his films, most notably in crime comedies that began with the one-two punch of Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch . Now, after a few big studio duds ( King Arthur , Aladdin ), Ritchie has come home to his roots with The Gentlemen . Growing tired of the marijuana business and fearing for the security of his future, Mickey Pearson (Matthew McConaughey) decides he wants to sell his lucrative empire. Luckily for him, a rich American buyer is willing to fork over a pretty penny. Unluckily for Mickey, though, his life of crime has made him a few enemies who would like nothing more than to see him ruined. With his enemies fast approaching on all sides, Mickey will now have to get his hands dirtier than ever if he ever wants to have a chance to clean them off. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2B0RpUGss2c The Gentlemen is business as usual for Ritchie as he dives right back into the street crime genre he made his name in. What may seem overindulgent to others is only conventional to Ritchie, as he uses all the flashy tactics in the book. Even the opening credits - which contain numerous minor spoilers for some odd reason - remind one of a Bond film. After that, we are led on an endless parade of rapid editing, exaggerated characters, and many other stylish facets. It’s a bombardment of the senses, but one that never becomes overbearing. However, like all Ritchie films, The Gentlemen ends up leaning too hard on style over substance, which is saying a lot because there is a lot of substance here. Some directorial choices seem to be made only for vanity, such as one bit where a character drones on about the magic of classic cinema. I was reminded of the great Jurassic Park quote, which I am paraphrasing: [Ritchie]... was so preoccupied with whether or not he could, he didn’t stop to think if he should. Such is the case in Ritchie’s previous crime films; there are plots within plots, and those plots have plots on top of them. In this film, the narrative revolves around a discussion between two characters as one tells the other about the events that have unfolded. These events are new to us but have already happened within the timeframe of the film. What we get is a sort of comedic murder mystery where each event is changed and then rechanged again based upon a certain character’s perspective on what happened. This framing device makes the movie an interesting puzzle, albeit a needlessly convoluted one. Specific details sometimes get lost in the shuffle, only to come back again to confuse us more. Just like the directing, this problem seems to stem from Ritchie’s insistence on overdoing things. It’s quantity over quality, as too many things are thrown into the script without much regard for clarity or purpose. Since his Oscar win in 2014, Matthew McConaughey has had a hard time picking projects that use his acting strengths, and that also turns out to be good. Thankfully, Mr “Alright, alright, alright” chose wisely here as Ritchie uses his captivating screen presence in some impressive monologues. Charlie Hunnam and Hugh Grant play the two characters having a banterous discussion about the film’s events. Grant easily takes the top spot between the two as he seems to thoroughly enjoy his character's eccentric quirks. Rounding out the cast are Jeremy Strong, Henry Golding, and, most notably, Colin Farrell as the boxing coach simply named “Coach”. Even though Mickey is the main character, Coach is the one you’ll remember the most after. It can be easy to forget sometimes that movies are allowed to be solely entertaining popcorn flicks. This rings truer during awards season when every film is trying to take a stand on something and fighting to make a mark on our culture. Of course, you still would like that popcorn flick to be well-made. Being as how January is usually a dumping ground for maligned films, you could do a lot worse than this enjoyable romp. STXfilms will release The Gentlemen in theaters nationwide on January 24th. More Reviews The Super Mario Galaxy Movie March 31, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen The Drama April 1, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Project Hail Mary March 10, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice March 25, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Hunter Friesen

Deadpool & Wolverine July 23, 2024 By: Button Hunter Friesen Deadpool & Wolverine may be the most Marvel thing Marvel has ever produced, which is saying a lot considering they have a whole character who carries that moniker. And considering just how long and intensive this machine has been going, that’s also a statement you already know how to interpret for yourself. This isn’t going to win over any outsiders, nor does it serve as the self-dubbed “Marvel Jesus” that will offer a hearty course correction that the passengers on this increasingly derailing train so desperately need. But even if it can’t turn water into wine, it can easily turn two hours into a solidly entertaining time, something that has become a valuable currency at this stage in the game. Director Shawn Levy, the biggest rival to Hugh Jackman and Mint Mobile for the role of Ryan Reynolds ’ best friend, takes a page out of his namesake brother Sean Baker’s playbook for how to energetically open a movie about a motor-mouthed scumbag. NSYNC’s “Bye Bye Bye” kicks us into music video mode as Deadpool spills more literal blood in thirty seconds than the MCU has done in its past thirty features. It’s a cheap trick akin to using “I Need a Hero” during a training montage, but clichés are only born because they work, and the sight of dismembered limbs and the Merc with a Mouth sensually dancing did put a somewhat sadistic smile on my face. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73_1biulkYk That grin stayed in a fixed position throughout the next two hours, although my eyebrows were raised a few times, the majority occurring during the timey wimey exposition dumps where the two seasons of Loki become a prerequisite. Just as the MCU is in critical condition, so is Deadpool’s timeline after the death of Logan in his 2017 titular movie. He was one of those figures whose universe lives and dies with them, so his departure gives the TVA the authority to speed up the deterioration process by pruning it off the tree of time. But for what the multiverse takes away, it also gives back in the form of countless iterations of our favorite heroes. Wade thinks that any Wolverine can fill the shoes of his Logan, which he unintentionally puts to the test when he pulls the worst one from another universe. Hugh Jackman reprising his most famous character after beautifully concluding that chapter in his career sounds sacrilegious by itself, but it’s less offensive once you start factoring in that Wolverine has only ever been the lead of large ensembles or solo features. It’s refreshing to see him equally billed with someone so different, and the real-life friendship of Jackman and Reynolds adds that extra bit of oomph to the expletive-laden one-liners. Another treat comes from the comic-accurate yellow jumpsuit that he gets to don. It also wouldn’t be too far-fetched to theorize that a few dump trucks of money helped sway Jackman’s decision to return. It’s money well spent, which can’t be said for the other hundreds of millions that went into securing such scenic locations as a drab wasteland, a nondescript forest, and your usual New York subway station. You can feel the layers of irony coming together as this initially scrappy franchise has become the megaton freighter it points and laughs at. A Honda Odyssey serves as an equally deflating vehicle of choice, although it gets a few bonus points for serving as the setting for an amusing action setpiece. Just as no problem in the MCU can’t be solved with cash and gratuitous quips, there’s also no moment that can’t be an opportunity to crack open the vault and play with the toys. The writers have read all the Reddit threads and think pieces, watched all the hours-long YouTube rants, and listened to all the podcasts about the state of comic-book movies. But more importantly, they saw how successful Spider-Man: No Way Home and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness were at creating viral moments through cameos and winks. No movie has been higher on its own supply than this one, with nearly a dozen slow-motion reveals and pauses for applause that will be immediately spoiled after the Thursday afternoon previews. It also means that the actual supporting characters like Emma Corrin’s villainous Cassandra Nova and Matthew Macfadyen’s Mr. Paradox are continually sidestepped in favor of further digs at Fox. Fan service can only take you so far, which is why Deadpool & Wolverine stop plenty short of being the MCU’s redeemer. There was a clear opportunity for this to be much more than just the thirty-fourth entry in this universe: a true game-changer that recontextualizes the past, revamps the present, and paves a new road for the future. Oh well, fun is fun, and this is summer after all, so it’s best not to overthink things. That’s the biggest benefit of this never-ending story, as all our hopes and fears can be punted onto the next chapter. Good luck, Captain America: Brave New World ! You’re going to need it! Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures will release Deadpool & Wolverine in theaters nationwide on July 26th. More Reviews The Super Mario Galaxy Movie March 31, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen The Drama April 1, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Project Hail Mary March 10, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice March 25, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Hunter Friesen

Blue Beetle August 18, 2023 By: Button Hunter Friesen Blue Beetle is the best DCEU film in years. But that’s not much of a statement, as it would take a monumental amount of skill to make something lesser than Black Adam , Shazam: Fury of the Gods , or The Flash . It's like a student got three straight F's on their exams and then got a C-, or Shaquille O’Neal finally making a free throw. The act itself isn’t noteworthy, but the context makes it a landmark moment. There’s also not much fun to be had with Blue Beetle ’s competence, as every story element and character decision is pulled directly from the “How to Make a Superhero Origin Story For Dummies” textbook. Take a shot each time a sentence in the subsequent paragraph reminds you of another superhero film. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vS3_72Gb-bI Jaime Reyes (Xolo Maridueña) is just a kid from Palmera City who’s the pride and joy of his immigrant family. He’s returning home after obtaining his college degree, but family hardships prevent him from unlocking his true destiny. He and his wisecracking sister (Belissa Escobedo) take jobs as part of a mansion cleaning staff. There he crosses paths with Jenny Kord (Bruna Marquezine), the niece of tech billionaire Victoria Kord (Susan Sarandon). Jenny asks him to hide something called The Scarab, which quickly decides to attach itself to Jaime, making him a world-killing supersoldier (he’s DC’s Iron Man, to put it bluntly). He didn’t choose to have these powers, but he’ll need to learn to put them to good use as people like Victoria want to use them to take over the world. Blue Beetle wears its heart on its sleeve when it comes to the family dynamic within the cast. For the most part, it greatly succeeds in establishing that special bond. Jaime’s uncle Rudy (George Lopez, doing a pretty good job spinning gold out of the lead he’s given) is the “Mexican Doc Brown,” and he always fears that the government is tracking them. But it’s not like the Reyes family would just lie down and take it, as Nana (Adriana Barraza) has a secret revolutionary past, a joke that tries to go on longer than its shelf life. This is a tight-knit group, providing both the most emotional and entertaining moments of the film. Unfortunately, writer Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer put all his skill points in that area. Besides the family, there’s not much of any reason to care about what’s going on. There’s very little introduction or explanation of what The Scarab actually is, why it chose Jaime, and what Victoria’s evil plan is supposed to accomplish. Although I’m sure the answers to these questions would have been just as clichéd as everything else, I still would have appreciated the courtesy of having them addressed. Director Ángel Manuel Soto doesn’t do much to make up for those problems with the action. It’s the usual “overpowered hero takes out tons of goons before fighting the final boss, who has the same powers they have” that we’ve come to expect (again, the comparisons to Iron Man are uncanny). At least Tony Stark felt like a person in a suit, unlike the poorly rendered CGI creation that Maridueña just ADRs over. The Cobra Kai has the charm and looks to be a superhero, but those seem to be his only assets. It’s hard to nail down where Blue Beetle lands in this whole DC shakeup, not only because of the wishy-washy answers from head honcho James Gunn but also because it feels so much like a product of the old regime. If it’s meant to cap off this decade-long run that started with Man of Steel , I guess we could have gone out with something worse. If this is the start of something new, then there’s not much to get excited about. Same shit, different day. Warner Bros. Pictures will release Blue Beetle in theaters nationwide on August 18th. More Reviews The Super Mario Galaxy Movie March 31, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen The Drama April 1, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Project Hail Mary March 10, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice March 25, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Hunter Friesen

Back to Black May 16, 2024 By: Button Hunter Friesen Stop me if you’ve heard this one before. We begin near the end of the icon’s journey, only to flash back to where it all began. The icon has a strained relationship with their family, immediately giving them unresolved trauma. But they have a special talent and someone in their family (most likely a grandparent) acts as their motivational coach. They suddenly hit it big, but are blindsided by the pressures of fame and the need to conform. They fall in love with an outsider, which, coupled with the growing stress, leads them to drugs and alcohol. Everyone says they need help while the excuses keep piling up, eventually ending in a burnout that crowns the tabloids. After some soul-searching, they find themselves back at the top, performing one of their iconic songs. It ends back where we started, with the untimely death being revealed during the postscript, along with all their other achievements. It would be damn near impossible for you to guess what single movie I was describing. Even if you narrowed it down to just the past five years, you’d still have to decide between Elvis , Bohemian Rhapsody , Respect , I Wanna Dance with Somebody , and Bob Marley: One Love . The musician biopic subgenre has become such a cliché at this point that there’s even a sub-subgenre for parodies like Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story and Weird: The Al Yankovic Story . But even those are starting to feel a little stale, as the jokes don’t have the same punch when you can see them coming from a mile away. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYzIOBwyhIU Writer Matt Greenhalgh would have only needed to add a few jokes to his Back to Black script to make it into one of those parodies. All the other tropes are already there, so why not make this a comedy? It’s surely not a compelling drama, nor a “definitive” retelling of Amy Winehouse’s life. Everything has been scrubbed with disinfectant several times over, leaving behind a product so basic that you’d barely get the impression that this person was special at all. The one laughable thing is Greenhalgh’s treatment of Winehouse, with his pen always pushing her further down the gutter. Between the alcohol, the ever-growing lineup of drugs, and discussions of self-harm, there’s nothing that Amy isn’t doing to destroy herself. Greenhalgh’s claim that all this self-destruction was predominantly spurred by Amy’s inability to have a child is both borderline insulting and too neat. There’s also the unintentional running joke of Amy saying that she needs to stay true to herself while also perfectly following the rags-to-riches template. Director Sam Taylor-Johnson has previously shown an interest in musicians, helming the 2009 John Lennon origin story Nowhere Boy . The strategy doesn’t seem to have changed in the decade-plus since, with the beats being produced in a forgettably competent manner. The staging of Winehouse’s performances is quite nice, with star Marisa Abela doing a fine impression both physically and vocally. Less than stellar is Jack O'Connell as her sleazy on-again, off-again husband, and the relative sidelining of Eddie Marsan and Lesley Manville. Getting anything out of Back to Black will be a tall order for any viewer, regardless of your familiarity with Winehouse’s life and music. There’s also the unavoidable presence of the Oscar-winning 2015 documentary Amy , which covers more material with more depth in just as much time. But as long as Winehouse's songs see a bump on Spotify, then the producers will be happy. And we all know that’s what really matters in this landscape. Focus Features will release Back to Black in theaters nationwide on May 17th. More Reviews The Super Mario Galaxy Movie March 31, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen The Drama April 1, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Project Hail Mary March 10, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice March 25, 2026 By: Hunter Friesen Hunter Friesen