Year: 2025

August 11, 2025 · Watch the trailer

A young girl draws bizarre and shockingly violent images in her sketchbook as a way to cope with grief and loss.

It's the inciting premise of something significantly darker and more bittersweet than what writer-director Seth Worley ultimately delivers in his family-friendly fantasy horror dramedy, which evokes “The Goonies” and Steven Spielberg while adding a dramatic depth that most PG-rated films couldn't possibly fathom.

The premise of “Sketch” evolves into something more unique when Amber’s notebook is dropped into a mysterious pond that brings these drawings to life, terrorizing the town in a physical and real manifestation of her sorrow.

There are genuinely frightening moments within “Sketch” that, while not violent, may give younger children nightmares, though even these scenes are handled in such a delicate and meaningful way that it's clear how considerate Worley is of his potential audience.

The film's most famous star, Tony Hale – of “Arrested Development,” “Veep,” and countless voice acting roles – is able to layer and texture an emotional performance as a widowed father unable to properly connect with either of his children, nor deal with his own grieving process.

The ways in which Hale can mask his character's pain while maintaining a level of hidden sorrow just behind his eyes truly elevates the dramatic work in such a simple tale. Although “Sketch” does largely separate Hale from the film's trio of young stars, the level of compassion he is able to show amidst the increasingly bizarre situations is a testament to his improv background.

It's worth mentioning “The Good Place” star D’Arcy Carden, who brings a level of calm and moderately stern presence as the sister trying to keep her brother's head above water while he struggles to deal with his wife's death. The ease and natural banter Carden and Hale have in “Sketch” often provides the film's best comedic moments.

The three young stars of "Sketch" work perfectly in tandem, bringing a dynamic “Goonies” like energy to their performances with Bianca Belle’s textured, thoughtful turn as Amber leading the way.

Belle’s punk rock attitude that masks Amber’s inner turmoil can be reminiscent of a more youthful version of characters from the cult classic “Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World,” while the familial connection Bella shares with Kue Lawrence as Jack helps balance the tonal changes in Worley’s screenplay.

For his part, Kalon Cox often steals scenes with his lightly antagonist and cheeky turn as a fellow classmate who gets wrangled into the fray fending off the monsters of Amber’s imagination.

The best thing about “Sketch” is the effortless nature in which the visual design of the monsters draw inspiration from a child's sketches and imagination.

These inventive creatures possess a whimsical yet eerie quality that sets them apart from typical horror movie monsters that compare favorably to last year’s “If” in spite of the film's independent budget.

"Sketch" is by far the most mainstream of projects from relative newcomer and faith-based Angel Studios. After winning distribution rights following its release at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival, "Sketch" brings broader appeal for the studio’s portfolio, though its darker themes and content may not be in complete alignment with the core base of Angel’s viewership.

"Sketch" might be a quirky, yet memorable trip to theaters for families who can handle the lighter horror elements and the heavy themes of grief and loss.

It's a rare family film making the transition to wide release from an independent background and compared with other August theatrical releases like "Freakier Friday," "Sketch" may be something families might consider taking a chance on in theaters as the school year begins.

August 3, 2025 · Watch the official trailer

It’s an ambitious gamble to resurrect a beloved 90s comedy for a sequel nearly three decades later.

Netflix, in a decade long partnership with comedian Adam Sandler and his Happy Madison production company, has milked the family friendly actor for an assortment of marginal movies that leverage his marketability with underwhelming narratives.

Yet it’s only now ten-plus years into their cinematic marriage that Sandler and Netflix have broken into the vault of his comedic roots, returning to the links this summer with “Happy Gilmore 2,” which seeks to leapfrog off the success of the irreverent 1996 original and its infamous hockey-stick-wielding golf prodigy.

However, what unfolds is a testament to the traps of nostalgia bait without authentic creativity or humor. Rather than delivering a fresh or even satisfyingly silly follow-up, the misguided sequel stumbles into a trap of its own making with endless callbacks, an exhausting parade of celebrity cameos, and a lead performance that feels curiously disengaged from the comic spirit that made the original a cult favorite.

Audiences expecting to see their titular hero make good on the promise from the original’s ending will be disappointed with the decision of Sandler and his co-writer Tim Herlihy to a shell of himself, saddled with alcohol addiction due to personal tragedy.

While this semi-serious tone would prove fruitful ground for exploration, it doesn’t work tonally with the overly irreverent comedy that “Happy Gilmore 2” is and Sandler is never given enough room to ruminate on the regret and shame his Happy feels.

From the opening credits, it’s clear that this sequel is more interested in revisiting the past than carving out a new comedic legacy, especially with the insistence of director Kyle Newacheck to splice in clips from the 1996 original to emphasize callbacks.

Relying on the same jokes told in a different order might have worked in the grand scheme of the film if things felt less forced for fan service.

Unfortunately, "Happy Gilmore 2" is so preoccupied with winking at its audience that it forgets to deliver new reasons to laugh. Instead of building on Happy’s backstory, the screenplay lazily repeats it, hoping recognition will pass for wit. There are, of course, new characters and digs at the LIV golf tour to justify Happy’s return, but only to provide a shoddy framework for streaming service fodder.

“Happy Gilmore 2” also suffers from a relentless desire to make short clips from the film something “meme”-worthy, causing the entire project to be a disjointed mess narratively and jam-packed with celebrity cameos meant to be Easter eggs for repeat viewings that fall flat due to overuse.

Somewhere in the ensemble cast that includes Benny Safdie as the world’s worst businessman, “Space Jam” levels of pro golfers, Travis Kelce, a half dozen “Saturday Night Live” alums and Sandler’s entire family, the secret gem of the entire movie – Sandler included – is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, also known as the rapper Bad Bunny, who steals scenes routinely as the wonderfully naïve waiter-turned-caddie Oscar.

His comic timing, first seen as a host on “SNL,” remains impeccable here and is a perfect blend of aloof and earnestness in a role actually designed to add value to the overall narrative, quite the rarity in the film.

This endless cavalcade of guest stars adds an unnecessary half hour to the film’s runtime, contributing nothing meaningful to the story or to the comedy.

It’s content for content’s sake, a self-indulgent exercise that interrupts whatever sliver of momentum the film manages to muster.

“Happy Gilmore 2” is unsurprisingly the number one film on Netflix since its release late last month, though fans of the original hoping for a truly funny or inventive sequel will leave disappointed.

July 25, 2025 · Watch the trailer

Director Matt Shakman's feature debut leans admirably and heavily into a vintage nostalgia of the 1960s Americana setting it finds itself in.

There's a classic feel that evokes both early space race as well as wholesome “Brady Bunch” family drama that should easily draw viewers in and maintain their interest over the course of two hours.

Or at least until the massive computer-generated robot engulfs the screen in overly shadowed darkness.

“The Fantastic Four: First Steps” is the 37th entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe and first installment for one of the comic book company’s most iconic teams.

Yet it feels as though Shakman, under the direction of studio head Kevin Feige, has used all the aces in “Fantastic Four” canon in its first film and it's hard to see where exactly Reed, Sue, Ben, and Johnny go from here.

Much like James Gunn’s recent foray into “Superman,” this iteration of the Fantastic Four largely glosses over an origin story and sets the team several years into their journey as planet saving heroes in an alternate universe separate from one that the MCU has spent the vast majority of its previous 36 films in. This gives Feige and Shakman all the opportunity in the world to start from scratch and mold a new direction for the franchise.

Pedro Pascal has been all over the summer box office with roles in “Eddington” and “Materialists,” though his turn as Reed Richards here is far less demanding on his acting talents and the bland, one-note performance he sleepwalks his way through in “First Steps” doesn’t really give the talented actor much to work with.

Vanessa Kirby, on the other hand, elevates every scene with her unique blend of charisma and deep emotional connection to first-time motherhood and among the titular four characters, her Sue Storm is the most complex, yet relatable character of the group.

While Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm and Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm are solid in relatively secondary roles in the team, the focus is so far from either character that any real work these relative newcomers provide is shrouded or left on the cutting room floor.

“Ozark” and “Inventing Anna” star Julia Garner is totally wasted behind CGI and liquid silver shading as the antagonist Silver Surfer and though there’s plenty to be mined from a character development perspective in the narrative that diverts from traditional comic book lore, neither Silver Surfer nor the over-arching villain Galactus have deep motivations that make for compelling characters. As a result, like most Marvel films, the stakes are artificially high though loss never seems plausible.

It's clear that significant storylines were trimmed or outright deleted from the final cut of first steps as Natasha Lyonne’s Rachel has been whittled down to four or five minutes of screen time as a potential love interest for Ben Grimm, while a minor villain arc for acclaimed character actor John Malkovich was cut entirely from the film.

Paul Walter Hauser delivers what could easily be considered the most comic book authentic performance in the entire film, wryly twisting a blandly written antagonist named Mole Man into a subversive supporting character that helps showcase that the world of this Fantastic Four universe is far more layered and textured than one might consider at first glance.

The highlights of “First Steps” come from the film's technical categories with the vintage 1960s aesthetic combining with a slightly futuristic almost “Jetsons”-like color palette to truly set the tone aesthetically for framing the story around.

The world building that the production design team led by Kasra Farahani and cinematography from Jess Hall builds a strong foundation to layer this origin story of sorts from.

If the film were more grounded in its 1960s New York City setting and less ambitious in its rush to incorporate intergalactic space travel into its narrative, its overall success would be comparable to the debut of the famed web-crawler Spider-Man in “Spider-Man: Homecoming.”

“First Steps” is a middle of the road entry into the MCU despite its cinematic promise from a visual and production design standpoint.

While it is nice to have some fresh blood and a self-contained story within the Marvel canon, this initial foray for the Fantastic Four doesn't rise to the level of the much more well-rounded “Thunderbolts” from earlier this summer, although it is leaps and bounds better than February’s “Captain America: Brave New World.”

July 21, 2025 · Watch the official trailer

Countless films have been made during and/or about the COVID-19 pandemic, but none are as brazenly bizarre and avant-garde as writer-director Ari Aster’s fourth drama. The head-scratching that audiences will undoubtedly do at every turn is not only meant to challenge their expectations and perceptions of an incredibly pivotal time in modern history but also to set the stage for unquestionably one of the decade’s most befuddling major films.

Though it goes in any number of different directions over the course of two and a half hours, “Eddington” largely centers around a rural New Mexico sheriff and his animosity towards the town's more progressive mayor, with numerous side characters and secondary plot points giving audiences something to return to in subsequent viewings.

Framed almost entirely from Joe’s perspective amid the confusion and paranoia felt worldwide during the early onset of COVID, Aster envelops this small-town thriller/drama with the growing frustration born from seemingly endless isolation and uses several key moments in recent American history to sow the seeds of discontent in its fragile characters.

Oscar winner Joaquin Phoenix's familiarity with Aster's unusual directorial style from his work on the 2023 film “Beau Is Afraid” is the perfect centerpiece from which Aster weaves his tale. Phoenix is obviously well at ease leaning into increasingly bizarre or strange situations and able to find both the humor and the drama equally in his performance. The earnestness he displays early on as Joe allows for early audience buy-in and support of his character, helping to maintain viewer attention as things seem to come out of left field at a moment's notice.

Subtle undertones in such a bombastic movie as "Eddington" reflect just how polarizing communication breakdowns can become. The personal and professional conflicts between Joe and Ted are exacerbated by the film's larger worldview and their inability to effectively listen to each other or have empathy only further accentuates the isolationism.

Every character within "Eddington" feels as if they are screaming into the void, longing for someone to hear them, and either getting a poor response or, worse yet, no response at all.

Pedro Pascal is seemingly everywhere in cinema this summer, with "Eddington" being the second of three major summer movies alongside "Materialists" and the upcoming "Fantastic Four" comic book movie. His performance in "Eddington" as Mayor Ted Garcia is only a small microcosm of the talents Pascal can bring to a movie.

Audiences never have the ability to connect or rally behind Ted, not from a lack of desire, but because the overall narrative is seen entirely from Joe's perspective. There's a relative incompleteness or fragmented point of view that leaves major character backstories unanswered.

This is especially true with Oscar winner Emma Stone's supporting turn as Joe's wife, Louise, a moderately eccentric woman with mental health issues of fully unknown origin related to sexual trauma. These issues fester just outside the framework of the film but are the catalysts for many of the film's most inciting incidents.

“Eddington” also benefits from a deep ensemble cast including “Yellowstone” star Luke Grimes as a blindly loyal and dopey deputy, Deirdre O’Connell as Louise’s conspiracy theory obsessed mother and “Elvis” star Austin Butler’s chilling, yet underutilized turn as a burgeoning cult leader.

Aster's decision to compartmentalize big worldly events and ideas within the context of one single small town is an incredible way to tackle such complicated material. While each of the dense political topics Aster takes on within “Eddington” don't land uniformly, there is true nuance in how very common everyday people can be separated emotionally and ethically through unusual circumstances. It's eerie and somewhat frightening just how accurate early scenes in “Eddington” are as they relate to ongoing debates about mask-wearing and personal freedoms during the early portions of the pandemic.

A master of visual iconography, Aster utilizes the absolute most out of his rural southwest landscape. Through striking landscapes and overhead shots, he provides a wide-arcing view of the situation and offsets these with intensely dramatic close-ups that reinforce the delicate nature of Joe's fragile psyche. The genre-bending in “Eddington” occasionally works well as the components of psychological and crime thriller frequently evoke a Coen Brothers film. Though a little fine-tuning from a narrative standpoint would have made for a more complete film, it feels like Aster is trying to make too many points about too broad a subject matter.

"Eddington" stands out as a unique cinematic experience that cinephiles will appreciate for its bold direction and intricate character dynamics from its lead performances. Aster's ability to blend subtlety into bombastic narrative makes for highly compelling cinema, though these very qualities that make "Eddington" unique may also be too polarizing for some viewers as Aster challenges his audience to reevaluate their own worldview.

July 11, 2025 · Watch the official trailer

Reimagined for the third time to draw audiences in as a summer blockbuster, “Superman” is almost everything one might want out of a comic book movie.

The iconography, nostalgia, and altruism that audiences feel from David Corenswet’s lead performance perfectly bridges the gap between this modern iteration and the iconic work Christopher Reeve did in the role decades earlier.

Rachel Brosnahan is exceptionally well cast as his love interest Lois Lane, supporting and yet challenging both iterations of the persona – Clark Kent and Superman – alike, while Nicholas Hoult steals scenes with a twist on classic villain Lex Luther that's eerily similar to Tom Cruise's eccentricities from the sidesplitting comedy “Tropic Thunder.”

Amid all this, however, there's something significantly off about director James Gunn’s take on the celebrated Man of Steel that puts a wet blanket on the whole endeavor.

It isn't just that audiences have to be sidetracked with an unnecessary deluge of supporting characters in what's intended to be the debut film for a Superman franchise. The wild tonal shifts from '70s Superman altruism through over the top science fiction villainy to a reverent, subversive comedy make it hard for viewers to maintain their footing as the cinematic ground constantly shifts beneath them.

From a larger storytelling perspective, it's not bad to start the “Superman” reboot having the world fully know who Superman is as a protector of Earth with opening title cards establishing that Superman has been the world's protector for over three years leading up to the events of the film. 


The need, however, for Gunn to immediately establish a whole universe for DC Comics rather than simply building the world of Metropolis right out the gate is far too much for audiences to sink their teeth into for a first film. The decision to allow Gunn to direct individual films himself while also being the DC equivalent of Marvel's Kevin Feige creates an atmosphere where standalone filmmaking isn't entirely possible.

This isn't to say there isn't a ton to like about this “Superman.”

Corenswet is effortlessly charming n his altruism, yet not so arrogant as to be incapable of exuding the moral and emotional depths that balance between being one “super”-man against the needs of the entire planet create.

The relative newcomer is so convincing in the role that audiences will easily get behind his take on the character no matter how dedicated they might be to Reeve’s original or even the more recent spin Henry Cavill did in Zack Snyder's DC extended universe.

The intense, believable chemistry he's able to craft with Brosnahan feels resonant and layered with plenty more to explore in films that hopefully won't push the boundaries of the universe so wide.

The visual iconography of “Superman” leaps off the screen from the first moments with audiences able to take in the majesty of the classic Fortress of Solitude and layering contrast through the bright visual tapestry that Metropolis provides.

Aside from its more science fiction-y moments, the visual language of “Superman” created by cinematographer Henry Braham and production designer Beth Mickle have a dynamic, vintage feel that immediately pulls on viewers' heartstrings and invokes the sort of nostalgia that Gunn hopes to achieve with “Superman.”

Yet the balance is not completely there.

As much as it tries to be in the vein of a Christopher Reeve led “Superman” film, this 2025 version also tries to pull too much from Marvel's choices to world build and universe create at an accelerated pace chasing the almighty dollar.

The narrative is bloated with the unnecessary addition of secondary heroes jealous of Superman, tertiary henchmen with just enough backstory to become key to the plot and – despite how adorable and fun he is – a Kryptonian dog mucking up the plot.

There’s something for every type of movie lover in “Superman,” which is trying just a bit too hard to be a standout comic book blockbuster rather than simply being the best stand-alone movie it can be.

With that being said, the high points of “Superman” truly soar and the entertainment factor is certainly there enough to make it a must see in theaters for cinephiles wanting to turn off their brains and enjoy vintage superhero nostalgia.

July 3, 2025 · Watch the official trailer

Nostalgia only matters when there's something of interest to remember.

Jonathan Bailey's character in the latest installment of the “Jurassic Park” franchise laments how people used to come out in droves, standing in line for hours to learn more about dinosaurs and now no one really seems to care.

A reboot of a spin-off of the 1993 Michael Crichton penned, Steven Spielberg directed classic, “Jurassic World: Rebirth” stretches the bounds of Crichton’s original ideas far beyond what it can probably hold in with a feature that aims to remind viewers about classic moments from the original film while drawing in new audiences.

Most of the visual moments within the original “Jurassic Park” film are intentionally highlighted including the iconic banner falling in front of a Tyrannosaurus Rex as well as children running scared from a raptor in a kitchen like setting, almost to a shot for shot level.

This homage is great if people remember and are actively engaged for more “Jurassic Park” expansion and yet there's a redundancy to the overall narrative that feels like every single twist bringing humans and dinosaurs together has been already played out.

Director Gareth Edwards, whose unique and original take on “Star Wars” films with “Rogue One” has become a benchmark for what spinning off a franchise can be cinematically, brings his take on big creatures with “Jurassic World: Rebirth,” a film whose title suggests renewed life that just that that never really hits home. 


Certain moments within “Rebirth” do rise to the level of audience expectation especially in sequences where there's more reverence and awe to these seemingly majestic creatures. Brief flickers of this can be seen in a lush valley where massive herbivores tower over tiny characters or an intense cliffside showdown with a massive pterodactyl.

In fact, the film's narrative MacGuffin, which sees Scarlett Johansson's Zora and Mahershala Ali’s Duncan lead a team of mercenaries and scientists into a remote island seeking to retrieve DNA from the three largest species of dinosaurs for medical research actually makes for the film's most engaging sequences.

But often so much of the over two-hour screenplay is bogged down in minutia and unnecessary side plots that create an uneven storyline or imbalanced storylines.

The film's A-list actors do find themselves at home in big blockbuster action films and the ability of both Ali and Johansson to make the thin backstories of their characters have any semblance of dramatic weight is far more credit to their talent as performers than returning screenwriter David Koepp’s storytelling capabilities.

“Wicked” star Bailey is also solid as a scientist with reservations about the moral quandaries or dilemmas posed, while the one note mustache twirling nature of Rupert Friend’s Martin Krebs leaves a lot to be desired.

Visually, the unique color palettes Edwards brought to “Rogue One” and his science fiction drama “The Creator” are sometimes present in “Rebirth” and help balance out the heavy CGI effects that putting dinosaurs on the big screen requires. Yet like the last two entries in the “Jurassic World” series, these moments are largely forgettable after leaving the cinema.

While having a dinosaur movie does break up the monotony of comic book based action blockbusters for the summertime, it doesn't feel as though “Jurassic World: Rebirth” has enough gas in the tank to provide cinephiles worth making a trip to theaters versus its upcoming competition.

If audiences have any true motivations for heading to the cinema, it may be for the early teaser trailer for “The Odyssey,” director Christopher Nolan’s next film following his Oscar win for “Oppenheimer.”

June 30, 2025 · Watch the official trailer

Fast cars can make up for a lot of flaws in cinema.

The more risk involved, the heightened dramatic tension that doesn't have to be crafted by a screenwriter nor really even a director.

There's a fascination with people willing to put their lives on the line to prove that they're the best, cramming themselves in tiny high-octane machines and throwing caution to the wind.

Director Joseph Kosinski, best known for his massively popular nostalgia sequel “Top Gun: Maverick,” returns to the world of daring feats in expensive machines with a film exploring the dramatic highs and lows at triple digit speeds of formula one racing.

His film, simply titled “F1: The Movie,” has the endorsement of the entire racing community with its stars spending an inordinate amount of time behind the wheel in real cars at real tracks hoping to bring a sense of authenticity to the biggest screens possible.

Without question, “F1” should be seen in its IMAX intended format for the numerous sprawling and intense action sequences carefully crafted by Kosinski and his team, though oversaturated editing meant to heighten the tension often pulls viewers out of the driver seat one too many times and the over formulaic nature of the script leaves little doubt where the eventual hairpin turns will go.

“F1” stars Brad Pitt as a relatively washed-up former formula one driver called back to the track more than a decade after his career was nearly cut short early to help bring a underperforming racing team its first points in the standings.

While the story itself is relatively withered and middling, there's a reason why filmmakers cast a performer like Pitt in blockbuster films like these. Pitt brings a gravitas to his role as Sonny in ways that feel both very cavalier and strident evoking more rebellious moments of Pitt’s filmography with an almost pensive and reflective wistfulness in quieter scenes that reflect both the wear and tear on Sonny's physical and emotional state.

There’s layers to the role that also seem to sense similar weariness as the veteran character actor begins to wind into the third act of his career; there's almost a one last ride motif to “F1” that doesn't quite land in quite the same way that Tom Cruise's returned to the cockpit in Kosinski's “Top Gun: Maverick” did years prior though Pitt is overwhelmingly convincing as exhausted rebel and erstwhile mentor.

Casting Javier Bardem as Sonny's former rival turned ally who brings him back to the big time is an inspired choice as it allows Pitt to playfully yet purposefully spar with another star with similar gravitas and their kinship is unquestionably the most underutilized dramatic relationship in the film.

Newcomer Damson Idris makes quality strides as young hot shot racer Joshua Pearce, who brings spunk and vibrancy but is clearly outclassed by Pitt’s magnetism, which makes it hard to get behind the younger actor's character at all.

“The Banshees of Inisherin” star Kerry Condon works well in a role that is clearly meant to be something beyond a simple love interest for Sonny in a film incredibly less interested in character development outside of its singular lead that doesn't really give much credence to her talents.

The cinematography of “F1,” expertly shot by director of photography Claudio Miranda, provides the grand bravado and theatricality of formula one racing with a dynamic cinematic experience. Using technology created by Kosinski and his team originally to mount cameras on fighter jets for “Maverick,” “F1” takes audiences closer than they’ve ever been before to the intensity of racing from a first-person perspective.

Small cameras rotating 360 degrees allow viewers to rush back and forth between the driver’s POV and the constantly changing emotions they express while at high speeds. Knowing that Pitt and Idris are on the track in harrowing conditions while simultaneously blending an acting performance with genuine fear and exhilaration amplifies the authenticity of the experience.

Moviegoers will need to take advantage of any opportunity to see “F1: The Movie” on a premium format, preferably IMAX, to have the most immersive experience possible as repeat home viewings can never come close to the thrills and chills one might get being on the edge of their theater seats for two hours.

June 23, 2025 · Watch the official trailer

Disney's financial obsession with relaunching their animated classics as live action films has become an unnecessary staple in movie theaters with their retelling of “Lilo and Stitch” arriving theatrically a few weeks ago and “Moana” currently in production for release next year.

However, a more disturbing trend is how other animated studios are getting into the mix with DreamWorks tapping Dean DeBlois, co-director of the original animated film, into directing a live action version of their critically acclaimed and Academy Award nominated film, “How To Train Your Dragon.”

Somehow 30 minutes longer despite being almost an entirely shot-for shot, beat for beat remake of the original, the live action “How To Train Your Dragon” is something DreamWorks hopes families will gather together for at the box office in droves this summer.

And yet the film is so bland and unmemorable that there's absolutely no need to leave the comfort of home when the original animated film is at your fingertips and this retelling will land on a streaming service later this year.

DeBlois’ slightly expanded revisit to the world of dragons is narratively identical to the 2010 classic with an introverted young Viking boy named Hiccup going against his family's heritage of slaughtering dragons as he befriends an injured night fury named Toothless. Together, the two help each other to become more than either are on their own as Hiccup shows the Vikings how to peacefully coexist with these magical creatures.

The original animated film is known for its star-studded voice cast, which in franchise history included Jay Baruschel, Jonah Hill, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, and Oscar winner Cate Blanchett, yet only Gerard Butler makes the transition from animation to live action as Hiccup's father Stoick.

While there is a nice familiarity to having Butler on screen, the expanded runtime doesn't add anything to his character arc, or the larger narrative and the film largely sidelines Butler to a stereotypical stern father.

Relative newcomers Mason Thames and Nico Parker playing Hiccup and his love interest Astrid do a solid job of keeping younger audiences engaged in giving them someone to relate to, though nothing in their performances becomes relatively noteworthy in the larger landscape.

The film shows its age narratively and comes across more as a strange hybrid of “Harry Potter” and “Game of Thrones” with the only standout element of the film being the return of composer John Powell’s terrific score.

On an average movie screen, there's little discernible improvement visually in the live action remake against the animated original especially as it relates to the film's opening and closing climatic action sequences bathed in almost total darkness.

There’s significantly more contrast available in animation that is lost in these CGI heavy green screen amalgamations to the point that the 2025 version is borderline unwatchable for large segments as its difficult to follow action sequences are slightly different hues of pitch black and muddle characters in shadow.

The color palettes of animation versus computer generated images here are starkly different to the point that any sort of photo realism intended in the remake becomes utterly superfluous and hinders the narrative plot line.

At times, it is engaging for audiences to soar through an afternoon sky on the back of Toothless, more up close and personal in the remake. But there's not enough impact to make the overall film any more compelling.

Younger audiences who have never seen the animated trilogy may find this iteration far more engaging and entertaining, though ardent fans of the animated classic may find this overly exacting faithful iteration to be beyond nostalgia bait and not worth making a special trip to the cinema.

June 16, 2025 · Watch the official trailer

“Materialists” is not a romantic comedy.

It's true that there are some funny moments in the film and it is a richly, deeply romantic movie, but very little, if anything about writer-director Celine Song’s sophomore feature could even be remotely considered a rom-com in the traditional sense.

It's a catfish of a premise that finds Dakota Johnson's matchmaker character Lucy stuck in the middle of a love triangle between a rich new beau portrayed by Pedro Pascal versus her down on his luck ex played by Chris Evans.

Yet the premise is more a stage for Song to discreetly and subversively critique modern dating and the priorities we claim to want in a partner versus what actually attracts us in romance.

“Materialists” is unabashedly, unapologetic about its skepticism and often downright cynicism as it relates to the purity of intentions by seemingly good people in dating.

In fact, Johnson's Lucy is a largely unlikable protagonist with an overwhelming need to view relationships as transactional to the point where Song has Lucy describe herself as more of a mortician or insurance actuary that only cares about tangible, reductive traits like height, weight, or financial status rather than a person's humanity.

“Materialists,” invariably without fail, especially in its first act, says the quiet things out loud with regards to the haves and have nots in a modern dating world and audiences unprepared to confront their own biases in this world will likely find themselves at odds to the point of outright disgust over the premise of Song’s subversive arguments. 


Key in making this film both effective and affective in its narrative are the trio of lead actors who each bring something distinct but necessary to the table for Song’s bittersweet, melancholy tale of sliding doors.

It's hard for audiences to get behind Johnson as Lucy, not for the talented actress’s on-screen abilities, but rather the abrupt cutting ways in which Lucy approaches the world and the subtleties in which Lucy's worldview shifts between scenes opposites Harry versus John are minute but distinctive.

The businesslike affectation that she brings to scenes with Pascal reinforce the notion that Lucy is hiding her true identity in order to successfully make her way in the world romantically, both as a financial and emotional means of security and has this strange yet intriguing relation to her time in the “Fifty Shades of Gray” film series that saw Johnson play a naive ingenue to a distant yet suave absurdly rich businessman.

Conversely, Johnson's ability to turn on a dime and throw Lucy's rationality out the window in interactions with John are meant to evoke how love makes one feel and act more spontaneously and truer to one's authentic self.

Pascal has this aura about him throughout that seems very close, but just out of reach as Harry, a man comfortable at ease in his own skin yet with subtle insecurities that reflect in minor nuanced affectations that perfectly foreshadow hidden details about Harry’s past.

Evans, for the most part, is effortlessly falling into what could be easily viewed as the masculine version of cinema's “Manic Pixie Dream Girl” motif, a seemingly ethereal, impossibly upright, and charming man whose only flaw is his limited economic means.

The earnestness to which Evans’ John allows audiences to clearly understand why things did not work out between John and Lucy yet there's just enough hints of a romantic chemistry between the pair that suggest why their love might supersede rational thought.

Song is a very exacting, thoughtful director with her Oscar nominated debut feature, “Past Lives,” reflecting the careful intentionality behind each frame in her cinematic choices.

Her ability to create ethereal lingering moments within her films, combined with alluring and seductive cinematography, and location choices create an environment in which both actor and audience can reflect on the subtleties in critique that she layers throughout her screenplay while not disengaging audiences from the moment. 


“Materialists” is an often frustrating, upsetting film to take in due to the bold aggressive ways in which it challenges audience expectations and cinephiles would be best served to head into the theater with as little preconceived notions about the film as possible.

Those willing to take the film at face value should find “Materialists” to be an exceptionally smart, poignant dramedy that combines careful examination of the real world with the right amount of cinematic charm and something well worth seeking out in theaters.

June 9, 2025 · Watch the official trailer

There's a kinetic vibrancy to a Wes Anderson film that feels exceptionally unique in cinema.

With a cavalcade of rich color palettes, eccentric characters audaciously dressed, or biting and dry scripts. audiences have clear expectations for what they may be in for with an Anderson film regardless of what the movie is about.

In this regard, the plot of “The Phoenician Scheme” doesn't particularly matter.

It portends itself to be a tale of a seemingly unkillable businessman desperate to make his industrialist dreams come true at any cost. And yet all of the business minutia has little to no impact on the actual storytelling involved.

Rich in thematic nuance both overt and subtle, “The Phoenician Scheme” is more about a man coming to terms with the inevitability of his mortality and creating a relationship with his estranged daughter.

Though the film features a traditional star-studded Anderson ensemble cast, it's almost truly more of a two-handed film.

Benicio Del Toro plays Zsa-zsa Korda, a part written specifically for the veteran character actor, whose gruff physical exterior and ability to portray nuance with sly comedic timing is key to making the film click despite the denseness of its narrative. Del Toro has made a career playing rather unscrupulous characters and his ability to win audiences over convincingly is a balm to the overly dry, cynical nature of the narrative as a whole.

Relative newcomer, Mia Threapleton, daughter of Oscar winner Kate Winslet, is a revelation as Liesl, a young woman seeking to find answers to her personal family history before taking the vows of a nun. Her ability to not only thrive in Anderson's largely stoic dry humor but carry a presence that does not become overwhelmed by Del Toro's magnetism balances the film and fundamentally changes the adventure audiences are led on to become something much more layered than one might expect from such a stiff comedy.

It's somewhat astonishing that Michael Cera has never been in an Anderson film before as his natural brand of staccato performance is uniquely adept for this type of screenplay and his eccentric turn as the film's main supporting character Professor Bjorn is the perfect introduction for the actor to enter the world of Anderson. 


Cera’s ability to almost hide in the background of scenes and appear out of nowhere for casual memorable one-liners is superb and highlights just how deep of an ensemble. Anderson and his team have found for “The Phoenician Scheme.” A film that uses cinematic royalty like Tom Hanks as the 10th or 12th most important character in a film and mostly relegates him to a bizarrely humorous game of horse extenuates this even further.


“The Phoenician Scheme,” like all recent Anderson films, invites audiences to be drawn in with a keen eye in order to catch all of the exact details of the visual spectacle that the film's locations, production design, and costumes provide. In fact, there's so much to each little frame of the film that it may take a second viewing in order for viewers to get away from the dense narrative and become more comfortably immersed in the world of the film.

The textures that production designer Adam Stockhausen brings have a 1950s cinema era style to them that isn't just in keeping with the locales that the film is set in, but the ways in which a Hollywood production of the era might shoot the same script.

Where “The Phoenician Scheme” falls a touch flat is the overwhelming number of motifs that are packed into every page of screenplay. And while there is a brisk pace to the film broken out into different segments as Zsa-zsa and Liesl meet with different business partners to broker a new deal, several segments feel so superfluously thrown together in the editing bay that the entire film has a disjointed, uneven feel narratively.

Though it is not among Anderson’s best, “The Phoenician Scheme” does have his signature auteur vision in spades and those who get where the eccentric filmmaker is coming from will certainly find pleasure with this film.

Lesser fans of his work may struggle to connect with a film that doesn't allow for an ease of accessibility, though the lead performances from Del Toro and Threapleton could prove worth taking a chance on in theaters.