The Long Walk
2025
**½
Director: Frances Lawrence
Cast: Cooper Hoffman, David Jonsson, Charlie Plummer, Ben Wang, Roman Griffin Davis, Judy Greer, Mark Hamill, Garrett Wareing, Tut Nyuot, Jordan Gonzalez
In a brutal annual Long Walk contest, one teenage boy from each state is forced to walk at a steady pace without stopping until only one remains; those who stop or collapse are shot. Although this horror thriller is an adaptation of Stephen King's 1979 novel, it essentially tells another Hunger Games-style story, making it Francis Lawrence's fifth in that vein. His work is at its best when the boys share their hopes and dreams, and we see the camaraderie and friendship developing between them. World-building here is minimal, nearly as minimal as the preparation undertaken by many of the contestants. However, my main issue with the film is that it is dull, overlong, and visually exhausting. The ending really left a really bad taste in my mouth.
Wil (Will)
2023
**½
Director: Tim Mielants
Cast: Stef Aerts, Matteo Simoni, Annelore Crollet, Jan Bijvoet, Pierre Bokma, Kevin Janssens, Dirk Roofthooft, Gene Bervoets, Dimitrij Schaad, Pit Bukowski
In 1942, during the Nazi occupation of Antwerp, young Wil joins the police force, which is under German oversight. When the Nazis begin their crackdown on the Jews, Wil must carefully navigate between collaboration and resistance. This Belgian war drama, based on the 2016 novel by Jeroen Olyslaegers, explores the blurred lines between right and wrong in a time of oppression. The film is visually impressive but its story feels too familiar and predictable, with characters who are very black and white. Wil, who struggles with his conscience, is a frustrating character to watch, as he can barely get a word out of his mouth.
The Drama
2026
****½
Director: Kristoffer Borgli
Cast: Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Alana Haim, Mamoudou Athie, Hailey Gates, Zoë Winters, Hannah Gross, Sydney Lemmon, Anna Baryshnikov, Damon Gupton, Jeremy Levick, Michael Abbott Jr.
While Emma and Charlie are preparing for their wedding, their relationship begins to unravel after a casual conversation with friends about the worst thing each of them has ever done. Kristoffer Borgli's romantic comedy-drama takes us on a darkly comedic, thought-provoking, and surreal journey through anxieties and insecurities as Charlie ponders whether love is enough to overcome the revelation. The resulting film is very funny and well acted.
Raw
2016
****
Director: Julia Ducournau
Cast: Garance Marillier, Ella Rumpf, Rabah Nait Oufella, Laurent Lucas, Joana Preiss, Bouli Lanners, Jean-Louis Sbille, Marion Vernoux, Dominique Collignon-Maurin, Charlotte De Geyter
Justine begins veterinary school, the same one her rebellious older sister attends, where she undergoes a brutal hazing ritual that forces her to eat raw meat, awakening unexpected and uncontrollable cravings. Julia Ducournau's feature debut is a captivating and unsettling body horror film that explores coming-of-age, sexual awakening, self-discovery, and inherited traits. Garance Marillier gives a wonderful performance as Justine. The ending is terrific.
Thelma
2024
**½
Director: Josh Margolin
Cast: June Squibb, Fred Hechinger, Parker Posey, Clark Gregg, Malcolm McDowell, Nicole Byer, Coral Peña, Chase Kim, Richard Roundtree, Annie O'Donnell
When 93-year-old Thelma Post loses a large sum of money to a phone scam, she refuses to admit defeat. In secret from her daughter and grandson, she sets out on a mission to track down the scammer. It is lovely to see June Squibb, who was excellent in Nebraska, given a substantial leading role, but this drama-comedy turns out to be a far-fetched and oddly irritating crowdpleaser. Even the formulaic caper comedy score by Nick Chuba annoyed me. Josh Margolin's feature debut, inspired by his own grandmother's experiences, repeatedly underlines that, both narratively and thematically, the story is about the indignities and helplessness of growing old.
Predestination
2014
*
Director: Michael Spierig, Peter Spierig
Cast: Ethan Hawke, Sarah Snook, Noah Taylor, Madeleine West, Christopher Kirby, Freya Stafford, Elise Jansen, Jim Knobeloch, Bruce Spence, Tyler Coppin
A temporal agent has spent years travelling through time in pursuit of a dangerous terrorist. During his final mission, he encounters a mysterious person with a complex and paradoxical life story. This abysmal science fiction thriller is based on Robert A. Heinlein's 1959 short story All You Zombies. At first, it is unclear why we are watching an endless, dull conversation between these two individuals. As events unfold, it becomes clear these two are all there is to this universe. Identity and gender are mere concepts in this concoction, which delivers increasingly dumb and ridiculous revelations in the second half. Despite all of this, Sarah Snook gives an impressive performance.
The Ritual
2017
***
Director: David Bruckner
Cast: Rafe Spall, Arsher Ali, Robert James-Collier, Sam Troughton, Paul Reid, Maria Erwolter, Jacob James Beswick, Hilary Reeves, Peter Liddell, Kerri McLean
Four college friends go on a hiking trip in Sweden. They opt to take a shortcut through a forest, but encounter an evil presence tied to ancient pagan mythology. David Bruckner's folk horror film introduces four characters who are annoying, bickering bores even before the odds after stacked against them. Luckily, their personalities play a smaller role as events take a sinister turn. In the end, this is a short and effective shocker. Based on Adam Nevill's 2011 novel.
Baahubali: The Epic
2025
***½
Director: S. S. Rajamouli
Cast: Prabhas, Rana Daggubati, Anushka Shetty, Tamannaah Bhatia, Ramya Krishnan, Sathyaraj, Nassar, Subbaraju, Adivi Sesh, Tanikella Bharani
A strong young man named Shivudu discovers his royal heritage and becomes determined to reclaim his kingdom from a tyrannical ruler, his own uncle. In an extensive flashback, we learn the story of Shivudu's father, Baahubali, and his brother, Bhallaladeva. S. S. Rajamouli's follow-up to the exhilarating RRR is actually a re-edited version of his earlier works, Baahubali: The Beginning (2015) and Baahubali: The Conclusion (2017). This epic combines inventive action set pieces, mythology, and family drama, but does not reach the same level as its much-celebrated predecessor. The film relies heavily on obvious-looking CGI and, at 225 minutes, it does feel a bit long.
Anniversary
2025
***½
Director: Jan Komasa
Cast: Diane Lane, Kyle Chandler, Madeline Brewer, Zoey Deutch, Phoebe Dynevor, Mckenna Grace, Daryl McCormack, Dylan O'Brien, Sky Yang, Rebecca O'Mara
Ellen, Paul, and their four children celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary. When their son introduces his new girlfriend, whose book is about to inspire a radical political movement, their lives begin to unravel. Over the following years, the movement spreads across the country and tensions within the family intensify. This gripping dystopian political drama explores the topical polarisation in the US, though Lori Rosene-Gambino's screenplay doesn't really delve deeply into what The Change is, but she does take the story to a surprisingly grim and unsettling conclusion. Diane Lane is reliably great as the matriarch of the family.
Palimpsesti – ohita intro (Palimpsest)
2022
**½
Director: Hanna Västinsalo
Cast: Krista Kosonen, Leo Sjöman, Riitta Havukainen, Antti Virmavirta, Emma Kilpimaa, Milo Tamminen, Kaisu Mäkelä
Tellu and Juhani, two ailing old people, take part in an experimental gene therapy that reverses the ageing process in their bodies and causes them to become younger. Hanna Västinsalo's feature debut tells a compelling but slow and long science fiction story that raises some interesting questions. While Juhani struggles with the consequences of the procedure, his grown-up daughter is now the same age as he, Tellu is ready to go all the way, in the vein of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.
Vox Lux
2018
***
Director: Brady Corbet
Cast: Natalie Portman, Jude Law, Raffey Cassidy, Stacy Martin, Jennifer Ehle, Willem Dafoe, Christopher Abbott, Maria Dizzia, Meg Gibson, Leslie Silva
Celeste, a survivor of a school shooting, unexpectedly turns her trauma into a springboard for pop stardom. 17 years later, she is forced to confront the cost of celebrity. Brady Corbet's second feature is an intriguing but unusual concoction that doesn't quite gel into a satisfying whole. I prefer the first half, where Raffey Cassidy is great as teenage Celeste (later returning as her daughter). As the disillusioned 31-year-old Celeste navigates fame, personal struggles, and public scrutiny in the second half, it's harder to stay invested in the story, not least because of Natalie Portman's grating performance.
Black Bag
2025
**
Director: Steven Soderbergh
Cast: Cate Blanchett, Michael Fassbender, Marisa Abela, Tom Burke, Naomie Harris, Regé-Jean Page, Pierce Brosnan, Gustaf Skarsgård, Kae Alexander, Ambika Mod
An NCSC counterintelligence officer is informed that someone in his organisation has leaked a top-secret software program. The five suspects include his wife, while the remaining four form two couples. This slick, dialogue-driven, and visually polished spy drama features a groovy score by David Holmes, and it feels like Steven Soderbergh has made this same film about five times before. The screenplay by David Koepp introduces six characters whose personal and professional relationships are built on deception, but I couldn't care less about any of them or their respective romantic entanglements, and I also lost interest in the identity of the mole. The film owes a great debt to Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, another dry spy story with a bespectacled protagonist.
Project Hail Mary
2026
****
Director: Phil Lord, Christopher Miller
Cast: Ryan Gosling, Sandra Hüller, Milly Alcock, James Ortiz, Ken Leung, Blake Anderson, Isla McRae, Ruth Madeley, Hugh Laurie, Ariana Greenblatt
Ryland Grace wakes up alone on a spaceship with no memory of his mission. Through flashbacks, we learn that he is a molecular biologist turned science teacher, who forms an unlikely connection as he attempts to stop the sun from dimming. This highly entertaining intergalactic buddy comedy is based on Andy Weir's 2021 novel. It presents a science fiction story influenced by Interstellar, Arrival, and The Martian (incidentally based on Weir's earlier novel). Ryan Gosling gives an impressive performance, and the film is visually stunning and consistently funny, so much so that I could have used less banter and goofing, given what is at stake. Drew Goddard's screenplay struggles to wrap things up elegantly, resulting in about five endings in a row.
Argylle
2024
**
Director: Matthew Vaughn
Cast: Henry Cavill, Bryce Dallas Howard, Sam Rockwell, Bryan Cranston, Catherine O'Hara, Dua Lipa, John Cena, Samuel L. Jackson, Ariana DeBose, Richard E. Grant
Elly Conway is a reclusive author of trashy but popular spy novels. When her fictional espionage plots begin to mirror real-world events, she is pulled into the dangerous world of actual spies. Matthew Vaughn has directed three Kingsman features in a row, and this romantic spy action-comedy appears to be loosely connected to the franchise. Exhaustion and over-saturation are real concerns, and it's no help that this movie is by and large charmless. Vaughn's love of CGI means that every action set piece looks the same - and, frankly, awful. Elly imagining her fictional character in place of the real spy quickly wears out its welcome, and only adds unnecessary minutes to the runtime.
Nuremberg
2025
***
Director: James Vanderbilt
Cast: Rami Malek, Russell Crowe, Michael Shannon, Leo Woodall, Richard E. Grant, John Slattery, Mark O'Brien, Colin Hanks, Wrenn Schmidt, Lotte Verbeek
At the end of World War II, the Allied Forces establish a war tribunal to prosecute the surviving top brass of the Nazi regime for war crimes. U.S. Army psychiatrist Douglas Kelley is tasked with evaluating the mental health of the men in custody, and Reichsmarshall Hermann Göring proves to be a tough nut to crack. This historical drama about the Nuremberg Trials focuses on legal procedures and psychological mind games, which are not always particularly gripping or sufficient to justify the 148-minute runtime. Nevertheless, Russell Crowe delivers one of his most compelling performanced in years. Based on Jack El-Hai's 2013 book The Nazi and the Psychiatrist.
O Agente Secreto (The Secret Agent)
2025
****
Director: Kleber Mendonça Filho
Cast: Wagner Moura, Carlos Francisco, Tânia Maria, Robério Diógenes, Alice Carvalho, Gabriel Leone, Maria Fernanda Cândido, Udo Kier, Hermila Guedes, Isabél Zuaa
During the military dictatorship in 1977, a former researcher returns to Recife under a false identity in order to avoid political persecution and reunite with his young son, unaware that there is a price on his head. Like I'm Still Here, Kleber Mendonça Filho's captivating drama depicts Brazil dominated by authoritarian control and deep-rooted corruption. The sprawling story moves at a relaxed pace and doesn't offer quick and easy answers. In fact, it's unclear for most of the runtime how all the story strands come together. They eventually do, but perhaps that could have taken less than 161 minutes. Nevertheless, Wagner Moura gives a terrific, understated performance. Evgenia Alexandrova shot the film using authentic 1970s cameras and lenses, and it looks lovely.
Twinless
2025
***
Director: James Sweeney
Cast: Dylan O'Brien, James Sweeney, Aisling Franciosi, Chris Perfetti, François Arnaud, Tasha Smith, Lauren Graham, Greg Cotten, Nik Boyanov, Jung Jae‑il
Roman joins a support group for people who have lost their twins. There he befriends Dennis, who had a brief romantic encounter with Roman's twin brother but secretly pretends that he also lost a twin. James Sweeney's second film is a darkly comic drama that features two unpleasant characters: Roman is a violent hothead and Dennis a psychotic stalker and manipulator. Despite the set up, this is not a tense thriller but a story about grief and loneliness. The only scary part is the bafflingy hopeful final scene. While Dylan O'Brien gives a solid performance, James Sweeney has a very limited range.
It Was Just an Accident
2025
*****
Director: Jafar Panahi
Cast: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr, Delnaz Najafi, Afssaneh Najmabadi, Georges Hashemzadeh, Amin Jafari
A mechanic who was imprisoned for political reasons encounters the man he believes tortured him during his detention. He kidnaps the man and contacts other survivors to help confirm his identity. Jafar Panahi's brilliant political drama explores questions of memory, justice, and forgiveness, as the group members must confront the moral implications of revenge. Panahi, who shot the film without permission in Tehran, exposes Iran's repressive political environment and widespread corruption with dark humour. In the end, the story is a celebration of humanity. The final scene is just perfect.
Eternity
2025
**½
Director: David Freyne
Cast: Elizabeth Olsen, Miles Teller, Callum Turner, John Early, Olga Merediz, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Barry Primus, Betty Buckley, Ruairí O'Brien, David Fleming
Joan arrives in an afterlife where she must decide where and with whom she will spend eternity. Two men are vying for her affections: Larry, her husband of 65 years and the father of her children, and Luke, her first husband who died young in the Korean War. David Freyne's fantasy romantic comedy has potential, but it's obvious from the start that these three annoying people are not worth my time, and I didn't end up laughing once in their presence. The film attempts to examine memories, regrets, and the meaning of love, but without much inspiration. The outcome of the story is utterly predictable, especially because Joan has absolutely no chemistry with one of her husbands.
Hamnet
2025
****
Director: Chloé Zhao
Cast: Jessie Buckley, Paul Mescal, Emily Watson, Joe Alwyn, Jacobi Jupe, Olivia Lynes, David Wilmot, Justine Mitchell, Louisa Harland, Noah Jupe
In the late 16th-century England, Agnes Hathaway and William Shakespeare marry and build a family. When the family is hit by tragedy, Agnes falls apart and William transforms personal sorrow into enduring art. Chloé Zhao's moving period drama is based on Maggie O’Farrell's 2020 novel, which weaves a fictional story around real-life people and the creation of Hamlet. This is an affecting film about grief and the power of art, with brilliant performances by the Oscar winning Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal. Max Richter's minimalist score works wonders.
Relay
2024
***
Director: David Mackenzie
Cast: Riz Ahmed, Lily James, Sam Worthington, Willa Fitzgerald, Jared Abrahamson, Pun Bandhu, Eisa Davis, Matthew Maher, Seth Barrish, Victor Garber
Ash is a fixer who brokers deals between corrupt companies and their former employees who have damaging information. Nobody knows who he is or what he looks like, but he breaks his own strict professional rules for a desperate young woman. For the most part, this old-fashioned conspiracy thriller, based on a screenplay by Justin Piasecki, is smart, tense, and entertaining, though a bit repetitive. Ash communicates through an anonymous relay communication service designed for the deaf, an interesting detail that adds originality. However, Ash becomes increasingly stupid in the final third, and the whole thing ends in a silly gunfight.
Blue Moon
2025
***½
Director: Richard Linklater
Cast: Ethan Hawke, Margaret Qualley, Bobby Cannavale, Andrew Scott, Simon Delaney, Patrick Kennedy, Jonah Lees, Cillian Sullivan, John Doran, David Rawle, Anne Brogan
Broadway lyricist Lorenz Hart (1895-1943) was one half of the famous songwriting duo Rodgers and Hart, best known for songs like Blue Moon, My Funny Valentine, and The Lady Is a Tramp. On the opening-night celebration of Oklahoma!, the first fruit of Rodgers' new partnership, Hart must confront his fading career and personal appeal. Richard Linklater's fictionalised biopic was written by Robert Kaplow, who based the screenplay on a collection of letters. The resulting film is witty and funny but very dialogue-heavy and almost entirely set in one room. Nevertheless, Ethan Hawke is brilliant as Hart, who uses his sharp tongue to hide his insecurities and feelings of loneliness.
If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
2025
****
Director: Mary Bronstein
Cast: Rose Byrne, Conan O’Brien, Danielle Macdonald, Christian Slater, A$AP Rocky, Ivy Wolk, Delaney Quinn, Daniel Zolghadri, Lark White, Manu Narayan, Josh Pais, Helen Hong
While her husband is largely absent, Linda is slowly buckling under a series of mounting crises: her professional responsibilities as a therapist, her relationship with her own therapist, her daughter's eating disorder, and an unexpected disaster at home that forces the family to relocate to a motel. Mary Bronstein's compelling second feature is a harrowing and darkly comic depiction of Linda's descent into anxiety and emotional exhaustion as she attempts to maintain control. Rose Byrne gives her career-best performance in the lead.
Bait
2019
***½
Director: Mark Jenkin
Cast: Edward Rowe, Mary Woodvine, Simon Shepherd, Giles King, Chloe Endean, Isaac Woodvine, Jowan Jacobs, Georgia Ellery, Janet Thirlaway, Martin Ellis, Stacey Guthrie, Tristan Sturrock
In a small Cornish village, traditional fishing is giving way to tourism and second homes. Martin, who continues to fish, has fallen out with his brother Steven, who uses their boat for tourist trips. Mark Jenkin's distinctive drama looks unlike anything else. It was shot with a vintage 16 mm camera on black-and-white film, which Jenkin processed himself. The sound was all added in post-production. The end result looks like a scratchy silent film with muffled dialogue and primitive sound effects. The look is unique yet exhausting, but there isn't quite enough story to carry a 90-minute feature.
The Life of Chuck
2025
****
Director: Mike Flanagan
Cast: Tom Hiddleston, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Karen Gillan, Mia Sara, Carl Lumbly, Benjamin Pajak, Jacob Tremblay, Mark Hamill, Matthew Lillard, Kate Siegel, Samantha Sloyan, Rahul Kohli
The story of Charles “Chuck” Krantz, told in three acts and in reverse chronological order. It begins with a mysterious cataclysmic event somehow connected to Chuck’s death at the age of 39. The narrative then moves backwards through time, revealing the key events that shaped his character. Following Gerald's Game and Doctor Sleep, this is Mike Flanagan's third Stephen King adaptation. This fascinating and captivating fantasy drama explores death, memories, and the idea that every human life contains a universe of experiences. The first and most intriguing act is excellent. The second act, focusing on a key moment in Chuck's adult life, and the final act, depicting his childhood and teenage years, are not quite at the same level, but the film as a whole remains compelling. The narration by Nick Offerman is often superfluous. Based on King's 2020 novella, which was published in the collection If It Bleeds.
Sing Sing
2023
****
Director: Greg Kwedar
Cast: Colman Domingo, Paul Raci, Clarence Maclin, Sean San José, David Giraudy, Patrick Griffin, Moisés Acevedo, Sean, John, David
A group of incarcerated men at Sing Sing Correctional Facility take part in the Rehabilitation Through the Arts programme. The theatre group acts as an escape and reignites their belief in humanity. Greg Kwedar's lovely drama about the transformative power of creativity and self-expression is based on a real-life programme, and most of the cast are ex-convicts who took part in it. This moving film doesn't spend one second portraying the usual dangers of prison life; instead, it highlights personal growth, resilience, and friendship. Colman Domingo and Clarence Maclin give moving performances as two different types of convicts who eventually see eye to eye.
Sirāt
2025
****
Director: Oliver Laxe
Cast: Sergi López, Bruno Núñez, Stefania Gadda, Joshua Liam Henderson, Richard Bellamy, Tonin Janvier, Jade Oukid, Adrián Pino, Daniel Ortiz, María Medina
Luis and his young son Esteban travel to a rave in the Moroccan desert to search for the boy's older sister. They end up following a group of vagabonds and venture deeper and deeper into the hostile desert. Oliver Laxe's intriguing drama has undefinable mystery at its core. The drive through the unforgiving terrain into the heart of the desert becomes both a physical and spiritual journey, reminiscent of Apocalypse Now. The unsettling dramatic twists in the final 30 minutes come out of left field. Laxe delivers a powerful cinematic experience, beautifully shot by Mauro Herce and accompanied by an atmospheric, thumping electronic score by Kangding Ray.
The Sister Brothers
2018
***½
Director: Jacques Audiard
Cast: John C. Reilly, Joaquin Phoenix, Jake Gyllenhaal, Riz Ahmed, Rebecca Root, Allison Tolman, Rutger Hauer, Carol Kane, Richard Brake, Theo Exarchopoulos
In the 1850s, infamous gunslingers Eli and Charlie Sisters are hired to track down a man who has supposedly developed a valuable chemical formula. Along the way, the brothers face danger and misfortune. Jacques Audiard's unusual Western is based on Patrick deWitt's 2011 novel. It features some brutal violence, dark humour, and moments of melancholy. The story is refreshingly unpredictable, but I'm not sure it all amounts to something substantial. John C. Reilly gives a delightful performance as one of the brothers.
Spinal Tap II: The End Continues
2025
***
Director: Rob Reiner
Cast: Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, Rob Reiner, Paul McCartney, Elton John, Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, Fran Drescher, Paul Shaffer, Nina Conti, Griffin Matthews, Kerry Godliman, Chris Addison
Forty-one years after his iconic documentary, filmmaker Marty Di Bergi returns to chronicle the reunion of legendary metal band Spınal Tap as they prepare for one final concert after years apart. This Is Spinal Tap, Rob Reiner's directorial debut, was a clever, hilarious, and highly influential mockumentary. His final film opens with some wonderful sight gags and sharp verbal jokes, but it soon settles into a likeable but disappointing nostalgia trip, weighed down by endless callbacks to the original and pointless celebrity cameos. Ultimately, there is little justification for this sequel's existence.
At Eternity's Gate
2018
***
Director: Julian Schnabel
Cast: Willem Dafoe, Rupert Friend, Oscar Isaac, Mads Mikkelsen, Mathieu Amalric, Emmanuelle Seigner, Niels Arestrup, Vincent Perez, Stella Schnabel, Amira Casar
In his final years, the Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890) is a struggling artist living in Arles and Auvers-sur-Oise, and battling with his declining mental health. Julian Schnabel does not deliver a conventional biographical drama, but rather a more focused portrayal of a life as an artist. The central question posed to the protagonist is Why do you paint? Although this is a promising approach, the film never becomes truly compelling. It is marked by Benoît Delhomme's restless, shaky POV camerawork and Tatiana Lisovskaya's ever-present piano score. The screenplay draws on van Gogh’s letters, particularly those exchanged with his brother Theo. Willem Dafoe, who is admittedly about 25 years too old for the part, nonetheless delivers a strong performance.
The Rip
2026
**
Director: Joe Carnahan
Cast: Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Steven Yeun, Teyana Taylor, Sasha Calle, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Scott Adkins, Kyle Chandler, Néstor Carbonell, Lina Esco
The Miami-Dade Police Department Tactical Narcotics Team raids a stash house and uncovers millions in cartel cash. As outside forces close in, trust fractures within the team, as they suspect one another of being a mole plotting to steal the fortune. Joe Carnahan's past works range from mediocre (The Grey) to dismal (Copshop and Smokin' Aces). This dad movie, inspired by real events, is packed with his signature action and machismo. Violence erupts, alliances shift, and loyalties are tested, but I remained consistently bored and, at times, confused. The twisty script is not nearly as clever as it thinks.
The Ballad of Wallis Island
2025
***
Director: James Griffiths
Cast: Tim Key, Tom Basden, Carey Mulligan, Akemnji Ndifornyen, Sian Clifford, Arron Long, Richard Ruck, Steve Marsh, Mark Davison, Luke Neal
A down-and-out folk musician is invited to the remote Wallis Island by an eccentric lottery winner to perform a private concert. However, an unexpected reunion with his former bandmate and ex-partner stirs unresolved tensions and buried emotions. This British comedy-drama was expanded from the 2007 short film The One and Only Herb McGwire Plays Wallis Island by James Griffiths, Tim Key, and Tom Basden. The film has a likeable and original set-up, but the story follows a disappointingly predictable path to its inevitably sentimental finale. Tim Key's comedy, full of constant jibber-jabber and playful dialogue, is an acquired taste. Tom Basden's songs failed to leave much of an impact.
The Mastermind
2025
***
Director: Kelly Reichardt
Cast: Josh O’Connor, Alana Haim, Hope Davis, John Magaro, Gaby Hoffmann, Bill Camp, Rhenzy Feliz, Matthew Maher, Amanda Plummer, Eli Gelb, Cole Doman, Javion Allen
A jobless carpenter hopes to change his family's fortunes by stealing four paintings from the local art museum. However, he chooses his partners poorly and his cosy life quickly falls apart. Kelly Reichardt's slow and modest heist film is set in 1970 against the backdrop of social unrest and the Vietnam War, and is inspired by real-life art thefts and other works in this genre. Reichardt's work is 10% plot and 90% vibes. The story feels unoriginal, and the slow-witted, sad-sack hero played by Josh O’Connor fails to evoke much sympathy. The supporting characters are barely sketched at all. All in all, this is an overlong and largely uneventful film, though the ironic ending at least left me with a smile.
Bugonia
2025
***½
Director: Yorgos Lanthimos
Cast: Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, Aidan Delbis, Stavros Halkias, Alicia Silverstone, J. Carmen Galindez Barrera
Teddy is a young troubled man obsessed with conspiracy theories. Assisted by his cousin Don, he kidnaps a powerful pharmaceutical CEO, convinced that she is secretly an Andromedan alien intent on destroying Earth. Yorgos Lanthimos' dark comedy is a remake of the 2003 South Korean science-fiction comedy Save the Green Planet!. It examines corporate power and conspiracy culture, but ultimately unfolds as a rather underwhelming shaggy-dog story, leaving me unsure what to think about people like Teddy. The film is visually striking and consistently intriguing, though never particularly fun to watch. Easier to admire than to enjoy, perhaps. As is often the case with Lanthimos' work, the performances are excellent. The soundtrack by Jerskin Fendrix is powerful but used in a weird fashion.
Hedda
2025
***
Director: Nia DaCosta
Cast: Tessa Thompson, Imogen Poots, Tom Bateman, Nicholas Pinnock, Nina Hoss, Finbar Lynch, Mirren Mack, Jamael Westman, Saffron Hocking, Kathryn Hunter
Hedda feels trapped in her privileged but suffocating life as the wife of a debt-ridden academic. She hosts a lavish party where long-repressed desires and resentments come to the surface. Nia DaCosta's adaptation of Henrik Ibsen's 1891 play Hedda Gabler is set in 1950s England, but its views on racial diversity and sexual identity feel distinctly contemporary. This stagy but good-looking drama is well-acted and nicely directed. However, as Hedda sabotages her former lover and seemingly everyone around her, her motives are not always easy to understand or accept.
