Category: Movie Reviews

Kneecap (2024) | REVIEW

Liam Ó Hannaidh, Naoise Ó Cairealláin, and JJ Ó Dochartaigh in KNEECAP — PHOTO: Sony Pictures Classics (Still image from trailers).

Directed by Rich Peppiatt — Screenplay by Rich Peppiatt.

Writer-director Rich Peppiatt’s Kneecap tells the story of the rise of the real-life Belfast-based Irish hip-hop group known as ‘Kneecap.’ In Belfast, we meet Liam Ó Hannaidh (played by himself) and Naoise Ó Cairealláin (played by himself), two young men who have been raised on the beliefs of an Irish republican, Arlo (played by Michael Fassbender), who has faked his own death to avoid being caught by authorities. When, one day, Liam is arrested after attending a party where drugs were being widely spread, he refuses to speak English to the authorities opting instead to speak Irish Gaelic, which frustrates the protestant authorities. Therefore they reach out to JJ Ó Dochartaigh (played by himself), a music teacher at a school that teaches Gaelic, so that he can translate the conversation at the station as an interpreter. Following this encounter, JJ, Liam, and Naoise get together to record Irish Gaelic hip-hop, perform it, and bring attention to the language that they feel is not properly recognized. This all happens at a moment in time when JJ’s girlfriend, Caitlin (played by Fionnuala Flaherty), is getting into politics to campaign for an Irish Language Act.

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Wicked (2024) | REVIEW

Ariana Grande-Butera and Cynthia Erivo in WICKED — PHOTO: UNIVERSAL PICTURES (Still image from trailers).

Directed by Jon M. Chu — Screenplay by Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox.

Sometimes I like to think of myself as an ‘unrealized musical theater kid,’ since I do, and always have, enjoyed performances, musicals, and whatnot but didn’t really have school programs or friends to help steer me in a fulfilling direction when I was younger. As such, it sometimes feels like I’m behind on a couple of musical theater touchstones that I undoubtedly would’ve loved when I was younger. Although I knew of “Defying Gravity,” through, I think, Glee, Wicked has been a little bit of a blind-spot for me, despite my love and appreciation for The Wizard of Oz. In early 2024, I did express some doubt about this entire big-screen adaptation project of the musical theater phenomenon, as the adaptations of Cats and Dear Evan Hansen appeared to have only lessened the reputations of those shows. So, I openly asked, on the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, if this was something people actually wanted to see? Wicked die-hard fans were quick to respond with a clear and obvious ‘yes.’ Now that I’ve seen the big-screen adaptation, I can happily say that I totally get the excitement. Although I, admittedly, don’t think it’s perfect or the best movie musical of the last ten years, I found Wicked to be utterly delightful. I understand why it is, ahem, popular.

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Companion (2025) | REVIEW

A burning Iris (played by Sophie Thatcher) sitting across from Josh (played by Jack Quaid) in COMPANION — PHOTO: Warner Bros. Pictures (still image from trailers).

Directed by Drew Hancock — Screenplay by Drew Hancock.

In the marketing for this film (more on this later), trailers have highlighted the fact that this new genre-bendy flick is the product of the studio behind The Notebook, arguably the most well-known American romance film, and the creators of Barbarian, the hugely surprising horror film with multiple tricks up its sleeves from 2022. It’s a good marketing narrative that does communicate the film’s genre fluidity from one thing to another from certain scenes to certain scenes. But, in actuality, this is the brainchild of writer-director Drew Hancock, a Blue Mountain State writer, who, to be honest, has crafted something quite entertaining for his feature directorial debut. 

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You’re Cordially Invited (2025) | REVIEW

Margot (Reese Witherspoon) and Jim (Will Ferrell) in YOU’RE CORDIALLY INVITED — PHOTO: Glen Wilson/Prime Video

Directed by Nicholas Stoller — Screenplay by Nicholas Stoller.

You’re Cordially Invited is the second Amazon Prime Video January release since 2023 to be explicitly a comedy about weddings. Back in 2023, it was the Josh Duhamel and Jennifer Lopez action rom-com Shotgun Wedding, which was relatively forgettable despite having a decent cast. This latest Prime Video wedding-centric January release is a star vehicle for Will Ferrell and Reese Witherspoon from Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Neighbors director Nicholas Stoller. Although, admittedly, it isn’t as good as Stoller’s best films, I had a relatively good time with this comedy of wedding hijinx one-upmanship. 

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The Girl with the Needle (2025) | REVIEW

Vic Carmen Sonne in THE GIRL WITH THE NEEDLE — PHOTO: Nordisk Film (Still image from trailers).

Directed by Magnus von Horn — Screenplay by Magnus von Horn and Line Langebek.

A Danish, Swedish, and Polish international co-production, Magnus von Horn’s The Girl with the Needle is the 15th Danish submission to the Best International Film Oscar category to earn a nomination. Based on a true story and set in Denmark some time after World War One, von Horn’s film follows Karoline (played by Vic Carmen Sonne), a woman struggling financially. When Karoline, who believes her husband to be dead, enters into a relationship with her well-off boss, Jørgen (played by Joachim Fjelstrup), she soon gets pregnant with his child. However, when Jørgen is forbidden from marrying her, Karoline starts to think that she would be better off without the child that she is expecting. It is at this moment that she comes into contact with Dagmar (played by Trine Dyrholm). Dagmar works at a candy shop, and she tells Karoline that she can help her get her child to a foster family for the right price. However, when Karoline gets to know this strange shop owner, it soon becomes clear that she isn’t being upfront about what she is actually doing to the children being left in her care.

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‘La Chimera,’ ‘Dogtooth,’ ‘Trap,’ and ‘Look Back’ | Bite-Sized Reviews

Top Row (L-R): ‘La Chimera (01 Distribution);’ ‘Dogtooth (Feelgood Entertainment).’
Bottom Row (L-R): ‘Trap (Warner Bros. Pictures),’ ‘Look Back (Avex Pictures).’

In this edition of Bite-Sized Reviews, I give you my thoughts on last year’s M. Night Shyamalan release, a Greek Yorgos Lanthimos flick, an animated film that blew me away, and an Alice Rohrwacher film that I can’t stop thinking about.

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A Real Pain (2024) | REVIEW

Kieran Culkin and Jesse Eisenberg in A REAL PAIN — PHOTO: Searchlight Pictures (Still image from trailers).

Directed by Jesse Eisenberg — Screenplay by Jesse Eisenberg.

Jesse Eisenberg’s A Real Pain follows Jewish American cousins David (played by Jesse Eisenberg) and Benji (played by Kieran Culkin) as they travel from New York City to Poland for the purpose of taking part in a Holocaust tour group, as well as to visit the childhood home of their late grandmother in an attempt to establish a deeper connection to their heritage. On the trip, their rapport is put to the test, as David, a family father, is much more introverted and reserved, while Benji, a drifter with very little going on in his life, is extremely outgoing and extroverted to the degree that David isn’t comfortable with.

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Red Rooms (2023) | REVIEW

Laurie Babin and Juliette Gariépy in Pascal Plante’s RED ROOMS — PHOTO: Entract Films (Still image from trailers).

Directed by Pascal Plante — Screenplay by Pascal Plante.

Pascal Plante’s Red Rooms (original title: Les Chambres Rouges) is a dark psychological thriller that follows a Montreal-based model named Kelly-Anne (played by Juliette Gariépy), who has an unhealthy interest in the trial of Ludovic Chevalier (played by Maxwell McCabe-Lokos), a man accused of having murdered three young women. The trial, which has become somewhat of a media circus, has attracted different kinds of people, including Clémentine (played by Laurie Babin), a woman who is portrayed as a fan of Chevalier and who believes he is innocent. As the trial moves forward, Kelly-Anne, who has an interest in computer technology, and Clémentine form a friendship, but their intentions don’t seem to align.

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Babygirl (2024) | REVIEW

Nicole Kidman and Harris Dickinson in BABYGIRL — PHOTO: A24 (Still image from trailers).

Directed by Halina Reijn — Screenplay by Halina Reijn.

Arguably, one of Nicole Kidman’s most iconic films is the erotic mystery psychological thriller Eyes Wide Shut by auteur Stanley Kubrick. It is crazy to think that it’s been more than twenty-five years since its release. But now the time has come for Nicole Kidman to make her glorious return to the erotic thriller. Or, you know, that is the general idea with Babygirl from Bodies Bodies Bodies-director Halina Reijn. But is it actually the glorious return that we’re all hoping for? Well, let’s just say, I have thoughts.

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Wolf Man (2025) | REVIEW

Christopher Abbott in Leigh Whannell’s WOLF MAN — PHOTO: Universal Pictures (Still image from trailers).

Directed by Leigh Whannell — Screenplay by Leigh Whannell and Corbett Tuck.

It’s strange to think back to now, but the final film that I saw in theaters before the world shut down as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 was Universal and Blumhouse’s The Invisible Man from Upgrade director Leigh Whannell. Now, almost five years later, Leigh Whannell has taken another Universal Monster under his wings with Wolf Man, as he has taken over a project that was once envisioned as Ryan Gosling vehicle from Blue Valentine and The Place Beyond the Pines director Derek Cianfrance,. Instead, Whannell’s leads are Christopher Abbott (Sanctuary) and Julia Garner (Ozark). With an early-to-mid-January release, is Whannell’s second Universal Monster adaptation as good as his first? Well, let’s have a look.

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