Until Dawn (2025) | REVIEW

(L-R) Ji-young Yoo, Ella Rubin, Michael Cimino, Odessa A’zion, and Belmont Cameli in UNTIL DAWN — PHOTO: Sony Pictures Releasing (Still image from trailers).

Directed by David F. Sandberg (Lights Out) — Screenplay by Gary Dauberman (‘Salem’s Lot) and Blair Butler (The Invitation).

After years and years of middling-to-poor video game adaptations, it seems we’re finally at a moment in time when Hollywood is confidently turning video games into beloved and/or successful films or series. We’ve got The Last of Us, Fallout, Sonic the Hedgehog, and The Super Mario Bros. Movie, just to name a few. Now, of course, there are still some duds out there, such as Eli Roth’s Borderlands adaptation, which was largely regarded as one of the worst movies of last year. The latest attempt at turning a popular video game into a successful movie is David F. Sandberg’s Until Dawn from Sony Pictures, with which the studio is hoping to find low-budget horror movie success, like certain studios have become quite known for on a regular basis, but with a video game adaptation. In a lot of ways, Until Dawn makes a lot of sense for that model, and, heck, it should be a success given the horror movie veterans — like Gary Dauberman and David F. Sandberg — they’ve hired to get the job done. But does Until Dawn succeed as a video game adaptation? Frankly, I think it’ll divide opinion.

Continue reading “Until Dawn (2025) | REVIEW”

The Last of Us – “Through the Valley” | REVIEW

Bella Ramsey in THE LAST OF US: THROUGH THE VALLEY — PHOTO: Liane Hentscher/HBO.

This is a recap and review of the second episode of the second season of HBO’s The Last of Us. Expect spoilers for season 1 and game 1 (and the episode itself, of course), but also some references to and comments about the second game (though without spoilers).

In the second episode of the second season — titled Through the Valley (for reasons that I’ll get to in just a moment) — the Jackson settlement gets attacked by a horde of infected. Meanwhile, Joel (played by Pedro Pascal) and Dina (played by Isabela Merced) run into someone in need of saving, and, elsewhere, Jesse (played by Young Mazino) and Ellie (played by Bella Ramsey) explore Eugene’s secret hideout. Through the Valley was written by Craig Mazin (Chernobyl) and directed by Mark Mylod (Succession, Game of Thrones, The Menu).

Continue reading “The Last of Us – “Through the Valley” | REVIEW”

The Last of Us – “Future Days” | REVIEW

Bella Ramsey with her back to the camera in THE LAST OF US: Future Days — Photograph by Liane Hentscher/HBO.

This is a recap and review of the premiere of the second season of HBO’s The Last of Us. Expect spoilers for season 1 and game 1, but also some references to and comments about the second game (though without spoilers).

The wait is finally over. It’s been more than 2 years since the release of the season finale of the first season of HBO’s adaptation of the beloved and critically acclaimed video game series known as The Last of Us, the two parts of which are my favorite video games ever made. Now, the second season premiere has been released on Max around the world, and the showrunners are now officially no longer adapting the first game, but rather the highly discussed, more complex, and much longer second game (click here to read my spoiler-filled thoughts on The Last of Us: Part II). How did the season premiere live up to the excellent games and the strong first season? Well, let’s have a closer look.

Continue reading “The Last of Us – “Future Days” | REVIEW”

Nickel Boys (2024) | REVIEW

Ethan Herisse and Brandon Wilson in NICKEL BOYS — PHOTO: Amazon MGM (Still image from trailers).

Directed by RaMell Ross — Screenplay by RaMell Ross and Joslyn Barnes.

Based on Colson Whitehead’s 2020 Pulitzer Prize winning novel The Nickel Boys, RaMell Ross’ Nickel Boys follows a smart and politically engaged young African-American man named Elwood Curtis (played primarily by Ethan Herisse) who, in 1960s America, is wrongfully convicted of grand theft auto while hitchhiking on his way to college. Elwood, due to being underage, is then sent to Nickel Academy, a so-called ‘reform school,’ where he befriends a boy named Turner (played by Brandon Wilson) and experiences racial segregation and abuse.

Continue reading “Nickel Boys (2024) | REVIEW”

Evil Does Not Exist (2024) | REVIEW

Ryo Nishikawa in EVIL DOES NOT EXIST — PHOTO: Incline / Janus Films.

Directed by Ryusuke Hamaguchi — Screenplay by Ryusuke Hamaguchi.

Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s Evil Does Not Exist follows Takumi (played by Hitoshi Omika), a single father, who lives with his daughter (played by Ryo Nishikawa) in the snowy Japanese mountainside village of Mizubiki. When, one day, the local community is confronted by representatives of a corporation seeking to establish a glamping site there, he and his neighbors and friends voice their concerns about the plan and the possible pollution it would lead to. Later, when the representatives try to influence Takumi, things transpire that causes our lead to panic.

Continue reading “Evil Does Not Exist (2024) | REVIEW”

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.

Continue reading “Kneecap (2024) | REVIEW”

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.

Continue reading “Red Rooms (2023) | REVIEW”

‘Fallen Leaves,’ ‘C’mon C’mon,’ ‘The Salesman,’ and ‘The Dead Don’t Hurt’ | Bite-Sized Reviews

Top Row (L-R): FALLEN LEAVES (B-Plan Distribution / Pandora Film); C’MON C’MON (A24).
Bottom Row (L-R): THE SALESMAN (Film Iran / Memento Films); The Dead Don’t Hurt (Scanbox Entertainment).

In this post, I’ll give you my thoughts on my first Aki Kaurismäki experience, a 2-time Cannes award winning Farhadi film, an underseen Joaquin Phoenix film, and Viggo Mortensen’s latest film as a writer-director.

Continue reading “‘Fallen Leaves,’ ‘C’mon C’mon,’ ‘The Salesman,’ and ‘The Dead Don’t Hurt’ | Bite-Sized Reviews”

10 Most Read Articles and Reviews: 2024

We’re now in 2025. Granted, it’s only the first day of the new year, but, hey, we have to accept that 2024 is now in our collective rearview mirror. Like has become tradition on this website, I start every year by listing the ten articles or reviews written in 2024 that were the most popular based on views. At the very end of the article, I’ll even reveal what non-2024 written output was the most popular in the year to which we have now all said goodbye. Let’s get to it!

Continue reading “10 Most Read Articles and Reviews: 2024”

Top Ten TV-Shows of 2024

Colin Farrell and Cristin Milioti in THE PENGUIN — PHOTO: Macall Polay/HBO.

I watched so many television (and/or streaming) shows this year. In my notes, I was trying to jot down all of the shows that I had seen and, given that I also watch a lot of movies every year, I was even a little bit shocked at how much time I spent watching entertainment (especially because I was very busy with other stuff this year). But, hey, I do love crashing and/or chilling in front of the television, watching a good show, and then jotting down my notes. And, you know, there were a lot of good shows this year. Some of the shows that it hurts to have to leave off the list this time around are Bad Sisters, Disclaimer, The English Teacher, Under the Bridge, The Boys, and Sugar (and I could, honestly, go on). But there can only be ten shows on this list, and let’s now have a look at what shows made it!

Continue reading “Top Ten TV-Shows of 2024”