Materialists review

 Coming Soon! 

The Life of Chuck review

THE LIFE OF CHUCK: 

MIKE FLANAGAN’S BRILLIANT SCI-FI ODYSSEY! 

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: **** out of 4

NEON

Tom Hiddleston in The Life of Chuck

 

            Tom Hiddleston (Marvel Cinematic Universe, Midnight in Paris, Crimson Peak) goes from God of Mischief to dancing accountant in The Life of Chuck, the new film from director Mike Flanagan (Oculus, Ouija: Origin of Evil, Doctor Sleep) based on a short story by Stephen King. I was looking forward to this movie and not just because I met a few cast members plus Flanagan himself at various conventions, that was honestly an extra reason to go see it. 

            I think Mike Flanagan is a very exciting director in both film and television though he’s usually known for horror so, this definitely seemed outside his comfort zone. It reminded me a lot of when Wes Craven of Nightmare on Elm Street and Scream fame directed Music of the Heart, a radically different movie from what he was best known for. 

            Well, Mike Flanagan once again continues to amaze me because The Life of Chuck is absolutely fantastic and a visually and emotionally transfixing journey through time. It’s a funny, moving, and above all, entertaining departure from Mike Flanagan’s usual fare with a dancing Tom Hiddleston as an added bonus. 

            The film is told in reverse chronology (Like Christopher Nolan’s Memento) and split into three parts that chronicle the life of accountant, Charles “Chuck” Krantz (Hiddleston) from his death coinciding with the end of the world to his childhood. The movie shows where Chuck got his passion for dancing via his grandmother’s love for music and even joined his school’s dance club, his grandfather, Albie Krantz (Mark Hamill-Star Wars franchise, Batman: The Animated Series, The Wild Robot) encouraging him to pursue an interest in math and statistics and become an accountant, and the one time where adult Chuck encounters a young drummer on the street resulting in one of the most magical (sort of) musical numbers since La La Land. 

            The film also stars Jacob Tremblay (Room, Good Boys, Luca) as Young Chuck, Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave, The Martian, Doctor Strange 1 and 2) as Marty Anderson, Karen Gillan (Oculus, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Jumanji 2 and 3) as Felicia Gordon, Mia Sara (Legend, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Timecop) as Chuck’s grandmother Sarah Krantz, Annalise Basso (Bedtime Stories, The Red Road, Snowpiercer) as Janice Halliday, Kate Siegel (Gerald’s Game, The Haunting of Hill House, Midnight Mass; who is also Mike Flanagan’s wife) as Miss Richards, Trinity Bliss (The Loud House franchise, Avatar: The Way of Water) as Cat McCoy, Matthew Lillard (Scream, Scooby-Doo 1 and 2, Five Nights at Freddy’s) as Gus Wilfong, and Nick Offerman (Parks and Recreation, Dumb Money, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning) as The Narrator. 

            Overall, The Life of Chuck is easily Mike Flanagan’s most unique and emotional film to date with a lot of heart and one of Stephen King’s more sentimental and optimistic stories at the center of it that’s in the spirit of Stand By Me rather than The Shining. Granted, there are times where Flanagan’s horror roots do shine in this film such a genuinely haunting sequence early on involving images of Tom Hiddleston’s Chuck lighting up on every house’s window in the neighborhood as Chiwetel Ejiofor races to Karen Gillan as the world comes to an end and another during Chuck’s childhood with a creepy, old door in his home that’s locked up and is forbidden to open, but they’re nowhere near as prevalent as in his previous work. 

            I actually found the first and third parts (Acts 3 and 1) to be the most captivating for completely different reasons with the Act 3 revolving around Chiwetel Ejiofor and Karen Gillan living in a collapsing world with Chuck’s face plastered everywhere in an almost ghost-like manner often accompanied by the text “Thanks, Chuck!”. Despite the Act lasting for only a short amount of time, I thought it was emotionally powerful with Ejiofor, Gillan, and Lillard taking full advantage of their screen-time. 

            The last act (Act 1) has the most meat to the story as it focuses on Chuck’s childhood, his relationship with his grandparents, and where he develops his passion for dancing. It goes back and forth between being wholesome and heavy where you see events from his childhood, both good and bad that play into what kind of person he will become and how they’ll affect the future. 

            The middle act is a simple yet effective bit where adult Chuck comes across a young drummer in the street who dances for her while she plays her drum in what’s essentially a big musical number… and a very entertaining and energetic one at that. It isn’t a super dialogue-heavy segment with much of the emotions coming from the characters’ movements and actions in a sequence that really makes the film come alive that I can best describe as La La Land with the energy of RRR, very fun moment. 

            All the performances are strong with Hiddleston obviously being the biggest name attached to it and he is great here though ironically not the big focus as much of it is spent with Chuck as a child. All three actors playing Young Chuck are very believable and compelling in their own rights, one of them is even Mike Flanagan’s son. 

            Mark Hamill is a standout and gives a very sentimental and heartbreaking performance as Chuck’s grandfather who’s grieving over the deaths of Chuck’s parents and has turned to alcohol. He has some genuinely heartfelt moments with Chuck as he teaches him the importance of math and statistics in life and Hamill portrays him beautifully here. 

            The Life of Chuck is the kind of film I strongly urge people to go see and support in theaters, it’s a beautiful and heartwarming story about celebrating life with charming and endearing performances, hard-hitting drama, and truly wonderful sequences brought to the screen by Mike Flanagan. I am hoping Flanagan’s miniseries adaptation of Stephen King’s Carrie will follow in his successful directing streak especially after something as truly magnificent as this. “Thanks, Chuck… and Thanks, Mike!”

How to Train Your Dragon review

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON: 

HAVE YOU SEEN HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON (2010)? THEN YOU’VE ALREADY SEEN THIS MOVIE EXCEPT DONE BETTER! 

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: ** out of 4

UNIVERSAL PICTURES AND DREAMWORKS ANIMATION

Hiccup and Toothless in How to Train Your Dragon (2025)

 

            Because Disney can’t keep things to themselves, DreamWorks feels the need to join the live-action remake club with How to Train Your Dragon, a reimagining of their 2010 animated film of the same name. I’m pretty sure I made this abundantly clear that I loved the original movie in my previous How to Train Your Dragon film reviews and hailed the entire trilogy as some of my favorite animated DreamWorks films alongside the first two Shrek movies, the original three Kung Fu Panda movies, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, and most recently, The Wild Robot. 

            Much like the original film’s directors, Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois (who also directs this movie)’ other iconic animated feature, Disney’s Lilo & Stitch, the first How to Train Your Dragon took a story we’ve heard a million times and tropes we’ve seen a million times and made it fresh and new with lovable characters, gorgeous animation that looked absolutely breathtaking in IMAX and 3D, and a strong emotional core. The film was a massive critical and commercial hit and spawned two sequels in 2014 and 2019 (How to Train Your Dragon 2 IMO is one of the best animated films ever made), various TV shows, and a series of shorts. 

            So, of course DreamWorks had to pull a “Greedy Mickey” and give How to Train Your Dragon the live-action remake treatment because it worked so well for Disney and everyone, everywhere loves seeing them destroy their animated legacy, only complete idiots don’t see the cinematic brilliance of their Snow White and Lion King remakes. The trailers for this did not grab me, it just looked like the same exact movie again except done in live-action, but I wouldn’t know for sure until I see it. 

            Upon seeing it… yes, this is a shot for shot, line for line remake of How to Train Your Dragon (2010) with absolutely nothing special about it. I can’t say it’s an awful remake as it does try to be as faithful to the original as possible and it isn’t soulless like the Disney Lion King remake from 2019, but it just hits all the beats you’ve already seen from the 2010 animated film and outside of a few amusing performances, hardly anything about it stands out. 

            The film is set on the island of Berk where Vikings have fought off terrifying dragons for years under the leadership of their chief, Stoick the Vast (Gerard Butler-300, Olympus Has Fallen trilogy, Copshop; reprising his role from the animated films). But when his 16-year-old son, Hiccup (Mason Thames-The Black Phone) shoots a dragon (Night Fury) down only to find it wounded and harmless, he realizes dragons aren’t as they seem thus befriending the dragon he calls Toothless. 

            This causes a huge conflict between Hiccup, his father, and his love interest, Astrid (Nico Parker-Dumbo (2019), The Last of Us, Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy) as he must prove to an entire island of dragon-killing vikings that everything they know about them is wrong. 

            The film also stars Nick Frost (Cornetto trilogy, Paul, The Boxtrolls) as Gobber the Belch, Julian Dennison (Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Deadpool 2, Godzilla VS Kong) as Fishlegs, Bronwyn James (Harlots, Wicked) and Harry Trevaldwyn (The King, The Bubble, The Acolyte) as Ruffnut and Tuffnut, Peter Serafinowicz (Shaun of the Dead, Guardians of the Galaxy, John Wick: Chapter 2) as Spitelout, Ruth Codd (The Midnight Club, The Fall of the House of Usher) as Phlegma, Murray McArthur (Game of Thrones, The Broken Man, The Northman) as Hoark, and newcomer Gabriel Howell as Snotlout. 

            Overall, How to Train Your Dragon (2025) is a competent re-imagining as it tries to honor the original animated movie as much as possible while also improving upon certain details from it, but it’s mostly another line for line remake of a great movie that comes off more as a nostalgic novelty rather than a unique take on a story we’ve heard before. There are good things about this movie, I like how the film handles its IMAX sequences and aspect ratio changes where the screen gradually grows and shrinks which honestly felt more natural and less jarring than when Christopher Nolan uses IMAX technology (Huh, go figure, a mediocre DreamWorks remake actually did IMAX aspect ratio changes better than one of the best filmmakers working today). 

            I don’t regret seeing the movie in IMAX 3D and like the animated films, the flying sequences are spectacular and the 3D and IMAX technologies are well utilized during these scenes. Personally I’d rather have an IMAX 3D re-release of the original three movies, but this was at least a good theater experience even if the movie itself was not IMO. 

            Some of the performances are strong particularly from Gerard Butler and Nick Frost, Butler has already portrayed Stoick in the animated movies, but he adds a lot of subtle facial expressions and mannerisms to his performance and makes it both in spirit with the original character while also adding his own flair to it. Nick Frost as Stoick’s close friend and village blacksmith, Gobber is perfect casting and I love Craig Ferguson in the animated films, but like Butler, Frost utilizes his face a lot in his performance and he incorporates a ton of comedy in the role without it feeling out of place, he perfectly encompassed that character… everyone else is fine! 

            The film also expands upon a few side characters and overlooked details from the original like the Elder being more prominent and a cut to a silhouette of Hiccup as Stoick is celebrating his son about to kill a dragon during the arena scene. I actually found Snotlout (The character Jonah Hill voiced in the original films) more memorable here and gave him more to do in the story which I liked. 

            Despite all that, the movie just hits every beat from the original movie, repeats every line, and does every comedic bit we’ve already seen. It is neat to see certain scenes recreated in live-action, it ultimately just made me wish I was watching the original again despite its valiant attempts. 

            How to Train Your Dragon (2025) isn’t soulless like some of Disney’s remakes, but it’s an unremarkable attempt from DreamWorks at trying to replicate what Disney has been doing. A sequel is already in-development and I’m hoping that one will actually take it in a new direction with this just being a starting point and that this doesn’t become a recurring thing for DreamWorks, I have no desire to see a live-action remake of Shrek, you feel me? 

Predator: Killer of Killers review (1000TH POST!)

PREDATOR: KILLER OF KILLERS: 

ANIMATED PREDATOR ANTHOLOGY FILM IS THE BEST PREDATOR YET! 

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: **** out of 4

HULU/20^TH CENTURY STUDIOS

The Predator is back in Predator: Killer of Killers

 

            The Predator returns to hunt this time in animation form in Predator: Killer of Killers, a new animated anthology film in the Predator franchise serving as a midquel between 2022’s Prey and the upcoming Predator: Badlands which is set to release in theaters later this year. Like the Alien films, Predator has had a somewhat bumpy history in the world of movies with the 1987 Arnold Schwarzenegger original being very much beloved amongst many people (Including myself) while following entries like 1990’s Predator 2 and 2010’s Predators definitely have their audiences still couldn’t quite live up to the first movie, 2018’s The Predator is garbage! 

            But then, the movie Prey came out of nowhere in 2022 on Hulu which revitalized the Predator franchise much like what Alien: Romulus did for the Alien movies last year with people hailing it as the best Predator movie since the original, some even say it’s better. So, after that movie became extremely popular and successful, director Dan Trachtenberg (10 Cloverfield Lane) was brought back in to direct a sequel plus a secret animated project to tie-into Predator: Badlands’ release and that’s where Killer of Killers comes in which was just released on Hulu. 

            After watching it, I have to say, Predator: Badlands has a lot to live up to because this movie is freaking amazing and might even be my favorite Predator film now (That’s twice now, an animated movie in a film series became my favorite). Predator: Killer of Killers fires on all cylinders in a 90-minute runtime and really showcases the advantages animation has over live-action. 

            The film is split across three chapters (The Shield, The Sword, The Bullet) and follows three of the fiercest warriors in human history; Viking raider, Ursa (voiced by Lindsay LaVanchy) guiding her son on a bloody quest for revenge in 841 A.D. Scandinavia, a ninja in feudal Japan, Kenji (voiced by Louis Ozawa-The Bourne Legacy, Jack Ryan; who previously portrayed Hanzo Kamakami in Predators) who turns against his samurai brother in a brutal battle for succession, and World War II pilot, Torres (voiced by Rick Gonzalez-Old School, Reaper, Arrow) who takes to the skies to investigate an otherworldly threat to the Allied cause. However, while all three of these warriors are killers in their own rights, they soon become prey for the ultimate killer of killers, The Predator. 

            The film also features the voices of Michael Biehn (The Terminator, Aliens, Planet Terror) as Vandy, Doug Cockle (Reign of Fire, The Witcher franchise) as Einar, Lauren Holt (Saturday Night Live, Aqua Teen Forever: Plantasm, Barbie) as Freya, Piotr Michael (Bill & Ted Face the Music, Trollhunters: Rise of the Titans, The Wild Robot) as Gunnar, and Cherami Leigh (Fairy Tail, Sword Art Online, Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir) as Young Ursa. 

            Overall, Predator: Killer of Killers takes the Predator franchise to new places while expanding upon its lore and offering a visually dazzling, action-packed, and thrilling anthology film that could only be done through animation. This is essentially the Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse of Predator movies as it completely subverted my expectations with an animated movie based on this property and blew me away as I was watching it, the fact this was dumped on streaming is criminal, I would gladly watch this in a theater if given the opportunity. 

            The animation is gorgeous and captures that stylized look of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Arcane: League of Legends, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem with the choppy frame-rate and comic book/graphic novel-like visuals. To the point where now I want a fucking Predator comic book with this art style, that would go so hard. 

            The action in particular is where the animation shines the best as it’s very fast, kinetic, and grisly that I can only describe as Mortal Kombat bloodshed done in the Spider-Verse art style with Predators. It’s honestly some of the coolest and most violent animated action scenes I’ve seen in a while (Not counting anime) and it even puts some of the live-action Predator action sequences to shame, consistent action through and through. 

            However, within all that non-stop action and violence, the movie does an amazing job at making you care about each of the stories and characters involved in a limited amount of time. I legit felt for characters like Ursa and her son in the Viking segment, Kenji and his brother in the Ninja/Samurai segment, and Torres in the World War II segment and loved seeing them overcome their conflicts whether it’s avenging the death of a loved one, fighting for their honor, or protecting their home from enemies. 

The main characters are very well-defined and endearing throughout and despite being animated, felt the most human out of all the Predator movie characters in the past. I honestly cared more about these animated characters more than the majority of Dutch’s team in the original movie. 

            This movie is great, but there is one fatal flaw and you might already know what I’m going to say since I hinted at it earlier… it’s on Hulu! I was relishing in the animation, artistry, and technical throughout the film and constantly wished I was watching this on the big screen instead of at home on a TV, it looks and sounds spectacular and I was both excited and pissed off at the same time because this is some of the coolest cinema animation I’ve seen since Mutant Mayhem and it deserved to be shown in theaters (The movie where humans train a fucking Predator dog got a theatrical release but this and Prey didn’t? Hollywood, you’re full of shit!), at least Badlands is getting a theatrical release. 

            I will go on record and say Predator: Killer of Killers is my new favorite Predator movie which is quite a statement because I loved the original film and Prey, but this one kept the energy going all the way through and delivered some of the most breathtaking and raw stuff ever done with the Predator. Predator: Badlands has some big shoes to fill after watching this and I will gladly rewatch it alongside all the previous Predator movies and both Alien VS Predator films when Badlands hits theaters this holiday season. 

The Phoenician Scheme review

THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME: 

WES ANDERSON’S COMPLICATED YET VISUALLY FUNNY ESPIONAGE COMEDY! 

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: *** ½ out of 4

FOCUS FEATURES

Benicio Del Toro in The Phoenician Scheme

 

            Wes Anderson (Fantastic Mr. Fox, Moonrise Kingdom, The Grand Budapest Hotel) returns to tell an espionage dark-comedy in the most Wes Anderson way possible in his new film, The Phoenician Scheme. While Wes Anderson has been pretty hit-or-miss lately especially his last film, 2023’s Asteroid City which was very divisive, I’m always curious to see his work regardless of the quality. 

            I’m sure I mentioned this in other reviews, but I love Anderson’s visual style and craftsmanship with his movies, that storybook-like production design that’s also reminiscent of a stage performance, sharply written dialogue, and a zany cast of characters usually portrayed by an all-star cast. The Phoenician Scheme was no exception so I went in and gave it a watch and… I don’t know if this is a hot take, but I found this movie hilarious. 

            Sure, it’s not a perfect film and it definitely pales in comparison to most of Wes’ earlier projects, but I laughed quite a bit and was invested in the story and characters. Between this, Asteroid City, and The French Dispatch, I liked this movie a lot more. 

            The film follows industrialist and arms dealer, Zsa-Zsa Korda (Benicio Del Toro-Traffic, Sin City, Sicario 1 and 2) narrowly avoiding the latest assassination attempt on him. While recovering from his injuries, he appoints his daughter and nun, Sister Liesl (Mia Thereapleton-A Little Chaos, Firebrand, Scoop) as his heir and accompanies him on a journey to complete his biggest project yet, that being the titular Phoenician Scheme and getting the needed money through various investors. 

            The film also stars Michael Cera (Arrested Development, Superbad, Scott Pilgrim VS the World) as Bjørn Lund, Riz Ahmed (Venom, Sound of Metal, Nimona) as Prince Farouk, Tom Hanks (Forrest Gump, Cast Away, Catch Me If You Can) as Leland, Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad, Argo, Trumbo) as Reagan, Mathieu Amalric (Munich, Quantum of Solace, The Grand Budapest Hotel) as Marseille Bob, Richard Ayoade (The IT Crowd, The Boxtrolls, The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar) as Sergio, Jeffrey Wright (The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, The Batman, American Fiction) as Marty, Scarlett Johansson (Lost in Translation, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Jojo Rabbit) as Cousin Hilda, Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock, The Imitation Game, Marvel Cinematic Universe) as Uncle Nubar, and Rupert Friend (A Simple Favor, Asteroid City, Companion) as Excaliber. 

            Overall, The Phoenician Scheme will likely be another divisive entry in Wes Anderson’s filmography amongst moviegoers, but I won’t lie and say I wasn’t entertained by this. I do have some issues with the film that I’ll go into in a moment, but I found it to be a very funny watch with moments that not only had me laughing but howling at times. 

            Benicio Del Toro’s character casually offering everyone hand grenades is a great running joke, Michael Cera doing a Norwegian accent is glorious and delivers some of the funniest bits of dialogue throughout the film, and my favorite being when the characters find a bomb on their plane, Del Toro’s response to it had me in stitches. The humor is very typical Wes Anderson comedy with Anderson dialogue, but it works exceptionally well and regardless of what you think of the film as a whole, I can’t imagine anyone walking out of this movie and not get at least a few chuckles out of it. 

            Benicio Del Toro gives a great lead performance here with this being his first Wes Anderson movie, he gives such dry wit while also offering a lot of depth to a character who is already pretty complicated and mysterious as this man who’s hated around the world for varying reasons. He shares great chemistry with Mia Threapleton’s Liesl and Michael Cera’s Bjørn, I could just listen to all three of them talk and banter for two hours and still leave satisfied, they are that funny. 

            I haven’t seen much of Mia Threapleton in other projects, but I thought she was also a standout as Zsa-Zsa’s daughter who’s essentially the stone-cold straight woman and audience’s surrogate in this goofy environment with colorful characters around her. I’m hoping to see her in more big projects in the near future because I think she has a lot of potential. 

            The visuals and production design are very Wes Anderson and reminiscent of a stage show or storybook pages with vibrant colors, old-fashioned cinematography, and seamless editing. It looks great on the big screen and I was simply marveling at the architecture and details of all the sets and environments in this film, definitely strong contenders for Best Production Design and Cinematography at the next Oscars. 

            While I enjoyed The Phoenician Scheme a lot and consider it the best of Anderson’s recent outings, the movie gets very unfocused the more it introduces new characters and scenarios. Most of these are still entertaining and the new characters introduced are played by extremely talented actors, but they do slow the pace down resulting in the film losing some of the energy and momentum it had in the beginning. 

            I also found the titular Phoenician Scheme hard to follow which I guess might have been the intention, but I didn’t fully understand Del Toro’s motivation for this scheme and what he tends to achieve with it. Had they focused more on fleshing this out more instead of bringing in a bunch of random characters and goofy situations, this movie might have flowed better. 

            Despite its shortcomings, I still had a good time with The Phoenician Scheme, I don’t think it’s one of Wes Anderson’s best films but I found it entertaining and interesting enough. This review is a bit complicated, but hey, so is the movie! 

From the World of John Wick: Ballerina review

FROM THE WORLD OF JOHN WICK: BALLERINA: 

ANA DE ARMAS DANCES AND SLAYS HER WAY THROUGH GOOD JOHN WICK SPIN-OFF! 

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: *** out of 4

LIONSGATE

Ana De Armas in Ballerina

 

            Ana De Armas (Knock Knock, Knives Out, No Time to Die) transforms herself into a much deadlier dancer than Natalie Portman from Black Swan in Ballerina, the fifth installment of the John Wick film series and spin-off revolving around a new assassin in the Baba Yaga’s world. This marks the first John Wick film not to be directed by Chad Stahelski though he serves as a producer here with directing duties going to Len Wiseman (Underworld 1 and 2, Live Free or Die Hard, Total Recall (2012)). 

            I was looking forward to this movie when it was announced, I loved the original four John Wick movies and will gladly hail them as some of the best action films of the past ten years so, I was interested in seeing an installment where Keanu Reeves wasn’t the main focus. However, Len Wiseman doesn’t exactly have a great track record as a director, but I’ve enjoyed some of his work before like Live Free or Die Hard despite the film being neutered with a PG-13 rating and the first Underworld is an entertaining guilty pleasure movie to me. 

            But this marks Wiseman’s first directing effort since his abysmal remake of the Arnold Schwarzenegger sci-fi classic, Total Recall in 2012 and the first project with his name attached to it since 2016’s Underworld: Blood Wars(The fifth Underworld movie). So, is the world of John Wick able to rejuvenate Len Wiseman’s career after various ups and downs? The answer is yes. 

            I’ll be upfront and say this isn’t a perfect film and out of the John Wick movies this is the weakest, but I was entertained throughout and a lot of that is because of Ana de Armas’ performance. I like many other people thought she was a standout in the last James Bond movie, 2021’s No Time to Die and wanted to see more of her well… here she is, don’t let it bomb audiences! 

            The film is set in-between the events of John Wick: Chapters 3 and 4 and follows Eve Macarro (Armas) who after seeing her father get killed by assassins led by cult leader, The Chancellor (Gabriel Byrne-Miller’s Crossing, The Usual Suspects, Hereditary) as a child begins training in the assassin traditions of the Ruska Roma under The Director (Anjelica Huston-Prizzi’s Honor, The Witches, The Addams Family 1 and 2; reprising her role from John Wick: Chapter 3). However, Eve goes rogue and starts her own bloody manhunt to get revenge on The Chancellor for murdering her father, killing everyone in her way in the process.

            The film also stars the late Lance Reddick (White House Down, Oldboy (2013), One Night in Miami…) in his final film appearance reprising his role as Continental concierge Charon, Norman Reedus (The Boondock Saints 1 and 2, Blade II, The Walking Dead) as Daniel Pine, Catalina Sandino Moreno (Maria Full of Grace, Paris, je t’aime, A Most Violent Year) as Lena, Ian McShane (Deadwood, Coraline, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides) reprising his role as Continental owner Winston Scott, and Keanu Reeves (Bill and Ted trilogy, The Matrix franchise, Sonic the Hedgehog 3) reprising his role as John Wick. 

            Overall, Ballerina doesn’t quite take the John Wick franchise anywhere new, but it’s an entertaining entry in the series with spectacular action and a magnificent lead performance by Ana De Armas. Coming off of Keanu Reeves who has mad charisma, I found Ana De Armas very endearing in this movie as a woman on a similar revenge quest as Reeves’ John Wick but isn’t as skilled or near-indestructible as he was and needs to learn to use her weaknesses to her advantage in combat. 

            I had no doubt that she’d be great in the movie even after a little skepticism with the director initially, but Ana De Armas carries the film and kicks ass while looking good doing so. 

            As with the previous John Wick movies, the action is great though it doesn’t reach that next-level height thatJohn Wick: Chapter 4 achieved (That overhead shootout sequence in the burning building), but they’re still a lot of fun to watch. Lots of gunfire, blades slashing, fistfights, people exploding via grenades, and there’s even a really creative sequence involving a flamethrower and a fire hose that’s honestly my favorite action scene in the film. 

            The movie does do a lot of winks to the audience with nods and references to the John Wick films like another boogeyman comparison (Because John Wick is the Baba Yaga), showing clips from John Wick: Chapter 3, and previous cast members making cameos to the point where it almost becomes John Wick: Chapter 3.5 during the climax which kind of affects the continuity. But they’re usually very quick and don’t take the focus away from Ana De Armas, it’s clearly fan-service. 

            The plot isn’t anything special and almost comes off as a loose remake of the first John Wick except replace the dog with Ana De Armas’ father. Whereas the later John Wick movies fired on all cylinders with non-stop and brutal action, this is more of a set-up to motivate this character to go on the revenge killing spree, exactly like Keanu Reeves in the first film and takes its time to get to the high-octane action and over-the-top violence the franchise is known for. 

            It’s a familiar scenario that boils down to how captivating the lead character is in said scenario and thankfully, Ana De Armas’ Eve Macarro stands her ground. I guarantee if she didn’t work in this, the entire movie wouldn’t have worked. 

            I slightly lowered my expectations with this movie since it’s very rare for a spin-off movie to live up to the original film(s) that inspired it aside from maybe Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, but Ballerina is a solid summer action film and worthy addition to the John Wick franchise. What the film lacks in originality, it makes up for in spectacular action scenes and a compelling lead performance by Ana De Armas that legitimately got me curious to see movies based on other characters in the John Wick universe with guns… lots of guns! 

Bring Her Back review

BRING HER BACK: 

UNHINGED SALLY HAWKINS IN STELLAR SOPHOMORE HORROR FILM FROM DANNY AND MICHAEL PHILIPPOU! 

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: **** out of 4

A24

Sally Hawkins in Bring Her Back

 

            Sally Hawkins (Happy-Go-Lucky, Paddington 1 and 2, The Shape of Water) shows the darker, more sinister side of her Mrs. Brown character from Paddington in Bring Her Back, the latest horror movie from A24 and YouTubers turned directors Danny and Michael Philippou (Talk to Me). I’ve been very impressed with what Danny and Michael Philippou have accomplished, they started off making comedic YouTube videos under their channel, RackaRacka(Many of which featured an exaggerated depiction of Ronald McDonald among other characters) and their first feature film directing effort was the phenomenal horror movie, Talk to Me which was one of my favorite films of 2023. 

            It was very much like when Jordan Peele who at the time was mostly known for comedy and Key & Peeleventured into horror with his directorial debut, Get Out in 2017. So, after being blown away by Talk to Me, I was looking forward to seeing what their next film was going to be like which brings us to Bring Her Back and holy shit! 
            I’m not sure yet which film I prefer between this and Talk to Me, but this movie is wild and like their previous film, completely subverted my expectations when it comes to horror. I doubt it will make a cultural impact like Ryan Coogler’s Sinners, but this is easily the second best horror movie released in 2025 so far. 

            The film follows step-siblings, Andy (Billy Barratt-Responsible Child, Invasion, Kraven the Hunter) and the visually impaired, Piper (Newcomer, Sora Wong who is also partially blind in real life) who after the death of their father are sent to the secluded home of their new foster mother, Laura (Hawkins). However, they soon discover they are actually caught in the middle of a terrifying ritual to bring Laura’s deceased daughter back to life. 

            Overall, Bring Her Back adds another chilling and unnerving horror film to Danny and Michael Philippou’s growing filmography with a brilliantly unhinged Sally Hawkins performance to boot. This might actually be my favorite performance of Hawkins as she does a phenomenal job flipflopping between being sweet and caring to full-on psychopath, the more I watch her the more it makes sense for Mrs. Brown to suddenly transform into Emily Mortimer in Paddington in Peru, but I digress. 

            Bottom line, she is magnificent and easily one of my favorite horror movie female performances in recent years. Billy Barratt is also a standout as the older brother, I’m not super familiar with his other work, but Barratt adds a lot of emotional weight as this guilt-ridden and traumatized teenage boy trying to protect his step-sister and you legit feel for him all throughout the film. 

            While the movie is technically horror and has moments of gory and grotesque imagery, it’s more along the lines of psychological thriller and mystery with a supernatural element. Whether it’s through grainy, video footage of the ritual that Sally Hawkins’ character is watching on the TV, Billy Barratt’s character flashing back to his father’s death by mysterious causes, camera work and cinematography, or very subtle details in certain scenes, it keeps you on your toes wondering where the film is going. 

            It’s a great counterbalance to when the movie gets gory and disgusting… seriously, this movie gets pretty nasty as it goes on with very shocking and unsettling moments. I even had verbal reactions in the theater as I was watching it and legitimately felt a little squeamish and that’s no small feat. 

            The movie does revolve around supernatural events, but ironically the real horror of the film comes from not accepting grief and moving past it. The psychological and emotional effects it has on Billy Barratt’s character is the stuff of nightmares and much of it is very frightening. 

            Where Talk to Me was a fun horror movie, this is more of a somber, slow-burn, and psychological look at emotional grief and the horrific consequences that come from not moving on from it that just happens to involve a ritual. It’ll probably be very interesting to hear what people think of this movie when they came in expecting something along the lines of Talk to Me. 

            Bring Her Back once again proves that Danny and Michael Philippou are a powerful force of nature in the independent horror genre as they crafted a truly disturbing, thought-provoking, and tension-filled horror movie about the effects of grief that I won’t be forgetting anytime soon. It kept me on the edge of my seat and I eagerly await what this directing duo will do next. 

Karate Kid Legends review

KARATE KID: LEGENDS: 

KARATE KID JOINS THE LEGACY SEQUEL CLUB WITH PASSABLE RESULTS! 

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: ** ½ out of 4

COLUMBIA PICTURES

Jackie Chan, Ralph Macchio, and Ben Wang in Karate Kid: Legends

 

            In the tradition of Ghostbusters: Afterlife and Spider-Man: No Way Home, Sony gives The Karate Kid the legacy sequel treatment in Karate Kid: Legends, the latest installment of the Karate Kid film series dating back to 1984 and the first movie released in nearly 15 years. The Karate Kid franchise isn’t really something I discuss in great detail, but I’ve enjoyed some of the films with the original still being the absolute best. 

            It’s quite impressive that the Karate Kid series went far beyond that original movie from 1984 as it spawned three direct sequels, the incredibly popular Netflix series Cobra Kai, and a 2010 spin-off/remake movie starring Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan set in China and revolved around Kung Fu. Which brings us to this new film directed by Jonathan Entwistle in his directorial debut and teams up original Karate Kid champion, Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio-The Outsiders, My Cousin Vinny, Ugly Betty; reprising his role from the original three movies) with Kung Fu shifu, Mr. Han (Jackie Chan-Drunken Master, Jackie Chan’s First Strike, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem; reprising his role from the 2010 film) to coach a new kid for the fight of his life. 

            The movie looked promising when I saw the trailers though it wasn’t really a film I was super excited for aside from seeing Macchio and Chan interact with each other. It just seemed like the same old Karate Kid formula from all the other movies which I’m perfectly fine with if it’s done well, not really expecting any game-changing stuff out of The Karate Kid. 

            Well, after seeing it I can say that there are a lot of things I like about this movie… and unfortunately, some things that bring it down. Karate Kid: Legends is significantly better than The Karate Kid: Part III and especially The Next Karate Kid, but it feels very chopped together specifically with the editing and pacing and lacks a lot of the emotional weight of earlier films. 

             The film follows Li Fong (Ben Wang-Mean Girls (2024), The Long Walk), a young Chinese boy moving from Beijing to New York with his mom (Ming-Na Wen-Mulan, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., The Mandalorian). He has a hard time fitting in until he meets a girl named Mia Lipani (Sadie Stanley-Kim Possible (2019), The Sleepover, Somewhere in Queens) who befriends him. 

            But when Mia’s ex-boyfriend and karate prodigy, Conor Day (Aramis Knight-Runt, Ms. Marvel, Into the Badlands) becomes jealous of Li and attacks him, his Kung Fu shifu and great-uncle, Mr. Han (Chan) and Miyagi-Do karate sensei, Daniel LaRusso (Macchio) arrive to New York to train Li for the ultimate karate competition. 

            The film also stars Joshua Jackson (Mighty Ducks trilogy, Dawson’s Creek, Fringe) as Mia’s father and former boxer Victor Lipani, Wyatt Oleff (Guardians of the Galaxy 1 and 2, It: Chapters 1 and 2, I Am Not Okay with This) as Li’s tutor and friend Alan, Shaunette Renée Wilson (Black Panther, Billions, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny) as Ms. Morgan, and Tim Rozon (Instant Star, Schitt’s Creek, Wynonna Earp) as O’Shea. 

            Overall, Karate Kid: Legends is objectively better than most Karate Kid sequels and the cast’s chemistry is genuinely strong but compared to the 1984 movie and even the 2010 Karate Kid, it doesn’t offer much to make it stand out. It’s not a terrible movie, but it’s a sequel that’s just going through the motions and quite literally hits the same beats people recognize from the other Karate Kid films. 

            I wouldn’t mind the recycled plot elements if the movie itself wasn’t so choppily edited and fast paced. The film is just over 90 minutes making it the shortest Karate Kid movie and by the time it got to the final match between Wang’s Li and Knight’s Conor, I was flabbergasted that we were already here and once the credits started I felt more indifferent than ecstatic which should not be the case for a film like this. 

            Aside from a few scenes where Conor’s being a douche to Li, the film doesn’t really build up their rivalry all that well because the first half of this 94-minute Karate Kid movie focuses on Li training Joshua Jackson’s character to fight so he can get out of a loan shark situation, I don’t care about this! It felt like an unfocused detour that yes, adds some emotional drama to a couple characters, but we came here to see the Karate Kid fight the kids that bullied him. 

            However, once Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio enter the picture, it gets better and what the entire movie should have been, the OG Karate Kid and Jackie Chan training Ben Wang. All three of them have great chemistry and you just love seeing them work off each other and make a new Karate Kid out of Wang’s Li. 

            Honestly, the acting in general is strong and not just between the three leads, Wang and Sadie Stanley have a cute little romance that’s quite charming, Ming-Na Wen is a standout as Li’s mom who encourages her son not to fight, and even some of the side characters have some moments to shine. 

            The fight sequences are well-choreographed and should be exhilarating conceptually, but the film decides to put in a bunch of flashy effects like it’s a film adaptation of Street Fighter even right down to having Chun-Li from the 1994 movie herself in it and that ruins the intensity in my opinion. What made the original Karate Kid movie so gripping was that the fights felt real and legitimately intense which helped make Daniel’s inevitable victory all the more satisfying. 

            Here, it just seemed like Ben Wang kicked Aramis Knight’s ass with a VR video game with those Scott Pilgrim-like visual sound effects. It didn’t match the Karate Kid-style for me and took me out of the film sadly. 

            Karate Kid: Legends is a mixed bag as there are aspects of it that are done well, but through choppy editing, unfocused storytelling, and an overly fast pace, it can’t quite go for the gold like the 1984 classic. It’s less of a movie that will make you stand up and cheer and more like a movie you say “Good enough” at the end and it fades from memory shortly after. 

Friendship review

FRIENDSHIP: 

TIM ROBINSON AND PAUL RUDD’S OUTRAGEOUSLY DEMENTED BROMANCE! 

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: **** out of 4

A24

Paul Rudd in Friendship

 

            Tim Robinson (Saturday Night Live, Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers, I Think You Should Leave) and Paul Rudd (Anchorman 1 and 2, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Death of a Unicorn) join forces to bring I Love You, Man meets The Banshees of Inisherin in Friendship, the new black comedy from A24 and director Andrew DeYoung in his directorial debut. This was on my list to see the moment I saw the trailer in front of Death of a Unicorn (Another A24 project starring Paul Rudd that came out earlier this year) though it was initially released the same weekend as Final Destination: Bloodlines. 

            But now that I got that, Lilo & Stitch, and Mission: Impossible out of the way, I can finally talk about Friendship after hearing all the hype it got and extremely positive word of mouth. Yeah, everyone’s right, this movie’s a blast though not exactly in a “feel-good” sort of way, more on that later. 

            The film follows Craig Waterman (Robinson), a socially awkward marketing executive who yearns to be friends with his neighbor, a charismatic but unfulfilled weatherman named Austin Carmichael (Rudd) after a package mix-up in the mail. However, as their bond strengthens, Craig becomes infatuated with Austin to the point where his attempts at making an adult male friend threatens to ruin both of their lives. 

            The film also stars Kata Mara (Brokeback Mountain, House of Cards, The Martian) as Craig’s wife Tami, Jack Dylan Grazer (It: Chapters 1 and 2, Shazam! 1 and 2, Luca) as Craig’s son Steven, Josh Segarra (Orange Is the New Black, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, Scream VI) as Devon, Billy Bryk (Ghostbusters: Afterlife, Hell of a Summer, Saturday Night) as Tony, Jon Glasser (Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Delocated, Parks and Recreation) as Big Sam, Conner O’Malley (Palm Springs, Bodies Bodies Bodies, I Saw the TV Glow) as Patton, Daniel London (Patch Adams, Rent, Concussion) as Stan, Whitmer Thomas (Poor Paul, Stone Quackers, Weapons) as Ian, Raphael Sbarge (Carnosaur, The Guardian, The Exorcist: Believer) as Garrett, and Ivy Wolk (Anora) as Jen Peyser. 

            Overall, Friendship is a hilarious, unpredictable, and darkly fascinating “Bromance” about… well, friendship told in the most A24 way imaginable. It is definitely still a comedy and is quite funny, but a lot of the humor comes from how far Tim Robinson’s Craig will go to be friends with Paul Rudd’s Austin which gets a lot of laughs yet you also pity the poor man at the same time because he is clearly not right in the head and almost comes off like a slasher movie villain. 

            

            I was often reminded of the Seinfeld episode where Jerry tries to break up with an annoying friend played by Kevin Dunn as I was watching it, but with a much sicker sense of humor and leans more into the unexpected. One minute you’re laughing at Tim Robinson accidentally whamming into a sliding door at Paul Rudd’s house and the glass shatters and the next you’re watching him break into said house and take a handgun that Rudd was hiding in a box. 

            It’s the kind of movie where you’re laughing, but you’re not always proud of what you’re laughing at onscreen. It is not a studio comedy and the majority of laughs will depend on your tolerance of certain kinds of humor. 

            I haven’t seen Tim Robinson in many other things, but I thought he was pitch perfect in this movie as an awkward man who just wants to be friends with Paul Rudd and the lengths he’ll go to make it happen. He does a spectacular job finding comedy in the most pitiful of situations and loved seeing his inevitable descent into lunacy while also legit feeling sorry for him at the same time. 

            Paul Rudd is also great as the neighbor Robinson befriends who starts off as a quirky weatherman, but after a few scenes becomes the straight man to Robinson’s anarchy. I found him very believable in this movie and the scenario he’s in is pretty relatable for those who has or had a friend that was obsessive about their friendship. 

Rudd questions whether or not he should be friends with this guy but also doesn’t want to come off as a rude jackass for telling Robinson the truth. Robinson and Rudd carry the entire film and it wouldn’t be nearly as entertaining if not for their involvement. 

Friendship is definitely not for everyone, but if you have a tolerance for comedies with a dark and twisted sense of humor like The Cable Guy or The Banshees of Inisherin, this is worth checking out and it’s especially fun to watch in a theater with a crowd laughing and reacting along. Grab your friends, head out to the theater, and watch the most unexpected story of friendship you’ll ever see told in pure A24 insanity. 

Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning review

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – THE FINAL RECKONING: 

TOM CRUISE’S SUPPOSED SENDOFF TO HIS LONG-RUNNING FRANCHISE IS A GOOD TIME AT THE MOVIES! 

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: *** ½ out of 4

PARAMOUNT PICTURES

Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning

 

            Tom Cruise (Top Gun 1 and 2, Minority Report, Edge of Tomorrow) returns for (supposedly) one last mission in Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, the eighth installment of the long-running Mission: Impossible film series based on the TV show of the same name. Hard to believe it’s been nearly 30 years since Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt bungeed his way onto the big screen with the 1996 Brian De Palma-directed original movie and now it’s one of the most successful action movie franchises of all time. 

            Granted, the franchise didn’t become truly great until 2011’s Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (The fourth film) which revitalized the series and took it to the next level thus finding a winning formula in the process. Which brings us to The Final Reckoning once again directed by Rogue Nation-Dead Reckoning director Christopher McQuarrie (The Way of the Gun, Jack Reacher) which was originally conceived as Part 2 of Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning with the first part coming out in 2023, but the title was changed. 

            Of course, this was going to be one of my most anticipated films of the year, I thoroughly enjoyed the Mission: Impossible movies especially Ghost Protocol-Dead Reckoning Part One and given that this may or may not be the final time I get to see Tom Cruise as Ethan on the big screen, it’s got a lot to live up to. So, what’s my verdict on Final Reckoning? I really like it though admittedly it is the weakest of the modern Mission: Impossible movies. 

            It really tries to build itself up as the last time we’ll see Ethan and his team kind of like what Furious 7 did before Fast & Furious 8-10 got made and Cruise himself did say that he would do as many Mission: Impossible movies as he could. Regardless of what the future of the franchise holds, the action is still spectacular, the tension is high, and the plot keeps your interest. 

            The film is set after the events of Dead Reckoning and follows IMF agent, Ethan Hunt (Cruise) and his team racing to put an end to the artificial intelligence known as the Entity and its agent, Gabriel (Esai Morales-Caprica, Ozark, Titans) which has been out for a couple months now and is corrupting people’s minds and controlling nuclear systems. After Ethan gets a vision from the Entity of a coming nuclear apocalypse, he, former thief turned IMF agent Grace (Hayley Atwell-Marvel Cinematic Universe, Christopher Robin, Paddington in Peru), computer technician Luther Stickell (Ving Rhames-Pulp Fiction, Lilo & Stitch, The Wild Robot), technical field agent Benji Dunn (Simon Pegg-Cornetto trilogy, Star Trek franchise, Paul), and French assassin Paris (Pom Klementieff-Oldboy (2013), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Killer’s Game) begin one last Mission to plant a malware device into the Entity to shut it down for good before the world ends. 

            The film also stars Henry Czerny (The Other Half, Ready or Not, Scream VI) reprising his role as Eugene Kittridge, Angela Bassett (Malcolm X, Notorious, Black Panther 1 and 2) reprising her role from Fallout as Erika Sloane, Nick Offerman (Parks and Recreation, Jump Street, Dumb Money) as General Sidney, Hannah Waddingham (The Fall Guy, The Garfield Movie (2024), Lilo & Stitch (2025)) as Admiral Neely, Tramell Tillman (Severance) as Captain Bledsoe, Shea Whigham (True Detective, Fast & Furious franchise, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse) reprising his role from Dead Reckoning as Jasper Briggs, Greg Tarzan Davis (Tales from the Hood 2, Top Gun: Maverick, Grey’s Anatomy) reprising his role from Dead Reckoning as Theo Dagas, Charles Parnell (The Venture Bros., Top Gun: Maverick, The Killer) reprising his role from Dead Reckoning as Richards, Mark Gatiss (Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, The Favourite, The Fantastic 4: First Steps) reprising his role from Dead Reckoning as Angstrom, Rolf Saxon (Tomorrow Never Dies, Saving Private Ryan, Woman in Gold) reprising his role from the first Mission: Impossible as CIA Analyst William Donloe, Katy O’Brian (The Mandalorian, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Love Lies Bleeding) as Kodiak, and Stephen Oyoung (John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, Terminator: Dark Fate, Twisters) as Pills. 

            Overall, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning leans a little too hard in sentimental value and nostalgia bait at times, but it’s still a spectacular action movie that ends the franchise on a strong note… if it stays that way. I like how this movie does tie a lot of loose ends and acknowledge events and characters from much earlier installments (The films from 1996-2006) like the CIA Analyst who discovers Ethan’s knife after the vault heist from the first movie returns and the Rabbit’s Foot from Mission: Impossible III is prominent in this film’s story so it definitely feels more like a celebration of the entire Mission: Impossible film series. 

            This is probably the most relevant of the Mission: Impossible movies given the rise of AI over the past few years and almost plays out like a Mission: Impossible version of a Terminator movie where the IMF has to essentially stop a super computer from causing Judgment Day with the Entity basically being like this franchise’s version of Skynet. It is relevant, but in a much more exaggerated, over-the-top way. 

            The action set pieces are amazing and worth experiencing on an IMAX screen with the two highlights being a tension-filled sequence involving Tom Cruise maneuvering through a submarine filled with water and an epic plane chase between Cruise and Morales that’s an absolute blast to watch on the big screen. Even a Mission: Impossible entry that doesn’t fully live up to its predecessors is still infinitely better than the majority of Hollywood action movies and that’s no small feat. 

            I will say, I felt the runtime a bit during this movie which I didn’t feel in Fallout or Dead Reckoning, this is a nearly 3 hour-long Mission: Impossible movie and there are a few times where the film drags a little. It’s not headache-inducing, butt-numbing Michael Bay Transformers movie dragging, but this film could have been trimmed down at certain points or refined better. 

            Despite a few shortcomings, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning is a fun summer action movie that gives what it promises, Tom Cruise doing his shtick at spectacular levels with a thought-provoking story woven into the over-the-top silliness you’d expect from the series. It may not be the Avengers: Endgame of Mission: Impossible, but it’s still a “Mission” worth accepting.