Eternity review

ETERNITY: 

A ROMANTIC-COMEDY TO DIE FOR! 

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: **** out of 4

A24 AND APPLE ORIGINAL FILMS

Callum Turner, Elizabeth Olsen, and Miles Teller in Eternity

 

            A romance in the afterlife that doesn’t involve the Corpse Bride begins in Eternity, a romantic-comedy from A24 and David Freyne in his directorial debut. I’ll be honest, I almost forgot this was even coming out, I never saw the trailer in theaters or online and the only thing that jogged my memory was a poster and a standee in one of my movie theater lobbies. 

            But I love many of the people involved in this so, I decided to give it a shot and…I am so glad I did becauseEternity is fantastic. This is a very funny, touching and incredibly clever rom-com that plays around with the classic Love Triangle formula and crafts something truly special out of it. 

            The film follows Joan (Elizabeth Olsen-Godzilla (2014), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Wind River), a woman who enters the afterlife following her death where souls have only one week to decide where they want to spend their eternity. This leads her to make the impossible decision of choosing between the man she spent her life with, Larry Cutler (Miles Teller-Whiplash, The Divergent Series, Top Gun: Maverick) and her first love, Luke (Callum Turner-Green Room, Fantastic Beasts 2 and 3, The Boys in the Boat) who died young and has waited decades for her arrival. 

            The film also stars Da’Vine Joy Randolph (Dolemite is My Name, The Lost City, The Holdovers) as Anna, John Early (30 Rock, Search Party, Late Night) as Ryan, and Olga Merediz (Music of the Heart, Shades of Blue, Orange Is the New Black) as Karen. 

            Overall, Eternity is absolutely delightful and one of the most pleasant surprises I had all year with a film. I came in very cold with the only knowledge I had being the poster and a plot synopsis I read online and was laughing and charmed throughout. 

            The movie plays like a lot of Love Triangle films with very familiar tropes, but unlike those shmaltzy and formulaic Love Triangle rom-coms cranked out by Hollywood, this one actually has some smart writing and endearing performances to make it work. The fact that it’s a romance movie that takes place in the afterlife where a woman’s soul has to choose between the souls of her two loves for whom she wants to spend her eternity with is an ingenious way to utilize the Love Triangle because it’s between two men from completely different points in her life and the first man even died before she met the second. 

            Despite there being a fair amount of tension and a rivalry between the two men, neither one of them is painted like the antagonist and just want to live their eternity with the one they love. Both Teller and Turner are very charming and have wonderful chemistry with Olsen as well as each other as the film progresses. 

            Elizabeth Olsen is great here and gives some of her best acting in a while, I mostly know her for playing Scarlet Witch in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and she played that part well, but this really showcases her skills as an actress. She nails comedic reactions while also commanding scenes when situations involving her dead husbands get out of hand and in the end bringing a lot of heart to the movie whether she’s with Teller, Turner, or both. 

            The film also has interesting world building with an afterlife that I can best describe as a less quirky version ofBeetlejuice’s afterlife where there are people at the front desk when new arrivals come in and seems almost like some sort of hotel or fancy apartment for souls before they go to their eternity. However, it still very imaginative and visually unique in a lot of areas such as a dark tunnel that shows people’s memories almost like a theme park attraction, the sky literally being like a sheet that goes up and down when changing from night to day is pretty appealing, and there’s a wild chase between Olsen and security guards through her history during the climax. 

            Eternity is honestly a perfect date movie in the best way; it’s a solid love story with both a heart and a brain that’s elevated by its charming leads and imaginative storytelling and ideas. It’s right up there with Spike Jonze’s Her as one of the best, odd romantic comedies that’s as sweet as it is surreal, definitely worth your time. 

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery review

WAKE UP DEAD MAN: A KNIVES OUT MYSTERY: 

BENOIT BLANC’S THIRD CASE IS ONE OF HIS FINEST! 

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: **** out of 4

NETFLIX

Daniel Craig and his potential suspects in Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery

 

            Daniel Craig (James Bond franchise, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011), Queer) and his fake southern accent is back as Detective Benoit Blanc in Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, the third chapter of writer-director Rian Johnson (Brick, Looper, Star Wars: The Last Jedi)’s Knives Out film series. If you read my reviews for the previous films then you should already know that I greatly enjoyed the first Knives Out movie from 2019 and its 2022 sequel, Glass Onion quite a bit and hailed them as very clever and entertaining murder-mystery movies with Craig crafting another cinematic icon out of his Blanc performance. 

            You bet your ass I was excited for a third movie when it was announced to be in development with Johnson back in the director’s chair and Craig reprising his role. However, unlike Glass Onion where it was released widely in theaters for only a week before premiering on Netflix, Wake Up Dead Man is being shown in limited theaters followed by a Netflix release later. 

            Knowing me, I went out to the theater to watch this because a film with this much talent both in front of and behind the camera should not be watched for the first time on streaming. I’m glad I did because Wake Up Dead Man is yet another terrific mystery from the mind of Rian Johnson and it might actually be my favorite of the films. 

            This one goes darker than its predecessors and dives into heavy subject matter like religious radicalism while still retaining that sly sense of humor from the other movies and crafting an engaging and gripping mystery. The film is very fun and witty, but it’s not afraid to get disturbing every once in a while and push its PG-13 rating to its limits. 

            The film follows Rev. Jud Duplenticy (Josh O’Connor-The Crown, Challengers, The Mastermind), a former boxer turned Catholic priest being sent to a church in upstate New York led by the charismatic and domineering, Monsignor Jefferson Wicks (Josh Brolin-True Grit (2010), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Dune: Parts 1 and 2). But when Wicks is somehow murdered in a confined room, master detective Benoit Blanc (Craig) arrives at the church to crack the case and find the culprit. 

            The film also stars Glenn Close (101/102 Dalmatians, Guardians of the Galaxy, The Wife) as Martha Delacroix, Mila Kunis (Family Guy, Black Swan, Friends with Benefits) as Geraldine Scott, Jeremy Renner (Marvel Cinematic Universe, Mission: Impossible franchise, American Hustle) as Dr. Nat Sharp, Kerry Washington (Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Fantastic Four 1 and 2, The Last King of Scotland) as Vera Draven, Esq., Andrew Scott (Spectre, 1917, Blue Moon) as Lee Ross, Cailee Spaeny (On the Basis of Sex, Priscilla, Alien: Romulus) as Simone Vivane, Daryl McCormack (Fair City, Peaky Blinders, Twisters) as Cy Draven, Thomas Haden Church (George of the Jungle, Sideways, Spider-Man 3) as Samson Holt, Jeffrey Wright (The Batman, Rustin, American Fiction) as Langstrom, and Noah Segan (Brick, Looper) who had previously appeared in Knives Out and Glass Onion as different characters as Nikolai the Bartender. 

            Overall, Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery adds another sharply-written, intriguing, and brilliantly crafted murder mystery to Rian Johnson’s Knives Out franchise. While I unintentionally called out the culprit in the first movie through a joke Facebook post which was a surprise in and of itself, I legitimately didn’t know where this was going and was constantly guessing who the person (or people) responsible is/are. 

            I feel Johnson perfectly understands that the best mysteries are the ones where anybody could be a suspect and subvert people’s expectations as it’s being pieced together. The film keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout and makes you wonder where it’s going and what the outcome will be like and it never loses any steam during its 2 hours and 20 minute runtime. 

            Daniel Craig is once again great as Benoit Blanc with his Foghorn Leghorn-style southern accent though in this film he acts more like a supporting character with Josh O’Connor’s Jud being the true protagonist with Craig not even appearing until 20 minutes into the movie. But he still brings his charm and wit to the role and shows off his comedic side as a radically different character from 007. 

            Josh O’Connor, like Ana De Armas in the first film is a very endearing protagonist as a boxer who killed a man in the ring and his shame and guilt over that is what draws him to Christianity and becoming a priest. I mostly know him from last year’s Challengers and he was great in that, but this really showed me his capabilities as an actor because he sells the tragedy of his predicament and his need to atone for his past. 

            The supporting cast is also magnificent which shouldn’t be a shock given the talents and each one is given moments to shine. Some of my favorites are Josh Brolin who commands the screen as the intense and abrasive priest who gets murdered and Glenn Close giving some of her most consistently entertaining acting since Cruella De Vil in 101 Dalmatians, she made me laugh almost every time she was onscreen. 

            The cinematography and production design is amazing though nowhere near as outlandish as the mansion from the first or the building that was a literal and the titular glass onion from the second. The church setting and lighting in various scenes in said church make it seem very big and epic especially for a murder mystery, they also do something with the sun lighting in certain scenes where people are giving their versions of the story which I thought was very clever and effective. 

            Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery is a magnificent murder mystery with Rian Johnson being a powerful force of nature in the genre. It’s funny, it’s engaging, and it keeps you guessing until its jaw-dropping revelation, I greatly enjoyed my time with this movie and I eagerly await more adventures with Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc in the near future. 

Zootopia 2 review

ZOOTOPIA 2: 

JUDY AND NICK RETURN IN SOLID SECOND CASE! 

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: *** ½ out of 4

DISNEY

Judy Hopps, Nick Wilde, and Gary De’Snake in Zootopia 2

 

            Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde are back to solve another case in Zootopia 2, the latest animated feature from Walt Disney Animation Studios and follow-up to the 2016 critical and commercial smash, Zootopia. The first film I’ll go on record and say is not just one of Disney’s best CG animated movies, but one of their best animated features in general and really made me change my perception of what makes a Disney film with bold, thought-provoking social themes like prejudice, racism, political power, and underestimating those that appear unqualified for their jobs or aspirations. 

            Yes, it is a movie about a big city that’s populated by anthropomorphic talking animals, but the parallels between it and reality are undeniable. It’s a film that spoke to both kids and adults on equal levels and provided strong messages that either one can take something away from on top of just being a fun mystery with a very lovable and endearing rabbit and fox duo in the form of Judy and Nick behind the wheel. 

            It was hailed by critics and was a massive box-office success becoming Disney’s second highest-grossing animated film at the time behind 2013’s Frozen. Because of that, it spawned the Disney+ series, Zootopia+ which I have not watched yet and the inevitable sequel movie. 

            I was…curious about Zootopia 2 when it was initially announced though I wasn’t really super pumped for it because I felt the first movie worked exceptionally well as a self-contained film and I wasn’t that enthusiastic about the last Disney sequel, Moana 2 which wasn’t bad or anything, but it was very generic and subpar compared to its predecessor. 

            Well, thankfully Zootopia 2 is a much better Disney sequel than Moana 2 and Frozen II though I wouldn’t call it a sequel that surpasses the first, this isn’t the Toy Story 2, Shrek 2, or Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse of Zootopiamovies. I felt the first Zootopia had a tighter story with stronger social commentary and even some really heavy scenes (The scene where child Nick gets bullied and has the muzzle put on him is still pretty messed up!), but I still very much enjoyed my time with Judy and Nick’s second adventure. 

            The film follows Judy Hopps (voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin-Mona Lisa Smile, Walk the Line, Once Upon a Time) and Nick Wilde (voiced by Jason Bateman-Arrested Development, Horrible Bosses 1 and 2, Bad Words) who are now partners in the Zootopia Police Department (ZPD), but their clashing personalities makes them an incompatible pairing. However, a mysterious reptilian resident enters Zootopia known as Gary De’Snake (voiced by Ke Huy Quan-Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, The Goonies, Everything Everywhere All at Once) and turns the mammal metropolis upside down as Judy and Nick go undercover to crack the case, explore unknown parts of the city, and put their growing partnership to the ultimate test by following the snake’s trail. 

            The film also features the voices of Idris Elba (Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Jungle Book (2016), Sonic the Hedgehog franchise) reprising his role as Chief Bogo, Fortune Feimster (Last Comic Standing, The Mindy Project, The L Word: Generation Q) as Nibbles Maplestick, Andy Samberg (Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Hotel Transylvania franchise, Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers) as Pawbert Lynxley, David Strathairn (A League of Their Own, L.A. Confidential,Lincoln) as Milton Lynxley, Patrick Warburton (Seinfeld, Family Guy, The Emperor’s New Groove) as Mayor Brian Winddancer, Danny Trejo (Desperado, Spy Kids franchise, Machete 1 and 2) as Jesús, Nate Torrence (Get Smart, Supernatural, She’s Out of My League) reprising his role as Benjamin Clawhauser, Bonnie Hunt (Rain Man, Jumanji,Toy Story franchise) reprising her role as Bonnie Hopps, and Don Lake (Hot Shots!, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Best in Show) as Stu Hopps. 

            Overall, Zootopia 2 isn’t as clever or deep as its predecessor and probably won’t leave as big an impact as that movie, but it’s still a really solid sequel that builds upon the first, expands the world, and introduces new characters and dilemmas. Yes, I said I didn’t think it was as good as the first, but not once did I call this a carbon copy or complete retread of the previous film, everything was different enough and did progress the story along. 

            Where the first Zootopia dealt with prejudice among other social issues, this one focuses more on the mystery behind the town’s history and why reptiles were outlawed. I guess you could argue it’s like how people were forced out of their own homes due to war or invasions, but it didn’t feel as impactful to me as any of the things from the first film. 

            The animation is gorgeous once again and is definitely worth experiencing on the big screen, the city itself really is the true star of these movies and there are some neat sequences that show it off. 

            Most of the humor landed for me whether it was jokes or witty lines of dialogue said by Judy and/or Nick or the supporting characters, visual or written gags such as the bootleg Disney movies (Which was also in the first film) and a joke involving a YouTube comment. The climax even features a little homage to The Shining which was something I was certainly not expecting to see in a sequel to Zootopia.

            Judy and Nick are once again a very lovable duo and have great chemistry, I love seeing and hearing them banter while also expressing their own personal struggles with this film really testing their partnership and loyalty to one another. Honestly, Judy and Nick are some of the most endearing and relatable of Disney’s characters in terms of both comedy and charm. 

            The chase sequences are fun and filled with a lot of creativity, very fast-paced, crazy car chases that take advantage of the big screen. Very energized and funny, one of them even takes a page from Fast & Furious which I just love. 

            Zootopia 2 is a long overdue reunion with Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde and the best Disney Animation movie sequel since Ralph Breaks the Internet in 2018. The social themes aren’t quite as powerful this time around, but it is guaranteed to provide a brightly colored, funny, and incredibly charming animated film for the family…it’s called a movie review, sweetheart! 

Jay Kelly review

JAY KELLY: 

GEORGE CLOONEY AND ADAM SANDLER TRAVEL TO EUROPE IN FUNNY AND HEARTFELT COMEDY-DRAMA! 

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: *** ½ out of 4

NETFLIX

Adam Sandler and George Clooney in Jay Kelly

 

            The unexpected team up of George Clooney (Ocean’s trilogy, Michael Clayton, Gravity) and Adam Sandler (Happy Gilmore 1 and 2, 50 First Dates, Uncut Gems) becomes a reality in Jay Kelly, the new film from director Noah Baumbach (The Squid and the Whale, While We’re Young, Marriage Story). Yeah, I was down to see this when I heard it was coming out, I love both George Clooney and Adam Sandler (Though the latter’s comedic outings can be pretty hit and miss) and Baumbach is a damn good director given his credentials. 

            The film was given a limited release in theaters before arriving on Netflix afterwards so, I went to my theater that runs Netflix movies to watch it on the big screen and…it’s a very good film! I don’t think it’s as strong as some of Baumbach’s other films like The Squid and the Whale or Marriage Story, but I laughed a fair amount of times and was captivated by Clooney and Sandler’s performances in this. 

            The film follows the titular, Jay Kelly (Clooney), a well-known actor who had just finished his most recent film and wants to spend time with his youngest daughter, Daisy (Grace Edwards-Asteroid City) before she leaves for Europe, but she has no interest and would rather go with her friends. This leads Jay to exit out of his next project and book a flight to Europe to see his daughter while his manager, Ron (Sandler) accompanies him on his journey. 

            Along the way, these two men are forced to confront the choices they’ve made, the relationships with their loved ones, and the legacies they’ll leave behind. 

            The film also stars Laura Dern (Blue Velvet, Jurassic Park franchise, Little Women (2019)) as Jay’s publicist Liz, Billy Crudup (Princess Mononoke, Big Fish, Watchmen) as Jay’s former acting friend and roommate Timothy, Riley Keough (Magic Mike, Mad Max: Fury Road, It Comes at Night) as Jay’s eldest daughter Jessica, Jim Broadbent (Topsy-Turvy, Harry Potter franchise, Paddington trilogy) as Peter Schneider, Patrick Wilson (Watchmen, The Conjuring franchise, Aquaman 1 and 2) as Ben Alcock, Josh Hamilton (J. Edgar, Eighth Grade, The Long Walk) as Carter, Emily Mortimer (The Ghost and the Darkness, Hugo, Paddington in Peru; who also co-wrote the film alongside Baumbach) as Candy, Isla Fisher (Wedding Crashers, The Great Gatsby (2013), Now You See Me trilogy) as Ben’s wife Melanie Alcock, Jamie Demetriou (Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga, Cruella, The Roses) as Clive, and Patsy Ferran (Darkest Hour, Living, Mickey 17) as Brenda. 

            Overall, Jay Kelly is an exquisitely filmed, funny, and emotionally rich journey through Europe that’s heightened by Clooney and Sandler’s incredible onscreen chemistry. George Clooney and Adam Sandler is probably the last team-up I’d expect to see, but they work extremely well together in this movie. 

            It’s true that Clooney is essentially doing his usual charismatic, cool guy shtick that we’ve seen in several other movies and you could argue that this entire film is one great big love letter to him and his work, but as an actor playing an actor his charm is completely warranted for this performance. Adam Sandler once again gets to show off his skills as a dramatic actor and it’s no secret that this is significantly better film starring him in 2025 (Happy Gilmore 2 was also released earlier this year). 

            While I can’t say Sandler’s performance lives up to his absolutely mesmerizing role in Uncut Gems, he brings a lot of heart as Clooney’s devoted manager who’s looking out for his talent. Most of what makes the film work is seeing Clooney and Sandler interact with each other and their dynamic together is so strong, I legitimately want to see more movies with both of them headlining it. 

            While the movie doesn’t exactly go all-out on showing Europe as much as possible and they technically didn’t shoot the France scenes on location, the cinematography is still very impressive especially the scenes when they’re in Tuscany. As mentioned before, I watched the film in theaters and there were times where I was genuinely relishing at some of these scenes on the big screen and this film even has quite possibly the most creative flashback transitions I’ve ever seen in anything, so brilliantly done. 

            This isn’t trying to be a bombastic movie about filmmaking, it’s a simple yet powerful story about two men trying to come to terms with things that happened in their lives, reconnecting with loved ones (Some of which are estranged), and learning some kind of lesson by the end through a trip to Europe. You get some laughs, some heartfelt moments, some heavy scenes, and moments that just put a smile on your face as you’re watching it; all of that applied to my viewing of it. 

            Jay Kelly is another solid film from Noah Baumbach with excellent performances by George Clooney and Adam Sandler, some beautiful cinematography, a strong balance between comedy and drama, and a deep look into the personal life of a movie star. If you’re a fan of Clooney especially then this is a required viewing because it is just as much a celebration of him as what The Fabelmans was for Steven Spielberg, I swear the movie even uses clips from other Clooney films like Burn After Reading and Leatherheads in this Jay Kelly montage of movies during the epilogue, but no Bat Credit Card. 

Sisu: Road to Revenge review

SISU: ROAD TO REVENGE: 

ANOTHER BLOOD-DRENCHED AND EXPLOSIVE ROAD FOR AATAMI KORPI! 

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: *** ½ out of 4

STAGE 6 FILMS AND SCREEN GEMS

Jorma Tommila in Sisu: Road to Revenge

 

            Jorma Tommila (Raid, The Visitor, Big Game) returns as Finnish ex-commando, Aatami Korpi in Sisu: Road to Revenge, the follow-up to the 2022 (2023 in the United States) action war movie hit, Sisu. The first movie was fucking awesome and an unexpected surprise when I went to see it, I hadn’t seen any trailers for it nor did I know anything about it until people kept telling me it was like John Wick in World War II which convinced me to finally go see it and yeah, it’s great. 

            It is a revenge movie like John Wick, but it’s structured in a similar way to Mad Max: Fury Road or The Raidmixed with the cartoonishly over-the-top violence of Machete. 90 minutes of non-stop action with tons of explosions and bloodshed, but not at the cost of a good story or compelling characters and in these films’ case, it’s a mostly silent protagonist yet Tommila’s facial expressions are a performance in of itself. 

            Sisu is a damn entertaining action film and stood well on its own, wasn’t sure how to feel when news of the sequel came out. The first one was a pretty self-contained film, Korpi slaughtered the Nazis and had his gold exchanged for bills at the end, where do you go from there? Well, you have him kill a bunch of members of the Soviet Union, of course! 

            Tommila reprises his role as Aatami Korpi with Jalmari Helander (Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale, Big Game) back in the director’s chair and…fuck, it’s still awesome! I don’t know which Sisu movie I like more because both are incredibly entertaining and fun films, but Sisu: Road to Revenge gives exactly what you want to see in a sequel to this movie. 

            Non-stop bloody violence, explosions, and moments of dark humor, everything that made the first film great just replace the gold with…wooden logs of his house and replace the Nazis with Russians. It’s still the same formula and this is an instance where that’s a good thing and honestly, it doesn’t feel like a complete retread of the first. 

            The film is set two years after the first film and follows Aatami Korpi (Tommila) crossing the border into Karelia where his family was murdered during the war to dismantle his old family house, load it onto his truck, and rebuild it somewhere safe in their honor. When the Red Army hears of Korpi’s arrival, they send Igor Draganov (Stephen Lang-Tombstone, Avatar franchise, Don’t Breathe 1 and 2), the man who murdered his family to lead a group of soldiers to kill Korpi by any means necessary…that is not at all what happens! 

            The film also stars Richard Brake (Batman Begins, The Rhythm Section, Barbarian) as the KGB officer who sends Dragonov to capture Korpi. 

            Overall, Sisu: Road to Revenge gives exactly what it promises if you’ve seen the first and does so in the best way possible. Like its predecessor, the action is front and center and the film itself knows what people are here for and delivers non-stop grisly carnage, shit blowing up, and moments of dark humor and it doesn’t waste any time. 

            The film is just under 90 minutes so it never overstays its welcome like a lot of big releases from Hollywood, but it uses its time well to give audiences an explosive and gory time at the movies. One aspect about the movie I thought was interesting compared to its predecessor was in the first, the MacGuffin all the bad guys were after was gold which is a lot more valuable whereas here, Korpi is just hauling logs of his old family house to get it through the Finnish border which makes the ultimate goal feel a lot more personal this time around and adds tension to the action. 

            Speaking of which, the action once again is amazing though this certainly isn’t the most realistic of action sequences in movies, this is a film where Korpi fucking uses a tank with explosives strapped at the rear to launch it over the border, flips around, crashes, and he (and his dog) are somehow unharmed. This is a movie that’s just trying to be fun and it more than succeeds at it, tons of gunfire, blood spurting out, knife fights, brawls, and people getting blown up with some of my favorites being a motorcycle chase that I can only describe as the chase from John Wick: Chapter 3that ends with a Machete movie kill and the best train action sequence since Spider-Man 2 with Korpi raiding the cars to get to Lang’s Dragonov. 

             Jorma Tommila is wonderful again as Aatami Korpi and like last time, doesn’t have a whole lot of dialogue, but his face, gestures, and actions very cleverly convey who he is and what he’s all about. It made me think back to performances like Charlize Theron’s Furiosa from Mad Max: Fury Road where sometimes all it takes is a character giving a look to convey the needed emotions though unlike that performance he either doesn’t speak until the end of the movie or in this film’s case, not at all. 

            Stephen Lang is a great antagonist which shouldn’t be much of a shock given he was also the main antagonist in James Cameron’s Avatar movies and his absolutely terrifying turn as the Blind Man in Don’t Breathe. His performance in this reminds me a little bit of Christoph Waltz from Inglourious Basterds where he’s doing horrible, nasty things and enjoying every second of it, but also has a lot of charisma on top of it leading to some pretty entertaining confrontations between him and Tommila, the kind of villain you just want to see get his blood-splattered comeuppance.

            Yeah, Sisu: Road to Revenge gave me exactly what I wanted and expected out of a Sisu sequel and unlike other overblown blockbuster franchises, the formula hasn’t worn thin yet. If you loved the first then you’ll love this one too, it has gory, over-the-top violence with a twisted sense of humor and Jorma Tommila doing what he does best and making a name for himself as a new action movie star. 

I had a great time at the theater with this one and I’m sure you will too, where’s Sisu 3 and how much longer do I need to wait for it!?! 

Wicked for Good review

WICKED FOR GOOD: 

A FITTINGLY MAGICAL CONCLUSION TO GLINDA AND ELPHABA’S STORY! 

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: *** ½ out of 4

UNIVERSAL PICTURES

Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo in Wicked for Good

 

            Ariana Grande (Victorious, Sam & Cat, Focker In-Law) and Cynthia Erivo (Bad Times at the El Royale, Widows, Harriet) are back as Glinda and Elphaba in Wicked for Good, the much anticipated second part of the 2024 film adaptation of the Broadway stage musical, Wicked. I really enjoyed the first part of Wicked though I didn’t fall in love with it like a lot of other people did, but I found it to be a solid “What If?” take on Glinda the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West from The Wizard of Oz and a damn good musical with songs and dance numbers that will live rent free in my head until I die. 

            I had never seen the stage show or read the book, but as a movie, I liked Part 1 of Wicked a lot and was looking forward to seeing the resolution. Didn’t have to wait long as Part 2 now titled, Wicked for Good would be released one year later with Jon M. Chu (Now You See Me 2, Crazy Rich Asians, In the Heights) back in the director’s chair and Grande and Erivo singing their lungs out once again. 

            It’s…about as good as the first IMO, I don’t think it’s a perfect film and I do have some issues with it, but the stuff that works here overshadows most of its flaws. Ariana and Cynthia are once again fantastic here, the songs and dance numbers are lively and full of energy, and this chapter goes darker and has more conflict than the first. 

            The film is set after Elphaba Thropp (Erivo) defied gravity…and the Wizard of Oz (Jeff Goldblum-The Big Chill, Jurassic Park franchise, Thor: Ragnarok) who is now known as the Wicked Witch of the West and continues to fight for animal rights from a forest hideout in the Land of Oz. Meanwhile, her friend, Glinda (Grande) is celebrated in Oz as the Good Witch and is preparing to marry Prince Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey-Elizabeth: The Golden Age, The Young Messiah, Jurassic World: Rebirth) but is haunted by her separation from Elphaba. 

            Glinda hopes to broker a conciliation between Elphaba and The Wizard, but her efforts unintentionally transform Fiyero and Boq (Ethan Slater-Lost on a Mountain in Maine) and puts Elphaba’s sister, Nessarose (Marissa Bode)’s life in danger when a house from Kansas falls from the sky and crashes into their lives. 

            The film also stars Michelle Yeoh (Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Everything Everywhere All at Once, A Haunting in Venice) reprising her role as Madame Morrible, Bowen Yang (Bros, Dicks: The Musical, The Wedding Banquet) reprising his role as Pfanne, Bronwyn James (Harlots, Wild Bill, How to Train Your Dragon (2025)) reprising her role as ShenShen, Colman Domingo (Rustin, Sing Sing, The Running Man (2025)) as the voice of The Cowardly Lion, and Sharon D. Clarke (Holby City, Doctor Who, EastEnders) reprising her role as the voice of Dulcibear. 

            Overall, Wicked for Good probably won’t leave as big a cultural impact as its predecessor, but it’s a worthy second half of the story that elevates the plot with a lot of focus on the rising tension between Ariana Grande’s Glinda and Cynthia Erivo’s Elphaba. This is where all the conflict that was built up in Part 1 starts to pay off with Elphaba now dubbed the Wicked Witch, Oz is being controlled by a Wizard that’s hiding a bunch of secrets, animals are going into hiding, and on top of all that, Dorothy Gale has now landed in Oz so…yeah, a lot happens! 

            The movie is once again visually dazzling with impressive production design that looks great on the big screen and very lively and bombastic musical numbers. I didn’t see this one on IMAX, but I am more than comfortable saying that this is an absolute theater movie and is the best way to experience the film. 

            Everything from the sets, song sequences, and special effects, it’s all big and epic and if you’re one of those jackasses that decides to wait for streaming for something like this, you’re part of the problem as to why the movie theater business is dying. Yeah, amazing looking and sounding movie! 

            Like last time, the songs and musical numbers are fantastic with the standout song sequence being Elphaba’s No Good Deed which is absolutely magnificent and I’m sure fans of the stage show will love seeing it brought to life on film. Even if you’re not well-versed in Wicked (Like me), the musical numbers have so much energy and passion in terms of the lyrics, choreography, and visuals, it’s impossible not to admire what you’re looking at and listening to. 

            Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo are excellent once again as Glinda and Elphaba both of whom have a lot of charm and carry heavy emotional baggage throughout the movie. Grande is still very funny and brings back that lovable ditzy popular girl energy to Glinda while also delivering on the heavier and heartfelt moments between her and Erivo, both have wonderful chemistry the second time around…oh, need I mention her angelic singing voice makes a return? 

            Cynthia Erivo commands as Elphaba here as this tragic figure who was made into the enemy of Oz, she cranks the emotion up to 11 in this movie to the point where now I look at the Wicked Witch from the 1939 Wizard of Oz from a different perspective. One brilliant scene involving Grande and Erivo is done through a keyhole and involves a major Wizard of Oz plot point, but it’s done so effectively and the acting from both of them is incredible. 

            Jeff Goldblum is much better here as the Wizard and I already enjoyed him in Part 1, but he feels like he understood his performance more this time around and really brought this charismatic yet devious portrayal of the Wizard of Oz to life in the most Goldblum ways possible. He was a joy to have. 

            Even though I enjoyed my time with this movie, I felt the first film was better paced despite it being much longer. I thought everything flowed more naturally in the first movie whereas this one definitely had some bumpy points like Elphaba and Nessarose’s father dying offscreen (Unless I missed something from the last movie) and I’m not sure how I felt about the “duel” between Glinda and Elphaba which felt awkward in certain places to me. 

            If you loved Part 1 of Wicked, I don’t see why you wouldn’t love Wicked for Good given how much of a monster hit the last one was. Even if you’re like me and enjoyed the first movie but no nothing about the musical or book, it’s an impressive conclusion to the Wicked storyline with great songs, stellar performances by the cast, and a plot that raises the stakes, it’s wonderful. 

Rental Family review

RENTAL FAMILY: 

BRENDAN FRASER CHARMS IN THIS DELIGHTFUL COMEDY-DRAMA! 

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: **** out of 4

SEARCHLIGHT PICTURES

Brendan Fraser, Takehiro Hira, Mari Yamamoto, and Bun Kimura in Rental Family

 

            Brendan Fraser (George of the Jungle, The Mummy trilogy, The Whale) travels to Japan to act as a father in Rental Family, the second feature film from Japanese filmmaker, Hikari (37 Seconds) and Fraser’s much anticipated follow-up to his Oscar-winning performance in 2022’s The Whale. We’ve gotten to a point now where Brendan Fraser movies have become a top priority for me when it comes to film reviews partially because I met him once at a Comic Con, but I also think he’s an exciting actor, equal parts charismatic and endearing. 

            Whether he’s charming as the leading man like with George in George of the Jungle or Rick O’Connell in The Mummy, a tragic and sentimental figure like in The Whale, or…a parody of himself in Looney Tunes: Back in Action(Which I’m one of the few people who acknowledge his performance in that), Fraser is almost always a delight to watch whenever he’s onscreen…this being no exception. Rental Family is absolutely fantastic and I already thought the movie looked good when I saw the trailer, but this exceeded my expectations. 

            This is an incredibly funny and touching film with surprisingly beautiful cinematography and a deeply sweet storyline. It’s a movie that made me laugh hard and felt legit emotion for the characters and whatever conflicts they had. 

            The film follows Phillip Vandarploeug (Fraser), an American actor living in Tokyo who struggles to find a solid acting job until he lands an unusual gig; working for a Japanese “rental family” business playing stand-in roles for strangers. This leads Phillip to single mother, Hitoni (Shino Shinozaki) and her daughter, Mia (Shannon Mahina Gorman) whom the former hires him to be her husband and Mia’s father and his perception on performance and reality begins to blur as Phillip forms strong bonds with Hitoni and Mia. 

            The film also stars Takehiro Hira (Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins, Gran Turismo, Captain America: Brave New World) as Phillips boss and Rental Family owner Shinji, Mari Yamamoto (Allure, Kate, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters) as Aiko, Bun Kimura as Kota, and Akira Emoto (Godzilla VS Spacegodzilla, Shin Godzilla) as retired actor and Rental Family client Kikuo Hasegawa. 

            Overall, Rental Family adds another high quality film to this new renaissance of Brendan Fraser movies and is a delightful and delicate look at family and human relationships. What makes the film work is Fraser himself who once again gives a truly spellbinding performance as a man who essentially has to use multiple personalities in order to satisfy clients while also questioning how much good he actually is doing with his work. 

            Fraser is extremely charismatic in this and delivers on both laughs and drama, but what really makes his performance shine are his uses of very subtle facial expressions to convey the necessary emotions for the scene. Yes, there is still plenty of dialogue from him, but honestly, his facial acting is the driving point for his performance because I got so much out of his expressions. 

            The supporting cast isn’t focused on that much outside of brief interactions, but over the course of the movie, I became very invested in them too particularly with Takehiro Hira as the Rental Family business owner who gives one of the greatest plot twists I’ve seen in a while, I’ll leave it at that. 

            While the film is a comedy-drama, the plot and execution are very melancholy with some genuinely hard-hitting and gut-wrenching scenes. It’s a movie about a man lying to a little girl about being her father and there’s a beautiful albeit sad subplot involving a retired actor that Fraser’s character befriends, but you can kind of piece together what’s eventually going to happen to this character by the end. 

            The movie is also gorgeous in terms of the cinematography with large shots of bustling cities and the Japanese countrysides, it honestly makes me want to travel to Japan because of how beautiful this film made it look. In this time where the new Wicked movie is seen as the absolute must watch on the big screen which I’m sure will look and sound amazing, but I was relishing at these scenes of Japan from Rental Family in the theater. 

            Rental Family is a funny, wholesome, and hard-hitting movie with an incredible Brendan Fraser performance and equally amazing cinematography that should be seen in theaters. Even if you’re not well-versed in Brendan Fraser, see one of the best films of 2025 anyway because this film made me laugh, cry, and warmed my heart all at the same time.

Keeper review

KEEPER: 

OSGOOD PERKINS’ BUMPY DESCENT INTO MADNESS! 

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: *** out of 4

NEON

Tatiana Maslany and Rossif Sutherland in Keeper

 

            An anniversary weekend turns into a nightmare in Keeper, the new horror film from director Osgood Perkins (Gretel & Hansel, Longlegs, The Monkey). I was curious to see this movie; I loved both Longlegs and The Monkey and Perkins seemed like a new voice for horror judging by those two films with this being the second film of his released in 2025 after The Monkey. 

            So, I went and watched the movie and…boy, are there things to say about this film! I admire Perkins’ ambition behind the film and his reliance on atmospheric horror mixed with dark humor, but coming off of his previous efforts, this is the weakest of his work in terms of story and characters. 

            The film follows Liz (Tatiana Maslany-Orphan Black, Destroyer, The Monkey) and her doctor boyfriend, Malcolm (Rossif Sutherland-ER, Reign, Orphan: First Kill) going on a weekend trip to a secluded cabin in the woods for their one-year anniversary. However, Liz begins to notice strange things occurring in the cabin and a dark, terrifying secret about it. 

            The film also stars Kett Turton (Saved!, Blade: Trinity, iZombie) as Malcolm’s brother Darren Westbridge. 

            Overall, Keeper definitely deserves points for being an unsettling and downright bizarre horror movie with some genuinely suspenseful sequences throughout, but there really isn’t much outside of that. The movie just kinda hits every beat from other cabin-themed horror movies and you can piece together exactly where it’s going to go, but with a director like Osgood Perkins helming it, even when he does derivative things, he’ll do it in a crazy fucking way. 

            There’s tons of creepy imagery in the film and solid buildup to the scares with Tatiana Maslany being perfectly cast as a woman who’s clearly on-edge when all the supernatural stuff starts occurring. But then, the film ultimately leads to this last act in which all Hell breaks loose that is absolutely chaotic and left me with similar feelings as the ending of Chris Stuckmann’s film, Shelby Oaks (Which I did really like for the most part). 

I guess it doesn’t surprise me that the reactions to this film are very polarizing now that I’ve seen it (Hell, IMDBgave The Monkey a pretty abysmal rating which I find ridiculous!), but there is plenty to admire about it. The movie is still well-made with good camera work, chilling sound design, and atmospheric scares that leave you on the edge of your seat, Perkins didn’t half-ass this film in terms of the craftsmanship. 

However, as great as Tatiana Maslany is in this movie, I didn’t find her character to be nearly as compelling as Maika Monroe from Longlegs or both Theo James performances from The Monkey. Her performance is solid as a woman losing her mind over creepy things in the cabin and nobody believes her, but she doesn’t have much of a character here nor is there much time devoted to her and Rossif Sutherland’s Malcolm’s relationship which was kind of what kicked the plot off.

You could argue that maybe she’s supposed to be a blank slate where you imagine yourself as her in this creepy situation, but I wish her character was more fleshed out. I will say it was gleefully bizarre seeing Tatiana Maslany pigging out on a chocolate cake made from the secret ingredient Octavia Spencer uses in pies, but I digress. 

Rossif Sutherland also gives a strong performance as Liz’s boyfriend, Malcolm, but he is like the ultimate red flag character in a horror movie. Without going into spoilers, he is mysteriously absent for a large chunk of the movie and from his mannerisms and the way he speaks, he is clearly hiding something from her, that’s all I’ll say. 

Keeper is certainly the black sheep in Osgood Perkins’ filmography and while without a doubt it heavily pales in comparison to Longlegs and The Monkey, it’s an ambitious and well-crafted horror movie with effective scares and atmosphere. I may not have loved this movie, but in this era of constant assembly line movies cranked out by committees that play it safe, we need more risks taken in the film industry and directors to bring their visions no matter how unhinged to the screen. 

Now You See Me: Now You Don't review

NOW YOU SEE ME: NOW YOU DON’T: 

THIRD MAGIC HEIST RELIES ON OLD TRICKS, BUT QUITE FUN OLD TRICKS! 

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: *** out of 4

LIONSGATE

The Four Horsemen, Morgan Freeman, Rosamund Pike, Dominic Sessa, Justice Smith, and Ariana Greenblatt in Now You See Me: Now You Don’t

 

            The Four Horsemen are back with more magic tricks in Now You See Me: Now You Don’t, the third installment of the Now You See Me film series dating back to 2013. I liked the first two Now You See Me movies though I hadn’t thought about them for several years, but I thought they were perfectly fine films for what they were with an interesting blend of magic and heists. 

            Honestly, it’s a fascinating concept with a lot of potential, a group of con men (and women) that perform elaborate magic tricks to pull off an impossible heist. However, these films aren’t exactly like The Prestige meets American Hustle or Ocean’s Eleven, but like I said, they are fine for what they are. 

            Now we have this new film released nearly ten years after 2016’s Now You See Me 2 with Jesse Eisenberg (Zombieland 1 and 2, The Social Network, A Real Pain), Dave Franco (21 Jump Street, The Disaster Artist, Together), Isla Fisher (Wedding Crashers, The Great Gatsby (2013), The Beach Bum), Woody Harrelson (Zombieland 1 and 2, The Hunger Games franchise, Venom: Let There Be Carnage), Lizzy Caplan (Freaks and Geeks, Mean Girls, The Night Before), and Morgan Freeman (Driving Miss Daisy, Bruce Almighty, The Dark Knight trilogy) reprising their roles and Ruben Fleischer (Zombieland 1 and 2, Venom, Uncharted) in the director’s chair this time. Easiest recommendation ever, did you like Now You See Me and Now You See Me 2? If so, then you’ll probably enjoy Now You See Me: Now You Don’t. 

            It isn’t really a threequel that takes the Now You See Me franchise to the next level or something like that, it just gives people exactly what they enjoyed about the previous films and it’s done well enough. These are crowd-pleasing movies and aren’t trying to be these deep and complex films that subvert people’s expectations or blow their f*cking minds, if you’ve seen at least one Now You See Me movie then you know the formula. 

            The film is set ten years after Now You See Me 2 and follows a new group of aspiring magicians consisting of Charlie (Justice Smith-Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, I Saw the TV Glow), Bosco (Dominic Sessa-The Holdovers), and June (Ariana Greenblatt-Avengers: Infinity War, In the Heights, Barbie) who catch the attention of J. Daniel Atlas (Eisenberg), the former leader of the Four Horsemen who have since been disbanded and proposes a plan to steal a valuable diamond from the wealthy and powerful, Veronika Vanderberg (Rosamund Pike-The World’s End, Gone Girl, Saltburn). Atlas and the new band of magicians bring the remaining Horsemen back together including Merritt McKinney (Harrelson), Jack Wilder (Franco), Henley Reeves (Fisher) as well as former fourth Horseman (or woman), Lula May (Caplan; reprising her role from Now You See Me 2) and former grandmaster of the Eye organization, Thaddeus Bradley (Freeman) for one last magic-filled heist. 

            Overall, Now You See Me: Now You Don’t is a film that gives exactly what it advertises, a third Now You See Memovie and doesn’t try to be anything more. It understands the franchise’s formula and gives audiences more of what they enjoy about it, sexy people performing magic tricks while also performing a heist and showing the elaborate ways of how they pulled them off. 

I came in with absolutely zero expectations and came out having a good enough time, in this age where people expect greatness out of their cinematic franchises, sometimes a movie or franchise can just be good and that’s fine. That’s essentially what the Now You See Me films are to me, good junk food movies with bursts of wit and intelligence here and there. 

The magic sequences are fun though much of them are repeats of what we’ve seen in the previous films. However, there are times where the franchise’s creativity does shine with my favorite example being this action scene involving the Horsemen and the aspiring new Magicians are escaping from the police in this old estate owned by the Eye with rooms that go upside down, a hallway of infinite stairs, a funhouse of mirrors, and a room where people and objects’ sizes change, it’s easily the best part of the movie. 

All the Horsemen actors work well off each other which is probably a given since this is only movie #3 and have enjoyable chemistry with the newcomers. Everyone has their moments to shine and are very funny to listen to and see interact with one another, what you’d want to see from this cast in a movie like this. 

There’s this really great scene where the Horsemen and the new magicians are in this one room together and they’re just exchanging illusions and tricks in this one continuous shot. It’s a visually and technically impressive sequence and a great way to exchange banter and character development between the leads, loved that moment. 

Rosamund Pike is a fun antagonist complete with a South African accent, this snooty and wealthy woman who you just want to see shit happen to and boy, shit does happen to her. Probably won’t be a legendary performance of hers like Gone Girl, but Pike delivers on evil ham and cheese. 

If you enjoyed the previous two movies then you’ll likely enjoy Now You See Me: Now You Don’t. It gives you everything from the earlier films with some new faces and a few new tricks along the way, might not be a very magical formula but it is a working formula. 

The Running Man review

THE RUNNING MAN: 

GLEN POWELL RUNS HIS WAY THROUGH EDGAR WRIGHT’S SLICK STEPHEN KING ADAPTATION! 

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: *** ½ out of 4

PARAMOUNT PICTURES

Glen Powell in The Running Man

 

            Glen Powell (Top Gun: Maverick, Hit Man, Twisters) goes from Hangman to Running Man in…well, The Running Man, the new film from director Edgar Wright (Cornetto trilogy, Scott Pilgrim VS The World, Baby Driver) and the second movie adaptation of Stephen King’s novel of the same name following the 1987 Arnold Schwarzenegger version. I rewatched the original movie recently in preparation for this film and review and I gotta say, it holds up pretty well not just as a cheesy Schwarzenegger action film where people get shot and blown up, but also its satire on how the entertainment industry will subvert the truth for the sake of television. 

            The original works in a similar way as Total Recall (Another sci-fi Schwarzenegger film) as both are over-the-top and ridiculous sci-fi action movies with underlying themes and social commentary when you dig deeper into them. Now we have this new version of the film which I normally would be skeptical about since it’s a remake, but all it took to convince me was the director attached. 

            I really admire Edgar Wright and his work, adored the 3-Flavor Cornetto trilogy (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and The World’s End) with Simon Pegg and Nick Frost as three of the most hysterical comedies of the 2000s-2010s, Scott Pilgrim is an underrated as f*ck comic book movie and a chaotic visual gasm of a film, and Baby Driver has some of the best editing I’ve ever seen in an action film (Also, Last Night in Soho is really good too!). Yeah, I was onboard for this right from the start and even more so after seeing the first trailer on top of 2025 just being THE year for Stephen King movie adaptations between this, The Monkey, The Life of Chuck, and The Long Walk. 

            So, I went to my IMAX theater to go watch Glen Powell run for his life and…greatly enjoyed this film. I’m not sure how most people are reacting to this movie, but I was very entertained throughout though I will admit this is probably Wright’s weakest film compared to his other work. 

            The film is set in the near future where corporate media networks rule the United States and follows Ben Richards (Powell), a down on his luck father and blacklisted worker who participates in the television series, The Running Man in hopes of raising money for his wife, Sheila (Jayme Lawson-The Batman, The Woman King, Sinners) and sick daughter. However, The Running Man is quite literally a blood sport as Ben must survive for 30 days while being hunted by professional assassins and every move he makes being broadcasted to a bloodthirsty public, the longer he lasts, the greater the cash reward is. 

            The film also stars Josh Brolin (Marvel Cinematic Universe, Sicario 1 and 2, Weapons) as Running Manproducer Dan Killian, Colman Domingo (Rustin, The Color Purple (2023), Sing Sing) as Running Man host Bobby T, Lee Pace (The Hobbit trilogy, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Foundation) as Evan McCone, Michael Cera (Superbad, Juno, Scott Pilgrim VS The World) as Elton Parrakis, Emilia Jones (Utopia, CODA, Locke & Key) as Amelia Williams, William H. Macy (Fargo, The Lincoln Lawyer, Room) as Molie Jernigan, Daniel Ezra (All American) as Bradley Thockmorton, Katy O’Brian (Love Lies Bleeding, Twisters, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning) as Jenni Laughlin, Karl Glusman (The Neon Demon, Nocturnal Animals, Civil War) as Frank, Please Don’t Destroy’s Martin Herlihy as Tim Jansky, Sean Hayes (Will & Grace, Cats & Dogs, Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!) as Gary Greenbacks, and David Zayas (Dexter, Oz, The Interpreter) as Richard Manuel. 

            Overall, The Running Man is an adrenaline pumped, no holds barred thrill ride that fires on all cylinders from the opening up until the end credits with a compelling and charismatic Glen Powell at the center of it all. He is perfect for this rendition of The Running Man and what makes the movie work because while he isn’t as macho or over-the-top as Arnold Schwarzenegger, Glen Powell’s charm and balance between loving father and tough as nails action hero makes him a very endearing lead for this film. 

            With all the chaotic violence and bloodshed, I legit cared for Powell’s version of Ben Richards and his family and wanted to see him win the cash prize so he can get medicine for his sick daughter. Even when the film gets silly, there is still high stakes and emotional leverage steering it along. 

            The movie taps into a lot of themes about the government and entertainment industry and how they’ll subvert the truth for the sake of entertainment. This is a fictionalized movie where the U.S. government and media corporations merged together but tell me you can’t see someone like Donald Trump wanting to take control of the entertainment industry. 

            The action scenes are awesome though not quite as kinetic as the ones from Baby Driver, but they’re well-choreographed and edited and get your adrenaline pumping. Some of my favorites are the firefight between Glen Powell and a bunch of assassins in the hostel which was seen in the trailers and a glorious sequence of Powell and Michael Cera escaping through the latter’s booby-trapped house like it was the last Rambo movie…except this movie’s actually good. 

            I will say the ending sort of snuck up on me and even after seeing the movie, I’m not sure how I felt about the note it ended on. I was expecting more of a resolution after the Running Man show was over, but it ends somewhat abruptly and once the credits started I was like “Oh, the movie’s over?”, even the Arnold Schwarzenegger movie had more of a conclusion. 

            Despite a few shortcomings, I thoroughly enjoyed this rendition of The Running Man and is definitely worth watching on the big screen. Glen Powell’s charm, over-the-top action, and relevant social themes about the parallels between the government and media, Edgar Wright ran far for this one and in my opinion, delivered.