Predator: Badlands review

PREDATOR: BADLANDS: 

KILLER ALIEN HUNTER BECOMES UNEXPECTED HERO IN SOLID SCI-FI FOLLOW-UP! 

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: *** ½ out of 4

20^TH CENTURY STUDIOS

Dek in Predator: Badlands

 

            An outcast Predator teams up with a robot android and embark on a treacherous journey in Predator: Badlands, the latest installment of the Predator film series and director Dan Trachtenberg (10 Cloverfield Lane)’s highly anticipated follow-up to 2022’s Prey which injected new life into the franchise after a bumpy past. 2025 has truly been the year of Predator as not only did we have this in theaters, but also Trachtenberg’s stellar fully animated Hulu movie, Predator: Killer of Killers which was released over the summer and in my opinion dethroned the original 1987 Predator and even Prey as the absolute best Predator movie. 

            I was excited to see this movie when it was announced, I thought Prey was a very pleasant surprise when I watched it and the already mentioned, Predator: Killer of Killers I love on a Spider-Verse level. However, I was concerned when it was revealed to have a PG-13 rating unlike its R-rated predecessors and the last time a Predator movie had that rating was 2004’s Alien VS Predator which let’s be real is not a very good film. 

            Well, even with that significantly less gory and violent rating, Dan Trachtenberg delivered a really solid follow-up to Prey with this movie. What I really admire about Trachtenberg whether he’s directing a Predator or Cloverfieldmovie is how experimental he is in terms of his filmmaking and how he’ll subvert audiences’ expectations with a franchise. 

            In Predator: Badlands’ case, it’s ditching the horror element from previous entries and going into an action/sci-fi direction where a runt Predator is the protagonist and ends up becoming the hero. Aside from Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Hollywood has had a difficult time with trying to take characters that were villains originally and make them the heroes in the follow-up (Don’t Breathe 2, M3GAN 2.0, etc.), but this is easily the best attempt at it since T2. 

            The film follows Dek (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi-Red, White & Brass), a runt Predator from the planet Yautja Prime who is an outcast amongst his clan and takes a vow to hunt the most powerful creature in the universe in order to gain his father’s approval. This leads him to Thia (Elle Fanning-Super 8, Maleficent 1 and 2, A Complete Unknown), a damaged Weyland Corporation (The evil company from the Alien films) android whom he reluctantly allies with on his quest to find and hunt down the Kalisk while several other Weyland androids including Thia’s “sister”, Tessa (Also played by Fanning) are hot on their tail. 

            Overall, Predator: Badlands once again takes the Predator franchise to exciting new places in terms of storytelling and gives an odd couple adventure with a Predator and a robot that ironically humanizes the killer alien creature. The film is essentially about a Predator not respected by his clan going on a quest to this dangerous planet that’s like if Avatar’s Pandora wanted you dead at every given moment to hunt down the ultimate prey and ends up taking a hero’s journey instead. 

            Honestly, this is the first movie where the sole focus is on the Predator itself and not on any human characters and it’s done exceptionally well. I’ll go on record and say Dek surpasses Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Dutch Schaefer from the original movie and even Amber Midthunder’s Naru from Prey as the most compelling Predator film protagonist, an outcast Predator not respected by his clan and through his journey becomes an unexpected hero. 

            I legit cared for Dek in this movie and thought he and Elle Fanning’s Thia had wonderful chemistry throughout the film, their banter was incredibly fun to listen to and I loved seeing them interact with each other. Also, much of the dialogue and emotional weight does come from Dek himself with an entirely new Predator language invented specifically for this film and subtitles at the bottom of the screen in a way that reminds me of the human and alien communication from District 9 with Thia understanding his language and responding in English. 

            The movie is also just a really fun action film and the PG-13 rating does not hamper it at all. Even though there are no humans whatsoever, there is still plenty of carnage, limbs getting ripped off, creatures/robots getting eaten  with bursts of green slime and/or mechanics in place of red human blood, Trachtenberg found a great workaround for this and best of all, the hits feel satisfying every time a character lands one. 

            The action scenes are very well executed and look magnificent on the big screen (I saw it in IMAX with 3D) whether it’s giant alien monsters attacking Dek and Thia on their adventure or Dek mowing down a bunch of androids or even the climactic duel between Dek and his father. It’s Predator-style action through and through to the point where you forget about the PG-13 rating. 

            Between Trachtenberg’s Predator movies and Fede Álvarez’s Alien: Romulus from last year, we’re in a new golden age for both the Alien and Predator franchises with Predator: Badlands being a damn good sequel to Prey that takes the series to the next level and greatly expanding upon its world. Here’s hoping we’ll eventually get an Alien VS Predator movie that’s actually good this time around given the ties to both franchises in this film, but whether or not that happens, go seek this film out in theaters, Disney/Fox did good with this one. 

Tim Burton Mini-Review Compilation (Happy Halloween)

TIM BURTON MINI-REVIEW COMPILATION! 

By Nico Beland

A compilation of short reviews of every single film either directed or produced by Tim Burton this Halloween to commemorate 20 years of me being a fan of his work. 

 

PEE-WEE’S BIG ADVENTURE: 

Movie Review: **** out of 4

WARNER BROS. PICTURES

Mixing Paul Reubens (Batman Returns, Blow, Tron: Uprising)’ delightfully childish performance as the title character with Tim Burton’s visually quirky direction without shying away from some dark moments make Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure a beloved comedy classic and a solid start for an ambitious and influential filmmaker! 

The film also stars Elizabeth “E.G.” Daily (Rugrats, The Powerpuff Girls, ChalkZone), Mark Holton (Teen Wolffranchise, Gacy, Leprechaun Returns), and Diane Salinger (Ghost World, Carnivàle, Salem). 

 

BEETLEJUICE:

Movie Review: **** out of 4

THE GEFFEN COMPANY (WARNER BROS. PICTURES)

Beetlejuice embraces Tim Burton’s dark visual style with an outrageous and memorable Michael Keaton (Batman 1 and 2, Birdman, Spider-Man: Homecoming) performance resulting in a horror-comedy that’s impossible not to scream with laughter at! 

The film also stars Alec Baldwin (The Hunt for Red October, The Aviator, Mission: Impossible franchise), Geena Davis (The Fly (1986), Stuart Little 1 and 2, Fairyland), Winona Ryder (Edward Scissorhands, Little Women (1994), Frankenweenie), Jeffrey Jones (Ed Wood, Sleepy Hollow, Dr. Dolittle 2), and Catherine O’Hara (Home Alone 1 and 2,The Nightmare Before Christmas, Monster House). 

 

BATMAN:

Movie Review: **** out of 4

WARNER BROS. PICTURES

With Michael Keaton’s iconic portrayal of the Dark Knight, a scene-stealing Jack Nicholson (The Shining, A Few Good Men, Anger Management), phenomenal Danny Elfman music, and a story that embraces the dark tone and themes of the comics, Tim Burton crafts one of the Caped Crusader’s finest cinematic outings with his version of Batman! 

The film also stars Kim Basinger (L.A. Confidential, 8 Mile, The Nice Guys), Robert Wuhl (Good Morning, Vietnam, Bull Durham, Saturday Night), Pat Hingle (The Gauntlet, Sudden Impact, Muppets From Space), Billy Dee Williams (Star Wars franchise, Fanboys, The Lego Batman Movie), Michael Gough (Top Secret!, Sleepy Hollow, Corpse Bride), and Jack Palance (Shane, Young Guns, City Slickers). 

 

EDWARD SCISSORHANDS: 

Movie Review: **** out of 4

20^TH CENTURY FOX (20^TH CENTURY STUDIOS)

Johnny Depp (Ed Wood, Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, Once Upon a Time in Mexico)’s endearing performance as the title character, Danny Elfman’s whimsical music score, and Tim Burton’s blend of Frankenstein monster stories with a modern day fairy tale make Edward Scissorhands one of the director’s best works with magic that still resonates years later! 

The film also stars Winona Ryder, Dianne Wiest (Parenthood, Practical Magic, Rabbit Hole), Anthony Michael Hall (National Lampoon’s Vacation, Foxcatcher, Halloween Kills), Kathy Baker (Cold Mountain, 13 Going on 30, The Age of Adaline), Vincent Price (House of Wax, The Great Mouse Detective, Vincent), and Alan Arkin (Gattaca, Little Miss Sunshine, Argo). 

 

BATMAN RETURNS: 

Movie Review: *** ½ out of 4

WARNER BROS. PICTURES

It’s not as triumphant and more uneven than its predecessor, but Batman Returns is still a visually dazzling and unapologetically dark second adventure with the Caped Crusader that fully captures Tim Burton’s bizarre directing style! 

The film stars Michael Keaton, Michael Gough, and Pat Hingle reprising their roles, Danny DeVito (Matilda, Mars Attacks!, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia), Michelle Pfeiffer (The Witches of Eastwick, Stardust, Ant-Man 2 and 3), Christopher Walken (Pulp Fiction, The Rundown, The Jungle Book (2016)), and Michael Murphy (Magnolia, X-Men 3: The Last Stand, White House Down). 

 

ED WOOD: 

Movie Review: **** out of 4 (5 stars on my Letterboxd)

TOUCHSTONE PICTURES (DISNEY)

With a very charismatic Johnny Depp in the lead, a brilliant Martin Landau (Cleopatra, Tucker: The Man of His Dream, 9) as Bela Lugosi, and clear love for the titular filmmaker’s work, Tim Burton’s love letter to Ed Wood is not only arguably the director’s best movie, but an absolute requirement for anyone interested in filmmaking! 

The film also stars Sarah Jessica Parker (Hocus Pocus, Mars Attacks!, Sex and the City), Patricia Arquette (Medium, Boardwalk Empire, Severance), and Bill Murray (Ghostbusters franchise, Groundhog Day, Lost in Translation). 

 

MARS ATTACKS!: 

Movie Review: *** out of 4

WARNER BROS. PICTURES

Tim Burton’s star-studded, narratively uneven, and downright strange homage to B-Movie alien invasion films, but I won’t lie and say I don’t find Mars Attacks! funny in its bizarreness! 

The film stars Jack Nicholson, Glenn Close (The Natural, 101/102 Dalmatians, Guardians of the Galaxy), Annette Bening (Bugsy, American Beauty, Nyad), Pierce Brosnan (Mrs. Doubtfire, James Bond franchise, The Tailor of Panama), Danny DeVito, Martin Short (Saturday Night Live, Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius, The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause), Sarah Jessica Parker, Michael J. Fox (Back to the Future trilogy, Stuart Little 1 and 2, Atlantis: The Lost Empire), Rod Steiger (Oklahoma!, Doctor Zhivago, The Amityville Horror), Lukas Haas (Brick, Inception, The Revenant), Natalie Portman (Star Wars franchise, Black Swan, Thor franchise), Jim Brown (He Got Game, Any Given Sunday, Draft Day), Lisa Marie (Sleepy Hollow, Planet of the Apes (2001), The Lords of Salem), Sylvia Sidney (Summer Wishes, Winter Dreams, An Early Frost, Beetlejuice), Jack Black (School of Rock, King Kong (2005), Jumanji 2 and 3),…oh, and Tom Jones. 

 

SLEEPY HOLLOW: 

Movie Review: *** out of 4

PARAMOUNT PICTURES

Tim Burton’s retelling of Washington Irving’s Sleepy Hollow is as beautifully gothic and darkly comical as you would expect and a gleefully bloody nod to Hammer horror though the film’s tone is all over the place! 

The film stars Johnny Depp, Christina Ricci (The Addams Family 1 and 2, Casper, Monster), Miranda Richardson (Damage, Chicken Run 1 and 2, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire), Michael Gambon (The Insider, Gosford Park, Harry Potter franchise), Casper Van Dien (Starship Troopers franchise), Jeffrey Jones, Michael Gough, Lisa Marie, and Christopher Walken. 

 

PLANET OF THE APES: 

Movie Review: ** out of 4

20^TH CENTURY FOX (20^TH CENTURY STUDIOS)

Despite incredible makeup effects, Tim Burton’s reimagining of Planet of the Apes is an awkward, special effects-driven blockbuster that fails to live up to the classic original! 

The film stars Mark Wahlberg (The Departed, The Fighter, Lone Survivor), Tim Roth (Rob Roy, The Incredible Hulk, The Hateful Eight), Helena Bonham Carter (Corpse Bride, Harry Potter franchise, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street), Michael Clarke Duncan (The Green Mile, Daredevil, The Island), Kris Kristofferson (Big Top Pee-Wee, Blade trilogy, Dolphin Tale 1 and 2), Estella Warren (Perfume, Driven, Kangaroo Jack), Lisa Marie, and Paul Giamatti (Sideways, Straight Outta Compton, The Holdovers).

 

BIG FISH: 

Movie Review: **** out of 4

COLUMBIA PICTURES

Filled with stunning visuals, imagination, and an incredibly touching story, Big Fish is a magical modern day fantasy that stands among Tim Burton’s best work! 

The film stars Ewan McGregor (Star Wars franchise, Doctor Sleep, Birds of Prey), Albert Finney (Erin Brockovich, The Bourne Ultimatum, Skyfall), Billy Crudup (Princess Mononoke, Almost Famous, Watchmen), Jessica Lange (King Kong(1976), Tootsie, The Gambler), Helena Bonham Carter, Alison Lohman (Matchstick Men, Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, Drag Me to Hell), Robert Guillaume (The Lion King), Marion Cotillard (Public Enemies, Inception, The Dark Knight Rises), Steve Buscemi (Pulp Fiction, The Big Lebowski, Spy Kids 2 and 3), and Danny DeVito. 

 

CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY: 

Movie Review: *** out of 4

WARNER BROS. PICTURES

Johnny Depp’s performance is hit or miss as Willy Wonka and the film itself is divisive amongst fans of the 1971 original, nevertheless, Tim Burton’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a visually dazzling feast for the eyes and closer to its source material! 

The film also stars Freddie Highmore (Finding Neverland, The Spiderwick Chronicles, Bates Motel), David Kelly (Into the West, The Matchmaker, Laws of Attraction), Helena Bonham Carter, Noah Taylor (Lara Croft: Tomb Raider 1 and 2, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, Paddington 2), Missi Pyle (Big Fish, Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, Captain Fantastic), James Fox (Patriot Games, The Remains of the Day, Mickey Blue Eyes), Deep Roy (The Neverending Story, Star Trek (2009), Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen), AnnaSophia Robb (Because of Winn-Dixie, Bridge to Terabithia, Race to Witch Mountain), and Christopher Lee (Dracula (1958), The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Corpse Bride). 

 

CORPSE BRIDE: 

Movie Review: **** out of 4

WARNER BROS. PICTURES

With beautiful stop-motion animation, lovable characters, and catchy songs, Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride is a truly magical gothic romance and a well-deserved fan favorite in the director’s filmography! 

The film features the voices of Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Tracey Ullman (The Tracey Ullman Show, Into the Woods, Onward), Paul Whitehouse (Alice in Wonderland 1 and 2, The Personal History of David Copperfield), Joanna Lumley (James and the Giant Peach, The Cat’s Meow, Paddington 2), Albert Finney, Richard E. Grant (Gosford Park, The Iron Lady, Logan), Christopher Lee, Michael Gough, Jane Horrocks (Chicken Run 1 and 2, Tinker Bell franchise, Arthur Christmas), Enn Reitel (The Adventures of Tintin), and Deep Roy. 

 

SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET: 

Movie Review: **** out of 4

DREAMWORKS PICTURES AND WARNER BROS. PICTURES (PARAMOUNT PICTURES)

Johnny Depp sings and slashes, the production design is amazing, and the songs are great, Tim Burton expertly brings Stephen Sondheim’s iconic musical to the screen with his film adaptation of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street! 

The film also stars Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman (Die Hard, Harry Potter franchise, Love Actually), Timothy Spall (Topsy-Turvy, Harry Potter franchise, Mr. Turner), Sacha Baron Cohen (Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, Borat, Hugo), Jamie Campbell Bower (RocknRolla, The Twilight Saga, Harry Potter franchise), Laura Michelle Kelly (Agatha Christie Marple: Nemesis, Goddess), Jayne Wisener (Boogeyman 3, The Inbetweeners, Six Degrees), and Ed Sanders (Hugo). 

 

ALICE IN WONDERLAND: 

Movie Review: ** ½ out of 4

DISNEY

While impressive on a technical level, Tim Burton’s vision of Disney’s Alice in Wonderland is a bumpy adaptation that never quite delivers the chaotic reimagining audiences had hoped from such an inventive filmmaker! 

The film stars Johnny Depp, Mia Wasikowska (The Kids Are All Right, Jane Eyre (2011), Crimson Peak), Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway (The Devil Wears Prada, The Dark Knight Rises, Colossal), Crispin Glover (Back to the Future, Willard (2003), 9), Matt Lucas (Paddington, Wonka, Gladiator II), Alan Rickman, Timothy Spall, Stephen Fry (Wilde, Gosford Park, The Hobbit 2 and 3), Paul Whitehouse, and Michael Sheen (Frost/Nixon, The Twilight Saga, Tron: Legacy). 

 

DARK SHADOWS: 

Movie Review: ** ½ out of 4

WARNER BROS. PICTURES

Tim Burton brings the classic Dark Shadows soap opera to the big screen in visually dark and kooky fashion, but the film mostly comes off as a shallow imitation of other, better movies from the director minus much of their charm! 

The film stars Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Eva Green (Casino Royale, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children), Helena Bonham Carter, Chloë Grace Moretz (Kick-Ass 1 and 2, Hugo, Nimona), Jackie Earle Haley (Little Children, Watchmen, A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010)), Jonny Lee Miller (Trainspotting 1 and 2, The Escapist, Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant), and Bella Heathcote (In Time, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, Fifty Shades Darker). 

 

FRANKENWEENIE:

Movie Review: **** out of 4

DISNEY

Tim Burton’s stop-motion animated feature film adaptation of his 1984 short, Frankenweenie blends a classic Frankenstein’s monster story with a sweet tale about a boy and his dog and a welcome return to classic Burton storytelling and filmmaking! 

The film features the voices of Catherine O’Hara, Martin Short, Winonna Ryder, Martin Landau, Charlie Tahan (Love Is Strange, Ozark, A Complete Unknown), and Atticus Shaffer (The Lion Guard). 

 

BIG EYES (MINI-RE-REVIEW!): 

Movie Review: *** ½ out of 4

LANTERN ENTERTAINMENT

Big Eyes finds Tim Burton painting a lovely tribute to Margaret Keane that’s elevated by stellar performances by Amy Adams (Enchanted 1 and 2, The Fighter, American Hustle) and Christoph Waltz (Inglourious Basterds, Django Unchained, Alita: Battle Angel)! 

The film also stars Danny Huston (X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Wonder Woman, The Naked Gun (2025)), Jon Polito (Miller’s Crossing, The Rocketeer, Gangster Squad), Kristen Ritter (Breaking Bad, Jessica Jones, Sonic the Hedgehog 3), Jason Schwartzman (Fantastic Mr. Fox, Moonrise Kingdom, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse), and Terence Stamp (Superman 1 and 2, Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, Yes Man).

Original Review from 2014

 

MISS PEREGRINE’S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN (MINI-RE-REVIEW!): 

Movie Review: *** out of 4

20^TH CENTURY FOX (20^TH CENTURY STUDIOS)

Tim Burton’s film adaptation of Ransom Riggs’ Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children has plenty of imagination and pure “Burtonisms” particularly during its climax even if the plot is somewhat clumsy at times! 

The film stars Eva Green, Asa Butterfield (The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, Hugo, Ender’s Game), Chris O’Dowd (Bridesmaids, St. Vincent, Molly’s Game), Allison Janney (Juno, I, Tonya, The Roses), Rupert Everett (My Best Friend’s Wedding, Shrek franchise, Stardust), Terence Stamp, Ella Purnell (Maleficent, Army of the Dead, Fallout), Judi Dench (James Bond franchise, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel 1 and 2, Philomena), and Samuel L. Jackson (Pulp Fiction, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Kingsman: The Secret Service). 

Original Review from 2016

 

DUMBO (MINI-RE-REVIEW!): 

Movie Review: ** 1/2 out of 4

DISNEY

Tim Burton brings a lot of visual dazzle to his reimagining of Disney’s Dumbo and there are some genuinely impressive moments, unfortunately it’s bogged down by horrendously wooden acting and uninspired storytelling! 

The film stars Colin Farrell (Daredevil, Seven Psychopaths, The Penguin), Michael Keaton, Danny DeVito, Eva Green, and Alan Arkin. 

Original Review from 2019

 

BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE: 

Movie Review: *** out of 4

WARNER BROS. PICTURES

While Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’s narrative hits a lot of the same beats as its 1988 predecessor and at times gets unfocused, Tim Burton’s imaginative direction and Michael Keaton’s zany return as the titular character make it a ghoulishly fun trip back to the Land of the Dead! 

The film also stars Winonna Ryder and Catherine O’Hara reprising their roles, Jenna Ortega (Scream 5 and 6, Wednesday, X), Monica Belucci (The Matrix 2 and 3, The Brothers Grimm, Spectre), Justin Theroux (Mullholland Drive, The Girl on the Train, Bumblebee), Willem Dafoe (Spider-Man, The Lighthouse, Nosferatu), Arthur Conti (House of the Dragon), and Danny DeVito. 

Full Review from 2024

 

PRODUCER-ONLY FILMS: 

THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS: 

Movie Review: **** out of 4 (5 stars on my Letterboxd)

DISNEY

With gorgeous stop-motion animation, memorable characters, and classic songs, Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas is an absolute holiday classic thanks to Burton’s creative storytelling and Henry Selick (James and the Giant Peach, Coraline, Wendell and Wild)’s masterful direction! 

The film features the voices of Chris Sarandon (Fright Night, The Princess Bride, Child’s Play), Catherine O’Hara, William Hickey (Prizzi’s Honor, Major Payne, Mouse Hunt), Gene Shadix (Beetlejuice, Love Affair, Planet of the Apes(2001), Paul Reubens, Ken Page (All Dogs Go to Heaven, Cats (1998), Dreamgirls), and Joe Ranft (Toy Story 1 and 2, Monsters, Inc., Finding Nemo). 

 

CABIN BOY: 

Movie Review: ** out of 4

TOUCHSTONE PICTURES (DISNEY)

Chris Elliott (Saturday Night Live, There’s Something About Mary, Scary Movie 2) is clearly trying and the supporting cast get a few laughs, unfortunately Cabin Boy is too obnoxious to be considered funny, has amusing production design and visual effects though! 

The film also stars Ritch Brinkley (Beauty and the Beast, Murphy Brown, Breakdown), Brian Doyle-Murray (National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, JFK, SpongeBob Squarepants), James Gammon (Major League 1 and 2, The Adventures of Huck Finn, The Iron Giant), Brion James (Blade Runner, Tango & Cash, The Fifth Element), and Melora Walters (Dead Poets Society, Boogie Nights, Matchstick Men); and is directed by screenwriter Adam Resnick (The Larry Sanders Show, Lucky Numbers, Death to Smoochy) with Burton producing. 

 

BATMAN FOREVER: 

Movie Review: ** ½ out of 4

WARNER BROS. PICTURES

Batman Forever has impressive production design and explores a few interesting ideas, but the first of Joel Schumacher (The Lost Boys, Falling Down, The Phantom of the Opera (2004))’s Batman films is an awkward middle ground between the dark themes of Burton’s predecessors and cheesy Adam West-style camp! 

The film stars Val Kilmer (Willow, Top Gun 1 and 2, Tombstone), Tommy Lee Jones (Men in Black trilogy, Captain America: The First Avenger, Lincoln), Jim Carrey (The Mask, Liar Liar, Sonic the Hedgehog trilogy), Nicole Kidman (Eyes Wide Shut, Aquaman 1 and 2, Babygirl), Chris O’Donnell (School Ties, Vertical Limit, Kinsey), Drew Barrymore (E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, The Wedding Singer, Charlie’s Angels 1 and 2), and Michael Gough and Pat Hingle reprising their roles from Batman and Batman Returns. 

 

JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH: 

Movie Review: *** ½ out of 4

DISNEY

While its narrative often gets unfocused, James and the Giant Peach is a gorgeously animated adaptation of Roald Dahl’s classic story that still retains the whimsy and dark elements of its source material! 

The film stars Paul Terry, Joanna Lumley, Miriam Margolyes (End of Days, Harry Potter franchise, The Man Who Invented Christmas), and Pete Postlethwaite (The Lost World: Jurassic Park, Inception, The Town); and features the voices of Margolyes, Simon Callow (Amadeus, Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls, Shakespeare in Love), Richard Dreyfuss (Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Mr. Holland’s Opus), Jane Leeves (Frasier, Miracle on 34^th Street(1994), Music of the Heart), David Thewlis (Black Beauty, Harry Potter franchise, The Theory of Everything), and Susan Sarandon (The Witches of Eastwick, Thelma & Louise, Enchanted); and is directed by Henry Selick with Burton producing. 

 

9:

Movie Review: *** out of 4

FOCUS FEATURES

A dreary yet beautifully animated feature film adaptation of the 9 short with a grim depiction of an apocalyptic future, dark themes, and a glimmer of hope by the end though the film itself is rather shallow! 

The film features the voices of Elijah Wood (The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Happy Feet 1 and 2, Tron: Uprising), John C. Reilly (Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, Step Brothers, Wreck-It Ralph 1 and 2), Jennifer Connelly (Labyrinth, A Beautiful Mind, Top Gun: Maverick), Crispin Glover, Martin Landau, and Christopher Plummer (Up, The Man Who Invented Christmas, All the Money in the World); and is directed by the original short’s director Shane Acker with Burton and Timur Bekmambetov (Wanted, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, Ben-Hur (2016)) producing. 

 

ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE HUNTER: 

Movie Review: ** out of 4

20^TH CENTURY FOX (20^TH CENTURY STUDIOS)

Despite its immensely stupid premise and glimmers of over-the-top silliness, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter’s decidedly serious tone bogs down what should have been entertaining trash even with some talented leads! 

The film stars Benjamin Walker (In the Heart of the Sea, The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power, September 5), Dominic Cooper (Mamma Mia! 1 and 2, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Dracula Untold), Anthony Mackie (8 Mile, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Zero Dark Thirty), Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Sky High, Scott Pilgrim VS the World, Birds of Prey), Rufus Sewell (The Illusionist, Hercules (2014), Old), and Marton Csokas (The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Last Duel, Cuckoo); and is directed by Timur Bekmambetov with Burton producing. 

 

ALICE THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS (MINI-RE-REVIEW!): 

Movie Review: ** out of 4

DISNEY

Alice Through the Looking Glass is as visually impressive as ever and has a few unique moments, unfortunately this is a very forgettable sequel to a live-action Disney remake that leaves no impression once it ends! 

The film stars Johnny Depp, Anne Hathaway, Mia Wasinowska, Helena Bonham Carter, Stephen Fry, Michael Sheen, Timothy Spall, and the late Alan Rickman in his final role reprising their roles from Alice in Wonderland (2010), Sacha Baron Cohen and Rhys Ifans (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, The Amazing Spider-Man, House of the Dragon); and is directed by James Bobin (The Muppets (2011)/Muppets Most Wanted, Dora and the Lost City of Gold) with Burton producing. 

Original Review from 2016

Bugonia review

BUGONIA: 

YORGOS LANTHIMOS’ WILD ALIEN FLICK! 

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: **** out of 4

FOCUS FEATURES

Emma Stone in Bugonia

 

            Emma Stone (Zombieland 1 and 2, La La Land, Poor Things) gets abducted by people assuming she’s secretly an alien in Bugonia, the new film from director Yorgos Lanthimos (The Favourite, Poor Things, Kinds of Kindness). I was interested in seeing this film, I think Yorgos Lanthimos is a very fascinating director with The Favourite and Poor Things being among some of the best films from 2018 and 2023. 

So, him doing a movie where people think Emma Stone is an alien with his unique, often bizarre directing style peaked my interest and just like the already mentioned, Favourite and Poor Things, Bugonia is among the best movies I saw so far this year. I had an absolute blast with this film and was laughing many times throughout the movie was also being fascinated by where it was going, I had no clue how things would play out by the end. 

The film follows powerful CEO Michelle Fuller (Stone) being abducted by conspiracy theorist Teddy Gatz (Jesse Plemons-Black Mass, The Irishman, Kinds of Kindness) and his cousin Don (Aidan Delbis) who are convinced she is actually an alien bent on destroying planet Earth. Teddy and Don hold Michelle captive in their basement, shave her head so she can’t contact her mother ship (supposedly), and try to negotiate with her leader(s) to have the aliens leave…oh, and something to do with honeybees because I like to be reminded of M. Night Shyamalan’s The Happeningwhen watching a Yorgos Lanthimos film. 

The film also stars Stavros Halkias (Cum Town, Tires, Let’s Start a Cult) as police officer Casey and Alicia Silverstone (Clueless, Batman & Robin, Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed) as Teddy’s mother Sandy Gatz. 

Overall, Bugonia is out of this world Yorgos Lanthimos chaos and an absolute must watch with an audience. Part of the fun of this movie did come from hearing the audience reactions to what was happening onscreen whether it’s laughter during a funny moment or when something crazy happens or complete shock when there’s a revelation about the plot/characters or a gory scene. 

If you can see it in theaters with a crowd, do so because you and everyone else will have a great time together. Given the premise and Lanthimos’ directing style, I had no idea where this film was going and what the inevitable outcome would be, it had me glued to the screen and on the edge of my seat. 

The performances particularly from Stone and Plemons are excellent which should be expected given their talents, but they work exceptionally well here with Stone as a CEO and very articulate with her speech while Plemons hams it up as a conspiracy theorist. Both of them are incredibly entertaining together as two people caught in a power struggle which I think does resonate with a lot of people in the work environment and powerful corporate CEOs, alien subplot notwithstanding.

The movie is also very well shot with a 1.50:1 aspect ratio that differs from the 4:3 aspect ratio used in other arthouse films and amazing cinematography. Some of my favorite sequences throughout the film are these long shots of people moving in a straight line whether it’s Stone walking through the halls of her building or Plemons bicycling outside to a hospital accompanied by Jerskin Fendrix’s stellar music score, makes going to the workplace or racing to the hospital seem all the more epic when Lanthimos shoots it. 

This film is hard to categorize because on one hand it is quite funny with a ton of darkly comical moments, but it’s also a thriller where the situation is being taken seriously, and all of a sudden it becomes a science fiction movie. AMC Theatres has it categorized as a comedy and much like Ridley Scott’s The Martian, I wouldn’t go that far, it’s a thriller with some dark comedy thrown in. 

I’m trying not to go into too much detail with this movie because the fun does come from the surprise and shock of everything so, I will start wrapping this up. Bugonia is a fun, funny, and sometimes really fucked up thriller with amazing performances by Stone and Plemons, an engaging plot, and masterful direction from Yorgos Lanthimos, I eagerly await his next project because he is knocking things out of the park and in this film’s case, into orbit.