Sorry, Baby (2025) Film Review

After a tragic event, a woman finds herself alone while everyone else continues with their lives as if nothing had happened.

Sorry Baby is directed by Eva Victor which is their directorial debut. 

Sorry Baby is one of the most authentic films of the year, tackling the topic of sexual assault and the struggles of depression that comes with it is already a challenging task. But what Eva Victor does here is truly something special, not only do they tackle this in a way that’s incredibly real and flat out honest. But there is so much empathy and the film never loses track of its heart and soul, the humor is done in this clever way that brings these characters to life. Combining all of this makes for a unique watch that is unforgettable. 

Eva Victor as Agnes is one of the best performances of the year hands down, the moment we are introduced to Agnes we get this raw feel. A woman who’s living her everyday life just like the average person, Victor does an excellent job of portraying this especially when it comes to having conversations with the rest of the cast. When the sexual assault eventually takes place, Victor’s performance becomes devastating. We can see the trauma eating away Agnes and showing trauma evolves over time and never really goes away. Underneath all of that however is shining heart that is Eva Victor’s performance, there’s this certain beauty and moving element that remains throughout this film. 

One huge moment is Agnes having a conversation with Pete (played by John Carroll Lynch), the acting from Eva is truly fantastic here and the way they are able to constantly switch from many different feelings so effortlessly is truly incredible. Eva Victor captures depression in this way that everyone can identify and there were parts where I did see myself in Agnes. Agnes is a real character going through a terrible situation that happens to so many people and the way Victor portrays Agnes is truly magnificent. 

The supporting cast is also fantastic here, Naomi Ackie, Lucas Hedges and John Carroll Lynch especially. Ackie and Hedges give very raw performances and capture the friend role perfectly. John Carroll Lynch has a huge moment towards the end that really fills in this type of person who is the kind of nice at a certain moment that you need. It’s an honest and beautiful performance that is one of the film’s many highlights. 

The writing from Eva Victor is exactly what you would think of when someone says “a film that tackles its subject matter in a very grounded way.” The film starts out as any normal day and then quickly gets into its subject matter that so many people unfortunately went through. As I said before Victor tackles this in a very honest way, Victor shows the very real aftermath of sexual assault. It’s horrifying and we see Agnes trying to make sense of what happened. The film does not show the sexual assault instead the camera has this still frame outside of the house, we see it turn from day to night and that’s when Agnes emerges from the house with a silent track home. It’s an incredibly effective decision that gets the point across to the viewer effectively. 

Yet underneath all of this as I said before there’s this light, Victor mixes in some humor, there are moments of beauty in small yet effective actions of humaneness. There are moments of healing, there is a small moment of a stray cat that Agnes finds and decides to take in. It’s a beautiful moment that tells the viewer a lot about Agnes as a character with only her actions. The theme of moving forward is also present here, the film does not really have an answer as to what moving on exactly is. That’s the sort of thing that varies from person to person, however the film does leave the viewer on a hopeful note one that is truly meaningful and powerful. 

Sorry Baby is a powerful film that will leave the viewer with this certain level of beauty in its impact. The film manages to be funny, painful and loving all at the same time. Eva Victor’s level of attention to detail with the character writing of Agnes plus their direction is truly remarkable. Eva Victor is a name we are going to be seeing and hearing for a very long time. 

Sorry Baby is available on all VOD platforms. 

10/10 A+

Train Dreams (2025) Film Review

Robert Grainier lives all of his years in the forests of the Pacific Northwest, working on the land, helping to create a new world at the turn of the 20th century.

Train Dreams is directed by Clint Bentley director of Jockey (2021) 

If there is one word that can be used to describe Train Dreams it would be beautiful, this whole film has the atmosphere of the beautifully done poem that you can’t help but let go through you. There are plenty of moving moments and reflection on one’s past and loss, combine that with some excellent performances and beautiful character writing. You have yourself a very human experience that ascends much further than expected. 

The performances are all quite fascinating, they all have this human condition like approach to them. That’s especially the case for Joel Edgerton as Robert Grainier who is the film’s center focus, the film recounts the 80 years of his life around Bonners Ferry, Idaho. Edgerton’s performance as Robert is nothing short of beautiful and it’s due to the film’s raw character writing of Robert that we get to see the beauty, loss and his past in such a detailed manner. During the film we see Robert reflect on his past and loss throughout his life, it’s ultimately a story about a man connecting with the beauty of Americana. Edgerton does such a brilliant job of showing this all in great detail, there are so many more quiet moments where the camera just sits on Edgerton allowing him to do this “think before speaking” style that gives him so much more power in his words. Edgerton has always been a very underrated actor compared to his peers and this film does such a fascinating job of showing just how incredible he really is as an actor. 

The rest of the cast are just as phenomenal, even though it’s very much centered around Robert. That does not mean the rest of the characters do not contribute to the story. Felicity Jones as Gladys gives this beautiful support like performance towards Robert, there are even some moments that she delivers quite brilliantly. Clifton Collins Jr. and William H. Macy are both fantastic here as well, the narration from Will Patton is moving, beautiful and really fits the mood of the film. As well as bringing this exploration into the Americana. 

The cinematography is absolutely stunning, this truly captures the feel of nature and the beauty of earth itself. It has this theme of wanting the characters as well as the viewer to connect with earth and nature, that mainly comes from how detailed the cinematography really is. Cinematographer Adolpho Veloso does such a brilliant job of bringing these quiet yet powerful shots into the mix, when you combine that with such an excellent score you get one of the most moving endings of the year that really moves you into tears. 

The writing is absolutely gorgeous, as I said before there are a lot of themes the film explores in great detail. We explore these themes through the eyes of Robert, whether he is reflecting on the past or the losses he experienced throughout his life. There is so much here to the point where Robert ends up being one of the best written characters from a film this year. That’s especially the case when we reach the film’s final moments, where we see just how much Robert has explored and how far he has come, these final moments show he’s finally connecting to the Americana and even the beauty of nature. This is the prime example of beautiful character writing, the type of writing that sticks with you long after you watched the film for the very first time. These types of characters are hard to come by, but what Train Dreams does with Robert as a character is truly impressive. 

Overall Train Dreams is such a beautifully done film that made me cry during the final act, it’s truly a beautiful painting that captures Robert’s story in such great detail. If you haven’t already make sure to check this one out. 

Train Dreams is available on Netflix. 

10/10 A+

No Other Choice (2025) Film Review

Abruptly laid off after 25 years at the same company, a desperate man goes to extreme lengths to eliminate the competition for the job he wants.

No Other Choice is directed by Park Chan-wook director of Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002), Oldboy (2003), Lady Vengeance (2005), The Handmaiden (2016), Decision To Leave (2022) and many others. 

No Other Choice is yet another masterful piece of work from Park Chan-wook, it’s a film that captures so many different sort of themes all in one quiet yet effective film that gets progressively more and more absurd as it goes on with several different exploration points to bring this wonderful film together. 

The performances are all phenomenal, each of the cast bring their own effective style into the film that matches the clever atmosphere. Lee Byung-hun as Yoo Man-su is a prime example of this, he brings this relatable and believable character who has this complex antihero traits. He has the worry, frustration and sadness of losing a job all of which combined together leads to the film’s very absurd moments that feel all too real, Lee Byung-hun captures all of this masterfully and even captures the film’s dark humor when the film requires the actors to do so. His subtle performance that combines humor with beautiful and striking quiet moments lead to Lee Byung-hun to give one of the best performances of 2025. 

Son Ye-jin who plays Lee Mi-ri, Man-su’s wife is another huge part of why this film works so well. Much like Lee Byung-hun, Son Ye-jin gives this effective performance that captures the atmosphere almost immediately, her interactions with Lee Byung-hun feel incredibly raw and have this beautiful support to it that really feels like a wife who deeply cares about her husband. There are so many beautifully done moments with Lee Mi-ri that it’s truly fascinating. Her subtle facial expressions and discussions she has with the rest of the characters truly shines through. 

The writing is masterful work, that is not a huge surprise given how excellent of a writer Park Chan-wook is, however he goes for something very different here. While there are bound to be comparisons to Bong Joon Ho’s Parasite (2019), No Other Choice is going for something very different and even goes about the whole theme in different ways. The main theme here is the loss of a job, what happens when you put all of your time and energy into your job. When you are compared, visible only when you need to be exploited, what happens when all of that time and energy you put into your job was taken due to the higher ups. You are suddenly fired, you have this built up rage inside of you that you want to release badly. No Other Choice explores all of this in great detail and truly brings it all together masterfully, it all feels very raw and brutal that truly brings the film to another level. 

The film’s dark comedy is an added bonus that helps make the film not become way too dark, there’s a beautiful balance here that is subtle, careful and leads to some genuinely funny moments. A lot of the comedy comes from the body language of the characters and how they express their words, it is not done in this over the top way. They are done in this relatable reactions that feel quick and straight to the point, there is so much layers to the film’s comedy that is truly fascinating. 

Overall No Other Choice is a fascinating film that truly captures its themes and delivers with its characters! 

No Other Choice releases in theaters December 25th! 

10/10 A+

Wake Up Dead Man: Knives Out Mystery (2025) Film Review

A baffling death inside a quiet church draws Benoit Blanc into a tense investigation where faith secrets and suspicion blur as a close community turns against itself.

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery is directed by Rian Johnson director of Brick (2005), The Brother’s Room (2008), Looper (2012), Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017), Knives Out (2019) and Glass Onion (2022). The film serves as a standalone sequel to Glass Onion and is the third installment in the Knives Out franchise. 

The first thing that you feel when watching Wake Up Dead Man is how much different the atmosphere really is from the previous two films. Whereas the first two Knives Out films had a lot more comedy in their DNA, Wake Up Dead Man has this darker atmosphere that still retains the humor and fun of the first two films. Combine that with some really strong acting and an overall exciting mystery, you have yourself a quite investing ride from beginning to end. 

Daniel Craig as Blanc is great as always, we see a very caring side to Blanc this time around and the results are quite honestly beautiful. There is this warmth and this sense of care to the people who got caught in the mess of the mystery, this does not feel like a mystery to him it feels more like a situation where he genuinely wants to help these people out. Craig plays this incredibly well as you would expect from him at this point with the third installment, I would argue that Wake Up Dead Man’s version of Blanc is what the other two films were building to. 

Josh O’Connor as Jud Duplenticy is who we follow throughout this film and O’Connor’s performance here is truly remarkable. From the moment the film starts with his narration (he has the voice of a documentarian it’s kind of amazing), he absolutely hits it out of the park. With his character Jud the film opts to go a lot deeper with him character writing wise which leads to one particularly powerful moment with his character, the film explores both Jud’s vulnerabilities and confidence which only adds so much meaning and heart. His interactions with the rest of the cast are striking and there is this natural dialogue with the bunch of characters that almost feels real, Glass Onion went for a more satirical approach with its dialogue (it did very well at it). But with Wake Up Dead Man you get this sense of rawness. Which ultimately leads to O’Connor taking advantage of this and truly delivering the best performance of the film. 

Glenn Close and Josh Brolin are both strong here as well, Close especially delivers during the film’s final act and Brolin’s facial expressions are actually quite brilliant. It is a bit unfortunate that some of the supporting cast are underutilized this time around especially Cailee Spaeny who does give a strong and memorable performance. But she is just not in the film enough to really explore her character, it’s unfortunate because with what we did get about Simone she was interesting! The rest of the cast is a bit of a mixed bag, each one does get a moment or two to shine but whether those moments ACTUALLY do shine is a bit of a mixed bag. Mila Kunis is not really anything remarkable here, Jeremy Renner has his moments and does fit well during some scenes, Kerry Washington and Andrew Scott are solid. 

The writing is definitely more on the darker side this time around, while there is still humor that helps balance the film out so it does not get too dark. The writing compliments the atmosphere incredibly well with its striking look and this theme of greed that the film tackles very well. The theme of greed plays a very important part in the story, greed itself drives a lot of these characters insane to the point where they make irrational decisions. This ultimately leads to some unexpected twists in the film that were genuinely shocking, this mainly comes in with Martha (played by Glenn Close) who is a very complicated character that the viewer slowly but surely realizes over the course of the film. 

The cinematography from cinematographer Steve Yedlin is incredibly striking here, there is this somewhat of a gothic style during the night scenes while the day scenes have this more electrifying style. It’s a perfect balance that really gives the film this unique feel with its atmosphere, the church itself is the perfect location for the mystery. The church almost feels like its own character with tons of exploration about it, why the characters care about it so much and the attention to detail. 

Overall Wake Up Dead Man is yet another strong addition to the Knives Out series, it keeps what worked with the first two films while also adding its own spin to the mix with its more darker feel. 

Wake Up Dead Man is available on Netflix. 

9/10 A

Christy (2025) Film Review

Christy Martin never imagined life beyond her small-town roots in West Virginia, until she discovered a knack for punching people. Fueled by grit, raw determination, and an unshakable desire to win, she charges into the world of boxing under the guidance of her trainer and manager-turned-husband, Jim. Flaunting a fiery persona in the ring, her toughest battles start to unfold outside of it as she confronts family, identity, and a relationship that just might become life-or-death.

Christy is directed by David Michôd director of Animal Kingdom (2010), The Rover (2014), War Machine (2017) and The King (2019). 

Christy tells the story of Christy Martin which mainly tells her rise to becoming America’s best known female boxer in the 1990s and later her coach turned husband James V. Martin’s attempted murder of her. 

What starts out as a very by the numbers biopic ends up turning into something genuinely interesting and even disturbing, Michôd’s choice of mixing both the rise of Christy’s career and the abuse she faced is a very risky move but one that ultimately does payoff which is mostly thanks to the performances. 

Sydney Sweeney does an excellent job here, it does take a bit of time for her to get into the core of her performance but she ultimately leaves the viewer with a very powerful impression. This is a much different type of performance for Sweeney, one that pushes her to her limits and brings out this raw and at times upsetting performance. The final act of the film brings this into detail brutally with one scene in particular that is quite upsetting, Sweeney delivers this incredibly well with genuine pain and betrayal in her eyes and voice, its horrifying and never really leaves your mind even after the credits roll. Sweeney is a main part of why Christy works as well as it does, she paints this portrait of Christy Martin a woman who had beautiful rise but also horrifying betrayal. 

Ben Foster as James V. Martin is the other half of what makes the film work so well. Foster delivers a terrifying and disturbing performance, when the film explores the abuse Christy faced the film suddenly becomes this disturbing ticking time bomb. Foster’s ability to switch someone who is kind and constantly praising Christy to a manipulative and abusive monster who wants to destroy Christy is both quite impressive and disturbing at the same time. The interactions between the two have this horrifying rawness that could potentially feel relatable for abuse victims, both Foster and Sweeney truly bring this film from a traditional biopic into something a lot stronger and interesting. 

The writing as I said starts out as this typical biopic, we explore the highlights of Christy Martin’s career and her rise to fame. Even if this does have familiar beats, you can’t help but root for her. Christy and her team are fun and engaging, some of the supporting cast do not get a whole lot to do but they make the most of it. As we get into the film’s exploration of abuse that’s when the film strays away from the usual biopic and brings in a much different atmosphere and direction. 

The film’s fight scenes are pretty solid as well, there definitely are some odd camera choices but those are a far and few in between. For the most part you get these up close and striking shots that have strength on their own. The film does suffer a bit from padding in some areas and the supporting cast does feel a bit underutilized. 

Overall Christy is a very solid film with fantastic performances and tells Christy Martin’s story of her career and her survival very well. It’s horrifying yet ends on a positive note for Christy. 

Christy is available on all VOD platforms. 

8/10 B+

Predator: Badlands (2025) Film Review

Cast out from its clan, an alien hunter and an unlikely ally embark on a treacherous journey in search of the ultimate adversary.

Predator: Badlands is directed by Dan Trachtenberg director of 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016), Prey (2022) and Predator: Killer Of Killers (2025). The film serves as the seventh installment in the Predator franchise.

When Prey (2022) revived interest in the Predator films I was very excited to see what he had in store next. To everyone’s surprised he had not one but TWO films planned out. Earlier this year Predator: Killer Of Killers released and as I said in my review it was excellent and that trend continues with Predator: Badlands, watching all three of these films it’s very clear that Trachtenberg loves the Predator franchise and that is especially clear here. Badlands has excellent performances, satisfying action scenes, this large in scale exploration and beautiful yet simple character writing that really goes a long way. 

The performances are excellent, the center focus is Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi and Elle Fanning both of who give some of the best performances of the year. The two also dive quite deep into their characters and really bring out some truly fun and beautiful moments. Koloamatangi plays Dek a young Yautja outcast, while his character may seem like the typical warrior who needs to prove himself. The film goes a lot further than that, as he goes on his journey we get to see his character slowly but surely build over time, Koloamatangi’s performance really puts in the work as well. We can hear tons of emotion even through the Yautja speech, it gets to the point where you want to root for him and hope he accomplishes his mission. There’s a surprising amount of depth here that you do not see very often with these films, it might be a bit simple yes but it’s there and it helps build Dek into this quite interesting character we follow. 

Elle Fanning plays a dual performance, Thia a damaged Weyland-Yutani Corporation synthetic who travels with Dek and Tessa a Weyland-Yutani synthetic and Thia’s sister, she serves as the antagonist of the film. What Elle Fanning captures the excellent balance of good and evil masterfully here, in one corner you have Thia who is hilarious, fun and a person who just wants to see the good in people. Then you have Tessa the cold, evil and whose only goal is to complete her mission. She puts up this fake act of caring for Thia all for taking advantage of her to get what she wants. Elle Fanning does such a brilliant job of bringing depth to both these characters, she’s able to show off just how wonderful she is as an actress while having so much fun with the performances. The trope of clone/evil versions of characters can be a bit on the lame side, however it absolutely works here due to just how much personality and power Fanning puts into both her performances. 

The world building is quite fantastic, it’s definitely one of those films where the visuals of the film’s world as well as the large in scale nature does all of the talking. The film feels like an open world video game, that you lose yourself in and never want to leave. This large in scale nature lets the viewer explore all the different landscapes and creatures on the planet, even if some of the creatures are on screen for a few minutes it still feels like we know a lot about them simply due to the detail and how large in scale the film really is. 

The film’s writing has this depth to it that really adds on as the film progresses, the underdog story that may have started as something simple evolves into a bigger beast. The film’s depth also has plenty of fun moments of dialogue, the humor works surprisingly well which is mainly due to the bond of Dek and Thia. The two characters have this fun and surprisingly wholesome bond that we slowly get to see form throughout the film. Which makes later scenes a bit more devastating when future events unfold. 

Overall Predator: Badlands is yet another fantastic installment to the Predator franchise. It’s not known yet if Trachtenberg will be directing another Predator film, but I sure do hope we get to see even more of his love for this franchise. 

Predator: Badlands is available in Theaters!

10/10 A+

Jay Kelly (2025) Film Review

Famous movie star Jay Kelly and his devoted manager, Ron, embark on an unexpectedly profound journey through Europe. Along the way, both men confront the choices they’ve made, relationships with loved ones, and the legacies they’ll leave behind.

Jay Kelly is directed by Noah Baumbach director of Frances Ha (2012), While We’re Young (2014), The Meyerowitz Stories (2017), Marriage Story (2019), White Noise (2022) and a few others. 

After the disappointing White Noise (2022), I was hoping Baumbach would come back with something much stronger. He sort of did, Jay Kelly is not one of Baumbach’s absolute best films but it does admittedly have heart. There is something here that works perhaps it’s lines such as “All my memories are movies” or it’s the beautifully done supporting performances that really push the film into this beautiful area. Jay Kelly is definitely flawed but there is still so much to like about it. 

George Clooney it’s solid here, it’s by far one of his better performances as of late. Clooney gives this very wounded performance of a famous actor who is constantly reflecting on his life choices, relationships and even his legacy. There are a lot of quiet moments that really set the scene and let them play out, Clooney takes it from there and gets to show off just how great of an actor he really is. Although not every single element of Jay Kelly’s (played by George Clooney) full comes together, there is still so much thought put into it here that you can’t help but love what’s being done. 

The supporting cast is doing quite a lot of heavy lifting here, particularly Adam Sandler, Billy Crudup and Riley Keough. Adam Sandler is very strong here due to his character Ron Sukenick is often the one that who the viewer gravitates towards the most. The character writing for Ron is quite impressive, the film explores his character and his bond with Jay Kelly in this grounded way that really feels sincere. Sandler himself gives this subtle and heartwarming performance that shows he can juggle both dramatic and comedic moments expertly. 

Riley Keough is the emotional part of the film, even if she does not get a whole lot in terms of character writing. There is this sense of meaning with her dialogue, some of the most powerful moments of the film come from her scenes with Clooney, there is this blend of independence, anger and resentment that builds up due to the cost of Kelly’s consuming career. She remembers the loss of family time and how it affected her, it’s these devastating moments that really help build the film. 

Billy Crudup plays Timothy a former classmate of Kelly’s who is an actor that did not make it big, Crudup’s biggest comes from inside a restaurant where he has this monologue of reading food items. That may sound silly which while at first it is, however once Crudup escalates with emotion and vulnerability that’s when the viewer gets pulled in. What Crudup does here is nothing short of excellence, there is so much meaning, hurt and vulnerability in his voice that you really start to feel for Timothy as a character. How he is able to turn such a simple task such as reading off a food menu into something so devastating is truly remarkable. 

The writing is solid here, while there are definitely some hiccups (especially during the first act) the film does eventually find its ground and hits the viewer with plenty of strong moments that display greatness. The whole theme of reflecting on your past choices and your relationships is truly a powerful one, something a lot of people have done and will continue to do. While the writing absolutely could have been a bit stronger with some of the exploration, I do think with what was given here was strong enough to push the film to the finish line.

Overall Jay Kelly is a solid film that does have some pacing and writing issues at times. However due to the performances and direction, this film works well enough to give this one a go! 

Jay Kelly is available on Netflix 

7/10 B

Most Anticipated Films Of December 2025 + What’s left for this year.

Well here we are the final stretch of 2025, time flew by for sure and it’s honestly been a pretty strong year for film. It does seem like we are wrapping things up well since this month looks great!!

Very quickly, I’ve already seen No Other Choice it’s a fantastic film that I highly recommend going to see when it releases on Christmas.

Anyways what’s left for this year? I have a handful of reviews left to write which include

28 Years Later, Sorry Baby, One Battle After Another, Sentimental Value, No Other Choice, Frankenstein, Predator: Badlands, Christy, Bugonia, Die My Love, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You and Train Dreams. These reviews plus some new releases will make up of this month (I’m hoping to get these ones done by the end of next week). So keep an eye out!

Let’s get to the list

11. Man Finds Tape – Out Today (VOD)

10. Jay Kelly – Out Today (Netflix)

9. The Housemaid – December 19th (Theaters)

8. 100 Nights Of Hero – Out Today (Theaters)

7. Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery – December 12th (Netflix)

6. The Voice Of Hind Rajab – December 17th (Theaters)

5. Avatar: Fire And Ash – December 19th (Theaters)

4. Resurrection – December 12th (Theaters)

3. Hamnet – Out Today (Theaters)

2. Marty Supreme – December 25th (Theaters)

1. The Testament Of Ann Lee – December 25th (Theaters)

The Long Walk (2025) Film Review

Teens participate in a gruelling high-stakes contest where they must continuously walk or be shot by a member of their military escort.

The Long Walk is directed by Francis Lawrence director of Constantine (2005), I Am Legend (2007), Water For Elephants (2011), Red Sparrow (2018), Slumberland (2022) and The Hunger Games franchise (2012-Present.)

The Long Walk was a huge surprise, while yes Francis Lawrence has shown that he’s a great director. Making a whole film about the characters constantly walking and never stopping seemed like a bit of a challenge (which hey that’s always a good thing), due to the film’s excellent cast, beautifully done direction and really meaningful moments. The Long Walk ends up being one of this year’s best. 

The main praise you hear when this film is talked about is how excellent both the performances of Cooper Hoffman and David Jonsson really are and that is very well deserved. The two give the best duo performance of the year, from the moment their character’s Ray (played by Hoffman) and Pete (played by Jonsson) interact the film focuses on these two’s conversations, the people around them and their stories. The two deliver compelling, nuanced and actually quite astonishing performances that really leave viewer stunned and heartbroken. Jonsson serves as the film’s emotional core, he gives such a heartbreaking performance that especially works during the film’s final moments. Hoffman gives a vulnerable yet powerful performance that sticks with the viewer. 

The supporting cast are just as fantastic, Ben Wang, Tut Nyuot and Charlie Plummer in particular. The three give their characters depth that would otherwise be absent from the film, sure they might not be given as much as Hoffman or Jonsson but they are still participating in the story and interact with Ray and Pete. There is story arcs here with these characters that are truly compelling and it helps that the performances themselves are all fantastic, each of them bring this natural energy to the mix of the film that completely brings the viewer into the experience. 

The writing is incredibly well done, the natural dialogue is so well done here. As we learn about Ray, Pete and the others backstories we really get to see so much depth in them, the film’s atmosphere has this bleakness but at the same time this beautiful humanist feel. There are glimpses of hope in the dialogue that everything can change, which I might be a bit biased here but is a sort of theme I have always loved. The theme of wanting the future to change and seeing a path forward is so well executed here and brings you to tears. Ray, Pete and the rest of the characters just talking about why they are here, what they are going to do after all of this is truly devastating. 

The film’s death scenes are all the more disturbing given the film’s story and how much we grow attached to these characters. These are not just random death scenes, these are scenes where the stakes feel incredibly real. It’s showing that the Major (played by Mark Hamill) and his men are not playing around, there is danger at every corner since if you stop walking and the count goes down to zero you die. It’s filled to the brim with thrilling atmosphere that all of the characters must go through. Which ultimately leads to the film’s brutality in its death scenes, the kills are nothing incredibly flashy but the film does not need that at all. It gets the point across with simple gunshots, we see the fear in the characters eyes and body language. 

The film’s final moments brings this sense of hope, the journey we went on was bleak and seemed like there was no path to a better future. However the film does such a beautiful and emotional job of showing there is a chance for change, it’s an absolute beautiful way to end this tense ride. 

Overall The Long Walk is very well acted, written and directed. It’s an atmospheric ride that has very beautiful human moments. The performances from Hoffman and Jonsson are some of the absolute best of the year. 

The Long Walk is available on all VOD platforms.

10/10 A+

Wicked: For Good (2025) Film Review

Now demonized as the Wicked Witch of the West, Elphaba lives in exile in the Ozian forest, while Glinda resides at the palace in Emerald City, reveling in the perks of fame and popularity. As an angry mob rises against the Wicked Witch, she’ll need to reunite with Glinda to transform herself, and all of Oz, for good.

Wicked: For Good is directed by Jon M. Chu director of Step Up 2: The Streets (2008), Step Up 3D (2010), Crazy Rich Asians (2018), In The Heights (2021), Wicked (2024) and a few others. The film serves as a sequel to Wicked (2024) and adapts the second act of the 2003 stage musical. 

If you ask almost anyone who has seen the stage musical of Wicked what they think of it, a very common criticism you will hear is that the second act is much weaker compared to the first. That very much shows with Wicked: For Good although I will say the film still for the most part lands, there are some very unfortunate downgrades. But the positives are enough to get the film to the finish line. 

Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande continue to be the best parts, Erivo impresses with her cover of “No Good Deed” to the point where it can be argued that she tops the original. The power in her voice is striking and much of what was said about her performance as Elphaba from part one can be applied here, even with the songs that are not as great as the ones in the previous part she’s still able to leave an impact on the viewer with her powerhouse voice and performance. Ervio especially impresses during the film’s second half, the scene with “For Good” is powerful, emotional and absolutely beautiful. Her and Grande’s voice mesh incredibly well together and the viewer can just feel the chemistry through the screen. Erivo as Elphaba will be remembered for an incredibly long time and that’s all due to just how well Erivo portrayed this iconic character. 

Similarly, Ariana Grande hits it out of the park. Her performance once again captures the spirit of Glinda and even adds her own flavor into the character, at this point she’s more than proved herself as a capable actress. Her singing is excellent and delivers such a beautiful performance with “For Good” and the original song “Girl In The Bubble”. Like I said about Erivo, even when some of the songs are on the weaker side. Grande is able to make them work and bring many beautiful moments just from her personality, acting and singing. Grande’s take on Glinda is beautifully done and again much like Erivo will be remembered for years to come. 

The supporting cast is pretty solid here. Jonathan Bailey and Ethan Slater get a few strong moments, Bailey sings “As Long As You’re Mine” beautifully with Cynthia Erivo. Ethan Slater does a surprisingly and somewhat intimidatingly good job with “March Of The Witch Hunters” you can here the anger and striking nature in his voice, combine that with the citizens chanting as well as the atmosphere and you have quite honestly one of the stand out moments of the film. 

The main thing holding Wicked: For Good back is the first half of the film, while it’s not exactly something I would call bad. The songs are mixed bag with every “No Place Like Home” that is quite great, you also get a “The Wicked Witch Of The East” which isn’t necessarily bad just not particularly memorable. The film also does take a bit to get going, it’s nice to see what all of the characters are up to since the last film. However this goes on for a bit too long, there is also some plot points that do feel a bit rushed and could have used more exploration. 

With that being said, the film’s second half pushes the film forward and is able to stick the landing. That’s when you get to the real meat of the film, the emotional moments that strike the heart and some genuinely raw scenes. The second half does such a fantastic job of wrapping the story up in this powerhouse bow, Erivo and Grande really do strike the final moments with “For Good” masterfully. There are tons of tearjerking moments that really bring you along for the climax of the story. 

Overall Wicked: For Good is definitely weaker than the previous film, but it’s not a bad film. It hits the right notes and brings this story into a satisfying conclusion that is genuinely beautiful. 

Wicked: For Good is currently in theaters.

8/10 B+