Caught Stealing (2025) Film Review

When his punk-rock neighbour asks him to take care of his cat for a few days, New York City bartender Hank Thompson suddenly finds himself caught in the middle of a motley crew of threatening gangsters who all want a piece of him.

Caught Stealing is directed by Darren Aronofsky director of Pi (1998), Requiem For A Dream (2000), The Fountain (2006), The Wrestler (2008), Black Swan (2010), Noah (2014), Mother! (2017) and The Whale (2022).

Darren Aronofsky has always been one of my favorite filmmakers, his ability to bring out transformative or flat out incredible performances from a lot of actors is just fascinating. While I’m always going to prefer Aronofsky’s more dramatic work, It’s always nice to see Aronofsky have a lot of fun and go for something completely different here.

Austin Butler is oozing with charisma and almost immediately captures the atmosphere that the world of the film demands. Every single moment you feel this gravitational pull towards his character Henry “Hank” Thompson and the world around him. Butler’s performance only gets more and more electrifying as the film goes on especially with the film’s tone that quickly becomes more brutal and darker. Butler gives one of the best performances of the year, this is the type of performance of what makes an actor so interesting especially sensing the confidence within the performance.

The supporting performances are just as fantastic, Zoë Kravitz’s chemistry with Butler is captivating and even if her part is not as massive, the time she does have she uses well and brings this passionate bond the film shows through Butler and Kravitz’s chemistry. Matt Smith and Regina King are both fantastic here as well, both capture the energy and atmosphere of their respective roles. Smith being more chaotic and King bringing her strength and pedigree. Tonic the cat is also a fun addition to the film who does a fantastic job with the film’s more comedic moments.

The writing is atmospheric, thrilling and genuinely funny at times. It’s a nice balance between the three, none of which completely overwhelm one another. The writing has moments of brutality which is where the depth for these characters comes from, we explore a bit about them. Even if at times there is a bit of surface level information, what we do learn is admittedly fascinating which keeps the viewer in for the ride. The comedic elements are on the black comedy side of things, but are effectively used sparingly and do not take away from the more dramatic ones.

Aronofsky does a fascinating job of capturing this 1990s New York landscape, he invests a ton of energy in creating this beautiful feel that you can’t help but look around. This is definitely one of Aronofsky’s bigger in scale films, perhaps his biggest since Noah (2014). But unlike Noah (2014) where it felt very overwhelming and a giant mess in general, Caught Stealing is a lot more focused and has a lot more interesting elements happening on screen. You have the chaotic nature of the cast and their characters, the brutality of the film, the film’s black comedy and the strong cinematography from Matthew Libatique.

Overall Caught Stealing is such a chaotic and fun ride from beginning to end, that Aronofsky does such a fascinating job of capturing the crazed experience.

Caught Stealing is available on all VOD platforms.

9/10 A

Pools (2025) Film Review

In the midst of her whole life falling apart, Kennedy attempts to somehow reconnect with her dead father, searching for permission to live her own life within a wild pool-hopping escape through the elaborate estates of her college town.

Pools is directed by Sam Hayes which is his directorial debut.

Pools is a coming of age film that may not exactly do anything brand new, however there is this theme of being young and having to grow up and how life can uppercut you that quickly connects to the viewer and it’s done in a way that feels very natural. Combine that with some strong performances, camerawork and direction you have yourself a charming little film.

Odessa A’zion has quickly become a rising star and this is yet another showcase of how great of an actress she really is. She plays her character Kennedy incredibly well and in this natural way that quickly gets the viewer invested into her character, she adds so many layers and depth to Kennedy. She has her own personal issues underneath it all and the way the film goes about exploring these issues is interesting and really shows how talented A’zion is as an actress.

The rest of the cast is quite great, while the character writing is not as strong for the rest of the cast. They all still turn in great performances, particularly Ariel Winter and Mason Gooding both of which I’m not exactly crazy about as actors. But I will admit that they do a pretty solid job here especially in one particular scene that shows some sort of depth for these characters.

The technical aspects of the film are surprisingly pretty solid, the cinematography from Ben Hardwicke has this summer vibe going on here which matches with the film quite well. The editing and camerawork which includes some zoom ins make for some decently funny visual language. The atmosphere also has this laid back summer feel that mixes well with the film’s more dramatic moments.

The writing has plenty of raw moments that helps these characters explore their issues in their personal lives, the humor can be a bit of a hit or miss and as I said before Pools is not exactly groundbreaking. However the film has this charming message and wonderfully funny atmosphere that you cannot help but enjoy.

Overall Pools is a fun little coming of age film that is backed by its cast, direction and technical elements.

Pools is available on all VOD platforms.

7/10 B

Nouvelle Vague (2025) Film Review

This is the story of Godard making “Breathless”, told in the style and spirit in which Godard made “Breathless”.

Nouvelle Vague is directed by Richard Linklater director of Dazed And Confused (1993), The Before Trilogy (1995-2013), Boyhood (2014), Hit Man (2023), Blue Moon (2025) and many others.

Nouvelle Vague is the second of Richard Linklater’s films to release this year, while I do think Blue Moon is the better film by quite a lot. Nouvelle Vague is still a pretty decent film that accomplishes what it’s set out to do. Nouvelle Vague follows the shooting of Jean-Luc Godard’s film Breathless which was one of the first feature films of the Nouvelle Vague era of French cinema in 1959.

The performances are solid, I think a part of what makes Nouvelle Vague work as well as it does is a lot of the cast are either newcomers who are starting their career (which is kind of really neat in this context) or actors you will probably not recognize. It makes the film feel a bit more natural especially given that the film is about one of the first feature films of the Nouvelle Vague era.

Guillaume Marbeck does a fantastic job as Jean-Luc Godard, he gives this confident and striking performance that’s filled with passion, humor and this fun energy. There’s some scenes that are so well done from Marbeck, there are definitely a few hiccups as the film sometimes does get lost with its writing that feels uneven which in turn does hurt Marbeck’s performance just a tad. But it’s not nearly enough from him delivering such an interesting portrayal of a masterful director.

The black and white cinematography is quite effective, combined with the reconstruction of 60s Paris displays the amount of attention to detail that went into Nouvelle Vague. Richard Linklater clearly has a lot of love for this era of cinema and did his research, this does not feel like it was placed here for nostalgic reasons. This feels far more In line with an appreciation route, not only with the sets but with the people as well. Although not incredibly well written, we see vulnerabilities, actions and personalities of the people in this intimate detail that is striking.

The writing does have its issues with being uneven and some jokes not landing all that well. However there is an undeniable amount of charm here that does capture the time period quite well, even if the film’s pay off is incredibly predictable and follows a lot of the usual biopics about making art beats. Linklater adds personality here that puts this one ahead.

Overall Nouvelle Vague is a decent film that celebrates such a masterful director and film, if you know the story already you are not going to walk out of this film knowing anything new. However you will be satisfied enough with solid portrayal of the events.

Nouvelle Vague is available on Netflix.

7/10 B

The Toxic Avenger (2025) Film Review

A janitor becomes a social outcast when a freak accident at a chemical factory turns him into a mutant. However, he soon uses his newfound superhuman strength to battle slimy criminals and a corrupt CEO.

The Toxic Avenger is directed by Macon Blair director of I Don’t Feel At Home In This World Anymore (2017). The film serves as the fifth installment and a reboot in The Toxic Avenger series.

While The Toxic Avenger might not have as much gore as its predecessors (I’m not exactly sure why there was talk about this film being “unreleasable”) the film still has a lot of charm and actually is strangely heartfelt in some areas.

The performances are all around pretty great. Peter Dinklage works well as The Toxic Avenger, he does not go incredibly far with it but I guess the reboot wanted to try a different approach which works well here. Kevin Bacon and Elijah Wood make for fun villains even if we do not get a whole lot of character writing for their characters. It ultimately can be ignored due to just how well Bacon and Wood work together and steal each and every scene they share together.

The film does not have the Troma insanity from the previous films, which while unfortunate gives us something that feels much different this time around. For the most part that works quite well, there’s this very heavy Sam Rami’s Spiderman trilogy feel here that works decently well. The film also surprisingly has heart, the bond between Winston/ The Toxic Avenger and Wade (played by Jacob Tremblay) is actually effective here. While the story arc goes the direction you think it’s going to go, it is still incredibly charming and at least adds some character writing.

The gore combined with the action scenes are a lot of fun, while you may not get the over the top scenes from the previous films. You will still get a ton of satisfying moments that will be enough to please fans of the series.

Overall The Toxic Avenger is a fun film that does not overstay its welcome, it focuses on its satire and entertaining the viewer. There might not be a whole lot to the film, but in cases like this that really is not a complaint!

The Toxic Avenger is available on all VOD platforms.

7/10 B

Queens Of The Dead (2025) Film Review

Brooklyn drag queens put their personal conflicts aside as they battle zombies craving brains.

Queens Of The Dead is directed by Tina Romero which is her directorial debut.

The only thing I really knew about this one going in is that it was directed by George A. Romero’s daughter, Tina Romero goes for a parody approach which works just enough to make for a decently fun film for the zombie genre even if it’s lacking in some areas.

The cast is strong throughout the film, while the script is not anything to write home about due to the cast’s talent they are able to make it work. Katy O’Brian, Jaquel Spivey, Nina Flowers, Margaret Cho and Dominique Jackson are all solid here. As a whole they work together nicely and make for some fun interactions and jokes that are chuckle worthy.

The film is fun on a technical level, the music is a lot of fun and captures the atmosphere the film is going for. I never thought I would see a film use Kesha’s song “Blow” but here it is and it’s done pretty well. The fast paced editing is sharp and electrifying and the cinematography from Shannon Madden has some fun personality going on here.

What’s mainly holding back Queens Of The Dead from being great is mainly the writing and genre cliches. While there are some decent jokes here, as the movie goes on especially during the later half there starts to be a lot more jokes missing than landing. The zombie horror element leaves a lot more to be desired, while it’s not done in a bad way. It’s not done in a very exciting way either, it very much feels like it’s just sort of there.

With that being said Queens Of The Dead still manages to be decently fun, I think Tina Romero has potential as a director this one just needed a stronger script to really make it standout.

Queens Of The Dead is available on all VOD platforms.

6/10 C+

Freakier Friday (2025) Film Review

Two decades after an identity crisis, Anna’s blended family faces new challenges. Tess and Anna discover their past may be repeating with the next generation.

Freakier Friday is directed by Nisha Ganatra director of Chutney Popcorn (1999), Fast Food High (2003), Cake (2005), Late Night (2019) and The High Note (2020). The film serves as a sequel to Freaky Friday (2003).

A Freaky Friday (2003) sequel was bound to happen at some point, it’s a film that is quite beloved and has gained a bigger and bigger following over the years. Freakier Friday might not be as great as its predecessor but it still manages to capture a lot of the excitement and spirit of what made the first film so great.

Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan are both excellent here and just ooze with personality. Everything that made their performances so memorable from the first film is present here, adding into the mix we have Julia Butters and Sophia Hammons who while are not as great as Curtis or Lohan they still do a pretty solid job. Especially considering this time around it’s a double body swap which can be incredibly tricky, there are times where some of the actors seem to lose track of who they are playing. However those moments are very far and few in between which ultimately does not hurt any of the performances.

Freakier Friday does not really have anything new going on narratively, it has the same message as the first film and the double body swap ends up being the main difference. With that being said it’s still a lot of fun, the humor is genuinely solid and the nostalgia callbacks are actually integrated very well into the story. The last 15 minutes displays the more emotional moments of the film and wraps the story up very nicely, stronger character moments could have absolutely given more strength as Ganatra does focus on a lot of comedy antics that do not land incredibly well.

But from what we are given, there is just enough here for the viewer to latch on to and enjoy both the comedic and emotional moments. Ultimately Freakier Friday is harmless, as I said before narratively it’s not much different and when you really get down to it there is just not a whole lot to say here. But there is no denying that this is an entertaining one.

Freakier Friday is available on all VOD platforms.

6/10 C+

Splitsville (2025) Film Review

When his wife asks for a divorce, a man runs to his friends for support, only to learn that the secret to their happiness is an open marriage.

Splitsville is directed by Michael Angelo Covino director of The Climb (2019).

Splitsville is a decent little comedy that has just enough meat on its bones to make it to the finish line, the performances, humor and the exploration of its themes such as the struggle for honesty openness within marriages and this whole honesty vs deception angle is able to make the film more interesting.

The performances are all quite great here, Dakota Johnson, Adria Arjona, Kyle Marvin and Michael Angelo Covino all turn in very solid performances and work well together. The discussions the characters have are both decently funny and have this layer meaning that brings the film’s themes such as exploring open marriage front and center. It gives these characters personality especially when you combine the witty banter.

Dakota Johnson brings the necessary depth to Julie as a character, Adria Arjona gives a memorable performance due to one particular scene, plus she’s just fantastic here and works incredibly well with the rest of the cast. Michael Angelo Covino and Kyle Marvin both have strong chemistry, their real life friendship translates well here and at times it feels like we are given some personal moments, which can be felt due to both Covino and Marvin being the writers. It’s especially felt when we get scenes of both Carey (played by Marvin) and Paul (played Covino).

The humor for the most part works very well, there’s this nice balance of exploration in the film’s themes and the humor itself. While not every single joke lands, there is just the right amount to get some laughs from the viewer, the sharp direction from Covino really puts in the work here as well. The intimate moments help bring the characters closer to the viewer combined with the film’s cinematography from cinematographer Adam Newport-Berra.

While Splitsville does suffer being from a bit too long and has some pacing issues. It’s a nice balance entertainment and meaning that gives the film more to stand on.

Splitsville is available on all VOD platforms.

6/10 C+

Dracula (2025) Film Review

In modern Transylvania, vampire hunts and labor strikes mix with sci-fi, romance, and AI tales. Multiple storylines blend folklore, horror and contemporary elements for a fresh take on Dracula’s legend.

Dracula is directed by Radu Jude director of Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World (2023), Sacred Hearts (2016), Everybody in Our Family (2012) and many others.

To say that Radu Jude’s Dracula is a very odd film would be the understatement of the year, the very first moments of the film is a bunch of AI-generated renditions of Dracula saying a variation of “suck my dick” the film is a take on how AI is sucking the life out of filmmaking and even how people think. It’s an excellent satire that although a bit too long is still incredibly effective.

The performances are all quite fascinating, each of the cast goes all out with what the script requires and are not afraid to add their own flavor into the mix. They also capture the satirical atmosphere well and bring the viewer into the film quickly due to just how bizarre they act. There are some genuinely meaningful moments during the film’s final moments which lead to some of the best acting of the film.

The main part of what makes Dracula successful is the themes and how they are executed, as mentioned before there’s the theme of AI and how it’s ruining filmmaking. This is not a case where the movie just ends up saying “AI bad” the film points out how ridiculous AI is in this humorous way, people’s line of thinking is lost since they do not have that special connection of filmmaking especially when relying on ChatGPT and OpenAI.

This is made clear with the character simply known as “The Director” (played by Adonis Tanta) who talks to the camera about using generative AI which creates a bunch of subplots that are nonsensical, the director is used as a vehicle for Radu Jude to explore the themes of technology and society, such as how modern society or AI is bloodsucking and taking away from human connection and filmmaking. Adonis Tanta does such a fantastic job with his performance as the director, he’s unhinged and completely matches the film’s overall atmosphere.

Then there’s the film’s final moments which says that the nature of being human is starting to feel less human each day, which is an incredibly scary thought to think about and explore. But it’s done in this way that is truly meaningful and while it can feel like a whiplash after you have sat through the majority of the film’s bizarre nature, you still feel impacted and it’s a genuinely clever place to end on.

Do not go in expecting a faithful adaption to Bram Stoker’s material, you are just not going to get that here. However if you are looking for something completely different this is definitely the film for you!

Dracula releases tomorrow in theaters.

8/10 B+

NYFF Review: Blue Moon (2025)

Lorenz Hart struggles with alcoholism and mental health issues. He attempts to maintain his composure during the premiere of “Oklahoma!”.

Blue Moon is directed by Richard Linklater director of Dazed And Confused (1993), The Before Trilogy (1995-2013), Boyhood (2014), Hit Man (2023) and many others.

Blue Moon is yet another fantastic film from director Richard Linklater, I really do appreciate how with each of his films he gives the viewer a much different experience. This film is an example of Linklater at his most humorous combined with some genuinely strong filmmaking that’s able to keep this beautiful balance to the end.

The performances are all fantastic here, even when certain members of the cast are not asked to do all that much they still land some quite memorable and often hilarious performances. Ethan Hawke plays Lorenz Hart and to cut to the chase, he gives one of the best performances of the year and quite honestly one of the best of his career. Everything that needed to be captured with his performance was and it’s absolutely glorious to watch unfold. Hawke captures the perfect amount of humor and drama needed to really make this all work, he plays off member of the cast masterfully. One moment in particular with Margaret Qualley towards the end of the film is one of the film’s very best moments and is a perfect example of why Hawke’s performance is so great. It’s a comedic yet focused performance that brings some of the best elements of a dramatic performance, this is one of those performances where the actor completely disappears into the role and just keeps getting better and better with every second. Ethan Hawke captures this comedic yet tragic portrayal of Lorenz Hart and absolutely nails it.

Andrew Scott who plays Richard Rogers has plenty of great scenes with Ethan Hawke, the conversations between the two are investing and have this nice balance of seriousness and humor. Bobby Canavale is a scene stealer with his brilliant and glove fitting like comedic timing that is bound to make the viewer laugh. Finally there’s Margaret Qualley who may not get the most screen time, but she still ends up giving such a beautiful and strong performance. She captures the film’s atmosphere with confidence and the previously mentioned scene between her and Ethan Hawke highlights the amount of fun and strength she brings to the film.

The writing is both humorous and sharp, the comedic timing from everyone involved is well done and the writing has a ton of musical theater references that any fan of musical theater will adore. The references themselves are cleverly used and do not overcrowd the film, there’s plenty of other types of humor that everyone can enjoy. The film has its vulgar moments but it’s to the point where it’s endearing and charming, in almost any other circumstance these moments could come off as out of place or they just fall flat. But due to the atmosphere that Linklater goes for and the clever and witty script by writer Robert Kaplow, everything fits together like a jigsaw puzzle.

The jazzy vibe combined with the film taking place in a singular bar is another part that really gives this film its identity. It especially works since hearing Lorenz Hart’s conversations with Eddie (played by Bobby Canavale) or any of the other customers at the bar actually feels like an unhinged night out at the bar, Linklater’s direction does such a fascinating job of showcasing all of these conversations no matter how big or small. You easily get the “life of the party” sense from Lorenz Hart and that shows almost immediately. His unhealthy fascination with Elizabeth Weiland (played by Margaret Qualley) leads to some hilarious back and forths between Hart, Eddie and the rest of the customers it’s all so brilliantly put together.

Overall Blue Moon is one of my favorite films of the year, it’s an absolute joy to watch and is backed by incredibly strong performances especially from Ethan Hawke.

Blue Moon releases tomorrow in theaters.

10/10 A+

The Naked Gun (2025) Film Review

Lieutenant Frank Drebin Jr becomes a police officer like his legendary father and must save the police department from shutting down by solving a case.

The Naked Gun is directed by Akiva Schaffer director of Hot Rod (2007), The Watch (2012), Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping (2016) and Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers (2022). This film serves as a legacy sequel to Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult (1994) and is the fourth film of the Naked Gun franchise.

One of the hardest genres to tackle is the comedy genre, if your comedic timing is just a bit off that can potentially sink the whole ship. You also have to consider whether or not the material you are working with/creating is genuinely funny. A major problem with a lot of studio comedies from the last several years is a lot of them tell almost the exact same jokes, the jokes themselves aren’t very clever and the comedic timing is dreadful. A lot of studio comedies focus more on cramming in as many unfunny jokes as possible which sacrifices just about everything else that goes into making a great comedy.

This is exactly why The Naked Gun is a huge breath of fresh air, it’s a rare studio comedy that understands how to be funny, even when not every single joke lands you can still feel the writers were very passionate behind said joke. The film’s story is simple yes but the way the humor is integrated into the story is incredibly charming and ends up being such a fun and hilarious ride from beginning to end.

This film reminds you of how great Liam Neeson is at comedy, there’s also a strong argument to be made that this is one of Neeson’s best performances in years. Neeson completely makes the film, his comedic timing is clever and his interactions with the rest of the cast are filled with fun and hilarious moments that you can’t help but love. Neeson also does a brilliant job as Frank Drebin Jr. he’s not trying to be a direct copy of Frank Drebin (Leslie Nielsen’s character) he’s borrowing a few elements while also making this new character different.

Pamela Anderson is fantastic here as well, Anderson has fantastic chemistry with Liam Neeson and is genuinely hilarious in her own right, a fantastic femme fatale type of performance that captures the atmosphere the film is going for. It blends so well together with the spoof nature of the film and even feels earnest at times as well that brings you into the film’s story. Something that both Neeson and Anderson do incredibly well is they capture the silly nature of the film and their conversations only show that in such shining detail that is bound to make the viewer laugh.

The writing is quite clever, I said at the beginning that comedic timing is incredibly important and luckily that’s what this film has. The film’s main goal here is to make the viewer laugh and it does that incredibly well, there’s a wide range of jokes even if you don’t laugh at one joke you could laugh at the next one. Some of the film’s best moments is when the characters take expressions literally, it’s simple yet incredibly effective due to the direction from Akiva Schaffer being filled with personality.

The spoof movie atmosphere is also incredibly charming, it never feels cheap or lame. There’s always this sense of passion from the writers and Schaffer, something we hardly ever see in these sort of movies anymore. There characters feel incredibly fitting in the film’s world, the character writing might be straightforward but the way the film goes about developing these characters is what makes it work and quite hilarious as well. There’s a lot of attention to detail when it comes to the humor, the facial expressions of the characters and the comedic timing. It all combines together in this nice little package that never fails to make the viewer laugh.

Overall The Naked Gun is an incredibly fun film that knows its goal and accomplishes it well. The film has this warmth and playfulness that you just don’t see in a lot of studio comedies nowadays, if you haven’t seen this one I recommend giving this a go.

The Naked Gun is available on all VOD platforms.

8/10 B+