2025 Film Wrap Up Reviews (Part Two)

Hamnet

Hamnet is a powerhouse of a film. it’s a journey of heartbreaking, healing and eventually trying to move on from a devastating loss in this case it’s William Shakespeare (played by Paul Mescal) and his wife Anne Hathaway (played by Jessie Buckley) who lost their 11-year-old son Hamnet. We mainly follow Hathaway’s journey of healing but we also do get to see powerful moments of Shakespeare trying to move on.

Jessie Buckley delivers one of the best performances of the decade so far, she completely captures the pain of loss and trying so hard to move on. Finding that path where you can finally tell yourself that “it’s okay to move on and feel at peace” it’s a road that I’m sure everyone has gone through at some point in their lives. We see from the very start to the end of how masterfully Buckley portrays this, it’s done in this beautiful yet devastating way that brings the viewer to tears during certain moments of the film.

Paul Mescal is wonderful as Shakespeare and connects well with Jessie Buckley. Jacobi Jupe as Hamnet is a heartbreaking performance that shows an incredible amount of talent from Jupe who I’m sure is going to go on to have an incredible career. Noah Jupe (Jacobi Jupe’a brother) is only briefly in the film but the scene he’s given in the film’s climax is incredibly powerful and breathtaking.

The film’s ending is one of the best of 2025, while yes On The Nature Of Daylight by Max Richter can be overused in film, it is effectively used here and really captures the film’s theme of loss, healing and moving on. The final scene itself is also just one of the most beautiful portrayals of someone healing and getting the okay from themself to finally move on. It’s a scene that will not doubt make you cry.

Chloe Zhao once brings such a raw experience to the viewer that leaves you mesmerized and will keep you thinking about Hamnet for a very long time.

Hamnet is available on all VOD platforms.

10/10 A+

Die My Love

Grace, a writer and young mother, is suffering from post partum depression and slowly spiralling into madness. Moving into an old house with her husband, Jackson, her mind begins to unravel as she becomes increasingly agitated and erratic

As I said before, Die My Love and If I Had Legs I’d Kick You can absolutely be considered sister films. If I Had Legs I’d Kick You had the more clear vision inside someone’s head, Die My Love is if you took that same person’s mind and continued to bury with darkness or this void like feel. Which works masterfully with the atmosphere attached to the film.

Jennifer Lawrence’s performance as Grace is exactly why a lot of people consider Lawrence to be one of the best of her generation. Every single moment it feels like you are inside the mind of someone going through major depression and so many different thoughts at once. It eventually starts to affect Grace’s life which gives the viewer several moments of breakdowns and a lot of mood switching. The film also tackles the topic of motherhood along with the intensity and wanting an escape, it’s all portrayed brilliantly by Jennifer Lawrence who gives a next level performance. A performance that is going to be talked about heavily as the years go on.

Robert Pattinson is also quite fantastic here, his chemistry with Jennifer Lawrence works wonderfully and shares so many powerful moments, his character Jackson adds depth to the film along with feeling complex. The relationship between Grace and Jackson feel all too real as we get to see the two’s completely different personalities and actions throughout the film.

Die My Love also has this void like atmosphere. Whether it be from scale of the film, the cinematography from cinematographer Seamus McGarvey or from Lynne Ramsey’s flawless direction. It’s truly a hauntingly beautiful film that is incredibly striking to the eyes.

Die My Love is one of the films here that I absolutely plan on talking more about at great length, so for now go into this one knowing as little as possible.

Die My Love is available on all VOD platforms.

10/10 A+

Sentimental Value

After their mother’s death, sisters Nora and Agnes reconnect with their estranged father, Gustav, a once-famous director. He offers Nora the lead in his comeback film, but she refuses, only to find he’s cast a young Hollywood star instead, complicating their family dynamics.

Sentimental Value is my favorite film of 2025, it’s an incredible film with so much going on here that much like Die My Love I plan on talking about this one at greater length. But for now I’ll talking about the basics as to what makes this one so phenomenal.

It should come to no surprise that the cast is what really makes this one as beautiful as it is. Whereas a lot of film try incredibly hard and fail to get each of the cast to contribute in a meaningful way. Sentimental Value manages to do that quite easily due to Joachim’s direction, his script along with Eskil Vogt and the brilliant performances from Renate Reinsve, Stellan Skarsgard, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas and Elle Fanning.

Renate Reinsve plays Nora one of the daughters of Gustav Borg (played by Stellan Skarsgard) a celebrated film director who wants to give Nora the leading role. The film’s main theme comes in with a path to healing and trying to restart a fractured bond. Reinsve continues to show she’s one of the best actresses currently working, she gives a powerful and emotional performance that she displays perfectly. Her quiet moments with Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas and Stellan Skarsgard especially show how much chemistry and human connection, she has this beautiful ability to navigate vulnerability, humor and pain. When a certain scene demands one of the three she is able to quickly bring it to the table. A beautiful performance that truly is a transcendent role.

Stellan Skarsgard as Gustv is a career best worthy performance, he brings nuance and vulnerability to a character who we see is very complex. Whether at times he can feel difficult or he finally tries to understand where Nora is coming from. It’s a beautiful way of showing the father and daughter bond and its ups and downs, plus what’s needed to repair it. Skarsgard is already a phenomenal actor, so he naturally does a fantastic job here. His scenes with Elle Fanning in particular shine and show the thoughts and powerful yet quiet moments of his character.

Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas plays Nora’s sister Agnes, I was unfamiliar with who Lilleaas was but after seeing her performance I truly can’t wait to see what she does next. Lilleaas gets one particularly powerful scene of Agnes and Nora both comforting each other, the two’s eye contact, speech and body language are all top notch and truly deliver one of the film’s most beautiful moments. Lilleaas commands the screen whenever she’s present and truly delivers a lot of heart and care into her performance.

Finally there is Elle Fanning who plays Rachel Kemp a famous American actress who is hired to play the lead in Gustav’s film. Elle Fanning is given the hardest role here, which is to play an actor that wasn’t right for the part. It’s a challenging role that can easily end up coming off as more so playing yourself. That is not the case here for Elle Fanning, the way Fanning goes about playing Rachel is such a beautiful portrayal of an actress who although wasn’t right for Gustav’s film still shows sincerity and tenderness throughout the film. It comes to a breaking point where she tells Gustav that she isn’t right for the part, the buildup to that moment is truly fascinating and with how Elle Fanning delivers that moment is truly remarkable. Rachel Kemp is a character that Elle Fanning truly brings to life and really does feel like the type of powerhouse performance that Fanning’s career has been leading up to. This performance right here perfectly shows why she is one of the best of her generation a true performer that has so much talent and passion.

Sentimental Value is a beautiful film that has the classic human feel around it, how we explore our bonds and what it takes to repair them. It’s a beautiful story that I truly recommend checking out if you haven’t already.

Sentimental Value is available on all VOD platforms.

10/10 A+

2025 Wrap Up Film Reviews (Part One) : 28 Years Later, Marty Supreme and If I Had Legs I’d Kick You

Hello again! So you might be wondering what is this? Well I have 6 films from 2025 I just never got around to fully reviewing. So I decided to do something interesting, instead of flat out just not reviewing them I decided to do a wrap up post talking a little bit about each film and moving on to the next one. I’m splitting it into two parts just to keep things a bit more organized, In the future I do plan on talking about some of these films in greater length. But for now I at least want to share my love for these films in brief detail. So let’s start with..

28 Years Later

Set decades after the Rage Virus outbreak, it follows a new group of survivors on an island who venture onto the mainland, discovering mutated infected and new threats.

28 Years Later is quite honestly one of the most hauntingly beautiful horror films of the 2020s. There is a whole lot to be said here about the theme of death and how the film goes about exploring it. Jodie Comer gives a phenomenal performance that has this human connection feel that is constant throughout the film, Alfie Williams is just as fantastic and connects instantly with the people he meets along the way.

Ralph Fiennes as Dr Ian Kelson gives us one of the best written characters of the 2020s, throughout the film we are made to believe that he is this crazy lunatic yet what we get is this calm and balanced man that has this beautiful understanding of life and death. It really brings tears to your eyes due to just how beautiful the dialogue really is here.

Combine that with a beautiful score by Young Fathers (especially their song Remember), stunning cinematography and brutal kills. You have yourself such a wonderful film that you will never forget.

28 Years Later is available on all VOD platforms.

10/10 A+

Marty Supreme

Marty Mauser, a young man with a dream no one respects, goes to hell and back in pursuit of greatness.

Marty Supreme is one of those films that continues to get better and better as it goes on, what starts out as a simple enough film turns into a chaotic film that ups the ante and never falls to the floor.

Timothee Chalamet is not holding back here at all and delivers one of his greatest performances (arguably his best), he fully embodies Marty Mauser (which the film is loosely based on. He balances this likable and unlikable aspect that hits this sweet spot that in turns makes him such a fascinating character.

Odessa A’zion gives such a heartbreaking performance during the second half of the film, it’s a soul crushing yet beautiful performance that sticks with you throughout the experience. Her chemistry with Chalamet is wonderful and even when she isn’t on screen you do feel her presence.

What makes Marty Supreme so fantastic is it has this group of characters who balance this realness and weirdness. They all fit so well together in this perfectly bizarre atmosphere the film has going on here, every single moment there is some perfectly normal interactions going on along with some bizarre ones.

Marty Supreme is a wild ride from beginning to end that truly captures every single moment it throws at the viewer.

Marty Supreme is available on all VOD platforms.

10/10 A+

If I Had Legs I’d Kick You

While trying to manage her own life and career, a woman on the verge of a breakdown must cope with her daughter’s illness, an absent husband, a missing person, and an unusual relationship with her therapist.

2025 Wrap Up Review

If I Had Legs I’d Kick You is like entering someone else’s head, seeing the struggles, thoughts and memories that constantly go on inside their head. If I Had Legs I’d Kick You and Die My Love can definitely be considered sister films mainly due to how similar they are thematically however they go about this in much different ways.

If I Had Legs I’d Kick You goes about this in a less deep in a void feel, it’s more clear and we can get a better idea of what is going on inside Linda’s (played by Rose Byrne) head. With that being said it’s still a very navigating experience (in a good way). It’s one of those experiences that ultimately feels very rewarding to go on and once you reach the end it’s genuinely stunning to watch.

So much has been said about how fantastic Rose Byrne’s performance is and the praise is absolutely earned. Rose Byrne gives a career best performance that feels next level, a performance that captures the constant thoughts of motherhood and how crushing it can be. Byrne perfectly matches the surreal atmosphere that demands this spiral and break free type of feel that truly leaves the viewer stunned. It’s an unforgettable performance that I still think about constantly.

I highly recommend going into If I Had Legs I’d Kick You knowing as little as possible, it’s such a powerful film about the stress of motherhood and what constantly goes inside the mind during that period of time.

If I Had Legs I’d Kick You is available on all VOD platforms.

10/10 A+

Sundance Review: Rock Springs (2026)

Centers on a grieving family who move to a new town after a tragedy, only to find sinister secrets lurking in the woods behind their house.

Rock Springs is directed by Vera Miao which is her directorial debut.

Rock Springs is a very admirable film, while not every single element works entirely the film is clearly made with a lot of knowledge and care about certain topics. Those being racism and trauma, more so about generational ties to trauma. The film mixes this incredibly with horrors of a massacre that actually did happen (based on the 1885 Wyoming incident where white miners murdered at least 28 Chinese miners.) all of this together creates a horrifying image that brings the viewer into the film.

The performances all around are great especially Kelly Marie Tran and Benedict Wong, Tran does a fantastic job of playing a grieving mother. It’s a stunning performance that really sticks with the viewer the whole way through, Wong absolutely nails his performance during the film’s more historical parts. The amount of power and striking atmosphere that goes into his performance is astounding.

The film bounces a bit with the past and present, but it’s done in this way where the film cleverly brings it to you, like we are discovering the dark history of Rock Springs itself. It feels like we as the viewers actually discovered something and now we are told to apply that information into the present day. Not every single part of the translation to past and present works entirely, however there are some genuinely atmospheric moments that do capture the dark history of Rock Springs.

The film’s themes of racism and trauma are well done here, the racism comes from the real event and the generational trauma comes from how the past and present are connected that trauma never really goes away. The script from Vera Miao has some powerful moments that clearly have this sense of knowledge behind them, these moments might not be anything incredibly groundbreaking. However I do think the careful nature of the script more than makes up for it.

I do think some of the editing does end up hurting the connection between the past and present, it makes a few scenes drag out for a bit longer than they should. It’s worth noting that the film does take a bit to get going, however the supernatural elements and the historical elements keep it afloat and really bring you into the experience.

Overall Rock Springs is a solid film, it’s admirable film that executes its ideas decently well. There is a few bumps in the road, however that’s not enough to stop the film from being incredibly intriguing.

Rock Springs currently has no release date.

7/10 B

Sundance Film Review: Zi (2026)

In Hong Kong, a young woman haunted by visions of her future self meets a stranger who changes the course of her night-and possibly her life.

Zi is directed by Kogonada director of Columbus (2017), After Yang (2021) and A Big Bold Beautiful Journey (2025).

Zi is a return to form for Kogonada, after last year’s disappointing A Big Bold Beautiful Journey it is nice to see Kogonada return to what he’s best at. Although Zi is heavily flawed and is still not as great as Kogonada’s first two films, there is still a lot to like here and there’s some genuinely great moments that make Zi shine.

The performances from Michelle Mao and Haley Lu Richardson are both quite strong here, the two have great chemistry that over the course of the film builds into something beautiful. There are some silly moments in between it all, Richardson’s character El immediately starts crying for Zi (played by Michelle Mao) after only meeting her for 10 minutes. However that actually does work here as the film is going for a much more experimental direction and I do think what ends up getting revealed later on justifies this. Mao and Richardson play their characters well and have some very real moments, there is some great facial acting and quiet moments that help build their bond. Jin Ha who plays Min gets the short end of the stick, his character is underdeveloped and just not all that interesting, he does however show off his great singing voice (he’s been on Broadway).

The writing is the film’s weakest point, the story is a very thinly written narrative. The premise here is Zi gets visions of the future and sees an older version of El, the two meet and from there very little happens. There’s just not a whole lot to chew on here writing wise, with that being said there’s beautiful moments that do happen and I do think the ending wraps it up nicely.

It’s a much more experimental film compared to A Big Bold Beautiful Journey it’s an incredibly small budget of these characters walking around in the city. Admittedly the city element does bring some excellent atmosphere that does create this beautiful tone to the film. The score is beautiful as always when it comes to Kogonada’s films, it fits the atmosphere that is required and brings this level of beauty and warmth that helps elevate the film.

Overall Zi is definitely an improvement over A Big Bold Beautiful Journey (2025), it’s a nice return of what Kogonada is best at. If you can get past the thin story you should be able to enjoy this one for what it is.

Zi currently has no release date.

6/10 C+

Sundance Film Review: Chasing Summer (2026)

Following a breakup with her boyfriend and loss of her job, a woman heads to her hometown, where she reunites with friends and former flings, which turns her life upside down.

Chasing Summer is directed by Josephine Decker director of Madeline’s Madeline (2018), Shirley (2020), The Sky Is Everywhere (2022) and a few others.

Chasing Summer is a cute little 91 minute comedy that doesn’t overstay its welcome, there isn’t a whole lot to talk about with this one. It’s a midlife crisis film about a woman who loses her job and man, she moves back to her parent’s place and we see wacky shenanigans follow. What you see is what you get from this one, luckily the performances and Josephine Decker’s strong direction make this entertaining enough.

Iliza Shlesinger (who also wrote the film’s script) is by and large what keeps this film going. There’s some genuinely funny moments due to her performance, the interactions she has with some of the other characters are genuinely great and at times feels all too real. Lola Tung is great here as well although she is very underutilized and only gets so much to really do. She does get one interaction with Shlesinger that is quite solid however.

Shlesinger’s script is decent enough, there are some genuinely funny moments and there’s a nice balance of drama and comedy. The twist the film goes for however can be seen coming a mile away and unfortunately the third act is not as strong as the rest of the film. It’s so much slower (not in a good way) and at times feels a bit redundant. I do think Decker’s direction does salvage this a bit by making this feel a bit more personal and has the feel of somebody telling us this story rather than this being unexpectedly dumped on us all at once.

I do appreciate Josephine Decker going for something a bit different from her previous films, even if Chasing Summer is not as good as her previous work. There is a lot of heart here that does help the film cross the finish line, there is this wave of nostalgia to the film. Seeing people you thought you wouldn’t see again, or finding out people from your town you grew up in are still there. There’s this sweet and real feel that Decker captures that gives the film more room to breathe.

Overall Chasing Summer is a decent little comedy, it has its flaws but it does have enough charm and fun to be worth a watch.

Chasing Summer currently has no release date.

6/10 C+

Bugonia (2025) Film Review

Two conspiracy-obsessed men kidnap the CEO of a major company when they become convinced that she’s an alien who wants to destroy Earth.

Bugonia is directed by Yorgos Lanthimos director of Dogtooth (2009), The Lobster (2015), The Killing Of A Sacred Deer (2017), The Favourite (2018), Poor Things (2023), Kinds Of Kindness (2024) and a few others.

Part of what makes Yorgos Lanthimos such a fascinating director is his ability to take the viewer into a much different world in each of his films. Even if you don’t fully like a certain film of his you always have to give him credit where credit is due, he makes the world of said film unique. That’s certainly the case here with Bugonia and it just might be one of his very best films, every single corner there is something going on whether it be the character’s movements, a score that is almost mocking the characters with this triumphant opera even though what’s shown is the exact opposite. Plus a lot of unexpected twist and turns make this film a very bizarre ride. Although Bugonia is a remake of South Korea film Save the Green Planet! The film manages to be its own thing!

Emma Stone as usual delivers in every single way possible. Her approach to such a bizarre script feels natural, her interactions with Jesse Plemons and Aidan Delbis alone make the film worth watching. She captures the bizarre atmosphere and balances the humor and the film’s darker moments masterfully. The chaos between her character Michelle Fuller and Teddy Gatz (played by Jesse Plemons) only shows how incredible her performance really is.

Jesse Plemons and Aidan Delbis are both fantastic here as well. Teddy Gatz is a character whose trauma, abuse and anger leads him down a path that isn’t reality. The way Plemons portrays this is incredibly effective and only shows the unhinged nature that Teddy has piled in him. One moment he can seem somewhat in reality and the next moment he can be spouting the most nonsensical things you ever heard of, these are the moments in particular that really shows how incredible Plemons’s performance really is. In between all of this Aidan Delbis delivers some humanity, while his performance isn’t as grand or large in scale as Stone or Plemons. He delivers a more quiet yet impactful performance that sticks to the viewer in the end.

The writing is fantastic, there’s a lot going on here thematically. Such as conspiracies caused by corporate pain, the loss of truth, corporations reducing their employees and such much more. Each of these themes is tackled masterfully, with a lot of exploration of the characters and just overall fascinating character and world writing that gives such bizarre picture. Seeing how and what pushed Teddy over the edge was some of the film’s most important moments, it does not necessarily sympathize with him it just hands you these scenes and asks you “what do you make of this?”

The cinematography from cinematographer Robbie Ryan and the score from Jerskin Fendrix combined together create something truly fascinating. The cinematography gives this film a small scale look yet feels much bigger, that’s mainly because a majority of the film we are in this one house. Yet when the film does switch to the outdoors in some scenes it feels massive, it’s a nice balance that keeps it very natural and strangely grounded. The score as I said at the beginning almost has this humor to it, there’s this triumphant opera that points a finger at the character and laughs at them when something doesn’t go according to plan. It’s hilarious and quite effective something you don’t see a whole lot of films attempt to do mainly because it’s hard to nail down.

Finally there’s the last bit of the film and the bizarreness of the film in general. Despite being bizarre this strangely feels like one of Lanthimos’s most grounded films, rabbit holes like this do exist and people’s trauma and abuse can lead them down a dark path. The final act has one of the best song uses of 2025, I won’t say what it is here because it truly is effective and creates this haunting yet calming picture. The bizarre nature of the film is both comedic yet atmospheric, there’s a lot going on here that only adds up as the film goes on.

Overall Bugonia is one of the best films of 2025, a fascinating film that has so much to explore with excellent performances.

Bugonia is available on all VOD platforms.

10/10 A+

A Poet (2025) Film Review

Oscar Restrepo’s obsession with poetry brought him no glory. Aging and erratic, he has succumbed to the cliché of the poet in the shadows. Meeting Yurlady, a humble teenager, and helping her cultivate her talent brings some light to his days, but dragging her into the world of poets may not be the way.

A Poet is directed by Simón Mesa Soto director of Amparo (2021).

A Poet is the story about a man who is hated by just about everyone in his life and fails to confront as to why. But over the course of the film we slowly see him starting to try to be a better person and finding himself through poetry. The writing combined with some very solid performances makes for a wonderful character study driven film that is bound to leave the viewer impressed.

Ubeimar Rios’s performance is quite excellent here, there is a lot of depth to his character Oscar. We see early on in the film how he has completely lost himself, he’s self-sabotaging his life and even his failure as a father. Rios does such a wonderful job of making you dislike Oscar at first but then slowly turning the ship around for him as a character where you start to root for him to change. There’s character moments here that capture the theme of wanting change in this raw way which in turn helps the viewer connect with Oscar. The little moments of Oscar finding himself through poetry is incredibly rewarding to the viewer as you feel like you have been on this journey with him.

Rebeca Andrade as Yurlady is also fantastic, every scene with Andrade and Rios interacting is where the film is at its best. It’s worth noting that both Rios and Andrade are not professional actors, which only makes their presence all the more natural during the mentor scenes. It also helps that we get insight into the lives of their characters Oscar and Yurlady almost serving as this daily life sort of feel. We don’t get as much information about Yurlady as we do about Oscar (which is to be expected the film revolves around him.) but we do get just enough to piece everything together.

The writing is very well done, the theme of change is present throughout the film and it works perfectly with this comedic yet sad atmosphere that is felt throughout the experience. The script is able to capture the complexities of Oscar as a character, he’s both frustrating and fascinating at the same time. Oscar is discomforting to watch yet also gripping, there is such a wonderful balance that’s thrown into the mix that makes the film all the more effective.

Overall A Poet is a really interesting story that is told in this balanced and fascinating way that sticks with the viewer. The performances help keep the story moving along and leaves on a very worthy end.

A Poet releases in theaters January 30th!

8/10 B+

One Battle After Another (2025) Film Review

When their evil enemy resurfaces after 16 years, a group of ex-revolutionaries reunite to rescue the daughter of one of their own.

One Battle After Another is directed by Paul Thomas Anderson director of Hard Eight (1996), Boogie Nights (1997), Magnolia (1999), Punch-Drunk Love (2007), There Will Be Blood (2007), The Master (2012), Inherent Vice (2014), Phantom Thread (2017) and Licorice Pizza (2021).

Paul Thomas Anderson continues to show why he is a master at his craft with One Battle After Another, a film that right out the gate immediately hooks the viewer into the film with its suspenseful and rich atmosphere, its sneaky score that creeps on you and its characters who truly make the film’s world feel complete. The beginning moments of the film start off with such a high note that the film keeps that note high as we get deeper and deeper into the film, which ultimately leads to a truly thrilling and powerful experience.

The performances are all fantastic here, each of the cast are able to bring something to the table that makes the film shine incredibly brightly. Especially when it comes to how perfectly the cast bounces off of each other when it comes to the dialogue. We get louder moments, we get humorous moments and we get a ton of quiet moments that are filled to the brim with tension.

Leonardo DiCaprio turns in a phenomenal performance, he plays Pat Calhoun/Bob Ferguson a member of the French 75. DiCaprio does a phenomenal job of playing this washed-up former member of this revolutionary group while also trying to be the best father he can be for Willa Ferguson (played by Chase Infinti), there are tons of wonderful moments between the two that are truly powerful. DiCaprio already being a phenomenal actor especially helps, because a role like Bob Ferguson is a bit demanding. There is this balance of humorous and suspense that needs to be captured in order to fully work and luckily that is the case for DiCaprio, underneath more humorous moments there’s a bit of pain that Bob displays and it’s noticeable to the viewer throughout the film. This is a very different performance from DiCaprio’s last couple of roles and he absolutely nails it.

Although Teyana Taylor sort of disappears from the film during the second half, her presence and what her character Perfidia does to help set up the film is felt throughout the experience. Teyana Taylor gives a powerhouse performance that instantly brings the viewer into the film’s world. The body language and her dialogue during the film’s intimidating moments with Steven J. Lockjaw (played by Sean Penn) shows another example of how much of a fantastic actress Taylor really is. The way she captures fear, determination and such really brings together on just how raw her performance really is.

Sean Penn is terrifying there is no other way to describe his performance, sure there are moments where the film is clearly making fun of him and a far right group known as “The Christmas Adventure Club” but make no mistake Steven J. Lockjaw is terrifying and truly evil, when he says lines that are meant to be comedic you feel this strong case of ire and hatred in his voice that never leaves your mind. The way Lockjaw escalates situations and how they can go from bad to worse just by Lockjaw entering the frame is truly haunting. Sean Penn is really great here and especially delivers scene in particular with Chase Infiniti.

Benicio del Toro and Regina Hall are both excellent here as well, Benicio del Toro gives a very likable and quite entertaining performance as Sergio St. Carlos, he gets one of the film’s most memorable scenes that feels like a large in scale thrilling atmosphere nuke that hits the film and makes it even more fascinating. Benicio del Toro also works incredibly well with Leonardo DiCaprio, the whole scene with the hidden passage that Sergio helps Bob to try and escape Lockjaw’s men is absolutely thrilling and filled to the brim with this scale that Benicio brings perfectly. Regina Hall only has a handful of scenes but does have one particularly strong moment that is incredibly memorable and very well acted, it can be argued that we did not get enough about her character Deandra but from what we got she contributed to the film’s story and world in this subtle and beautiful fashion.

Lastly there is Chase Infiniti who gives a star making performance, Infiniti plays Willa Ferguson who the film really puts us in the eyes of. Yes Bob is the main character of the film and we follow him the most out of everyone, however this very much feels like Willa’s story. It’s a story of where this ruined world is like hereditary being passed down until it reaches Willa’s generation and Infiniti does such a fascinating job of showing the pain and body language of someone who was caught up in the middle of everything. Willa’s bond with Bob evolves over the course of the film and sticks the landing due to how raw Infiniti’s acting really is, there is so much power put into her performance. One particular scene with Sean Penn is truly fantastic and captures this sense of survival in her eyes that is truly mesmerizing. We are going to be seeing a whole lot more of Chase Infiniti because this performance was truly something special.

The writing is fantastic, the film takes a horrifying world and scenario that has plenty of genuinely terrifying moments. Yet is able to add humor and hopeful moments is truly beautiful at the same time, the character writing in particular is so well done here. Each of the characters as I’ve described earlier are given something to contribute to make the film feel complete and they all succeed, there’s also this depth we get from each of them that is truly meaningful. Even if we physically don’t see Perfidia or Deandra for a number of scenes their presence is still felt and on its own gives them this character development. It’s a truly fascinating technique that not many filmmakers, writers and such can master but in the case of One Battle After Another mastery is all over the place.

Finally there is the technical parts of the film, the cinematography from Michael Bauman brings the film’s most memorable scene which some simply call it “The Hill scene” it’s a thrilling and a quiet yet explosive scene that captures the film’s atmosphere in a matter of seconds. The score from Jonny Greenwood is wonderfully done and truly paints the thrilling picture in a number of these scenes, some tracks start quietly and eventually keep growing in this subtle and careful way that creeps on the viewer. The large in scale nature of the film combined with the atmosphere works effortlessly, there’s so many moments where you are just looking around in the background of the film, there’s so much to explore in this giant painting that only adds more and more.

Overall One Battle After Another is a fantastic film and one of the year’s best, it’s an incredible experience that brings the viewer in almost immediately and never lets you go.

One Battle After Another is available on all VOD platforms

10/10 A+

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+