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+

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+

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

Rental Family (2025) Film Review

Struggling to find purpose, an American actor lands an unusual gig with a Japanese agency to play stand-in roles for strangers. As he immerses himself in his clients’ worlds, he begins to form genuine bonds that blur the lines between performance and reality. Confronting the moral complexities of his work, he soon rediscovers purpose, belonging, and the quiet beauty of human connection.

Rental Family is directed by Hikari director of Tsuyako (2011), A Better Tomorrow (2013), Where We Begin (2015) and 37 Seconds (2019).

Rental Family is the very definition of a crowd pleaser, at times that does hold the film back from going deeper with its themes. However there is no denying on how charming the whole package really is, the performances are excellent, the emotional beats are strong and the humor is genuinely funny at times.

Brendan Fraser fits like a glove with his performance as Phillip, he provides this mixture of bumbling and kindhearted vulnerability that is constantly shown throughout the film. His conversations with the rest of the cast always has something beautiful and meaningful within them, whether it be smaller moments or bigger ones. Fraser’s body language and manner of speaking is truly beautiful that pains such an honest picture that is genuinely beautiful.

The supporting cast particularly Mari Yamamoto and Akira Emoto are very strong here. Yamamoto has some great scenes with Fraser, I do wish there was a bit more exploration with her character Aiko. We do get a bit around the halfway point of the film and for what it is there is some solid character work. Emoto’s performance gives us plenty of hilarious, beautiful and genuinely heartbreaking moments. Emoto’s character Kikuo Hasegawa has a character arc that is on the predictable side of things, but it ultimately still works given the context of Phillip and Kikuo’s conversations they had with one another. These moments in particular are some of the film’s strongest due to just how natural and caring the conversations really feel.

The writing is solid, the scenes with Phillip and Mia (played by Shannon Mahina Gorman) having this father and daughter bond are genuinely beautiful and gut wrenching at the same time. While they are super sweet underneath it all is an unfortunate lie, not done in a malicious way. Her mother Hitomi (played by Shino Shinozaki) felt Mia needed a father figure, which is ultimately devastating since Mia believes her father has truly come back. The Rental Family business brings happiness yet can also bring sadness this being a prime example. There are moments where it admittedly does feel like we are missing some exploration with Hitomi and the bond between Phillip and Mia. However the film explores just enough to make these scenes worth it in the end.

The film almost has this side quest like feel with a lot of the many people Phillip means, this is not particularly a bad thing as the film does a good job of telling these stories. Even if the focus needed a bit more power to it, there truly is some genuine moments in all of them that make the stories simple yet beautiful at the same time.

Overall Rental Family is a satisfying little film that you can’t help but leave with a smile on your face, it might be a bit too much of a crowd pleaser for some. However the film’s earnestness and kind nature manages to make this one work.

Rental Family is currently in theaters.

8/10 B+

Lurker (2025) Film Review

A retail employee infiltrates the inner circle of an artist on the verge of stardom. As he gets closer to the budding music star, access and proximity become a matter of life and death.

Lurker is directed by Alex Russell which is his directorial debut.

Lurker is a very impressive directorial debut that goes for this realistic and quite uncomfortable look at fan culture and the effects of obsession and celebrity worship. The performances, atmosphere and Russell’s direction truly make the whole package work.

Théodore Pellrin and Archie Madekwe give some of the best performances of the year, Pellrin plays Matthew someone who is obsessed with wanting to belong and eventually does push that way too far, it’s done in this very subtle and realistic way. Some people might write this off as a “stalker film like performance” but what Lurker goes for here is quite different, Matthew gets into Oliver’s (played by Archie Madekwe) life easily by acting useful and harmless. It’s a natural way that just about anyone would fall for, how Pellrin portrays these actions and mindsets is truly fascinating to the point where it’s almost scary.

Archie Madekwe does a fantastic job as Oliver, not only does he do a fantastic job of illustrating the casual control that a celebrity wields. But he also does an excellent job when it comes to having this balance of charisma and detachment, we see this more and more as the film goes on with Oliver realizing that Matthew really needs to be cut off from him, which he does about as well as he really can considering the situation he is in.

The dynamic between the two is what keeps the film moving along, we see they start off as great friends with Matthew becoming more and more obsessive with Oliver. We can see the quick change in their friendship with it slowly but surely going downhill and getting more and more uncomfortable, all of this is captured quite rawly through the performances of Pellrin and Madekwe. It’s uncomfortable yet a fascinating look at how being parasocial can really start to affect your real life bonds a behavior outside the internet.

The supporting cast are great here as well, particularly Havana Rose Liu who may not get the most amount of screen time. But she does have memorable scenes that are quite great and captures the atmosphere of the film decently well. Her and Zack Fox both effectively reflect the audience’s reactions to Matthew’s obsessive behavior.

The writing is fantastic, as mentioned before the film is done in this quite realistic style and the writing really reflects that. Whether it be some of the more explosive moments that the film builds up to, or some of the more quiet and subtle moments that remain thrilling throughout the film. There is always something here to bring in the viewer slowly but surely, the manipulative language that Matthew displays is scary and captures a lot of what makes this sort of behavior so scary in the first place.

The direction from Alex Russell is incredibly confident and paints this picture of a deeply uncomfortable dive into modern day obsession, while some plot points do go where you expect them to. It’s not enough to take away from Lurker as a film, this sense of belonging is captured so well yet ultimately transformers into something much much darker and unhinged. How Russell is able to accomplish this in a much quieter way is truly fascinating.

Overall Lurker is an excellent film that explores parasocial relationships and celebrity worship in this honest and uncomfortable way. It’s incredibly well acted, written and directed, one of the most underrated films of the year.

Lurker is available on all VOD platforms.

9/10 A

East Of Wall (2025) Film Review

A rebellious South Dakotan rancher makes hard decisions related to her fractured family, financial uncertainty and unresolved grief, all while providing refuge for a group of wayward neighbourhood teens.

East Of Wall is directed by Kate Beecroft which is her directorial debut.

Authentic would be the best word to describe East Of Wall, not only does it take on a very documentary like approach. But the film based on the lead actress Tabatha Zimiga’s real life, it’s a docufiction film done at its absolutely best.

The performances feel incredibly raw, Tabatha Zimiga gives her debut performance and does such a beautiful job. Almost immediately you connect with her story simply due to how well the film establishes her and her story very early on, Porshia Zimga similarly plays herself and does just as an incredible job. With a cast that is filled with mostly nonprofessionals we really get to see and feel the impact of Zimiga’s story and the performances here feel that much more authentic. While yes Scoot McNairy and Jennifer Ehle are here (who also do a great job) that does not take away from the authenticity of the film. They mix well with the rest of the cast and fit into the story being told.

Almost immediately you get Chloe Zhao’s The Rider (2018) vibes from the film and in a good way. Much like that film, we get to see the daily lives of Tabatha and her daughter Porshia in this authentic way that shows them living their lives on screen. It’s like we are just watching them for a distance and seeing what unfolds, we get some beautiful cinematography from Austin Shelton who captures the beauty of South Dakota particularly the Badlands a forgotten beauty (that we do not see much in film.)

The writing is phenomenal, Kate Beecroft also wrote the script and apparently lived 3 years with Tabatha and her family. That definitely shows throughout the film, you can feel this personal power that is poured into the script as the film goes on, the emotional moments hit one hundred times harder than they normally would. The quiet moments feel more connective, scenes of Tabatha and her family just talking and bonding are beautiful. There is much beautiful character work here as well as acting talent.

Overall East Of Wall is straightforward yet is the very definition of authentic, it’s a beautifully told story that might take a bit to get going. But it is absolutely worth experiencing.

East Of Wall is available on all VOD platforms.

9/10 A