The Drama (2026) Film Review

A happily-engaged couple is put to the test when an unexpected turn sends their wedding week off the rails.

The Drama is directed by Kristoffer Borgli director of DRIB (2017), Sick Of Myself (2022) and Dream Scenario (2023).

After Dream Scenario (2023) I was very curious to see what exactly Kristoffer Borgli was going to follow up with, The Drama is quite a fantastic film that combines this completely bizarre scenario with a surprisingly grounded atmosphere. It’s one hell of a ride that the viewer never wants to get off of throughout its running time.

For starts the performances are all fantastic across the board. Zendaya gives yet another excellent performance, the body language used combined with the twists about her character Emma Harwood are bizarre yet Zendaya makes them all work perfectly. The willingness to tackle the film’s bizarre script as well as being able to capture the film’s atmosphere is truly impressive and elevates her performance.

The exact same can be said for Robert Pattinson, he gives an excellent performance that uses the same body language that Zendaya uses. The way Pattinson is able to master the film’s pitch black humor in such a casual way is truly some of the film’s biggest highlights.

Zendaya and Robert Pattinson are at their best when they are together, the two have this chemistry that automatically works as soon as you get into the film. Their characters are grounded and communicate a whole lot through their expressions and body language, there is one scene early on in the film that is a very clear showcase of this and only keeps adding up throughout the film. Alana Haim also takes the cake for playing one of the most unlikable characters I have seen in a film in a while which she absolutely nails.

The Drama goes for a couple of directions here, it obviously goes for the romance genre which is no surprise if you read the simple plot synopsis. What the film also goes for here though is this absurdist black comedy that really works for a number of factors. For one thing as I mentioned earlier the body language and expressions really help create this atmosphere that connects everything together. It’s like the pieces to a puzzle, it connects so effortlessly and just makes a whole lot of sense especially as the film slowly reveals the whole picture.

I’m not going to say too much else here since getting into the specifics with The Drama most definitely leads into spoiler territory, but I will say that The Drama is both quite a hilarious and truly chaotic ride that ends up being one of the best films so far this year. Everything comes together incredibly well which leads to fascinating results, go into this one as blind as you can.

The Drama is available on all VOD platforms.

10/10 A+

Lightning Round: You, Me and Tuscany and Fuze (2026)

When a woman crashes at an empty Italian villa, posing as the owner’s fiancée, she discovers an unexpected romance that could transform her life.

You, Me & Tuscany is directed by Kat Coiro director of Life Happens (2011), And While We Were Here (2012), A Case Of You (2013) and Marry Me (2022).

You, Me & Tuscany does not have a whole lot going on here, with that being said it is a decently fun romantic comedy that has its charm.

The movie mainly works due to Halle Bailey, she’s charming and does a fantastic job at bringing the viewer into the film. The character moments have just the right amount of appearances to help build Anna as a character, the rest of the characters are easy to love as well. It’s a very fluffy movie that knows exactly what its audience wants and gives it to them proudly.

The movie can be a bit too familiar for its own good, if you have seen any romantic comedy within the last 5-10 years you can probably make a pretty strong guess as to what is going to happen. You have the setup, the miscommunication and the third act declaration of love. It’s all there and despite being predictable the movie has just the right amount of fun, solid acting and atmosphere to push this one to the finish line.

Not much else to say here, if you are a fan of romcoms this one will do the job.

You, Me & Tuscany is available on all VOD platforms.

6/10 C+

An unexploded WWII bomb is discovered on a busy construction site in the centre of London. Chaos ensues as the military and police begin a mass evacuation against a ticking clock.

Fuze is directed by David Mackenzie director of Hell Or High Water (2016), Outlaw King (2018), Relay (2024) and a lot of others.

Fuze suffers from the exact same problem as Mackenzie’s last film Relay did and it’s that the third act throws a wrench into the movie and not in an interesting or good way. The twist could be seen coming a mile away but it still does break the movie.

On the plus side you do get decent performances from Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Theo James, Gugu Mbatha-Raw and even Sam Worthington. They all really try the best with the script that’s given to them, there are some decently thrilling moments plus it has this atmosphere such as this whole “when is the bomb going to go off” type of one.

The main problem here really comes down to the movie’s script, the characters are incredibly paper thin in terms of both development and personality. Sure there are moments of somewhat interesting dialogue between the characters. But unfortunately those are very far and few in between, the story is very typical heist movie affairs which would be fine enough if the third act was not a complete and total mess with a very unsatisfying conclusion.

There really isn’t much else to be said here, Fuze luckily never leans into “bad” territory but this is certainly one that I really can’t give a recommendation.

Fuze is available on all VOD platforms.

5/10 C

Lightning Round Reviews: They Will Kill You and Reminders Of Him!

A woman takes a job as a housekeeper in a NYC high-rise, unaware of the building’s history of disappearances. She soon realizes the community is shrouded in mystery.

They Will Kill You is directed by Kirill Sokolov director of Why Don’t You Just Die (2018) and No Looking Back (2021).

They Will Kill You is a movie that I wish I had a lot more to say but this is definitely one of those cases where “what you see is what you get” rings completely true. I do not mean this in a bad way, while the story is a large mess it’s everything else that really helps push the movie to the finish line.

Zazie Beetz is truly great here as it does seem like she was having the time of her life, even if some of the one-liners can come off as incredibly corny. Beetz is able to make the one-liners work decently well, she goes completely all out here especially during the film’s bizarre third act that actually compliments her performance. Myha’la, Patricia Arquette and James Remar are all great here as well, they contribute the right amount to leave an impact on the viewer.

The film definitely borrows from Read Or Not (2019) and Kill Bill (2003) it’s very noticeable and unfortunately does lead to some moments that aren’t as impressive since they have been done multiple times before. However the film’s action scenes are still genuinely fun and they have the chaotic atmosphere to back them up. The gore is also quite fantastic as well, if you are fan of action films with a lot of gore this one will definitely do the trick.

Finally there is the film’s bizarre third act which I actually think is the film’s strongest area, It’s incredibly campy and James Remar’s voice work is truly fascinating. What I do love about the third act is it’s not afraid to go all out, it unleashes all of the chaos that the film was building up to and stands by it.

Overall They Will Kill You might not have a whole lot going on story wise, but I do think everything else combined together makes this one at least worth a watch.

They Will Kill You is available on all VOD platforms.

6/10 C+

After prison, a woman attempts to reconnect with her young daughter but faces resistance from everyone except a bar owner with ties to her child. As they grow closer, she must confront her past mistakes to build a hopeful future.

Reminders Of Him is directed by Vanessa Caswill director of Love At First Sight (2023).

Reminders Of Him is the third film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s books. I have only seen It Ends with Us (2024) which was terrible, I never got around to seeing Regretting You (2025) and looking at the reactions and reviews I’m probably going to keep it that way.

I guess by the default Reminders Of Him is the best of the bunch but that is really not saying a whole lot, while there are some decently done dramatic moments which is mainly thanks to Maika Monroe and Tyriq Withers. The movie almost immediately reminds you that you are watching a Colleen Hoover adaption and throws in some very poorly written dialogue that takes you out of the movie almost immediately.

The movie is about as predictable as you can really get, it’s one of those cases where you are just waiting for certain events to happen so the next one can proceed with how you expect them to. The chemistry between Monroe and Withers is also just not there at all outside of a few decent moments. It’s a shame because these are two really great actors they just have the misfortune of being stuck with a shallow script.

Overall there truly is not much else to say here, Reminders Of Him is a very forgettable movie that really overstays its welcome with a runtime of 114 minutes. Hadn’t it been for Monroe or Withers, the results would have looked far more ugly and terrible.

Reminders Of Him is available on all VOD platforms.

4/10 D+

The Bride (2026) Film Review

In 1930s Chicago, Frankenstein asks Dr. Euphronius to help create a companion. They give life to a murdered woman as the Bride, sparking romance, police interest, and radical social change.

The Bride is directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal director of The Lost Daughter (2021).

The Bride is not what you expect at all, sure it does take inspiration from the 1935 film Bride of Frankenstein. But rather than just being yet another Frankenstein adaption, this one chooses to go a very different route with some choices that are admittedly some huge swings. Not everything here works, but the elements that do really help this film stand out.

Jessie Buckley is quite fantastic here which isn’t really a surprise given how great of an actress she is. She actually plays a dual role, she plays The Bride and plays Mary Shelly, the ghost of the author of Frankenstein. She plays both these performances quite well, Buckley delivers an incredibly unhinged performance that has this unpredictable energy where it’s hard to read what she is going to do next. One minute she is having a somewhat normal conversation with someone and the next she’s twitching, yelling and saying the most bizarre sentences you could think of. In some cases this would be points against the movie, however Buckley does such a fantastic job of really capturing the bizarre atmosphere the film asks for that it ultimately works.

Christian Bale meanwhile plays Frank (or Frankenstein’s monster) who looks beaten up and has been through this multiple times before. He is sad, lonely, strangely gentle at times and can even get terrifying when needed. It’s a very different take on the character that is admittedly really neat and something that we the audience typically don’t lean into. I do think Bale’s best moments are when he and Buckley are causing chaos together. There is this nice yin and yang type of feel going on here with The Bride and Frank (at least in the beginning) that the film does explore.

As I said earlier the film is unhinged and it’s proud of it, there are times where the film definitely does not go far enough. However I do think the ideas presented are fascinating, the whole Mary Shelley’s ghost element strangely works incredibly well and fits into the narrative being told. Rather than showing how tragic these characters are, Gyllenhaal goes for a much more playful energy where these characters are chaotic and they are trying to figure out love, identity and revenge. Which I do think benefits the film far more in the end, sure thematically there is a bit of a mess going on here. But it’s the sort of mess that you can’t help but have fun with and genuinely appreciate.

The technical aspects are really strong here, especially the cinematography from cinematographer Lawrence Sher who goes for this large in scale 1920s film that mixes gangster movies and gothic movies. It’s an incredibly strange hybrid that works in the context of what the film is presenting. The score from Hildur Guðnadóttir fits the mood of the film and really brings the viewer into the experience.

Overall not everything in The Bride works but in the end it does end up being such a fun and genuinely great film. I admire the film for taking the swings it took and really not caring what anyone else thinks.

The Bride is available on all VOD platforms.

8/10 B+

Wuthering Heights (2026) Film Review

A passionate and tumultuous love story set against the backdrop of the Yorkshire moors, exploring the intense and destructive relationship between Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw.

Wuthering Heights is directed by Emerald Fennell director of Promising Young Woman (2020) and Saltburn (2023).

Wuthering Heights film adaptions have always existed, you have the 1939 film with Laurence Olivier, the 1992 version with Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche, the 2011 film directed by Andrea Arnold and there is a TV movie plus a mini series. Emerald Fennell’s version is definitely more stylized which leads to both some really interesting elements and some elements that do hold this one back.

Before we get started I do want to say that I have not read the source material, I’m going to judge the film from what was presented. If you are interested in the controversies surrounding the film such as the casting choices I highly recommend looking that up as there are people who talk about this that are far more knowledgeable with the source material than myself. Now with that said, let’s get the ball rolling.

The performances are all quite solid although some are definitely better than others. Margot Robbie does have a few moments where she can feel a bit out of place with the film’s time period, despite that however she is able to land a great performance. I definitely think it’s one of those cases where as the film goes on the better her performance becomes, she adjusts to the film’s atmosphere and is able to make a decently compelling performance. Jacob Elordi is in the same spot as Robbie where I do think it takes him a bit of time to fit in with the atmosphere. But once he does, he is able to land some quite strong moments especially towards the end.

Robbie and Elordi are at their best when they share a screen together, these are by far the film’s better and more investing moments. Their dialogue bounces off of each other decently well and there is some firepower behind certain scenes. The chemistry has some quite strong moments that do bring the viewer into the film’s world, there are definitely some hiccups which mainly comes from how long the film is. But overall I do think the two are able to match the tragic picture that’s being painted.

Hong Chau and Alison Oliver are also pretty solid here, Hong Chau’s more quiet performance compared to the rest of the film being on a more louder scale makes for an interesting contrast. Alison Oliver provides the film’s more bizarre angle, she has this comedic relief aspect that slowly becomes more dark as the film goes on. Oliver captures this quite well and is not afraid to go all out.

The film’s best aspects have to be its cinematography combined with the music. The cinematography from Linus Sandgren is undeniably gorgeous, it matches the atmosphere the film requires and brings this large scale to the story. Even the film’s more simple shots have a whole lot going on in them, there is a striking amount of beauty going on here that does capture the film on this wondrous scale. The music from Charli xcx works incredibly well here, each of the songs are able to stand on their own and they complement their respective scenes. The music definitely does a lot of the heavy lifting when it comes to bringing the viewer into the experience of it all, a few notable mentions go to “Always Everywhere”, “My Reminder”, “Out Of Myself” and “Funny Mouth”.

Overall I do think Wuthering Heights as it stands is a decent film, it does go on for a bit longer than it should and it does have a very bumpy start. But I do think it gets better as it goes on resulting in a decent enough film.

Wuthering Heights is available on all VOD platforms.

7/10 B

Mile End Kicks (2026) Film Review

A 24-year-old music critic gets romantically involved with members of an indie band in Montreal.

Mile End Kicks is directed by Chandler Levack director of We Forgot to Break Up (2017), I Like Movies (2022) and Roommates (2026).

Mile End Kicks on the surface may just seem like another coming of age film and while it does share some common traits, what Levack does here with the coming of age template is what makes this one stand on its own. Combine that with charm, fun, charisma, very well written characters and strong acting you then have yourself something quite special.

Barbie Ferreira as Grace Pine a music critic who is trying to accomplish her goals feels all too real, Ferreira’s performance has this natural tone of meeting a handful of people while also having this feel of loneliness. Grace Pine is trying to find her voice in the world and figure out what she really wants, Ferreira portrays this so beautifully and captures the different emotions the film goes for. Whether it’s humorous moments, heartfelt moments or moments of loneliness, Ferreira is able to quickly adapt to the change and go all out.

Devon Bostick and Stanley Simons are both fantastic here as well, Bonstick shows off how great of a comedic actor he really is. Plus much like Ferreira, he is able to quickly adapt to the film’s atmosphere. Simons also has some quite humorous moments as well and brings this sort of raw presence to the story. Ferreira’s chemistry with Bonstick and Simons is also quite great as well, the back and forth dialogue between them is grounded and has this charm that really draws you into the film.

What really sells Mile End Kicks is the film’s writing, I mentioned it before but there is this sense of loneliness to the film that anyone can really relate to. In particular this film is capturing this time in your late 20s where you feel alone in the world and have to find your voice and what you really want in the world. The natural dialogue between the characters really amplifies this, especially when this theme of feeling like there is something new that you are missing. This theme of old experience vs new experience that brings you on this road that has two completely different paths, it’s something everyone has experienced at least once in their life. The film really does a fascinating job of capturing this, showing it through the eyes of Grace and her experiences.

The humor and charm of the writing is just as satisfying, there is this beautiful tone that really captures the heartfelt moments and brings the experience front and center, the relationships that Grace forms feel complete as well as feeling like a much larger community in the film’s world. The slow burn aspect really brings the focus on building bonds and only brings the film’s desire to form these characters in such a beautiful light.

Overall Mile End Kicks is a beautiful film that Chandler Levack truly hit out of the park, it’s a coming of age story that hits all the right notes and does a lot more to make the film stand on its own. If you are a fan of the genre this is one that is absolutely worth seeking out.

Mile End Kicks is currently in theaters and expands to more theaters tomorrow.

8/10 B+

People We Meet On Vacation (2026) Film Review

Poppy wants to explore the world and Alex prefers to stay home with a good book, but somehow they are the best of friends. They live far apart, but for a decade they have spent one week of summer vacation together.

People We Meet On Vacation is directed by Brett Haley director of The New Year (2010), I’ll See You in My Dreams (2015), The Hero (2017), All The Bright Places (2020) and All Together Now (2020).

Netflix romantic comedies have set this terrible expectation for viewers, that’s mainly due to the poor quality and a majority of them being almost identical to one another. But every now and then you get one like People We Meet On Vacation that manages to actually be quite great, while it does have it’s flaws which basically comes down to familiar genre beats. There is this level of likability to the film that helps it cross the finish line.

Emily Bader and Tom Blyth both give very solid performances, the chemistry between the two is undeniably charming. It has this natural magnetic energy going on here that the viewer feels almost immediately from the moment they start sharing scenes together. Emily Bader does a fantastic job of making Poppy such a funny and lovable character that mixes well with Tom Blyth’s character Alex. Tom Blyth plays a different type of role here and he nails it quite well. It just mainly comes down to the chemistry and the two really nailed it, there’s this authentic feel to the film that we really do not get a whole lot from these Netflix romantic comedies.

The soundtrack is solid and fits the mood of each scene, the cinematography from cinematographer Rob C. Givens is shockingly quite great. There’s a lot of moments here where the film takes advantage of the setting and delivers some gorgeous shots that show off the setting in great detail.

The writing is solid, there’s some genuine funny moments that work in the film’s favor. While the character moments of the film are not grand, they do add up to being quite meaningful towards the end. The film definitely has familiar beats but luckily it never goes the incredibly predictable route and opts for a more natural and grounded approach.

Overall People We Meet On Vacation isn’t anything groundbreaking, however it is incredibly refreshing to see a romantic comedy be effective and accomplish what it’s being sent out to do. Great performances, solid pacing and solid natural dialogue, I recommend giving this one a look.

People We Meet On Vacation is available on Netflix.

7/10 B

Eternity (2025) Film Review

In an afterlife where souls have one week to decide where to spend eternity, Joan is faced with the impossible choice between the man she spent her life with, and her first love, who died young and has waited decades for her to arrive.

Eternity is directed by David Freyne director of The Cured (2017) and Dating Amber (2020).

Eternity is one of those rare modern romantic comedies that strikes that sweet spot when it comes to making both its romance and comedy work so incredibly well with one another. While it is a bit on the predictable side and may have some extra padding here and there. The film works wonderfully due to its fun cast, creativity and the dreamlike atmosphere and filming.

Each of the performances are quite excellent and bring something to the table. Elizabeth Olsen, Miles Teller and Callum Turner all bring their own special charm to the film. Olsen going back and forth of who she wants to spend eternity with feels very real and at times even gets the viewer to participate by making decisions with her. It helps that Olsen in general is a fantastic actress and here is no exception, Teller and Turner are both very fun here and the constant back and forth they have with each other is always entertaining. Their chemistry with Olsen is beautiful and with Olsen delivering a lot of the emotional moments, Teller and Turner do a great job of supporting said moments.

Da’Vine Joy Randolph and John Early are also quite great, they are definitely the film’s comedic weapons but serve that role perfectly. Randolph is a stand out among the cast, she steals each and every single scene she’s in as well as bringing the fun and creative energy to the atmosphere whenever possible. Randolph has an undeniable amount of charm here that really blends well with the rest of the cast, her moments with Miles Teller are some of the film’s absolute best.

I have always been interested in films that have different ideas of what happens after life and Eternity is no exception. In fact this is by far one of the most interesting ideas in quite a while, the writing brings this creative, heartfelt and humorous feel to the film that truly captures its playful mindset. There’s this realness to the dialogue and even some strong character moments, the whole memory archive idea leads to some genuinely beautiful scenes that help build Larry, Joan and Luke as characters. There is the perfect balance of comedy and romance, they don’t outweigh one another to a degree where it becomes distracting.

The cinematography from Ruairí O’Brien is done in this dreamlike state that perfectly captures what you would imagine what the afterlife would look and feel like if it was a film itself. The atmosphere shines perfectly with its soft yet beautiful presence, there is times where the atmosphere almost feels like it’s trying to give you a big warm hug and you can’t help but accept it. There’s so much attention to detail with the different eternities or “worlds” that we see, the use of color and light is always quite beautiful to explore with your eyes.

Overall Eternity is a beautifully done film that really shines through, it might be simple at times and as I said it can feel like it’s padding a bit. However the positives absolutely shine and are truly a blast.

Eternity is currently in theaters.

8/10 B+

Hedda (2025) Film Review

HEDDA (Tessa Thompson) finds herself torn between the lingering ache of a past love and the quiet suffocation of her present life. Over the course of one charged night, long-repressed desires and hidden tensions erupt–pulling her and everyone around her into a spiral of manipulation, passion, and betrayal.

Hedda is directed by Nia DaCosta director of Little Woods (2018), Candyman (2021) and The Marvels (2023).

Nia DaCosta knocks it out of the park with Hedda, a very confidently directed film that displays tons of fantastic performances, visually stunning, and some clever build up that captures the atmosphere that is needed to make the film work in the end.

The performances are a delightful to watch, Tessa Thompson gives a career best worthy performance that fills the screen with passion for her character Hedda. Thompson is able to show her acting power here which leads to a complex and layered performance, she brings Hedda to life as this character who is a agent of chaos who will sit back and enjoy the show. Thompson’s subtle acting with her eyes, breathing or even just standing completely still make the film all the more effective. One of the best performances of the year as well as one of the most passionate ones.

Nina Hoss and Imogen Poots are both incredibly strong here as well, Hoss definitely gets the bigger part as she gives a volcanic performance that shows great deal of strength and range. Her chemistry with Thompson oozes with passion and immediately hits you with this electric type of feel. Much like Thompson, she’s able to portray a complex character brilliantly and in this way that will keep the viewer invested throughout the film.

The cinematography from Sean Bobbitt is absolutely wonderful here, what makes this a very interesting and clever case is the camerawork and how well the stories and emotions of the characters are told through the camera movements. Even when there are some scenes that do not have the writing to back them up, you have the clever use of the camera to back the film up and the results are genuinely beautiful. Due to this we get to see the performances shine front and center, with tons of attention to detail with the costumes and the many conversations that take place throughout the film.

The writing is sharp, very well blended together and has a lot of passion going on here. While it does take a bit to get going, the setup of the film is worth it and ultimately builds to a final act that is very worthy and fits the film like a glove. The atmosphere that is attached to the writing as well as the film’s world is rich and perfectly captures the “whodunnit” genre, it has this classic Hollywood feel that Tessa Thompson and Nina Hoss radiate throughout the film with each and every scene.

Overall Nia DaCosta lands her best film to date, it’s a confidently directed film with clever camerawork and excellent performances. It might have a slow start but once it gets going there is so much to absolutely fall in love with.

Hedda is available on Amazon Prime Video.

9/10 A

Plainclothes (2025) Film Review

In the 1990s, an undercover officer is told to entrap and apprehend gay men only to find himself drawn to one of his targets.

Plainclothes is directed by Carmen Emmi which is his directorial debut.

Plainclothes is one of the most underrated films of the year as well as being one of most surprising. A very strong thriller with tense and powerful performances mixed with rich atmosphere makes this one feel all the more real especially with its themes.

Tom Blyth and Russell Tovey are both phenomenal here, the chemistry between the two is wonderful and they perfectly capture the film’s theme of romance being hopeless and dead thing from the start. Having to hide everything of what you are until it fills you up and destroys you, that’s something Blyth and Tovey depict masterfully, devastating performances that capture the film’s atmosphere and emotion. There is this physical passion between them but when you are only allowed to be shells of human beings, that gets to you incredibly quickly.

The film’s VHS-style is quite wonderful and really captures 1990s New York incredibly well, the cinematography from Ethan Palmer allows the viewer to explore New York in this classical way that is filled to the brim with atmosphere. The style also gives the film a more authentic feel that quickly brings the viewer into the film. The direction from Carmen Emmi is confident, raw and has this tenseness to it that helps both Blyth and Tovey’s performances stand incredibly tall.

The theme of performing different versions of yourself to navigate the world is powerfully done, in this case hiding sexuality which the film brings this heartbreak and tense atmosphere to compliment it all. While there is not exactly anything new discussed or explored here, the way that Emmi explores these themes and topics is what keeps the viewer intrigued.

Finally there is the writing which is done very well here, the build up from the start of the film to the complete turmoil at the end is worth the wait and results in a final act that does a splendid job of bringing its themes together. There is a ton of character moments here that Emmi throws in to make each and every scene all the more important and powerful.

Overall Plainclothes is quite great, it’s an intense and emotional thriller filled with strong performances and just being a cleverly put together film.

Plainclothes is available on all VOD platforms.

8/10 B+