Lighting Round Reviews: Passenger, Deep Water and Hungry!

After a young couple witnesses a gruesome highway accident, they soon realize they did not leave the crash scene alone, as a demonic presence called the Passenger won’t stop until it claims them both.

Passenger is directed by André Øvredal director of Trollhunter (2010), The Autopsy Of Jane Doe (2016), Scary Stories To Tell in the Dark (2019), Mortal (2020) and The Last Voyage of the Demeter (2023).

I really wish there was more to say about Passenger, I typically love Øvredal’s work and even with some of his weaker films I do appreciate with what was attempted. I cannot say the same about Passenger, this is one of those cases where you ask yourself “what happened here?”

The cast does the best they can, Jacob Scipio and Lou Llobell at least have decent chemistry between one another and they are both given some moments to shine. Joseph Lopez as The Passenger is pretty solid as well, he manages to bring a thrilling atmosphere to the table that the writing failed to bring to the table.

The cinematography is by far the best part of the movie which makes it all the more frustrating when the writing completely does not match the visuals or atmosphere at all. Cinematographer Federico Verardi does a lot of the heavy lifting when it comes to what the movie is trying to communicate, his work with the camera is able to blend in with the different locations of the film and capture the whole idea of the eeriness of highways during the night.

What completely destroys this movie is the writing, it starts out decently strong with the opening scene (scene from the trailer) but quickly falls into a forgettable and lackluster mess. There just is not anything that stands out here, which is frustrating because it has the right ingredients to really create something thrilling and engaging for the viewer. But unfortunately the movie opts to go for being more on the cliched side of things. The characters have very little development and the direction from Øvredal feels surprisingly underwhelming, a lot of the heavy and confident feel of his previous work is just not here at all.

Overall Passenger is an incredibly forgettable movie that you basically put in the back of your brain after viewing. I would not say it’s a terrible movie, but in a year that so far has been quite great for the horror genre. This is almost certainly not one of them.

Passenger is available on all VOD platforms.

5/10 C

A group of international passengers en route from Los Angeles to Shanghai are forced to make an emergency landing in shark-infested waters. Now they must work together in hopes to overcome the frenzy of sharks drawn to the wreckage.

Deep Water is directed by Renny Harlin director of The Strangers trilogy (2024-2026), A Nightmare On Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988), Deep Blue Sea (1999) and many others.

Renny Harlin is back yet again with another terrible movie, who is surprised? Although to Harlin’s credit, Deep Water is not AS bad as a lot of his more recent movies. However that most certainly does not make it good and there really is just not a whole lot to discuss here in the end.

The acting ranges from terrible to fine enough, out of the cast, Aaron Eckhart, Ben Kingsley and Lucy Barrett are the ones who at the very least squeezed some decent moments out of this movie. Eckhart is actually somewhat trying here which is a bit of surprise given his latest performances and Penny (played by Lucy Barrett) is one of the only likable characters of the movie so it’s a bit of a shame to see her go early on. Ben Kingsley unfortunately isn’t in the movie for very long, he gives by far the best performance of the movie as his scenes with Eckhart are decently fun.

The main issue with this movie is it could have been a fun shark b-movie but it takes itself WAY TOO seriously, the direction the movie goes is focusing way less on the shark and focusing a lot more on the characters who don’t have any sort of strong writing to back them up. A majority of them are incredibly unlikable and not in the interesting kind of way, the “redemption arcs” are incredibly corny the only reason being there is for the viewer to suddenly care these characters who you have only seen for about 10-20 minutes.

It’s a shame because there are parts of this movie that are decent enough, the plane crash was surprisingly decently directed. You could actually feel some sort of tension in the air and ask yourself “who’s going to survive and who isn’t.” Unfortunately all of that goes away the moment the plane crashes and we are stuck with a very bland shark movie that just does not have a whole lot going for it.

Overall Deep Water is incredibly forgettable, there is some fun to be had here with some unintentional hilarious moments and the thrilling plane crash. But that’s really about it.

Deep Water is available on all VOD platforms.

4/10 D+

After becoming lost in the Louisiana swamplands, a group of holidaymakers must fight for their lives against a rampaging hippo on the loose.

Hungry is directed by James Nunn director of Wildcat (2025), One More Shot (2024), Shark Bait (2022), One Shot (2021) and many others.

I appreciate that someone attempted a killer hippopotamus movie (enough with the sharks!), unfortunately Hungry misses the mark on elements that should have been a home run.

Hungry has two halves, the first is a group of people stranded on a boat while the second half is the hippo starting to attack the group. The second half is by far the better portion since after all that’s the main reason the viewer is here, I must give credit where credit is due, the hippo actually looks quite great at times. There’s a some simple shots of the hippo peeking its head out of the water that are genuinely unsettling.

What really holds Hungry back however is mainly the movie taking way too long to get going and how it takes itself a bit too seriously at times. It’s a bit of a whiplash since the movie tries to both play in a silly and serious nature, the PG-13 rating also does not do the movie any favors especially when it comes to limiting the kills. When you combine that with budgetary restraints there are a lot of moments that end up being a mess.

When you combine all of this, Hungry just kind of exists. It’s not a terrible movie as there is some fun to be had and for a low budget movie it does with what it can, but overall there is just not a whole lot going on here at all.

Hungry is available on all VOD platforms.

5/10 C

Mother Mary (2026) Film Review

Long-buried wounds rise to the surface when iconic pop star Mother Mary reunites with her estranged best friend and former costume designer, Sam Anselm, on the eve of her comeback performance.

Mother Mary is directed by David Lowery director of Pete’s Dragon (2016), A Ghost Story (2017), The Old Man & The Gun (2018), The Green Knight (2021), Peter Pan & Wendy (2023) and a few others.

Mother Mary is the very definition of a film that is not going to be for everyone, however everything about this film just comes together in this haunting little present that you can’t help but stay invested in as the film goes on. Between the performances, the use of the one location setting, the haunting atmosphere, the music and the film’s exploration of pain and relationships and where art comes from the film is truly highlight from this year.

The performances from Anne Hathaway and Michaela Coel are truly captivating, throughout the whole film it feels like Hathaway right on the edge of collapse and is quite lost on what to do. It’s this grounded mindset that truly brings her character Mother Mary to life and delves into the film’s theme of pain and relationships. Hathaway also nails it with the film’s original songs, they are all sung with power, passion and with the type of atmosphere that the film requires. Coel gives a performance that shows a tremendous amount of confidence and strength, she immerses herself into her character Sam Anselm and brings in this sincerity that truly is captivating.

The film heavily relies on the chemistry between Anne Hathaway and Michaela Coel to really do the talking and luckily they do just that. The many conversations the two have are incredibly investing, talking about old memories, or their bond. There is a lot here that just works due to how talented the two really are, they do such a fantastic job of matching the film’s haunting atmosphere. Their long confrontation is intense and built on silence, every moment it feels like you are listening in on a grounded conversation. Due to this, the two give some of the best performances so far this year.

The writing is quite fantastic, the whole exploration of pain and relationships plus where art comes from is incredibly well done and is told in both this artistic and human manner. There are these moments of pain being expressed that are hauntingly beautiful, they truly capture this bond between Mother Mary and Sam Anselm that truly is highlighted quite beautifully. The ending only adds to this in this quite wonderful and well executed closing to the story.

The film’s atmosphere combined with its one location setting are fascinating. The atmosphere almost immediately captures this haunting, thrilling and beautiful feel of a film where you are not sure where it’s going to go just yet but you are fully on board. The one location setting brings the tense nature to the film especially when it comes to the confrontation of Mother Mary and Sam Anselm, it almost feels like a stage production at times which only adds to the film’s power that it displays.

Finally there is the music, Charli xcx, Jack Antonoff and FKA Twigs all worked on the soundtrack and each of the songs brings something different to the table. I do think Burial and Cut Ties are my personal favorites here, but all of the songs are fantastic. They all have their own story to tell, their own atmosphere and Anne Hathaway sings absolutely wonderfully. They all add up to such a fascinating story that really invests you into the film’s atmosphere.

Overall Mother Mary is one of the best films of the year, as I said before, it will most certainly not be for everyone but if it does sound like your thing you will not be disappointed.

Mother Mary is available on all VOD platforms.

10/10 A+

Wasteman (2026) Film Review

Follows parolee Taylor whose fresh start hopes are jeopardized by cellmate Dee’s arrival. As Dee takes Taylor under his wing, a vicious attack tests their bond, forcing Taylor to choose between protecting Dee and his own parole chances.

Wasteman is directed by Cal McMau which is his directorial debut.

Wasteman is a film that I knew very little about going in and walking out of it, this ended up being one of the best films of 2026 so far. From the brilliant performances from David Jonsson and Tom Blyth, to the detailed and disturbing exploration of the UK prison system, finally the thrilling atmosphere that will keep you focused the whole way through. The film has it all in this 90 minute package that is truly a powerhouse.

The performances from David Jonsson and Tom Blyth are what make this film and contribute to just how fantastic it really is. David Jonsson plays his character Taylor with such power and delivers an old soul type of performance, the whole story of Taylor seeking redemption is truly fascinating. Jonsson portrays Taylor as a character who is constantly wrestling with deep sorrow and the huge mental toll of trying to reconnect with his son. It’s a powerful and grounded performance that keeps building up as the film goes on, Jonsson has shown time and time again that he is one of the best actors of his generation and that is especially the case here.

Tom Blyth plays Dee an incredibly unpredictable, chaotic and volatile cellmate who brings this incredibly tense atmosphere into the film. Dee is the direct opposite of Taylor which only leads to several fantastic on screen tension moments, Blyth does such a fascinating job of putting so much chaotic and unpredictable energy into the performance, he does this in a very grounded approach rather than a cartoonish one you might see in other prison dramas. Much like Jonsson, Blyth has shown he’s one of the best of his generation and that continues to show here.

But what makes Jonsson and Blyth so fantastic in the film is them together, the back and forth dialogue, the constant tension in the room it’s all there that builds this incredibly thrilling atmosphere that strikes the viewer when they least expect it. The two are perfectly paired and go all out with their talent, the two’s chemistry is built on mistrust, necessity and this fragile sense of mutual survival. It’s truly some of the most effective chemistry from a film so far this year.

The look into the UK prison system is quite interesting and at times disturbing. Such as the lack of funding for staff which allows the prisoners to run rampant, smuggle, assault or kill. The film’s bleak atmosphere really paints this disturbing picture of focusing less on rehabilitation and more of the system struggling to keep order. The film leans into realism by having the location be the Shepton Mallet Prison, an extra touch is that 50% to 80% of the extras and background actors were actual former prisoners. Which gives the film even more rawness both in its story and the atmosphere.

Overall Wasteman is one of the best films so far this year. It’s a fascinating film from start to finish and truly paints this disturbing picture. The performances from Jonsson and Blyth alone are a reason why you should watch this one!

Wasteman is available on all VOD platforms.

10/10 A+

Exit 8 (2026) Film Review

A man becomes increasingly desperate when he realizes he is trapped in a subway station, needing to complete a mission to get out.

Exit 8 is directed by Genki Kawamura director of A Hundred Flowers (2022). The film is based on the 2023 video game of the same name.

Exit 8 is definitely an interesting one, very rarely do we get a video game adaption film that plays out and feels like a video game but that’s the case here. At times that can hurt the movie, but for a majority of the experience it benefits the film in a lot of ways. It also should be worth noting that I have never played the 2023 video game, I went into this one knowing very little about it.

The performances are quite great our main character who is simply known as “The Lost Man” is played by Kazunari Ninomiya who does quite an excellent job of almost immediately capturing the atmosphere the film requires especially during the film’s first act. The way he interacts with the world around him and navigates through the tunnels is very thrilling and really brings the viewer up close to the action.

I will say however the performance that really stood out to me was Yamato Kochi who plays a character simply known as “The Walking Man”, we see him early on as The Lost Man goes through the tunnels and they end up looping. We also do get a bit of a backstory to The Walking Man, it’s a simple yet effective backstory that does capture the film’s atmosphere. In fact from the moment Kochi enters the film the atmosphere definitely feels like it shifts into something more darker yet has this lonely feel. Kochi does the best job when it comes to capturing the atmosphere and going a little bit further with it, it’s almost like he’s putting this highlighter on it to bring your attention for the rest of the ride.

The film’s themes of choosing fatherhood or the single salaryman lifestyle and how every small decision in life counts is incredibly on the nose, there are points where the film just flat out says its themes. However I do think they still work effectively here and tie into the film’s story decently well, there isn’t anything here that is going to blow your mind as these exact same themes have been done before in far better ways elsewhere. But you do grow to really appreciate these characters and their stories that you find this strange sort of charm.

The technical aspects of Exit 8 is what brings this film together, the editing from Jimmy Liu is nice and sharp, the music from Yasutaka Nakata and Shohei Amimori starts off with a bang with opening theme and closes the film out incredibly well. Plus with the rest of the music throughout the experience matching the haunting atmosphere there truly is a lot to explore within. Finally there is the cinematography from cinematographer Keisuke Imamura who truly makes the experience of the film, every single turn from a corner or other angles brings this level of suspense to the atmosphere. There are some very clear references to The Shining (1980) and Imamura is able to make those his own by putting his own style into it.

Overall Exit 8 might not exactly have a whole lot of depth when it comes to dialogue or a narrative. But I still do think it’s quite a great film that gives the viewer a very interesting and thrilling experience.

Exit 8 is available on all VOD platforms.

8/10 B+

Tribeca Review: Iconoclast (2026)

Follows a reclusive young man whose dangerous obsession with a live-streaming influencer increasingly erodes his grip on reality.

Iconoclast is directed by Gabriel Basso which is his directorial debut.

Iconoclast is the film I knew the least amount about going into the Tribeca Film Festival and I’m glad that was the case. This is a film that slowly but surely sets the viewer into its world and creates this surprisingly disturbing look at how damaging parasocial relationships can be, plus with a twist ending that ties everything together incredibly well.

The performances all across the board are fantastic, Gabriel Besso does such a fantastic job of giving this on the edge of being disturbed type of performance. As the film goes on we see Connor slowly but surely lose himself, just when you think he might be able to be pulled into reality he goes right back into the insanity. Besso does such a fascinating job of showcasing this whether it be through is direction of the film or his performance.

Courtney Eaton is fantastic here as well, she delivers such a tense yet relaxed performance that shows you two sides of her character Nika. Throughout the film when Connor is listening and watching Nika’s streams we only ever hear her voice, however we do get to see Nika when Connor sees her everywhere he goes. It’s a very effective way of showing the viewer two different angles of this story that once you get the full picture in the end is quite disturbing.

Finally there’s Rain Spencer who continues to impress as an actress, while Spencer’s role might seem a little undercooked during the film’s first half. She quickly starts to find a place in the film and ends up being quite effective, her character Morgan is in the dark about the whole situation with Connor and these moments of trying to unknowingly try to bring someone back to normalcy are effective. The dialogue shared between the two is fantastic, Rain Spencer seriously brings her talent front and center here.

As mentioned before, the film takes a look at how damaging parasocial relationships can be. It also does take a look at online radicalization, the film delivers some quite disturbing and raw moments that sharpen the film’s narrative in this careful way that avoids making it come off as disturbing for the sake of being disturbing. Besso’s direction definitely helps here, the slow burn element that Besso includes here works wonders for the film. It helps create this atmosphere that the viewer slowly but surely gets put into, all of this adds up to the film’s ending which does leave quite an impact on the viewer.

Overall Iconoclast is a very well acted, directed and atmospheric ride from beginning to end. The film’s pacing can definitely feel a bit too slow at times, however that is not enough to stop the film from being quite effective.

Iconoclast currently has no release date.

8/10 B+

How To Make A Killing (2026) Film Review

A disinherited man, Becket Redfellow, systematically murders his way up the line of succession to claim his family’s fortune.

How To Make A Killing is directed by John Patton Ford director of Emily The Criminal (2022).

How To Make A Killing has its flaws, but it’s an overall entertaining ride with a solid cast that does lift the material in entertaining ways.

Glen Powell shows a lot of charisma here, he plays Becket Redfellow in this humorous and charming way that you can’t help but feel invested into him as a character. He works with the cast quite well particularly with Margaret Qualley and Jessica Henwick. Margaret Qualley brings this charm to the film as well and brings this femme fatale into the mix that is quite effective, Jessica Henwick has great chemistry with the cast. Her story can feel a bit out of place with the chaos happening, but she manages to make it work in the end.

The writing has some very humorous moments and brings this satirical edge to the mix as well. There definitely are moments where the film does get a bit too ridiculous and admittedly the ending does give off the vibe of rushing something together due to not really knowing how to close out the film. But I do think everything that came before the ending does work together decently well.

The pacing can be very inconsistent at times, some sections of the film have this nice atmospheric and fun feel, while others have this rushed feel that doesn’t flow together all that well. The character moments are fine enough and although brief, the flashback scenes do give us a bit more information about Julia Steinfeld (played by Margaret Qualley.)

Overall there really isn’t a whole lot to say here, How To Make A Killing isn’t really saying anything new. But it is admittedly a very entertaining ride that does have a fun cast, great humor and works purely on charm.

How To Make A Killing is available on all VOD platforms.

7/10 B

Quick Review: Apex (2026)

A woman seeking isolation in the Australian wilderness becomes the target of a ritualistic killer, forcing her into a brutal fight for survival.

Apex is directed by Baltasar Kormákur director of 2 Guns (2013), Everest (2015), Adrift (2018), Beast (2022) and many others.

Apex is your very typical cat and mouse thriller, the material is elevated a tiny bit due to the talent of Taron Egerton and Charlize Theron being involved. But outside of that, this is a quite forgettable thriller that doesn’t quite stick the landing.

Charlize Theron gives a solid performance here, it’s not going to go down as one of her greatest but she still has her natural charm here that works effectively. Taron Egerton plays an unhinged maniac and it works perfectly, Egerton is able to take the movie’s more over the top moments and turn them into something genuinely creepy. Plus he captures the atmosphere the movie requires so that’s always a bonus.

What the movie struggles here with the most is just not having a whole lot of meat on the bone. The exploration of grief is very hollow and really is nothing more than a jumping pad to get Sasha (played by Charlize Theron) into the woods, when you take away the movie’s surprisingly decent production value it is just another Netflix thriller that really doesn’t go anywhere that interesting.

Overall Apex is not terrible, you could easily do a whole lot worse and if you are looking for a late night watch or something quick to put on the movie gets the job done. However if you are looking for something with a lot more substance, you are going to be disappointed with this one. Hadn’t been for Theron and Egerton, Apex would have sank far sooner.

Apex is available on Netflix.

5/10 C

Psycho Killer (2026) Film Review

A police officer tracks a serial killer known as “the Satanic Slasher” after he kills her husband.

Psycho Killer is directed by Gavin Polone which is his directorial debut.

Before you ask no Psycho Killer by Talking Heads is not in this movie. Anyways Psycho Killer is such an absolute mess of a movie that it’s almost impressive. This is basically one of those detective tries to catch a serial killer movies but done incredibly poorly. Which is sort of funny since writer Andrew Kevin Walker (writer of Seven (1995)) is involved with this movie.

First and foremost the characters are not interesting at all, outside of a few decent moments from Georgina Campbell who really tries her best to salvage what she can. The rest of the cast just can’t help this movie at all, I’m not exactly sure how they made the antagonist of the movie the Satanic Slasher incredibly boring but they somehow did it. The voice they decided to go with for the character sounds like an edgelord (I hate using this term but it’s truly the best way to describe it) of Bane from The Dark Knight Rises (2012). Which leads to the character not being taken seriously at all from the viewer, especially when you don’t have the suspenseful atmosphere to back it up.

The main problem here is the script, there is no originality here. Every single cliche you can think of that’s in a horror movie about a serial killer is here and each of these cliches are done at their worst, it’s almost impressive to see just how many cliches are packed into this movie. The incredibly clunky dialogue does the movie no favors at all, a lot of the conversations have no depth and fail to invest the viewer. The movie’s characters make observations that the viewer had long since made which in turn makes the whole mystery element irrelevant.

The only other positive outside of Georgina Campbell’s performance is the movie’s opening. It’s the only time during this 91 minute mess where you can actually feel the atmosphere be thrilling and what does end up happening is genuinely nasty, it gives the movie a nice little boost to hopefully take advantage of but then the rest of the movie happens.

There really isn’t much more to say here, Psycho Killer is by far one of the worst movies of the year so far. It’s baffling how much of a mess and truly awful this one gets as it goes on.

Psycho Killer is available on all VOD platforms.

1/10 F

Over Your Dead Body (2026) Film Review

A couple with secret plans to murder each other at a remote cabin find their schemes unravel when strangers arrive, leading to chaotic carnage.

Over Your Dead Body is directed by Jorma Taccone director of MacGruber (2010) and Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping (2016). The film is an English-language remake of The Trip (2021).

Over Your Dead Body is a fun ride that definitely has its bumps in the road, but for the most part sticks the landing due to some incredibly fun slapstick and a really solid cast.

Jason Segel and Samara Weaving work incredibly well together, Segel brings a lot of the film’s humor. He is able to match the film’s chaotic and slapstick nature and even moves away from his traditional comedic roles and goes far more chaotic and riotous. Samara Weaving continues to show that she’s one of the most exciting actresses working today, she uses a lot of what makes her performance in horror comedies such as the Ready Or Not movies so great and applies here. It’s definitely not as large in scale, but it’s still very entertaining and much like Segel’s performance, it matches the tone of the film incredibly well.

Timothy Olyphant and Juliette Lewis are both great here as well. Olyphant always brings a certain intensity to his villain roles and here is no exception, Juliette Lewis gives an entertaining performance that is filled to the brim with this balance of humor and genuine craziness. The two add a lot of spirit and fun to the film that really helps it stand out.

The writing definitely has its ups and downs, while the film is quite entertaining and has some genuinely funny scenes. There is one particular bit associated with sexual assault that feels like it goes on for way too long, it’s horribly handled and seemingly comes out of nowhere. I’m obviously not trying to say a film can’t depict heavy subjects, however there is no commentary here and it does really suck the air out of the movie.

However I do think the film recovers from this eventually as the third act is a decently fun (although very predictable) slapstick fest with gore that is quite fun. There is clearly a lot of fun energy poured into this final act that brings the the slapstick portion of the film front and center, especially when you combine it with Segel and Weaving’s facial reactions and body language.

Overall Over Your Dead Body is fun enough movie that doesn’t overstay its welcome, it’s a very quick 105 minutes that fans of the thriller comedy genre will enjoy.

Over Your Dead Body releases Friday in Theaters.

6/10 C+

Crime 101 (2026) Film Review

An elusive jewel thief’s final score puts him in conflict with a determined detective and an insurance broker, blurring the lines between hunter and hunted.

Crime 101 is directed by Bart Layton director of The Imposter (2012) and American Animals (2018).

Crime 101 is essentially Michael Mann lite, but it still is quite great in its own ways, even if the film may not be doing anything new. But it is still a quite fun time all around.

The performances are what really make the movie work. Chris Hemsworth gives a strong performance and brings nuance to his character, Hemsworth captures the film’s atmosphere almost immediately and only adds on to it as the plot starts to reveal itself. Mark Ruffalo is reliably intense and Halle Berry serves as the emotional weight of the film, she works incredibly well with the rest of the cast and has a ton of great moments with Hemsworth. Barry Keoghan much like Hemsworth (all be it in a much more louder way) fits the atmosphere and goes all out when required.

The visuals are quite strong with cinematographer Erik Wilson really bringing the film’s world to life, the classic L.A. crime setting pops out wonderfully and the attention to detail with the lighting is genuinely gorgeous. The tension during the film’s man car chase scenes are filled to the brim with atmosphere and thrills that are enough to keep the viewer invested, they never go over the top and try to remain as focused as possible.

Where Crime 101 suffers is the running time and a bit of a very thinly written story. The film goes on for a bit too long especially with scenes with Maya (played by Monica Barbaro) who is Mike/James Davis’s (played by Chris Hemsworth) love interest that just really do not add to the plot. The story isn’t exactly anything new, if you have seen any sort of crime thriller before you are going to recognize a lot of different elements almost immediately.

With that being said, Crime 101 is still a lot of fun. It’s not going to break any new ground, however it’s well directed, acted and made. If you are a fan of the genre you should give this one a go.

Crime 101 is available on all VOD platforms.

7/10 B