The Housemaid (2025) Film Review

Hoping for a fresh start, a young woman becomes a live-in maid for a wealthy couple who harbour sinister secrets.

The Housemaid is directed by Paul Fig director of Bridesmaids (2011), The Heat (2013), Spy (2015), A Simple Favor (2018), Jackpot (2024), Another Simple Favor (2025) and a few others.

Well it’s very clear to see which of the two Paul Fig films released in 2025 is the better one. After the disappointing Another Simple Favor I figured Paul Fig was going to bounce back with The Housemaid and that was most certainly the case. This is a film that lives in it’s own little world, it knows it has incredibly silly atmosphere that’s reminiscent of those LifeTime channel movies and it’s unapologetic about it which ends up making the film work in the long run.

What makes The Housemaid works as well as it does is the performances. Particularly Amanda Seyfried who leans into Nina Winchester’s unsettling energy that goes into this glorious over the top feel along with this unnerving feel and with a nice mix of entertainment. We can see different parts of Nina’s mind just spill out in different scenes and that’s masterfully captured by Amanda Seyfried who truly brings it home especially during a few particular moments that shoot the film’s bizarreness level up so many notches.

Sydney Sweeney has some solid moments as well, while not every single moment of her performance is great. She is able to squeeze in some great lines and keep her character Millie interesting to the viewer, the interactions between her and Seyfried are some of the film’s best moments which makes the first half of the film quite entertaining and thrilling. Brandon Sklenar is fine enough, he’s by far the film’s weakest performance and his character is unfortunately not incredibly interesting. He does admittedly have some decent moments during the film’s last bit however which I guess does make up for it.

As I said before, the film lives in its own little world and the same can be said about the writing. The writing establishes this thrilling yet silly atmosphere that completely works due to Paul Fig’s direction and his familiarity with blending these genres together, even if I’m not a huge fan of every single one of Fig’s films something I always do appreciate about him is that he likes to experiment. He likes to see what he can put the comedy genre in and make it work, that’s the case here. The film also has the theme of domestic abuse that it explores, which is mainly done through Nina, as entertaining as Seyfried’s performance is there’s also this bit of sadness to her performance that is quite effective when the second half of the film rolls around. It catches the viewer off guard and really delivers in the end.

Overall The Housemaid is an effective thriller that captures a lot of the campy nature of films similar to it while also bringing in some strong atmosphere, well written dialogue and some strong performances especially from Amanda Seyfried.

The Housemaid is available on all VOD platforms.

7/10 B

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+

No Other Choice (2025) Film Review

Abruptly laid off after 25 years at the same company, a desperate man goes to extreme lengths to eliminate the competition for the job he wants.

No Other Choice is directed by Park Chan-wook director of Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002), Oldboy (2003), Lady Vengeance (2005), The Handmaiden (2016), Decision To Leave (2022) and many others.

No Other Choice is yet another masterful piece of work from Park Chan-wook, it’s a film that captures so many different sort of themes all in one quiet yet effective film that gets progressively more and more absurd as it goes on with several different exploration points to bring this wonderful film together.

The performances are all phenomenal, each of the cast bring their own effective style into the film that matches the clever atmosphere. Lee Byung-hun as Yoo Man-su is a prime example of this, he brings this relatable and believable character who has this complex antihero traits. He has the worry, frustration and sadness of losing a job all of which combined together leads to the film’s very absurd moments that feel all too real, Lee Byung-hun captures all of this masterfully and even captures the film’s dark humor when the film requires the actors to do so. His subtle performance that combines humor with beautiful and striking quiet moments lead to Lee Byung-hun to give one of the best performances of 2025.

Son Ye-jin who plays Lee Mi-ri, Man-su’s wife is another huge part of why this film works so well. Much like Lee Byung-hun, Son Ye-jin gives this effective performance that captures the atmosphere almost immediately, her interactions with Lee Byung-hun feel incredibly raw and have this beautiful support to it that really feels like a wife who deeply cares about her husband. There are so many beautifully done moments with Lee Mi-ri that it’s truly fascinating. Her subtle facial expressions and discussions she has with the rest of the characters truly shines through.

The writing is masterful work, that is not a huge surprise given how excellent of a writer Park Chan-wook is, however he goes for something very different here. While there are bound to be comparisons to Bong Joon Ho’s Parasite (2019), No Other Choice is going for something very different and even goes about the whole theme in different ways. The main theme here is the loss of a job, what happens when you put all of your time and energy into your job. When you are compared, visible only when you need to be exploited, what happens when all of that time and energy you put into your job was taken due to the higher ups. You are suddenly fired, you have this built up rage inside of you that you want to release badly. No Other Choice explores all of this in great detail and truly brings it all together masterfully, it all feels very raw and brutal that truly brings the film to another level.

The film’s dark comedy is an added bonus that helps make the film not become way too dark, there’s a beautiful balance here that is subtle, careful and leads to some genuinely funny moments. A lot of the comedy comes from the body language of the characters and how they express their words, it is not done in this over the top way. They are done in this relatable reactions that feel quick and straight to the point, there is so much layers to the film’s comedy that is truly fascinating.

Overall No Other Choice is a fascinating film that truly captures its themes and delivers with its characters!

No Other Choice releases in theaters December 25th!

10/10 A+

NYFF Review: Blue Moon (2025)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Blue Moon releases tomorrow in theaters.

10/10 A+

The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025) Film Review

Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch and the Thing face their most daunting challenge yet as they defend Earth from Galactus and Silver Surfer.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps is directed by Matt Shakman director of Cut Bank (2014) and WandaVision (2021). The film serves as the 37th installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the second reboot of the Fantastic Four movies.

For years Hollywood has been trying to get The Fantastic Four to work. First there was an unreleased film in 1994, then the Tim Story movies which much like a lot of the Fox Marvel movies that were releasing at the time weren’t good, finally there was Fantastic Four (2015)….there is a reason why a lot of people consider this to be one of the worst superhero movies ever made.

Luckily Matt Shakman stepped up to the plate because this is far more in line with what to expect from a Fantastic Four film. The characters mesh well together, each actor brings something exciting to the table and it’s clear that this time around this was handled with so much care to the source material. Combine that with a surprisingly captivating retro look to the film and you have yourself a quite strong film.

The performances all around were very well done, Pedro Pascal is fun and plays the whole scientist type of character incredibly well. There’s some moments where this plays into the film’s humor which works due to the lively atmosphere. Pascal’s chemistry with the rest of the cast is charming especially with Vanessa Kirby which leads to some genuinely cute and beautiful moments. The balance of being incredibly smart yet not knowing how to interact with other people makes for some compelling moments that actually do feel very real.

Vanessa Kirby is definitely the standout here, right from the beginning she completely makes the role of Sue Storm her’s. She’s the driving force of the story, the whole plot line of her trying to protect her son adds this family theme into the film. While it’s not done in any way that would be considered new, it still feels earnest and makes you care for the characters. Vanessa Kirby starts out with a more calm performance but quickly morphs into this powerhouse performance during the film’s third act. She’s an incredible actress who always gives it her all and here is no exception.

Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm and Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm are both incredibly fun, the two work perfectly with each other as well as Pascal and Kirby. The humor the two create feels genuine, it’s shared among the group which almost feels like organic conversations that a real family would have with each other. While the two don’t get these huge character writing moments, what we are presented with is more than enough to feel connected with their characters at the very least they are involved with the story and unlike some of the last Fantastic Four films we get this sense of teamwork and how they feel connected as a team. Maybe that’s due to the actors having such great chemistry whatever the case might be it’s very much present here.

Galactus is a very well done villain who is incredibly menacing as soon as his voice is heard. Ralph Ineson does such a fantastic job of bringing this character life as well as capturing the scale, fear and the menacing atmosphere of the character. The shadow that looms over the environment is more than enough to give the viewer chills, the build up to see his entrance to the film is well worth it and the final act of him taking action is truly large and powerful in scale.

The writing is quite excellent, the film combines its humor that feels much more natural than a lot of other MCU films and is able to capture the more dramatic moments well. As I said before the family element isn’t done in this brand new way, but it has this honesty that comes with it in this charming way that you can’t help but love. The fun banter between our heroes feels like the type of banter and dialogue you would hear from a family.

The film absolutely knocks it out of the park with the cinematography which has this blend of futuristic and 60s retro style. It makes the film standout a lot more and the color pops making this appealing to the eye, it helps that the cinematography from Jess Hall is large in scale, detailed and incredibly striking. There is this sense of wonder and exploration that you feel as the film goes on, which is fitting since a plot point of this film is space and that’s typically the feel and atmosphere you get when you think about space exploration in general.

Overall The Fantastic Four: First Steps is a very strong addition to the MCU, the story might not be anything grand. But it’s filled to the brim with passion, style and charm that you can’t help but fall in love with it.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps is available on all VOD platforms.

8/10 B+

The Naked Gun (2025) Film Review

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Naked Gun is available on all VOD platforms.

8/10 B+

Oh, Hi (2025) Film Review

Iris is enjoying her first romantic getaway with Isaac, until he tells her he’s not interested in a serious relationship.

Oh, Hi is directed by Sophie Brooks director of The Boy Downstairs (2017).

Oh, Hi is if you took Misery (1990) and Gerald’s Game (2017) then proceeded to make them into a romantic comedy, the film takes a look at modern relationships and communication as a whole especially when it comes to intentions and needs. The film does this quite well especially when it explores our own vulnerabilities, although the film does have a weaker third act. It still manages to stick the landing quite well.

The performances here are easily the film’s best part. Molly Gordon gives this often anxious and very talkative performance that is both striking and humorous at times. She’s able to easily switch in tone with the film’s atmosphere demands it and the script she’s given helps make her character as well. Logan Lerman’s charm as an actor works effectively here he is much more quiet than Gordon but still leaves an impression on the viewer. The two’s personalities clashing is what makes the film all the more interesting, there’s some touching moments between the two as well as moments of arguments all of which strangely feel grounded. That mainly comes from just how great Gordon and Lerman are as actors and how easily the two adapt to the film’s atmosphere.

The writing is solid, there’s definitely some bumps in the road during the third act where things get a little too out there for the film’s own good. With that being said the character writing is genuinely quite great, it’s clear that Sophie Brooks and Molly Gordon (who helped develop the story) have this clear as day interest in exploring these characters. Even with the side characters, while they aren’t given the depth that Iris (played by Molly Gordon) or Isaac (played by Logan Lerman) got, Geraldine Viswanathan (who plays Max) and John Reynolds (who plays Kenny) still feel involved in the story and their performances make up for it as well.

When the film leans into the absurd and ridiculousness that’s where it’s weak point is shown, it takes what was the complexities of a romantic relationship and becomes very exaggerated as well as being a bit too hard to buy. Which is a bit unfortunate because everything else that came before the third act is incredibly solid and well written character exploration.

Despite my feelings towards the third act, I still think Oh, Hi is a solid film that is an interesting watch. There was definitely room for improvement but as it stands this is a nice, easy and fun watch.

Oh, Hi is available on all VOD platforms.

7/10 B

Nobody 2 (2025) Film Review

Workaholic assassin Hutch Mansell takes his family on a much-needed vacation to the small tourist town of Plummerville. However, he soon finds himself in the crosshairs of a corrupt theme-park operator, a shady sheriff, and a bloodthirsty crime boss.

Nobody 2 is directed by Timo Tjahjanto director of May the Devil Take You (2018), The Night Comes for Us (2018), May the Devil Take You Too (2020), The Big 4 (2022) and The Shadow Strays (2024). Nobody 2 serves as a sequel to Nobody (2021).

When I saw that Timo Tjahjanto was taking over directing duties for Nobody 2 I was pretty excited, Tjahjanto has consistently put out great work and is definitely one of the most engaging action film directors currently working. So it is quite disappointing to see that Nobody 2 doesn’t quite reach the highs of its predecessor, granted it is definitely not a bad movie at all. It’s an entertaining ride from beginning to end but that’s really all it is, there isn’t an added flavor here that helps the movie stand out on its own unfortunately.

Bob Odenkirk as Hutch Mansell is just as great as he was in the first film, he once again knocks it out of the park with the action scenes and delivers some charming dialogue and interactions with his family. These moments are not anything special mind you but they are sweet and give the movie some sort of emotional core. Connie Nielsen has strong chemistry with Bob Odenkirk, which makes for some strong moments between the two.

The action is once again quite great, although Tjahjanto isn’t able to fully go all out like he usually does with the action scenes. They are still very entertaining, seeing Bob Odenkirk just completely wreck so many henchmen is more than satisfying enough to forgive the movie’s very standard plot. The movie’s vacation theme makes for a good background for these action scenes, the fight choreography is fun and the action scenes in general are well filmed.

Honestly the biggest problem with Nobody 2 is it really doesn’t add anything and ultimately feels like a lesser version of its predecessor. The writing is not terrible, but it’s far less exciting and thrilling. Nobody 2 goes in the direction you think it’s going to go, which is not always a bad thing but when you come off of such a fun and clever first film it’s very disappointing to see such a step down.

Despite that however I still do think Nobody 2 is a fun time, it’s not something you would probably ever revisit again. But thanks to the performances and the well done action scenes I would at least recommend this one if you liked the first film even if it’s a lesser version of that film.

Nobody 2 is available on all VOD platforms.

6/10 C+

Twinless (2025) Film Review

Two men who lost their respective twin brothers develop a growing friendship after meeting in a support group.

Twinless is directed by James Sweeney who previously directed Straight Up (2019).

Twinless was a huge surprise for me, all that I knew about this film is it got rave reactions at Sundance (I’m mad that I missed it there) and that Dylan O’Brien gave an incredible performance. I’m happy to say that I’m joining the choir on both of these, this is a dark comedy that hits a home run very early on and keeps going from there.

The performances all around are fantastic, the number one thing you are going to hear when someone talks about this film is Dylan O’Brien’s performance and that is completely justified. O’Brien gives not only one of the best performances of the year but the best performance of his career. How he’s able to balance the comedic moments with the dramatic ones is truly fascinating, his character Roman has this added character development that keeps him from the audience disliking him. We see him have this sense of confidence even when the words don’t really match said confidence. It’s a fantastic performance that shines the whole way through the film.

James Sweeney (who also wrote, directed and produced the film) as Dennis is also quite fantastic here as well. He perfectly captures someone who yearns for closeness without wanting to build a connection first, he wants it all there readily available to him as soon as he starts to talk with someone. Sweeney does a fantastic job of portraying this flawed character that the audience still has empathy for since it’s established early on both him and Roman lost their twins. It’s especially evident with Dennis we see the scenes of him yearning for a connection, it’s something we all want connection but that sort of thing takes time to build into something powerful. Sweeney does a fantastic job of showcasing how messy and sort of unhinged that rushing a connection can be.

The writing is incredibly well done, it flows very well and has this sort of electrifying energy to it that feels natural. There’s a lot of themes going on here some of which I already touched on, of course there’s the theme of losing your twin or someone in general. As I said before that’s established early on in the film and while it’s done pretty quickly it’s still very well done and explored. It’s what kickstarters Dennis’s whole yearning connection sort of deal, the sense of loneliness is also present which I’ve said before in some of my other reviews that has always fascinated me and that’s no exception here. The sense of loneliness comes from Dennis’s character you can tell through his actions of being desperate there’s this feel of loneliness following him and eating him up, it’s something that truly never goes away and only gets bigger as the film goes on.

Then there’s having empathy for messy and flawed characters which I’ve said James Sweeney does such a fantastic job of creating. He makes these characters feel incredibly real, he doesn’t make these characters cartoonishly unlikable or doesn’t make it feel forced. He does this in such a quiet yet strategically done manner that it ends up shocking the viewer at certain points.

Finally there’s the direction from James Sweeney which is beautifully done, he’s able to masterfully balance the dark comedy and the drama, mix all of the themes I just mentioned and create something unhinged yet beautiful in this strange sense. It helps that the directing is very exciting, Sweeney is quite clearly passionate about what he’s sharing to the viewer and that really shows as soon as the film begins.

Overall Twinless is one of the best films of the year that has excellent performances, clever writing and wonderful directing. James Sweeney is certainly a director to look out for, go see this one if you have the chance.

Twinless releases in theaters Friday

9/10 A

Eden (2025) Film Review

A group of disillusioned Europeans settles on a remote, uninhabited island in the Galápagos. They soon discover that their greatest threat isn’t the brutal climate or deadly wildlife, but one another. As tensions spiral and desperation takes hold, a twisted power struggle unfolds, leading to betrayal, violence and death.

Eden is directed by Ron Howard director of Apollo 13 (1995), A Beautiful Mind (2001), Cinderella Man (2005), Rush (2013), Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018), Hillbilly Elegy (2020) and several others. The film is based on the true story of several European settlers who arrive on the Floreana Island in the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador, Pre-World War II hoping to start a life there.

I had my doubts on this one, there was a lot of mixed reactions about this one and that sort of lines up with Ron Howard’s films as of lately (although I will admit Thirteen Lives (2022) was solid enough) so I’m a bit surprised with Eden. The film does fall off a bit in some sections and the film does feel like it’s dragging out in some areas, however that doesn’t stop the film from being genuinely interesting!

The cast does a lot of the heavy lifting, Sydney Sweeney, Jude Law, Vanessa Kirby and Daniel Brühl are the standouts here. Sweeney has a scene where she gives birth (it’s just as crazy as the one in Immaculate (2024) ) that provides a lot of tension and is actually uncomfortable to watch at times. That scene aside, Sweeney absolutely nails the atmosphere of the film and works incredibly well with the rest of the cast. Jude Law and Daniel Brühl are just fun to watch and give their usual performances that ooze with confidence and Vanessa Kirby tackles her character Dora Strauch’s emotional transformation masterfully. A common positive among the cast is they all work together incredibly well, whether it be serious moments or small conversations they bring you right into the film and keep you the whole way through.

The cinematography from Mathias Herndl is beautifully done, it captures the atmosphere of the setting and at times lets location do all of the talking which is expertly executed. We constantly get this sense that the characters are alone and feel that way throughout the film, that’s one of the main reasons why the film works as well as it does. It captures the spirit of the true story quite well and the cinematography really shares a lot of that.

The writing is strong, it’s perhaps one of Ron Howard’s more darker films (it’s mean spirited at times which is effective) and showcases the type of true story that is absolutely insane. It’s the type of true story where if you went up and told someone about this they would look it up just to make sure you are not saying gibberish. There’s themes of survival and power struggles as we see the characters start to turn on each other, it’s not anything groundbreaking but it’s done decently well and makes for some great suspense and intrigues as to where the film is going to go.

Overall Eden is a really solid film, it’s insane that this is based on a true story and I’m glad Ron Howard managed to tell it in this pretty strong way that gets the viewer invested.

Eden is currently in theaters.

8/10 B+