Fresh off his Oscar-nominated turn in Barbie (2024), Ryan Gosling has returned with yet another exuberant, hilariously charismatic performance in The Fall Guy (2024). He plays Colt Seavers, a movie stunt performer who gets into some hot water with shady miscreants. If that sounds familiar to you, it’s because Gosling played a similar role in Nicolas Winding Refn’s Drive (2011). On paper, the two have parallels given that they are both stunt men. But where that film had Gosling in a brooding, dramatic mindset, his work as Colt is the complete opposit ..read more

Director Luca Guadagnino (Call Me by Your Name, Suspiria) tackles the world of competitive tennis and complicated relationships in Challengers (2024), with a script by Justin Kuritzkes. Somehow, a trio of actors that most of us would not think to put together into this kind of film works (and it really works), but that’s why casting director Francine Maisler is an expert in her craft.   Challengers pits three characters against or with each other at different points of the story. Tennis doubles partners Art Donaldson (Mike Faist ..read more

There are a lot of ideas running all throughout Boy Kills World (2023). Maybe too many. This is a delirious, hyperactive, and blood splattered revenge tale. It takes several concepts and references and tosses them into a melting pot of violence and mayhem. You maybe thinking, “Well, based on that description, it must be good!” In truth, results will vary from viewer to viewer. Yes, the energy and non-stop chaos has an unmistakable appeal. For those who simply want high-octane action, then this is right up your alley. But the film also has a “Look at me!” attitude that makes it feel l ..read more

The phrase “Less is More” simply does not exist in Zack Snyder’s vocabulary. He is a filmmaker obsessed with excess – making every shot of his films big, grand, and operatic. And while the approach does lend to some slick imagery – such as the opening credit sequence of Watchmen (2009) – it does result in deficiencies in character, story, and world building. Recently, he has become entrenched in the notion of expanded director’s cuts (or “Snydercuts” as devoted fans have coined). His resolve to stuff his narratives has reached its apex with the Rebel Moon series. This ..read more

I’ll say this much: Sasquatch Sunset (2024) chooses a lane and sticks with it. Admittedly, the film should be admired for staying true to its gimmick and not wavering in the slightest, for better or worse. But I wonder if the result was worth the effort. The directing team of David Zellner and Nathan Zellner (with David on screenplay) presents a simple and straightforward concept: Following a year in the lives of four sasquatches deep in the heart of the wilderness. Through each season, we watch this “family” eat, mate, urinate, and defecate, all while trying to e ..read more

The title of Civil War (2024) is a little misleading. The film does take place during a fictional scenario in which a section of U.S. states broke off and entered armed conflict with the rest of the country. But to say that this is about war, or the nuances of American politics, is not entirely accurate. Writer/director Alex Garland takes a large canvas to cover more personal and intimate themes. He uses warfare as a framework, opting to examine how the images of death and destruction mold our perspectives. He follows the storytellers and journalists – those that enter the ..read more

Music is such a weird and beautiful phenomenon. You can’t see or touch it, you can only hear it. And yet, it has the power to make people feel all sorts of emotions, trigger our memories, or get us to stand up and dance. It’s something that can’t be quantified but most – if not all of us – couldn’t live without it. That is what’s at the heart of the drama/fantasy The Greatest Hits (2024). In it, a character navigates depression through music, but perhaps not in the way we would expect. How well the film pulls it off is a matter of debate. Although I admire the ambition, I’m not sure ..read more

Writer/director Weston Razooli goes for a deliberately whimsical tone with his feature length debut, Riddle of Fire (2023). Although the setting is in present day Wyoming, the tone and textures are reminiscent of a magical fantasy-world. In fact, the film is described as a “neo-fairytale,” in which characters on the fringe of society take part in an adventure that seems oddly enchanted. This is a very specific approach. Viewers will either dig what Razooli is doing or will be completely turned off. There were moments where things got a little too twee, a little too precious for ..read more

Road House (2024) has a goofy, testosterone-filled nuttiness that teeters on being too silly for its own good. Some of you may think that is a bad thing. But if you remember the Patrick Swayze starring 1989 vehicle of the same name, you may recall that that could have fit the description the exact same way. If anything, this loose remake’s biggest disadvantage is the era it was released. I could see this doing gangbusters on late night cable, providing a surprising level of entertainment, comedy, and action. Instead, it must compete in a crowded streaming arena. This i ..read more

New Zealand, 1981. This was a time of major social strife. The era of Apartheid was alive in South Africa, which sparked global protests. It must’ve been a strange time to grow up, and yet that is where our protagonist, Josh (Julian Dennison) finds himself. Josh is a teen of Māori heritage, attending a majority white school that is more concerned with their rugby team than what is happening around the world. When news of the South African rugby team going on a tour of New Zealand, social activists take arms. This forces Josh to confront his own cultural identity, his place within his hometown ..read more