Reviews

The film’s strengths lie in its striking visuals and committed performances, though the script lacks depth. A key subplot was reportedly cut—likely for tonal consistency—but its absence makes the narrative feel thinner. Had it been intact, the film could have added the much-needed complexity, particularly in making Laura’s final choice feel less abrupt.

"Ballard" is a gripping crime thriller that unravels a cold case while exposing systemic corruption. With strong female-led storytelling, the series tackles both justice and institutional rot. Narrative pacing occasionally falters, yet its thematic richness and standout lead performance make it a compelling entry in contemporary television.

Megan Stalter and Will Sharpe deliver nuanced performances that bring authenticity to their characters’ emotional development—from strangers to lovers. Their chemistry anchors the show, while Andrew Rannells brings a welcome jolt of humor and drama as a scene-stealing supporting player.

In the "Pedreira de São Diogo" segment, the film’s opening long take with lateral tracking establishes Brazilian neo-realism by documenting quarry workers at work and their solidarity in a continuous, rhythmic flow.

Like Italian neorealist classics such as "The Bicycle Thieves," this film focuses on the marginalized, exposing social injustice while celebrating the resilience and dignity of laborers, accentuated by its opening and closing horn blasts.

The film portrays brutal reactionaries, compromising liberal politicians, ignorant masses, and anguished intellectuals while displaying rough audio effects and chaotic editing with sudden close-ups on whoever is speaking.

The cinematography is surprisingly refined, presenting natural, vibrant scenes that resemble a series of moving Polaroids. The ensemble scenes further reveal director Dominga Sotomayor Castillo’s mastery of mise-en-scène and composition. The plot though, is very dull, but perhaps our youth often slip away in this languorous state.

The final twenty minutes offer real suspense but the earlier pacing is glacial, making the two-hour run time feel unnecessarily long. Its premise that unexplained phenomena might reflect supernatural forces is compelling yet the buildup feels overly drawn-out.

The film’s cheap costumes and props fail to create any real sense of horror, and it carries a plastic, unconvincing aesthetic. Nelson Pereira dos Santos also misses key opportunities to provoke or shock viewers; even a brutal death scene is shot with surprising restraint.

This is a rare documentary that balances realism with cinematic reenactment. It tells a harrowing story of survival in the Andes, where a climbing accident forces two men to confront impossible challenges. The rawness of their ordeal captures the true spirit of outdoor exploration.

The composer of the film, Sérgio Ricardo, went on to make several feature films on his own in the '70s. One of which is called The Night of the Scarecrow, and in my opinion is better than this apparently much more well known classic. The musical vibe in both are very, very similar, and there's similarities with regards to the themes of class struggle, poverty and exploitation, religion and cult, and masculine showdowns that won't end well. Yet that one is lot more bonkers with much crazier camera movements and easier to follow narrative. This one pans slowly and is riddled with symbolism.

There’s undeniable gore and camp here, and without a few clever details, this could’ve been just another trashy exploitation flick. Fortunately, the director brings enough originality to elevate it above that label, making it surprisingly memorable in places.

The editing is one of the film’s greatest strengths. What begins as a collection of unrelated vignettes slowly converges into a broader social commentary. Once the characters' relationships become clear, the narrative locks into place, revealing a nuanced portrait of Brazilian urban life and its underlying class tensions.

It’s astonishing to think this animation dates back to the 1920s, especially since the symphonic score syncs so beautifully with the narrative. The sequence where the prince is peeking at the queen bathing has a melody that's simply sublime. The intricate paper-cut visuals, especially the architecture and elaborate costumes, showcase exquisite craftsmanship.

The film delivers a sobering reminder of how easily power can distort human behavior. Without proper oversight, authority breeds cruelty. Whether human nature is inherently good or shaped by environment remains open to debate. Unfortunately, the female lead feels entirely underwritten, with little narrative purpose.

The film makes excellent use of rugged landscapes, and the pacing keeps the energy high. The emphasis on pursuit sequences over large-scale battles adds to its tension. While the plot is basic and not every detail holds up to scrutiny, it remains a solid piece of entertainment.

"Smoke" stands out as one of the most compelling crime thrillers of 2025. Taron Egerton and Jurnee Smollett make for a surprisingly dynamic duo, bringing real intensity to the story of arson investigations and detective work. Set against the moody backdrop of the Pacific Northwest, the film steadily and suspensefully unravels layers of secrets, making it deeply engaging.

Masterpiece!

Masterpiece!!!

Back in 2021, a sleeper hit got released called NOBODY. Nobody expected this to do as well as it did. It took a generally funny man Bob Odenkirk and turned him into an unexpecting badass action hero. It was a great take on the typical dynamic of “family man with a secret murderous job”. Now, as with most things these days, there’s a sequel called, you guessed it, NOBODY 2. After the events of the first one, Hutch (Bob Odenkirk) is forced to work for The Barber (Colin Salmon) to pay off his debt. Feeling physically and mentally drained, he goes on vacation with his family, desperately trying to make some new memories. They go to a small rundown theme park, where his father (Christopher Lloyd) took him and his brother (RZA) when they were kids. Think NATIONAL LAMPOON’S VACATION meets JOHN WICK meets HOME ALONE. This being a sequel, the “newness” of the concept gets kind of stale in the latter half of the movie, but it makes up for it with very fun and violent action scenes. The music definitely adds to the fun also. There’s nothing new that is learned about the protagonist, but Odenkirk is just SO great in this. The rest of the cast is good too. Christopher Lloyd is under-used, but Sharon Stone has the time of her life just hamming it up on screen. If you enjoyed the original (which I can’t find for free anywhere at the moment), then you’ll have fun with this one. Remember, if you discover an undercover crime ring while on vacation, you better call Saul.