Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment and New Line Cinema are bringing one of the best horror movies of 2025 to home video. “The Conjuring: Last Rites” is the fourth and final installment in the wildly popular horror franchise centered around paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren. Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga reprise their roles as the renowned demonologists who reluctantly take on one final case that ends up threatening their family in ways they never expected. It’s a strong and fitting final chapter. Read my review [HERE].
This terrific 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray edition of “The Conjuring: Last Rites” includes a digital copy and will be available to purchase on November 25th. See below for a full synopsis of the film as well as a list of special features.
About the Film:
Year: 2025
Runtime: 135 Minutes
Director: Michael Chaves
Screenwriters: Michael ChavesIan Goldberg, Richard Naing, and David Leslie John-McGoldrick
Cast: Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Mia Tomlinson, Ben Hardy, Steve Coulter, Rebecca Calder, Elliot Cowan, Kila Lord Cassidy, Beau Gadsdon, Molly Cartwright, Tilly Walker, Peter Wight, Kate Fahy
Rating: R for bloody and violent content along with intense terror
“The Conjuring: Last Rites” delivers another thrilling chapter of the iconic Conjuring cinematic universe, based on real events. Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson reunite for one last case as renowned, real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren in a powerful and spine-chilling addition to the global box office-breaking franchise.
Special Features:
“The Conjuring: Last Rites” Digital, 4K UHD and Blu-ray contain the following special features:
Last Rites: An Era Ends – featurette (8:45)
The Conjuring: Crafting Scares – featurette (8:40)
Throughout his thirty-year career, Joel Edgerton has shown himself to be an incredibly versatile actor. It’s a fact that is highlighted by the sheer array of roles he has taken on, whether in gritty crime films like “Animal Kingdom”, twisted psychological thrillers like “The Gift”, or hushed yet affecting human dramas such as “Loving”. His latest film falls into that latter category. In “Train Dreams”, Edgerton’s performance is quiet and understated yet with deep emotional depth. It’s a tremendous turn.
“Train Dreams” is the sophomore directing effort from Clint Bentley who also wrote the screenplay with his frequent writing partner Greg Kwedar. The two are coming off an Academy Award nomination for “Sing Sing”. Now they’re adapting Denis Johnson’s award-winning work which began as a 2002 short story in The Paris Review before being published as a novella in 2011. The duo bring the heart of Johnson’s story to the screen under Bentley’s assured direction. It results in one of the year’s very best films.
“Train Dreams” is a deeply affecting snapshot of life, with all of its joys and tragedies, as seen through the eyes of one man trying to find his place in a changing world. In one sense it plays like an echo of a bygone era, when the world seemed bigger and taming it came at the expense of men on the margins who tirelessly worked in the background of the rapidly expanding America. It’s also a moving and firmly grounded character study, spanning decades of one such man’s life.
Image Courtesy of Netflix
The story opens in the early 20th century during the boom of Western expansion. It follows Robert Grainier (Edgerton), an unremarkable man by the world’s standards who works as a logger in the Pacific Northwest. It’s solitary work done mostly by solitary men – a description that fits Robert well. He’s a hard worker who blends right in with the beautiful yet rugged wilderness. But underneath his burly exterior is a gentle and soft-spoken soul who mostly keeps his thoughts to himself. He’s more of an observer than a talker, yet we learn so much about him through Edgerton’s ability to speak volumes with very few words.
Robert takes a job with a railroad company, building a lengthy trestle bridge over a river gorge. It’s decent money, but it’s a decision he soon regrets. Robert witnesses the senseless killing of a Chinese immigrant co-worker in the name of justice. Despite not having a part, the guilt of not stopping it haunts Robert, prompting him to wrestle with an existential question for the remainder of the movie, “Do the bad things we do follow us in life?” After the job, he leaves the railroad and goes back to logging.
Robert’s solitude is interrupted when he meets and instantly falls for the forthright Gladys (Felicity Jones). In no time, the two end up married. They purchase an acre of land where they build a cabin on the banks of the tranquil Moyie River. Shortly after, they have a baby girl. For Robert, it’s the happiest he has ever been. And for the first time in his life he feels as if he has found his purpose. But just as he would get used to being at home, logging season would roll back around. And the jobs were taking him further and further away from home.
From the elegant opening frames, it’s obvious that Bentley is remarkably in-sync with the story he’s telling and the period he’s recreating. There is a poetic lyricism anchoring his storytelling which patiently progresses with an observant eye and a soul-stirring rhythm. There’s also a fascinating subtlety in Bentley’s handling of things, even later as Robert’s life takes a heart-shattering turn. Bentley maintains a quiet control of his material. And he knows what he has in Edgerton – an actor who can do heavy lifting with a single expression.
Image Courtesy of Netflix
There’s also Bentley’s reliance on visual language to convey feeling while also visualizing this very distinct era. The rapturous cinematography of DP Adolpho Veloso utilizes natural lighting and an assortment of striking lens choices to capture evocative compositions that offer more than simple eye-candy. His Malickian view of nature uses the camera to show how big and vast his world is. Yet the same camera gives us rich moments of heartfelt intimacy. And it’s all complimented by Bryce Dressner’s stirring score.
While Edgerton’s sturdy stoicism and gut-wrenching authenticity firmly centers the story, some fine supporting work proves equally valuable. As Gladys, Jones finds the perfect balance between delicate and determined. A terrific Kerry Condon gets a small yet touching role as a U.S. Forestry Service worker. William H. Macy is an absolute scene-stealer playing Arn Peeples, a talkative old-timer who is good with dynamite and at avoiding hard work. And the story is guided by the mellow narration of Will Patton who also did the original audio reading for Johnson’s book.
“Train Dreams” astonishes, both as an unvarnished slice of American history and a contemplation of our intrinsic bond with nature. But it connects most as the soulful birth-to-death odyssey of one solitary man navigating a life of small triumphs and immense tragedies. Clint Bentley has delivered something so deftly crafted and richly organic while Joel Edgerton does his best work in a career full of dynamic performances. They transport us to an impeccably realized period that is ruggedly textured and lived-in. But it’s the deeply human moments between the superbly etched characters that left me speechless and overwhelmed.
Osgood Perkins first grabbed my attention with his 2024 movie “Longlegs”. Prior to it, he had already directed three feature films. But it was “Longlegs” that blew me away – making me genuinely uneasy one minute and laughing unexpectedly the next. It was one of the very best movies from last year. His follow up, “The Monkey” from earlier this year didn’t reach the same heights as its predecessor. It was a tonally chaotic and tension-free misfire.
Now Perkins is back with his third film in two years. His latest is “Keeper”, a movie he has kept mysterious since it was first announced. While it doesn’t earn itself the same lofty status as “Longlegs”, “Keeper” is an impressive improvement from “The Monkey” both in tone and tension. Yet a small handful of frustrations keep the movie fully reaching its nightmarish potential.
Image Courtesy of NEON
The story begins with Malcolm (Rossif Sutherland) taking his girlfriend Liz (Tatiana Maslany) on a weekend getaway to his family’s cabin in the woods. From the earliest frames we can sense that something is off. They say the right things and put on good faces. But the hesitation in their voices and the uncomfortable body language speaks differently. Over time we see even bigger clues such as Liz’s unconvincing defenses of Malcolm in her phone calls to her friend Maggie (Tess Degenstein). Or Malcolm routinely rebuffing Liz’s efforts at intimacy.
Once they reach the remote rustic cabin, Perkins takes a moment to visually and audibly emphasize the beauty – the wind blowing through the tall pine trees; the calming sound of water rushing in a nearby stream; the creaking of the two-story home’s cedar wood walls. It’s a truly gorgeous natural setting that will soon clash with the horror that Perkins cooks up.
The story has a slight mystery element in that we’re immediately aware something is amiss. The more we observe Liz and Malcolm together, the more obvious it becomes to us. Perkins also throws in some other outside pieces to his puzzle – the appearance of Malcolm’s obnoxious cousin Darrin (Birkett Turton) and his new girlfriend Minka (Eden Weiss); a chocolate cake left by some unseen caretaker; and a strange pendant Liz finds lying in the stream.
Maslany gives an emotionally compelling performance despite having a character who we never really get to know. Liz is a city girl and an artist. And we later discover that she’s in an ill-advised relationship with Malcolm. That’s about all we get. In pure horror fashion, everything goes south for Liz after she begins hearing strange noises and seeing stranger visions that range from bizarre to horrifying. Malcolm’s sometimes cold and oddly cryptic demeanor only adds to her anxiety (and our suspicions).
Image Courtesy of NEON
“Keeper” is a slow-burning chiller built around growing tension and an uneasy atmosphere. Perkins does a nice job keeping us in the dark before finally pulling back the curtain in the film’s bonkers final 15 minutes. We get some truly twisted makeup and visual effects work as Perkins lets the sinister side of his imagination run wild. Maslany really leans into it all, adding weight to the scenes that would otherwise be missing.
Sadly, the ending is also where the movie falls apart. The film’s themes are glaringly obvious, giving us yet another story centered around warped masculinity, manipulation, and control. While these types of stories are running their course, it’s the absence of basic necessary details that hurts the movie most. The ending is a patchwork of eerie images that look great but have no real explanation. So we’re left admiring the haunting visuals while scratching our heads at what any of it means. It’s enough of an issue to end the movie on a disappointing note.
Netflix has dropped a new full trailer for the third installment in Rian Johnson’s wildly popular Knives Out franchise. “Wake Up Dead Man” is his latest whodunnit mystery and a standalone sequel to 2022’s “Glass Onion”. As before, Johnson brings back Daniel Craig who reprises his role as super sleuth Benoit Blanc. And like before, Johnson brings together another sparkling ensemble that includes Josh Brolin, Josh O’Connor, Glenn Close, Mila Kunis, Jeremy Renner, Kerry Washington, Andrew Scott, Cailee Spaeny, Daryl McCormack, Jeffrey Wright, Thomas Haden Church, and more.
This time around, private investigator Benoit Blanc takes a case centered around the murder of Monsignor Jefferson Wicks, a charismatic priest played by Brolin. As with any good whodunnit, Johnson then introduces to the wide number of possible suspects, many who are members of the victim’s very wealthy congregation. The first trailer looks like exactly what fans of the previous two films are looking for. And Johnson has shown the ability to keep his audience thoroughly involved till the very end.
“Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery” releases in select theaters on November 26th and on Netflix December 12th. Check out the new trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.
“The Running Man” is the second big screen adaptation of Stephen King’s 1982 novel of the same name. As many know, the first was Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 1987 action thriller which was set in the far distant future of 2017. This latest spin on King’s dystopian science-fiction comes from Edgar Wright, although fans of his might have a tough time finding his fingerprints. That’s not to say they aren’t there. But this feels much more like a studio product than a filmmaker’s unique vision.
The biggest strength of “The Running Man” is easy to spot. It’s found in its star, Glen Powell. The sudden everywhere-man oozes charisma and throws in splashes of maniacal charm that make the film easy to watch. He’s also an actor who fully commits to his movies which makes everything better, from the emotional family moments to the wild and crazy action set pieces. Yet while Powell puts in the work, he can’t make up for the frustrating script which oscillates from entertaining to kinda boring.
Pulling more from King’s novel than Arnie’s movie, “The Running Man” 2025 sees Wright leaning heavier into the dystopian setting, stuffing his story with as many sociopolitical issues as he can. The healthcare system, class division, wealth gaps, corporate corruption, labor unions, media misinformation, television violence, authoritarian control, government propaganda, and more. It’s a lot to cover and most of it has to settle for lip service rather than any worthwhile consideration.
Image Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
Powell plays Ben Richards, a loving but frustrated husband and father. He was recently fired from his job at a steel mill for upsetting his crooked employers by exposing a life-threatening yet costly work hazard. At home, his 2-year-old daughter has been sick with the flu leading Ben’s wife Sheila (Jayme Lawson) to work double shifts and two jobs in hopes of affording medicine. It’s a brutal situation which throws gas on the already burning fury inside of Ben who just wants to take care of his precious family.
Desperate for money, Ben travels to the upper-class district to try out for one of several reality game shows ran by a corporate media organization called The Network. He’s offered a spot on their most popular and most dangerous show, “The Running Man”. It’s a violent and deadly event where contestants known as “runners” are released into the city. They try and stay alive for thirty days as crowd-pleasing “Hunters” track them down to kill in front of a television audience. Any runner who can survive the thirty days will win a billion “new dollars”. Of course, no one has ever won.
To add incentive, runners can earn bonus “new dollars” by killing Hunters. But adding to the peril, citizens sighting the runners can earn cash prizes for reporting their whereabouts. So Ben and two throwaway runners are released into the city, wrapping up what is a really solid setup to the story. The early scenes are aided by several entertaining side characters. More specifically, Josh Brolin’s amusingly shady Dan Killian, the show’s creator and producer, and Colman Domingo as the show’s flamboyant host.
Image Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
From there “The Running Man” falls into a pretty simple formula as Ben is ushered from one action set piece to another. At each stop he’s aided by some sympathetic soul who helps pave the way for him to become a reluctant revolutionary who will take the fight to the oppressive system. Unfortunately his unexpected allies add more to the sociopolitical landscape than to progressing the story in a meaningful way.
Among Ben’s newfound allies is Bradley Throckmorton (Daniel Ezra), an underground influencer who secretly posts videos exposing the truth of “The Running Man”. Ben also encounters Elton Parrakis (Michael Cera), a quirky guerrilla activist who is secretly building his own solo revolution against The Network. Then there is Amelia (Emilia Jones), a 37-year-old realtor who essentially comes out of nowhere. None are especially important story pieces outside of reciting anti-establishment monologues and adding a little humor.
Wright drags things out a little too long before finally wrapping it up with a cobbled together ending that doesn’t quite deliver the payoff it needs. It’s unfortunate because the action scenes are a lot of fun and Powell brings more than enough to the table to be entertaining. But “The Running Man” gets stuck in between being thematically overstuffed and playfully action-packed, while lacking that extra pizzazz we’ve come to expect from Edgar Wright films.
It’s nice to see actor James Badge Dale back on screen. After getting his start in 1990’s “Lord of the Flies, Dale would go on to work with Martin Scorsese in “The Departed”, play a key part in Steve McQueen’s “Shame”, star alongside Brad Pitt in “World War Z”, and lead Michael Bay’s Benghazi retelling “13 Hours”. He has always shown a wealth of talent, mostly in supporting roles. But then five or so years ago, he seemed to vanish.
Dale returned earlier this month with a sinister supporting role in the terrific “Violent Ends”. Now he gets an even meatier lead part in his latest film, “King Ivory”, a drug war crime thriller written and directed by John Swab. While Dale gets top billing, the movie relies on a larger ensemble to cover its rather bloated plot. And it’s those plot issues, along with some creative choices and a handful of spotty supporting performances, that hold the movie back.
“King Ivory” follows as many as five different storylines while introducing a host of different characters along the way. Of course the various paths eventually intersect to some degree or another and not always in the most worthwhile way. It ends up being a lot for Swab to manage. Hardened cops clash with violent cartel members over drug smuggling and human trafficking. Indigenous mobsters use Irish gangsters to keep the cartels in check. Fentanyl addicts ensure the money keeps flowing in. There’s a lot going on in Swab’s dark and violent world.
Image Courtesy of Saban Films
The majority of the movie is set in Swab’s hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Dale plays Layne West, a police officer leading the local Special Investigations Division. The SID is a tectical unit who specializes in narcotics, gang violence, and organized crime. Layne and his team have their hands full due to the inflow of fentanyl into the city. It has led to an overwhelming rash of overdoses, addictions, and (of course) crime.
Meanwhile around Sinaloa, Mexico, a drug runner and human trafficker named Ramón Garza (Michael Mando) dangles the American Dream like a carrot in front of desperate locals. Those who pay his steep price will get smuggled across the border into the United States. Among his latest cargo is a bright teen named Lago (David Barcena). But during their journey, a terrible mishap leads to the deaths of 43 migrants with only Lago surviving. Ramón takes the boy to Tulsa and soon has him making deliveries to neighborhood addicts.
Elsewhere we learn that there’s a drug war in Tulsa with the biggest player being the Indian Brotherhood. It’s ruthless boss, Holt Lightfeather (the late Graham Greene) runs the operation from inside the Oklahoma State Penitentiary where he’s serving a life sentence. He recruits George “Smiley” Greene (Ben Foster), a freshly released sociopathic killer to help wrangle in the cartels. Smiley carries out his orders with the help of his quietly terrifying mother Ginger (Melissa Leo) and his Irish ruffian uncle Mickey (Ritchie Coster).
Image Courtesy of Saban Films
And if that wasn’t enough story, we also get another thread involving Layne’s obstinate son Jack (Jasper Jones) who gets introduced to fentanyl by his junkie girlfriend Colby (Kaylee Curry). These should be the most sobering and eye-opening parts of the movie. But the kids and their relationships are fairly shallow and underdeveloped. And unfortunately their scenes are plagued by shaky acting which can be hard to look past. Thankfully their storyline does get better as it progresses.
Technically, “King Ivory” is a mixed bag. In an effort to add grit and intensity, Swab too often relies on aggressive closeups and unsteady handheld cameras. So much so that by the second half I was noticing every single use. On the flipside, the action-driven police raids are electric with DP Will Stone putting us in tight quarters with the officers as they clear out drug dens in the city. There is a real ‘you are there’ quality to these sequences.
Swab’s own personal experiences add even more to the film’s authenticity. He offers us a gloss-free look at the underside of Tulsa. Even more, Swab puts a ton of effort into presenting the uncompromising truth about our country’s current fentanyl epidemic. He tells a bleak, no-nonsense story that sometimes slouches towards cliché. But it remains serious-minded, and Swab’s willingness to mine from what he knows has a powerful impact that can be felt despite the movie’s shortcomings.
Keith & the Movies 