This Week in Movies: Five Big Stories From the Week of January 25th – 31st

January 31, 2025 by Keith Garlington

This Week in Movies is a feature that highlights some of the big news stories from the world of movies that dropped over the past seven days. Below you’ll find a small handful of the week’s headlines you might have missed.

Here are some of the top stories from the week of January 25th – 31st …

The 2025 Sundance Film Festival kicked off with a full slate of feature films and shorts from a variety people and countries. Several big titles came in with distribution already secured. Others are premiering with hopes of snagging a distribution deal. Among the most talked about movies from this year’s batch include another adaptation of “Kiss of the Spider Woman”, this one starring Jennifer Lopez, “Rabbit Trap” starring Dev Patel, a Josh O’Connor tearjerker titled “Rebuilding”, the star-studded “Train Dreams”, the gonzo cult thriller “Opus”, and Benedict Cumberbatch’s “The Thing With Feathers”.

Filmmaking auteur and cinema enthusiast Quentin Tarantino announced his next project and it just might surprise a few people. It was originally reported that Tarantino was working on his tenth and final film which would be called “The Film Critic”. However he cancelled the project last year leaving everyone wondering what was next. Well, it appears he’s heading to the stage. During a sit-down with Elvis Mitchell in Park City, Utah, Tarantino revealed he’s currently writing a play and it’s likely going to be the next thing he does. He went on to say if it succeeds he could adapt it into what would be his final movie. We shall see.

We found out that Denis Villeneuve is currently deep “in the writing zone” with “Dune: Messiah”, the third film in his adaptation of Frank Herbert’s science-fiction classic. We also learned that filming is expected to start sooner than first expected. The movie will be set twelve years after the events of “Dune: Part Two” and will bring the Paul Atreides story arc to a conclusion. “Dune: Messiah” is currently slated to hit theaters December 16, 2026.

In 2023 Jonathan Majors seemed to be on top on the movie world with a skyrocketing career that included big roles in the Creed franchise and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. At the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, his movie “Magazine Dreams” garnered significant praise including talk of a possible Oscar nomination. But everything derailed after his arrest and conviction for domestic assault and harassment. “Magazine Dreams” was dropped by distributor Searchlight Pictures and left without a release date. This week a new trailer was dropped along with news that the film is now set for release on March 21st via Briarcliff Entertainment.

This past week a true screen legend celebrated a birthday. Gene Hackman turned 95 on January 30th. Hackman’s magnificent career began in 1961 and over its course he appeared in countless big screen classics including “Bonnie and Clyde”, “The French Connection”, “The Conversation”, “Superman”, “Hoosiers”, “Mississippi Burning”, “Unforgiven”, and “The Royal Tenenbaums”. In 2004 the two-time Academy Award winner announced his retirement from acting. Since then he and his wife have lived in Santa Fe, New Mexico where he has enjoyed cycling and architecture. Happy Birthday Mr. Hackman.

REVIEW: “Companion” (2025)

January 31, 2025 by Keith Garlington

The new horror film “Companion” is the latest entry into the ever-growing artificial intelligence genre. Much of what has come down the assembly line has been throwaway entertainment (“M3GAN”, “Subservience”, etc.). But occasionally we get something interesting and unexpected. “Companion” falls somewhere in between. It has just enough creative juice to stand out from the crowd. Yet it’s not as original or insightful as it clearly wants to be.

“Companion” is the feature film debut for writer-director Drew Hancock. His movie falls in line with several others from this current phase of modern horror that simply aren’t that interested in actual scares. “Companion” isn’t the slightest bit creepy, chilling, or unsettling. In fairness, Hancock doesn’t hide his intentions. He’s just as much interested in delivering a black comedy and a twisted revenge fantasy. So don’t go into it expecting to be on the edge of your seat.

**Image Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures**

Unfortunately as Hancock admirably attempts to corral all of his ambition, his film stumbles in areas that are hard to miss. For starters, “Companion” begins with what would have been quality table-setting if its first major reveal hadn’t been routinely spoiled during its promotion. Yet to the movie’s credit, it still manages to entertain while we wait for its story to catch up with what we already know.

But as the story progresses you begin to see its seemingly tight story slowly begin to unravel. By the end the movie struggles to stay on the rails, hampered by glaring plot holes and leaving us with obvious questions that never get unanswered. Meanwhile its overall message is a familiar one that hinges on a few popular well-worn themes without really expressing anything about them that we haven’t seen before.

The story centers around a group of friends who gather at a secluded lake house for a weekend getaway. They’re possibly some of the dumbest characters you’ll encounter on a screen this year. The lone exception is the sweet yet timid Iris (Sophie Thatcher) who arrives with her boobish boyfriend Josh (Jack Quaid). Waiting for them at the house are Josh’s friends Kat (Megan Suri) and her Russian sugar daddy Sergey, and Eli (Harvey Guillén) who brought along his significant other, Patrick (Lukas Gage).

It’s best that you know as little as possible going in. But since it was such a big part of the promotion I’ll go ahead and say it – we learn pretty early on that Iris is actually an AI-driven robot that Josh purchased from a tech company. He’s able to control her through an app on his phone that allows him to adjust everything from her intelligence to her affection to her aggression. Here’s the catch – she doesn’t know she’s a robot which means she doesn’t realize the emotions she feels is little more than programming.

But everything comes to light when an act of violence leaves one person dead. Soon after, a shocked Iris learns the truth about her existence. She also learns that Josh and his friends aren’t who she thought they were. Wacky plot turns and lukewarm reveals follow, sometimes making sense but not always. And as more twists are thrown at us, things only get sillier and bloodier. Of course that’s not always a bad thing. But here, none of it feels rooted in anything worthwhile.

There’s enough bonkers material in “Companion” to make for some breezy entertainment and Hancock smartly (and thankfully) moves us along at a fairly swift pace. But it’s hard to turn a blind eye to its shortcomings which only seem to mount the farther we go. And there’s not enough meat to its message or satirical bite to give the story the punch that it desperately needs. “Companion” is in theaters now.

VERDICT – 2.5 STARS

REVIEW: “Valiant One” (2025)

January 30, 2025 by Keith Garlington

Based on a harrowing true story of courage under fire, “Valiant One” is an action war thriller directed, produced, and co-written by Steve Barnett. This lean and modestly budgeted feature clocks in at just barely over 80 minutes. But it does some good things in its short running time, most notably telling a story about overcoming fears in the face of death and putting your life on the line for those under your command.

At Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, South Korea, United States Army Sergeant Edward Brockman (Chase Stokes) is surprised when he is assigned to a field operation to repair a radar unit in the demilitarized zone near the North Korean border. But their routine in-and-out mission turns into a nightmare after wind shears from a storm causes their helicopter to violently crash outside of allied air space.

**Image Courtesy of Briarcliff Entertainment**

With his superiors killed, a reluctant Brockman is next in the chain of command. The first thing he discovers is that he and the other survivors are inside North Korea meaning headquarters can’t send a chopper to pick them up. So Brockman is tasked with leading the team’s medic, Selby (Lana Condor), infantrymen Ross (Jonathan Whitesell) and Lee (Daniel Jun), and a civilian engineer, Josh Weaver (Desmin Borges) across the border to an extraction point where Delta Force is waiting.

“Valiant One” starts off a little shaky as it introduces its core characters through an early sequence hampered by unconvincing tough guy banter. But it gets on track as the soldiers begin making their way through enemy territory. Barnett effectively emphasizes the intense pressure that comes with making split-second decisions. And he’s not afraid to show fear and even panic. That’s because his soldiers aren’t sketched from action movies. They’re grounded in real life.

At the same time, not much is shared about the region’s tensions or the geopolitical interests of the United States. Pretty much all that’s conveyed is we are the good guys and the North Korean army are the bad guys. So don’t expect to learn anything about the conflict beyond that. It doesn’t kill the intensity of watching the soldiers navigate the dangers they repeatedly face. But it does leave the story feeling light on context.

Aside from that, there are a few other blemishes that you can’t help but notice. While most of the performances are serviceable, they aren’t always up to par. And there are a handful of scene-sabotaging music choices that stick out like a sore thumb. But Barnett and company pull it off where it matters most. They make the soldiers their focus, highlighting the in-the-moment courage a soldier must possess despite the emotional consequences that will eventually come with their actions.

VERDICT – 3 STARS

Retro Review: “Say Anything…” (1989)

January 29, 2025 by Keith Garlington

Mere weeks before I was set to graduate from high school in 1989 Cameron Crowe made his directorial debut with the teen dramedy “Say Anything…”. At the time teen flicks were a dime-a-dozen and they often fell into many of the same categories. You had the genuinely funny comedies, the schmaltzy fluff, the all-out raunchy ones, etc. Many of them relied on the same tropes, the same character types, the same jokes, and the same basic storylines.

But “Say Anything…” felt different. A big reason is because Crowe gave us authentic and relatable characters rather than annoyingly shallow caricatures. He clearly cared for them which carried over to his audience. Also, he didn’t rely solely on the popular teen movie or rom-com formulas of the time. There are a few familiar beats, but Crowe’s interests lie beyond them. It wasn’t enough to earn huge numbers at the box office, but the movie has stood the test of time.

**Image Courtesy of 20th Century Studios**

Crowe’s script is laced with good humor which is well delivered and almost always comes at just the right time. Yes, there’s a sweet romance and plenty of teen-oriented drama at the story’s center. But it’s the well developed and emotionally layered characters that keep us invested. Crowe makes them easy to connect with and even easier to root for.

The story begins on graduation day at a small Seattle, Washington high school. John Cusack plays Lloyd Dobler, an average everyday student with no clear vision for what he wants to do with his life. He’s a straightforward guy who has a thing for Diane Court (Ione Skye), the class valedictorian. On paper they’re far from a perfect match, which Lloyd’s best friend Corey (Lili Taylor) is happy to point out.

Both Lloyd and Diane have their own struggles which Crowe takes time to explore. Aside from his uncertainty about his future, Lloyd’s parents are overseas, leaving him to live with his sister and nephew. Their absence creates a void for the rudderless Lloyd. Meanwhile Diana is the smartest girl in school which has distanced her from her entire class. She doesn’t have any close friends and her lone confidant is her caring father Jim (John Mahoney).

As you can guess, Lloyd and Diane eventually connect. Their feelings towards each other are genuine yet their personal problems complicate things in a variety of ways. Interestingly, the story features a lot of talk about honesty. Lloyd is honest and sincere which plays a big part in his connection with Diane. Meanwhile her relationship with her father is built entirely on honesty and trust. And just like in real life, when trust is broken it can often carry heavy consequences.

Cusack shines as Lloyd, relaying ample amounts of teen enthusiasm and nervous energy while bringing an innocence and vulnerability to his character. Skye gives an overall good performance despite going a little too big at times which can make her stand out for the wrong reasons. Mahoney is especially good as Diane’s father, dodging many of the conventional ‘movie dad’ traps and playing a bigger role in the film’s second half.

“Say Anything…” is now 36-years-old but it still maintains a freshness within a genre that has often felt tired and stale. It’s a film that examines teens through a fair-minded lens, seeing them as regular people with real-world feelings and their own complexities. Cameron Crowe’s screenplay still hits its marks and his direction is sharp. And while it still feels very much like a 1980’s movie, it has a grounded human quality that never ages out.

VERDICT – 4 STARS

First Glance: “Sinners” Trailer #2

January 28, 2025 by Keith Garlington

A film steadily inching its way up my ‘Most Anticipated’ list is Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners”. Following his franchise successes with “Black Panther” and “Creed”, Coogler gets back to an original project with a period-rich vampire movie starring his frequent collaborator Michael B. Jordan. The film sees Jordan in a dual role alongside a killer supporting cast that includes Hailee Steinfeld, Jack O’Connell, Miles Caton, Delroy Lindo, Wunmi Mosaku, Omar Miller, and more. The first trailer was intense. This newest one is even more exciting.

Jordan plays twin brothers, Elijah and Elias, who return to their home town in hopes of putting their troubled lives behind them. But as the trailers have shown, escaping one’s past isn’t always easy. And to make matters worse, there’s something far more sinister and evil awaiting them back home. Coogler looks to go out of his way to immerse us in the 1930s Jim Crow era South, really leaning into the production design, costumes, and music. But it also looks utterly terrifying in the best way possible. I’m all onboard.

“Sinners” hits theaters April 18th. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

REVIEW: “Green and Gold” (2025)

January 28, 2025 by Keith Garlington

Craig T. Nelson gets a meaty big screen role in “Green and Gold”, an inspirational drama from director Anders Lindwall. Inspired by true events, the film takes an honest and heartfelt look at the plight of family farms in America. It’s told through the story of one Wisconsin family who find themselves on the verge of not only losing everything they’ve worked for, but also losing something central to their very identity.

Though not overtly religious, “Green and Gold” thoughtfully melds together faith, football and farming into a textured and grounded drama that’s firmly rooted in rural life. Nelson plays a grizzled farmer named Buck. Full of grit and pride, Buck inherited his sprawling Wisconsin farmland from his late father. And about the only thing he loves as much as his farm are the Green Bay Packers. Case in point – he even named his cattle after the players from their 1967 championship team

**Image Courtesy of Fathom Entertainment**

With his beloved wife Margaret (Annabel Armour) and their hardworking granddaughter Jenny (Madison Lawlor), Buck sticks to the old ways of farming which means respecting the land, the animals, and the way of life. But in the changing world, the old ways have led to some substantial debt along with the threat of foreclosure from a local banker named Jerry (Tim Frank).

After some unfriendly jostling, Jerry makes Buck an outrageous deal. If the Packers win the Super Bowl he’ll give Buck an interest-free year to catch up on his payments. If they lose, Buck either pays in full or signs everything over to the bank. At first Buck declines. “We aren’t betting people”, he tells Jenny. But later, as desperation sets in, he takes the wager and puts his farm in the hands of fate.

That’s one part of the story. Another focuses on Jenny, a young woman who was raised on the farm but has dreams of getting away. She knows farming and does everything from work the fields to tend the livestock. But she’s also a talented singer-songwriter who often slips off to Milwaukee to play her music at area bars. When a hunky up and coming singer (Brandon Sklenar) offers her a chance to record her music, she’s faced with a difficult yet potentially life-changing decision.

As the drama plays out at the farm, the Packers overcome a rough start and begin winning, eventually squeezing into the playoffs for the first time in years. I won’t say how everything plays out, but it doesn’t quite follow the formula you might expect. That’s because “Green and Gold” is more interested in the humanity at the core of its story. The script does occasionally veer into the melodramatic and certain side characters desperately need more depth. But it never loses its grip on the human element.

“Green and Gold” captures the heart of its moving true account through assured direction, richly authentic performances, and a terrific sense of place. It can be tender, inspiring, heartbreaking, and even dark on occasions. We’re even blessed with the always wonderful M. Emmet Walsh in his last movie role. It all makes for a welcomed January release that has the chance to surprise a lot of people. “Green and Gold” opens in theaters on January 31st.